As being part of Thor’s ship, O’Neill is able to create a weapon to defeat the Replicators. It is helpful in saving the Asgard colony. Sam wakes up in a ‘perfect world’ created by Fifth. System Lords are more useful against Ba’al, so Weir lets them go, after Ba’al destroyed the ship that was coming to earth. Camulus requests asylum! O’Neill is promoted! Note – Really great episode, even if it is with the Replicators. Some great O’Neill humor that was missing in part one. Typical O’Neill remarks, twice to Teal’c : “Teal’c, what’s with the hair” is just hilarious!

In “Lockdown” the SGC is in lockdown when a Russian Airman gets ill, and it is expected to be very contagious. It however is Anubis who has come to earth via the international space station. To become solid again, he needs to go through the Stargate, and he desperately tries to do that while the SGC is trying to prevent him from escaping. Note – An okay episode, but what I don’t understand is why the actor playing young Hammond (Aaron Pearl) in 2^nd season episode 1969, is another human character (Major Keurney) 6 seasons later? Why? The casual viewer doesn’t care about that, but a fan finds this annoying as hell. Same with Dr. Elizabeth Weir’s finance (Garwin Sanford), who is Narim from the Tollan. Another thing what annoys me, they are planning to expose Anubis, but as a being that can travel from body to body or even without a body, he can be everywhere, hearing their plan and such, could have been done differently.

“Zero Hour” is an uptick from previous episode, Jack O’Neill is overwhelmed, feels the weight of the job and he is seriously doubting to continue being the commander of the SGC. He does get a new administrative assistant. When SG-1 goes missing on a routine mission, Ba’al announces himself saying that he has SG-1, he wants to propose a trade, Camulus for his old team. Camulus offers instead an ancient power device. It proves priceless, but also booby-trapped. Jack is now gloomy enough to write a resignation letter, but after an iris alert lots of things turn out surprisingly okay. Note – An okay episode with enough humor from O’Neill but I really find it a shame that O'Neill will no longer go on missions. In “Icon” The discovery of the Stargate creates a war between two nations on the planet Tegalus with Daniel in the middle of it. Daniel is stuck on this planet, no way to get back to earth, the rebels have seized important city locations including the Stargate. Their leader Soren, who worships gods which are the Goa’uld and are not cooperating with the SGC in finding Daniel. Note – Not a favorite episode of mine. These people remind me a bit of the Genii from Atlantis, or the other way around.

“Avatar” certainly is the worst episode this season, and certainly one of the worst episodes of the whole series. Teal’c gets stuck in a training game especially designed for SGC personnel. Even when he wins the game, the game resets and gives him an even more difficult scenario. Note - I dislike this episode on so many levels, I promised myself to watch every episode but there were a few times I just wanted to push the ‘stop’ button. One of the worst episodes of the whole series for me. Even worse than a few of the well-known SG-1 clip shows.

A better episode is “Affinity”, Teal’c has permission to live off base but soon he gets himself noticed because he is helping people when they are in need. Besides that, the Trust, former NID is watching him, looking for an opportunity to use him. This opportunity presents itself when his neighbor Krista (Erica Durance) kills her boyfriend in self-defense. They stage it so that Teal’c becomes the prime suspect to get want they want. Meanwhile Pete proposes to Sam, she needs time to think about it but then she says yes! Note - I really like this episode, shame he had to go back to live on the base again, would have been fun seeing him live outside the base, be a neighborhood hero. “Covenant” is also an episode I like, Alec Coulson (Charles Shaughnessy), owner of Colson Industries has made public in a press conference that alien life exists, that he has proof and that he will release it in 24 hrs. if the government does not make an official statement. SGC attempts to persuade him, Sam has worked with him for a little while, but he is unwavering. Yes, the SGC rather keeps this secret, but the Trust has an even more interest to keep this a secret, and they don’t mind killing for it!

