Death Knell

"Death Knell" is the sixteenth episode of the seventh season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
The Kull Warriors have infiltrated the Alpha Site, where work on a weapon to stop them is taking place. The base is destroyed, but Major Samantha Carter is missing, on the run, trying to hide from a warrior. Meanwhile, the Tok'ra-Tau'ri-Jaffa alliance is once again challenged.

Previously on Stargate SG-1
After attacks by the System Lords on several of their bases, the Tok'ra and the Jaffa Rebellion are forced to evacuate to the Alpha Site and tensions between the two groups begin to rise. Anubis creates a new soldier called a Kull warrior. Jacob Carter believes he used an Ancient healing device to give life to a host that is more powerful than a human. Dr. Daniel Jackson and Dr. Bill Lee travel to Honduras to find the original Ancient device in the hopes of using it to create a weapon against the warriors.

Plot
Major Samantha Carter and Jacob Carter are at the Alpha Site working on the prototype of a weapon that would kill the Kull Warriors that Anubis has built. Soon, an alarm sounds: the site has been compromised and is under Goa'uld attack. Evacuation is ordered.

When SG-1, without Carter, goes to the Alpha Site after the attack to see what has happened, they see that the Stargate is on its side and has dug "the perfect foxhole." Colonel Jack O'Neill determines that the crater they find themselves in was caused by the self-destruct of the Alpha Site complex. O'Neill orders everyone to begin searching the trees for survivors.

Soon, several survivors are found: M'Zel, some rebel Jaffa, Major Green, and other SGC personnel are recovered in the woods; O'Neill and Teal'c find Jacob with a broken leg. Nobody, however, can find Major Carter. Jacob says that he and Sam were being pursued by a Kull warrior, and that if he survived the blast, then she and the Kull are probably still alive. After giving the prototype Kull disruptor to Jack, Jacob and Dr. Daniel Jackson go back to Stargate Command, while O'Neill and Teal'c, and the rest of the SG teams dispatched to the area, continue to search for Sam and other missing personnel.

Carter is being chased through the woods by the Kull warrior. Several dead bodies found by both indicate that the Kull has already caused significant destruction.

At the SGC, Major General George S. Hammond is attempting to find out what happened at the Alpha Site. M'Zel accuses the Tok'ra of having an operative in the ranks of the System Lord Olokun, but Delek denies this. After a confrontation between Selmak and Delek, it appears that there was an operative there. This angers M'Zel, and he demands to know why this operative was not used to assassinate Olokun and thus allow his Jaffa to choose freedom; Delek responds that this could have handed a large army to Anubis.

An armed UAV is sent to the Alpha Site, where the Kull warrior chasing Carter shoots it down. This, however, draws Jack and Teal'c into the area. Carter makes her way to the downed UAV and sets it up to shoot the missile at the Kull as it comes into the clearing. When she shoots it, however, it is only covered in rubble, and emerges again, still fully armed and alive. However, at that moment, Teal'c draws its attention away, and Jack rushes to Carter. She has the power augmentation device for the disruptor, and Jack uses this to kill the drone.

Delek announces that the Tok'ra will not come to the new Alpha Site since they cannot operate with full disclosure to the Tau'ri. M'Zel announces that the rebel Jaffa, too, cannot go to the new site, since they need to set up their own government and communities without outside assistance.

Notable Quotes
Carter: Have you not had your coffee this morning?

Jacob: Selmak doesn't like coffee.

Carter: You gave up coffee for your symbiote?

Jacob: I just want to be able to work as efficiently as possible. Anubis' drones are kicking the crap out of the System Lords and we're next. This prototype should have been done weeks ago.

Carter: It's done - it's just not finished.

Jacob: Interesting distinction.

Jackson: If the Stargate was knocked over and is lying face down on the ground, the forming of the event horizon would have excavated a cavity underneath it. The MALP came through, and fell into the hole.

Hammond: There is no way to know if the DHD survived the attack.

Teal'c: If we were to bring an alternate power source we could…

Jackson: Dial out manually.

Hammond: (concerned) Possibly be under enemy fire.

O'Neill: We'll be fine, sir. The gate dug the perfect foxhole.

Hammond: You have a go. Good luck, Colonel.

O'Neill: Thank you, sir.

Delek: I've been expecting you. No doubt you've spoken to General Hammond.

Jacob: He says he asked you if we had a spy in Olokun's inner circle.

Delek: Yes, he did.

Jacob: He asked me the same question. Of course I told him no, because only the High Council could make a decision like that. And since I'm on the High Council, I would know about it. Wouldn't I? Or is there something you want to tell me.

Delek: If you have a concern, you can take it up with the Council yourself.

Jacob: (grabbing him by the arm) Who do you think you're talking to?

Delek: An interesting question. It seems I am talking to a human host.

Selmak: (after bowing his head) Make no mistake, Delek. I am still Selmak. And I was a leader of the Tok'ra before you had even taken a host.

Delek: Maybe you've been a leader too long. The Tau'ri are unlike other humans in the galaxy. Their will has not been eroded by thousands of years of slavery. This can be a valuable asset, but it can also make them dangerous — particularly as hosts.

Selmak: Jacob Carter has had no more influence on me than any other host.

Delek: There are those of us who would disagree. You have allowed yourself to get too close to these people, Selmak. Your true loyalties are in question.

Selmak: Do you speak for the entire Council?

Delek: You still have your defenders. Although their numbers are diminishing.

Selmak: So you did meet without me… and you did send an operative.

Delek: And if you had known, would you have told General Hammond?

Selmak: They have a right to know.

Delek: We knew you would feel that way, which is precisely why you were not informed.

Teal'c: You believe the prototype weapon will be effective?

O'Neill: We'll jump off that bridge when we come from it.

Goofs

 * When Colonel Jack O'Neill, Teal'c, and Dr. Daniel Jackson climb out of the crater made by the event horizon, Daniel steps on the Stargate as he steps off the ladder. When this happens, the gate makes a dull hollow sound akin to striking plastic.

Character

 * M'zel

In other languages

 * French: La Fin de l’Union (The End of the Union)
 * Italian: Presagio di Morte (Death Knell)
 * Spanish: Toque de Difuntos (The Ring of the Dead)
 * Czech: Umíráček (Death Knell)
 * German: Bote des Todes (Messenger Of Death)
 * Hungarian: Lélekharang (Knoll)