Previously on Stargate SG-1.
Merlin was conducting research on some kind of new invention,
a weapon capable of destroying Ascended beings.
"Here lies Myrrdin, Archmage of the Round."
He's dead.
We've seen it used to download information into someone's mind.
- You have Merlin's memories? - Some of them.
Earth, Atlantis and the work he did in this lab.
What is that?
First step towards creating Merlin's weapon.
I have too many thoughts in my head. I can't concentrate. I get confused.
- You have to fight it. - I have to let it happen.
Get to the gate! I'll be right behind you.
He was very persuasive.
"Convert or die." Yeah, I'd say that's got some bite.
He said nothing of death. Only salvation and life eternal.
The blessings of the Ori.
He didn't threaten you?
He spoke of the religion.
Left this book with us to read and consider.
Said he'd be back today to hear our answer.
Well, you're not alone. This is happening all over the galaxy.
Are you saying this Prior's claims are false?
We're saying that book's got about as much truth in it as The Da Vinci Code.
Hey, that's what they want you to think.
- They? They who? - I do not understand.
It's a book from our planet.
It's very entertaining, but it is fiction nonetheless.
I wouldn't be so sure.
Okay, I think we've gotten a little off point here.
What evidence do you have to support your position?
Well, we really don't have any, and we can't tell you what to do.
Obviously, subjugating people by threatening their lives is wrong,
so if you choose to resist, we'll do our very best to try to help you.
Not that we can make many promises.
But we've seen a number of villages just like this one wiped out.
As I have said, the Prior made no such threat
and spoke upon the positive merits of Origin as true salvation.
Soft sell, that's a new approach.
The Prior of Ori returns!
Listen. No matter which way you're gonna come down on this,
it's probably best if that Prior doesn't know we're around.
You can hide here.
Welcome back.
Thank you, Tevaris.
Have you contemplated your divine right?
We have, Prior. We wish to hear more of your wisdom.
It is not my wisdom, but the wisdom of the ages
passed on to us by the only true gods.
Hallowed are the Ori.
Adria must've done something to him. I mean, before turning him into a Prior.
You mean she brainwashed him somehow.
Well, Daniel would never willingly become one of them like that, preach their beliefs.
He's damn good at it.
Had those people eating out of his hands
without issuing one tiny little genocidal threat.
That's what makes me think there's still a part of Daniel in there somewhere.
He's better than all this.
Yes, but we still have to face the very real possibility
that it's not even really Daniel anymore.
Having Merlin's consciousness downloaded into his mind
could have overshadowed Daniel completely,
weakened him to the point where Adria could do this.
Still, we cannot abandon him.
So, what do we do?
We go get him, try to figure out what happened, try to undo it.
- Turn him back. - That's going to be very risky.
Could be exactly what Adria is hoping for. She might be using him to get to us.
Still, it's Daniel.
- If there's any chance. - We have no choice.
"Aroden then took off the mask and revealed his face.
"'Your appearance matters not,' he said. 'Only the truth of spirit in your heart."'
Blessed are those that follow the path to Origin.
Hey, what took you guys so long?
- Carter, we got him. - Great.
Take us into hyperspace.
- I take it the anti-Prior device is working. - Well, he didn't stop us from zatting him.
Guys?
Daniel?
What's going on?
We could be asking you.
Okay, this is not necessary.
No offense, but have you looked in the mirror lately?
I'm not a threat to you.
In case you change your mind, you should know there is someone
with a finger poised over a button waiting to beam you out into space.
We had to let this happen. It's part of the plan.
- I'm sorry. "We"? - Oh, yeah, myself and Merlin.
Oh. So he's still inside you.
Yeah, you remember back on the planet when Adria and I were fighting it out?
Yeah, thanks for that, by the way.
Yeah, it's a good thing you guys got out, too.
She was way too powerful for me,
but I couldn't just let Merlin's weapon fall into her hands.
I know it's our only chance of destroying the Ori.
You gave in.
More or less.
Of course, Origin is designed to channel the energy of its followers to the Ori.
