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stargÅtefan.com : episodes > season 3 > next episode: the deadman's switch

Various objects are seen at an AREA 51 storage facility, including the mirror Daniel had traveled through on the world P3X233. Suddenly, the mirror springs to life, and a long-haired Samantha Carter can be seen yelling to Major Kowalsky to come through, as gunfire is heard in the background. The two exit the mirror and trigger some laser beam alarms. Soldiers move to arrest them amidst blaring alarms. Carter implores, "I'm Doctor Samantha Carter from the SGA, this is Major Kowalsky. Please let us speak to your commander!"

O'Neill enters the infirmary at the SGC, somewhat confused over what the emergency is all about. He sees who he thinks is Sam, looking confused, in bed, with long straight hair. She seems equally shocked to see him, perhaps more so, and calls him "Jack." He is further stunned as she adds, "I never expected this variation… You're alive!"

Kowalsky appears with Dr. Janet Frasier. She confirms that in every physical respect he IS Kowalsky, but he adds that he's been told he's not supposed to be alive in this reality, any more than O'Neill is supposed to be in his.

Carter addresses Jack and says, "It's not the same with us here, is it?"

In exasperation Jack exclaims, "Does anyone want to let me know what's going on here? ANYONE?"

Kowalsky is surprised to learn that this reality hasn't figured out how to use the quantum mirror, and he adds that where they come from, the Goa'uld have taken over the world!

As SG-1 watches videotape of Doctor Carter being interrogated, they debate the idea of alternate, alternate realities, and which in fact is "real." As the discussion into quantum theory deepens, Jack quips, "So, it's possible there's an alternate version of myself out there somewhere that actually understands what you're talking about?"

Major Kowalsky enters the briefing and reacts violently to Teal'c's presence. Sam meets herself filled with curiosity. Doctor Carter tells them how their reality is only one of a handful of alternate realities that hadn't been overrun by the Goa'uld. Major Carter postulates that it might be due to a combination of things, Daniel's involvement, Teal'c's change of heart, her joining the military. Doctor Carter and Kowalsky ask for permission to stay in this reality. They are assigned to temporary quarters to await a decision.

In her quarters, Dr. Carter takes a wedding photo out of her pocket, and places it on the nightstand. It is of her and Jack. She begins crying.

The President informs General Hammond that the visitors can stay, and Jack volunteers to let them know. He goes to Dr. Carter first and tells her, "You're in! They said yes!" He notices she is crying, and he listens as she tells him how she watched him die three days ago. He then sees the picture and realizes they were married. She tells him they were married one year.

As tears stream down her face, she tells Jack he's the only one who can help her deal with the loss, although he seems unsure and reluctant. Finally, he offers to hold her as she cries.

Later, Dr. Carter begins to experience a violent warping distortion effect that Dr. Frasier describes as convulsive shock for lack of a better term. As she recovers a bit, Dr. Carter calls it, "entropic cascade failure on the cellular level, a side effect of travel through the mirror due to the fact that both Sams are existing in the same reality.

She can't remain, or she will die; she can't go back or the Goa'uld will kill her. Daniel points out that they should try to help this other version of Earth. They should try to stop the Goa'uld in the alternate reality. He proposes they contact the Asgaard in that reality and ask them for help.

Kowalsky volunteers to go back with Dr. Carter to get her to the Gate. Jack points out that he'll need someone to hook up a power generator and down load the dialing program. It is decided that Teal'c, Daniel, Jack, Kowalsky and Dr. Carter will all go. Even though Teal'c's alternate self will be there, he assumes that he will not get ill for at least 48 hours, as that was Dr. Carter's experience.

Jack watches the two Carters work on repairing the power generator as Kowalsky explains to Daniel how to operate the remote for the quantum mirror. "It's non-exact," he explains, "you have to dial it and get a feel for where you are, but as long as you don't turn it off, it's always connected to the same reality. Otherwise, when you turn it off and on again, you have to find the reality you came from all over again."

Daniel experiments with the mirror as the two Carters proudly display a working power generator! Teal'c is dressed and made up to look like his alternate self, and they depart. They touch the mirror and are instantly transported to a darkened room with sirens blaring. They take cover. A Jaffa patrol is approaching the room. Jack signals for Daniel to turn off the mirror, so the patrol won't see it. Daniel tries to refuse, but Jack insists, so he reluctantly shuts it off.

