Transcript

Summary | Analysis | Notes | Questions | Production | Transcript

SG-1 discovers the village of Camelot on an alien world, and must face Merlin's security system when they go in search of an Ancient weapon. Elsewhere, Earth and its allies assemble a fleet when a working Ori Supergate is discovered.

EPISODE #920
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 03.10.2006
SYNDICATION AIR DATE: 05.14.2007
DVD DISC: Season 9, Disc 5
WRITTEN BY: Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
DIRECTED BY: Martin Wood
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Transcript by Jane Harrison

OFF-WORLD. SG-1 walk through a field, trekking through knee-high grass.

MITCHELL: Hey, has anyone stopped to think how this thing might possibly work? I mean, how do you kill something that's pure energy?

DANIEL: Well technically, Merlin's research didn't refer to killing , a better translation would be neutralizing or cancelling out.

MITCHELL: Well it still begs a lot of questions. How do you aim at something you can't see?

DANIEL: Clearly, it can't be a weapon in the conventional sense. See, ascended beings transcend ordinary space-time as we know it -- this device would have to do the same thing.

MITCHELL: (beat) In other words, you have no idea what it might be.

DANIEL: Yeah, pretty much that's it.

Carter squints ahead of them.

CARTER: Whoa. This looks promising.

They walk towards a town that is surrounded by grey stone walls. It has a moat but a small bridge for access. A large wooden door marks the medieval entrance.


VILLAGE. Villagers cross the centre of the town, tracking through the sodden and muddy ground. A horse is led through the village as SG-1 enter, looking about them slowly.

The villagers back away as they notice the new arrivals.

CARTER: Well, it certainly looks like a place where Merlin might have lived.

MITCHELL: I wouldn't get excited just yet, there could be dozens of villages in the area, just like this one.

He checks the sole of his boot for manure.

MITCHELL: There's no way to know for sure this is the right one.

DANIEL: Well, there's that ...

He points his P90 towards a large stone plinth that as a stone driven into it.

The team walk over to it to check it out.

A man wearing thick velvet robes, Meurik, emerges from a nearby building, flanked by other natives.

MEURIK: (hesitantly) Travelers! I am Meurik -- Governor of this village. Welcome to Camelot.


CAMELOT - PUB. SG-1 and Meurik sit around a table, food and drink laid out before them in wooden bowls. An eccentrically dressed man approaches and stands next to Meurik.

ANTONIUS: These must be the strangers that everyone is speaking of.

MEURIK: This is Antonius, our village historian.

ANTONIUS: Welcome to Camelot: past and the future home of King Arthur and his round table.

SG-1 exchange brief looks.

CARTER: Sorry, (beat) future home?

MEURIK: I, I assume you know the history of the battle of Camlan?

DANIEL: Of course, where Arthur was mortally wounded by Mordred.

MEURIK: Arthur? Mortally wounded? (to Antonius) Speak.

ANTONIUS: Arthur defeated Mordred at the battle of Camlan, after which he and his fellow Knights set off to find the Sangraal.

DANIEL: That's the Holy Grail.

ANTONIUS: That was long ago but we know in our hearts that one day he will return to us.

DANIEL: Uhm, what happened to Merlin when he left?

There is a moment of silence.

Meurik leans back in his chair and then stands, slowly.

MEURIK: I have matters to attend to; best I take my leave now. Enjoy your stay with us.

He gives a small bow and departs.

The other members of the team look towards Daniel, confused.

DANIEL: Did I offend him?

Antonius sits in the vacated seat.

ANTONIUS: Not at all. It's just that Merlin's name is rarely mentioned in public.

DANIEL: Why is that?

ANTONIUS: Well, many believe he was a wizard of darkness. He may have tried to do good, but there was always potential for great mischief in his heart. Thankfully, he has neither been seen nor heard of since Arthur's departure. The library where he practiced his strange arts remains sealed to this day.

CARTER: Merlin had a library here?

ANTONIUS: Of course, it was his private sanctuary here in Camelot.

DANIEL: We'd like to see that.

ANTONIUS: Well I'm afraid that's impossible. The library is protected by a powerful curse. It is said that all those who enter Merlin's sanctuary forfeit their lives to its guardian, the Black Knight.

The team look at each other -- they've heard of something like this before.


CAMELOT - VILLAGE. The team exit the pub, catching the attention of a couple of villagers as they walk through a stables and head back into the centre of the settlement.

MITCHELL: Okay, so best case scenario this curse of the Black Knight is a story Merlin made up to scare off the locals; worse case scenario he's got another holographic Knight protecting his goods like he did back in England either way, I don't see a big problem.

Teal'c pulls a face.

MITCHELL: What?

TEAL'C: Given your narrow victory over the Knight in the Avalon cave, it would seem your over confidence is ill-advised.

Carter smirks.

MITCHELL: Did I say anything about me doing the fighting?

DANIEL: (hastily) The point is last time it was a test designed to measure a challenger's worth, this time it sounds more like a defense mechanism set up to protect Merlin's research which means it could be a lot tougher and the same rules might not apply.

CARTER: I think we should split up a look around.

TEAL'C: Indeed.

They halt and pair off: Teal'c and Carter, Daniel and Mitchell. Each pair heads off in a separate direction.


VILLAGE. Mitchell and Daniel approach a young boy and an older girl who are playing with wooden swords, re-enacting the battle that, on this world, Merlin survived.

VALENCIA: Surrender, Mordred!

RAMUS: Never!

Valencia spins around quickly, catching the boy off-guard. She holds her sword to his throat.

VALENCIA: Yield?

RAMUS: I yield, but next time I want to be Arthur.

Valencia laughs and lowers her toy.

MITCHELL: Not like that's going to help if you keep moving around like Grimly. Here, let me show you something.

Mitchell unclips his weapon and passes it to Daniel.

