Template:SG1-9
- This episode is part 1 of 3; it is followed by "Avalon, Part 2" and "Origin".
"Avalon, Part 1" is the first episode of the ninth season of Stargate SG-1.
Synopsis
Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell, a veteran F-302 fighter-interceptor pilot who participated in the Battle of Antarctica, has been given command of SG-1. His plan is to reunite the old team. However, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter works in Area 51, Teal'c is now working full-time for the Free Jaffa Nation on Dakara, and Dr. Daniel Jackson is going to Atlantis. However, a visit from Vala Mal Doran changes everything.
Plot
Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell touching the Stargate.
Mitchell as a fighter pilot during the Battle of Antarctica.
Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell is at Stargate Command staring at the Stargate for the first time. He piloted one of the F-302 fighter-interceptor's in the defense of Earth against the attack fleet of Anubis in the Battle of Antarctica. After his heroic efforts and recovery from injury, Major General Jack O'Neill offered him any job he liked, and he wished to join SG-1. However, when he arrives at the base, he finds that SG-1 has been disbanded, a new general is in control, and he is set to pick and lead the new team which leaves Mitchell stunned and greatly dismayed.
General Hank Landry, the new Commanding Officer for Stargate Command.
The new general and commander of Stargate Command is Major General Henry Landry who is a friend of both Lt. General George S. Hammond and O'Neill. Under his order, Mitchell begins the selection process for new members of SG-1 but can't stomach any of the terrible candidates. As such, Mitchell who wanted to work with the best is determined to get SG-1 back together.
Teal'c is off world on the planet Dakara, which has been established as the capital of the newly founded Free Jaffa Nation, the aftermath of the fall of the Goa'uld. Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter has been moved to Area 51, where she is aiding the research. Jack O'Neill has been promoted out of the SGC (hence the new general), and Dr. Daniel Jackson is set to take a ride on board the Daedalus, the newest Earth intergalactic battlecruiser, to Atlantis, the now-found City of the Ancients.
Vala Mal Doran arriving at the SGC.
An unscheduled offworld activation admits to the SGC Vala Mal Doran who claims to have something they want. They let her in and she immediately seeks out her "friend" Daniel to pester. She has a tablet written in Ancient that leads to a trove of Ancient treasures hidden somewhere on Earth, and she needs Daniel to translate it. However, as soon as they are close together, she throws a pair of cuffs onto both his and her wrists. These are Kor mak bracelets (Teal'c explains, on his return), which link the two of them together such that they cannot be greatly separated without feeling pain and eventually death. Vala had known it would affect Daniel Jackson, but not that it would affect her, too. She promises she will take them off after they find the treasure and she gets her fair share. Mitchell suggests that the fastest way to solve the problem is to put together a team to find the treasure, and invites Teal'c to join them since the Jaffa High Council is in recess.
Since Jackson can't be separated from Vala for the time being, he has to miss his trip on the Daedalus to Atlantis, meaning that he won't make his much-desired trip there. Meanwhile however, he translates the tablet and who wrote it: an Ancient fleeing Atlantis after the war with the Wraith, named Myrddin, who Jackson says is Merlin, the wizard associated with King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. After further research, Jackson concludes that the treasure is located beneath Glastonbury Tor in England. Mitchell wants to have Carter join the expedition as well, but she's busy at Area 51. However, if they do find something, she'll want to see it.
Arriving at the place on the Prometheus, they use Transportation rings to get inside a hidden cavern where a hologram of Merlin tells them that only the worthy, those with "a wealth of knowledge and truth of spirit," will gain access to the treasures of the Ancients. There is a Sword In The Stone, but Mitchell is unable to remove it. They decide to explore further; Daniel and Vala take a right passageway, and Mitchell and Teal'c take a left.
Both parties find rooms which light up upon entry. In both rooms, the parties encounter puzzles, and the doors shut automatically.
Just when they think it can't get any worse, the ceiling begins to lower to crush them, and they must solve the puzzles in time before they are crushed to death.
References
Al'kesh; Ambrosius Aurelianus; Ancients; Ancient language; Androids; Antarctica; Anubis; Area 51; Ascension; Asgard; Asgard transporter; Atlantis; Atlantis expedition; Avalon; Battle of Antarctica; Bennet; The Blues Brothers; Cave people of P3K-447; Chess; Claustrophobia; Colorado Springs; Constantine; Cronus; Daedalus; Dakara; Major Paul Davis; Death Glider; England; F-302 fighter-interceptor; Free Jaffa Nation; Glastonbury Tor; Goa'uld; Goa'uld language; Golap; Gold; President Henry Hayes; Hologram; Jaffa High Council; Knights of the Round Table; Kor mak bracelet; London; General Douglas MacArthur; Mandarin; Medal of Honor; Merlin; Merlin tablet; Nut; O'Neill's house; P3K-447; Prometheus; Purple Heart; PX3-989; Ronan's Tel'tak; Russian language; Sex; SG-7; SG-12; Spanish language; Stargate Command infirmary; Superman; Sword; Sword In The Stone; Transportation rings; Teneeze; Wraith
Notable Quotes
Landry: (flipping through papers in his hand) Your service record's impeccable, Mitchell. What's wrong with ya?
