OVERALL OPINION "The Torment Of Tantalus" is not an SJ Shippy episode for one main reason... not enough scenes involving Sam and Jack. Essentially a 'Daniel' and 'Catherine/Ernest' episode, the contact between Sam and Jack is few and far between. Nevertheless, there's a couple of moments that do serve us projector's well, notably, Jack saving Sam's life and Sam's worry that Jack (and Daniel) won't make it back at the end.

1) Heading Home: When it becomes apparent that the DHD is no longer working, Sam and Jack converse for the first time in the episode, Jack asking her why the MALP didn't pick this up. As Ernest Littlefield asks if they're still going home, Jack stares at him, the DHD and finally Sam (the camera shots and editing suggest he's probably looking to Daniel but project with me here!). :)

2) Running A Test: As Jack and Catherine return from the 'meaning-of-life' stuff that Ernest was showing Daniel, Jack engages Sam in conversation, asking her how it's going. She replies that she's trying to hook up the DHD as a power source to manually dial the Stargate and that she's about to run a test. As Sam asks where Daniel is, Jack responds that he's still with Ernest and the 'toy' that Ernest's showing him. Absently curious, Sam questions him about it but as he speaks, the storm outside continues to worsen and as Jack stands with Sam at the DHD, he trails off, asking her if she could speed things up a little bit. The Stargate powers up briefly, to Sam and Catherine's delight, but soon fades out again. As Sam's face falls, Jack hears a noise and looking up, suddenly reaches out and grabs Sam chest straps, shouting "Carter!" as he throws her down the stairs, similarly tossing himself down. Landing at the bottom, Jack and Sam are next to each other, Jack using Sam to push himself up as Catherine moves over to help pull up Sam. Jack keeps his hand on Sam's arm to start with but as the dust settles, he moves to look down into the ocean where the DHD had previously been. Following him, the rest move up there as well, Sam looking to Jack as if realising how close they'd come to following the DHD to the ocean.

3) What Do We Need: With Sam at the Stargate, and Catherine and Teal'c nearby, Jack paces the room, commenting that it's time for "basic survival training". They know what they have, now what do they need? Sam stays silent as Teal'c, quite literally, responds with "we have the Stargate--we need the Dial Home Device". Jack thanks him as Sam moves forward, explaining that the Stargate stores energy in it's components and to dial the Stargate manually, they need power. In essence, Jack summarizes, they need energy. Quipping wryly to Jack, she comments that she doesn't see any electrical outlet's nearby, does he?

4) Ben Franklin: When Teal'c, Sam, Jack and Catherine go down to use to disable and then use the meaning-of-life alien book's power source, Jack comments that there's no choice and for Daniel to please move. As he speaks, Sam looks up at him and stares at him for quite awhile before eventually watching Teal'c shoot the 'book'. When that doesn't work, and the storm seems to increase in volume, Jack stares in what we assume is Sam's direction, commenting:

Jack: I'm obviously no scientist but ah... couldn't we use that Ben Franklin thing?

5) The Idea: As Sam, Jack, Catherine and Teal'c move back upstairs, Sam's explaining to Jack how to attempt channeling lightning. Not an SJ scene per se, but show's how readily Sam was able to understand Jack's suggestion and figure out a practical and scientific way of accomplishing it. Such teamwork! :)

6) Waiting 101: The Stargate's been activated but the storm is raging and the Stargate probably won't stay open for long. Ordering the other's through, Sam hovers at the Stargate, watching for Jack and Daniel. Only when Jack looks up at yells at her "go!" does she turn and disappear through the wormhole.

7) Waiting 201: Back on Earth, Sam is standing at the base of the ramp, staring up at the Stargate, her face extremely worried. As the Stargate makes a 'noise', Sam all but jerks with the sound, her features tense. In the control room, an announcement comes over the PA stating that the wormhole's destabilizing but there's still no traveller's. Murmuring to herself, Sam begs for Jack and Daniel to return: "come on guys". As the camera pulls away briefly we watch as the Stargate's wormhole begins to 'flicker'--disappearing and then reappearing.

8) Welcome Back: The Stargate flickering, Daniel and Jack exit through the wormhole, the event horizon closing on Jack's heels. Immediately Sam moves up the ramp, helping Daniel up. As Daniel murmurs "close one", Jack responds with "ya think?" to which Sam looks at him and promptly murmurs "you don't know how close".

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