Children of the Gods

"Children of the Gods" is the first and second episodes of the first season and the series premier of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
After a year since the first mission to Abydos, Earth's Stargate activates, where an enemy named Apophis and his loyal Jaffa kidnap a member of personnel from Cheyenne Mountain. While a team led by Colonel Jack O'Neill investigates, they reunite with Daniel Jackson on Abydos, where soon Apophis returns and kidnaps Skaara and Sha're (Jackson's wife). The team track Apophis to Chulak to rescue their missing comrades.

Part 1
One year previously, in the events of the movie Stargate, Colonel Jack O'Neill led a team through the Stargate to the planet Abydos. After killing the System Lord Ra by ringing a nuclear bomb onto his ship as it left Abydos, O'Neill returned to Earth with two survivors of his team, leaving behind Dr. Daniel Jackson, who remained with his new love Sha're and her brother Skaara.

In the present, Apophis and his Jaffa come through the Stargate, killing several people and kidnapping a female airman. Soon after this event, Jack O'Neill is recalled to Cheyenne Mountain by Major General George Hammond. He is questioned, along with his former teammates Ferretti and Kawalsky, about the events leading up to their return to Earth from Abydos. When they refuse to reveal anything other than what is in their reports, General Hammond chooses to send a nuclear bomb through the Stargate to Abydos, believing that the aliens could only have come from Abydos and hoping to destroy whoever came through.

With this threat hanging over his head, O'Neill reveals that he had lied about using the bomb to destroy Abydos. He admits that while the alien Ra was destroyed, the people of Abydos are still alive and living in freedom, with Dr. Daniel Jackson living among them. After talking to his superiors, Hammond allows O'Neill to send a tissue box through the Stargate. When the box is returned by Daniel with "Thanks. Send More," scribbled on it, O'Neill is recalled to active duty, regains his rank of Colonel and is given permission to take a team through the Stargate to Abydos to investigate the alien invaders.

A team is assembled and includes Colonel O'Neill, Kawalsky, Ferretti, and, much to O'Neill's reluctance, the astrophysicist Captain-Doctor Samantha Carter, along with several others. When the team arrives, they find a group of Earth weaponry-armed Abydonians waiting for them. They are reunited with Daniel, Sha're, and Skaara.

Daniel leads O'Neill, Kawalsky, and Carter to a large cavernous room that has innumerable hieroglyphs on the walls. The archaeologist reveals that he believes that the hieroglyphs of the cartouche match the various symbols on the Stargate, leading him to believe that the walls are actually a map of the coordinates of a vast network of Stargates across the galaxy.

While O'Neill and the others are gone, the Abydos Stargate is opened and the camp is attacked by the same invaders that attacked Earth earlier in the episode. The leader's eyes glow, leading many of the survivors to believe that he was Ra. The invaders take Sha're and Skaara with them.

Determined to save his wife and brother-in-law, Daniel accompanies O'Neill and his team back to Earth. When the injured Ferretti is able to reveal the symbols that the invaders used to leave Abydos, General Hammond is given permission by the President to form nine teams who will use the Stargate to gather information about threats to Earth. O'Neill is given command of SG-1, with Sam Carter as his second-in-command and Daniel Jackson accompanying him, due to his determination to find his kidnapped wife. Kawalsky is given command of SG-2.

Part 2
Turbaned guards drag away one of a dozen gauzily dressed young women to be stripped and inspected. Protesting that she's a US Air Force Sergeant, she fails and is killed. The goons return to the seraglio and grab Sha're. The guards take her to Apophis, struggling to break free "This one has spirit!" boasts Apophis. The Goa'uld ruler subdues her by hypnotizing her. The mesmerized Sha're is stripped naked and like the others she is inspected. She passes and her mind and body become host to Amonet, Apophis's queen.

Meanwhile, both SG teams leave Earth for the planet where the invaders went. As SG-1 forges ahead, they meet a group of monks who escort them to the nearby town of Chulak (a name which, incidentally, soon begins to apply to the entire planet). During a meal they find out that Sha're has been taken, and when Daniel runs to her they are taken prisoner.

