Ethon

"Ethon" is the fifteenth episode of the ninth season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
Jared Kane, of the Rand Protectorate, defies orders and travels through the Stargate to Earth. He informs SG-1 that his people were visited by a Prior, who instructed them to build a satellite and, with it, destroy the Caledonian Federation. When Kane and Dr. Daniel Jackson return to the Rand Protectorate, they are both immediately arrested and imprisoned, prompting Mitchell, Teal'c and Carter to launch a rescue mission with the aid of the Earth spacecruiser, Prometheus commanded by Colonel Lionel Pendergast, only for the mission to end in tragedy for the Prometheus...

Previously on Stargate SG-1
On the planet Tegalus, Dr. Daniel Jackson is caught in the middle of a war between the Rand Protectorate and the Caledonian Federation. After being injured in the fighting, he is nursed back to health by Leda Kane. The Priors attack several worlds including the Jaffa planets Kallana and Sartorus.

Plot
Stargate Command is contacted by Jared Kane from Tegalus, who reveals to them that his nation, the Rand Protectorate, was given an Ori satellite weapon and thus become followers of the Ori. The Caledonian Federation, which is engaged in a cold war with Rand, however refuses to follow the Ori. He tells them what he knows about the weapon and SG-1 agrees to help and use the Prometheus to destroy the satellite.

However, upon their arrival, Kane and Dr. Daniel Jackson are imprisoned in Rand. The Prometheus emerges from hyperspace and tries to rescue Daniel by using an Asgard beam but they only end up getting Daniel's locator beacon which has Mitchell realizing that things aren't going so well.

Seconds later, Prometheus attempts to destroy the satellite, only for the missiles to be destroyed which has Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter realizing that shields have been added.

The satellite then attacks, breaching Prometheus's shields while also dealing an incredible amount of damage which has everyone on board the ship scrambling to limit the damage. Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell and Teal'c along with a group of F-302 fighter-interceptors leave the Prometheus and attempt to attack the satellite directly, only for their attacks to be stopped by the shield with Mitchell encouraging the other fighters to keep at it.

On board Prometheus, there's chaos as everyone struggles with the aftermath with Carter and Major Kevin Marks heading off to an upper level in the hope of getting the sublight engines. Marks heads for an elevator, only for Carter to stop him and state that the elevators aren't safe.

Back in the main area of the ship, Lt. Womack informs Colonel Lionel Pendergast, the Prometheus's commanding officer that the weapon is reaching maximum power. Via an intercom, Pendergast tells everyone on board to brace for impact with everyone getting themselves ready.

The second shot from the satellite hits seconds later, dealing even more damage than the first. It tears through a small area of the ship with the impact causing two crew members to be thrown out in space while Marks who's climbing a ladder injures his arm with Carter eventually saving him.

As she helps Marks, Carter tells the Bridge that they can be beamed up to Control Room 2. Wormack tells Carter that's not possible because the Control Room no longer has life support.

Goran wonders if they should broadcast a call for surrender but Rand is adamant, stating that the Book of Origin states enemies of the Ori show no mercy in attempts to draw others away from the path with Rand insisting that they need to face this with all the strength they've been given before telling a Tegalan Technician to finish it.

Pendergast attempts to negotiate for surrender but eventually his efforts are in vain with Pendergast informing Carter who's still working on the generator that it's over and to give him power for the Asgard transporters before announcing that they're abandoning ship.

Eventually, most of the Prometheus crew including Marks are evacuated to the surface while Rand soon gives the order to destroy the ship which leaves Daniel and Kane horrified.

Seconds later, the satellite strikes again with the severe power of the attack destroying the ship for good while also killing Pendergast as well. As this happens, Mitchell and Teal'c who are in a X-302 watch in dismay as the ship is destroyed with Mitchell removing his mask and stating, "Ah, Hell", obviously stunned at the sight.

In Caledonia, with Mitchell and Teal'c having been reunited with Carter, the team begins to hatch a new plan to destroy Rand's space weapon. Meanwhile, Daniel continues to try and convince Rand's President Nadal to solve the issue peacefully, but is ignored.

