2020-12-23

When the Ark of Truth was being produced we were all assuming this Stargate movie was going to be one of many direct to DVD/Blu-Ray movies bearing the name Stargate! We obviously only got two and in hindsight perhaps we should be thankful we did get two movies. The Ark of Truth and of course Continuum. The Ark of Truth is a great closure to Stargate SG-1’s final two seasons. In the finale two seasons, the Goa’uld had been defeated and the Ori were going to be the next threat. So I am grateful MGM’s problems did not start sooner because that it would have been quite possible we wouldn’t even had these two movies.

The SG-1 team is on Dakara searching for the Ark of Truth, The Ark of Truth is an Ancient device programmed to un-brainwash the followers of the Ori, evil god-like beings who gain strength from the worship of their devotees. The Ori soldiers found them and overpower them. Tomin leads the soldiers and while Vala tries to get through to Tomin, the Prior tells him to kill SG-1. Tomin tries to undo this command because he promised SG-1 they would live if they’d surrender and they had done so. The prior tries and fails to take the weapon of Tomin himself to shoot them because SG-1 had brought the device with them which nullifies there powers! Now Tomin sees the truth about the priors and the Ori and comes willingly with SG-1 to Stargate Command.

I thought this was a good opening of the movie, immediately from the beginning this felt more like a movie than a TV episode. I looks a bit bigger, great production values.

At Stargate Command Tomin is being questioned by the SG-1 team members of what more he can tell them. Cameron Mitchell gets to meet Marrick (Currie Graham), a representative of the IOA. He’s definitely not a pleasant man. Immediately we meet this gentleman, the viewer sure does not like him. Apparently, according to General Landry, in the past he worked for the CIA. He was specifically picked by the IOA. SG-1 team finds out that the Ark of Truth may well be in the Ori Galaxy. Mitchell and his team get the okay to travel with the Odyssey trough the supergate to the Ori Galaxy. He is the commander but unfortunately Marrick joins them to oversee the mission. Again he shows to Landry, Carter and Mitchell he really is a creepy guy. While underway Teal’c relates to what Tomin is feeling right now and with Marrick watching like a hawk for Tomin, Teal’c  tells Tomin that he will never forgive himself, but he must nevertheless work to help others.

When Mitchell decides to go through the supergate Marrick is not happy because his plan was to destroy the supergate instead of looking for the Ark of Truth. Mitchell ignores Marrick go through the supergate. While on Ori planet Celestis to look for the Ark, SG-1 learns that Marrick has locked himself up with the Asgard core. An advanced system installed by the Asgard just before they killed themselves in the season 10 finale. Before they can get to him he is able to launch a program that creates a Replicator. The Replicator escapes of course and Marrick explains that the IOA never believed that SG-1 would find the ark. Unleashing Replicators is the IOA's plan to defeat the Ori's followers.

While Carter and Mitchell fight the Replicators for the control of the Odyssey, Daniel, Vala, Tomin and Teal’c descent into tunnels, pointed out by Merlin in Jackson’s vision. There they find the Ark of Truth, they bring it back to the surface only to be ambushed the Ori soldiers. Teal’c is shot down and the others, including the Ark of Truth are being captured. The Asgard tech attracts Ori ships who attack the Odyssey. The Odyssey jumps to hyperspace to escape the Ori ships, leaving a part of SG-1 and Tomin behind on Celestis.

Let me first say, until the Replicator part I really liked the movie, still do but to be honest, when we first got to meet those Replicators in the season 3 finale, I really found them a creepy foe, but imo they’ve been used too much, a little bit like the Borg were in Star Trek: Voyager. So I have to say, when I first watched this movie, I was disappointed to see these Replicators return. Think another storyline could have been thought up for the Odyssey crew to remain busy. Still as I said, it’s an good movie and while I am done with the Replicators, the fight between Mitchell and the Replicator version of Marrick was kinda cool!

