Shan'auc, one of Teal'c's old flames and priestess of Chulak claims to have taught her symbiote to despise the Goa'uld. The Tok'ra seem convinced of this, but there is still a reasonable amount of doubt from the others.
An old acquaintance of Teal'c's comes to Earth claiming to be able to communicate with her larval Goa'uld and even influence it to the cause of the Tok'ra and Tau'ri. Though Stargate Command wants to believe Shan'auc, Teal'c is not convinced. Shan'auc is offended and is about to leave, but she collapses, apparently because the Goa'uld inside her is fully grown and ready to take a host. She recovers somewhat, but will soon die for lack of a larval symbiote to sustain her immune system.
Teal'c determines to try to reproduce her method of communication with the symbiote, which involves entering a deep meditative state. While meditating, he sees a vision of Cronus killing his father Ronac, thereby verifying Shan'auc's claim. The vision which the symbiote chose indicates to him that the symbiote hates its host greatly, even while being beholden to it for its life.
Anise of the Tok'ra is summoned, as the symbiote apparently wishes to join the ranks of the Tok'ra. She offers to take the matter before the Tok'ra High Council. The next morning, word comes that the Tok'ra have accepted Shan'auc's offer to trade the fully grown symbiote for a new larval Goa'uld. They meet Hebron, who has volunteered to be the host for the symbiote, but Shan'auc collapses, and the symbiote is forced to jump from her body to his. The Goa'uld successfully melds with its new host, but Shan'auc is unconscious, and near death.
The Goa'uld which has taken up residence in Hebron reveals its name to be Tanith, and Hebron is apparently alive and well also. Shan'auc remains very weak, but the symbiote they have given her seems to be healing her. However, ColonelJack O'Neill is somewhat doubtful of the entire process, and is not convinced that it is really Hebron speaking. He is also annoyed by the Tok'ra's apparent unwillingness to give the Tau'ri all of the genetic knowledge which Tanith possesses. O'Neill decides that SG-1 will return to Earth immediately, as apparently there is no use in arguing the point with the Tok'ra. Teal'c is a step behind as they leave, and reveals to Shan'auc that he intends to leave the SGC, and return with her to Chulak when she is healthy, so that they can teach others to commune with their own symbiotes. Shan'auc confirms a suspicion voiced earlier by O'Neill, calling Teal'c, "my love."
Later that night, Shan'auc goes to see Tanith/Hebron, hoping to talk to him. He reveals that he is not what she thought, and that he did not have a change of heart as she had thought.
Back on Earth, Teal'c informs the SGC of his intent to return to Chulak for good. However, after saying this, the Stargate is activated from off-world by the Tok'ra, interrupting the discussion. Anise arrives with the body of Shan'auc, whose larva appears to have died of natural causes, apparently as a result of the delay in getting her a new larva. In mourning, Teal'c attempts to commune with his larval Goa'uld again. He sees the same vision as before, but realizes how it was that his father was killed by Cronos - Cronos crushed the larva in order to introduce its blood directly into the bloodstream of its host; this is apparently the slowest and most painful death a Jaffa can endure. He comes out of the meditative state, and declares to O'Neill that Shan'auc was murdered.
SG-1 immediately return to the planet where the Tok'ra are currently staying, and reveal that their autopsy on Shan'auc has confirmed Teal'c revelation. Anise correctly deduces that Teal'c has returned for revenge, and though she tells him that it will not be possible, he immediately goes in search of Tanith, allowing no one to bar his path. It eventually takes five or six Tok'ra to restrain him.
Anise explains that they have decided to allow Tanith to believe he has succeeded in infiltrating their ranks, and by controlling the information he receives, they hope to deceive the Goa'uld, while hopefully gaining further intelligence at some point from Tanith. O'Neill realizes that they had already suspected the truth when Shan'auc was found dead. Anise further defends the Tok'ra's actions, saying that Hebron was well aware of the risks, and that they will attempt to remove Tanith from him once he is no longer deceived.
Teal'c meets Tanith face-to-face before leaving the Tok'ra base, and though barely able to contain himself, manages to say (half-truthfully) to Tanith, "[I wanted] to look upon you, and know Shan'auc's sacrifice will not be in vain." Tanith promises that it will not, and expresses a desire to someday see Teal'c again. Teal'c promises in return that they will certainly meet again someday.
The conversation between O'Neill and Shan'auc shortly after her arrival Shan'auc: Bra'tac has told me much of the Tau'ri, you are O'Neill... Teal'c's apprentice. O'Neill: Yea-... Apprentice? Shan'auc: Also a warrior of great skill and cunning. O'Neill: Apprentice? *Brief pause, General Hammond enters* Shan'auc: Hammond of Texas! A great and strong leader among humans.
The Tok'ra Anise tells SG-1 about the Tok'ra Queen Anise: The great Queen Egeria, she broke from the Goa'uld over 2000 years ago, her offspring became the Tok'ra. Jackson: Egeria, Roman godess of fountains? O'Neill: Fountains? Jackson: Also childbirth. O'Neill: How do those two go together?
At the Tok'ra base Anise:(to Major Carter) Your father asked that I shake your hand, and give Colonel O'Neill a big kiss from him. Carter: That might have been the other way around. Colonel O'Neill: Maybe.
Egeria is first mentioned in this episode and will appear in "Cure".
With Tanith's introduction, this episode sets into motion the long chain of events that would eventually lead to the arrival of Anubis.
In this episode it states that allowing a symbiote's blood to enter the Jaffa's bloodstream is the most painful way to die, but in Season 1's cliffhanger, Apophis says that removal of a Jaffa's Prim'ta is the most painful way to die. (Pain is subjective, however)
It is however possible that the fabric wasn't torn, as some Jaffa have clothing that allows easy access for the symbiote.
When the group arrives on the Tok'ra planet, all five figures emerging from the Staregate wear pants. In the next (non-CGI) scene Shan'auc wears a dress.
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