Recap / Stargate SG 1 S 8 E 9 Sacrifices

"I have been betrayed by those I trusted most."

— Teal'c

Ishta asks Teal'c for his help in overthrowing the Goa'uld Moloc, but he is preoccupied by the news that his son intends to marry a young Hak'tyl woman named Kar'yn, a union of which Teal'c disapproves.

Last appearance of Rya'c.

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"Sacrifices" provides examples of the following tropes:

• Badass in Distress: Ishta is captured and tortured by Moloc.
• Battle Couple: Lampshaded in reference to Rya'c and Kar'yn when Ishta points out that a warrior is always stronger with someone to fight by their side, though they don't actually get to do any fighting in this episode.
  Bra'tac: May you love and fight like warriors... just not with each other.
• Belligerent Sexual Tension: Between Teal'c and Ishta, again. Rya'c lampshades this at the end of the episode:
  Rya'c: Your relationship would be much easier if you both admit you are in love. For us all.
  Teal'c: Perhaps one day, when I am as wise as you.
• Big Damn Heroes: Aron, who Teal'c had previously zatted after suspecting him of leaking information about the rebellion to Moloc, shows up out of nowhere to save Teal'c when he's almost out of tretonin and cornered by Moloc's Jaffa.
• Big "SHUT UP!": Bra'tac does this twice in quick succession as Daniel is trying and failing to maintain some semblance of control among a roomful of angry Jaffa all yelling over the top of each other.
  Bra'tac: SILENCE!!!
  (The Jaffa all fall quiet)
  O'Neill: Thank you. Now, Daniel, what's going on here?
  (The Jaffa immediately resume their shouting, O'Neill gestures at Bra'tac to do it again)
  Bra'tac: Silence!
  O'Neill: I said, Daniel.
• Breaking Speech: Moloc gives one of these to Ishta when she is severely weakened from lack of tretonin:
  Moloc: You cannot be Ishta of the Hak'tyl! (mockingly) "Wicked leader of the depraved"! I sense nothing but weakness in you. Or maybe that is what happens when you abandon the strength of the Goa'uld inside of you. All that is left is this burning desire to die at the hands of your great and powerful god.
• Cold-Blooded Torture: Moloc is heard torturing the rebel Jaffa, and later uses the hand device on Ishta.
• Continuity Nod:
  • Ishta mentions that it "took some convincing" for Teal'c to respect her as a warrior.
  • Rya'c claims that Teal'c abandoned him and his mother because they made him weak.
• Distracted by the Sexy: O'Neill is briefly distracted by two female Jaffa who pass him in the corridor when the Hak'tyl take temporary refuge in the SGC.
• Does Not Know His Own Strength: Played for laughs when a fuming Teal'c plays table tennis with O'Neill and keeps pelting him with the balls, apparently without noticing.
• Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Ishta doesn't appreciate Teal'c insisting that she needs to rest without her tretonin, especially since he's in the same position.
• Guns Akimbo: Teal'c does this with two staff weapons, though in a twist he just zip-ties them together facing in opposite directions, so he can fire on both sides of him in his One-Man Army charge against the Jaffa guarding Moloc's camp.
• I Need a Freaking Drink: Bra'tac immediately takes a drink of wine after the blow up between Rya'c and Kar'yn at the wedding rehearsal.
• I Was Told There Would Be Cake: O'Neill allows Rya'c's wedding to happen at the SGC partly as a favor to his old friends...and also after inquiring if there will be cake.
• Info Dump: In the opening scene, Daniel delivers a long, rambling monologue to bring O'Neill (and the audience) up to speed on the situation with the Hak'tyl. O'Neill wastes no time in lampshading this.
