Stronghold

Stronghold is the fourteenth episode of the ninth season of Stargate SG-1.

Plot
The Jaffa Council is debating over a proposal to dissolve the Council and have free election for the new government, when one by one the supporters of this action turn against it. After Ka'lel and Maz'rai, the strongest campaigners for democracy turn against it, Bra'tac and Teal'c try to find out why this happened and to convince those yet undecided of their cause.

Meanwhile Cameron Mitchell is in the hospital visiting an old friend, Major Bryce Ferguson, who is about to die of an aneurysm caused by fragmentation. Mitchell pulled strings to get Ferguson into a military hospital with access to Stargate technology. He tells Dr. Kelly that Ferguson would have had his place in the X-302 project if he had not being injured saving Mitchell's life, the same injury that ended up causing the aneurysm.

At the same time, Teal'c gets kidnapped on Dakara. Bra'tac and Daniel Jackson investigate his disappearance and, after an interrogation, Bra'tac realizes brainwashing is at work. Meanwhile, in his prison, Teal'c discovers that Ba'al is behind the brainwashing of the Council members in order to get himself chosen as leader of the Free Jaffa Nation. Teal'c resists Ba'al's brainwashing and the Goa'uld tries to convince him by telling him that he will help them against the Ori.

On Earth, it turns out Ferguson has correctly deduced what Mitchell really does, based on some information he got when consulting for one of the SGC civilian contractors. Unluckily, Dr. Kelly tells Mitchell that there's no way to help Ferguson. Mitchell asks General Landry for a favor and Carter delivers him an alien machine that will allow Ferguson to experience some of Mitchell's memories from the last two years.

On Dakara, Bra'tac confronts Maz'rai about the brainwashing. Once alone, Maz'rai removes his symbiote to attempt the dangerous Rite of M'al Sharran. Shamed by his failure, he dies in the attempt but leaves a note leading them to Ka'lel. On his stronghold, Ba'al tries to blackmail Teal'c by withholding tretonin.

On Earth, before leaving to save Teal'c, Mitchell apologizes to Ferguson for his hot-headed actions that caused his injuries, but his friend tells him he doesn't need to, that's who he is and it was his job. Mitchell leaves, leaving his friend with the memory machine.

Mitchell, Carter and Jackson, with several SGC soldiers backing them up, and with the help of an Al'kesh piloted by Bra'tac, gate to rescue Teal'c. On Ba'al's stronghold, Teal'c fakes having been brainwashed, but Ba'al doesn't believe him and orders him to kill a captured Bra'tac. Mitchell arrives then, and zats the guards. Teal'c then kills Ba'al (or more likely, one of his clones), proving he was never brainwashed. Back on Dakara, the Jaffa Council votes in favor of democratic elections.

On the SGC locker room, Teal'c thanks Mitchell, but he rebuffs the gesture, saying that it is his job. He then asks Teal'c how he resisted the brainwashing and Teal'c tells him "To resist the influence of others, knowledge of oneself is most important." Mitchell says to himself that he is still working on it.