MITCHELL: Do you mind? Thank you. Try not to bob around quite so much.

He takes Ramus's sword and faces Valencia with it.

She swallows briefly and then they start sparring. She meets him blow for blow but they soon lock swords -- Mitchell is too strong for her.

MITCHELL: Nice.

He darts forward and pulls her sword from her hand with the handle of his.

Valencia stands back, impressed.

VALENCIA: Where did you learn to fight?

MITCHELL: Broomstick battles with my kid brother and the Sodan ritual of Kel Shak Lo made me the nimble warrior that I am today.

He hands their swords back.

MITCHELL: So, does either one of you know where we can find Merlin's, uh ...

DANIEL: Oh, library.

MITCHELL: Merlin's library?

Valencia and Ramus look at each other uncertainly.


CAMELOT - OUTSIDE MERLIN'S LIBRARY. Valencia and Ramus cautiously lead Daniel and Mitchell towards the library; a small, thatched and innocent looking building.

They come to a stop outside the thick wooden door.

VALENCIA: This is it. The door is magicked.

Daniel and Mitchell glance at each other and then Daniel tries to grasp the handle. A blue force field shimmers over the door and he jerks his hand away.

VALENCIA: There is a key, no one dare use it.

DANIEL: Where will we find this key?

VALENCIA: It is kept in the village archives.

Daniel sighs, slowly.


CAMELOT - FRUIT STALL. Antonius holds a woven basket and puts a vegetable that he is purchasing inside it. It is raining quite heavily.

Daniel follows as he moves across the stall.

ANTONIUS: No. Absolutely not.

DANIEL: Antonius!

ANTONIUS: (hushed) I will not be party to your deaths. Your lives would be forfeit the instant you stepped inside.

DANIEL: We have faced one of Merlin's Knights before.

ANTONIUS: What? Impossible. If you had, you would not be here to tell the tale.

DANIEL: Well, I am because we defeated him. And in defeating him, we acquired the treasures he had hidden away on our world, and one of those treasures led us here -- to Camelot. Antonius, you're the village historian; don't tell me you haven't dreamt about what might be inside there.


CAMELOT - OUTSIDE MERLIN'S LIBRARY (NIGHT). Antonius leads SG-1 by lantern-light towards the library. A wind has picked up and lightning flashes.

ANTONIUS: No one must know of my participation in this venture.

MITCHELL: Got it.

ANTONIUS: Not Meurik, not my fellow villagers and most importantly not my wife Olivia, who believes I am reviewing council minutes with Brother Avalar tonight.

MITCHELL: We were never here.

Antonius passes the lantern to Mitchell and pulls a key out of his robes.

He inserts the key into the hole and the force field flashes briefly before falling.

Antonius re-inserts the key and another small spark of blue light accompanies the opening of the door, seemingly of its own volition.

The group enters the library.


MERLIN'S LIBRARY. Candelabra, books, furniture and other, alien, objects litter the dark room, thickly covered with cobwebs.

Mitchell enters first, shining his flashlight around the room carefully.

He swipes away the cobwebs that string between the door frames.

MITCHELL: Ugh, spiders.

Everyone takes in the state of the room as they creep further into it.

Daniel crosses over to one of the bookshelves and blows on a volume he finds there, trying to clear it of dust.

He shines his light on Mitchell, illuminating a wall full of scrolls.

DANIEL: Yep, this could take a while.

The beam of the torch bounces off the dust that floats disturbed in the air.


MERLIN'S LIBRARY (LATER). Teal'c stands on a chair to finish lighting the candelabra that hangs from the ceiling. The room now has a less gothic atmosphere.

Carter crosses over to Daniel who is sat at a large desk, poring over the texts he has found.

DANIEL: This is interesting. This is a reference to Merlin's prophetic abilities, there's a similar myth on Earth. That Merlin could see future because he actually aged backwards in time. It's not meant to be taken literally but we have seen that a lot of legends in folklore have a strong basis in fact: Avalon, Atlantis.

TEAL'C: The Easter bunny.

Carter and Daniel look bemused.

DANIEL: I guess there's a few exceptions.

Teal'c's face falls.

CARTER: Are you saying that there's time travel technology here?

DANIEL: I'm saying there could be anything round here.

MITCHELL: Well, I hate to break it to you folks but the only technology I'm seeing is a bunch of dusty old books ...

He pulls a couple of books on the shelf next to which he is stood. One clicks and the bookcase swings to the side to reveal a dark passage beyond.

MITCHELL: And a secret passage.

He ducks into the passage as the other members of the groups step forward and gather around the entrance.

Mitchell pops his head back out.

MITCHELL: All right, there's another chamber.

ANTONIUS: We should not go in there! We've tempted fate enough for one night.

MITCHELL: Well you can stay up here, if you want.

ANTONIUS: No. I shall take my leave.

SG-1 look on as the frightened historian scurries away.


MERLIN'S LIBRARY - SECRET CHAMBER. The team tread carefully, shining their flashlights on the stone walls of the dungeon-like room.

Carter jumps as a fire place bursts into flame.

Torches burn on the walls all around, as they are seemingly activated by the team's presence.

In the middle of the room a large table stands, covered with tablet buttons engraved with Ancient writing.

MITCHELL: It's not a puzzle is it?

DANIEL: No, it's an ancient control device.

MITCHELL: What does it control?

DANIEL: I have no idea.

Daniel steps up onto a platform to get a better look at the device and a bright white light activates, bathing the machine with its glow.

The others step up onto the platform, frowning down at the technology.


CAMELOT - ANTONIUS' HOUSE. Antonius enters his house with a book under his arm and the lantern in his hand.

He looks around nervously before walking towards the four-poster bed and putting the lantern down on a bed-side table. He steps around the end of the bed, squinting into the dark of the room.

ANTONIUS: Olivia?

A sound makes him spin around and his eyes widen in shock.

