Season 1 isn’t holding back. In “The First Commandment,” an Earth commander crosses the ultimate line — becoming a god to a broken world.
Grab your gear. We’re diving through the gate.
Another Day, Another Filler
We’re six episodes in, and the main storyline still feels stuck in orbit. Since the pilot — when Skaara and Sha’re were kidnapped — SG-1 has mostly been hopping between planets based on Carter’s gate coordinate algorithm.
This time, though, they’re not exploring at all. SG-1 is dispatched to locate SG-9, a missing team. That’s it. No clues, no breadcrumbs about Ra or Apophis — just a search mission that goes sideways.
They Did a (Slightly) Better Job Explaining the Planet
Finally, some actual worldbuilding. The planet’s sun emits harmful radiation that drives people delirious and burns skin within minutes. Carter even notes the eerie silence — no birds, no signs of life beyond the resilient flora.
We never learn why the plants survive, but that’s fine. The episode at least tries to make the world feel distinct instead of “generic Canadian forest #27.”
This Time, We Encounter One of Our Own
SG-1 eventually discovers SG-9’s commander, Captain Hanson, has gone full megalomaniac — declaring himself god to the locals. The twist? He’s also Carter’s ex-fiancé.
It’s a wild setup with serious potential for emotional tension… but the delivery feels undercooked.
Carter Was Engaged?!?
I’m all for character backstory, but dropping “oh yeah, we were engaged” mid-mission feels abrupt. Calling off an engagement is huge — it’s not the kind of detail you just toss into dialogue like a fun fact.
And later, when Carter hesitates to shoot Hanson, it raises questions the episode doesn’t bother to answer. Does she still love him? Is she traumatized? Does she feel guilty?
The writing treats it like an obstacle, not an emotional wound. If there were more nuance, it could’ve landed harder.
First Time the Gate Is Used as a Death Trap
Near the end, Hanson is shoved into an active Stargate without a valid iris code — meaning instant death.
That moment reframes the gate’s power. It’s not just a door for exploration — it’s a weapon, a cultural relic, even a symbol of faith for some worlds.
It’s dark, creative, and hints at how terrifying the Stargate can be when turned against you. Early SG-1 didn’t explore this often, but this scene lingers.
Final Thoughts – Early SG-1 Doing Early SG-1 Things
This episode is pure “Season 1 energy” — human drama dressed as sci-fi. Aside from the dome and the Stargate finale, it could’ve been set anywhere on Earth.
Still, it plants small seeds for what SG-1 will later become: moral conflict, the consequences of power, and glimpses of the larger mythos.
What did you think of “The First Commandment”? Drop your thoughts below — I’d love to know if it hit you differently.