On Earth General Landry gets a visit from a prior who wants to give Earth one more chance to come around to the Ori teachings but Landry tells him that this will never happen and tells the prior that Ori are dead. Of course the Prior does not believe this. On Celestis Teal’c wakes up after he has been show down. He drags himself to the Ori City. Right before he’s there, he can no longer continue, he falls down. He however gets a helping hand, by presumably, Morgan Le Fay. She heals his wounds so that Teal’c can go on.

On board of the Odyssey, Marrick, who had been locked up by Mitchell, then is overtaken buy the Replicators, they somehow melt with him. Carter is searching for the code which should de-activate the Replicarors. Marrick hinted that there was such a code. Meanwhile the Replicators drop the Odyssey out of Hyperspace and the Ori ships catch up with them and start shooting. Mitchell finds the Queen but Carter tells him he cannot yet blow her up but he plants a bomb nearby. Then the Replicator version of Marrick stands before him. Mitchell gets in a fight with him but under normal circumstances he can never beat this version of Marrick. Then when Mitchell pulls a Replicator tentacle from Marrick brain, he briefly becomes himself again and tells Mitchell that the Replicator shut-down code is on the back of the chip he installed in the Asgard core. The Replicator regains control of Marrick and Mitchell electrocutes him. Mitchell finds the detonator for the bomb he planted near the Queen and radios Carter to tell her where to look for the shut-down code. As Mitchell sets off the bomb, Marrick is still coming after him.

The bomb explodes and it looks like Marrick is dead and we assume the Queen is also. But Marrick, like the Terminator in the original movie, this has to be a wink to that movie, rises from the ashes and makes his way to the exhausted Mitchell. Meanwhile also the smaller Replicators approach him. Carter and her team is busy fighting off the Replicators and are therefore is it extremely difficult to search for the code.

In the Ori City, the remaining team is trying to activate the Ark. Just after Daniel Jackson presses in the right combination he’s launched by Adria who of course does not this because she would no longer be the god she thinks she is. But Teal’c, who is lying in the corner, shoots a table leg on which the Ark is standing. It falls down and the Ark of Truth falls open and does its work. The Head prior who is also in the room immediately deprograms and collapses in shock when he realizes how much harm he has done in the name of the Ori. As Morgan le Fay promised, the truth is infectious, and it spreads to the other priors in the Ori galaxy. Adria, who is weakened by the loss of the priors, is now vulnerable, and Morgan le fay attacks her. They disappear in a swirl of ascended-being-light.

Meanwhile on the Odyssey, Carter finds the shut-down code just in time before the Replicators and the Terminator version of Marrick get to Mitchell. Mitchell tries to surrender to the Ori ships but they don’t seem to be interested in their surrender and keep on shooting until suddenly they stop. The Arks of Truth also got to those ships.

Back on Earth, General Landry returns the captive prior's staff, then exposes him to the ark. The staff communicates the truth to the priors in the Ori ships that are poised to attack, and the Earth is saved. Vala tells Tomin that her place is her at Stargate Command with SG-1. Tomin, who is about to assume leadership of his people, seems to understand her decision. Sam drops by the infirmary to check upon Cameron Mitchell, who is recovering from his wounds. She baked some macaroons for him, a nice nod to episode 12 of season 10, Line in the Sand, where Cameron is the one who visits Carter in the infirmary with home baked macaroons.

Best moments:

1. Vala being bored in the opening scene, Tomin finally seeing what the Ori truly are

2. Arrival of that creepy Marrick on the SGC

3. The Odyssey going through the Supergate

4. The Fight between Mitchell and what's left of Marrick

5. Terminator-like emerging of what's left of Marrick

6. Morgan Le fay healing Teal'c

7. Adria, obviously nothing more needs to be said! 

8. Wrapping up the ORI storyline

All in all a very entertaining movie, for me only downside that the Replicators were in it. I believe this would not have been necessary for the story to remain interesting but that is just my humble opinion. I think I would give this movie an 8 out of 10. Watched it on Blu-ray (region A locked) and it looks very good on Blu-ray I have to say! Next-up: Stargate Continuum.

Screencaps: GateWorld - Rewatch blog with the help of the synopsis on IMDb