The Black Knight stands silhouetted in the window, barely meters away.

Lightning flashes outside as the Knight slowly unsheathes his sword, dragging out the fearful metallic sound.

Antonius cries out as the Knight marches menacingly towards him.


MERLIN'S LIBRARY - SECRET CHAMBER. Daniel and the others stand staring down at the device, trying to decipher its purpose.

DANIEL: I've seen this type of interface before; activating it is a matter of correctly interpreting these symbols.

A scream can be heard outside in the village.

SG-1 look up and then run from the room, each preparing their P90s.


ANTONIUS' HOUSE - BEDROOM. A crowd of villagers has gathered. Women comfort each other as the men talk in hushed voices, their attention wrapt on the floor.

SG-1 push their way into the room, their eyes falling onto the prone figure of Antonius.

Carter crouches down to the floor and checks his pulse.

CARTER: He's dead.


PUB (LATER).

SG-1 stand in the main room as Meurik slams a large leather-bound book down on the table.

MEURIK: How do you explain this?

He points at the book and paces around the table, staring at them accusingly.

MEURIK: Antonius had it with him when he was killed.

CARTER: Look, we're very sorry about what happened.

MEURIK: You went into the wizard's library didn't you?

DANIEL: Yes, we did.

MITCHELL: Look, it wasn't supposed to go down like that. We figured if the Knight was going to appear it would be in the chamber and he wouldn't go after any body but us.

MEURIK: You were warned of the danger and you refused to believe. You awakened the curse.

Mitchell closes his eyes.

DANIEL: Black Knight is not part of any curse -- he isn't magical and he isn't unbeatable.

TEAL'C: Your world, as well as countless others are in danger of being overrun by an enemy far more powerful than you could ever imagine. They are called the Ori, and they will destroy anyone who does not kneel before them.

DANIEL: We learned a long time ago that Merlin was working on a weapon that could be used against them and the key to finding that weapon is inside that library.

MEURIK: I have never seen nor heard of these Ori but we have witnessed the power of the Black Knight.

Carter looks down at the floor.

MEURIK: Leave this village. Take the curse with you.

He sweeps out of the room, saddened.

DANIEL: Well, we can't just give up.

Daniel sits down on a nearby table.

CARTER: Daniel, we're not exactly welcome here anymore.

DANIEL: Don't you see this is exactly what Merlin wanted. Why do you think he designed the Black Knight to attack in the village and not the chamber? To insight terror. I mean, if he just killed who ever was inside the chamber then, there would be no great public incentive to keep people out; you go in at your own risk and there would always be someone foolish enough to give it a try.

MITCHELL: Yeah, someone like us.

DANIEL: The point is, he designed it that way because he was worried that someone might stumble on to the solution, which means there is a solution and it's inside that chamber.

CARTER: A shut off switch.

DANIEL: Exactly.

MITCHELL: Well that's great -- but how does it help us now?

DANIEL: I don't know. Just give me a little time to talk to these people, if I can get some of them on our side we might be able to get Meurik to reconsider.

Mitchell waves his hand, unconvinced.

Daniel sighs and stands up, gathering his weapon and preparing for diplomacy.


CAMELOT - VILLAGE CENTER. Mitchell walks up to the sword in the stone and slowly circles it, captivated by the weapon.

VALENCIA: (OS) Only he who is pure of heart and true of spirit can pull the sword from the stone.

She crosses over to Mitchell from the stall she has been perusing.

VALENCIA: They said Arthur will not return from his quest until one among us succeeds in removing it.

MITCHELL: You ever try it?

VALENCIA: Of course not. It is for the young men who are preparing to be Knights to test themselves with the sword, as my brother Ramus will do when he comes of age.

MITCHELL: Yeah, but I've seen you spar -- you've got the skills.

VALENCIA: I only do that to help Ramus train. When Arthur does come back he will need Knights to join him on his next crusade; the men of this village will be ready to serve him.

MITCHELL: And you're not interested in that.

She looks down briefly before looking Mitchell in the eye.

Footsteps approach, squelching in the mud.

MEURIK: Valencia! Leave us.

Meurik and a small entourage stride over towards where Mitchell stands.

VALENCIA: Yes, Governor.

MEURIK: You abuse my tolerant nature, Colonel.

Daniel, Carter and Teal'c are with the group and Mitchell walks over to them.

MITCHELL: I take it it didn't go so well.

DANIEL: Not really.

MEURIK: These men will escort you to the great ring and ensure that you leave as requested.

DANIEL: Okay, you're making a mistake; there is no curse. Now, the Black Knight is a security feature created by Merlin through the use of science and advanced technology. There is no magic involved!

Before he can fully finish his sentence, Daniel and SG-1 are engulfed in the white light of Asgard beaming technology.

The villagers are stunned, and begin nervously muttering to each other.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. SG-1 are beamed directly onto the bridge as Daniel continues to gesticulate to the now absent Meurik.

Colonel Emerson sits in the command chair.

EMERSON: SG-1, welcome aboard the Odyssey.

MITCHELL: Colonel. What's going on?

EMERSON: Change of plans.

He stands and crosses over to the video screen at the other side of the room. SG-1 follow.

EMERSON: We received a subspace transmission from a Jaffa vessel near P3Y-229. They were investigating some unusual energy readings -- this is what they found, and when we enhance the image ...

The image on the screen zooms in to show a massive circle hanging in space, made up of many individual segments.

CARTER: A fully formed Supergate.

EMERSON: Stargate command tried to dial 229 but couldn't get a lock.

CARTER: The planet was probably destroyed in the formation of the micro singularity.

EMERSON: My orders were to pick you up and proceed immediately to the Supergate. Unfortunately, the Daedalus is still in the Pegasus Galaxy but the Korolev will be joining us as soon as possible.

CARTER: I didn't think it was operational yet.

