Stargate SG-1--"Homecoming"

‘Homecoming” continues the double meaning trend begun in the seventh season finale. This time it refers to the status of Daniel and Jonas. The former returns to both the land of the living and the SG-1 team full time. (Maybe the full time land of the living bit is debatable, all things considered.) The latter is welcomed back home in the end, which is a nice touch. Jonas’ storyline gets a decent wrap up with a happy ending. Such a conclusion is quite right. Killing Jonas off after the false starts in the last few episodes would have been the wrong thing to do.

Anubis uses the same device he used on thor in order to read Jonas’ mind. At least, I think it is supposed to be the same device. The one used on thor was surgically implanted in his head. When it was removed, thor fell into a coma. It sounds like the device was simply used and Jonas and he winds up none the worse for wear. It is necessary for the sake of the story Jonas be fit to act, so either continuity is being glossed over or Anubis’ surgeons are a heck of a lot better than Asgard versions. Og course, with those tiny fingers, the Asgard probably make lousy surgeons. Regardless, Anubis learns of the aquaria on Langara and decides he can use it to power his uberweapon.

Anubis’ ship appears over Kelowna. every time I have to write Kelowna, I have to resist writing Fredonia instead. Considering how bad the people screw things up, the country might as well be run by the Marx Brothers. They call for help from SGC, who agree largely to retrieve Daniel and Jonas. Teal’c arranges to bypass you by way of his first Prime and make a temporary with Ba’al to attack Anubis’ ship. As it turns out, the Kelowan defense minister double-crosses the SG-1 team to make a separate deal with Anubis. He is double-crossed himself, but it is all right because Daniel and Jonas escape Anubis’ ship before for Ba’al’s forces to force a retreat, so Anubis’ abandoned Jaffa are easily defeated.

The most interesting twist in all the happenings is that Jonas comes full circle. He was compelled to join the SG-1 team because Daniel sacrificed himself to save Kelowna. It was an act Jonas believes he should have made instead. In the climax to “Homecoming,” Jonas takes a hit meant for Daniel. He survives, but feels complete in having risked his life in the manner Daniel once did. So jonas gets a solid send off from SGC, including from Jack. Jack finally admits jonas has won his respect. Jonas gets a hero’s welcome on Langara, though one wonders about the mess the planet is in. Kelowna used a aquaria bomb in a brief war, another country was building one, and they all plotted with Anubis. There is not only a political mess, but the Goa’uld are not likely to leave them alone forever. Jonas does make an eventual reappearance, so the story is not quite over yet.

I have mixed emotions about Jonas. I think I would have liked him better if I had not been aware he was only going to stick around for one season. That way, his inability to fit in with the SG-1 team would have been character development rather than the impatience for Daniel to return it actually felt like. It was like Jonas was the substitute teacher we have to tolerate for a few weeks while the regular teacher, whom we love, recovers from surgery. If we were stuck with the sub permanently, we could have learned to like him. But since we know when the teacher is coming back, we cannot do much more than polyely tolerate the sub. Jonas could have been a great fit. He needed a little more edge to him, but he would have grown on us if accepting him had become necessary. I do not see many fans complaining about Cam, Vala, or Landry, as a for instance. By all accounts, Corin Nemec is a good guy, too.

I enjoyed “Homecoming” more than the season premiere. It feels like a better deal in both personal and adventuresome scope. The episodes would probably have been better served as a two hour premiere rather than being broken up right off the bat. Such a move would have elevated the first part, methinks. No matter, though. The band is back to together. That is the most important thing.

Rating: **** (out of 5)

Can we make Daniel‘s return/Jonas’ departure more melodramatic? Yes, yes I believe we can: