The Light

"The Light" is the eighteenth episode of the fourth season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
After an Lt. Dean Barber kills himself by the Stargate's unstable vortex and the rest of his team are mysteriously dying, SG-1 links the team's routine mission to P4X-347 to be responsible, as they find a highly beautiful, yet very addictive light.

Plot
SG-5 along with Dr. Daniel Jackson discovers a deserted Goa'uld palace on P4X-347. One of the rooms in the palace contains a pedestal that generates a huge, cascading light show that mesmerizes everyone.

Back on Earth, Major Samantha Carter along with Lt. Dean Barber from SG-5 prepare to leave for the planet, but Barber commits suicide by running into the energy vortex of the unstable wormhole. As a result, the rest of SG-5 and Jackson are recalled from the planet. As usual, Jackson is impatient to return to the planet to continue working on various devices and translations within the palace. As the day progress, Jackson gets more frustrated and decides that he needs to return to P4X-347 to continue work. Colonel Jack O'Neill tells him that they will return the next morning, and Major General George S. Hammond refuses to send him earlier.

The next morning, Jackson fails to report in, and when SG-1 investigates, they find him moments away from committing suicide from depression. O'Neill is able to stop him and take him the SGC infirmary where Dr. Janet Fraiser detects a significantly low level of neural activity that appears to be drug withdrawal. The rest of SG-5 is also displaying similarly low levels of neural activity.

While Jackson is in the infirmary, the rest of SG-1 go to the planet and discover the same room with the light show. The three of them are hypnotized by it, although Carter is not able to detect any other form of radiation. As the team continues to explore the palace, the find a young boy, Loran. He claims that his parents have left, but will return soon. SG-1 takes various environmental samples, along with blood samples from Loran and O'Neill returns to Earth to deliver them to Dr. Fraiser.

Within a short amount of time, O'Neill begins to exhibit similar symptoms as SG-5. Jackson is continuing to deteriorate and the rest of SG-5 has already died. As Daniel's neural activity continues to drop, Dr. Fraiser has no choice but to send him back to the planet and hope that whatever is in the palace will be able to save him. Once he reaches the planet, Jackson begins to slowly recover.

SG-1, once Jackson recovers; manage to figure out how to shut off the light generating pedestal. Since they have a few hours before the withdrawal symptoms begin Teal'c, O'Neill, and Carter explore the countryside outside of the palace. On a nearby beach, they find the remains of two humans - most likely Loran's parents. As they begin to feel the effects of withdrawal, quickly return to the palace where they begin to feel better almost immediately upon their arrival.

Jackson, on the other hand, stayed back to translate has been feeling fine the entire time. They reason that the light itself is not causing the addiction, but rather something else. After examining the pedestal, the learn that it emits radiation without the light. O'Neill confronts Loran; he shows the team the control panel and how to disable the device. Teal'c is able to figure out how to shut down the device slowly, to wean the team off the radiation.

After a few weeks, SG-1 returns home and they tell Loran that he can come with them.

Notable Quotes
Loran: Hey, uh, I wanted to show you something. This was a present from my father on my birthday.

(Loran holds up and small toy gun and Teal'c draws his Zat.)

Loran: No, it's not real.

(Loran hands the toy gun to Teal'c)

Teal'c: Children of the Tau'ri also seem to enjoy colorful weapons that have no function.

Loran: It's fun.

(Teal'c pulls the trigger and the toy lights up and makes noise)

Teal'c: I see.

Goofs

 * Before going to the planet, Colonel Jack O'Neill says that they will go through the gate in MOPP 2 (Mission Oriented Protective Posture Level 2). When they go through the gate, they are in MOPP 4.