Pretense
The episode opens with a view of outer space, in orbit around a planet.
Two mother ships fire at a death glider. Something or someone on the planet
fires at the mother ships and they explode. Several of the death gliders
are also destroyed. The death glider that was under fire by the mother
ships has been damaged and falls to the planet. Four humans rush over to
it to see if they can help the occupant…that turns out to be none other
than Skaara. He cries for help.Back on Earth, someone has just dialed in
to the Stargate, but no iris code has been received. The iris begins to
waver and suddenly a cat steps through the seemingly solid cover. Carter
runs out to pick up the cat, who is Schroedinger, the cat given by Carter
to Tollan, Narim The cat is closely folled by Narim himself. He greets
Carter and tells the others that he brings a message for them requesting
that they join the Tollans on their world for a ceremony known as Triad.In
the briefing room, Narim explains that a Triad is a ceremony to determine
justice. Daniel compares it to the Earth equivalent - a trial. Narim then
tells them that Skaara and Klorel are to be examined during the Triad.
Since SG1 has a relationship with Skaara, he has requested that they help
him at the Triad.They go through the Stargate to the Tollan world of Tollana.
Since they were sent to the Nox world as refugees (see Enigma), they have
since created created their own Stargate on their planet...although, as
O'Neill points out, it's not as big as Earth's. Narim leads them to the
place of the Triad, and en route, a blue beam plays across them, neutralising
all their weapons. Not surprisingly, O'Neill is not pleased about this
but Narim assures them that no harm will come to them.Once they arrive
at the Triad room, High Chancellor Travell, who explains what is involved
with the Triad, greets them. There are two seekers (defendants) who each
chose an archon (attorney) to represent their case. In addition, the Chancellor
will preside over the ceremony and there will be a third, neutral archon.
After all the arguments are presented, the three archons will vote to decide
which of the seekers has the better argument.Narim takes SG1 to see Skaara
so he can decide who will serve as his archon. It turns out that the Tollans
have developed a device that can suppress the Goa'uld and allow the host
to speak freely. A device around Skaara's neck changes hues according to
whether Klorel or Skaara is permitted control of the host body. Blue for
Skaara, red for Klorel. Skaara is happy to see them again and asks Narim
if it's possible for him to choose both, O'Neill for his strength and Daniel
for his wisdom, as his archons. Narim agrees, saying they will still only
have one vote between the two of them. Recent events that lead up to the
Triad are discussed and it seems that, a few days ago, Skaara's death glider
crashed trying to flee from Heru-Ur. Skaara then asked the Tollans to remove
the Goa'uld symbiote from within him. Klorel, however, is happy to stay
where he is and doesn't want to be removed. The purpose of Triad is to
see who has the right to inhabit Skaara's body - the original host or the
parasitic larva.The archon for Klorel is a Goa'uld named Lord Zipacna,
one of Apophis's most loyal under lords. While Zipacna and Klorel discuss
matters, SG1 learns that the third, neutral archon has arrived on Tollana.
It is Lya, the female Nox. O'Neill is suddenly very confident that they'll
be successful because the Nox like them and are very insightful, but Daniel
and the others are a bit more uncertain.The Triad begins, and Daniel and
O'Neill leave to join the other officials. Meanwhile, Carter and Teal'c
keep a careful watch on Zipacna's guards.Zipacna opens proceedings by saying
that Skaara and the other Abydonians lived under Goa'uld law and, therefore,
were the property of the Goa'uld. Klorel was only taking what was his by
using Skaara as his host. Daniel counters by saying the Abydonians never
saw themselves as slaves, although they were enslaved by the Goa'ulds through
superstition and fear.As this happens, Carter and Teal'c pretend to study
some Tollan architecture, while actually shadowing Tipacna's guards.Back
at the Triad, Zipacna questions Skaara about Abydonians' use of animals
for beasts of burden, food, and clothing, then says that the Goa'uld do
nothing different. They take what they need - human hosts - just as the
Abydonians take what they need from their animals. O'Neill counters that
humans are different from animals in that they're self-aware, and Daniel
expands on that by saying that humans are more intelligent than animals.
