Family

Family is the eighth episode of the second season of Stargate SG-1.

Plot
Bra'tac arrives through the Stargate to inform Teal'c that his son is being held by Apophis.

General Hammond allows SG-1 return to Chulak on the condition that they bring Drey'auc and Rya'c back to Earth, so that Teal'c will no longer be vulnerable to the Goa'uld through his family.

After arriving on Chulak, they go to a house where Drey'auc is living (previously she had been forced to live in the camps of the outcasts because of her husband's treason). It turns out to be the house of Fro'tak, an old friend of Teal'c's, who reveals that because Teal'c had been thought to be dead, Drey'auc had married Fro'tak in an attempt to give Rya'c a better life. Teal'c feels betrayed, and Colonel O'Neill initially has to forcibly keep Teal'c from killing Fro'tak; however, Teal'c swears to Bra'tac that he will not attempt to kill Fro'tak. O'Neill and Bra'tac decide that, while Fro'tak has been a trusted ally in the past, it would be best to keep a close eye on him in the future. During a private conversation, Teal'c informs Drey'auc that he never wishes to lay eyes on her after Rya'c has been rescued, but Drey'auc tells Teal'c that she married Fro'tak because he was the only one who offered to marry her, and not because she harbors any love for him.

The initial attempt to rescue Rya'c is met with failure, as he runs away from his rescuers, appearing to have been brainwashed by Apophis. In a broadcast message to the people of Chu'lak, Rya'c confirms his brainwashing by calling his father a traitor to Apophis, to Chulak, and to his family. A price is set on Teal'c's head, and on the heads of SG-1, but Teal'c has hope that Rya'c is fighting his brainwashing (or perhaps pretending to be brainwashed), because Rya'c refers to his mother as Drey'auc of the morning groves, which is incorrect. Teal'c interprets this to be a request to attempt another rescue in the morning. SG-1 and Bra'tac are not convinced, but Teal'c is determined to try. As they finish discussing the matter, there is a knock at the door, and Drey'auc hides everyone in a secret room while Fro'tak goes out to meet a group of Jaffa who have come to search his house for the traitor. After a brief search, they leave, and Fro'tak regains Teal'c trust.

Late that night, Drey'auc finds Teal'c refusing to sleep, and they end up kissing. Unbeknownst to them, Fro'tak sees this, and he sneaks out of the house and goes to the palace. Jack O'Neill is still keeping a good eye on Fro'tak, however, and is aware that he has left. Fro'tak, upon arriving at the palace, tells the Jaffa on guard that he will lead him to the traitor and his evil friends, but Jack O'Neill has followed him, and is forced to kill Fro'tak with a Zat, even after giving him a chance to rejoin them. The palace is sealed off with O'Neill still inside.

The next morning, O'Neill shows up back at the house, dressed as a Jaffa. He briefly outlines what had transpired during the night, and the team leaves to attempt Rya'c's rescue a second time. They easily ambush his four Jaffa guard, and when approaching the Stargate find it is only guarded by two Jaffa, so O'Neill and Carter remain very suspicious of Rya'c. However, there appears to be nothing to do except take Rya'c back to Earth, so SG-1 along with Drey'auc and Rya'c return to Earth, while Bra'tac remains on Chulak.

Upon their return, Rya'c passes his medical exams with flying colors, but Drey'auc remembers that while training with Bra'tac before he was taken by Apophis, he lost two of his teeth. No teeth are missing, so he is anesthetized and the teeth are removed. Upon waking, he immediately attempts to break the teeth, which the SGC has determined contained two organisms which, when combined, would be able to wipe out all life on the planet within a week. Teal'c's attempts to convince him that Apophis is not a god do not work, so electro-shock therapy is suggested as a method of deprogramming. It is not known whether conventional electro-shock therapy will kill the Goa'uld inside him, but Teal'c suggests that one shot from a Zat might safely mimic the effects.

With no other options Teal'c is forced to shoot Rya'c with the Zat, which causes him extreme pain; however he awakens with no memory of any of the events leading up to or including his rescue, and he is free of Apophis' brainwashing. Drey'auc and Rya'c are then sent to the Land of Light, where they can be safe and free.

Background notes

 * This episode shares its name with a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode

Goofs

 * When Teal'c fires the Zat at his son, it is closed.
 * As in the episode Seth, a shot from a Zat'nik'tel does not stun the victim, suggesting multiple settings for the weapon. In this episode the victim appeared to suffer for longer than usual, almost 10 seconds, whereas most blasts knock out an enemy almost immediately.