It's that unselfish act of giving that leads one's soul to salvation,
and ultimately, to Ascension.
This is no great secret. The Book of Origin says,
"Make yourself one with the path, and the journey will lead you to eternity."
Were it not for the power the Ori draw from our belief,
the Ancients would have wiped them out long ago.
Why?
You know the answer. You were once Ascended.
Because they won't tolerate anyone or anything
that doesn't follow their collective rules.
They claim not to interfere, but they do manipulate.
They use their power to hoard their knowledge
and prevent those beneath them from reaching their level.
She seemed to know everything about me.
She had a tremendous power of persuasion.
It was almost as if I could hear her voice inside my head telling me what to believe.
So I let her believe that she was getting to me, turning me.
- Why? - Because I needed her to trust me.
And did she? Well, don't get me wrong.
You're not a terrible liar, but you're nowhere near as good as me.
Who is?
And Adria could see right through me. So how did you manage to fool her?
I was able to protect Daniel, make Adria think he had succumbed to her will.
- Merlin? - It was necessary.
In our time together, I've really come to see in you what draws Mother's affection.
Affects what?
It's very important to me that we save her together.
Of course.
I can feel the difference in you.
It's because you've done so much for me, showing me the true path.
I'm glad.
And there's so much more I can do for you, and you for me.
So, she trusted you enough to turn you into a Prior.
- She had to. - Why, exactly?
Because she knew I was her best chance of converting Earth.
And me.
Well, that would explain why she wanted to believe you, not why she had to.
She had Merlin's weapon. She just didn't know how to finish it.
I thought she knew everything.
She's human. Her knowledge is still limited.
But Merlin knew how.
It was a quick and easy way to avoid an all-out war
between the Ori and the Ancients.
She knows the device can be used to wipe out the Ancients,
so I told her I would finish it for her.
- Did you? - Not exactly, but close.
I needed to have the rest of my plan in place before I finished it.
Which is?
- I needed her to make me a Prior. - Hello.
So I could steal an Ori ship and fly it through the supergate to the Ori galaxy
with the weapon onboard and destroy them.
Okay, one small flaw in that plan.
I know. There's a wormhole blocking the supergate, and that's why I'm here.
I need you guys to shut it down.
He knew he was no match for her,
and he couldn't let Merlin's unfinished weapon fall into her hands.
So he and Merlin came up with a plan to fool Adria
into thinking that he had succumbed to her power.
So he could continue to work on the weapon
ostensibly, this time, for her to use against the Ancients.
Merlin?
He says he still has Merlin's consciousness in his mind.
Merlin even seemed to be speaking on occasion.
Daniel says that's what protected him from Adria's influence
and what's allowed him to convince her to make him a Prior.
Why did he need her to make him a Prior?
So he could steal the Ori ship with the weapon onboard
and fly it through the supergate.
He wants us to shut down the incoming wormhole so he can dial out.
Yeah, so he says.
You do not believe Daniel Jackson is being truthful?
Oh, I want to believe him.
That could be exactly what they expect of us.
If Adria really did somehow manage to brainwash Daniel, then...
This whole thing could be an elaborate plot to get us
to shut down that wormhole so more Ori ships can come into our galaxy.
So, what do we do?
Fellows.
This is new.
Yeah, it's always something, isn't it?
Got to tell you, though, not your look.
Oh, it is just temporary.
- Really? - Yeah, yeah.
You see, when Merlin programmed the Ancient device to download
his consciousness into my brain, he gave it a time limit.
See, he knew I could only survive so long with the knowledge
and consciousness of two distinct people in one mind, so...
And when he goes?
He's genetically programmed my body and mind
to revert back to the state it was in before he was downloaded.
- He can do that? - Yeah, I'm hoping so.
I won't look like this anymore.
I won't have any of a Prior's special abilities.
Unfortunately, I'll just be little old me again.
But that's good news.
Yeah, except I won't be able to fly an Ori ship,
it'll be too late to execute the plan, and Adria will have Merlin's weapon.
