Secrets

"Secrets" is the ninth episode of the second season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
A year elapses since Skaara and Sha're were kidnapped, and the Abydonians unbury the gate in the hopes of their return with Dr. Daniel Jackson. However he returns empty handed but finds that Sha're has returned by herself. She is pregnant and returned to Abydos to prevent Heru'ur from taking her child. She soon goes into labor. Meanwhile, Captain Samantha Carter and Colonel Jack O'Neill go to Washington D.C. to receive a medal for stopping the attack a few months back but discover that a civilian has discovered the Stargate program.

Plot
The one year anniversary of SG-1's departure from Abydos has arrived, and Dr. Daniel Jackson requests to go back to Abydos as he promised (though without his wife Sha're). He returns with Teal'c only, because Colonel Jack O'Neill and Captain Samantha Carter are due at a medal ceremony with the President of the United States. Upon arriving, he informs his father-in-law Kasuf that he has been unable to rescue Sha're, but his father-in-law is one step ahead of him, as Sha're is already on Abydos, and very pregnant.

Sha're reveals that the child is indeed Apophis's, but she is in her right mind (although still possessed by the Goa'uld Amaunet) because the child will be stillborn if she takes over while Sha're is still pregnant. Apophis has hidden Sha're on Abydos, so that rival Goa'uld will not know of the child, whom he intends to someday be his new host. Furthermore, they realize that Sha're still has access to the sum total of Goa'uld memories while her host is dormant, so after much soul-searching, Daniel Jackson agrees that they should take her back to Earth so that she can give as much information as possible before she has her child.

Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., Samantha Carter's father, Major General Jacob Carter is present at his daughter's medal ceremony. Their reunion seems to be a little awkward, and the general atmosphere of unease is heightened by his assertion that he knows their fabricated cover story (for the awards) is false, and that he has arranged for Samantha to get into NASA where she can "actually go into space." Captain Carter obviously can't accept the offer, and they part rather abruptly after Samantha repeatedly refuses to consider NASA.

Jack O'Neill briefly leaves the reception, and is followed to a bar by a reporter named Armin Selig who apparently knows of the Stargate program. Worse yet, he has an audio recording of a brief, but rather to-the-point discussion of the Stargate program between Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill while on their way to the ceremony. Colonel O'Neill manages to come up with a poor cover story, and denies the existence of the program. After a brief consultation with Carter and Major General George S. Hammond, Colonel O'Neill attempts to re-initiate contact with the reporter, hoping to find out who has caused the leak.

Back on Abydos, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c attempt to leave for Earth with Sha're, but are stopped when a Goa'uld pyramid ship lands on top of the pyramid. Amaunet comes forth, saying Apophis has come for her. It turns out to be the ship of Heru'ur, a sworn enemy of Apophis, who has come with the intent of stealing Sha're's child. Sha're goes into labor, and Teal'c leaves Daniel and Sha're in an attempt to keep Heru'ur's Jaffa from finding them while she is in labor. Though Jackson realizes that Sha're will become Amaunet again as soon as the child is born, he refuses to leave her.

Colonel O'Neill allows Armin Selig to find him, and they have a brief discussion in which Selig reveals that he knows a LOT about the program, including the recent episode in which Earth was nearly destroyed by two alien spacecraft. He casually tells O'Neill that he'll be a hero once the story gets out. O'Neill quips "Alright, if you're gonna go ahead with it, I want to make sure you get one thing right: It's O'Neill, with two "l"s....There's another Colonel O'Neil with only one "l",; he has...no sense of humor at all." As O'Neill walks back into the building, he watches as Selig is run over when he steps out onto the road; Selig believes that the hit-and-run was arranged by O'Neill, but O'Neill denies this, and Selig dies on the scene.

O'Neill is unable to attend the ceremony because he was witness to the accident, so the ceremony is canceled. Carter finds her father before leaving, and he reveals to her that he has lymphoma, and that he had really hoped to see Carter become an astronaut before he died. While completely devastated by her father's revelation, Carter is still unable to fulfill his dream of seeing her become an astronaut, neither can she tell him the truth about her super-astronaut status in SG-1.

