Vala (Claudia Black) and SG-1 head to a planet that has reported seeing Ori Priors. What Vala hasn’t told Cameron (Ben Browder) and the rest is that this is the planet she ruled over when she was held by the Goa’uld and ruled as Qetesh.

The Powers That Be was written by Martin Gero and it debuted on 12 August, 2005.

Vala believes that if she maintains the image of her rule over them, it may be able to stop or slow the Ori’s progress. But that’s not the only reason she’s come back, she wants to reclaim the treasures she has stowed there.

When they learn the Ori are due the next day, Daniel (Michael Shanks) and Vala clash over what must be done. He pleads with her to reveal the truth, but when she does, the people plan to execute her, and perhaps will go over to the Ori after all.

So they decide to hold a trial. And that may not go as well as SG-1 hoped, Vala has quite the checkered past.

Can they use the public forum to get the truth out, or will the arrival of the Ori Prior (Greg Anderson) complicate things? So will Daniel be able to use the forum to disprove the religious aspects of the Ori, or will the Book of Origin sway more and more people?

And does the worshiping of the Ori somehow empower them?

When the citizens fall ill, it seems like the Ori are up to no good. If they can’t have the people of the planet, perhaps they just take the planet.

Back at Stargate Command, we learn of a connection between Landry (Beau Bridges) and Dr. Lam (Lexa Doig) before she joins SG-1 in the field to help the dying.

The Ori narrative is still being built as the SGC and the viewer work to understand their abilities, and figure out how dangerous the Ori will be to everyone. Faith can be dangerous, and we are seeing that here as more worlds claim, all hail the Ori.

We’re also seeing this new variation of the team, and its supporters, gelling in a fun and interesting way. They better gear up, because the Ori are a real threat!

Beachhead shows that the Ori are continuing their thrust into our galaxy when they land on a Jaffa controlled world. The Ori Prior (Ian Butcher) creates a force-field around the gate, inhibiting its use, and keeping it open, and the problems are going to get worse from there.

The SGC is contacted by a minor Goa’uld systemlord, Nerus (Maury Chaykin). He was the Goa’uld who was able to connect the gates to help defeat the Replicators. Both Vala and Teal’c (Christopher Judge) warn that he cannot be trusted.

Written by Brad Wright, Beachhead was first broadcast on 19 August, 2005.

Nerus offers his assistance but he’s arrogant, gluttonous, and as annoying as you would expect a Goa’uld who believes he is a god to be. He is convinced, however, that he can find a way around the force-field and disable it. He is convinced that this is the first real threat the Ori pose, the first wedge in a full-scale invasion.

Happily, Carter (Amanda Tapping) arrives at the SGC to help out, and that means she’s there to rejoin SG-1 (finally!).

But is Nerus up to something? Goa’uld only look out for themselves. So will he really help?

Carter and the rest of SG-1 have a plan with some help from Nerus. It involves the Prometheus, a gate-buster, and spacesuits.

But are they underestimating the Ori? Or are they just not ready for how dangerous an enemy the Ori are?

The plan goes incredibly wrong, the Ori knew what SG-1 would do, and use the energy of the bomb to do their work for them. The beachhead is going to turn into a full-scale galactic invasion! They create a Super-Gate! And all of this may mean that Nerus was working for the Ori!

Alliances are frayed and the stakes are raised. Buckle up, because it looks like we’re about to be embroiled in a religious war! But before the episode ends, Vala is going to prove how invaluable she really is. But will she survive?

Loved this one, it definitely raises the stakes, invests us further into the characters, and Cameron gets the band back together (finally).