User Reviews

Right. So I ended up crying. Thanks for nothing, and don't laugh at me.

Once again, we begin with a dire situation, and the episode is divided into two parts: finding out what really happened, and trying to solve it. And sad to say, only one of these two plots will succeed.

I guess nobody feels really afraid when we learn that Daniel is dying of radioactive exposure. He's been dying countless times, dead a few times, after all. Besides, dying from radioactive burns is just too slow, too awful and not heroic enough, right?

Wrong.

As we follow Daniel's horrible agony and his spiritual "trial" with Oma Tessala (very nice use of continuity here, even though it is annoying to have a new actress for that part), it becomes clear that he won't get a reprieve this time. And when Teal'c all but breaks down and cries, things start to look seriously hopeless.

However, that storyline is punctuated with flashback sequences that show exactly what Daniel is dying for: a world to save, a new technology that might tip the scales in the fight against the Goa'uld, and even a very likable new character, Jonas Quinn. So even as we realise that Daniel won't make it, we also have to admit that it was worth it.

I guess that for a hero, this is a good way to go. Everybody gets a touching goodbye, especially Jack, whose special bond with Daniel (despite all their differences) is acknowledged. The whole episode is an homage to Daniel, who dies heroically, but turns out to be special enough that he doesn't "really" die. Still, right now I am too busy being upset to care.

This was a well done episode. Its a great send off for Daniel Jackson, taken slowly and very seriously. Richard Dean Anderson does some great, subtle acting. In fact, they all do a good job. Maybe a little less for Amanda Tapping, she never fully "lets her hair down", but that could be due to the nature of the character as well. I just wanted to hear it more in her voice, her upset at DJ dying.

DJ stays true to character, which I like very much. I realized that through the entire series, he was never a fully happy person, which is often the case for highly intelligent people (the character). This episode brought that home. His parents died at a young age, misunderstood as the phenom at school, lost what might have been the love of his life to his career... his character now makes more sense to me.

I did not like that the character diverged from the goofy genius as James Spader played it, but at least this character the actor portrayed also had a depth.