EMERSON: It's been rushed into service. We're to meet up with as many Jaffa and Tok'ra ships as we can muster and then destroy that thing by what ever means necessary. Set a course.

MARKS: Yes, Sir.

Emerson crosses back over to his command chair as the team absorb this information.

DANIEL: Wait a minute, we, we can't go yet.

Daniel follows Emerson, beseechingly.

EMERSON: We don't have any more time, Doctor. By all indications that space gate's operational -- there's no telling when the Ori are going to start sending ships through.

DANIEL: Okay, but go but leave me behind. Colonel, I believe the key to defeating the Ori is on that planet. I know it.

CARTER: Daniel even if you're right, the villagers are never going to let you back in the library.

DANIEL: Then beam me in.

Emerson looks down, thinking.

EMERSON: All right, you get one more chance.

MITCHELL: I'll go with Jackson.

Daniel looks at him.

MITCHELL: A little quality time, and that Black Knight might show up again.

EMERSON: We'll have the Russians swing by and pick you up on the way through. You have until then.

MITCHELL: Thank you, Sir.

The two men depart as Emerson takes his seat, sharing a thoughtful glance with Carter and Teal'c.


CAMELOT - MERLIN'S LIBRARY. Mitchell and Daniel appear in a flash of white light.

MITCHELL: So, what now?

Daniel steps forwards and begins to climb the staircase.

DANIEL: Well, all indications are the Black Knight was activated the second I stepped on to that platform so my guess is we can shut him down by inputting the correct code sequence on that control panel.

He moves slowly past shelves filled with scrolls.

MITCHELL: Merlin's pin number?

DANIEL: Yeah, something like that.

Mitchell stares around the clutter-filled room.

MITCHELL: So how do we find it?

DANIEL: By analyzing these documents.

He gestures across the library.

Mitchell looks up at him.

MITCHELL: (beat) You do realize we're on the clock, right?


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. Emerson, Marks and Carter are sat in the control seats. All of the personnel on the Bridge are busy.

MARKS: Course is plotted, Sir.

EMERSON: Very well.

Teal'c steps forward.

TEAL'C: Colonel Emerson. I wish to be transferred to the nearest Jaffa control vessel.

EMERSON: Can I ask why?

TEAL'C: I intend to seek out some much needed allies.

Without waiting for a response Teal'c leaves the room as the others look after him.


CAMELOT - MERLIN'S LIBRARY. Daniel is sat at a table poring over some of the books, pen in hand.

Mitchell lies stretched across two chairs, a book resting on his legs. His head is dipped as he sleeps.

DANIEL: That's it.

He looks around and the lack of response and sighs, dropping one of the heavy volumes to the floor.

Mitchell wakes with a jolt.

DANIEL: Sorry, didn't mean to wake you.

MITCHELL: No, uh, I wasn't sleeping. I was kel'noreeming. Teal'c taught me the fundamentals.

Daniel makes a note in one of the books.

DANIEL: Did he mention you should remain conscious in the process?

MITCHELL: Yeah, I'm still working on the basics. So, you got something?

Mitchell pulls himself out of the seat and crosses to look over Daniel's shoulder.

DANIEL: Yeah, I've cross-referenced half a dozen passages that mention the Black Knight. Now there's a series of recurring words and phrases that stand out if you know what you're looking for.

MITCHELL: Are we talking access codes?

DANIEL: I think so.

Mitchell slaps Daniel on the back in congratulations.


SECRET CHAMBER. Mitchell and Daniel enter. The latter carries a number of books under his arm.

They both pause before stepping onto the platform that surrounds the device.

Daniel looks uncertain.

MITCHELL: What's the matter?

DANIEL: Well, if I'm wrong about this then ...

MITCHELL: Nah, look, I'll take care of the Black Knight.

DANIEL: (disbelieving) Yeah. How are you going to do that again?

MITCHELL: I will pull the sword from the Stone just like last time.

DANIEL: Well, I think we've been over this -- this is a completely different scenario. You see, in the Avalon cave it was pulling the sword from the stone that caused the Knight to appear in the first place: here, we don't even know if they're connected.

Mitchell sighs.

MITCHELL: We know Merlin put the sword there, right?

DANIEL: Probably.

MITCHELL: Which means it's no ordinary sword and that's good enough for me. Besides, do we have a choice?

DANIEL: No.

Mitchell gestures to prove his point and the two pause for a moment before simultaneously stepping up on the platform.

A white light shines down on the device.

They look up for a moment, waiting for anything out of the ordinary to happen.

Daniel places the books down on the device and begins to press the stone tablet buttons.

Mitchell places his weapon next to Daniel's on the device.

After pressing the third button, Daniel freezes. He looks confused.

DANIEL: Uh-oh.

MITCHELL: What-oh?

DANIEL: Nothing happened.

MITCHELL: Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

A woman's scream echoes around the chamber from outside in the village.

DANIEL & MITCHELL: Bad.

MITCHELL: You stay, I'll go.

He grabs his weapon and runs from the chamber.

MITCHELL: (shouting) Make it work!

DANIEL: Okay.

Daniel scratches the back of his head, slightly panicked.


CAMELOT - VILLAGE. Mitchell runs through the thick mud towards the centre of the village. Villagers scatter and scream as they run away from the Black Knight who swings his sword around and releases a wild war-cry.

Mitchell skids to a halt.

MITCHELL: Oh boy.

The Knight swings his blade expertly, pausing in a battle-ready stance.

MITCHELL: Everybody down!

He raises his P90 and sprays bullets towards the Knight.

They pass through harmlessly, exploding into the stacks of hay beyond.

MITCHELL: (lowering weapon) No, didn't think so.

The Knight advances as Mitchell slings his useless gun away.

Mitchell slides in the mud, trying to duck around the Knight who slashes at the air dangerously close to the Colonel's head.

