On thinking about Emily's issue: I suppose I agree with you, Emily, in that they really didn't think about what the likely repurcussions would be, and what Sam would be like without the Stargate.

It's more likely that without the Stargate Sam would be a bitter, frustrated, angry woman stuck in the Pentagon -- or, more interesting, she'd have left the military entirely and gone into private industry, where she'd be working for Alex Coulsen and making millions on patents. On the down side, she wouldn't have gotten to be a soldier in the field and would probably have a pretty bad attitude about the military. And wouldn't have reconciled with her dad, who would have died four years ago.

Just a theory.

It's more likely that without the Stargate Sam would be a bitter, frustrated, angry woman stuck in the Pentagon -- or, more interesting, she'd have left the military entirely and gone into private industry, where she'd be working for Alex Coulsen and making millions on patents. On the down side, she wouldn't have gotten to be a soldier in the field and would probably have a pretty bad attitude about the military. And wouldn't have reconciled with her dad, who would have died four years ago.

Yeah, I think either of those options would've made more sense and would've meant more to me than the version we got. Oh well.

(Six years! Six!)

As to their motivations--well, they live in the world in which fucking Kinsey is the president. Uncertain future at an alien planet or being stuck 5000 in the past probably didn't sound so bad.

Hmmm. Insert "Bush" instead of "Kinsey" and I can see where many people in the AU might think it beneficial to investigate.

I think the whole impetus of the AU government was more dependant on investigating if the things on the tape were true. From there, they could evaluate the results of their investigations.

At the very least, they will get a device that will let them travel to other worlds out of the deal. Plus? Time machine. From that standpoint, I can see the government being very enthusiastic.

Since we have not officially seen the second half until next week, I shall refrain from discussing the outcome of this week's decisions, of course.

As for Rodney, I think the AU Rodney was spot-on the annoying and arrogant Rodney we met the first couple of times on SG-1.

He didn't have the time in Russia that "our" Rodney had to endure. Plus he didn't have the experiences of the Atlantis mission to mold him to be a more sympathetic and self-reflective person. In the AU, nothing has changed.

Did anyone catch that in the AU Rodney said "They're serving Lemon Chicken, my favorite." In the "normal" universe he claimed to be allergic to citris. I always doubted that. This might be their way to make it an inside joke.

(Six years! Six!)

Oooops! Yes, of course.

And I loved that lemon chicken mention. Maybe he's not really allergic to citrus, or it's one of the butterfly-effect things.

I got a laugh out of how thick of a stereotypical "Minnesota" accent Jack got in the AU.

It was half Minnesotan/half Canadian.

if the decision's being made by AU!Hammond, he's not going to take that into consideration, regardless of what the original Sam, Jack, and Daniel say.

But our SG1 is holding all the information. If they want what they want, they can deliver data selectively.

Consider the effect that the episode 1969 not happening could have on Sam. That could account for her definite difference in path.

Yeah, the point about the potential impact of 1969--since we know Hammond was a friend of the Carter family--is a good one. Anyway, it's an in.

But our SG1 is holding all the information. If they want what they want, they can deliver data selectively.

True, and yet... they don't know who the people are who will be receiving the information, and what may have changed. I still don't see any logic behind Hammond sending anyone into the past, but then I haven't seen any indication he will.

Unspoiled predictions: They send people through the gate. Time being as elastic as it is, they run afoul of Apophis and/or Anubis, and come squealing home with their tail between their legs. Without the skills/experience of the original timeline, they're dead meat, and that's the rationale for trying to fix the timeline.

But I'm just speculating.

If I were making the tape, it'd be something like "There's a huge threat out there, enslaving humans all over the galaxy. We have the knowledge of how to fight them -- you can't get that without the Stargate, if you don't already have it."

It would be interesting to consider an AU where they'd buried the first gate, or destroyed it, and what'd have to be done to get the Antarctic one put into use.

But as you say -- Hammond's given no indication of what he wants to do.