Rite of Passage

"Rite of Passage" is the sixth episode of the fifth season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
On her sixteenth birthday, Cassandra Fraiser falls ill. Soon, they learn that when she was younger, Nirrti experimented on her and other children like her. They have to save her before she will die.

Plot
It is the 4th year of Dr. Janet Fraiser's adopted daughter, Cassandra Fraiser, living on Earth. She has become a difficult teenager. Cassandra goes outside and meets Dominic from class. He gives her a shiny crystal prism which sparkles under the outside light. They then kiss. Suddenly, the outside light flickers and explodes, and Cassandra collapses.

At Stargate Command, Cassie demands to go to a forest. Fraiser discovers that there's a retrovirus reworking her DNA. Dr. Daniel Jackson reviews the tapes SG-7 brought back. Apparently, when Hankans reached their 16th birthday, they would suddenly collapse. They would have to go into the forest and, a few days later, come out cured. The village elders said it was normal among their people.

SG-1 goes back to Hanka and discover that a fire was recently made. Daniel touches a green handprint on a tree, and the fire starts up. Suddenly, Colonel Jack O'Neill and Teal'c are ringed to an underground Goa'uld lab. Carter and Daniel ring in as well and begin a search. Daniel finds a record tablet and sees the word "Hok'tar", which--according to Teal'c--hasn't been used in centuries. Suddenly, the rings activate, but nothing comes through them. As SG-1 leaves, something with blue vision watches them.

Cassandra wants to leave but is restrained, and wires in the room shoot sparks. Major Samantha Carter gives her a chess board. Cassandra suddenly begins to levitate a knight, saying it's the only way to transfer heat to relieve her of her fever. Fraiser tries touching it, and the piece is hot.

Daniel finishes the translation of the tablet and determines that "hok'tar" means "advanced human". Nirrti was trying to create a human to become the perfect host. After countless generations, she had succeeded with Cassandra. When SG-7 had arrived, she had wiped out the entire planet so the System Lords wouldn't be alerted. Fraiser is busy studying the results and when she leaves her work, something invisible is also studying it, which then becomes visible as a blue burqa-clothed person. Cassie senses a Goa'uld in the facility. Personnel armed with Transphase Eradication Rods and Zat'nik'tels began to search the base. They realize it must be Nirrti. O'Neill is knocked down by a hand device blast but a soldier uses his TER to show the invisible Goa'uld and O'Neill Zats Nirrti.

Nirrti claims to be able to cure Cassandra, but in return her terms are freedom (with her cloaking device), as well as a sample of Cassandra's blood. SG-1 feel uneasy about it: if they give her what she wants, Nirrti will have succeeded in creating the perfect host. Fraiser becomes more and more desperate.

While SG-1 and Major General George S. Hammond argue about the situation, Fraiser forces her way into Nirrti's cell and threatens to kill her. Hammond comes in and they all make an agreement to exchange Nirrti's freedom for curing Cassandra with no blood sample or cloaking device. Nirrti says that is not enough, while Hammond then pointedly reminds the former System Lord that Fraiser is Cassandra's mother. Going to Cassie's room, Nirrti used a Healing Device along with her equipment but Cassandra didn't stir. Fraiser fiercely tells her to try again. This time, Nirrti succeeds. O'Neill escorts Nirrti to the Embarkation room, where she tells him that she still will try to create the perfect host; however, she will have to start all over again.

Back in the infirmary, Carter teases Cassandra about how she kissed Dominic and the lights "exploded". They start playing chess, while Fraiser smiles joyfully.

Notable Quotes
After Cassandra levitates a chess piece with her mind. Carter: How did you do that? Cassandra: I just...thought it. Cassandra: I thought I wanted a knight and it flew into my hand. Cassandra: Jack calls 'em horses. Carter: Yeah, well, that's Colonel O'Neill for you. Cassandra: He always pretends he's not as smart as he really is.

Upon seeing the surveillance tape on which Cassandra levitates the chess piece. Hammond: How can she do that? Jack: Magnets.

In other languages

 * French: Rite Initiatique (Rite of Initiation)
 * Italian: Fuoco della Mente (Fire of the Mind)
 * Spanish: Rito de Iniciación (Rite of Initiation)
 * Czech: Zasvěcení (Initiation)