- I thought that wasn't finished yet. - It's very close.
All the pieces are there. It just needs to be assembled.
Adria will figure it out.
And just when does your chariot turn back into a pumpkin?
- I don't have much time. A day or so. - A day?
Kind of risky leaving it this late in the game.
Well, I didn't have much choice,
and it took you guys a little longer to capture me than I planned, so...
Right.
Why do we have to do that again?
Well, I couldn't exactly just come to you.
I think Adria might have suspected something.
Yes, I see.
Jack, you have to believe me.
Why?
Why? Well, because...
Oh, I don't know, the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance.
You know, that old chestnut's getting a little old.
No, no, that part never gets old.
Now, you have to shut down that supergate and you have to let me go.
You know how much I hate being told what to do.
Jack, it's me.
What, that's supposed to convince me? Look at you.
Have I ever let you down? No, don't answer that.
Have I ever let you down when it really mattered?
I don't even know who I'm really talking to right now!
Not when you were being tortured by Ba'al,
killed, brought back to life over and over again.
- I stood by you the whole... - All right, just stop!
I don't need to be reminded of that.
I've been around this barbecue a few times.
Just because you know the stuff Daniel knows
doesn't mean you're him, doesn't mean you're telling the truth.
I mean, come on, you've got to know what you're asking me to do.
I do!
You know, there's a bottom line here. Carter doesn't think it can't be done.
Yes, it can. A Mark IX beamed directly behind the gate
in the Pegasus Galaxy will destroy that gate.
The wormhole connection will be broken.
How do you know that?
Hello? Merlin!
- Oh, yes, Merlin! - Jack, I wish I had proof.
I wish I had a way to convince you, but I don't.
Now, this was the only choice I had, and I took it. It's a good plan.
It just happens to hinge on you guys believing in me, having a little faith.
Now, I thought you, of all people, might.
Why?
You, of all people, should know that I don't believe anything anybody says,
even if I understand what they're talking about!
Jack, it's me.
Yeah?
He's right, sir.
A Mark IX Gate Buster, beamed directly behind the event horizon
so the force won't be absorbed by the active wormhole,
would destroy the gate and sever the connection.
Yeah,
I should've known that.
- So, do you believe him now? - I honestly don't know.
Well, unfortunately, I don't think a polygraph would work in this case.
No, but I'm not worried about that.
See, I think we've got something better.
You know, Teal'c, the longer I'm gone,
the more suspicious Adria is going to become.
Why were you preaching to the villagers on that planet?
What?
I told you, I found out you guys were going to be there,
so I set myself up to be captured.
You misunderstand me, Daniel Jackson.
Why is Adria not suspicious of your actions?
You attempt to reform a meaningless planet of people
instead of completing the weapon?
Actually, she was the one who stopped me before I completed the weapon.
Why?
- I'm almost done. - I know.
You must stop for now.
You're afraid the Ancients will take the device away from us
before we can use it.
They've interfered once before in its creation.
You're using Merlin's knowledge,
knowledge he kept from when he was Ascended.
But if I don't finish it...
For now,
you must help bring the energy of more followers into the fold.
The original plan was for the Ori to convert our whole galaxy
so they could build up their power enough to attack the Ancients.
But even then, a conflict like that on that level was going to be costly.
But now they have a weapon that could destroy all Ascended beings
within the scope of an entire galaxy in one fell swoop.
They just need to distract the Ancients long enough so that they can use it.
Engage them in battle long enough to complete the weapon.
And back off to safety while Adria detonates it.
If the Ancients perceive this weapon as a threat,
why not intervene and simply take it now?
I have no idea.
I mean, maybe they want to give my plan a chance to work.
Either way, the Ori believe they still need more power
to maximize their chances for success.
More power.
That means they will need more followers...
Exactly.
Adria's out working hard for the cause,
which leaves me the perfect opportunity to steal the ship with the weapon on it.
If you guys would just believe I'm still on your side.
We're running out of time.
I believe Daniel Jackson speaks the truth.
