Lost City, Part 1

"Lost City, Part 1" is the twenty-first and penultimate episode of the seventh season of Stargate SG-1, and the 153rd episode overall.

Synopsis
Daniel Jackson discovers a clue to find the Lost City on P2X-439. There, they discover another Repository of knowledge, and in order to prevent Anubis to get his hands on it, Jack O'Neill puts his head in the device again, and destroys it. Meanwhile, George Hammond has been relieved of his command, where he is to be replaced by Dr. Elizabeth Weir, who isn't as willing to help SG-1 as Hammond.

Plot
Jack O'Neill is at his home, shaving. On the mirror with him is an unfinished crossword puzzle, which he is trying to solve. He then has a cell phone call, which he eventually answers. On the other end is Daniel Jackson, who tells him that SG-2 returned from P3X-439, where there may be a repository of knowledge there, which could contain the Lost City they are looking for. Knowing the repository once tried to kill him in 1999, he decides to avoid the conversation any longer, and 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 blonde woman is talking to her colleague, Michelle from her head-set cell phone. She is running a little late to go to the White House to meet the President, but a Russian man tries to take her taxi. While they both argue, both in English and Russian, a limousine stops nearby, and the driver wants to know where Doctor Elizabeth Weir is. The woman is Weir, and she is taken to the limo by Vice President Robert Kinsey.

On the way to the White House, Kinsey briefs 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 mission report, and a note saying "this is not a joke" signed by the President. Weir relucantly decides to read the mission report.

O'Neill arrives at the SGC, still solving the crossword puzzle in the elevator. He arrives over at Level 28, where he finds his teammates, who tell him he is one hour late. The team finally make it to the briefing room with Colonel Reynolds and his teammates of SG-3. Carter informs O'Neill that on 439, SG-3 picked up a Goa'uld reconnaissance probe, meaning the Goa'uld are now made aware of the planet and its importance; the planet may contain the whereabouts of the Lost City as a means to find technology capable enough to defeat Anubis. While General Hammond joins the meeting, they plan to have SG-1, 3 and 5 to go to the massive structure on the planet, find the repository of knowledge and bring it back to Earth to extract the information. They can't let O'Neill have the Ancient knowledge in his brain again, since they tried calling the Asgard for the heads up, but there has been no reply from them. Since Anubis is quickly wiping out other System Lords, Hammond authorizes the mission.

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.

The SG teams arrive on P3X-439. SG-3 and SG-5 set up defense perimeters around the Stargate, while SG-1 checks out the monument. However, after a while they have not found anything. Furthermore, Anubis's fleet jumps out of hyperspace over the planet. At the same time, Major Carter finds an energy reading, and soon finds the repository materialising 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-bomb the area. O'Neill decides to destroy the repository with C-4, but Jackson doesn't want that to happen, and offers to put his head in. However, 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. While SGs-3 and 5 hold off the Goa'uld attack, SG-1 sets off the C-4, destroying the repository so Anubis won't get his hands on it, and carry O'Neill 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, Jayes 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, Kensey 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 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 First Prime, who tells him that the Tau'ri saw them coming, and went ahead wih destroying the repository. An angered Anubis tells him that he has failed, and orders his Kull warriors to execute him and some of his fellow Jaffa as an example that he will not tolerate failure.

The next day in his home, O'Neill is surpirsed to see Carter coming in to see him. He gives her a beer as she admits that she couldn't sleep, and wants to see him and talk. However, when asked about his ex-wife or how he is feeling, O'Neill asks her not to tell him that. Later, Jackson and Teal'c arrive to check up on O'Neill also after finding 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 other's disagreements. They are later interrupted by General Hammond, who also came to see him, as well as the team.

As he also has a beer, he gives the team some bad news; he has been relieved of command of the SGC. 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 taken charge by a 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 in 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 each other. While talking, Jackson tells her that the reason Weir feels so unwelcoming 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, the two investigate. Harriman tells them he has received Bra'tac's IDC. When he arrives, Bra'tac notices the change of leadership; Weir replaces Hammond. He has come to Stargate Command and brings them some bad news; the Jaffa Rebellion members loyal to Bra'tac received intel that Anubis is gathering his force to Earth, and will arrive there in just three days.

Back in Washington, Hammond arrives in 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, who claims to want to hear what Bra'tac says. He tells Kinsey what he has told SG-1; Anubis's full force is going to arrive over Earth in only three days, where they believe he will gather the wherabouts to the Lost City, which O'Neill doesn't know yet. Kinsey doesn't buy it, and claims that they would say anything to resume Stargate Operations. O'Neill starts getting agitated about Kinsey's obliviousness to the situation. When Weir suggests trying to negotiate with Anubis, O'Neill starts saying the word "derantis", which Jackson believes mean "insane". Kinsey strongly objects to let them find the Lost City, but Weir actually considers it, which Kinsey objects to. He has a talk with her alone. He wonders why she is not agreeing with him. 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 though 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 Anubus's 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. The rest of SG-1 hope that he's right, after bidding farewell to the rest of the team, and walks through the Stargate.

To be continued...

Notable quotes
After Kinsey talks Weir about the SGC

Weir: Is this a joke?

Kinsey takes out a piece of paper

Weir: What is it?

Kinsey: The note from the President.

Note: THIS IS NOT A JOKE; signed President 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. 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.

Daniel: He did it deliberately.

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

Daniel: 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.

Jackson and Teal'c arrive in O'Neill's house after Carter

O'Neill: What are you doing here?

Jackson: Oh we, well it's, it's a funny story actually. We we ah, were driving by and we, uh saw Sam's car in the driveway, and and uh... Teal'c said to me. Well he didn't actually say anything. He just kinda looked at me and did that eyebrow raise thing that he kinda does 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 are so wrong. It's a perfect analogy. Burns as Goa'uld.

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

O'Neill: You are 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. You'll be lucky if you understand this.

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

Jackson: Ooh, ya 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: Alright 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.

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.

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 derantis! (pauses) What?

Jackson: You just said derantis.

O'Neill: Did not.

Jackson: Did too.

O'Neill: Derantis, what is that?

Background notes

 * It seems the episode starts on a Friday, as O'Neill requests the weekend off, as well as the team reporting back to Monday. With this information, Anubis would invade Earth on a Thursday.
 * Jack claims that, should he die as a result of the knowledge within his mind, his collection of Simpsons video cassettes would go to Siler. In the episode "Reckoning", he learns that he himself is in Siler's will.
 * When Daniel and Jack are talking in the beginning, Jack asks Daniel for a seven-letter word to finish the string "up, down, charm and ...". Daniel says "strange", which Jack takes as a comment on his question; these are in fact the names of quarks.

Production

 * "Lost City, Part 1" and "Part 2" were aired as separate episodes. But when placed on theSeason Seven DVD, the episodes were edited into one 85 minutes featurelength episode under the sole title "Lost City".
 * This episode and the following are the only ones Jessica Steen appears as Dr. Elizabeth Weir. Actress Torri Higginson plays the role in the eighth season opener, "New Order" and in Stargate Atlantis.
 * Ron Blecker, one of the SG-3 marines, is the show's military consultant/advisor — this is his first credited appearance in front of the camera.
 * The President's visitor, Bonnie, is Bonnie Arbuthnot, a development director in Chicago who won the SciFi Channel's "Get in the 'Gate'" contest for a walk-on role as a White House staffer.