Report from Tok'ra Intelligence: The war between Ba'al and the system lords has reached a critical stage. To escape Ba'al, Lord Ares is fleeing to a planet he once conquered, drained of Naquadah, then abandoned. Coincidentally, it's the same planet on which Brig. Gen. Jack O'Neill (at that time a colonel) granted his treacherous but likable old buddy, Col. Harry Maybourne, asylum from his enemies on Earth.
O'Neill sends SG-1 to get Harry back so that the Goa'uld won't get him. When the team arrives, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c are confronted by a medieval hunting party armed with crossbows. The sentries take SG-1 to see their ruler, King Arkhan — who turns out to be none other than Harry Maybourne. Harry knows the Goa'uld are coming and knew that SG-1 would arrive. He claims to be able to "read" the future. His predictions have saved his people from meteor showers, floods and other disasters. Consequently, the people made him king — and Harry is loving every minute of it.
What Harry is really reading are engravings, written in the language of the Ancients, carved on the stone walls of the remains of a temple. The writings are a record of the planet's history. They detail major events — some of which haven't happened yet. Daniel translates the part that deals with the present: "The oppressors of old will return and seek dominion over the land." Obviously, the text is referring to the Goa'uld. Daniel continues translating: "But those of another world will come to vanquish evil and restore order once again." Harry has already told his people that SG-1 are those very off-worlders. Unimpressed, Carter tells Harry to pack his bags, because they're just here to relocate him again, not take on a system lord.
Daniel, upon further inspection of the text, discovers that it was written by an Ancient time-traveler studying the evolution of life on this planet. The text leads them to a small ship — what Maj. Sheppard of the Atlantis team calls a "Puddle Jumper" — with what appears to be the time-travel device on board. The ship looks operational, so Carter proposes to fly it home through the stargate. However, being of Ancient design, the ship can be operated only by one who possesses the Ancient gene.
Enter Gen. Jack O'Neill, who tries to activate the jumper. It lights up a bit, then shorts out. Ares could be here any minute, so O'Neill orders the jumper destroyed. As O'Neill and Carter see to it, Daniel and Teal'c call in from near the stargate to report that Ares' forces have arrived. If Carter and O'Neill blow up the jumper, the explosion will reveal their position. That gives Carter time (and motivation) to get the jumper flying.
Ares' mothership arrives and starts its descent. Meanwhile, Trelak (Ares' first prime) and his soldiers take control of the village. His Jaffa find the jumper and fire at its door. He then discovers Teal'c and Daniel hiding among the villagers. A fight ensues. Teal'c kills Trelak with his own blade. Garan, a huntress and Harry's loyal thane, leads her men to attack the Jaffa with their crossbows, narrowly rescuing Daniel.
O'Neill gets the jumper airborne and into space, where they encounter Ares' mothership. O'Neill thinks about weapons and two blasts are fired from the jumper into vital areas of the mothership, causing it to explode.
The "prophecy" has come true — the off-worlders have vanquished the evil.
Harry, who discovers how much his people need and appreciate him despite his not being a prophet, decides not to go home with SG-1. After all — it's good to be king.
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
TOM McBEATH | ...... | Col. Harry Maybourne |
|
|
Story by | ...... |
Michael Greenburg and
Peter DeLuise and
Joseph Mallozzi &
Paul Mullie |
|
Teleplay by | ...... | Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie |
|
Director | ...... | Andy Mikita |
|
|
|
|