  Daniel: Teal'c and Bra'tac believe that the only way to defeat all the system lords is to recruit as many Jaffa into the fifth column as possible. Now, only when their numbers are sufficient would it be possible to rise up and unilaterally destroy all the Goa'uld at once. Even then, Ba'al controls the Super Soldier army, which cannot be turned. So even if the rebel Jaffa can someday take out the majority of the system lords, there'd still be a massive war to fight. The problem is, though, Ishta doesn't wanna wait. Moloc is continuing to order the deaths of all female Jaffa born under his domain, and her underground railroad to Hak'tyl can't save them all. Even now, she's organizing a rebellion to overthrow Moloc. Now Teal'c and Bra'tac are trying to convince her to see the... the bigger picture.
  O'Neill: ...What was my question again?
  Daniel: Um... "How's it going?"
  O'Neill: It seemed so innocuous at the time.
• Laser Sight: Moloc is momentarily confused by the little red dot on his chest — until the SGC missiles turn and head straight for it.
• Love Is a Weakness: Teal'c cites this as the reason he's so against the idea of Rya'c getting married. Ironically, Aron later accuses Teal'c of being weakened by his feelings for Ishta.
• Men Are Strong, Women Are Pretty: Invoked by Rya'c and Kar'yn's wedding vows:
  Kar'yn: Rya'c, your heart is pure and your spirit strong. You give me strength and joy, and I will stand by your side always.
  Rya'c: Kar'yn, you are as beautiful as the sun. My love for you is like the morning rays at dawn over an endless day.
• The Mole: Subverted; Teal'c and Ishta suspect Aron of being this after the rebel Jaffa summit is attacked by Moloc's forces, but he turns out to be legit and ends up saving Teal'c's life.
• Noodle Incident: Whatever bureaucratic headaches and pains Jack (or alternately Hammond) had to endure for the SGC to get approval for 'Tailgate Tuesdays'.
• "Oh, Crap!" Smile: Carter and Daniel get matching forced grins on realizing that Rya'c and Kar'yn intend to hold the wedding ceremony at the SGC.
• Parental Marriage Veto: Teal'c is initially opposed to the idea of his son getting married as he believes Rya'c to be too young and doesn't want him to be forced to choose between the war and his family as Teal'c was. However, he changes his mind by the end of the episode, resulting in a heartwarming moment before the newlyweds leave where he hugs them both and accepts Kar'yn as his daughter-in-law.
• Politically Incorrect Hero: Ishta and Kar'yn both point out that Teal'c and Rya'c have some rather outdated views on gender equality.
• Sequel Episode: To "Birthright".
• Shoot the Hostage: A non-lethal variant; Teal'c zats Ishta when she is held at knifepoint by one of Moloc's guards, since the energy will transmit through both of them. The guard believed Teal'c wouldn't risk it when she was weak from tretonin deprivation, not realizing she had covertly taken it.
• Sound-Only Death: The SGC fires missiles through the Stargate, directed by Laser Sight straight at Moloc's chest. Cut to Teal'c in Moloch's tent with the Jaffa holding Ishta hostage, as the sound of an explosion reaches them.
  Teal'c: That is the sound of your false god dying.
• The Talk: Subverted at the end of the episode:
  Teal'c: Before your departure, there is a matter that bears discussion.
  Rya'c: Father, I am aware of the ways between a man and a woman.
  Teal'c: Good. Then you are prepared for the Rite of Or'nok.
  Rya'c: (horrified) Surely it is not still expected?
  Teal'c: On the first eve of shim'owa. My advice is that the knife be as sharp as possible.
  Rya'c: ...Perhaps Kar'yn is right. Not all of the old traditions are worth holding onto.
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight: O'Neill and Carter pass a horse in the corridor after the Hak'tyl move into the base.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: Ishta never shows up again, though her lieutenant Kal'el makes a few appearances as a member of the Jaffa High Council in season nine.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Ishta lays into Teal'c for wanting to bide his time and take out all the Goa'uld at once rather than trying to overthrow Moloc right away, as dozens of female Jaffa are being sacrificed under Moloc's regime while they wait.