Mitchell: Sir?
Landry: Nobody's perfect. Everyone has some sort of character flaw. What's yours?
Mitchell: Sometimes, I can be impatient…sir.
Landry: Well, all pilots have type-A personalities. I'm talking about your kryptonite.
(Mitchell is silent)
Landry: Don't worry ... I'll figure it out.
Landry: You know, the thing that's hardest to get used to around here is how good everybody is at their job. The fact is, I like yelling at people! Never get the damn chance.
Mitchell: I'll try not to lower the average, Sir.
Landry: Oh, a self-deprecating sense of humor. You think it'll make people like you, despite your outward perfection?
Landry: Well, that's Jack for you. You know, I looked for the key for that desk for a week, before I finally got him to admit—he never had one! The man never opened a drawer the whole time he was here!
(After talking separately to Jackson, Teal'c, and Carter and being turned down to rejoin SG1 by all three)
Mitchell: Well Walter, it doesn't look like we're getting the band back together.
(Landry and O'Neill are drinking beers and playing chess)
Landry: A general is only as good as the people he commands.
O'Neill: Who said that?
Landry: I just did. (long pause as Landry moves a rook so O'Neill is in check) I mean, Douglas MacArthur may have said something similar.
O'Neill: Didn't he also say, "there's no substitute for winning"? (as O'Neill moves a bishop so Landry is in check-mate)
Landry: Actually, it was "in war, there is no substitute for victory." (Landry knocks over his own king, conceding defeat)
Mitchell: (talking to Jackson) Look the tablet is written in Ancient code, right? I know it's not the lost city of Atlantis we're looking for here, but whatever it is could be worth finding ... or you're just gonna have to marry that chick.
Vala: Yeah! Let's make babies!
Mitchell: (still trying to get SG1 back together) That was fantastic! You talk to Carter yet?
Jackson: Uh, yeah. She can't make it.
Mitchell: What!? This is huge. We could be on the brink of another major discovery of Ancient technology.
Jackson: I'm sure she'll be interested in whatever we find.
Vala: Hrm. Hey, try playing hard to get.
Mitchell: Yeah, look who's talking.
(Upon entering the Prometheus's 'Auxiliary Control Room 2')
Vala: Ahh, now this brings back memories.
Jackson: How's that?
Vala: Isn't this where I beat you up?
Jackson: No.
Vala: No, I'm pretty sure that right there is where I crushed your--
Mitchell: Alright, excuse me kids. (Pushing between the two of them)
(Vala and Jackson exploring the right passageway in the Ancient cavern within Glastonbury Tor in England)
Vala: You should give me a weapon.
Jackson: No.
Vala: There could be an icky creature down here left to protect the treasure.
Jackson: For hundreds of years?
Vala: Some sort of stasis or hibernation. What if it senses our presence and awakens hungry for human flesh?
Jackson: That doesn't sound quite like the Ancients' style.
Vala: Still...
Jackson: I'm sure if there is a monster down here it's going to be much more scared of you than you are of it. Especially once it gets to know you.
Notes
- "Avalon" marked the beginning of a "new" Stargate SG-1 that continued after the total closure and possible ending of the previous season. Despite seeing the departure of Richard Dean Anderson's Major General Jack O'Neill, it sees the introduction of Ben Browder as Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell, Beau Bridges as Major General Henry Landry, and Lexa Doig as Dr. Carolyn Lam. They also bring in Claudia Black's character Vala Mal Doran as a recurring character, later to become a regular in Season 10, and introduce entire new storylines including further information about the Ancients, their links to Arthurian legends, and their origins. Exploring more of Claudia Black's character was a writer's way to fill the void while Amanda Tapping was on maternity leave, Tapping having given birth to a baby girl named Olivia.
- Claudia Black (Vala Mal Doran) is credited as a Special Guest Star.
- This episode also marks the debut appearance of Lieutenant Kevin Marks. He would later go to become a recurring character in not only Stargate SG-1 but also the two spin-off series, Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate Universe.
- Beginning with this episode, Teal'c no longer uses his Staff weapon while on SGC missions. Instead he mostly uses an FN P90 Personal Defense Weapon and other Earth weapons. Occasionally he uses a Zat'nik'tel.
- While Dr. Daniel Jackson discusses that Avalon was a place that Arthur and his knights gathered a great number of riches and treasures, Mitchell points out that one of those treasures was the Holy Grail. It would later be revealed in "Arthur's Mantle" that the "Holy Grail" was the very reason Merlin built the vault: he was using it as a lab to build the Sangraal, a weapon which could neutralize an Ascended being.
- The Sci Fi Channel chose to cut the opening sequences of both Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis to 10-seconds for the original broadcast, rather than the usual 60-seconds. The sequence only displayed the Stargate SG-1 logo and a "Created by" credit, main cast credits were displayed during the teaser. On Sky One in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, the short opening sequence was also used for Part 1, however when Part 2 aired, a full length title sequence was restored, incorporating new cast credits. When "Avalon" aired in US Syndication, the full length title sequence was used.
