New Ground

"New Ground" is the nineteenth episode of the third season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
The Bedrosian military are convinced that SG-1 are working for their enemy, the Optricans. While imprisoned, Teal'c evades capture but is blinded. He relies on an archaeologist to help free the rest of his team.

Plot
The team goes to a new planet where two rival factions, Bedrosians and Optricans, each living on different continents, fight over their rival theories. Bedrosians believe that they were created by Nefertum (a Goa'uld). Optricans believe that they were brought through a "gateway" by Nefertum as slaves. The SGC make contact through the newly uncovered Stargate which, according to Sam, previously could not be connected to, presumably because it was buried. Sam created a "cold-dialing" program to redial these Stargates in case they become uncovered again.

On sending a MALP telemetry probe and seeing people, Dr. Daniel Jackson talks to one of them, Nyan, and secures his permission to visit; the other person, Mallin, runs off. As no Dial Home Device can be seen, SG-1 arrives shortly afterward with a Naquadah generator and computer to dial the gate for home.

Mallin, who with Nyan are members of the archaeological team which uncovered the Gate, has told the Bedrosian military that people have come through a circle of stone. The military arrives, and capture Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter and Daniel, but Teal'c and Nyan escape. The officer in charge, Rigar, brutally interrogates the prisoners, hoping to catch their missing comrade and preserve the lie upon which his religion is based.

Shot by a Bedrosian soldier's weapon, and wounded by the effects of his own staff blast, Teal'c is injured and blind, with his symbiote likewise damaged. Too badly hurt to heal both, the symbiote must focus on healing itself before healing Teal'c. Though Teal'c has proven all his beliefs to be wrong, Nyan helps Teal'c with a device that restores his vision partially, recognizing that, as a scientist, it is just as exciting to be proven wrong as it is to be proven right.

Rigar's people uncover the DHD, simplifying SG-1's effort to get home. While SG-1 is confined to cages inside a tent, the gate activates and Major General George S. Hammond radios the team. Rigar's aide brings him a field radio and he speaks with Hammond, refusing any cooperation and threatening to execute SG-1 if a rescue is attempted.

With Nyan's help, Teal'c recovers to stage a dramatic rescue of the SG-1 team. They, along with Nyan (whom Teal'c returned to save), escape to Earth, where Nyan becomes Daniel's research assistant. Nyan hopes that someday the situation on his planet will improve, and he will be able to return there and reveal his discoveries to his people.

Notable Quotes
Rigar: Let us talk about your friend in the woods. O’Neill: I have no friends, in the woods or otherwise.

Carter: The Stargate isn’t made of regular stone. If given enough power, a wormhole forms within the circle and that allows us to travel to other worlds. Rigar: Wormhole? O’Neill: Giant worms. Huge.

Daniel: Well, you’re right in that. It is an illusion. It’s not actually water. Rigar: Then what is it? O’Neill: Magic.

Nyan: You are the most important thing that has ever happened to my planet, although I have not yet decided if it is a good thing or bad.

Goofs

 * When dialing the planet, "chevron 4 locked" is said, but throughout the series the term locked is only used for the final chevron, the previous chevrons are "encoded".