Stargate SG-1 (TV Series) Prometheus Unbound (2004) User Reviews

The Return of General Hammond

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 27 August 2018]

Daniel Jackson tries to convince the reluctant Jack to let him go to Atlantis. Out of the blue, General Hammond arrives at the SGC and invites Daniel to travel with him to Atlantis in the Prometheus. Along their journey, they receive a distress signal from an abandoned Alkesh starship and General Hammond decides to investigate. However they are subdue by a warrior that hijacks Prometheus and leave Hammond and his crew in the damaged Alkesh ship. However Daniel stays in Prometheus and tries to take control back from the invader. But he has a great surprise.

"Prometheus Unbound" is a funny and full of action episode of "Stargate SG-1" that introduces a new character, Vala Mal Doran. It is also great the return of General Hammond with an important participation in the show. Looking forward to see the skilled Vala again. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Prometheus Unbound"

Co(s)mic relief.

[owlaurence · 8/10 · 26 July 2010]

I've just spent 40mn in stitches, so I really wish I could give this episode a full 10. The only think that stops me is that it really doesn't deserve the title "SG1", as Daniel is the only member of the whole SGC to feature in it (O'Neill only appears in the intro). According to the Trivia section, there is an explanation to this, but I still do not think it's right to split the team.

Apart from this, the episode is great from beginning to end. Daniel has been trying to go to Atlantis for some time, and thanks to Hammond's surprise comeback (cheers!) he now gets the assignment... but trouble is a-brewing in the galaxy, and he will never set foot on Atlantis.

Action-wise, there is everything you might ask for, as usual when spaceships are involved: races, battles, emergency repairs, perilous rescues, last-minute twists, Goau'ld threats and new worlds -with transport rings adding to the overall confusion. Nice. Especially as most of it focuses on Daniel, who tends to be a man of words rather than a fighter, but he gets some very heated (should I say hot?) fighting scenes here. (Oh, and thanks to whomever thought of putting him in a Kull armor. That was niice. Just sayin'.)

There is also a fantastic new character. Even though she is on the "good" side, Vala is ruthless and unscrupulous, and she can kick some butt. Daniel's butt, that is. I really hope she will be back because those two are just fabulous together: you can literally see the sparks flying around, which is a surprise when you consider how tame SG1's love lives usually are. ...Besides, Vala has been a Goa'uld host, which makes her the perfect girlfriend for Daniel(sorry, but it's true)

Mixed in with all the action are some hilarious sequences, worthy of Window of Opportunity. They work because they are not separate from the rest and do not rely on grimaces and silliness, but on adding an unexpected twist to familiar situations: Daniel's lecture gets interrupted by a hiccuping scientist; Reynolds is willing to risk his life to save Hammond, but blanches at the prospect of giving him mouth-to-mouth. Or --my absolute favorite--, Daniel's show of bravery in front of his Kull captor is cut short by the Kull's unexpected response.

So while Prometheus Unbound is not a turning point in the series, it is really entertaining and leaves you wishing for more.

Viva la chemistry

[Calicodreamin · 7/10 · 5 April 2022]

This gets top marks for the obvious chemistry between Daniel and Vala, hot damn. The storyline was interesting and played out in a few unexpected ways.

One of the best Daniel episodes!

[Fandom_world15 · 10/10 · 6 May 2020]

This episode was very enjoyable for me! The scenes with Daniel and Vala cracked me up, I love it!

Great seeing General Hammond but...

[koofasa · 8/10 · 4 January 2021]

Why did Michael Shanks agree to let a skinny woman kick his ass. Here he is a muscular guy but except for one early punch, a woman shows him to be a huge wimp. Very unmanly and sad for the iconic character. Also, how is it that nobody ever bruises from fighting which makes it look so fake.

So many complaints! *rolls eyes*

[enoswad · 10/10 · 23 February 2024]

Ok, I get it. A lot of people don't like the character of Vala. Get over it. She's here to stay and adds a lot--in my opinion. (It's nice to have a little romance and, with Jack promoted/not going on missions, there wasn't going to be a lot of caring moments between he and Sam.)

