castalie | SG 9x05 -"The Powers That Be"

Before I even start, a Happy Birthday to

fluterbev, one of those wonderful ladies you congratulate yourself on having on your flist *g* Hope you had an incredible day with your boys *kisses* Let your muses be always inspired... which, come to think of it, as wishes go is kinda selfish, but that's beside the point *cough*

Changing the subject - today I managed to watch "The Powers That Be" - twice in a row, even.

Okay so I shall begin with teh shallow and teh funny because after all, that's how the episode started before it turned all serious and shit.

Part 1: The Funny

So in no real order.

#1- I still adore Vala. And so far, I'm definitely not getting tired of her attitude - or the way TPTB [ours, not the Ori's] include her in the episodes. Not even a tiny bit. She cracks me up as ever and she has awesome lines, and er also the best outfits ever! When she appeared as Her Highness I was, well, maybe drooling a little, okay I'll admit! But just... the leather? Won't ever get overrated in my world, hail to leather, but what she was wearing? Was so very sexy, pfew! *fans self*

#2- Speaking of the moment when she appeared - well, see the moment right before she did? When her faithful-but-deceived-worshippers popped in the cave and faced Teal'c, Cameron and Daniel? Well, this is just a tiny detail but how much did I enjoy the Daniel sandwich - with Teal'c and Mitchel on either side of Daniel, raising their weapons while Daniel was raising his arms - during that scene? How much - well, yeah this much! And I quite loved the other Daniel sandwich - right at the end - still with Teal'c but with Vala on the other side, this time. I quite enjoyed the sense of protectiveness at that moment.

#3 - The play cracked me up. Loved the whole scene - and in particular the following visual:

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Don't they look cute? And I know, I'm easy - that's not what I asked, man!

#4- Daniel's "SHUT that thing off" cracked me up too. It's just the way he said it - don't ask.

#5- Enjoyed how Teal'c seems amused at Vala and Daniel's antics.

#6- Actually, I enjoyed - in a damn-they-crack-me-up way - the whole first part of the episode. The whole Vala In Prison thing. The Vala on Trial thing - I did laugh a lot with all those. The Comic Duo is still going strong, all right *loves*

Speaking of love, I'm going to copy

spikedluv and include some quotes because seriously, sometimes, you can't not do that kind of thing *shakes head*

Mitchell: And they couldn't tell... the difference? *whispering to Daniel and Teal'c* Why am I not surprised?

Daniel: Trust me
Vala: *gaspsqueals* *turns her back to Daniel in a flourish*
Daniel: *kinda sheepish* This time.

Mitchell: They're going to put you on trial.
Vala: I liked my plan better.
Mitchell: Kinda is your plan. Twas named after you.
Vala: *wide eyes* Really, a Mal Doran! They're going to let me be the judge?
Mitchell: I don't think so
Vala: Then it's not a real Mal Doran, is it?

Vala: I apologise for ever doubting your masterful skills of negotiations!
Daniel: He's doing the best he can.
Vala: That's what terrifies me.

Vala: Making people feel good is a natural talent of mine.

Mitchell: You stealing this planet's most valued treasure is the least of our concern.
Vala: I like your attitude! I was thinking of cutting you boys 10% but I'm now thinking 25.

Mitchelle: He's good.
Vala: I'm dead.

Mitchell: He's pretty good too
Vala: We are so dead.

Leader Guy: We must give in. They're too powerful.
Vala: No. It's okay. I''m here -> which isn't funny at all, I just loved how she said that.

So anyway we had the funny, and then we started with the serious.

Part 2: The Serious

I was going to say that after last week's atypical sg episode, we were back to a "classic" one this week, but that would sound almost odd to my ears since to me, there's nothing really "typical" with SG-Mitchell v SG-1. I'm not complaining since I've been - obviously - enjoying that ninth season tremendously, but I do see the difference - in pace, in structure, even. So maybe I should say that this was supposedly a "classic" SG-M episode. And I did like it. A lot.

