Maybourne (Tom McBeath) is back as a throrn in O’Neill’s (Richard Dean Anderson) side in Paradise Lost. Written by Robert C. Cooper the episode debuted on 31 January, 2003.

The former colonel, and on-the-run traitor approaches O’Neill with information about the weapons cache on the planet that Simmons (John de Lancie) stole the X-303 to reach. He will help SG-1 recover the cache, with a key in his possession that will open a doorway, if he is given a presidential pardon.

Can he be trusted?

Of course not. He attempts to use the key for himself, but O’Neill gets through the portal as well. It’s not a stock of advanced weaponry, it’s a utopia, where Maybourne was hoping to vanish and retire to.

But is there a way for O’Neill to get home? And will he let Maybourne stay?

But the utopia is gone, died out. And now the pair could be stuck. And they both seem to be sinking into mistrust and a hint of paranoia.

Back on the otherside, Carter (Amanda Tapping), Teal’c (Christopher Judge) and Jonas Quinn (Corin Nemec) attempt to find a way to retrieve O’Neill. They even bring Dr. Lee (Bill Dow) for help.

The days and weeks pass. Is there any hope for O’Neill? Can SG-1 survive without him?

We won’t have to find out yet, because Carter finally figures out how to rescue them. And O’Neill in the end, agrees to let Maybourne go. He’s sure the Tok’ra will find a place for him to live out his retirement.

A solid episode, and it’s fun to see Anderson center stage again, and his chemistry wit McBeath makes the pair a lot of fun to watch.

Metamorphosis sees the return of Nirrti (Jacqueline Samuda). Written by James Tichenor from a story developed with Samuda, this episode debuted on 7 February, 2003.

A Russian team brings back a young man who pleads for help from Stargate Command. Nirrti is experimenting on a planet’s population. She is altering DNA in real time, and has a whole planet as her test subjects.

SG-1 and the Russian team go to the planet to take out Nirrti once and for all. The citizens of the planet are all mutated, but they believe that Nirrti has saved them all from a plague, and that she cares for them.

They help capture the two teams, and soon Nirrti thinks about experimenting no her enemies. But she finds Jonas Quinn particularly intriguing.

Held as prisoners can they convince the people to use their mutations to fight against Nirrti? They do, with their mix of abilities, and Nirrti is finally dealt with.

This one wraps up another Goa’uld story thread and I can’t believe we are are racing towards the end of season six already!