An okay episode is “Sacrifices”, Teal'c is unhappy with his son's plans to marry. Ishta arrives bringing news that Hak'tyl may be compromised. Complications arise when O'Neill allows the residents of Hak'tyl to inhabit SGC until a new home world is found for them. Moloc is eventually beaten but as Teal’c said, another has taken his place…yes Ba’al. Rya’c and Kar’yn marry after a short break-up, Teal’c embraces his new daughter. Note - Not too bad for a Jaffa episode, some nice humor, had a few laughs, especially on the base with O’Neill and Bra’tec, Sam and Daniel. Written by Christopher Judge.

“Endgame” is the first episode after the season opener I would grade an 8/10 or higher! The Stargate has been stolen out of the SGC with what looks like Asgard beaming technology. But it is actually an Alkesh Goa’uld vessel under the command of the Trust, former NID. The Trust uses poison to kill the Goa’uld but the Jaffa are also susceptible for this and so they too are killed by the millions. Teal’c, who was off world when the gate was stolen, figures it is the Tok’ra who’ve done this while it actually was people from earth. Note - Strong episode, love seeing Sam in civilian clothing as she is being a bad-ass woman looking for the gate. Such a shame O’Neill has no longer an active role, really hurts the show for me. Great quote between Daniel and Jack in the beginning when the gate has just been stolen, paraphrasing: Daniel: I’d hate to be the guy who has to tell the president that the gate has been stolen from under us! Jack: saying nothing but gives him a look. Later on, Jack says while looking at Daniel: Now I have to make a phone call! Just Hilarious!

I don’t really like “Gemini”, replicator Sam contacts the SGC and tells them she wants to be destroyed, she escaped Fifth she says. Note - Of course, the viewer immediately smells treachery but still Sam thinks she can be trusted, which goes wrong OF COURSE! Yes! She is to blame. Yuk, the Replicator storyline. ☹ ”Prometheus Unbound” is kinda fun and important because we first meet Vala! Hammond is on a mission to find the people of Atlantis; he takes Daniel with him. When they respond to a distress call, they are being ambushed, all personnel are transported to an Alkesh which no longer flies. Only Daniel remains on board the Prometheus, sees a super soldier who apparently doesn’t kill. It zats him and when he wakes up, he sees a women, a former Goa’uld named Vala, she stole the vessel, she finds Daniel attractive but she beats him up anyway. Note - Fun episode with first appearance of Claudia Black as Vala. Love the banter, the fights too.

I always like Maybourne drop in, but this episode “It’s Good to be King”, although not bad, is also not really great either! Maybourne has been found by the Tok’ra, he is living the good life on a planet, a King of you will. He is misleading these people saying that he sees into the future. However, he has to leave because the Goa’uld are on their way. Jack is going off world again to talk some sense into him. Note - Kind of a fun episode, always nice to see Maybourne, nice to see Jack off world again, him not going off world is definitely a downside this season. Anyway, an okay episode but nothing more than that.

In “Full Alert” Jack finds Kinsey in his home. He needs his help because the Trust is after him. Jack decides to use him as a mole. But when the signal gets jammed, Kinsey Vanishes. There is a crisis between the Russian and the American government. It comes very close to an incident or worse. The Trust has become all Goa’uld, as so is Kinsey. They tried to create a conflict between USA and Russia, so they would destroy each other and the Goa’uld would have Antarctica. Note – I always love these political episode, and Ronny Cox guest-starring as Kinsey is always a treat. After the Pilot and episode “Endgame”, this is the 3^rd episode which I grade and 8 or higher. “Citizen Joe” is kind of a fun episode, even though it is another clip-show! A barber from Indiana experiences adventures of SG-1 after purchasing a stone at a garage sale. He gets so consumed by it, his wife leaves him, he has to close his shop and sell his house. He feels O’Neill is to blame for all this and confronts him in his own home. Note - Yes, another clip show, however this is among the better ones because of the barber story of course. As you may know, this is the actor who voices Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta). Nice pun to let “Homer” guest star! 😊Also funny to see that the creators acknowledge there are some episodes that weren’t that good.

