After Jonas Quinn (Corin Nemec) touches an ancient device, activating it, he’s the only one that sees a strange insect-like creature that vanishes through a wall when they bring the device back to Stargate Command.

Written by Damian Kindler from a story by Ronald Wilkerson, this episode debuted on 17 January, 2003.

O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) suggests that it may be because of Jonas Quinn’s prolonged exposure to naquadria. This is just before he heads out on a fishing trip, the team having earned some downtime.

Carter (Amanda Tapping) and Jonas Quinn go to work on the device, though even he begins to think there is something wrong with him if he’s the only one seeing anything. He still thinks the device is the cause but won’t be able to study it further because Hammond (Don S. Davis) is having is sent to Area 51.

But when Teal’c (Christopher Judge) and O’Neill (while on the road) sees something, they realize there is something going on. What is it though?

Do these things pose a threat to the entire planet? They seem to be interdimensional, and insubstantial, but they could end up freaking out the general population should they start appearing further afield.

Jonas Quinn and Carter work to disable the device, but will it be enough? The creatures seem to be spreading, and they are beginning to cause destruction. The pair are able to figure it out, but O’Neill and SG1 has one more thing to take care of, besides fishing, a vet named Vernon (Jody Racicot).

Smoke & Mirrors is going to plunge us back into the political side of SG1, and opens with what looks like O’Neill assassinating president hopeful, Kinsey (Ronny Cox).

Written by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie from a story by Katharyn Powers, it debuted on 24 January, 2003.

When O’Neill is arrested, Hammond asks the rest of SG1 to conduct their own investigation. O’Neill insists he was on vacation, but all the evidence seems to suggest otherwise. Carter thinks someone stole a mimic device from Area 51, and now they know it’s someone inside the government working against the SGC, and hanging O’Neill out to dry.

Who is it?

Carter, Teal’c and Jonas Quinn go to work and try to figure out who is responsible and clear O’Neill’s name. Carter ends up working with an NID agent, Barrett (Peter Flemming) as it seems that someone in the NID is responsible for the murder and the framing.

Can SG1 stop the rogue elements inside the NID (again)? But both Barrett and Carter are keeping huge secrets from one another…

In both of these episodes, Anderson isn’t quite as up front in the story as he used to be. It’s obvious that he’s beginning to pull back a little on the series, getting ready to move on. His character is still essential to the series, but he’s not around all the time.

And that is something that is going to continue.