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Stargate SG-1
Episode 5.18, "The Warrior"
Original Air-Date: 4/12/02
Written by Christopher Judge & Peter DeLuise
Directed by Peter DeLuise
I’m probably breaking some kind of reviewer protocol but let me start off with "Awesome Episode!"
I think this is one of the strongest episodes of SG-1 that I’ve ever viewed. Usually SG-1 can be counted on to be a very strong character and action-driven show, week-in and week-out. Every once in awhile they also delve into social commentary in the episodes. Like with Daniel wanting to help the Unas slaves to rebel in Beast of Burden.
The episode begins with a rousing speech given by a Jaffa named Kytano. It’s your standard kind of "rouse up the troops and follow me" type fare. What makes this interesting is that it’s very Teal’c-like. This Jaffa speaks of being First Prime to Imhotep and killing him, proving that the Goa’uld are false gods. Teal’c and Bra’tac observe the speech and propose an alliance between Kytano’s forces and Earth. General Hammond agrees to show a gesture of goodwill and sends SG-1 to meet Kytano and bring with them supplies consisting of food and some weapons.
We first begin to suspect something is amiss when we see two Jaffa fighting recklessly in a form of combat involving staves. Master Bra’tac begins to explain how they need to not over-commit on offense when he’s told that the style of fighting is that you accept death and fight recklessly. Jack throws a few snide remarks out there and one of the Jaffa challenges him to a fight to the death over it. Lucky for him that Kytano has returned and the Jaffa all run off to meet him.
Kytano has returned from a mission with his spoils, and some casualties, which he says have found their way to the after-life. Kytano is an interesting guy, he seems very well spoken and sure of himself, he’s also very, very cocky, something we don’t see from the Jaffa too much. Or perhaps we’re just used to Teal’c and his subdued ways. By far the funniest scene of the episode is when Kytano comments that the Earth weapons are ‘primitive.’ Jack orders Carter to demonstrate just how primitive they are as she destroys a swinging log that the Jaffa’s best staff weapon shooter could hit only two or three times.
I’ve always wondered myself just how the military was able to compete with the Goa’uld with our primitive weapons but I think Jack summed it up. "This (pointing to a staff) is a weapon of terror, this (pointing to a gun) is a weapon of war." The Goa’uld rely on fear of their mere presence to be enough to scare off the opposition. So SG-1 accompanies Kytano on a mission where they are to intercept a shipment meant for Nurrti. Kytano leaves a fortified position and approaches the firefight like he’s invincible, which causes Jack to get annoyed but Teal’c to look on and revere him. The Jaffa carrying the shipment surrender and we find out they were transporting weapons grade naquaada.
Here’s where we get our first big twist in the episode, Kytano tells Jack he will convince him of the Jaffa’s drive for victory and we see them at the Stargate performing some sort of ritual. There’s a Jaffa surrounded by several others and he has a device attached to his chest. Kytano places some naquaada in the device and tells him to fight his way deep into enemy forces and show his resolve. He and his fellow Jaffa go running through the Stargate on the suicide bombing as SG-1 gets very annoyed with Kytano. I couldn’t quite honestly believe they chose to do this in an episode of the show. Especially with the situation in the Mid-East. Obviously this episode was done before the recent wave of bombings, but it still showed the fanatical like drive Kytano and his followers were showing and it also showed how Teal’c was falling in with them.
Jack tells Teal’c that they will be rejecting an alliance with Kytano because of his methods and finds out that Teal’c is going on a mission to assassinate Lord Yu! Jack tries to convince him not to go and Teal’c says they will discuss it when he returns to which Jack replies "I don’t think so Teal’c, because if you go on this mission you won’t be returning." Teal’c fails and is brought before Lord Yu who taunts him and tells him something interesting about Kytano and releases him. Teal’c comes running back to Kytano’s camp calling him a ‘deceiver’ and challenges him for command of the army.
Now here we get somewhat of a down-point in the episode. Teal’c and Kytano have a fight with the wooden staves from earlier in the episode. The fight is to the death but for some reason they decided to use Matrix-type camera movement. We got really odd kinda slow-motion and 360-degree views of the fight in frozen time. Teal’c is trounced by Kytano and lies on the ground with a staff broken in half. Kytano taunts him saying that before he dies he will know that he was bested by his God. Kytano is a Goa’uld. But before
This revelation sinks in Kytano is coming in for a death-blow against Teal’c when Teal’c stabs Kytano with the broken staff, killing him. It turns out that Kytano was actually Imhotep who he had claimed to kill. Imhotep was a minor Goa’uld but by becoming Kytano he gained power with the Jaffa and weakened the other System Lords. Quite an ingenious strategy actually. Teal’c, the rest of SG-1, and the Jaffa army retreat through the Stargate as a Goa’uld mothership begins blasting the surface of the planet.
This episode was written party by Christopher Judge, who plays Teal’c and he does a great job showing the Jaffa in this episode. We see how they wind up resorting to questionable means because they’re being oppressed by a seemingly invincible force. I’m not sure I buy how Teal’c suddenly believes in Kytano so quickly, especially with the stupid stunt he pulls going for Nurrti’s shipment. Still this episode would probably be in my top 10 if I ever come up with a top 10 list for Stargate. It’s pretty easy on the continuity even though it has recurring characters so it would be a good episode to show someone to get them interested in the show as well.
Episode Rating: 10 out of 10
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