In the Two-Parter “The Reckoning” Jacob returns to the SGC with bad news, the Replicators are at war with the Goa’uld, if they win, they rule the galaxy. Daniel has been taken by the Replicator Carter; she wants to know about weapons that was used against them (the Replicators). With Ba’al’s forces thin, Teal’c and Bra’tec have formed a plan to capture Dakara, a planet deep in Ba’al’s territory, which has significant meaning to the Jaffa, if they succeed, it will mean many Jaffa will switch sides. Anubis is not dead, Ba’al is serving him. Replicator Carter leans from Daniel’s mind that the weapon she seeks is on Dakara. Daniel is still prisoner of Replicator Sam in part 2, she sees Daniel’s mind is valuable and is not done with him. Sam and Jacob are trying to figure out how the weapon on Dakara works. Teal’c and Bra’tac are trying to hold of Ba’al as long as possible for Sam and Jacob to succeed. Note – Wraps up at least parts of the 8-year storyline with defeating the Goa’uld and the Jaffa finally are free. Solid episode, nice moments between O’Neill and Ba’al. 4^th episode graded 8/10 or higher.

The best episode this season definitely is “Threads”. Daniel is in between death and ascension, trying to get more information out of Oma. Meanwhile there is only one ascended being there who is willing to talk to Daniel, Jim, who is he really. Jaffa have won their freedom, they hold Dakara, they don’t want to destroy the weapon which effectively is now under their control. Anubis is angry at Ba’al for his betrayal, he is planning on taking back Dakara. Sam has doubts about her relationship with Pete, she realizes she cares more about Jack than she wants to admit. However, Jack is now in a relationship also. To make matters worse, Jacob is ill, in fact it is the symbiont Selmak, who is ill and is no longer able to leave Jacob’s body and save him. When Anubis is about to strike, Oma does what she is not supposed to, she gets in a fight with Anubis, to keep him from attacking Dakara and killing everyone in the universe. And yes, Anubis is Jim. Note – This is a typical perfect Stargate episode, love everything about it, Sam’s conundrum, Daniel’s conundrum, Jabob’s death, Oma who finally takes a stand against Anubis. You gotta love it! I’ve watched the longer episode, 65 minutes.

In the season finale “Mobius” Catherine Langford dies, she leaves Daniel a book in which a ZPM is shown. Daniel thinks the only way to get it, is to get back 3000 BC, with the time travel spaceship they still have. They get the ZPM quite easily but when their ship is discovered they can’t go back to the present time. They make a video and hide it in a dig which Daniel knows will be found around the time they left. Present day: Daniel and Sam, both incredible nerds, are invited to Cheyenne mountain to look at a video of them, back 3000 BC. They want to be included but after they were vital, they are sidelined. However, Jack decides to take them with him. The mission is a go, they need to find Teal’c and convince him to go with them. To change the future back to what it was, they need to go back to the past again. They arrive 5 yrs later without Daniel because he was made into a Goa’uld in the present. Daniel however is still alive back in the past. Together with the local people they start an uprising which succeeds, so that the future becomes again what it was. Sam, Jack, Teal’c and Daniel from the past stay there, to avoid any more changes. At least somewhere we see Jack and Sam get together. Note – Jack’s boat called ‘Homer’. As I said, Sam and Daniel, such wonderful looking nerds! McKay is hitting on Sam of course. This is a great finale, must say that “Continuum” always reminds me of this season finale because of the time travel part of course. Nice to see Jack and Sam get together in the past and also a nice moment at the end, where our 4 heroes go fishing together at Jack’s Pond, like the end in “Threads”.

Final Word:

Season 8 ends on a high note, a fantastic time-travel story. As said, as a season, it is my opinion that the season is quite uneven, too many average episodes and little more than a handful of really strong episodes. From season 9 onwards Jack O’Neill is no longer a lead cast member. Yes, he will drop in occasionally, but he won’t be there all the time. To be honest, after 8 seasons, I don’t mind a little mix-up in the cast, and I thought Ben Browder and later on Claudia Black were a great addition to the cast. And I am not ashamed when I say season 10 is one of my favorite seasons!