Mitchell leaps over a small cart filled with logs, cushioning his fall in the quagmire on the ground.

Valencia dashes out to watch the fight.

As Mitchell struggles to get to his feet, the Knight lands a blow on his back with the hologrammatic sword.

The energy from the weapon ripples through Mitchell and he falls back to the ground now coated with the thick mud.

The Knight looms over him.


CHAMBER. Daniel activates his radio.

DANIEL: Mitchell, how's it going out there?


VILLAGE CENTER. Mitchell tries to stagger away from the Knight.

MITCHELL: (into radio) Uh, not so good!

He tips over a nearby table, grabbing a discarded sword from it as it crashes to the ground.

Mitchell swings the blade around, still on his knees. The blade passes harmlessly through the Knight's legs.

The Black Knight backhands Mitchell and he falls back to the ground once more, grunting in pain.

Valencia hurries over to Meurik's side.

VALENCIA: Do something. Help him!

MEURIK: He brought this on himself.

Mitchell manages to stand, his fatigues plastered thickly with mud. He scans the area frantically for the Knight but can only see frightened villagers who cower, too terrified to offer assistance.

The Knight suddenly reappears and Mitchell starts. The blade of the hologrammatic weapon once more sends ripples of pain down Mitchell's spine.

Valencia winces as the Knight intensifies his attack, barely allowing Mitchell to take breath.

She looks towards the sword in the stone and, after a pause, dashes towards it.

Meurik turns to berate her.

MEURIK: What do you think you are doing?

She heaves on the sword, bracing her leg against the stone and she tries to tug it from its prison.

Suddenly, the weapon gives and it glints in the light, unsheathed.

The nearby villagers gasp with awe.

Valencia runs over to the centre of the village where Mitchell is still on his knees and weakening under the ceaseless attack.

He sees Valencia running towards him and his eyes widen as she throws him the sword.

In one movement, Mitchell catches the sword, gets to his feet and swings the blade around to block another devastating blow.

Metal clashes as the two warriors spar on a now even footing. Mitchell dodges several blows and blocks the rest.

The Knight backhands Mitchell again and the exhausted soldier falls to the ground.


CHAMBER. Daniel presses two final buttons.

With a whoosh, the chamber is suddenly filled with golden treasure and precious objects. Daniel jumps and gapes at the room. His attention snaps to a figure now stood in the centre of the chamber -- a hologram of Merlin.

MERLIN: Greetings friend, I am Merlin.

Daniel takes in the magnificent figure, who is adorned with a red-jewelled pendant.

DANIEL: Yes, you are.

MERLIN: The prize you seek like the pendulum swing marks the passage of all that is before you.

Daniel activates his radio.

DANIEL: (into radio) Mitchell, I did it.

MERLIN: Greetings friend ...

DANIEL: Is the Black Knight gone?

MERLIN: I am Mer--


CAMELOT - VILLAGE. Mitchell, now on his feet, takes a moment to activate his radio before turning back to exchange more blows with the Knight.

MITCHELL: Not exactly.


CHAMBER.

DANIEL: (into radio) I don't understand. I got the treasure, activated the hologram.

MERLIN: Greetings ...


VILLAGE.

Mitchell falls to his knees but stands again quickly, turning to face the Knight.

MITCHELL: Try a different code!

DANIEL: (on radio) I already tried all the combinations I came up with.

Mitchell and the Knight fight closely.


CHAMBER. Daniel looks concerned.

DANIEL: Mitchell.

MERLIN: ... all that is before you ...

DANIEL: Mitchell!

MERLIN: Greetings friend, I am Merlin.

Daniel spins around to look at the hologram, frustrated.


VILLAGE. Mitchell blocks a few more shots, spinning with less precision as he tires from the fight.

The Knight slams his arm into the Colonel's back and once more, he falls to the ground. The Black Knight wastes no time and delivers a couple of violent blows to Mitchell's back.

Mitchell cries out with pain.


CHAMBER. Daniel gazes at Merlin, lost in thought.

MERLIN: All that is before you. Greetings friend, I am Merlin. The prize you seek like the pendulum swing marks the passage of all that is before you. (beat) Greetings friend, I am Merlin ...

Daniel has a sudden idea and bends down to open the control panel of the chamber's device.

He looks at the glowing control crystals within, uncertain.

Sighing, he kneels down.

DANIEL: Ah, screw it.

Daniel pulls out his 9mm and shoots a number of shots into the crystals.


VILLAGE. Mitchell lies face down in the mud, stretching desperately for the sword that has fallen out of his reach.

The Black Knight stands, victorious, over him and lifts his sword above his head to deliver the final strike.

The image of the Knight suddenly ripples as the hologram disintegrates and finally disappears.

There is moment of silence before the watching villagers burst into applause, cheering the Knight's demise.

Valencia makes her way over to Mitchell who lies panting his relief. The villagers surround Valencia before she can reach him and begin cheering and congratulating her.

The rest of the village head over to their heroine, ignoring Mitchell who dismisses them with a wave of his hand and lies back down in the dirt, completely spent.


SPACE. The Odyssey emerges from hyperspace and flies forward to join a fleet of ships headed by a number of Ha'tak vessels.

The ships face the huge, imposing and ominous Supergate.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. Colonel Emerson is stood at a monitor with another member of his crew. Major Marks is sat at his station.

MARKS: Sir, we're receiving a transmission from one of the Jaffa ships.

EMERSON: Put it on screen.

He crosses over to the video screen where an image of a Jaffa in the command of a Ha'tak is being broadcast.

SHER'RA: I am Cha'ra of the free Jaffa. It was my ship that discovered the gate.

Carter looks up from her station to pay attention to the conversation.

EMERSON: I understand there have been no other signs of activity.

SHER'RA: None. You should be aware we've already attempted to destroy the gate -- our combined forces had no effect.