In the dungeon the team discovers Skaara and Daniel explains that it was not Ra who kidnapped Skaara and Sha're, but Apophis, named for the Egyptian serpent god of night. Before Skaara and the team can escape, Apophis and the possessed Sha're enter with several guards, including the leader of the guards, the First Prime Teal'c. Several other Goa'uld come forth and begin to pick people out of the crowd of prisoners who will become hosts to the children of the Goa'uld. Skaara is among the few to be chosen and is dragged away, screaming frantically for O'Neill. Also Daniel wants to be picked to be with his wife but he isn't chosen.

Apophis orders that the rest of the prisoners be killed and departs which causes panic among the prisoners. As the serpent guards prepare to execute his orders, O'Neill shouts desperately to Teal'c that he can save the people. Teal'c believes him and turns on his fellow guards, helping the prisoners escape. Although he is shocked about what he has done, he decides to go with SG-1.

O'Neill, Carter, Daniel, and Teal'c lead the prisoners away from Chulak back towards the Stargate, with serpent guards pursuing. While escaping the town, Teal'c shows O'Neill that he has a Goa'uld in his stomach, much to the shock of the others. He is Jaffa, a servant of the Gods. The larva gives him long life and perfect health. If he were to remove it, he would shortly die. Near the gate SG-1 is pinned down by a death glider. Kawalsky and SG-2 rescue them by bringing the ship down with an FIM-92 Stinger. At the gate they find Apophis leaving with his wife and the other Goa'uld families - Skaara is among them. O'Neill calls out to him, causing him to hesitate and wait for O'Neill to come closer. However, a Goa'uld had already possessed him. Skaara uses a Hand device to throw O'Neill back and then leaves through the gate.

Meanwhile more Jaffa arrive. While O'Neill, Teal'c, Kawalsky, and the rest of SG-2 provide cover, Carter and Daniel lead the prisoners through the Stargate and back to Earth. Just before Kawalsky goes back through the Gate, he is infected with an infant Goa'uld who left a Jaffa strangled to death by one of the refugees.

After everyone has made it safely through the Gate, Daniel and O'Neill reaffirm their determination to find Sha're and Skaara and rescue them before reporting to their debriefing. O'Neill also asks General Hammond that Teal'c become a member of their team but the General only says it is not his decision. As everyone leaves the gate room, Kawalsky's eyes glow.

Notable quotes
O'Neill has tossed a Kleenex box through the Stargate to Abydos as a message to Jackson Samuels: What if the aliens get it? O'Neill: Well, sir, they could be blowing their noses right now.

O'Neill: Oh, here we go. Another scientist. General, please. Carter: Theoretical astrophysicist. O'Neill: Which means? Hammond: Which means she's smarter than you are, Colonel.

O'Neill: I can save these people!! Please! Help me! Help me. Teal'c: Many have said that. (he turns and shoots another Jaffa, then tosses O'Neill his staff weapon) But you are the first I believe could do it!

Jackson: I'm no astrophysicist, but isn't it possible that planets can drift apart? Carter: I knew I'd like you. Jackson: You mean I'm right?

Children of the Gods – Final Cut
A new version of the episode is currently in production, re-edited using footage shot in 1997 as well as updated visual effects. The beginning will be slightly altered, a new scene will be added, and the nudity scene will be taken out, although the final movie will be roughly 7 minutes shorter than the original episode. Joel Goldsmith will re-score the music. It will be released on DVD in 16:9 widescreen format, and may also be aired on television.

Background notes

 * As the first episode of the first season of Stargate SG-1, "Children of the Gods" had to make the transition from the movie to the series.
 * Fans have long debated how Apophis dialed out of Earth's Stargate without a DHD. Common theories include:
 * His Jaffa dialed out manually. This seems unlikely, as based on the way the episode was edited, they wouldn't have had enough time. However, it's pointed out there could have been a time lapse.
 * Apophis used a device similar to the one used by Cassandra in "1969" and by Thor in "Small Victories."
 * His Jaffa somehow reactivated the dialing computer. This is unlikely since the computer was shut down and it would have taken the Jaffa a long time to start it up again, much less figure out how it worked, get in the control room, etc.
 * Apophis used a portable DHD. It was mentioned he possessed them in Ashley McConnell's novel The Price You Pay. However, one is not apparent in the episode.
 * Apophis used his hand device to activate the Stargate to dial the last address that was dialed into it. This happened with Skaara in the P.O.W. comic, though has not been seen since.
 * Considering Earth's Stargate had been unburied for almost seventy years, it's rather convenient that Apophis just happened to dial in Earth one year after the original Abydos mission. O'Neill seems to suggests the attack was made when the Goa'uld determined Earth was a threat, but there was no way they could have known how Ra died or, even if they did, what world those who had killed him had come from. It seems especially unlikely that this information would fall into the hands of Ra's arch enemy Apophis.
 * In part I of this episode, Samantha Carter mentions playing with a Major Matt Mason doll when she was a child. Later, in the season three episode "The Devil You Know", the Major Matt Mason doll is clearly visible on her bed stand during a flashback.
 * Daniel reveals that, when he attempted to dial the many Stargate addresses found within the Abydos temple, they were ineffectual due to stellar drift. However, in "Avenger 2.0", it is revealed that the DHD's make automatic updates to compensate for changing star positions. This does not, however, automatically correct addresses that are no longer valid.

