SGCommand
Advertisement

"Talion" is the seventeenth episode of the tenth season of Stargate SG-1.

Synopsis[]

The Illac Renin, a rogue faction of Jaffa who embrace Origin, has detonated several bombs on Dar Eshkalon, a new Jaffa stronghold. After recovering, and seeing Bra'tac gravely injured, Teal'c knows the Jaffa who is responsible, Arkad, and begins planning his revenge, leading to a confrontation between himself and the remaining members of SG-1 who have orders to stop Teal'c at all costs.

Plot[]

Representatives of the Jaffa, including Teal'c and Bra'tac, meet in a rare summit on Dar Eshkalon to determine the future of their people in the face of the Ori threat. But their enemies are many, and a terrorist attack on the summit leaves many dead, including women and children.

A while later, SG-1 and SG-3 wander through the wreckage, discovering the corpses of numerous Jaffa. Dr. Daniel Jackson finds Bra'tac with Bra'tac being brought back to Stargate Command for further treatment where Dr. Carolyn Lam cares for him. Teal'c ignores his team's entreaties and departs on a one-man quest for revenge, having reason to believe that the man responsible for the cowardly bombing is one of his former foes, a ferocious and extremely capable warrior named Arkad. He is a charismatic leader opposed the summit, and wishes to lead the Jaffa people himself -- and he is a follower of Origin.

Teal'c's search leads him to an alien bar, where the sympathetic owner points him to a customer named Lizan. A human, Lizan's people were once enslaved at the hands of the Jaffa and he doesn't mind seeing them now killing one another. But Teal'c will do whatever it takes to find a lead on Arkad.

But the stakes get even higher: SG-1 learns that Arkad may be stockpiling weapons-grade Naquadah for an attack on Earth. This is revealed from intelligence gathered from rebel Jaffa on an Ori controlled planet who are aware that Arkad has been stockpiling Naquadah for his masters claiming that he will control and bring more Jaffa worlds into Ori control.

The enraged Teal'c is taking no prisoners, and his hunt leads him to Bak'al, a Jaffa terrorist working for Arkad. Bak'al does not fear death, because he believes the Ori will ascend him. But Teal'c is not here to argue religion or to watch Bak'al endure torture: he wants answers, and he has removed Bak'al's symbiote and replaced it with a bomb. Bak'al states that he is willing to die as the Ori will ascend him. Teal'c leaves the Jaffa who soon after explodes.

Bra'tac has regained consciousness at this point and speaks to Daniel about the warrior known as Arkad. He states that he was formerly one of Bra'tac's pupils and even then he felt that there was 'something wrong' with him. The two would next meet in battle as Arkad became First Prime to another Goa'uld, whose name is not specified. Bra'tac states that Teal'c and Arkad met many times in battle with Arkad always being beaten yet always managing to escape. Bra'tac explains that Arkad is like a serpent and is always lying and is dishonorable. He also explains to Daniel that this battle between Teal'c and Arkad is also a personal one as many years ago Teal'c's mother was found dead, after Teal'c has become First Prime to Apophis which was to be a momentous occasion. Teal'c has suspected it was Arkad's doing but was unable to do anything about the matter.

Arkad dials into the SGC, claiming that he can help prevent an attack on Earth. He stated that he was the leader of the Illac Renin, a cult of Jaffa who follow the teachings of Origin. In a meeting with SG-1 and Major General Henry Landry, Arkad reveals that he 'has a fleet that is tenfold bigger than any before marshaled by the Goa'uld'. And that he was attempting to stop radical groups of Jaffa from striking Earth, on the condition that the Tau'ri remove themselves from Jaffa politics claiming that he desired the freedom of choice for his people and if they wish to follow the path the Ori show them then so be it. The International Oversight Advisory takes his claims very seriously and task SG-1 with hunting down and stopping Teal'c as the death of Arkad by Teal'c's hands might appear as though the Tau'ri had commissioned the act. Landry dispatches SG-1 on the Odyssey to Arkad's planet.

SG-1 and SG-3 are dispatched to the Illac Renin's planet where they place a trap for Teal'c. However, two members of SG-3 are defeated before Mitchell finds them. Teal'c then throws a stun grenade before Carter, Vala Mal Doran and Daniel which renders them unconscious before Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell finds and apprehends him. Teal'c overpowers Mitchell and continues on to Arkad's base.

Teal'c then wages his battle against the Illac Renin and manages to kill many of them before he is taken down. He is brought before Arkad who gives him a fighting staff and the two engage in combat. He reveals some of his history at this point on how he admired Teal'c even when the former First Prime of Apophis had killed his family in order to kill his enemy Co'rak on Arkad's homeworld. He also states the truth on how he deceived the Tau'ri and has plans on leading an attack against them. Teal'c, wounded, puts little resistance before Arkad grabs a sword and stabs Teal'c, who was on the floor. At this point in time, Arkad reveals that he killed Teal'c's mother. Angered, Teal'c pushes Arkad back onto an assortment of bladed items and pulls the sword out from his body. He then spears Arkad with the blade which kills him once and for all.

Teal'c is later brought back to the SGC and given further treatment.

