The Za'tarc incursion was an effort by the Goa'uld System Lords to disrupt the Federation-Tok'ra Treaty and kill key figures on both sides using Za'tarcs, brainwashed agents from both the Federation and the Tok'ra.
Prelude[]
In the two months leading up the Za'tarc incursion, three Tok'ra operatives suffered extreme behavior incidents ending in suicide. This caused the Tok'ra host Freya to suggest that they were Za'tarcs, assassins created by Goa'uld brainwashing, but the Tok'ra High Council didn't agree with her theory. (SG1: "Divide and Conquer")
Not long before the incursion began, SG-1, while under the influence of the Atanik armbands, underwent a rogue mission to destroy Apophis' Battleship. During the mission, both Colonel Jack O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter were rendered unconscious for a time when their armbands fell off and became separated by a force field during which time O'Neill refused to leave Carter behind. SG-1's C-4 ultimately knocked out the shield and allowed the two to escape as the battleship was destroyed. (SG1: "Upgrades")
Battle[]
While meeting with the Tok'ra to discuss High Councilor Per'sus meeting with the President of the Federation to sign an official treaty between the Federation and the Tok'ra, Major Thomas Graham of SG-14 suddenly activates a small Goa'uld weapon and opens fire when Per'sus enters. Graham shoots two Tok'ra bodyguards, Per'sus and Captain Blasdale while being uninjured by a zat'nik'tel blast from another Tok'ra whom he shoots. When he turns his weapon on Freya, Colonel Jack O'Neill tackles her to the ground and Graham activates the self-destruct on his weapon, killing himself.
Per'sus survives and recovers and Freya explains that Graham was a Za'tarc, a person brainwashed by the Goa'uld through mind-control into becoming an unwitting assassin and then implanted with a false memory to cover it up. While Freya had believed in the existence of Za'tarcs before after three Tok'ra operatives suffered extreme behavior incidents in the previous two months ending in suicide, the High Council didn't agree with her theory. Freya explains that the assassin didn't know what was going on with their programing activated by an audio or visual signal such as the arrival of Per'sus at which point the Za'tarc programing would take over and the person would have no control over their actions. However, Freya was having a difficult time proving her theory as each case ended with a violent suicide that destroyed any evidence. SG-1, Martouf and Freya realize that the Goa'uld System Lords likely know of the impending treaty between the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri and are thus trying to sabotage it meaning there are likely other Za'tarcs out there. Freya thus proposes a method of testing for such Za'tarcs before the treaty summit which Per'sus wants to continue.
Freya brings her Za'tarc detector to Earth to begin testing Stargate Command personnel starting with SG-14. Dr. Janet Fraiser examines Graham's remains and medical files and determines that she can't find anything that would've indicated that his mind had been altered, making it harder for them to detect Za'tarcs without the help of the Tok'ra. The Za'tarc detector reads a person's mind and determines if they are lying whether or not they are aware of it. As a Za'tarc is programed with a false memory, if they are questioned about the time that they fell under the brainwashing and repeat the false memory, the detector would be able to tell. Freya tests Lieutenant Louise Astor of SG-14 who is revealed to be a Za'tarc by the detector when she recites what is unknown to her, a false memory. As a result, Freya suggests a dangerous and experimental procedure to remove the Za'tarc programing. Astor agrees, however, when the procedure is started, it causes her great pain so Freya stops. Astor's Za'tarc programing is activated and she throws around two SFs, grabs a gun, shoots at Freya and then shoots herself in the head. The SFs are seriously injured but will recover while Freya realizes that the Za'tarc programing has a failsafe that keeps it from being tampered with and the self-inflicted damage keeps a post-mortem exam from finding anything.
Colonel Jack O'Neill refuses to leave Major Samantha Carter behind
Determined to continue with the summit, Freya decides to test SG-1 next for Za'tarcs. Questioned about their mission to PX9-757, the detector determines that O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter are lying about the time they were separated by a force field and are thus Za'tarcs. The two are locked up while the rest of the SGC personnel and the High Councilor and his advisors are tested and come up clean. As the summit approaches, Freya grows worried that O'Neill and Carter could become self-destructive if they can't fulfill their mission as another Za'tarc did. Freya suggests that if the procedure went through without being interrupted, the failsafe could be overcome and the Za'tarc programing broken. To this end, Martouf and Dr. Daniel Jackson bring the option to Carter and O'Neill. Both refuse so it is decided to sedate them until a better treatment can be found. Upon hearing this, O'Neill agrees to undergo the procedure, hoping that even if he dies in the process, what is learned from him can be used to help Carter. As Carter is about to be sedated, she flashes back to the mission and realizes that she and O'Neill lied without realizing it and asks to be taken to him. Carter talks to O'Neill and tells him they weren't telling the whole truth so the machine thought they had false memories. After reminding O'Neill what they weren't admitting to, she has Freya retest him. During the retesting, O'Neill admits to caring about Carter more than he's supposed to, the thing he left out last time. With that revealed, O'Neill is confirmed not to be a Za'tarc. Carter is retested as well and is proven not to be one as well.
Martouf is shot to death
Trying to determine who a possible Za'tarc could be, Carter realizes that Martouf hasn't been tested and has been in a situation where he'd be vulnerable to the Za'tarc technology. When the President arrives, Martouf's programing activates and he dons a Za'tarc ring and attacks. O'Neill and security officers shoot Martouf to no avail and Typhuss shoots him with a zat'nik'tel to no effect either. Unable to complete his mission, Martouf goes to self-destruct and begs Carter to stop him. Reluctantly, Carter shoots Martouf a second time with a zat, killing him. No one else is hurt and the real President wasn't there in case there really was a Za'tarc. The President is summoned while Carter is left to mourn Martouf's death. (SG1: "Divide and Conquer")
Aftermath[]
While the Tok'ra are unable to save Martouf, they are, however, able to save his symbiote Lantash who is left weakened from the experience. However, Lantesh later perishes during the Battle of Revanna with his new host Lieutenant Kevin Elliot. (SG1: "Summit", "Last Stand")
Appearances[]
- Stargate SG-1
- Season 4
- "Divide and Conquer"
- Season 4