Lost City, Part 1

"Lost City, Part 1" is the twenty-first episode of the seventh season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
As SG-1 continue to search for the Lost City of the Ancients, they uncover an Ancient Repository of Knowledge which may hold the secret of its location. However, the safety of Earth is threatened when it's revealed that Anubis is planning an imminent attack on Earth. The SGC has been shut down for a three month review with Dr. Elizabeth Weir serving as the replacement for General Hammond.

Plot
Colonel Jack O'Neill is in his home, shaving. On the bathroom mirror in front of him hangs an unfinished crossword puzzle which he is trying to solve. He then receives a call on his cell phone which, after several rings, he eventually answers. On the other end is Dr. Daniel Jackson, who informs him that SG-2 returned from P3X-439 where an Ancient Repository of knowledge may be located, which could contain information as to where the Lost City they are looking for is located. Knowing the information from the repository once almost killed him in 1999, he is initially skeptical about Daniel's desire to investigate further. He tells Jackson he will be at Stargate Command in half an hour before hanging up, while continuing to shave and solve the crossword.

In Washington D.C., a blond woman emerges from a residence at a hurried pace while talking to her colleague, Michelle, from her head-set cell phone. She is running a little late for a meeting at the White House with the President of the United States. As she approaches the street, she attempts to hail a taxi that a Russian man is also hailing. While they both argue over whose taxi it is, both in English and Russian, a limousine stops nearby, and the driver asks for a Dr. Elizabeth Weir. The blond woman acknowledges, revealing that she is Dr. Weir. She then surrenders the taxi to the Russian man and enters the limo, in which Vice President Robert Kinsey is sitting.

On the way to the White House, Kinsey tells Weir that the President wishes to talk to her about an alien transportation device called the Stargate. At first, she thinks this is a joke. However, Kinsey shows her a note saying "THIS IS NOT A JOKE" signed by the President, and he gives her a mission report. Weir begins to read it, appearing dismayed.

O'Neill arrives at the SGC, still solving the crossword puzzle in the elevator. As the doors open at Level 28, he finds his teammates there waiting, who tell him that he is half an hour late for a mission briefing with General Hammond. As the group walk to the briefing room, O'Neill hands Carter his crossword. She beings playfully expressing her frustration over his preoccupation with the puzzles, reading entries from it which are blatantly incorrect.

The team finally makes it to the Briefing Room where Colonel Albert Reynolds and Major Harper are already waiting. As they gather around the table, Major Samantha Carter informs O'Neill that SG-3 discovered a Goa'uld Reconnaissance probe on P3X-439, meaning that the Goa'uld are now aware of the planet and likely of its importance: that the planet may contain the whereabouts of the Lost City and other Ancient knowledge that could prove capable of defeating Anubis.

When Major General George S. Hammond joins the meeting, he greets O'Neill, though appears irked by O'Neill's tardiness. As Hammond is seated, the team discusses the benefits of acquiring the Ancient repository located on the planet as to convince O'Neill of the importance of the mission despite the potential health risks involved in using the device. Carter reveals that the Asgard have not responded to their requests for assistance in the matter and Hammond reveals that many other allies of Earth have been unreliable as of late. Since Anubis is quickly wiping out other System Lords and Earth could potentially be at risk, Hammond authorizes the mission: SG-1, SG-3, and 5 will to go to the planet, find the repository of knowledge, and bring it back to Earth where the information can be safely extracted.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, Weir arrives in the White House, and is escorted by Kinsey to a room full of box files with mission reports. He tells her to try and say no to the President's offer, before leaving her to read the mission reports.

After Hammond bids them farewell and good luck, the SG teams head through the Stargate, arriving on P3X-439. SG-3 and SG-5 set up defense perimeters around the Stargate while SG-1 checks out the monument but after a while they have not found anything.

As the SGC teams continue searching, Anubis's fleet jumps out of hyperspace over the planet and the fleet edges closer to the planet.

At the same time, Carter finds an energy reading, and soon, Jackson finds a way to make the repository materialize on the wall. They just need to figure out how to extract it.

However, SG-3 hears a squadron of Al'kesh and Death Gliders arriving and carpet-bombing the area. O'Neill decides to destroy the repository with C-4, but Jackson doesn't want that to happen with Sam stating that if that happens, then they're going to lose their only chance to find the Lost City.