Carter and Emerson look concerned.


CHAMBER. Mitchell has joined Daniel in the chamber. He looks down at the burned out control crystals as Daniel studies a text amongst the treasure.

MITCHELL: So all you had to do was shoot the control crystals?

DANIEL: Pretty much.

MITCHELL: Sounds like one of my plans. How come you didn't do that in the first place?

He stretches his back, painfully.

DANIEL: Well, because I had to find the access code first. If I hadn't none of this would have beamed in and I wouldn't have seen Merlin's hologram message.

MITCHELL: Right. What did he say?

Daniel crosses over to where Mitchell stands.

DANIEL: Well, I think it was a riddle and I believe I've figured it out. Now you see this pendant -- now, in every depiction of Merlin in his library, I've seen it and in fact in the hologram message he was wearing it as well but I've never seen it before, not in any reference material back on Earth.

MITCHELL: And you think that's the device we're looking for?

DANIEL: The riddle mentions a pendulum; now at first I thought that was a reference to a passage of time like a pendulum clock, then I realized it was more literal -- something that hangs. It also said that it was right before my eyes.

Daniel points at the pendant on a picture of Merlin in one of the books he has been referencing.

MITCHELL: (beat) I don't know -- doesn't that seem a little small?

DANIEL: Well, just remember we're talking about things that transcend ordinary space-time here. Relative size has no meaning.

MITCHELL: Fine, let's start looking then.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. Marks inputs data at his console.

MARKS: Sir, another ship just dropped out of hyperspace. It's an Asgard vessel.

Emerson crosses over from the back of the room and takes his seat.

EMERSON: Open a channel. (into radio) This is Colonel Emerson of the Earth vessel Odyssey.

A beam of light transports Kvasir onto the Bridge.

KVASIR: Yes, I know who you are.

CARTER: Hello, Kvasir.

KVASIR: Colonel Carter there is much work to be done. Where is the rest of your team?

CARTER: Daniel and Colonel Mitchell are still looking for the ancient device I was telling you about in our communiqué and Teal'c ...

CARTER: Well, we're not exactly sure where Teal'c is.

Kvasir blinks.


LUCIAN HA'TAK VESSEL - CONTROL ROOM. Teal'c is frogmarched into the room by two Lucian Alliance Jaffa. His hands are shackled together before him as he is roughly pushed forward.

He is halted before Netan, the Lucian leader, who stands at one of the consoles with another of his men.

Netan slowly turns to face his prisoner.

NETAN: Flying into our territory in an unmarked cargo ship? I didn't think you were that stupid.

TEAL'C: I have allowed myself to be captured knowing that I would be brought before you.

NETAN: Really?

TEAL'C: I have come to seek the assistance of the Lucian Alliance.

NETAN: I take it back. You're not stupid, you're insane. Kill him.

Netan turns away and Teal'c bursts into action.

He elbows one of his guards out of the way before kneeing the other and flinging him to the ground, wrenching a gun from his hands.

The first guard lurches forward but Teal'c smashes him in the face with his bound wrists, sending him flying.

Teal'c levels the gun at Netan.

TEAL'C: I should kill you where you stand but as I have said, I have come seeking your assistance. The fate of the galaxy is at stake.

Teal'c lowers the weapon as two more guards jog into the room.

Netan and his men look around, intrigued.


ODYSSEY - LABORATORY. Kvasir and Carter stand next to a console as Kvasir moves a number of Asgard stones around.

KVASIR: We have been analyzing the information that Daniel Jackson was able to retrieve from Merlin's phase shifting device.

CARTER: Unfortunately, he didn't get very far before it permanently ran out of power.

KVASIR: There was enough data for us to summarize what the so called anti-Ori weapon might be.

CARTER: Really? I wasn't able to make heads or tails of it.

KVASIR: Really?

She looks at him for a moment, a little put-out.

CARTER: Just tell me what you've got.

KVASIR: It is an energy transfer device similar to a Zero Point Module, except that the energy is channeled not from subspace into ordinary space-time but rather into the dimension occupied by ascended beings.

CARTER: And this energy is harmful to them in some way?

KVASIR: It is a form of interference. A simple analogy would be two standing waves cancelling each other out. If the weapon indeed works the way Merlin's writings imply, we would simply need to activate it and send it to the Ori galaxy and they would be eliminated.

CARTER: Yeah but how do we do that? I mean we don't even know where the Ori galaxy is -- let alone have the ability to send something there.

KVASIR: That is where you're mistaken.

Carter thinks for a moment.

CARTER: You're talking about the Supergate. We dial out before they can dial in.

KVASIR: Precisely.

CARTER: That might actually work.

KVASIR: Of course, we will need Merlin's weapon. If Colonel Mitchell and Doctor Jackson don't find it ...

CARTER: Don't worry, they'll find it.


CAMELOT - CHAMBER. Mitchell is crouched sorting through a number of trinkets. He straightens up and turns towards Daniel, who is at the other side of the room.

MITCHELL: What do you mean it's not here?

DANIEL: Well we've been through this stuff twice. It's not here.

MITCHELL: It's got to be here! Look, I once lost my keys in my apartment for three days.

MEURIK: (OS) Colonel Mitchell?

Meurik, Valencia and a few other villagers stand in the darkness at the entrance of the chamber.

MITCHELL: Hi, er, come on in. Don't be afraid -- the Black Knight's not coming back.

They step into the room, awed by the piles of treasure that glint, golden in the light.

MEURIK: It's incredible.

MITCHELL: Yeah. It's all yours.

MEURIK: You do not wish to claim a prize for defeating Merlin's champion?

MITCHELL: Well there was one thing we were looking for but we can't find it.

DANIEL: Actually maybe you can help us.

He crosses over to the device and fetches the volume containing the picture of Merlin's pendant. He shows it to Meurik.