The exchange between Daniel and Vala (when she's in the Kull Warrior suit), when General Hammond returns to the Alkesh, and a few other choice lines, are some of the funniest exchanges on Stargate SG-1. Ever!

Such a delight to have General Hammond back, if only for a short while, and he had a really good part, too, not just a visit or a phone call.

Great episode, fun exchanges, not for Teal'c/Samantha Carter fans, I guess?

Really Bad

[Easygoer10 · 2/10 · 7 August 2020]

The writers seem to think Michael Shanks is Brad Pitt and Claudia Black is Ingrid Bergman. After Black was introduced, all goes downhill from here, fans. Skip to Stargate Atlantis.

Horrendously illogical

[n-middleton-117 · 3/10 · 20 August 2020]

This is one of those episodes that insults the intelligence of the viewers by creating scenarios or decisions that are either illogical or in some cases break constants of their fictional universe, just to allow the story to progress.

Regardless of if you love or hate the dynamic between Vala and Daniel, the gaping plot holes make for a drastically sub-par episode

SG-1 Jumped the Vala

[fcabanski · 5/10 · 22 September 2015]

In retrospect, this is when SG-1 jumped the shark. Given how epic a jump it was, the phrase should now be "jumping the Vala." This is a comic relief episode. By comedy, they mean bad comedy.

General Hammond returns to lead Prometheus on a mission to Atlantis. But any hope the episode might be a good one is dashed by the appearance of Dr. Novak, an annoying woman who constantly hiccups the goodness out of any scene, There's a distress call. Gen. Hammond decides to investigate. Someone rings aboard the vessel. It's a Kull (Anubis drone)! But it's zatting people instead of killing them. Daniel is the only one remaining. The intruder turns out to be Vala, a poor man's Han Solo in a poor man's Star Wars universe.

What follows is some lame banter, supposedly sexy fight scenes, half truths, and a trade gone wrong. The Goa'uld show up, Hammond shows up in the Goa'uld ship to which Vala ringed the crew, and all is right.

Hurrah, the doctor's hiccups are gone. Oh no, Vala escaped.

The writers were so preoccupied with their "comedy" that they didn't check for consistency.

• Daniel shoots Vala twice with a zat. She doesn't die. Maybe it's because it was a long time between shots. What's the time frame between shots for two shots kill? - Daniel shoots Vala in the thigh with the Zat. She's wearing Kul armor. It should protect her. Earlier she warns Daniel that it will protect her. He Daniel mimbles something about shooting her in the head. Aw heck, the thigh shot works anyway.

This is a forgettable episode. But we can't forget it, because Vala will be back for more Farscape SG-1.

I know the show is fantasy but...

[rcsipe · 3/10 · 25 December 2020]

Is it really necessary to disengage from reality so completely in regards to the dialogue and rational/logical actions that one may take in a given situation? Stretching physics or flat out having imaginary weapons in defenses is one thing but the actions people take are within a general range. It was as if the creators allowed their children to create an episode. I hope the review I read that says it's all downhill from here, skip to Atlantis, is incorrect. What a waste of the return of Hammond, whom is fantastic. Largely illogical and irrational episode.

Also the Prometheus is pathetic. They've literally saved the Asgard twice so I'd say they owe a ship or 50...

Pathetic...beginning of the end

[edpeace55 · 1/10 · 7 July 2021]

One of the two stupidest episodes of the series. The introduction of Vala shows how poor the writing can be and how ignorant the writers/producers think their audience is. Claudia Black thinks she is really sexy, and I'm sure Peter DeLuise does also, which is why he adds her to the show. An improbable plot, poor acting, and just ridiculous story are all we get here. So sad. Run away!

Nope

[jcollins-458-415387 · 2/10 · 18 December 2021]

I like that general Hammond was in this episode, I liked nothing else about it. The story was pointless, the weird lady I. The center of the story was unexciting, and the episode did nothing for the series.

Claudia Black/Downfall of Shiw

[Easygoer10 · 2/10 · 7 August 2020]

This is the real turning point of SG1. It became t & a (mostly "t") from here on. Sadly, as mentioned before, the last 3 seasons are downhill. In downhill skier's terms, a mogul was hit on this episode. Switch to Stargate Atlantis.