Stargate SG-1 9.5: "The Powers That Be"

Written by Martin Gero
Directed by William Waring

In which the team travels to a planet where Vala once posed as a god, but when one of the Priors of the Ori comes calling, Daniel is caught in a battle of philosophies and miracles…


When this episode began, I was expecting it to be as relatively light-hearted as the teaser. Considering how Vala’s more ridiculous side was explored in such detail in the previous episode, it wasn’t such a stretch to make that assumption. What struck me was how quickly the episode went from hijinks to heavy drama, and how impressed I was in the process.

I mentioned in my comments for “Origin” that the most intriguing side of the Ori mythology was their depth of true power; unlike the Goa’uld, the Ori are actually god-like in nearly every respect. They make Anubis look like a chump, and he was ready to wipe the floor with the rest of the System Lords. Convincing people (especially the downtrodden) that they should throw off the shackles of the false gods worked rather well when SG-1 could point to snakeheads and be done with it.

In the case of the Ori, they don’t have that. The Priors walk in, do things that they really shouldn’t be able to do (on a massive scale), and then let the not-so-implied threats speak for themselves. No wonder so many bow down to the Ori! From an objective perspective, the Ori are more directly evident in their “godhood” than any of the deities of Earth-based religions, and there’s plenty of belief in those faiths. The Priors are very much like the “prophets” of the Bible, walking in and performing miracles as though they were casual shrugs.

What was most interesting about this episode was the slow but steady erosion of Daniel’s confidence. About halfway through the episode, he was confident that explaining Vala’s true nature and offering freedom would be enough. He certainly wasn’t expecting the Prior to release a plague. Even then, he figured that Vala and the Goa’uld technology would be able to counter the effects. When that didn’t work, he was left with nothing.

Even better, I strongly suspect that the Prior was toying with Daniel and Vala. The Prior had prior knowledge (no pun intended) of Daniel and Vala, and he certainly recognized Daniel and knew about his lack of belief in the Ori. It’s very easy to believe that the Prior had little worry over converting the mining colony; he was more intent on providing an example for Daniel to ponder. Forcing Daniel to admit the power of the Ori and his inability to match it would be a far more powerful effect.

The second half of the episode was all about that process of undermining Daniel’s confidence, and it worked for me, a lot more than I thought it would. I guess I’m feeling what the writers intended me to feel when it comes to the Ori. The concepts of absolutism behind the Priors and the Ori get under my skin. I find myself asking the same question that Daniel keeps asking: what motivates the Ori to demand such utter devotion and fealty?

The slowly re-forming SG-1 team gets a nasty lesson in how bad it’s going to get, and what kind of enemy they are fighting. Unlike the previous episode, I can see how the team is going to be forced back together. As the scope of the threat posed by the Priors is revealed, slowly but surely, the need for an elite and experienced team to deal with their activities will be needed. Episodes like this prove that taking such a measured approach can work wonders.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10