Goofs

 * Continuity: In the pilot episodes #1.1 & 1.2, "Children of the Gods" Teal'c's supposedly permanent gold serpent marking is upside-down in a scene where he is talking with Jack. There are also some episodes where it is slightly crooked.
 * Continuity: On Abydos, the inner ring of the gate does not spin when Apophis comes and goes, but the only way to dial the gate, unless you are ascended, is for the inner ring to spin and the chevrons to lock.
 * Continuity: In the first scene of episode 1.1, the Air Force guards use automatic weapons to kill two armored Jaffa at close range. Later on Abydos, automatic weapons have no effect on armored Jaffa at close range. In episode 1.2, in the final battle near the Chulak stargate, the SG teams use automatic weapons to kill armored Jaffa at long range. In later episodes, automatic weapons are generally used effectively against armored Jaffa.
 * Factual error: In both parts of this episode, Kawalsky is referred to as Major, but he is wearing the rank insignia of an Air Force Captain.
 * Factual error: The major who escorts Col. O'Neill to the lower levels of NORAD is also wearing sergeant's stripes on the sleeves of his dress uniform. This does not appear to be a new character (same man who picked up O'Neill at his home) and you can see that he is clearly wearing officer's rank on his shoulder epaulets. Enlisted airmen wear nothing on their epaulets.
 * Revealing mistake: When Daniel bumps into the Dial Home Device the first time SG1 arrives on Apophis' planet, it wobbles.
 * Revealing mistake: The scenes looking down at the descending lift are actually shots looking up at an ascending lift. There is a looping cable visibly defying gravity 'above' the lift
 * Revealing mistake: When Teal'c and Jack O'Neill are shooting at the Death Glider with Staff Weapons, O'Neill shoots first, then Teal'c, but Teal'c's shot hits the Death Glider first.
 * Error made by characters: When the Stargate team (pre SG-1) and Teal'c are fleeing the prison, Teal'c uses the word "Stargate" in place of "Chappa'ai".

Unanswered questions

 * When Ferretti types in the coordinates he saw Apophis input using the Abydos DHD, the last symbol he types is the point of origin for Abydos. Given that this symbol is not on the Earth Stargate, when was it added to the program &mdash; before or after the second trip to Abydos? Is it stored in the dialing computer, or only in the laptop given to Ferretti?

Production

 * The episode was novelized by Ashley McConnell in Stargate SG-1.
 * The episode's original airing on Showtime featured full frontal nudity during the scene showing the possession of Sha're (Vaitiare Bandera) by Amonet. This has never been repeated and future airings have had the nudity cut out for syndication. The DVD version, however, retains this scene. Notably, likely because of the nudity, this episode is the only one in the series to be rated by the MPAA (it is rated R), while in the UK the episode is rated 18 by the BBFC (all other episodes have generally been rated PG, or 12 at most). However, according to a Gateworld interview with series co-creator Brad Wright, the forthcoming DVD special edition of "Children of the Gods" will remove those things Wright feels doesn't belong, such as the nudity.

In other languages

 * Hungarian: Az Istenek gyermekei
 * Czech: Děti Bohů
 * Italian: I figli degli dei
 * German: Das Tor zum Universum
 * French: Enfants des dieux
 * Portuguese: Hijos de los Dioses
 * Russian: Дети Богов (Gyetyi Bogov)
 * Slovene: Otroci bogov
 * Romanian: Copiii Zeilor