Daniel offers to put his head in but O'Neill stops him, as he needs Jackson to translate the speech of whoever "goes Ancient." Seconds later, he decides to put his head in again, despite knowing the risks.

The repository grabs O'Neill's head and downloads the knowledge of the Ancients directly into his brain as Daniel, Sam and Teal'c stand there, horrified

While SGs 3 and 5 hold off the Goa'uld attack, Carter sets off the C-4, destroying the repository so Anubis won't get his hands on it while Teal'c and Daniel carry Jack back to the gate.

The teams safely return to Stargate Command, where O'Neill remarks to Hammond, "I did it again."

Back in the White House, Weir is at the Oval Office when President Henry Hayes walks in. He wants to spend five minutes with her to tell her his offer. Weir admits that the Stargate Program seems too unreal after reading the mission reports. Hayes says he understands how she feels, but tells her that not only does she now know about the Program, Hayes asks her to run it. At the end of the meeting (which actually took seven minutes), Weir wonders what would happen if she refuses. Hayes is confident she won't. While considering, Kinsey tells her to be careful who to trust, and warns her that he is the man that is on her side, unlike the President, and warns her further that she does not want to cross him.

While debriefing Hammond of what has transpired, they must now face the inevitable; O'Neill's human consciousness will soon be obliterated and he will begin speaking in Ancient. Not long after that, his human physiology will no longer be able to handle the strain of all the knowledge and he will die. O'Neill requests to take the weekend off to get his personal affairs in order, before his mind can conjure up the Lost City's location. Hammond grants it.

At night on P3X-439, Anubis questions his Commander, who tells him that the Tau'ri saw them coming, and went ahead with destroying the repository.

Angered, Anubis tells him that he has failed and then walks off while two of his Kull warriors begin executing the Jaffa Commander and some of his fellow Jaffa as an example that Anubis himself will not tolerate failure of any kind.

The next day in his home, O'Neill is surprised to see Carter coming in to see him. He gives her a beer as she admits that she couldn't sleep, and wanted to see him and talk. However, when asked about his ex-wife or how he is feeling, O'Neill tells her not to ask him about that. Later, Jackson and Teal'c arrive to check up on O'Neill and find Carter's car in his driveway. They all gather round and drink beer, apart from Teal'c, who can't drink alcohol. They talk about O'Neill's analogy, that The Simpsons character, Mr. Burns is a Goa'uld, despite the others' disagreements. They are later interrupted by General Hammond, who has come to see Jack and the team.

As he also has a beer, Hammond gives the team some bad news; he has been relieved of command of the SGC which leaves the team completely stunned. The President has apparently ordered a three month review of the military command of the Stargate Program, meaning the Stargate is to be shut down. The team suspects Kinsey may have something to do with this, influencing the President to make things go his way. This seems to be bad timing due to O'Neill's condition.

Hammond also informs them that the SGC will be under the leadership of Dr. Elizabeth Weir, someone Jackson is familiar with; she does high level negotiations for the United Nations. O'Neill tells his team that they've been in similar situations, but Hammond tells them it is different this time. He has been called back to Washington for reassignment, where he could do more there than at Stargate Command. SG-1 is still scheduled to return to duty on Monday.

On that Monday, Jackson walks into the briefing room, where he finds Weir talking on her headset cell phone again, while gazing at the Stargate. After finishing the phone conversation, she and Jackson introduce themselves. While talking, Jackson tells her that the reason Weir feels so unwelcome is that she is somewhat anti-military, and has replaced Hammond, a "great man". She believes the best policy to fight the Goa'uld would be to end the proliferation of weapons, but Jackson warns her that the Goa'uld don't care, and tells her to dial to a random planet to see what they're up against. He also pressures her about O'Neill's current condition.

Just then, the Stargate is dialed. Even though all SG teams have been recalled to Earth, and the two investigate. MSgt. Walter Harriman tells them he has received Bra'tac's IDC.

When he arrives, Bra'tac notices the change of leadership. He has come to Stargate Command to bring bad news: the Jaffa Rebellion members loyal to Bra'tac received intelligence that Anubis is gathering his force to Earth and will arrive in just three days time.