- When Vala first arrives at the SGC and meets Mitchell, her saying "I know we haven't met. That I'm sure I'd remember" is an ironic reference to Farscape, where Ben Browder and Claudia Black worked together as John Crichton and Aeryn Sun, respectively.
- Mitchell's lines: "Did I mention I'm on a mission from God?" and "Doesn't look like we're gettin' the band back together" are references to The Blues Brothers movie.
- Mitchell's crash resembles Luke Skywalker's crash from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Including a mirrored line where both of them say, "Hang on back there."
- Mitchell mentions reading the files of the case where the team first encountered the transmission stones. This is a reference to Ben Browder who prior to joining Stargate SG-1 sought to see all the previous episodes of SG-1 and before the new season started. Browder eventually achieved this by watching around 180 episodes in a row over the course of two weeks.
- Ben Browder was originally in the running for the role of Major John Sheppard on Stargate: Atlantis, but had to pull out due to filming commitments for Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars. Joe Flanigan got the part and Browder was kept in mind when the role of Mitchell was formed.
- Louis Gossett Jr. was considered for the role of Landry. He ended up on the show anyway as he was cast as a Jaffa leader named Gerak.
- The hologram of Merlin is played by Matthew Walker who previously portrayed another Ancient named Moros in the Stargate: Atlantis episode "Before I Sleep". In the Season Ten episode "The Pegasus Project", it was revealed that they are the same person. He also played King Roham in the Season Two episode "Touchstone".
- Mar Andersons (Air Force Official) previously played Bob in the Stargate SG-1 episodes "Point of No Return" and "Wormhole X-Treme!."
- Robert Clarke (Science Candidate) previously played SGC Scientist 1 (Redemption, Part 2) in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Redemption, Part 2".
- Michael Jonsson (Redmond) previously played Apophis' Jaffa commander in the Stargate SG-1 episode "The Serpent's Lair", Juna Warrior in the episode "Double Jeopardy" and Ramius' Jaffa guard in the episode "Evolution, Part 1".
- This is the first episode of Stargate SG-1 in which the Wraith are mentioned. However, in "Threads", one of the articles of The Ascended Times was entitled "Wraith on the way to Atlantis."
- This episode takes place approximately two months after the events of "Threads", "Moebius, Part 1" and "Moebius, Part 2".
- Although this is the first appearance of General Landry, his earliest chronological appearance was in the Stargate: Atlantis episode "The Intruder" as the flashbacks contained therein take place between the events of "The Siege, Part 3" and this episode.
The new font.
- This is the also first ever episode to introduce a brand-new font in the opening credits, replacing the one that had been used since the series premiere, Children of the Gods which aired nine years earlier and also the new font that was introduced in the Stargate SG-1 Season 6 premiere episode, Redemption, Part 1.
- This is the first episode in which Walter states his official title and full name which is revealed to be Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman.
Ben Browder in the Stargate SG-1 Season 9 opening credits.
Beau Bridges in the Stargate SG-1 Season 9 opening credits.
- This is also the first ever episode of the Stargate SG-1 series to have both Ben Browder (Cameron Mitchell) and Beau Bridges (Hank Landry) listed as series regulars and also have both men appear in the opening credits. It should be noted that this is also the first ever episode of the entire Stargate SG-1 series to introduce the "With" credit.
Goofs
- When Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell is hit over Antarctica, his co-pilot says that they have lost left thrusters and that the display inside the cockpit shows the rear left section in red, however the hit and the subsequent smoke trail come from the right thruster.
- Both Major General Henry Landry and CMSgt. Walter Harriman make the mistake of referring to the events of "Lost City, Part 2" as being "two years ago" when in reality only a year had passed since the battle.
- During the Battle of Antarctica Mitchell calls out "Fox Two! Fox Two!" after firing two missiles. The call refers to heat seeking missiles like the AIM-9 Sidewinder. The F-302 fighter-interceptors are equipped with AIM 120A air-to-air missile. The proper call for those active radar guided missiles is "Fox Three".
First appearances
Characters
- Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell
- Major General Henry Landry
- Lt. Kevin Marks
- Dr. Lindsay (anthropologist)
In other languages
- French: Le Trésor d’Avalon (1ère partie) (The Treasure of Avalon (part 1))
- Italian: Una Nuova Avventura (A New Adventure)
- Spanish: Avalon (parte 1) (Avalon (part 1))
- Czech: Avalon (část 1.) (Avalon (part 1))
External links
- Template:SciFi
- Avalon, Part 1 on the official MGM website. (backup link)
- Avalon, Part 1 on GateWorld. (backup link)
- Avalon, Part 1 on Wikipedia
- Avalon, Part 1 article on Stargate SG-1 Solutions' The StargateWiki
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This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Avalon (Stargate). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with SGCommand, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License. |