DANIEL: Do you recognize this?

MEURIK: This is Sangraal.

DANIEL: This is the Sangraal?

MEURIK: It is also known as the blood stone.

DANIEL: Of course, blood. Blood red for the colour of the jewel.

MITCHELL: Woah, woah, woah! Wait, wait a minute. We're talking about the Holy Grail right? In every movie I've seen that's a cup.

DANIEL: Er no, the notion that the Grail was a cup or chalice particularly the one used by Christ at the last supper was a late addition to the myth. You see on rare accounts it's described variously as a dish or platter or, in the case of Von Eschenbach in outer Middle East influenced chroniclers, as a 'stone that fell from the heavens'.

MEURIK: If this is what you seek, you will not find it among these trinkets. Arthur and his Knights left to quest for the Sangraal long ago.

MITCHELL: Do you know where they went?

MEURIK: Of course, it is said that they journeyed to three distant lands mentioned in Merlin's prophecy: Castiana, Sahal and Vagonbrei.

MITCHELL: (to Daniel, quietly) Any of those spots ring a bell?

DANIEL: No, but if they were part of Merlin's prophecies then any one of his books could hold the key to what we're looking for.

MITCHELL: The books upstairs? Jackson, that's days, weeks to find the proper reference and then there's no guarantee that we're gonna be able to track them down.

MEURIK: Searching for Arthur's whereabouts in this library is not necessary. Now, thanks to Valencia, we've been given a sign that Arthur will return soon and you are welcome to stay with us and wait -- as the men that conquered Merlin's curse you will be given a place of honor.

DANIEL: Look, once and for all there was no curse, okay? This is a device. It's a machine; it's like a flour mill or a catapult, it's just a lot more complicated. There is no magic ...

Before Daniel can finish his sentence, he and Mitchell are beamed out of the chamber.

The villagers cower, panicked.


KOROLEV - BRIDGE. Mitchell and Daniel are beamed straight onto the Bridge.

DANIEL: Boy, my timing's off today.

CHEKOV: Colonel Mitchell, Doctor Jackson. Welcome aboard the Korolev.

Mitchell and Daniel share a glance.


ODYSSEY - LAB. Carter and Kvasir are stood in front of a video screen watching a graphic of the Supergate.

CARTER: There it is.

The door to the lab whirrs open and Colonel Emerson enters.

EMERSON: Colonel Carter.

CARTER: Sir, we've managed to locate the dialing control crystals on one particular section of the gate. Now, Kvasir has already programmed a replacement crystal so it's just a matter of someone getting out there and installing it.

EMERSON: And I suppose you'd like to volunteer.

She smiles.

CARTER: Yes, Sir.

KVASIR: I would go but you do not have a space suit that would fit me.

Carter grins, affectionately.

EMERSON: No one's going. We just got word from the Korolev, Mitchell and Jackson didn't find the device.

CARTER: Sir, even without Merlin's device dialing out is still our best bet because in the very least it will prevent them from dialing in. Well, it's possible with the power generated by the singularity we can maintain this connection indefinitely.

Emerson regards her, thoughtfully.


ODYSSEY - LAB (LATER). Three Odyssey crew members check on Carter, who has donned a space-suit. The helmet is slowly lifted into place and secured.

Kvasir stands near the control console.

KVASIR: The co-ordinates are set. Are you ready Colonel Carter?

CARTER: Ready as I'll ever be.

KVASIR: Initiating transport.

Carter is beamed out.


SPACE - SUPERGATE. Carter reappears on one of the huge chevrons of the monstrous Supergate. She is more than dwarfed by its size.

With the dialing crystal in her hand, she shines her flashlight on the huge metal structure and pushes herself against it slightly so that her feet touch the surface of one of the grooves.

CARTER: Engaging magnetic lock.

She presses a couple of buttons on her sleeve display and her feet clamp firmly onto the chevron.

She pauses for a moment and then walks heavily over to a protruding panel.

CARTER: I'm removing the panel now.

She pulls the panel to one side and lets it float away.

Underneath, the control crystals are exposed. She pulls one out.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. Emerson listens earnestly to her progress.

CARTER: (over radio) I'm putting in our control crystal.


SPACE - SUPERGATE. Carter carefully inserts the other crystal.

CARTER: It'll just take a few minutes to initialize.

She presses her sleeve display to monitor the initialization process.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. Major Marks looks up from his console.

MARKS: Sir, we're picking up increased energy output coming from the gate.


SPACE - SUPERGATE. The gate begins to teem with electrical sparks that creep quickly across the chevron Carter is stood on.

CARTER: Something's happening.

The noise of the gate's activation builds up and as the arcs of power pass under Carter's feet, her boots detach from the surface of the chevron and she lifts into the air.

CARTER: I've lost my magnetic lock!


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. Emerson quickly takes his seat.

MARKS: It's an incoming wormhole.

EMERSON: Get her out of there, now.

The only response is static.

EMERSON: (into radio) Sam.


SPACE - SUPERGATE. Carter is forced to squeeze her eyes tightly shut as the Supergate forms, its kawoosh exploding outwards, massively.

Carter floats next to the gate, looking out over the oceanic event horizon.

The magnitude of the Supergate is reflected in her helmet visor.

CARTER: (whispering) Oh my god.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE.

EMERSON: Can you reacquire Colonel Carter's signal?

MARKS: Negative, she's too close to the event horizon.

Emerson worriedly stands and walks towards the Bridge window, his hand to his mouth.


SPACE. The Korolev emerges from hyperspace to join the armada that hangs impotently before the Supergate.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE.

MARKS: Sir, the Korolev just dropped out of hyperspace.

CHEKOV: (on radio) This is Colonel Chekov.


KOROLEV - BRIDGE. Daniel and a muddied Mitchell are still on the Bridge, looking out at the vista before them as the Russian crew works frantically behind them.

