The Tok'ra

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“The Tok'ra (Parts 1 & 2)”
Stargate SG-1 episode
Episode no. Season 2
Episode 11 & 12
Guest stars Carmen Argenziano as Jacob Carter
J. R. Bourne as Martouf/Lantesh
Sarah Douglas as Garshaw
Winston Rekert as Cordesh
Steve Makaj as Colonel Makepeace
Joy Coghill as Selmak/Saroosh
Laara Sadiq as Technician Davis
Tosca Baggoo as Tok'ra Council Woman
Roger Haskett as Doctor
Stephen Tibbetts as Guard
Written by Jonathan Glassner
Directed by Brad Turner
Production no. 211, 212
Original airdate October 2, 1998 (Part 1) & October 9, 1998 (Part 2)
Episode chronology
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"Bane" "Spirits"
Episode chronology

"The Tok'ra" (Parts 1 and 2) are episodes from Season 2 of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Part 1

After Samantha Carter was possessed by the Tok'ra symbiote Jolinar and it subsequently was killed, a protein mark containing the memories of Jolinar was left in Carter's memory. Soon Carter starts to have visions of where Jolinar came from, and it is from these visions that Stargate Command learns of the Tok'ra, a special race of Goa'uld that are against their species' parasitic nature, and share their hosts' bodies with them in a very symbiotic relationship. After SG-1 gates to the address that Carter remembers, they arrive on a desert world that appears to have no life signs, yet at this point they suddenly encounter operatives of the Tok'ra, who use a Rings system to teleport between the surface and their underground base. Carter discovers that one of the Tok'ra is in fact Martouf, the former lover of the late Jolinar. She also realizes that because of Jolinar's memories, she is naturally fond of Martouf as well, but decides to ignore this connection, at least for now.

Martouf and his group take SG-1 to the Tok'ra base, which is deep underground. The Tok'ra reveal that they construct their bases with special crystals that hollow out massive tunnels in order to hide from the Goa'uld, who frequently search random worlds for them. O'Neill unwittingly calls the Tok'ra "Goa'uld", and is quickly reprimanded with a strong "WE ARE NOT GOA'ULD!" from the Tok'ra leader, Garshaw. O'Neill and SG-1 formally propose an alliance between the Tok'ra and Earth, and the Tok'ra take this to mean that SG-1 has arrived to offer themselves as hosts, and Garshaw even takes them to meet the host of Selmak, a Tok'ra whose host, an old woman, is dying of old age. The team quickly reveals that they have no intention of being hosts, with O'Neill especially adamant about it.

The Tok'ra are a little offended, and Garshaw reveals that they have no real conventional allies, except for their hosts, who are usually people who are just on the verge of death via illness or injury. Garshaw determines that the decision will have to be left up to the Tok'ra High Council, their main governing body. After the council refuses, however, having nothing to immediately gain from the SGC except hosts (Earth's technology is just as inferior to the Tok'ra as it is to the Goa'uld), SG-3 arrives and informs Carter that her father Jacob Carter is on his deathbed, as his cancer has spread to his liver. Even though Jacob had not wanted Sam to see him fight his losing battle, Sam wants to return immediately. Garshaw reveals that this is irrelevant, however, as the Council has also ordered that the two SG teams be imprisoned as "guests", as they are now a high security risk. She explains that this is nothing personal, but over the last few years the Tok'ra ranks have been dwindling, and they have been constantly on the run from the Goa'uld. If the Goa'uld were to secretly pinpoint their location, there would be little chance of survival.

[edit] Part 2

The episode begins with SG-1 still "guests" of the Tok'ra, with the Tok'ra promising to let them return to Earth once they've relocated to another planet. At this point, Carter starts to think of her father, Jacob, who is dying back on Earth wondering if a symbiote could cure cancer. She asks Garshaw, who confirms that it can. SG-1 meets with the Tokra High Council, and the council decides that if Jacob Carter could be blended with Selmak, an alliance would still be possible. They allow Carter and O'Neill to return to Earth to speak to Carter's father.

Upon arriving on Earth, Carter reveals what her real job is. Out of sheer curiosity, and the desire to defeat his cancer, Jacob agrees to travel back to the Tok'ra world with Carter and O'Neill in order to consider blending with Sel'mak. After reaching the Tok'ra home world and learning of the Tok'ra and Goa'uld true nature, he is very hesitant, but he determines to go through with it, mainly because "death is not an option."

The Goa'uld have an operative within the Tok'ra ranks, and this operative reveals the location of the Tok'ra base to the Goa'uld System Lords. The Tok'ra determine that they could be at the planet within a few days, or if they have a large enough fleet nearby, a matter of hours. They are correct about the later assertion, and soon Death gliders arrive and start bombarding the ground above the Tok'ra base in an attempt to get the tunnels to collapse.

The Tok'ra hatch a plan to evacuate the base and relocate to yet another world. The host of the Goa'uld spy is later found wandering through a tunnel that is about to collapse, and the man apologizes for what he's done, and that his symbiote took control of him. The tunnel in which he is standing is collapsing and he commits suicide by standing there as the tunnel disintegrates.

Jacob decides to let Selmak blend with him under these dire circumstances, and Selmak slides out of Sharoosh's mouth into Jacob's, burrowing into his spinal cord through the soft tissue in the back of his mouth. The experience causes Jacob to pass out, and Garshaw explains that Selmak will have to purge Jacob's body of cancer before he can successfully blend with him, and if this process is interrupted then both will die, as Selmak is very weak because of her previous host's weakness.

During the ensuing chaos of the evacuation, O'Neill sees a woman carrying a box similar to the one he saw the Goa'uld's previous host with - a box which does indeed turn out to contain a long range visual communications device. The team quickly determines that this person has been infected by the Goa'uld spy in a desperate attempt to escape, and quickly captures her. Garshaw explains though that the Tok'ra have nearly perfected a method of removing a Goa'uld symbiote without killing the host.

Martouf and Samantha remains behind in the tunnels with Jacob/Selmak while Selmak heals the cancer and the rest of the team escapes to Earth with the Tok'ra. Jacob soon awakens; the blending complete, and his cancer and arthritis completely healed. The three escape the tunnels through the ring teleportation devices as the last bits of the tunnel disintegrate. They run to the Stargate, and barely manage to dial out as the Goa'uld attempt to dial in. Jacob quickly warms up to his new position as the liaison between Earth and the Tok'ra, and the Tok'ra are given a box like the one given to the people on Cimmeria, in order to allow them to initiate contact with Earth.

[edit] Quotes

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
  • Daniel: We're here to seek the Tok'ra.
    Jack: Assuming, of course, you are the Tok'ra.
    Tok'ra: And if we're not?
    Jack: Then we all start shooting. There's blood, death, hard feelings… it'd suck.
  • [SG-1 watches as a Tok'ra tunnel collapses itself]
    Teal'c: Chel'nak!
    Daniel: Direct translation: "Very cool!"

[edit] Notes

  • This episode marks the first appearance of the Tok'ra Martouf.
  • Ra is identified as the Supreme System Lord for the first time.
  • In the episode 'In the Line of Duty', Daniel had stated that Tok'ra meant "resistance", yet in this episode, Tok'ra is translated as "Against Ra".
  • Major Carter incorrectly states in this episode that schizophrenia is multiple personality disorder.
  • There is yet another quote made by O'Neill referencing 'The Wizard of Oz' when they come through the stargate (part 1)

[edit] External links

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