Keeping the ties to the past eight years
Season Nine will see a lot of changes for the SGC and SG-1, but that doesn’t mean that we’ll have to get used to new characters as if starting from scratch. The stories starting out the season link to the past eight years with a host of recurring characters who shared SG-1’s adventures throughout the war against the Goa’uld, the fight for the Jaffa’s freedom, and the war against the Replicators.
Starting the season is the premiere entitled “Avalon Part 1”. Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) and Teal’c (Christopher Judge) will be there to link the old and the new. We’ll be introduced to new regular characters Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell (Ben Browder) and Maj. Gen. Hank Landry (Beau Bridges). Even with such high-profile new leads, be assured that Sgt. Walter Harriman (Gary Jones) will be manning the control systems and announcing incoming travelers and chevron locks. And, along the way, Vala (Claudia Black, introduced in “Prometheus Unbound”) makes her reappearance and stays for up to six episodes to provide the female’s touch to an all-male newly-formed SG-1 (Mitchell, Daniel, and Teal’c).
Speaking of the female touch, we’ll also be introduced to Dr. Carolyn Lam (Lexa Doig) who is not only the Chief Medical Officer of the SGC, but also Gen. Landry’s daughter and a possible past love interest of Mitchell’s.
Additional beloved recurring characters, according to spoilers and Joe Mallozzi on his “Ask Joe Mallozzi” thread on the GateWorld forum, include Master Bra’tac (Tony Amendola) and Rak’nor (Obi Ndefo). These two Jaffa are joined by the new recurring character and one of the Free Jaffa Nation leaders, Gerak, played by Louis Gossett, Jr.
Dr. Bill Lee (Bill Dow) will also return in Season Nine. His presence is certain in the third episode, “Origin”, as he works to save Daniel and Vala from the grips of alien technology.
Ba’al (Cliff Simon) is mentioned in some of the spoilers, but we don’t know yet if we’ll see his face, in the episode, “Ex Deus Machina”. The mere fact that he is mentioned at all should prove that the Goa’uld are still around and causing problems, even after the major defeat of the System Lords during Season Eight. Looking for Ba’al on Earth will be the recurring character of NID Agent Malcolm Barrett, played by Peter Flemming.
And, if casting plans go as intended, we’ll see the Ascended Being Orlin once more (from Season Five’s “Ascension”). He is supposed to return in the mid-season two-parter, “The Fourth Horseman”, played by Sean Patrick Flanery. If Flanery is not available, however, the story will be written for another Ascended.
Andy Mikita, director, mentioned on his “Galaxy of Stars” forum that Dan Shea will return as Sgt. “Sly” Siler in Season Nine, but no specific episodes were mentioned. Dan Shea is also the program’s stunt coordinator.
And, last, but certainly not least, fans of Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) will see those characters making appearances during the new season. Jack will appear in at least two episodes (the season premiere, “Avalon Part 1”, and the third episode, “Origin”), while Carter will return to the SGC in the seventh episode (“Ex Deus Machina”) and stay until the close of the season. It was intended that Vala fill in for Carter during her absence, but some convention rumors have it that they want Vala to return to the show for more episodes, even while Carter is there.
Watch this blog and our Season Nine Episode Guide for details about the new season which is slated to premiere on the SciFi Channel at 8PM Eastern on July 15, 2005.
Season Nine Episodes To-Date*
– 9.01 “Avalon Part 1”
– 9.02 “Avalon Part 2”
– 9.03 “Origin” (Part 3)
– 9.04 “The Ties That Bind”
– 9.05 “The Order”
– 9.06 “The Powers That Be”
– 9.07 “Ex Deus Machina”
– 9.10 “The Fourth Horseman Part 1”
– 9.11 “The Fourth Horseman Part 2”
Links for the episode spoiler discussion threads can be found here: SG1Solutions Forum.
* Note: Episode names and order may change as they are still in production.