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The episode starts with SG1 at an alien apparently abandoned planet. Daniel wonders out loud what’s in an antechamber and he gets a response! “I am in there!” Teal’c recognises the owner of the voice as Ma’chello, someone’s who’s been fighting the Goa’uld since before Teal’c was born! What’s even more amazing is that he’s someone who looks a lot like our very own Daniel might in about 100 years!! Ma’chello denies being Ma’chello and Daniel tries to convince him that they’re not Goa’uld.
Daniel: We’re not Goa’ulds.
Ma’chello: We’re not?? Of course we’re not. But if we’re not Goa’ulds, who are we?
Daniel: Well I’m Daniel Jackson from the planet Earth.
Ma’chello: Yes, yes that’s right I’m Daniel Jackson from the planet Earth.
Daniel: No I’m Daniel Jackson.
Ma’chello: No I’m Daniel Jackson.
As well as being pretty damned cute that Michael Shanks is insisting to himself that he’s Daniel Jackson. It’s also a pretty important scene as Jack references to it later and this whole ‘I’m Daniel Jackson’ thing is probably what gave Ma’chello the idea for what he does next. He uses one of his “inventions to fight the Goa’uld” on Daniel, which leaves us with a SG version of ‘Face Off’ i.e. Ma’chello and Daniel swap bodies! And since I’ll probably go insane trying to decide what do call them for the rest of the review, I’m gonna go with using the names matching personalities not bodies. So when I say Daniel I mean Daniel in Ma’chello’s body or in Jack’s!
Back on Earth (they haven’t figured out this face off thing) Ma’chello tells Janet and General Hammond that he’s feeling a little tired so he takes a day off. And goes out trying to make friends. He finds Fred, who’s asking for spare change on the street and they decide that they are both “strange!” Ma’chello offers to treat Fred to a “feast” an offer he later extends to a whole cafe full of people, using Daniel’s credit card!
Meanwhile, back in the infirmary Daniel (who was knocked unconscious by the machine is up again)
Daniel: Jack, Sam, Teal’c finally.
Jack: How does this gentleman know our names?
Daniel: As I’ve been trying to tell the General and the good Doctor here, I’m not Ma’chello, I’m Daniel Jackson.
Jack: Oh here we go!
Daniel: I realise what I look like but I’m telling you that machine somehow switched us.
I guess this is the most crucial scene in the whole episode!
They’re eventually convinced that it is Daniel, so they need the machine to switch him back. So SG1 minus Daniel go back to the planet dressed in protective gear because they’re treating the machine as hazardous material. Unfortunately the protection doesn’t work and Jack and Teal’c swap bodies.
Sam decides that this is actually a good thing because she can experiment on Jack and Teal’c and then they can find a way to put Daniel back. Isn’t that cute Sam is willing to use Jack and Teal’c as lab rats so Daniel doesn’t have to be! LOL
Ma’chello and Fred are coming out of the cafe when a couple of police officers who’ve been told to be on the look out for Ma’chello find them. He’s then taken back to the base. General Hammond orders him to reverse what he’s done. He replies that it’s impossible and even if he could do it he wouldn’t. However he agrees to teach Sam the code all he uses for writing so that she can use the inventions to continue fighting the Goa’uld. In exchange he wants his freedom and is willing to let Daniel just die as a casualty of war! Sam wants Ma’chello to get to know his “casualty.”
The scene that follows is pretty powerful and sweet and gives us an insight into Ma’chello and lets Daniel try his negotiating skills. I just couldn’t help but transcribe it. (Yes this does count as more evidence that I need a life!)
Sam: You two have met.
Daniel: From what I can see you’re looking well.
Ma’chello: What would you like me to say? I’m sorry that I wish I could undo it. I do not.
Daniel: Why?
Ma’chello: Why? Because I earned it, that is why. I earned it because I sacrificed my life for you and your people. The least you can do is compensate me with another.
Daniel: What right do you have to judge the value of my life?
Ma’chello: I suffered more than anyone should suffer in a lifetime. For 50 years I fought against the Goa’uld. Then I was betrayed by my wife whom they secretly turned into a host.
Daniel: So’s mine. She’s still with them.
Ma’chello: At least you still have a planet.....and friends. Two billion of my people died rather than surrender me to the Goa’uld.
Daniel: You have made great sacrifices. We owe you gratitude. But still it does not give you the right to take anothers life.
Ma’chello: If you had the technology, you would do the same.
Daniel: No I wouldn’t...Because then I would become no better than the Goa’uld.
Ma’chello: I am not a Goa’uld!! I HATE the Goa’uld.
Daniel: The Goa’uld use hosts because they think they are better than humans. Because they believe they deserve it. You’re a Goa’uld, Ma’chello. I am nothing but a host to you!
Ma’chello: I am not a Goa’uld.
Daniel: My wife is still alive. There is a chance I could still find her. You are stealing that chance.
Ma’chello: Even if you still had this body you will never find her.
Daniel: I will find her!! I will find....
Poor guy, he goes into defib!! Very Romeo and Juliet don’t you think. Sha’re is gonna be the cause of his death......Or at least the cause of one of his deaths! LOL. Luckily Dr. Frasier manages to revive him. Something that Daniel said must have registered because Ma’chello wishes he could swap back and Sam thinks of an ingenious plan to make it happen, actually she “plays a little musical chairs with their bodies!” Resulting in everyone ending up back where they started....after a few detours!
Ma’chello has one last thing to say to Daniel “Thank you for my holiday!” and General Hammond finishes the episode off quite appropriately with “Welcome back SG1”
Great Daniel Moments
There were quite a few! Jack was quite sceptical about Daniel being in Ma’chello’s body. Knowledge of Cassie and where the Stargate was found was enough to convince him. This was!!!
Jack: Describe for me, the dress your sister wore last week when I took her out.
Daniel: I don’t have a sister, Jack. And if I did, I wouldn’t let you near her!
Sam: Come on Daniel! They found the guy. They’re bringing him in! Daniel, you can’t die on me now!
Daniel (waking up): It’s nice to know you don’t just like me for my looks.
Daniel: Wow, what a dream! What happened?
Sam: I don’t have time to explain right now Daniel, bear with me.
Daniel: Okay
Jack (in Daniel’s body): Ohh Danny boy!
Very interesting look on Daniel’s/Jack’s face. If anyone has captured that....please let me have a copy!!!
General Hammond (directed at Jack...’s body): How did it go?
Teal’c (in Jack’s body): It did not go well, General Hammond.
Jack (in Teal’c’s body): Ya think??