CHEKOV: What is the situation?

EMERSON: (on radio) We've got an incoming wormhole, I suggest you prepare for battle.

Chekov orders his crew in Russian and they respond by intensifying their activities.

MITCHELL: Here they come.


SUPERGATE. Four huge Ori ships emerge from the Supergate. From Carter's point of view, the ships roar by, terrifyingly close and ominously purposeful.

She watches as they face off with the armada of now seemingly tiny ships.


KOROLEV - BRIDGE. Chekov joins Mitchell and Daniel at the window.

MITCHELL: I only count four ships.

DANIEL: It's probably their first wave.

MITCHELL: We should see what we can do about discouraging a second one.

Chekov returns to his seat and shouts out another order in Russian. The battle alarms sound.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE.

MARKS: Sir, we're receiving a message from one of the Ori ships -- text only.

EMERSON: What does it say?

MARKS: "And those who are prideful and refuse to bow down shall be laid low and made onto dust."

They gaze out of the window, the tension palpable.


KOROLEV - BRIDGE.

CHEKOV: Is that all it says?

MITCHELL: Yeah, that's it.

DANIEL: Open a channel.

DANIEL: (into radio) "Then did Tileus say to the people of the low plains: 'seek not wickedness amongst your neighbors lest it find purchase in your own house.'

MITCHELL: What was that?

DANIEL: Book of Origin.

MITCHELL: Think it will help?

Daniel shrugs.


SPACE. The power centres of the Ori ships become brighter.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE.

MARKS: They're powering up their weapons.

EMERSON: Here we go. All batteries open fire.

SPACE. All of the allied vessels commence firing: rail guns and Ha'tak blasts score their way through space, a battery assault aimed at the Ori vessels.

Each shot impacts on the shields that surround the ships and are bounced safely off.

The Ori vessels discharge their weapons with a high-pitched whine. A stream of constant bright yellow light is fired from each ship towards the armada.

The rays eat through the shields of on one Ha'tak and it explodes.


KOROLEV - BRIDGE. As the shields come under heavy assault, sparks rain down from the roof and the walls of the room.

A crew member cries out as she is wounded. The entire ship jerks and shakes violently and crew members are knocked to the floor.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. A red light is cast across the Bridge as Emerson braces himself in his chair, squinting to watch the battle through the observation window.

As on the Korolev, sparks are thrown down on all the crew members.

MARKS: Shields down to fifty percent.


SPACE. The Ori vessels surge forwards, still firing. They loom over a Ha'tak.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE.

MARKS: Sir, we just lost sub-light engines.

SPACE. The tiny allied vessels continue to fire ineffectively on the Ori ships. It is like ants taking on elephants.

ODYSSEY BRIDGE.

EMERSON: Redirect power to the engines. Begin evasive maneuvers!


KOROLEV - BRIDGE. The noise and smoke on the bridge is disorientating.

CHEKOV: We've lost power!

MITCHELL: We have to scramble the 302's!

CHEKOV: No, they'll have no affect against that!

MITCHELL: Hey! We're getting our asses kicked; it's time to go all in. I'll draw their fire while you get the ship back online.

CHEKOV: Go, go!

Mitchell runs unsteadily from the Bridge.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE.

MARKS: It's no good Sir; we're dead in the water.

Steam gushes from a broken pipe.

Marks looks at his console.

MARKS: Sir, picking up approaching ships.


SPACE. A group of three motherships emerges from hyperspace above the Ori vessels, firing on the enemy as soon as they enter normal space.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. An image of Teal'c on board one of the Lucian ships flickers onto the video screen.

TEAL'C: (on screen) Apologies for my late arrival.

EMERSON: Better late than never.

TEAL'C: (on screen) Indeed.

The video screen fades out.

EMERSON: Forget the engines! Give them everything we've got!


SPACE. The battle rages. An Asgard vessel maneuvers above the Ori ships, firing.

The Ori weapons test the shields of many of the allied ships as weapons fire lights up the void.

A Ha'tak explodes suddenly, showering debris as a smaller vessel is similarly taken out.


LUCIAN HA'TAK. Netan and his man stumble as sparks shower down over them.

Teal'c steadies himself, keeping his hands on the weapons console.

A fireball sends men flying down a nearby corridor as someone cries out with pain.


ODYSSEY - BRIDGE. In slow motion, an explosion sends a crewmember flying as Emerson watches over his shoulder, alarmed. There are more cries of pain.

A crew member crashes into one of the support struts.


KOROLEV - BRIDGE. Chekov and Daniel are flung to the ground, also in slow motion, by a direct hit. Daniel pulls himself into a chair.


KOROLEV - CORRIDOR. Mitchell is sent sprawling to the ground by an explosion as he tries to reach the hanger. Smoke fills the corridor as people desperately attempt to put out fires with extinguishers.

He pulls himself to his feet and sprints off through a shower of sparks.


SPACE. The Ori ships still have full shields as they activate to defend the vessels from a single shot.

The weapon fires again and impacts on an Asgard class vessel. The shields of one of Earth's two vessels crumple, and the ship disintegrates in a fire ball.


SPACE - SUPERGATE. Carter hangs in the air, her mouth open -- she is unable to process the horrors playing out before her.

She sees another vessel explode as a Ha'tak spirals slowly off its flight-path, glowing red with the fires burning within.


ORI VESSEL. The outside of the Ori vessel is calm and serene, as though it is undisturbed by the war of which it is a part.

In the window to the ship, a solitary figure stands watching the destruction.

It is Vala Mal Doran.

She sees the Ha'tak falling gracefully out of combat, one hand stroking her distended belly for comfort. Her face is aghast.

More of the distant allied ships explode, their demise barely visible save for a brief glow of light.

Vala starts and looks down at her belly. The baby has kicked.

Her face registers horror even as her hands grasp her abdomen for solace.