Back in Washington, Hammond arrives at the White House and meets President Hayes. After a friendly welcome, Hayes admits that he was pushed by Kinsey to make Weir the new leader of Stargate Command. Completely aware of Kinsey's history with Hammond, he informs the General that he does not want him to retire, and discusses reassignment. He knows full well that Hammond's experience will remain invaluable in the near future.

At the SGC, Bra'tac and SG-1 are in a briefing with Weir and Kinsey. He tells Kinsey what he has told SG-1; Anubis' full force is going to arrive over Earth in only three days, where they believe he will gather the whereabouts of the Lost City, which O'Neill does not yet know. Kinsey doesn't buy it, and claims that they would say anything to resume Stargate Operations. O'Neill becomes agitated about Kinsey's obliviousness to the situation. When Weir suggests trying to negotiate with Anubis, O'Neill says the word "derantis", which Jackson believes means "insane". Kinsey strongly objects finding the Lost City, but Weir actually considers it, which Kinsey also objects to. He has a talk with her alone. He wonders why she is disagreeing with him and Weir answers that she will not allow Kinsey to use her as a puppet to control the Stargate. Before he leaves, Kinsey tells Weir that she isn't as smart Kinsey thought she was.

Bra'tac and Teal'c both wish to return to Chulak in the hopes of procuring warriors and ships to defend Earth from Anubis' inbound fleet. O'Neill is about to give Teal'c the "if I don't see you again speech," but Teal'c is certain they will see each other again with the rest of SG-1 hoping that he's right.

After bidding farewell to the rest of the team, Teal'c walks through the Stargate with Brat'ac as Jack, Daniel and Sam look on.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Notable Quotes
(After Kinsey talks to Weir about the SGC)

Weir: Is this a joke?

(Kinsey takes out a piece of paper)

Weir: What is it?

Kinsey: A note from the President.

(Note: THIS IS NOT A JOKE; signed President Henry Hayes)

Carter: The fate of the world is hanging in the balance and you've been sitting in your truck finishing this?

O'Neill: I believe it was double or nothing.

Carter: OK, 23 across, the atomic weight of boron. The answer is ten. You wrote the word "fat".

(After they return to Earth)

Hammond: How in the hell did this happen?

Carter: It wasn't an accident, sir.

Jackson: He did it deliberately.

Teal'c: In order to access the knowledge of the Ancients.

Jackson: He, uh...or we, figured we'd never get another shot at it.

Carter: We know from experience that the Ancient knowledge will essentially over-write the Colonel's brain. We're hoping that during the transformation process, he'll become aware of the information we're looking for.

Hammond: And then?

Carter: And then, it will overwhelm his nervous system, and the Colonel will--

(Jack enters)

O'Neill: What? Meet my maker? Pay the piper? Breach the pearly gates? Start pushing up daisies here and there?

Hammond: You should be in the infirmary.

O'Neill: Why? We all know exactly what's going to happen. In a few days, I start speaking some strange language, a few days after that, I start doing things beyond my control, and a few days after that, it's good night, my someone, good night.

(O'Neill and Carter Talking)

Carter: I should have done it.

O'Neill: What? Stick your head in that thing? Are you nuts? Carter, you're one of this country's natural resources, if not national treasures.

(Jackson and Teal'c arrive at O'Neill's house after Carter)

O'Neill: What are you doing here?

Jackson: Oh, well, nothi- it's, it's a funny story actually. Um, we were driving by, and we saw Sam's car in the driveway, and and and um... Teal'c said to me, well he didn't really say anything, he just kinda, you know, looked at me and did that eyebrow raise thing that he kinda does and, and I said to him, I said, "Hey, why don't we stop by and--"

O'Neill: Is that doughnuts?

Teal'c: Indeed.

O'Neill: (in Monty Burns style) Excellent.

O'Neill: You're so wrong. It's the perfect analogy... Burns as Goa'uld.

Teal'c: They are merely animated characters O'Neill.

O'Neill: You're so shallow.

Jackson: Oh please! Teal'c's like one of the deepest people I know. He's so deep. (to Teal'c) Come on! Tell 'em how deep you are. (to Jack) You'll be lucky if you understand this.

