9.04 "The Ties That Bind" Episode Guide

Précis

Daniel learns he and the wilful Vala have been permanently bound together by means of an alien energy field in the bracelets she used to trap him in order to protect her profit in the Avalon adventure. The ties that bind them can be broken, but only if Daniel, Mitchell and Teal'c undertake a series of dangerous bartering missions under Vala's wily eye.

Guide | Transcript

SciFi.com Official Summary

Back at Stargate Command and freed from the bracelets that bound them together, Daniel and Vala bid each other a not-so-fond farewell and return to their respective lives. But they haven't been apart for more than an hour before Daniel collapses and Vala reappears through the 'gate, also dangerously weak.

Although the bracelets are gone, their effect remains, perhaps because the Ancient communications device augmented their power. Whatever the reason, Daniel and Vala will die if they are separated. Until they can find a way to break the link, their lives are still bound together.

When Vala admits that Arlos Kadavam, the scientist from whom she stole the bracelets, might know the answer, a highly motivated Daniel insists that they visit the man immediately. With Mitchell, he and Vala head through the Stargate to Arlos' laboratory.

After some negotiation — during which Daniel and Mitchell learn more about Arlos and Vala's love life than they ever wanted to know — Arlos agrees to help, on one condition: Vala must return the heirloom necklace she also stole from him.

Unfortunately, Vala already sold that necklace to an unscrupulous Jaffa trader named Inago. And before Inago will sell it back, he wants the power coil he sold to her — but she's already disposed of that on yet another planet. Daniel and Mitchell are in for a very long day.

They follow the trail of Vala's ill-gotten gains to a cargo ship that is now in the hands of the Lucian Alliance, a dangerous gang of smugglers and mercenaries. Bottom line: If Daniel and Vala want the link broken, they'll have to steal back the cargo ship.

Gen. Landry, however, refuses to authorize this final step in their scavenger hunt. It's too risky, and besides, Stargate Command's budget is up for review in Washington, and he needs Daniel to testify at the hearing.

Grudgingly, Daniel travels to Washington for the hearing, with Vala sworn to silence at his side. Even with his articulate contribution, however, Sen. Fisher, the appropriations committee chairman, remains determined to impose drastic budget cuts. When Vala chimes in with some helpful comments about the chairman's anatomical shortcomings, Stargate Command's budgetary fate is sealed, and Gen. Landry is suddenly more than willing to approve a potentially profitable mission against the Lucian Alliance.

Daniel, Mitchell, Teal'c, and Vala will risk everything — but at this point, no danger seems too great if it removes Vala from all their lives for good.

Cast

• Ben Browder as Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell
• Amanda Tapping as Lt. Col. Samantha Carter
• Christopher Judge as Teal'c
• With Beau Bridges as Maj. Gen. Hank Landry
• And Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson

Guest Stars

• Claudia Black as Vala
• Lexa Doig as Dr. Carolyn Lam
• Bill Dow as Dr. Bill Lee
• Gary Jones as Sgt. Walter Harriman
• Wallace Shawn as Arlos Kadavam
• Malcolm Scott as Caius
• Michael P. Northey as Inago
• Geoff Redknap as Jup
• Eileen Pedde as Maj. Gibson
• Bruce Gray as Sen. Fisher
• Morris Chapdelaine as Tenat
• Darren Moore as Vosh

Production

• Written by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie
• Directed by William Waring

Related Articles

Keywords

• Lucian Alliance
• Stargate Command (SGC)

Other

• Season Nine Episode Guides
• Episode Guides
• Transcripts
• 9.04 "The Ties That Bind" Transcript
• Previous: 9.03 "Origin Part 3" Episode Guide
• Next: 9.05 "The Powers That Be" Episode Guide

Related Links

• SciFi.com Episode Guide

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--DeeKayP 19:27, 23 Jun 2005 (PDT)