Upgrades

"Upgrades" is the third episode of the fourth season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
Anise of the Tok'ra arrives on Earth to test Atanik armbands on SG-1, and notices that they cause the team to be physically augmented. With their new powers evident, SG-1 urges Major General George S. Hammond to let them fight the Goa'uld with them. However, the armbands also make the team more irrational.

Plot
The SG-1 team (except for Teal'c) becomes guinea pigs for an experiment by the Tok'ra Anise. The experiment uses special armbands, created by a race called the Ataniks, to enhance all their natural abilities. The armbands do not work where there is a symbiote present, so they won't work on the Tok'ra or Teal'c. While wearing the armbands, their strength, speed, agility, and metabolism (and therefore appetite) are all increased massively. At the same time, the device decreases their ability to make rational decisions.

This new sense of invulnerability leads the three to rash actions, such as going to a local steak house against a direct order and getting into a brawl. They decide that they are capable of taking on a large force of Jaffa that are guarding a new Battleship under construction by Apophis. The altered SG-1 members are in the middle of sabotaging this ship when their armbands fail. Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson make it out okay, but Major Samantha Carter becomes trapped behind an energy shield prompting Jack to stay behind with her.

When Dr. Janet Fraiser found anti-bodies in their blood that would kill the virus that causes the enhanced powers, Major General George S. Hammond sends Teal'c to assist them. When the C-4 destroys the coolant system, the forcefields disable and Carter and O'Neill head for the exit where Jackson and Teal'c are waiting. They head to the Stargate and escape back to Stargate Command before the ship explodes. Back at the SGC, Hammond chooses to forgo the Court-martial as they were under the influence of alien technology.

Notable Quotes
O'Neill: In fact, the Tok'ra are starting to annoy me in general.

Carter: Sir?

O'Neill: Don't get me wrong, Carter, your dad's great. I love him like a brother. It's just seems like every time they show up, it seems like there's all kindsa tr...

(Freya/Anise and Marnon walk through the gate, Jack appears to be noticing how beautiful Freya is)

Jackson: Yep, that looks like trouble to me.

Anise: This is Marnon, you may call me Anise.

Jackson: Anise?

Anise: It means 'Noble strength.'

Jackson: Um, I'm Daniel, it means, uh... 'God is my Judge.'

O'Neill: I'm Jack, it means... (sigh) what's in the box?

Anise: Your strength is five times that of a normal human.

O'Neill: So no increase then.

Jackson: Did you just read that?

O'Neill: I guess. Don't 'spose there's another book around that explains this book?

Jackson: What... wh, what reason did Hobbes give for the fall of the civilization?

O'Neill: Failing agricultural infrastructure.

Jackson: Jack, it's unbelievable.

O'Neill: Hey, it's his theory.

(Jackson attempts to read a book at the same speed, but is not yet able to)

O'Neill: Want me to read to you?

Hammond: Colonel, I'm concerned that you aren't in full control of your new abilities.

O'Neill: Well you might be right about that. It's just so damn exciting, sir!

Hammond: I'm sure it is.

O'Neill: And even if we're not in total control, shouldn't we be out there doing the damage instead of in your office?

Carter: So has it occurred to anyone that we are defying direct orders?

(O'Neill and Jackson look at each other)

Jackson: Well, it's not like we haven't defied orders before.

Carter: Yea, but that was to save earth.

O'Neill: Earth, steaks, where's the difference?

Hammond: I thought these devices were supposed to enhance them physically, not make them stupid.

(O'Neill and Carter are surprised by two Serpent Guards)

Serpent Guard: Ha! Kree!.

(O'Neill raises his hands, surrendering)

O'Neill: Alright, you got us... don't... kree.

(SG-1 has just come tumbling through the Gate from the planet with the new Goa'uld vessel, Hammond is looking down at O'Neill, who is lying on his back on the ramp.)

O'Neill: (points up at Hammond) Just remember, I retired... you wanted me back!!

O'Neill: General! Sir.. About the obviously impending court-martials, I'd like...

Hammond: You were all under the influence of an alien technology, Colonel, that's a pretty solid defense.

O'Neill: Even so, I'm sorry.

Carter: Me too.

Jackson: Me three.

Teal'c: (pausing for a few seconds) I have no need to apologize.

Hammond: Teal'c was actually following orders.

O'Neill: Of course he was.

Goofs

 * At the start of the episode, Earth's Alpha Gate's point of origin symbol is seen on the ring. This could not be possible as it was on board Thor's ship when it crashed into the Pacific Ocean, and so the gate in Stargate Command was Earth's Beta Gate, which has a different point of origin symbol.
 * The plural of "Court-martial" is "courts martial", not "court martials".
 * When SG-1 went through the Stargate and SSgt. Laura Davis tells Major General George S. Hammond that she cannot close the gate, we see the Access Denied bar appear over the activated gate. On the computer, the Stargate then shuts off, but we still hear it working and see the bluish light emanating through the blast door.
 * When SG-1 is running from the exploding mountain towards the Stargate, Dr. Daniel Jackson can be seen tripping, skidding, and falling down in the grass, then Teal'c stops and pulls him back up to his feet.
 * When Jack O'Neill runs in slow motion towards Samantha Carter, the fires behind flicker at normal speed. If it were indeed slow motion, the fires should flicker slower.

Characters

 * Anise
 * Freya

In other languages

 * French: Expérimentation hasardeuse (Hazardous Experimentation)
 * Italian: Potenziamento (Strengthening)
 * Spanish: Transformaciones (Transformations)
 * Czech: Odkaz Ataniků (Atanik Legacy)
 * Hungarian: Fejlesztések (Upgrades)