Lot of good it's going to do us.
I'm going to let you tell them yourself because I don't have a stomach for it.
That's all right, sir, General O'Neill filled us in.
The IOA has nixed the whole thing.
No, I don't think you know everything.
You have to understand,
we've considered all the evidence at our disposal,
but more than that, as difficult as this is,
I feel very strongly that we have no viable option.
You want to get to the point?
I assure you this may be the hardest decision I'll ever make,
but I take full responsibility for it.
Based on my recommendation, the IOA has proposed to the President
that Daniel Jackson's life be terminated immediately.
So, what the hell is going on?
This and that. You know, the usual.
You'll never believe what's happening on One Life to Live.
I really hate to press the issue here, but I do have a deadline.
So do we.
Oh, yes, I know, before I figure out
how to overcome the effects of the anti-Prior device.
I thought Teal'c believed me.
- Oh, he does. - Jack?
No, he's on your side, too.
That little weasel man who somehow represents your government.
Woolsey?
I can't be certain, but I think he might not like you.
He wants to have me killed, doesn't he?
I'm not sure how serious he is. He seems quite the prankster to me.
You know, I was afraid of that.
He was the one who argued to keep Khalek alive and got burned for it.
Khalek?
It was his highly evolved half-breed son.
Two people died as a result. It could have been much worse.
Now that you mention it, that seems to be in play.
But not to worry. If it comes down to it, I have a plan.
Oh, you have a plan. Great. What is it?
Well,
when I said that I had a plan, I meant that I have to plan the plan.
So when, or rather, if, it comes down to it, I will have a plan.
I've cleared my whole afternoon
for planning.
You believe me, right?
Mmm-hmm.
Okay, now I don't believe you.
Imagine our positions were reversed.
What would you do?
Hmm...
I know you've trusted me even when you've had every reason not to,
but perhaps I'm the only one who knows how dangerous and powerful Adria is.
There's no evidence.
Only your word, and that should be enough,
but this is so big.
- Well, I wouldn't let them kill you. - Of course not.
I won't let that happen to you.
But would you support me,
if what I was proposing could very well open the door to the final Ori victory?
Not if there was the slightest chance that I wasn't on the level,
even if it was the tiniest nagging doubt.
That's a load of crap. You're wasting our time.
Dr. Jackson was the one who suggested we should kill Khalek.
He was the demon spawn of Anubis.
And Dr. Jackson is now potentially an even bigger threat.
I think the operative word there is "potentially".
We don't know exactly what's going on yet.
And by the time we do, it may be too late.
We know that anti-Prior device
will only subdue his powers for a limited time.
After that, you won't be able to control him.
All right, listen to me closely, because I'm only going to say this once.
You kill Daniel over my dead body.
Obviously, we need to discuss some realistic options.
We can't hold Dr. Jackson long-term and we can't release him,
given what he knows.
Well, if he has fallen under their influence,
the Ori likely know everything they can learn from him already.
What are you suggesting?
Dr. Jackson claims he'll revert back to his old self in short order.
We only need to hold him long enough to see if that's true.
If it's not, we still have the option of placing him in stasis.
If he hasn't already caused a major catastrophe by then.
Oh, will you stop it?
If he is telling the truth,
then we've blown the best chance we've ever had of beating the bad guys.
How's it going, sir?
Longing for the days when I actually carried a weapon.
- What do you got? - A crazy idea.
I'm down with crazy. I like crazy. Crazy and I are like that.
Cam likes crazy, too.
Listen, if what Jackson is saying is true,
there is an Ori ship out there with a near-complete weapon on it
that could prove useful against the Ori.
- I think we should go after it. - You're right, that's crazy.
I'm just saying, if they're not going to let Jackson complete his mission,
there is no reason that we shouldn't try.
Daniel Jackson may be able to provide us with the intelligence required
to ensure the success for this mission.
He might be able to tell us where the ship is and how to get aboard undetected.
And he must have enough knowledge of their technology by now
to provide me with what I need
to interface with the ship's control systems.
