By: Carole
"No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." (John Donne)
In the case of Jack, Daniel, Sam and Teal'c, their "main" is SG1, the SGC, the USAF, Earth. The strengths of each enhance the ability of the whole; the weaknesses of each are negated by the others' strengths. This element of complementarity is highlighted especially well in episodes such as Solitudes. Jack, although injured, remains very much the leader, motivating Sam to continue her quest to save them from the ice. Sam, frustrated with her inability to get the DHD working, nevertheless perseveres, trying everything she can to ensure their safety. And Daniel is dogged in his determination to find his missing friends, refusing to give up even after Hammond has stood down the search teams. Supported in his search by the stoic Teal'c, Daniel's brilliant mind makes the connection between an earth tremor and the workings of the Antarctic gate. Working together, the team produces an episode which is full of dramatic tension, emotion, character development - and a neat twist.
Compare this to, say, the ponderous Grace, in which Sam is injured and alone. While Daniel is again the one determined to find his friend, desperately exploring possible ways to help her, Jack apparently doesn't care enough even to listen to him. Similarly with Teal'c, who is brushed off curtly when he tries to talk to Jack. In this story, this is no longer a team of four people brought together over a common purpose, but four individuals— Sam focusing on her love-life; Daniel the scientist searching for answers; Jack acting out-of-character, out-of-sorts and out-of-order; Teal'c being… Teal'c, very decorative.
Looking at episodes where the team work together - such as Torment of Tantalus, Fifth Race, The Nox, In the Serpent's Grasp/Serpent's Lair— they are a force to be reckoned with. They are not superhuman, but humans with extraordinary talents and abilities who care about their mission and about each other, and tell their tales with charm, appeal and humour. These characteristics seem to have been largely lost in the later episodes, with explosions, SFX and crassness in their place.
The team is still there; they do occasionally peek through. But I am hoping that in S8 they will be front and centre, that the stories will be character-driven, that our team will grow and become even greater than the sum of its parts— just as they used to be.
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