Defending Daniel: Part 1
[SPOILER ALERT: I am an unabashed, indefensible gate-dork. I have already seen the entirety of the last season of Stargate SG-1, because it aired in Britain on SkyOne. The second half of season 10 will not begin airing in the United States until April. If you don't want to hear commentary on an episode that has not yet aired in America, do not read this post.]
Okay. Hopefully, I’m about to assist those that need it in gaining some perspective. This is a subject that is very near and dear to my heart, and that subject is the ongoing development and evolution of the Stargate SG-1 character known as Daniel Jackson. Daniel Jackson is, in my personal opinion, one of most finely written and acted characters in science fiction, and at least belongs in the top 20 in television history. I have been nothing but consistently impressed with Michael Shanks’ portrayal of this battered, broken, constantly evolving man since the day he first started playing the part. I have seen in the last few days, a lot of blazingly ignorant, insufficiently thought out commentary on an event that occurred in the last episode of the show, and I would like to voice my perspective.
You see, I have read a lot of criticism directed at the writers, the character of Daniel Jackson, and even the actor, in reference to the content and performance of a certain scene in the last episode. The scene as we come into it is that Daniel, and the rest of the crew, are stuck in a time dilation field on a ship for several months. Everyone is frustrated, Sam is unable to solve the problem, and tensions are naturally, running a bit high. Vala decides that now is better than never to make Daniel aware of her ongoing romantic feelings for him. He emotionally eviscerates her, rips through her like a hurricane in a trailer park, and leaves her sobbing.
I have heard some very negative things concerning this scene. Some feel that the character of Daniel was “an asshole? and should have never behaved that way. That the “Daniel we know? would never be that overtly cruel. That the writing was fine, but the actor took the scene over the top, and inserted more malice than was intended. That the acting was fine, but the writing was out of character. And the thing I think is most telling is, that almost everyone agrees that “this is not a side of Daniel we’ve really seen before.? That, ladies and gentlemen, I will give you. And this is why.
Never before has Daniel been stuck on a ship, in a time dilation field, for months, with an object of romantic interest, after the hell he’s been through for the last 10 years. And never before, has he been so bruised, frustrated, and raw, that his fear, rage, and pain could not be held in check by his intellect. Point being, this is a situation tailor-made for Daniel to utterly flip. This is a side of Daniel we have not seen, because we have not before seen the circumstances that would cause it to show its face. A bit of background on Daniel, for those not in the know, or those that would like a refresher course. What follows is in mostly particular order, minor chronological errors not withstanding. I’m sure there are some.
Dr. Daniel Jackson is an only child, and was orphaned at an early age. He lost his parents, also archaeologists, to an accident involving a large falling artifact in a museum.
During the movie, the plot of which launches the show, the initial character is played with aplomb by the ever fabulous James Spader. Spader’s Daniel, and indeed, Shanks’ initial Daniel, is a frustrated but ambitious young linguist and scholar, who speaks more than 23 languages, and is the laughing stock of the academic community. This is because he is of the opinion that the Ancient Egyptian pyramids were landing platforms for spaceships. And the bugger of it is, he’s right.
He gets recruited by the Air Force as a civilian consultant. He is almost solely responsible for figuring out how to operate the gate. He proves invaluable as a translator to the people of Abydos, both in understanding their language and culture.
And it is in Abydos, that we see the beginning of Daniel’s long descent and evolution from the eager, excited puppy, to the hollow, jaded, combat-hardened veteran of interstellar war he is today. This guy has died more times than Buffy, and been kicked around emotionally like the universe’s personal hacky-sack.
He was killed by a staff blast while defending Jack O’Neill. He is subsequently resurrected by Ra, (the bad guy), using a sarcophagus. [DEATH #1]
He meets a woman on Abydos, named Sha’re. They fall in love and marry. By the end of the movie, he is so happy with his new wife, and the culture of the Abydonians, that he decides not to go back to Earth with the rest of the team. He would rather stay in a place where his knowledge and insight are valued, and he has a happy family, than return to a place where he’s a joke and a whipping boy. Especially now that he knows he’s right. I can’t say as I blame him.
Check back tomorrow for Defending Daniel: Part Two.
Jennifer Sulkin is a writer, gonzo journalist, jewelry artist, graphic designer, photographer, musician, actress, and occasional office drone. She is an avid student of world culture and cuisine. She has an inordinate fondness for hats. She has been known to mainline Diet Rockstar and make sushi, though usually not at the same time. One day she will be on the 11 o clock news for executing the Fox executives responsible for canceling Firefly. You may post her bail care of Pink Raygun.
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