Zipacna states, "Ah, but is that just a matter of perspective?" He continues
saying the Goa'uld feel they are above humans, just as humans feel they
are above animals, and that the Goa'uld are so very much more advanced
than humans are. The debate continues, with Daniel and O'Neill accusing
the Goa'uld of stealing all their knowledge and being parasites, just as
Klorel stole Skaara's body, and life. Skaara would rather die than live
another day as a Goa'uld host, a fact pointed out by Skaara himself. Zipacna
replies that Skaara sees nothing that the Goa'uld makes him do since nothing
of the host survives.Meanwhile, Carter and Teal'c watch as Zipacna's guards
seem to tamper with something on the Tollans' defense system, but neither
Carter nor Teal'c know exactly what they're doing. They report back to
O'Neill.Daniel attempts to disprove Zipacna's theory that nothing of the
host survives and Lya agrees that it can't be true since he speaks too
well to be only a remnant personality.The proceedings take a break, giving
Carter a chance to tell the others what she and Teal'c found, saying that
she thinks Zipacna's using the Triad to buy enough time to disable the
Tollan defense system and attack the planet, thereby wiping out the Tollans.Carter
asks Narim to meet with her and when he arrives, he says he's happy they
finally can have some time together, alone. She tells him that she can't
pursue a relationship with him, or with anyone else, at this time because
of Jolinar's influence inside her. In other words, she needs to be sure
whose emotions she's feeling, hers or Jolinar's. She then goes on to explain
her suspicions about Zipacna's guards. Narim is upset to hear that they
have been watching Zipacna's guards, saying the Tollans' technology is
too advanced for the Goa'uld to harm. Carter says she only followed them
out of concern for the Tollans and that the Goa'uld were doing something
to their security system.The team tell their suspicions to Chancellor Travell,
who is just as upset as Narim had been. Zipacna denies all charges and
nothing is found to back up the claims of SG1. Carter is convinced that
that the Goa'uld were marking the cannons targets in some way. The Chancellor
tells them never to bring the subject up again or else she'd have to replace
Daniel and O'Neill as Skaara's archons. Teal'c is still suspicious and
asks for permission to continue watching the Goa'uld. O'Neill tells Teal'c
not to proceed as he doesn't want to threaten the outcome of the Triad
in any way. The Triad resumes.Teal'c, however, is still determined to resolve
the mystery. He talks to Lya, telling her that he needs her help. She's
hesitant to talk to him for fear he'll try to influence her decision in
Triad, but he assures her he wouldn't do that. He knows Lya is a pacifist,
but he wants her assistance in defending the planet in a way that won't
compromise her peaceful morals. She agrees to listen to him.Zipacna presents
a challenge to the officials at the Triad - the Tollans do not allow for
the death penalty, yet by removing Klorel from Skaara, that's exactly what
they'd be doing to Klorel, sentencing him to death. Without a host, the
Goa'uld inside Skaara will die. By remaining inside the host, they will
both survive. Daniel argues that Skaara would only be living as a slave
with no free will of his own. By removing Klorel and keeping him alive,
there was a chance of finding another willing host.The Triad is disrupted
by Narim, Carter, and Teal'c entering the room. They announce that a Goa'uld
mother ship has been spotted approaching Tollana. The Chancellor demands
an explanation from Zipacna, and he replies that the mother ship is just
there to collect him and Klorel up after the Triad. They decide to hear
the conclude the Triad since neither side has any further arguments. Skaara/Klorel
is brought in to hear the verdict. Lya declares that, after hearing both
sides and considering their arguments, both Klorel and Skaara have the
right to live, but Skaara should not forced to live the rest of his life
as a slave, which is not really life at all. Therefore, Klorel is to be
removed from Skaara, then sent back to a Goa'uld world of his choice to
find another host. This is met with great relief from the SG1 camp, and
also from Skaara. Zipacna is not so pleased, and, before Teal'c can stop
him, signals to the Goa'uld ship. The damage has been done, with the cannons
having been disabled, the Goa'uld attack. It turns out that Lya has hidden
one cannon using her Nox technique of making things invisible. Teal'c fires
it, blowing up two approaching death gliders and the mother ship that's
attacking Tollana. Travell SG1, particularly Teal'c, for saving their planet.
Even owing SG1 their lives, they will not share their weapon technology.
Skaara rejoins the group, now freed from the larva by the Tok'Ra.