Fire and Water

US Airdate : 17 October 1997

UK Airdate : 24 June 1998

Summary

On a Volatile planet the team see Daniel killed, back at the SGC the team mourn the loss of their friend.

Synopsis by Kim

An alarm goes off in the SGC, indicating a Gate activation. As no SG units are due back, the base goes on full alert. An SG-1 remote GDO code is received and SG-1 return through the Gate - wet, shocked and without Daniel Jackson. They collapse on the ramp. General Hammond asks where Daniel is.

Jack replies that he is dead.

During the post-mission briefing, each remaining member of SG-1 take turns explaining what happened. There were a number of volcanic gas holes, one of which exploded, engulfing Daniel in flames. The others survived by submerging themselves in a nearby body of water. Jack ordered a retreat from the planet.

Hammond decides that Daniel deserves a full military send-off, despite him not being USAF personnel. After a heart-warming speech from Jack, a wreath is sent through the Stargate, in Daniel's name.

Sam and Teal'c arrive at Jack's house for Daniel's wake. Trying to be optimistic, Jack offers some drinks. While pouring a beer for Sam, he gets some kind of a flashback of Daniel's death. Hammond asks a very angry and frustrated Jack whether SG-1 could close up Daniel's apartment. Jack agrees.

In the apartment, Sam suffers from a flashback memory of Daniel's death. Jack and Teal'c mention that they have had the same experience. Jack startles the others by saying that he does not believe that Daniel is dead. Determined to discover the truth, they head back to the SGC.

Meanwhile, Daniel is still alive. He has just awakened and is standing in the middle of what looks like an aquarium. He is dripping wet, and calls out for his team mates. No-one is there. As he turns around, he notices an amphibious looking creature coming towards him. The creature indicates a panel, on which Daniel sees a form of writing. Daniel identifies it as Cuneiform, the most ancient for of writing known to man. He translates it as 'Reveal fate Omaroca'. His questions anger the creature, causing him to attack Daniel with a blast similar to the one from a Goa'uld ribbon device.

Daniel spends some time translating more and more of this text for the creature, who keeps asking 'What fate Omaroca?'. Daniel does not know and tries to explain that. The creature threatens him and leaves the room, though a wall of water. A while later, the creature returns. When Daniel asks about Jack, Sam and Teal'c, the creature tells him that he implanted false memories, making SG1 believe that Daniel died in the fire. He thinks that Daniel can tell him what happened to his mate, Omaroca, in Babylon.

Both Daniel and the creature get frustrated and angry, the creature because he thinks Daniel is hiding information from him, and Daniel because he is afraid.

Back at the SGC, Dr. Janet Frasier discovers that all three remaining members of SG1 have extremely low levels of Seratomin - the body's 'feel-good' chemical. All three also have a similar dark spot on their brains in exactly the same place. Suddenly, as SG6 return from a mission, Jack, Sam and Teal'c believe that Daniel has returned. They are very confused, not knowing whether Daniel is dead or alive, unable to believe their own memories.

Sam volunteers for hypnosis, to try and discover the truth. She is taken back to their arrival on the planet. Her memories reveal that they met a strange creature, the same one who has taken Daniel. He probed them all, looking into their minds. The creature decided that Daniel knew more about Babylon than the others, and released them. He kept Daniel. Sam is very upset about having left Daniel behind, and is comforted by Jack, who promises that they will go back and get him.

Meanwhile, the creature has strapped Daniel to a table and is trying to extract the memories from Daniel's mind. This causes Daniel an immense amount of pain, but he eventually reveals enough about Omaroca's fate that the creature is contented.

Jack, Sam and Teal'c returned to the planet. They see the creature emerge from the ocean, followed by Daniel. Daniel introduces the creature as Nem and explains what happened. SG1, reunited, take Daniel home

Review

A very emotionally charged episode, with some very powerful acting, both from Michael Shanks and also from Amanda Tapping. This episode was really the first "Daniel Episode", and was a wonderful introduction to his character. We realise that he is still in a lot of pain from the loss of Sha're, and we also learn how much SG-1 mean to each other. Plus we get to see Daniel in a wet T-shirt <g>!! Definitely one of my favourite episodes.