Stargate SG-1

Previously...

on Stargate SG-1...

Merlin was conducting research on some kind of new invention.

A weapon capable of destroying ascended beings.

Here lies Meardon. Archmage of the Round.

He's dead.

We've seen it used to download information into someone's mind.

You have Merlin's memories.

Some of them. Earth, Atlantis

and the work he did in this lab.

- What is that? - The first step towards

creating Merlin's weapon.

I have too many thoughts in my head. I can't concentrate. I get confused.

You have to fight it.

I have to let it happen.

Get through the Gate! I'll be right behind you.

He was very persuasive.

Convert or die. Yeah, I'd say that's got some bite.

He said nothing of death.

Only salvation.

Life eternal.

The blessings of the Ori.

He didn't threaten you.

He spoke of the religion.

Left this book with us to read and consider.

Said he'd be back today to hear our answer.

Well you're not alone. This is happening all over the galaxy.

You're saying this Priors claims are false.

We're saying that book's got about as much truth in it as the Da Vinci Code.

Hey, that's what they want you to think.

- They, they who? - I do not understand.

It's a book from our planet. It's very entertaining, but it is fiction nonetheless.

- I wouldn't be so sure. - OK, I think we've gotten a little offpoint here.

What evidence do you have to support your position?

Well, we really don't have any.

And we can't tell you what to do.

Obviously subjugating people by threatening their lives is wrong.

So if you choose to resist, we'll do our very best to try to help you.

Not that we can make many promises,

but we've seen a number of villages just like this one wiped out.

As I have said,

the Prior made no such threat

and spoke upon the positive merits of Origin as true salvation.

Soft sell. That's a new approach.

The Prior of the Ori returns!

Listen, no matter which way you're gonna come down on this,

it's probably best if that Prior doesn't know we're around.

You can hide here.

Welcome back.

Thank you Tevaris.

Have you contemplated your divine right?

We have, Prior.

We wish to hear more of your wisdom.

It is not my wisdom,

but the wisdom of the ages passed onto us by the only true Gods.

Hallowed...

are the Ori.

Transcript by Suzanna

Season 10 Episode 14 The shroud.

Adria must have done something to him.

I mean, before turning him into a Prior.

You mean she brainwashed him somehow.

Well Daniel would never willingly become one of them like that.

- Preach their beliefs. - He's damn good at it.

Had those people eating out of his hands without issuing one tiny little genocidal threat.

That's what makes me think there's still a little part of Daniel in there somewhere.

- He's better than all this! - Yes!

But we still have to face the very real possibility that it's not even really Daniel anymore.

Having Merlin's consciousness downloaded into his mind, could have overshadowed Daniel completely.

Weakened him to the point where Adria could do this.

Still...

we cannot abandon him.

So what do we do?

We go get him.

Try to figure out what happened, try to undo it.

Turn him back.

That's going to be very risky.

Could be exactly what Adria's hoping for. She might be using him to get to us.

Still...

it's Daniel.

If there's any chance.

We have no choice.

Arian then took off the mask and revealed his face.

"Your appearance matters not," he said, "Only the truth of spirit in your heart."

Blessed are those that follow the path to Origin.

Hey!

What took you guys so long?

Carter, we got him.

Great! Take us into hyperspace.

I take it the anti-Prior device is working.

Well, he didn't stop us from zatting him.

Guys?

Daniel?

What's going on?

We could be asking you.

OK, this is not necessary.

No offence, but have you looked in the mirror lately?

I'm not a threat to you.

In case you change your mind,

you should know there is someone with a finger poised over a button, waiting to beam you out into space.

We had to let this happen. It's part of the plan.

I'm sorry,

- we? - Yeah, myself and Merlin.

Oh,

- so he's still inside you. - Yeah!

You remember back on the planet when Adria and I were fighting it out?

Yeah.

- Thanks for that by the way. - Yeah, it's a good thing you guys got out too,

she was...

way to powerful for me.

But I couldn't just let Merlin's weapon fall into her hands.

I know it's our only chance of destroying the Ori.

You gave in.

More or less.

Of course, Origin is designed to channel the energy of it's followers to the Ori.

It's that selfish act of giving

that leads one soul to salvation and ultimately to ascension.

This is no great secret.

The Book of Origin says, "Make yourself one with the path

and the journey will lead you... to eternity."

Were it not for the power the Ori draw from our belief,

the Ancients would have wiped them out long ago.

Why?

You know the answer. You were once ascended.

Because they won't tolerate anyone or anything that doesn't follow their collective rules.

They claim not to interfere, but they do manipulate.

They use their power to hoard their knowledge and prevent those beneath them from reaching their level.

She seemed to know everything about me.

She had

a tremendous power of persuasion.

It was almost as if I could hear her voice inside my head, telling me what to believe.

So I let her believe that she was getting to me.

Turning me.

Why?

Because I needed her to trust me.

And did she?

Well I mean, don't get me wrong, you're not a terrible liar, but you're nowhere near as good as me.

Who is?

And Adria could see right through me, so how did you manage to fool her?

I was able to protect Daniel. Make Adria think he had succumbed to her will.

Merlin?

It was necessary.

In our time together, I've really come to see in you what draws mother's affection.

Affection, what?

It's very important to me

that we save her together.

Of course.

I can feel the difference in you.

It's because you've done so much for me.

Showing me the true path.

I'm glad.

And there's so much more I can do for you.

And you for me.

So she trusted you enough to turn you into a Prior?

She had to.

Why exactly?

Because she knew I was her best chance of converting Earth.

And me.

Well that would explain why she wanted to believe you, not why she had to.

She had Merlin's weapon, she just didn't know how to finish it.

I thought she knew everything.

She's Human.

Her knowledge is still limited.

But Merlin knew how.

It was a quick and easy way to avoid an all out war between the Ori and the Ancients. She knows...

the device can be used to wipe out the Ancients, so I told her...

I would finish it for her.

- Did you? - Not exactly, but close.

I needed to have the rest of my plan in place before I finished it.

Which is?

- I needed her to make me a Prior. - Hello.

So I could

steal an Ori ship and fly it through the Supergate to the Ori galaxy with the weapon on board

and destroy them.

OK...

one small flaw in that plan.

I know, there's a wormhole blocking the Supergate and that's why I'm here.

I need you guys to shut it down.

He knew he was no match for her.

He couldn't let Merlin's unfinished weapon fall into her hands,

so he and Merlin came up with a plan

to fool Adria into thinking that he had succumbed to her power.

So he could continue to work on the weapon. Ostensibly, this time...

for her to use against the Ancients.

Merlin?

He says he still has Merlin's consciousness in his mind.

Merlin even seemed to be speaking on occasion.

Daniel says that's what's protected him from Adria's influence

and what's allowed him to convince her to make him a Prior.

Why did he need her to make him a Prior?

So he could steal the Ori ship with the weapon onboard and fly it through the Supergate.

He wants us to shut down the incoming wormhole so he can dial out.

Yeah, so he says.

You do not believe Daniel Jackson is being truthful.

Oh, I wanna believe him...

That could be exactly what they expect of us.

If Adria really did somehow manage to brainwash Daniel, then...

This whole thing could be an elaborate plot to get us to shut down

that wormhole, so more Ori ships can come into our galaxy.

So what do we do?