OVERALL OPINION This is an intriguing episode, with a lot of insight in Carter's personality and romantic past. Based on her own words, we can surmise that the type of guy she's attracted to is basically the same sort of guy that O'Neill is - that's good news for shipper's. :) The "shipper" moments, however, are rather sporadic in this episode as it is basically a Carter-episode, but when they do happen, they're worth it. The conversation at the end shows the respect Carter has for O'Neill's opinion, whilst various moments throughout the episode show the concern the two have for each other. An early episode in the series, it shows a great basis for the future shippy moments we've come to worship.

1) Hanson's Goddess I: When Connor tells SG1 that Hanson now believes he's a God (and in layman's terms, that he's now a few crayons short of a box), O'Neill immediately pulls Carter aside, telling her to take Connor back through the Stargate and to inform General Hammond of the situation. Carter refuses - causing some amount of surprise from O'Neill - and then tells O'Neill that he'll need her - she can "get to him". Pulling rank, O'Neill tells her in plain terms what's going to happen to Hanson - court-martial or not. He doesn't need to tell her what the 'not' means. Carter replies that she "knows him" and O'Neill responds with "and that would be the problem". Carter then reveals "I gave back the ring", informing us that she and Hanson were once engaged. O'Neill's not buying her argument, but when Connor jumps up as well, maintaining that *he's* not going back either, O'Neill relents - they're all going after Hanson.

2) A Walk In The Forest: Making their way through the forest, Carter and Daniel discuss the previous night's ambush and Connor's kidnapping. When Daniel muses that they probably took Connor to prove that Hanson's in control, Carter nods saying "that sounds familiar". When Daniel asks what does, she replies that Hanson always did like to be in control. Daniel then asks what she ever saw in him. Answering that she's "always had a soft spot for the lunatic fringe", the camera then flashes directly on O'Neill - who we all know has bordered on that fringe in the past. Carter then surmises that she's not really surprised - Hanson's always had this in him, too many years in Black Op's. Daniel then muses that it's typical of the government - the more crazy the soldier, the more extreme the situations they get put into - before glancing back at O'Neill (different man, same situation sometimes). Carter then tells that Hanson wasn't happy when she broke off the engagement, but that when they'd met up at the SGC, he'd seemed to have pulled himself together.

3) Need Your Help: Having discovered the settlement, O'Neill tells them he'll back in thirty minutes, reassuring Teal'c that he's not planning on rescuing Connor just yet. He then looks to Carter and tells her that he'll need her help getting in the front door when the time comes. Carter nods, answering that she's prepared for that. Obviously, O'Neill's going to use her as bait and Carter's, on this occasion, willing to oblige.

4) That's A Plan?: When Carter sees a man being beaten by one of the SG members a few moments after O'Neill's departure, Carter gets up to go. Daniel tries to stop her, but she says that she's not going to let the man be beaten to death. Teal'c tells her she'll be captured, and she says that she knows. Daniel says that's not a very good plan but Carter responds that she can "get to Hanson" and that's what O'Neill was talking about a few moments before - bait. Knowing she's right, Daniel nevertheless asks that she waits for O'Neill's return. Carter shakes her head - she's not going to let that man die whilst she waits for O'Neill - and takes off. Daniel mutters that they should have stopped her, but Teal'c calmly replies "we would have failed" - seems Carter's strong willed character has already been well displayed to her team mates.

5) Refreshing: O'Neill, having finished his surveillance returns to the others just as Carter knocks down the SG member beating the native, quipping "well, that was refreshing". O'Neill's recital of surveillance ends almost as soon as it starts when he realizes that Carter's gone on ahead. Murmuring "Daniel?" the archaeologist raises his hand silently to gesture to Carter, and O'Neill sighs "never mind", adding that it's probably their only way in without a fire fight anyway. In the settlement, Carter surrenders and is led away.

6) Never Amounting: As Carter and Hanson 'reunite', he quips that she always said he "wouldn't amount to anything". Sending him a look, he continues with "quite a leap - from Captain to..." but Carter interrupts, wanting to know what's happened to him. A conversation ensues, with Hanson striving to make Carter see the "wondrous" things he is doing here, for "his people", as "their god". Carter doesn't believe a word of it, but Hanson insists his case. Part madness, definitely, but maybe also a part begging for Carter's approval. From his earlier quip about "amounting", one can theorize that Carter's opinion of him is very important - a trait we see O'Neill sharing many times in future episodes, with O'Neill very subtly hoping for Carter's good opinion as well.