As Mitchell watches from Observation, Landry arrives in and they discuss the report in which the members of SG-1 were all wounded and how Teal'c came to their aid, ultimately killing Arkad. Despite that, Landry expresses his doubts, stating that the report will be a bitter pill for the IOA to swallow with Mitchell stating that they only discussed that Arkad was planning on attacking Earth.

In the room, Bra'tac having fully recovered speaks to Teal'c in a joking manner at how, when he was younger, Teal'c would not be as badly injured. Teal'c remarks that he is alive and Arkad is dead. Bra'tac states that there are many more corrupt Jaffa as he and that they would hunt them down, together. Bra'tac remarks that Teal'c was the son he never had. Teal'c also explains that he had killed the assassin that killed his mother and it was not Arkad as Arkad was too 'cowardly' to do the task himself but still, Arkad had claimed responsibility for the act.

Bra'tac and Teal'c then embrace.

Appearances[]

Appearances for Talion

Locations

Events

Items

Vehicles

Sentient Species

Creatures

Languages

Organizations

Mentioned

Notable quotes[]

Landry: I already issued a new memo to all teams to consider the investigation a top priority.
Mitchell: I don't think a memo's going to cut it as far as Teal'c's concerned, sir.
Landry: I take it you tried to talk him out of leaving.
Mitchell: Yes sir. Like sticking my foot out to trip a freight train. I can't say that I blame him, sir.
Landry: I don't either. He's here of his own free will. He can leave if he wants to.

Lizan: Don't expect me to shed a tear for you and your kind. I don't care what you and your friends from the Tau'ri have done. You Jaffa enslaved my people for generations. And don't tell me you were only following orders for your masters. You lived like kings compared to us. And don't think I will soon forget.

Teal'c: I have implanted an explosive device within your symbiote pouch. It is set to detonate within a matter of moments. It is the same explosive that you used to kill twelve warriors, eighteen innocent bystanders, and two children who had gathered for a peaceful summit.
Bak'al: They were sinners all, who chose the path of evil.
(Teal'c walks away)
Teal'c: Ten seconds.
Bak'al: Where are you going?
Teal'c: I am leaving. You are about to explode.

Mitchell: Teal'c, I know you're out there buddy. If you can hear me, I don't know what you think's going on here but we're here to help. (He's suddenly fired upon) Okay! that was a lie!

Bra'tac: I would not like to be the one who opposes you.
Teal'c: I have learned from the best, old friend.
Bra'tac: I have not said this to you before and I should have. You are the son I never had. I could not be more proud.

Cast[]

Main Characters

Guest Stars

Notes[]

  • This episode takes place over the course of more than two weeks.
  • The title derives from the Latin phrase 'lex talionis', which refers to the concept of retributive justice, commonly referred to by the phrase "Eye for an eye".
  • The scene in which Teal'c kills Bak'al by implanting an explosive in his symbiote pouch and calmly walking away as it detonates loosely mirrors a similar scene in the 2004 Denzel Washington film Man on Fire in which Washington's character John Creasy inserts an IED into the rectum of a corrupted Mexican official, interrogates him, and then walks away just as it detonates.
  • This episode marks the final appearance of Bra'tac.

Goofs[]

  • Teal'c is shot in the left arm, but when he was in the infirmary recovering, he had a bandage on his right arm.
  • When Teal'c leaves Earth, the dialing computer display shows an established wormhole before the dialing sequence completes.
  • On the way to stop Teal'c, when Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell loads a magazine in his FN P90 Personal Defense Weapon, there is no channel for the rounds to be fed into the action of the weapon, however there is a hole in front of the circular part of where the magazine seats on the weapon, which is typical for an airsoft P90 (27:53 mark). Also, the rounds do not rotate in a single twist of 90 degrees, so one round should be visible at approximately 45 degree turn in the circular part of the magazine. Given the fact there was no gunfire in the sequence aboard the Odyssey, it stands the reason they would film with airsoft props to ensure safety of the people on the set.
  • When Mitchell opens a Zat'nik'tel to attempt stun Teal'c, the sound from it is part of the sound made when a Zat fires, not when it opens.
  • During his attack on Arkad, Teal'c uses two Tok'Kals which seem to materialize out of thin air. He is never seen carrying them, and they are never seen anywhere on his person, nor does he carry any pouch, bag or pack of any kind.
  • When Arkad tells Teal'c about his mother Teal'c punches him, jumpcut to him kicking. Arkad also moves back considerably (left arm punch to right leg kick) making it quite obvious. Also him being crouched to Teal'c left from getting kicked stumbling backwards with straight back is unlikely.

Other languages[]

  • French: La Loi Du Talion (The Law of Retaliation)
  • Italian: Una Vendetta Personale (A Personal Revenge)
  • Spanish: El Castigo (The Punishment)
  • Czech: Odveta (Revenge)
  • Hungarian: Talion (dubbed in English)
  • German: Rache muss sein (Revenge has to be)

Links and navigation[]

Smallwikipedialogo This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Talion (Stargate SG-1). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with SGCommand, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
v  e
Episodes and Seasons
Season 1 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Season 2 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Season 3 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Season 4 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Season 5 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Season 6 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Season 7 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Season 8 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 9 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 10 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 1 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 2 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 3 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 4 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 5 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 1 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 2 1234567891011121314151617181920
Season 1 12345678910
Advertisement