Teal'c: My depth is immaterial to this conversation.

Jackson: Oh! You see?

O'Neill: No more beer for you.

Carter: I'm sorry sir, but I have to agree. I don't see the connection.

O'Neill: All right, that does it. You know, the entire VHS collection was going to one of you. It's going to Siler. He gets it.

O'Neill: I hope you like Guinness, sir. I find it a refreshing substitute for... food.

(Jackson is walking into the briefing room, where he notices Weir gazing at the Stargate, but unknown to him, she is just talking on her headset cell phone)

Jackson: Amazing, isn't it?

Weir: I don't really care.

Jackson: Bratac, this is Dr Elizibeth Weir she's the new leader of this facility.

Weir: Hello.

Bra'tac: Has Hammond of Texas fallen in battle?

Hayes: General George Hammond.

Hammond: Mr. President.

Hayes: I think it was lieutenant last time we spoke, wasn't it?

Hammond: For both of us. That was a lot of hair ago, sir.

(After learning that Anubis is attacking Earth in 3 days)

O'Neill: Three days from now is a Thursday. Thursday is not good for us.

O'Neill: And you are...

Weir: I am Dr. Elizabeth Weir, Colonel.

Kinsey: You can just call her your one-hope-of-ever-stepping-through-the-Stargate again.

O'Neill: Bit of a mouthful.

(During a briefing with SG-1, Bra'tac, Weir and Kinsey)

Weir: What about negotiating?

O'Neill: Oh, for crying out loud. That's derentis! (pauses) What?

Jackson: You just said "derentis".

O'Neill: Did not.

Jackson: Did too.

O'Neill: Derentis, what is that?

Goofs

 * In the scene where the ancient repository is on the wall of the ruins, Jack places C4 on the wall next to the device. You can see when he sticks it to the wall, it is flush against the far side.  In the next scene, it is moved over about 6 inches.
 * Dr. Daniel Jackson comments on how he would stare at the Stargate for hours when they were first trying to get it to work. In the original movie, Daniel was only allowed to see the gate after he had deciphered the gate address, which worked on the first try.
 * This, however, could be explained by their first mission to Abydos. Since he was unable to get the gate to work at first, and it took him, at the very least, two days for him to figure it out, he may have indeed stared at the Abydonian gate prior to discovering the Abydonians.
 * At the White House when Vice President Robert Kinsey and Dr. Elizabeth Weir are leaving, a secretary closes a door to the Oval Office, only to have it erroneously reopen seconds later.
 * When Samantha Carter goes to Colonel Jack O'Neill's house, she says that "only a few of the stars visible from Earth have Stargates on them". This is imprecise as Stargates are not located on stars, but rather on planets (which however presumably orbit stars, at least for the most part).
 * Since a star is, very simply put, a large ball of hot gas, is has no solid surface in the conventional sense (one could think of it, with some imprecision, as "all atmosphere, no ground"), and even the coolest stars have surface temperatures in the thousands of degrees Kelvin undefined and "surface" gravity hundreds of times that of the Earth, no solid matter can exist "at the surface" of a star. The few materials that would not melt, combust, and / or be crushed flat would simply fall through the star to its core, where temperatures reach billions of Kelvin and pressures reach billions of Earth surface air pressure - conditions that no conventional material can withstand and where, as far as we know, matter can only exist in an atomized state.
 * As SG-1 and the other SG teams come back to Earth through the Stargate after O'Neill has the Ancient Repository downloaded into his brain, the gate closes immediately after SG-1 comes through. However, seconds later the other SG teams can be seen behind SG-1. If the gate had closed then they would not have been able to get there.

Characters

 * Dr. Elizabeth Weir
 * Colonel Stewart Pearson

In other languages

 * French: La Cité Perdue (1ère partie) (The Lost City (part 1))
 * Italian: Città Perduta (Parte 1) (Lost City (part 1))
 * Spanish: La Ciudad Perdida (Parte 1) (The Lost City (part 1))
 * Czech: Ztracené město (1. část) (The Lost City (part 1))
 * German: Die Verlorene Stadt, Teil 1 (The Lost City, Part 1)
 * Hungarian: Az elveszett város (1. rész) (The Lost City (part 1))