Thor’s Chariot
EPISODE #206
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 07.31.1998
SYNDICATION AIR DATE: 10.18.1999
DVD DISC: Season 2, Disc 2
WRITTEN BY: Katharyn Powers
DIRECTED BY: William Gereghty
GUEST STARS: Tamsin Kelsey (Gairwyn), Andrew Kavadas (Olaf), Douglas H. Arthurs (Heru'ur), Mark Gibbon (Thor), Laara Sadiq (Technician), Michael Tiernan (Horus Warrior)
The S.G.C. receives a signal from Cimmeria, a planet under Thor's protection, and send a probe through the Stargate. The probe reveals a group of dead Cimmerians, plus Gairwyn – who pleads for help. The Goa'uld ("Ettins" in their native dialect) have now come to Cimmeria.
SG-1 travels through the gate to the planet to set things right, since they were responsible for destroying Thor's Hammer, an Asgard device left on the planet to keep the people safe from the Goa'uld ("Thor's Hammer"). They learn that the invading System Lord is Heru'ur, son of Ra and Hathor.
Gairwyn takes the team to the grave site of Kendra, a woman who had previously been possessed by a Goa'uld and freed by Thor's Hammer. With her grave is Kendra's possessions, including Goa'uld technology: a hand device and a healing device. Captain Carter puts on the hand device and discovers that she is able to make it work, because she was once joined with the Goa'uld Jolinar.
While O'Neill and Teal'c join the Cimmerians in fighting off the enemy forces, Gairwyn takes Jackson and Carter to the Hall of Thor's Might – a hidden lair where the holographic image of Thor appears to them. It is a system of tests set up by the Asgard to tell them when the Cimmerians had come of age. The three solve the riddle, revealing the holographic warrior to be an interactive transmission of an Asgard – named "Thor."
After informing Thor that the hammer device was destroyed, and pleading for help, Carter and Jackson are returned to the planet surface. Gairwyn disappears. With no Asgard weapons to be found, SG-1 is forced to surrender to Heru'ur's forces ... until a gigantic ship appears through the clouds. It is Thor's chariot, an Asgard mothership – rarely seen, but spoken of in Jaffa legend. The ship removes the Jaffa and the Goa'uld pyramid landing platforms, as Heru'ur escapes alone through the Stargate.
Gairwyn is returned to the planet, and tells the group that Thor has saved them from the Goa'uld. She also tells them that the Asgard have visited Earth often. Finally, the Cimmerians are to receive a new hammer to protect them from the Goa'uld – but it will make exception for Teal'c.
ANALYSIS
- The Asgard have been mentioned in past episodes (especially "Thor's Hammer"), though we have not seen one until now. They bear a striking resemblance to the Roswell aliens ("Greys") reported by many alleged UFO abductees in the United States. Carter makes this observation, which is later confirmed by the Asgard: they have, in fact, visited Earth many times. They are "a friend to all, protector of all – except the Goa'uld with whom they are at war."
- The Asgard are at war with the Goa'uld, but it is not yet known why the Goa'uld are still such a powerful force in our galaxy. The Asgard are obviously more technologically advanced. It is also possible that the two races are more closely matched, but Heru'ur was sent running because the Asgard mothership caught his ship on the ground.
NOTES
- Amongst the Asgard's advanced abilities is the power to create powerful holographic images. Daniel, Sam and Gairwyn are even convinced that the floor underneath them has collapsed.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Heru'ur - This is the first appearance of Heru'ur. He is a powerful System Lord who is the son of Ra and Hathor. Like Ra, he uses Horus guards. Like Apophis, Heru'ur possess a personal protective energy barrier ("The Nox").
Thor - The real "Thor" is a member of the Asgard, an advanced race who resemble the Roswell Greys – aliens who have visited Earth in the past. They claim to be a friend to, protector of all – except the Goa'uld, with whom they are at war. Thor is the supreme commander of the Asgard fleet; his ship is called the Beliskner.
Samantha Carter - Carter has, to everyone's surprise, demonstrated the ability to use Goa'uld technology. This will no doubt come in great handy in the future. The S.G.C. also now possesses a hand device and a healing device.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
- Did the Goa'uld know that Cimmeria was once protected, but was now vulnerable? How did they learn that Thor's Hammer had been destroyed? Or did they simply know nothing of it and arrive there by chance?
- How did Kendra die? If she was killed by Heru'ur himself, would he not have recognized that she was once blended with a Goa'uld, and at least confiscated her Goa'uld technology?
- Why is Cimmeria a planet protected by the Asgard? Is there something special about it? Were the Cimmerians seeded there by the Asgard, or do the Asgard have some other reason for special devotion to those people?
- How long will it take Carter to master the use of the Goa'uld devices? Gairwyn states that it took years for Kendra to master them.
PRODUCTION NOTES
- This is the first appearance of the "real" Thor, whose race looks very much like the Roswell "Greys" from real-world reports of alien abductions. The production at The Bridge Studios already had the puppet on hand from a 1996 episode of The Outer Limits – an alien abduction story titled "Beyond the Veil." The puppet's head design was modified to make Thor look more benevolent and less menacing.