ORIGIN

09.03 Episode 177
Airdate: July 29, 2005

On the shimmering Plains of Celestis, Daniel and Vala follow a Prior to the glistening City of the Gods. There Daniel is brought before the Doci, who preaches the word of the Ori, powerful ascended beings who manifest themselves in fire and seek to destroy all who do not worship them. The Doci explains that it is the Ancients who are evil for abandoning the path and shielding their new galaxy from enlightenment. Now, however, Daniel's arrival has revealed the existence of our protected galaxy, and Priors have already been dispatched to spread the word of Origin and to destroy all those who will not follow the path.

On a desert world, a Prior steps through the stargate and preaches the word of Origin to the simple villagers. Mitchell is sent to investigate, and he returns with the Prior to the SGC where Landry is involved in uneasy negotiations with Gerak, the volatile new leader of the Jaffa Nation. Meanwhile, Daniel and Vala are returned to Ver Ager where another communication terminal allows them a brief instant of contact with Earth. Their warning prompts Landry and Mitchell to confront the Prior at gunpoint, but he mysteriously vanishes in flames. For their heresy, however, Daniel and Vala are captured and brought before the village altar to be burned.

At the SGC, the bodies of Daniel and Vala go into critical arrest as they face the altar flames in Ver Ager. Desperate to break the communication link, Mitchell and Teal'c activate the gate and toss the terminal into the developing kawoosh, severing the connection. Daniel and Vala are restored, and Vala at last agrees to remove the kor mak bracelets, breaking her bond with Daniel. However, the warning they have brought from the distant galaxy is a grave one. The Ori have pledged to raise great armies that will fight all who embrace evil, and our galaxy will soon face a holy crusade from a fearsome and powerful enemy.

Written by: Robert C. Cooper
Directed by: Brad Turner

Guest Starring: Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran, Larry Cedar as Prior, Gary Jones as Sergeant Harriman, Bill Dow as Dr. Lee, Mark Houghton as Prior, April Amber Telek as Sallis, Stephen Park as Harrid, Special Appearance by Richard Dean Anderson as General Jack O'Neill, Julian Sands as Doci, Lexa Doig as Dr. Lam, Louis Gossett Jr. as Gerak, Paul Moniz de Sá as Fannis, Greg Anderson as Administrator, Gardiner Millar as Yat'Yir, Penelope Corrin as Dr. Lindsay

Reference: Administrator, Alterans, Ancient Communication Stone, Ancient Communication Terminal, Anti-Ori Underground, Ara, Ascension, Book of Origin, Celestis, Harrid Cicera, Sallis Cicera, Doci, F-302, Fannis, Flames of Enlightenment, Gerak, Daniel Jackson, Jaffa, Jaffa High Council, Jaffa Nation, Kor Mak, Carolyn Lam, Bill Lee, Dr. Lindsay, Vala Mal Doran, Jack O'Neill, Ori, Origin, P3X-421, Prior, Prior Staff, Ver Ager, Yat'Yir

DESTINATIONS & INHABITANTS

NOTES OF INTEREST

• The Ancients and the Ori were both Alterans. They share the same language and much of the same technology.
• The City of the Gods on the Plains of Celestis is the home of the Priors who communicate with the Ori through the Flames of Enlightenment.
• The Book of Origin is the holy text of Origin, the religion forced upon the followers of the Ori.
• Priors are human, more highly evolved, and have been given special powers by the Ori.
• Gerak was the First Prime of Montu, a minor Goa'uld who served Ra, then later joined Ba'al when Ra was killed. Gerak once defeated and killed Karrok of the High Plains, the First Prime of Horus.
• General O'Neill has been promoted to major general (two stars).

MEMORABLE REMARKS

• Wherever you go, there you are. I think that's Buckaroo Banzai. [Mitchell]
• You have no idea how much he sounds like my Grandma. [Mitchell]
• That's one of the great things about being a general. You pretty much get to do whatever you want. [O'Neill]
• I suppose you've saved the world seven or eight times... [Mitchell]
  Who's counting, huh? [O'Neill]
  Teal'c, actually, he mentions it quite often. [Mitchell]

FOR THE RECORD

• Injuries:
  • Daniel: mind transported by communication terminal to another galaxy, cardiac distress
  • Vala: mind transported by communication terminal to another galaxy, cardiac distress
• Popular Culture References:
  • Buckaroo Banzai
    • Wherever you go, there you are.