It was always great to see all of the Stargate Franchise shows in Crossover episodes of each show, the first great one was SG-1's "The Pegasus Project" which took place in Atlantis and included Joe Flanagan and David Hewlett.
Even in Stargate: Atlantis, the last episodes were Crossover Episodes which included many faces from SG-1.
The Pilot for Stargate Universe ran like a regular SG-1 episode as well- Until in fact the 9th Chevron is activated and the escapees end up on Destiny.
Many things are happening at once in this episode, so I have to give some background with the least amount of potential spoilers:
SGU utilizes many of the gimmicks found for SG-1 and Atlantis - The Ancient Spacesuits used by the renegade Asgard from SG Atlantis, and most importantly the Ancient "Communication Stones" which is the prime way Colonel Young and Lt. Scott can visit the planet "Laangara" - Which is the last hope for Destiny to get a permanent Supply Line from Earth- As Laanagara (Originally "Cowlonna") has a stratum of "NaQuadria" - An element related to the Goa'Uld's "Naquada"- But has a much higher potential for energy. This element was introduced in SG-1 S5E21 and was the Bane of Daniel Jackson, causing his death and eventual "Ascension" - And most of SG-1 S6 was related to this element, which was why Jonas Quinn joined SG-1 in Season 6. The Planet of Jonas's Origin had an unstable Strata of NaQuadria, which was made harmless by Quinn and Carter with help from a Goa'Uld-Girl in the SG-1 S7 episode "Fallout". In fact, this *is* Jonas' Home Planet. So I wonder where Jonas was? He should have been in this episode.
So far, we have seen two other NaQuadria planets get blown into microscopic chunks and bits when their Stargates dialed out The Destiny's "Ninth Chevron" - But Rodney Mackay has figured out what went wrong with Dr. Rush's and Eli Wallace's original calculations, and has a solution.
But what Homeworld Command does not have is the permission of The Laangarans to proceed with a test. So, a trick was concocted by MacKay and Young, and approved by "Woolsey" (the three-Franchise Robert Picardo).
Of Course, Colonel Telford (Lou Diamond Philips) has to consider that the Lucien Alliance is also interested in Laangara and has to find out if The Laangarans have made any secret pacts - This is Woolsey's Job to find out. What he finds is not expected, and probably the best news Telford could get.
Meanwhile, the one guy who can help with this aboard Destiny - Dr Rush (Robert Carlyle) - Has gotten himself into a minor- Actually a major pickle: He's trapped in a VR Program.
We've seen Destiny's ability to interact directly with Crewmembers, showing them "Dreams" and even Battle Scenarios. And in the episode previous to this, Destiny's computer was able to house the displaced personalities of two people who had been murdered while using the Stones - Rush's friend Dr. Amanda Perry and Eli's girlfriend, Ginn (Julie McNiven was was also "Bug Lady" and then "Mrs. Bug Lady"/"Mrs. Charlie Francis" in Fringe S3 and 4).
Rush was trying to create a way he could interact with Perry on a believable level, but all kinds of things have gone wrong. It ends up on Ginn's Program to fix it, but she cannot directly affect the ship - She has to tell Eli what to do. But she was not able to tell Eli everything, it is up to Eli to figure out what she means.
While these two scenarios are playing out, the fate of Destiny is in the balance.
This episode was masterfully directed by Helen Shaver of "The Osterman Weekend" - One of Sam Peckinpah's last films.