Sha're's child is born, and Amaunet reasserts control over her host, though not before Daniel Jackson has sworn to love Sha're forever, no matter what happens. Teal'c appears immediately after the birth, dressed as one of Heru'ur's helmeted guards, and commands Daniel to give him the baby, which he delivered and is therefore holding. Amaunet also demands to be given the child, but is powerless to stop Teal'c (still disguised), and he shoots her with a Zat'nik'tel, telling her, "tell Apophis that Heru'ur has taken the son as his own." Teal'c and Jackson give the baby to Kasuf, who goes into hiding with the child.

At Stargate Command, Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter are given their medals by Hammond, and told that they may ship out to Abydos when they are ready to bring Daniel Jackson and Teal'c back. After Carter leaves the room, O'Neill remains, and Hammond answers O'Neill's unvoiced question, saying "It was an accident."

Teal'c (still in full disguise) returns to the Stargate on Abydos with Daniel Jackson as a "prisoner." Heru'ur is waiting there, and while Daniel Jackson pretends to offer an alliance with Earth against Apophis, Heru'ur declares that he will make Earth a slave world as soon as he has eliminated Apophis. Teal'c lies to Heru'ur, saying that Apophis has already come to reclaim his child. At this moment, O'Neill and Carter come through the Stargate, and Teal'c makes use of the confusion and wormhole "kawoosh" to eliminate the rest of Heru'ur's Jaffa guard. While O'Neill's gun proves useless against Heru'ur's personal force-field, O'Neill throws his standard-issue knife into the palm of Heru'ur's hand, partially disabling the field and forcing Heru'ur to retreat.

Yet again, the Stargate is activated from off-world just as the group is about to depart, and this time it is Apophis, coming to retrieve his queen and their child. Amaunet/Sha're comes into the room as they arrive, and tells Apophis that the child has been stolen by Heru'ur. However, we learn that she knows the truth about who has the child, because she sees SG-1 hiding in the room, and looks directly at Daniel Jackson. Furthermore, she does not reveal their position, which strongly indicates that somehow, Sha're is fighting back against her Goa'uld and managing to retain some control. Later episodes strongly suggest that the single Zat'nik'tel shot by Teal'c acts as an electroshock which can serve to overcome the Goa'uld symboit's control over its host.

Notable Quotes
Teal'c: Daniel Jackson assures me the Abydonians are a peaceful people.

O'Neill: They're a great people, are you kidding? (To Carter) In fact, what do you say you and I blow off this medal ceremony thing and go with the boys?

O'Neill: Um, will you excuse me? We just don’t get out of Cheyenne Mountain enough. I’m, gonna grab some air... outside. General, Captain, General... waiter!

Selig: Look, I've got all I need. I don't need you, but I've got to admit I wanted to meet you anyway. When this breaks, you're going to be a hero.

O'Neill: Cool. So what're you going to say about me?

O'Neill: Alright... if you're gonna go ahead with it, I wanna make sure you get one thing right. It's O'Neill, with 2 L's. There's another Colonel O'Neil with only one L - he has no sense of humor at all.

Carter: Good thing you remembered the shield's deflection capability's directly proportional to the amount of kinetic energy directed at it.

O'Neill: Right...

O'Neill: Somebody explain to me what just happened.

Teal'c: It is a lengthy tale, O'Neill.

O'Neill: 'Long story', Teal'c.

Goofs

 * When Colonel Jack O'Neill and Captain Samantha Carter are walking down some stairs in Washington D.C., O'Neill says "I'm sorry to hear that" (in response to Carter's statement that spent time in D.C.). Later when the tape of Armin Selig is being played, O'Neill is heard saying "My condolences".
 * Carter is awarded an Air Medal. However, her ribbons later in the series don't show this award (for example ). Inconsistent medals and other uniform devices are a common occurrence in television shows. The precedence of medals is also frequently wrong.
 * When Teal'c aims his Zat'nik'tel at Sha're in front of the Stargate, the Zat makes the opening sounds but remains closed.

Characters

 * Major General Jacob Carter
 * Shifu

In other languages

 * French : Secrets (Secrets)
 * German: Sha'res Rückkehr (Sha're's Return)
 * Italian: Fuga di Notizie (Information Leak)
 * Spanish: Secretos (Secrtets)
 * Czech: Tajemství (Secrets)
 * Hungarian: Szigorúan titkos (Top Secret)