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Cold Lazarus is episode number six of Stargate SG-1's first season. The episode first aired on August 29, 1997 on Showtime. Its first syndicated airing was October 26, 1998. It was directed by Kenneth J. Girotti and written by Jeff F. King.
Spoiler Warning: Plot details and/or information about the ending follow. If you wish to enjoy the work first, stop reading here and return at another time.
Plot
SG-1 visits P3X-562 and finds a valley of broken blue crystal among the sand dunes. None of them are whole. Jack goes off on his own, out of sight og the team. He touches one of the crystals and is rendered unconscious. Suddenly, a perfect replica of him stands looking down at his body. Carter calls out to him and they all return through the gate.
On Earth, the replicated version of Jack is quiet and pensive but the change goes unnoticed. He goes through Jack's locker, looking at his photographs. Later, he leaves the base and returns to Jack's former home where he lived with his wife, Sara and their son Charlie.
Sara is surprised to see Jack. After their son accidentally shot himself with Jack's gun, Jack, feeling guilty and believing Sara was angry with him, left and the couple eventually divorced. Jack tells Sara that he is here to see Charlie. Sara becomes upset, at what she thinks is some sick joke, and runs into the house. Sara's father invites Jack in with the warning not to upset Sara further as she still has feelings for him. Jack goes to Charlie’s old room where he looks over Charlie’s things, remembering things about him.
Sara finds Jack in Charlie’s room and the two go to a nearby park where they talk. Sara tries to understand why Jack returned and why he left in the first place. Jack falls to the ground in pain and blue electrical energy sparks from his body. He says he needs to get back to the stargate but Sara takes him to the hospital.
At the SGC, Carter and Daniel are analyzing the crystal fragments they brought back. They use Teal'c’s staff weapon to confirm their theory that the crystals were destroyed by the goa'uld. Daniel accidentally discovers the crystals are alive, and one of them assumes a miniature version of Carter's face and explains that their race is called the Unity.
The planet of the Unity, a crystalline race made of energy, was visited long ago by the goa'uld. One of the Jaffa touched one of the crystals and was killed by its energy. In revenge, the Jaffa gathered all the crystals together and destroyed them. The crystal creature further explains that their energy is dissipating as they are away from their planet. As their energy dissipates they are emitting radioactive energy.
The gate is activated and the real Jack O'Neill returns from the planet, wondering why they left him behind. He is taken into custody and looked over by Dr. Fraiser who determines he's the real deal. On realizing that the crystal replica has gone to see Sara, he calls her home but gets the answering machine. He rushes off to find her.
Sara is with the Jack replica in the hospital. He reiterates that he needs to get back to the stargate. His body begins to radiate more energy, damaging lights and electronic equipment around him. Sara tries to touch him and hurts her hand. She retreats to the hallway
Jack and the military arrive and the hospital is evacuated and its power shut off. Jack runs into the hospital, stunning Sara as she realizes this is the real Jack. Jack and SG-1 finds the Jack replica in a corner, dying. He explains that when Jack touched him, Jack was injured. The crystal entity reached into Jack's mind and found the mind of a warrior. Fearful of a recurrence of what happened with the Jaffa, it tried to heal his pain but didn't understand it. It discovered that Jack's deepest pain was from the loss of Charlie. As physical death doesn't mean the same to the Unity, it did not understand that Charlie's death meant he could no longer exist as flesh and blood.
Jack explains that Charlie is gone but the replica reminds him that Charlie remains in his heart and transforms itself into a replica of Charlie. Charlie asks for Sara and Jack walks out hand in hand with Charlie. Jack explains that it's not really Charlie and the two hug and remind each other of how good their relationship used to be.
Crystal Charlie is brought back to the SGC and returned to his planet through the Stargate.
Previous Episode: The First Commandment
Next Episode: The Nox
Notes
- The title of this episode likely refers to the Biblical story of Lazarus resurrected from the dead.
- This episode makes it clear that Jack has not been very open with the members of his team about his past. Carter and Daniel get their first opportunity to understand Jack.
Guest Stars
Harley Jane Kozak as Dr. Sara O'Neill
Gary Jones as Walter Harriman
Teryl Rothery as Janet Fraiser
Kyle Graham as Charlie O'Neill
Wally Dalton as Sara's Father, Mike
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