Back in Caledonia, Carter comes up with a plan to detonate equipment from an F-302 over the Rand command bunker to release an electromagnetic pulse and disrupt the systems controlling the space weapon. The plan is effective and while the systems are down, Mitchell and Teal'c move into position to destroy the space weapon. Realizing what will happen, Nadal finally decides to make a deal with Caledonia, which was proposed to him by Daniel: He will give Caledonia the Stargate and any Caledonian that does not wish to believe in Origin would be allowed to leave the planet. Caledonia's Minister Chaska grudgingly accepts the terms and Mitchell and Teal'c don't destroy the satellite.

When the control systems reactivate, Nadal goes back on his word and orders the space weapon to destroy the Caledonian capital building. However, Commander Goran Pernaux doesn't agree and shoots Nadal, and is in turn shot by Nadal's bodyguards. Jared steps in and convinces the Rand soldiers to accept Pernaux's order to stand down and deactivate the space weapon. When SG-1 leaves, both nations agree to try and solve their problems peacefully.

A while later, Cameron arrives into Daniel's office and the two discuss how Pendergast's courageous actions saved his officers before Daniel tells Cameron that shortly after they left, peace talks between Rand and Caledonia broke down and that they tried dialing but couldn't get a lock. Furthermore, Major General Hank Landry ordered the Daedalus which was on its way back from Atlantis to reroute and as such, both nations are presumed destroyed with the Stargate presumably buried under the rubble.

Notable Quotes
Mitchell: You want the big chair?

Carter: Not me. I'll sit here.

Mitchell: Sam, he's in Washington.

Carter: Yeah.

(Mitchell moves towards the chair, then backs away)

Mitchell: Right...

Jackson: Kane, I—I have to ask…Leda?

Kane: Five months ago, while Rand was deciding whether to accept Origin or not, a disease swept through the country. Thousands became deathly ill. The Prior said those who believed and embraced the Ori would be cured. That's when people everywhere began accepting them as gods. We watched…so many barter away their beliefs in exchange for their lives. But Leda, she—she refused to accept it.

Jackson: I am sorry.

Pernaux: The large vessel appears to be disabled. Shall I broadcast a call for surrender?

Nadal: The book of Origin tells us that enemies of the Ori show no mercy in their attempts to draw us away from the path. We must face this attack with all the strength we have been given. Finish them.

Mitchell: Blue squadron, this is blue leader. Break off the attack and scramble formation between the Prometheus and the weapon. Maybe one of us will get lucky and take a portion of the next shot.

Teal'c: I would not consider that lucky, Colonel Mitchell.

Mitchell: Well it could be for anybody aboard the Prometheus.

Kane: Do you ever give up?

Jackson: Not until I'm dead. (Daniel pauses for a few seconds to think his statement through.) And sometimes not even then.

Nadal: (about the power loss) To our knowledge, the Caledonians do not possess the level of technology required to do this. Such a weapon could only have been given to them by your people.

Jackson: I hope so.

Pernaux: Shut down the satellite.

Kane: You heard him, the President is dead. Commander Pernaux is next in command.

Soldier: He's also the one who killed the President!

Kane: The President violated an international treaty. You want to be the one responsible for destroying a city full of people when this goes to tribunal?

Jackson: Hey. Haven't seen you since the memorial service.

Mitchell: Yeah. It was a rough day.

Jackson: So, where you been?

Mitchell: I, um…hand-delivered Landry's letter to Colonel Pendergast's wife and kids. They needed to know that he died saving his crew…that his death mattered.

Jackson: Well, seventy-six people survived. That's a—a testament to his leadership.

Mitchell: And yours. We never would've got off that planet if you hadn't brokered the deal.

Jackson: So, I take it, then, you haven't heard.

Mitchell: Heard what?

Jackson: Soon after we left, the talks broke down.

Mitchell: And?

Jackson: And we've been unable to make contact with them. General Landry had the Daedalus reroute on its way back from Atlantis. It seems the Caledonians weren't content to just leave their fair planet.

Mitchell: They launched an attack.

Jackson: And Rand responded. The Stargate is presumed buried in the rubble.

Mitchell: Rough day.

Jackson: Rough day.

Death

 * Colonel Lionel Pendergast

In other languages

 * French: Ingérence (Interference)
 * Italian: La Missione Tragica (The Tragic Mission)
 * Spanish: Ethon
 * Czech: Satelit (Satellite)