7) Broken Wing: Later, Carter acknowledges that Hanson knew she would come. Hanson agrees, stating that Carter was always "the healer of the emotionally wounded" - he was her one failure. That's another personality trait of O'Neill's, so once again we are given more ammunition in the SJ compatibility stakes. When Carter pulls a gun on Hanson, she finds that she can't pull the trigger - a visible emotional struggle occurring within her. It's not really an SJ moment, but it does give us a beautiful insight into Carter's personality and inner morals.

8) Hanson's Goddess II: As Hanson shows Carter his 'orange sky' device, Carter remarks that he never really wanted *her*, he just wanted her to make this toy work. Hanson disagrees, stating that yes, he wants the device to work, but that he also wants Carter to become his "Goddess" one day too. Gotta imagine O'Neill's reaction to this pledge. :)

9) Technology: Trying to make Hanson's toy work, Carter babbles some techno-speak at him, causing the 'God' to turn around and mutter "just turn it on!". Sound familiar? :) A moment later, O'Neill arrives in the cavern, having also been captured in his attempt to rescue Connor. Quipping that "everything's going exactly to plan" to Carter, she looks down in mild distress, and maybe a touch of embarrassment. Seeing this (and maybe realizing the effect the Colonel has on the Captain) Hanson promptly informs his men to "shoot him" (ie. O'Neill). Shouting "no!" Carter immediately gets back to work on the 'orange sky' toy. Hanson tells her to turn it on, and that if it works, he'll spare O'Neill for her. O'Neill nods, and Carter turns it on.

10) Circle Of The Gods: The Stargate has been tipped onto it's side - lying flat on the ground. Carter stands to one side, under guard, and O'Neill and Connor kneel to the other side, also under guard. Hanson speeches that he will send the evil ones back to where they came (O'Neill and Connor) and dials in the address. Carter, her face slightly tortured as the wormhole establishes, protests.

Carter: You said you wouldn't kill them.
Hanson: I'm not - I'm sending them back to earth.
Carter: Without sending the signal to open the iris, they'll die.
Hanson: Please Sam, I'm having a moment here.

As Hanson talks to Carter, O'Neill's looks over in concern. Hanson orders that the evil ones be killed and O'Neill and Connor are led to the Stargate. Daniel and the native boy (Jamala, in Jack's clothes) suddenly arrive, wielding a staff weapon, and tell them to stop. Jamala kills the guard who would've shot Daniel, and Carter kicks the gun out of Hanson's hand, causing him to hit her, and O'Neill to look on with a hell of a lot of anger. When Jamala fires again in Hanson's direction, Hanson pauses. Daniel begins to announce that Hanson is not a God and the native's look on as Daniel, Jack and Hanson all try to plead their respective cases. To prove that he is a God, Hanson turns on the device but naturally it doesn't work. Hanson tells Sam to "fix it" but she replies that she can't. And so Daniel, Jamala and Teal'c activate the second one - telling the native's that it's simply a machine and that anyone can work it. Realizing that he's lost all control, and his God-ship, Hanson grabs Carter and heads towards the Stargate, telling her that he's "taking her with him". O'Neill has freed himself though, and knocks them off the walkway, causing the native's to rebel and throw Hanson into the Stargate. Carter looks on, a touch of sadness on her face, but also anger.

11) Home Again: SG1 are leaving, Carter stating that Earth should leave this planet alone - they've done enough already. At Carter's expression, O'Neill turns to her.

O'Neill: Something else on your mind?
Carter: I had the chance to end this, Colonel, he literally asked me to do it. (Referring to when she could have shot him in the caves.)
O'Neill: Killing a man is no badge of honor, Captain.
Carter: Yeah.
O'Neill: Look, I'm no expert on this thing. (He holds up Hanson's bible.) But I generally remember one commandment - I think it's the first.
Carter: 'I am the Lord, your God and you shall take no other God's before me'?
O'Neill: Ok, it's not the first one - I'm talking about the 'no killing' one. No matter what the reason, every time you break it, you take one step closer to Hanson.
Carter: Thanks.

O'Neill and Carter share a long look then as O'Neill hands her Hanson's bible.

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