O'Neill and Kowalsky follow the patrol, which has assembled at the Stargate. Apophis comes through! Jack and Kowalsky retreat, but Teal'c hears them, and pursues, commanding the other Jaffa to "KREE!" As the alternate Teal'c enters the storage room, he confronts … himself! Teal'c, who is a member of SG-1, asks his double to renounce Apophis as a false god and join him, then he will spare his life. The alternate Teal'c calls him "shova" and moves to fight him. Teal'c quickly kills him with a staff weapon. Jack and Daniel are shocked. "The idea was to zat him!" O'Neill states. Teal'c calmly responds, "As I said O'Neill, ours is the only reality of consequence!"

Teal'c takes his alternate's place and brings Dr. Carter with him to the Gate room.

Jack asks Daniel, "What the hell does kree mean?"

Daniel dutifully answers, while trying to restart the mirror, "Loosely translated it means… attention, listen up, concentrate…"

"Yoo hoo?" Jack asks.

"In a manner of speaking," Daniel agrees.

O'Neill and Kowalsky move out to attach the power generator, leaving Daniel in the storage closet to find their reality in the mirror again.

Apophis is torturing the General Hammond of that reality, trying to determine the address of the beta site. Apophis leaves Teal'c in charge of the interrogation.

Kowalsky tries to talk to Jack about how good he and Sam look together, but Jack won't hear of it.

Daniel repeatedly selects Goa'uld occupied worlds, finally finding what appears to be his reality, complete with a waiting Sam Carter, until he notices her uniform still says Captain! He continues searching.

Dr. Carter and Teal'c download the program, and with the power generator on line, Carter is able to leave through the Gate. Apophis witnesses this and discovers Teal'c has betrayed him.

When Kowalsky and O'Neill return to the storage closet, they find it filled with Jaffa, all wielding staff weapons, and an obviously beaten Daniel on his knees at the center of the group. A Jaffa commands,

"Lower your weapons or we will kill him!" They comply. The Jaffa have also discovered the alternate Teal'c's body.

The group (Hammond, Teal'c, O'Neill, Jackson and Kowalsky) is forced to kneel at Apophis' feet. He questions Jack, "Who are you? My first prime killed you before my very eyes!"

Jack calmly answers, "I'm feeling much better thank you!"

Apophis grows increasingly impatient as he doesn't understand who they are and how they could rise from the dead without a sarcophagus. He asks what kind of magic this is.

Daniel smartly retorts, "You should know, there's no such thing as magic!" and Apophis has the General zatted.

Jack supposes the second shot kills in this world too and Daniel nods in agreement.

Apophis shouts, "Tell me what I want to know!"

Jack answers him, "I'd love to, but I don't understand it myself. HE does!" Jack nods at Daniel who reacts with a 'who, me?' look, and stammering tries to explain alternate realities to Apophis. Finally the Goa'uld's patience runs out entirely and he motions for General Hammond to be zatted again, killing him.

Again Apophis asks, "Tell me where you come from!"

Daniel angrily responds, "From an alternate reality!"

"One, by the way, in which you are dead!" Jack spits.

Apophis motions and Daniel is zatted, falling to the floor. Jack stares horrified as Apophis motions for the second shot and the Jaffa raises the zat gun.

At that moment, Jaffa enter and show a ship approaching on radar to Apophis. Jack and Kowalsky help a shaky Daniel to get back on his knees. Apophis stares with hatred at them, and prepares his glove weapon. Just as he is about to fire, he vanishes in a burst of white light, as do the other Jaffa surrounding the team, and General Hammond's body as well.

Jack states in astonishment, "OK, I'm guessin…."

"Asgaard!" Daniel excitedly finishes.

The remaining Jaffa flee through the Gate and Apophis' ship retreats as an Asgaard ship becomes briefly visible on the monitor.

Teal'c states the obvious, "It appears Dr. Carter was successful!"

Jack is overjoyed, "C'mon! You gotta LOVE those guys!"

Dr. Carter materializes telling how she'd met the Asgaard, and General Hammond reappears having been restored to life. The Asgaard ship leaves.

The team says its good-byes at the mirror, leaving Jack behind for a moment to say a private farewell to Dr. Carter.

"This is goodbye for a second time," Dr. Carter tearfully tells Jack.

"It's the first time," he corrects her.

"Doesn't feel that way to me, my Jack had the same face, same voice, same hands…" she goes on.

"Which brings to mind an obvious question," Jack says. "How could you marry such a loser?"

Sam watches from the other side of the mirror, as Dr. Carter and Jack kiss goodbye.

After the kiss, she whispers, "You're really not him, are you?"

Jack simply says, "No."

"Can I just wish?" she tearfully asks.

"Yup," he answers, then turns and leaves her. As the mirror fades away, Dr. Carter turns away in tears.

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