The Shroud

The Shroud is the fourteenth episode of the tenth season of Stargate SG-1.

Plot
SG-1 discovers a village recently visited by an Ori Prior. They learn from the head of the village that this Prior, oddly, made no threats and spoke only of Origin's merits. A villager alerts them to the return of the Prior and SG-1 asks for their presence to remain hidden. A hooded Prior asks the village leader for their answer. The leader wants to know more about the Ori and their ways before giving an answer. The Prior removes his hood and is revealed to be Daniel Jackson. The team immediately returns to Earth to inform General Landry.

While reciting Ori teachings to the villagers, Daniel is transported onto the Odyssey. He appears before Teal'c and Mitchell who render him unconscious by a Zat blast but are shocked when all Daniel says is "what took you so long!" when captured. Daniel is physically restrained and a device is used to inhibit his powers as a Prior. The team is shocked to hear Jackson speaking normally and making no threats on their lives, unlike past incapacitated Priors.

Daniel explains that he let himself be captured as he knew Merlin's consciousness would protect his mind from Adria. During Adria's attempted conversion of Daniel Merlin's consciousness protected him, allowing him to remain himself while acquiring the abilities of a Prior. The reason Adria did it was she had little choice but to trust him as she felt he was the best chance of converting Earth.

Daniel reveals his and Merlin's plan to SG-1. By letting Adria believe he had been converted to Origin, he was able to work with Adria to complete the Ancient weapon. Merlin's conciousness surfaces for a moment and tells them that thanks to his protection, Daniel was able to succesfully lie to Adria and even with her powers, she was unable to detect it. Adria hoped the weapon would lead to a swift end to the war with the Ancients. Daniel secretly planned to complete the weapon, pilot an Ori ship through the supergate, and use the device to eliminate the Ori. Carter reminds him the supergate is currently being blocked by the black hole in the Pegasus Galaxy. Daniel explains the gate connection can be broken, but to do so requires the assistance of SG-1.

General O’Neill, at the SGC, is briefed by the team before boarding the Odyssey. Jack, seeing Daniel in his Prior attire remarks, "This is new” and they delve into a heated discussion about their personal lives. Daniel explains he has very little time in which to execute his plan. Adria will be growing suspicious as to why he has not returned and Merlin has altered Daniel's DNA so that after a specific passage of time he will revert to his normal state, losing both Merlin’s knowledge and his abilities as a Prior.

O’Neill asks how the supergate can be deactivated. Daniel says a Mark IX "Gate-Buster" bomb placed behind the gate in the Pegasus galaxy will destroy the stargate and permanently disconnect the wormhole to the supergate. Carter confirms a Mark IX placed behind the gate should destroy the Stargate and sever the connection. Teal'c asks why Adria is not suspicious about Daniel leaving Merlin’s weapon unfinished. Daniel tells him that Adria told him to wait as she feared the Ancients would take action if it was completed. Daniel adds that the Ori need the entire galaxy converted in order to distract the Ancients so they can use the weapon from a safe distance. He also explains he was preaching on the planet: he was supposedly doing it to gather more followers on Adria's own orders, but unknown to her, he chose that particular planet because he knew SG-1 was going to go there and he wanted them to capture him.

Teal'c believes Jackson is telling the truth, but the IOA has vetoed the plan even after the team and O'Neill modify it so they can complete it themselves with the intel Daniel gives them. Worse, Richard Woolsey hesitantly informs them that Jackson’s life is to be terminated immediately but the team convinces him to freeze Daniel in stasis instead. Vala tells Daniel about Woolsey's intentions, which Jackson had feared after the Khalek incident. Woolsey visits Daniel to tell him that with Merlin's knowledge in his mind he is to be frozen in stasis, beamed straight into the Ancient pod in Antarctica. Daniel overcomes the Anti-Prior device and frees himself. Daniel beams Woolsey back along with the entire crew and beams up O’Neill as he needs at least one person who can give the command he needs on the ship and he trusts O'Neill. They plot a course for the supergate. On the way, Daniel reveals he overpowered the crew and Woolsey as he doesn't thingk SG-1 can complete his plan on their own and he really didn't want to be frozen, something O'Neill agrees with after his own experience with a stasis pod.

SG-1, minus Daniel and O'Neill, is ringed aboard the Ori ship. After encountering some resistance, they find the unfinished device and the remaining pieces. The Ori ship enters hyperspace and Carter seals off the level preventing more guards from appearing. Vala starts assembling the weapon piece by piece until only one remains. She says the final piece will initiate the device, leaving five minutes until its activation. Upon its completion Vala is surprised to see no ancient being appear to take the device from them.

After exiting the hyperspace window SG-1 finds an Ori ship blocking their path to the supergate. Ori guards appear behind Vala and Mitchell with weapons drawn. Mitchell carefully questions Carter on his walkie-talkie. He thought she locked off the level. Carter replies with "Me too” as Adria stands before her.

The Odyssey exits hyperspace and immediately cloaks. O’Neill comments that the Ori ships can see them, but Jackson tells him he activated the cloak. O’Neill points out “The ship doesn’t have that”. Daniel says it does now, thanks to the ZPM, and they make preparations to interrupt the Pegasus gate although O'Neill still remains somewhat suspisious of Daniel.

Daniel beams to the Ori ship and asks Carter and Teal’c how the plan is progressing, but they refuse to answer. Adria cannot sense Daniel's intentions and confronts him. Daniel fires an energy blast from his hand using his abilities as a Prior which knocks her unconscious. Daniel reveals he held the Anti-Prior device behind his back to prevent Adria from reading his mind or fighting back, and that he was able to focus his powers sufficiently to defeat her personal shield. He tells Carter that O’Neill is on the Odyssey and can give the command and beam them back. Daniel, now weak, moves to the command chair and tells Carter and Teal’c to arm the Ancient device. They take out the guards, and with Vala and Mitchell, arm the device. Daniel moves the other Ori ship away from the supergate and tells O’Neill to contact the Daedalus to destroy the Pegasus gate. After a moment of hesitation, O'Neill gives the order. The supergate shuts down. Daniel re-opens the supergate and directs the Ori ship towards the wormhole. SG-1 returns to the bridge and find Daniel unconscious and no longer a Prior. Carter tells O’Neill to beam them onto the Odyssey. Vala worries about Adria as O'Neill beams them out and they leave her behind. The Ori ship enters the wormhole and the supergate shuts down.

Daniel wakes in the infirmary of the Odyssey and convinces O'Neill he no longer has Merlin's consciousness within him. The team wonders whether the device worked. Carter informs everyone the supergate started dialing and it soon activates. From the bridge the team watch as six Ori ships come through. The Ori ships enter hyperspace.