Threads is actually the third part of Reckoning and, to all intents and purposes, it is the season's finale. In a way, it is also the finale for the whole "classic" SG1 series, since the show is about to undergo a few major changes.
Plot-wise, the episode is precisely about tidying up those loose threads that hang all over the place. The Replicators may be gone, but Anubis and Baal are still out there; the Jaffa may be free, but the doomsday weapon they control is a major threat; Daniel is once again exploring the amenities of the Afterlife, and to put the cherry on top, Carter is getting married -to the wrong guy. Busy day for a single episode, hey?
But Thread brilliantly tidies this all up, along with some other plots dating back to the origins of the series. Every important character gets a moment in the limelight and gets his or her personal "ending" (for now at least), letting us go through the whole range of emotions, from tears to amazement to laughter. And we finally get some much-needed explanations in the bargain! I appreciate that none of these conclusions feels rushed or out of character, and I like the personal touches, such as O'Neill stubbornly refusing to mourn his friend once again, Teal'c finally getting the recognition he deserved (even as the Jaffa call him "Teal'c of the Tauri", I notice), or the quiet, cosy team moment at the end.
However, after the breathless pace set by Reckoning, this feels a bit slow-going. Tidying up loose threads might be a bit like cleaning up after a really good party. There is a lot of talk and little action. I still cannot believe that the whole Anubis development should be over so quickly -blink twice and you've missed it. Oops. And honestly, Daniel only contributes very indirectly, which feels like a very easy cop-out. I understand that it was Oma's role to fix her own mistakes, but dramatically speaking, it still is a letdown.
So while I would not call this the *best* episode on Stargate, there is no doubt that it is very, very special. Its very length suggests that this is more than just any ordinary episode, more like a huge sendoff to what, for me, will always be the "real" SG1. Miss it, and you have just wasted 8 years' worth of development.
Plot-wise, the episode is precisely about tidying up those loose threads that hang all over the place. The Replicators may be gone, but Anubis and Baal are still out there; the Jaffa may be free, but the doomsday weapon they control is a major threat; Daniel is once again exploring the amenities of the Afterlife, and to put the cherry on top, Carter is getting married -to the wrong guy. Busy day for a single episode, hey?
But Thread brilliantly tidies this all up, along with some other plots dating back to the origins of the series. Every important character gets a moment in the limelight and gets his or her personal "ending" (for now at least), letting us go through the whole range of emotions, from tears to amazement to laughter. And we finally get some much-needed explanations in the bargain! I appreciate that none of these conclusions feels rushed or out of character, and I like the personal touches, such as O'Neill stubbornly refusing to mourn his friend once again, Teal'c finally getting the recognition he deserved (even as the Jaffa call him "Teal'c of the Tauri", I notice), or the quiet, cosy team moment at the end.
However, after the breathless pace set by Reckoning, this feels a bit slow-going. Tidying up loose threads might be a bit like cleaning up after a really good party. There is a lot of talk and little action. I still cannot believe that the whole Anubis development should be over so quickly -blink twice and you've missed it. Oops. And honestly, Daniel only contributes very indirectly, which feels like a very easy cop-out. I understand that it was Oma's role to fix her own mistakes, but dramatically speaking, it still is a letdown.
So while I would not call this the *best* episode on Stargate, there is no doubt that it is very, very special. Its very length suggests that this is more than just any ordinary episode, more like a huge sendoff to what, for me, will always be the "real" SG1. Miss it, and you have just wasted 8 years' worth of development.