Assuming he tells you.
Well, why wouldn't he?
If he knows he's not going anywhere...
- That's crazy. - That's what I said. It's crazy.
It's nuts. It's wacko. But let's be honest, what isn't?
Jack, I'm the only one who should be going.
It's too dangerous for anyone else.
Not if you give me the intel we need.
It's my plan.
It was a bad one. Come on, Daniel,
you had to know we weren't going to shut down that supergate for you.
We had no choice.
Oh, now it's "we".
You've been in my position before. Well, not this one, but similar.
Yes, I'm sure I have,
but my brain's been messed with so much over the years, I don't remember.
Wait a second, with your way, you still have to shut down the supergate.
Come on, where's the ship?
How does Carter fly it?
And give me any other intel I might need to make this op a success.
Come on.
I'm trusting you.
Oh, yes, I really feel the faith.
Well, now you have to trust us.
Let us finish what you started.
The Ori ship containing Merlin's weapon
is parked in orbit around a planet with a gate.
We gate to the planet, use rings to get aboard.
There is a Prior in charge of the ship
but he preaches to the masses on the planet daily.
I thought only a Prior could fly one of their ships.
The systems are activated using mind control,
but Daniel's given me what I need to get around it.
He's also given us instructions on how to put the final pieces together.
Daedalus will be standing by in Pegasus to shut down the wormhole.
We use the Ori ship to dial out, and we send the weapon through.
But not before the Odyssey beams us off.
Now, that's a plan.
That depends entirely on Daniel Jackson's word.
We will know whether he's on the level before we shut off the supergate.
So at this point, the only thing at risk
is us.
No gun.
Hmm.
Did you bring lethal injection, high voltage,
or are you just going to have them beam me out into space?
I think you understand my position.
I gave Jack the information you asked for.
And you will be frozen in stasis until such time
that SG-1's mission is deemed successful.
I take it then, you're not going to allow me to just turn back into my old self?
If the intel turns out to be reliable,
you will be unfrozen and allowed to resume transforming,
if that indeed is going to happen.
I see.
I am here out of respect for you.
I wanted to explain personally
that we're about to beam you into the Ancient pod in Antarctica.
Okay.
You're clear to beam the prisoner out now.
What's the holdup?
We're having some technical problems. We can't seem to get a lock.
Not part of my plan.
I've always been the one who caused the worry, not the worrier.
It's not easy. Don't second-guess yourself. This is the best possible course of action.
Exactly. Action, good. Sitting around, bad.
Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I still worry sometimes, too, about you.
- Well, thank you, sir. - Don't mention it.
I thought we fixed this thing so that wouldn't happen anymore.
Daniel?
Jack.
- What's up? - Oh, I'm taking the ship.
Oh. I see that.
Yeah, I beamed the crew safely to the surface.
Nice for them.
But, as you probably figured out by now, I'm going to need you.
You know, I was just thinking how much I missed being needed.
All right, fellows, here's the deal. We're commandeering this ship.
I'd like for you to throw down your weapons and surrender, please.
That's a no.
We asked nicely.
Okay.
This shouldn't be too bad.
I don't know.
For me, whenever there's some assembly required,
I inevitably find some part missing. A screw, widget, what have you.
Hmm.
Well, according to Daniel's instructions, it all seems to be here.
Ah, well, I never follow instructions.
You think that could be part of the problem?
- We clear? - For the moment.
Okay, I've locked out the rings and secured this level.
We shouldn't have any more company.
Hang on, guys. If this works, we're about to jump into hyperspace.
Yep. Just like old times.
Except I'm here against my will, and you look like Marcel Marceau.
Yeah, you know, some things change, but others stay the same.
Very good.
Why'd you bother giving me the intel if you were going to bust out anyway?
Well, obviously, I'm improvising at this point.
I had no idea when, or even if,
I was going to be able to overcome the effects of the anti-Prior device.
Time was running out.
Adria is going to notice my absence and become suspicious
so sending the rest of SG-1 to get the device was my only choice at the time.
