Family Ties

"Family Ties" is the eighteenth episode of the tenth season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis
Vala Mal Doran's father, Jacek seeks sanctuary on Earth, where he quickly delves into his old scamming tricks. Meanwhile, Major General Henry Landry plans to meet his ex-wife and daughter for dinner.

Plot
Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter and Vala Mal Doran arrive at Stargate Command wearing civilian clothing (dresses), carrying a lot of shopping bags. Carter says that they've just had a "Girls Day Out." Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell and MSgt. Sylvester Siler are talking about a TV show when Siler walks back down the hall and into a door that closed behind him.

Major General Henry Landry at the SGC is contacted by a person from another world who reveals himself to be Jacek who has information that would protect Earth against an attack by the Jaffa Arkad who planned to use weapons grade Naquadah to destroy the enemies of the Ori. Carter states that Arkad was killed; however, Jacek states that his plans are in motion already, with cloaked Tel'tak cargo ships carrying weapons grade Naquadah awaiting the order for the strike. Vala arrives and mentions Jacek's name after which it is revealed that he is her father.

SG-1 agrees that Jacek is untrustworthy, but that it's still in their best interest to take him up on his offer against Vala's wishes. While they prepare for the mission, Landry goes to see his daughter Dr. Carolyn Lam. He asks her to help him to arrange a communication with her mother, with whom he hasn't spoken for five years. She agrees to call her in his behalf. SG-1 goes to the planet Jacek told them about. With ship's scanners they discover a small number of people with a lot of Naquadah; they destroy it and give Jacek the sanctuary he asked for. While on Earth, Jacek proves to be a less than honest citizen, holding a charity phone scams, selling "genuine stardust", and hustling senior citizen ladies in bingo games (with a cover charge). It turns out that there was one ship that left before SG-1 arrived, and that it has reached Earth and is awaiting orders. Jacek found out about the cargo ship on Earth from a Jaffa Te'rak he knew from a weapon smuggling operation he used to run. That was the reason why he made a deal with SGC so he could come to Earth to take Naquadah, sell it and split the profit with a Jaffa.

When Jacek meets with his Jaffa contact, Daniel and Vala surprise him and accidentally kill the Jaffa. Once again Jacek tries to make a deal with SGC and claims that only he can find the cloaked cargo ship, because the Naquadah was marked by Arkad and he can calibrate detection systems to pick up its unique energy signature. Jacek convinces SG-1 to let him "disarm" the bomb he claims is on board, set to detonate if the ship moves. He claims that he has the override codes. SG-1 does not trust him, as he has spent his time on Earth continuously scamming everyone. Instead, they lead him to a cargo ship of their own and let him steal it; once he is gone, it's obvious he made up the existence of a deadman switch, SG-1 take control of the real cargo ship. After Landry hears that everything went according to plan, he rushes to the restaurant to meet with his daughter and ex wife Kim Lam.

The next scene shows the cargo ship Jacek stole on an unknown world where Jacek asks how much he will get for the shipment of weapons grade Naquadah. The "client", a human, notes that the shipment is nothing but lead bars and "this", which turns out to be foam peanuts. Jacek explains that it's a virility enhancer and manages to con the human into believing the lie. Jacek laughs and says that they both "talk the same language".

The episode ends with Vala putting the new necklace her father gave her into a secret box where she kept the other jewelry he gave her, despite having told Jacek that she threw it away. She hears a knock at the door and hides the box beneath her bed after which Carter enters the room with a bottle and two glasses for a "girls' night in". Carter asks how Vala is doing and she explains that her father scammed them and they scammed him in return, with everything turning out OK in the end.

Vala inquires about what the "boys" are doing. Carter explains that Mitchell is out on a date, Daniel is exhausted and that Teal'c has gone to see a play. Sitting down at his play Teal'c nods side to side in surprise, noticing the crowd of predominantly females; Teal'c is discomforted to find out that the play is the Vagina Monologues.

Notable Quotes
Jacek: I suppose, for the benefit of your friends there, you're gonna wanna list all the reasons why I was such a bad father.

Vala: Oh I wish I could, but the wormhole can only be maintained for 38 minutes.

Landry: I made a deal. I'm not going back on my word.

Vala: Might I suggest a more liberal interpretation of the agreement? For instance the word sanctuary could mean anything from accommodations in an idyllic tropical setting to, say, lifetime incarceration in one of this planet's more unpleasant penal facilities.

Jacek: For once in the last 20 years could you call me "Dad'?

Vala: You haven't earned that right yet.

Carter: But the truth is the Stargate program just doesn't get the support it used to from the people in charge.

Jacek: Why not?

Lee: (yells) Eureka! One down twelve to go!

Jacek: That's too bad because after all your Stargate program has accomplished for this network of planets, I'd think that the decision makers would show it the respect it deserves.

Lam: You know that grey sports jacket that you have with the patches on the sleeves?

Landry: Uh hum.

Lam: Don't wear that.

Teal'c: May I offer you a word of advice?

Jacek: Any input that would help me better myself would be greatly appreciated.

Teal'c: Perhaps three words: be less annoying.

Goofs

 * In several scenes, Vala Mal Doran's SG-1 and Earth symbol patches are on the wrong sleeves. This would happen again in the next episode.
 * After shooting Teal'c with a Zat'nik'tel Vala Mal Doran is seen with it closed immediately afterward.

Character

 * Colonel Ian Davidson

In other languages

 * French: Un Air de Famille (A Family Resemblance)
 * Italian: Legami di Famiglia (Family Ties)
 * Spanish: Lazos Familiares (Family Ties)
 * Czech: Rodinná pouta (Family Ties)
 * German: Familienbande (Family Ties)