What I enjoyed the most is how the episode kinda contradicted itself from start to end - what I mean is, it starts out as a funny and light and typical Let's Deal With Vala Disastrous Plans storyline then turns into something serious and complex and darker too - to a certain extent. It also shows SG-M doing Their Thing, ie engaging a struggle with the Prior, totally expecting to win because They Know They Are Right... and turns out they're totally defeated by aforementioned Prior - even better yet, they have to admit they lost and and they have to accept to play by the Ori's rules. That was a nice twist. Mighty sg-m getting beaten at their own game. Seems they'll have to re-think their strategy over if they want to win the next round.

I'll enjoy the fight a lot, believe you me ;-)

I didn't really imagine they would admit defeat like that. Usually, Good Guys go all the way when they know they're right, and damn the consequences - which, btw, always strikes me as a) selfish and b) stupid, because like, if you know you can't win, why don't you just back down this time and fight another time, when you're stronger? But I'm digressing, so yeah back to our team - here, they actually agreed with me, and I thought Daniel's "I was wrong. I undersand now" line to the Prior was brilliant.

It must have been so fucking hard to metaphorically bow to the Ori and accept that they were the winners this time around. I certainly didn't expect that in Stargate. We didn't even get one of those stalemate situations where both sides are more or less even, here it was checkmate in favour to the Ori all the way. Those guys certainly know how to make a point *is kinda impressed*

Everyone was back to square one - I mean, Healed Guy was supposed to spread the word and tell the others what he'd seen... cue to sg-m trying to show the wrongness of the situation... cue to confrontation and all. Fine. But the end of the episode arrives and we're basically where we started -except that instead of one guy, the Ori showed their powers to a whole village. Damn, they even brought the dead back to life. Lovely! [/sarcams]

Once more, I'm feeling sad for those who stay behind once sg-m goes back to Earth. I mean, what will the villagers do now? They were ambivalent before... they were scared but now they know for a fact the consequences of disobedience... talk about a choice. But actually, I thought it was quite interesting when Kinda Leader Guy explained to Daniel that sometimes, you don't have a choice... that sometimes, you can't do anything but cave in to "higher powers" even though you know they're wrong for you, because in the end, you don't have any other solution. That was quite sad.

The episode also brought me some great Daniel scenes, and I'm quite partial to those, let's be honest. I loved his first verbal confrontation with the Prior - and the whole Knowledge is power theme delighted me to no end *g* Also, now that Daniel adressed the subject of why the Ori want everyone to bow to them and all, I'm curious to know too. Also gives some more substance to those guys. I mean, they're not Bad Guys just because that's what they are, ie it's their roles in the series, thanks, but maybe there's something more here. Nice.

Something else that was interesting in "The Powers That Be" is how we were confronted with the consequences of Vala's... way of life, shall we say. I mean, we're usually thinking she's so funny and so cunning and so hot and just so Vala and it always makes us laugh - well, for the part of the fandom who likes her, obviously - but this time we were seeing her behaviour through the eyes of the deceived one, we were seeing her actions from the other side of the mirror so to speak, and it didn't look so funny anymore. That was nice as well.

The one thing I'm having problem with maybe is that it does seem sg-m is divided into two subgroups. Teal'c and Cameron on one side and Daniel and Vala on the other. I agree with... whoever it was that said that more inter-team interaction would be nice - forgot who said it, so sorry!

Cameron has been wanting them to be a team since day one... now they're indeed more or less a team, but maybe they should try to really go all the way. But maybe things will change a bit when Sam will be back? We might get more of a "regular" dynamic by then. Who knows...

Yes, still enjoying the season ;-)

Oh and btw,

artifuss is officially my #1 s9 icon dealer. She's been iconing each episode since the premiere and just, how much do I love her for that, really! New batch - for "The Powers That Be" - here - that was fast, too!

Lastly. I still haven't watched "I, ET" - not because I didn't try but each time I got ready to sit down and watch it, something happened that distracted me. But since I have no intention of setting a foot outside tomorrow - bar one reason, but it'll only be in the afternoon if it happens - I think I'll finally have the opportunity to do so then *fingers crossed*