Collateral Damage (Stargate SG-1)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Collateral Damage” | |
|---|---|
| Stargate SG-1 episode | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 9 Episode 12 |
| Guest stars | Anna Galvin Benson Simmonds Warren Kimmel William Atherton |
| Written by | Joseph Mallozzi Paul Mullie |
| Directed by | Will Waring |
| Production no. | 912 |
| Original airdate | January 13, 2006 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "The Fourth Horseman (Parts 1 & 2)" | "Ripple Effect" |
| Episode chronology | |
"Collateral Damage" is an episode from Season 9 of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1.
[edit] Plot
SG-1 establishes diplomatic relations with the Galarans, a moderately advanced human civilization that has enjoyed generations of peace under the Asgard Protected Planets Treaty. SG-1 discovers that the scientists of this world have recently built a device based on Goa'uld technology that can implant the memories of one person into another, remove memories, or even create new ones. They believe that the device could revolutionize their society with the knowledge of one generation quickly and easily passed on to the next, reducing the time and cost of educating a new generation of people.
Cameron Mitchell experiences the astonishing technology first-hand as a demonstration to the rest of SG-1. Mitchell strikes up a relationship with the head of the project, Dr. Reya Varrick. This platonic relationship quickly becomes a romantic one when Cameron consoles her after she discovers that the military plans on taking over the project. She invites him back to her apartment, where they share a drink and she comes on to him. When he wakes up in the morning, he finds himself in her apartment with blood on his hands and apparently remembers committing the murder!
The authorities arrest Mitchell, but he's pardoned by Varta, the High Emissary of the world, in an attempt to maintain negotiations between his world and Earth. Mitchell turns down the pardon and pushes for an investigation, believing that his memory of the murder is false and probably implanted in his mind with the memory device. This puts him in a dangerous position, as the penalty for murder, if convicted, would be death. With the aid of two scientists involved in the project, Amuro and Marell, Cameron is hooked up to the machine and is prepared to scan the suspect memory to determine if it's false. Before they begin, the scientists use two important real memories from Mitchell's past to establish a baseline. It is here that a part of his life is revealed. It's revealed that his dad was a test pilot for the Air Force until he lost both legs in an accident, and we also learn that he was ten when the first space shuttle was launched. After enduring the process of watching the memory of the murder repeatedly, it's discovered that the memory looks real. This angers Marell, who is revealed to have been married to Reya.
Teal'c and Daniel, meanwhile, are searching for clues in Dr. Varrick's records, but are frustrated that parts of it are censored. When Varta reveals the results of the memory scans and suggests the possibility of sending Mitchell back to Earth and covering up the murder, Daniel responds by threatening to prevent an alliance between Earth and Varta's world.
Back in the lab, Mitchell undergoes the memory scan again, this time using a memory with similar emotional content to the murder so as to compare the results. This time, they discover an inaccuracy in the memory, proving that Mitchell is indeed innocent. At Mitchell's insistence, Marell scans deeper to try and uncover the identity of the real killer. In the memory, Cameron sees his reflection in a mirror, but the face is blurry. Going even deeper, the face is soon revealed - Marell's! Disconnecting from the memory device, Mitchell reveals his discovery, but he, Sam, and Amuro find that Marell erased his memory of killing Reya after implanting it in Cameron's mind.
Later, the memory is removed from Mitchell's mind and the team discovers that Marell's memory has been altered and he now believes Reya was killed in an accident.
At the SGC, Landry talks with Mitchell and apparently he knew about his past.
[edit] Notes
- The F-16 Fighting Falcon featured in Mitchell's flashbacks has USAF insignia on the upper surfaces of both wings. In reality, US military aircraft have such markings on one wing only.
- In the flashback where Mitchell discusses leaving the Air Force with his father, the girl playing frisbee in the background is Tatiana Shanks, daughter of Michael Shanks and Vaitiare Bandera (who played Sha're).
- The console in the lab is the same console as in "Revisions".
- A similar theme about false memories was featured in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Ex Post Facto".
[edit] External links
- Official Stargate SG-1 site. MGM. Visited June 8, 2006. Most of site requires Flash.
- Screenplay (PDF). Distributed by MGM. Prepared by Line 21 Media Services Ltd (2005-11-03). Retrieved on 2006-10-29.
- Summary from GateWorld. Visited May 5, 2006.
- Review from GateWorld. Reviewed by Lex. Visited May 5, 2006.