Then why do this now?
Because I'm afraid the rest of the team
won't be able to complete the mission without me.
Oh, aren't we full of ourselves?
That, and I wasn't about to let Woolsey freeze me.
- That I understand. - Yeah.
Okay, I think that's about it.
Hang on. What's this?
Oh, I'm not sure about that one.
See, there is always a widget left over.
I thought you were always one short.
Well, you'd think both was impossible, but it's not.
Right.
Actually, I'm pretty sure that's the timing crystal that sets
the detonation of the weapon five minutes after it's inserted.
Right. Hold on that. Carter, status?
Vala, Cam, we're moments from exiting hyperspace.
Roger that. We're almost done here.
Check that. Vala's almost done. I still have my doubts.
And that means?
That means the weapon is ready to be activated.
What?
Oh, I was just wondering if an Ascended being
was going to swoop down and take it away.
I guess they don't mind us doing their dirty work for them.
Or...
Or what?
Or there's no point because I've assembled it wrongly
and it's not going to work.
- Colonel Carter. - Yeah, I see it.
Just came up on the ship's sensors.
Cam, Vala.
We have a problem.
What's it doing?
It seems to be just sitting there blocking our way.
I'm trying to raise shields.
Hi there.
Carter, I thought you sealed off this level and locked out the rings.
Me, too.
I was afraid of that. Adria must've anticipated my plan.
- They're going to detect us. - We're cloaked.
- This ship doesn't have that. - It does now.
Having a ZPM helps.
When the time comes, give the order to Daedalus.
We'll see.
I should never have trusted you.
They're about to shut down the supergate and allow our ships through.
They've assembled the weapon, and the Ancients didn't interfere.
Right?
You did exactly as I said, right?
Daniel, what are you doing?
We can destroy the Ancients right now, and the Ori won't even have to fight.
I've done all of this for you.
- Your mind is closed to me. - Yeah.
- What the hell is going on? - Sorry about that.
I had to be sure this was working on her first.
You got past her personal shield.
Yeah, that took a lot.
- Are you all right, Daniel Jackson? - Yeah, a little dizzy.
Look, I don't have much time left. Go arm the device.
Jack's onboard Odyssey.
He's going to shut down the gate. Now, go!
Jack, give the command.
Please. I'm running out of strength to do this.
Daedalus,
this is General Jack O'Neill.
What's going on?
- Daniel's flying the ship. - Daniel?
He wishes us to arm the weapon.
General O'Neill's onboard the Odyssey.
- And? - Do it.
We got to go.
Sir, if you can hear me, we need to beam out now.
What about Adria?
Hey, sleepyhead.
What took you so long?
- What happened? - Nothing. Why?
We armed the weapon, you dialed the gate and sent the Ori ship through.
Assuming it is you.
No, it's me.
Merlin's gone. He sacrificed himself for this to work.
Yeah? Prove it.
- What the hell was that? - If I was Merlin, you would know.
- What about Adria? - Still on the ship.
All right, here's a question.
How do we know it worked?
We don't. Not yet.
I think if it did work, the Ancients would feel obligated
to give us a fruit basket or, like, a gift certificate,
or something like that.
Maybe the reason why they let us do it is because they knew it wouldn't work.
Or maybe because they knew it would and wanted it to.
There's no point in guessing.
Even if it is successful, there are still many Priors
with great power and vast armies of warriors bent on converting this galaxy.
It will be very difficult to convince them their gods are dead.
If they're dead.
Carter, Sunshine is awake.
- That's good. Is he okay? - Well, he's grumpy.
Can you ask him how he managed to cloak the ship?
He said magicians don't reveal their secrets.
Hey, is that Ori ship still hanging around out there?
Yeah, it's still out there.
I sent a message to Earth, telling them that we were going...
Guys, you better get up here.
Incoming wormhole.
Yeah, I think that went well.
We knew eliminating the Ori might not stop their followers.
I still think it was the right thing to do.
We may have made things worse right now.
But in the long run, it could be our only chance to win the war.