[BEEPS]
Okay, Ec'co, I need information.
Environmental stats are nominal.
Gravity is 8.9.
And I am getting life-form readings.
Carbon-based. Warm-blooded.
Lots of them, major.
- Harrison, take a look. - One recon coming up.
There's a city, maybe two kilometers east.
Looks pretty advanced.
We could be talking indoor plumbing here.
Lots of antennas. Hey, maybe they got TV.
I was on a planet once where they based their whole society...
...on old TV broadcasts from Earth.
You're not serious.
We said, "Take us to your leader," and they said:
[IN VOICE OF RICKY RICARDO] "Lucy, you got some explaining to do."
[LAUGHS]
Any idea what he's talking about?
Not a clue.
[GROWLING]
[BEEPS]
[GROWLS]
You sure about those life forms, Ec'co?
I'm still reading them.
- Maybe they're all hiding. - From us?
Not necessarily.
STACEY: It's like a war zone.
No war. Electric wind.
Huh? Electric Wind? I used to have one of their CDs.
That building over there looks pretty important.
Wow, let's check it out.
Harrison, you and Draga guard the vehicles.
Can do, major.
Seattle, Ec'co, Stacey, you're with me.
ALL: Huh?
I am He'lot, creator of the Synth.
May I take you to your seats?
What is the Synth?
It is whatever you wish it to be.
May I take you to your seats?
Hmm. Not very good at small talk.
Look, we need to see to your boss.
I do not understand. "Boss"?
Whoever is in charge. The president, the prime minister.
- Oh? - You know, the leader.
Ah! I am the leader.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Yes, I can lead you to your seats.
This way.
[GROANS]
What do we do?
Follow the leader.
[GASPS]
What are they doing?
They are in the Synth.
Each one chooses an individual experience or environment...
...from the most tranquil to the most stimulating.
It's-- It's like a virtual-reality game.
Major? Take a look at this.
She's in bad shape.
Apparently this feeding tube has become dislodged.
She's starving, and has been for some time.
How long has she been in the Synth?
You may stay as long as you want.
The Synth is your world.
- May I help you find your seats? - We'll pass.
If you do not wish to be in the Synth, I must ask you to leave.
Yeah, and don't let the door hit us on our backsides on the way out.
Come on, let's get out of here.
[GASPS]
We can't just walk away.
- Look at them. - Hey.
They're all vegged-out.
I mean, that woman back there, she was starving and she didn't even know it.
- That's how it looks. - Well, doesn't that bother anybody?
It seems they have freely chosen to do this.
It is their way of life.
Just because they went in willingly, doesn't mean they're in control now.
- Huh? - Why are you worked up about this?
When I was a teenager, I was real unhappy.
I was having trouble at school, in the neighborhood.
I started playing a virtual-reality game.
It took me out of my problems. I didn't have to deal with them.
It was fun, it was exciting--
- But? - It just made everything worse.
The game became the most important thing in my life.
The only thing.
All I wanted to do was play the game. I wouldn't stop to eat or sleep.
I ignored my friends. I stopped studying for school.
I quit having a real life.
HARRISON [ON RADIO]: Major, we got a problem out here.
We're on our way, Harrison. Let's move.
This reminds me of when we used to play dodge ball in gym class.
[YELLS]
Get the equipment under cover.
[GRUNTS]
Uhn! Huh?
- Aah! - Aim for the center.
[BONNER GRUNTS]
- What was that? - Ever heard of ball lightning?
Heard about it, never saw it.
You have now, major. It's pretty rare on Earth...
...but apparently a lot more common here, and a lot more powerful.
What's going to happen when one of those balls hits that building?
It's gonna look like a 7-10 split in bowling. Only bigger.
There must be something we can do.
A society this advanced must have some way to protect itself.
Some kind of defensive system.
Well, it's doing a lousy job...
...and the people here are so zonked on games they don't seem to care.
They're so out of it they don't even know.
This damage looks new. Perhaps there was a recent malfunction.
ALL: Ahh.
Okay, then, I say we go ask.
[BEEPING]
I am He'lot, creator of the Synth.
- May I take you to--? - Save it for the next tour bus.
We wanna talk to the people inside.
I am sorry...
...you are not permitted to disturb anyone in the Synth.
I'm not asking for permission.
SEATTLE: Major, wait.
What would happen if you took someone out of the Synth...
...but they didn't wanna go?
The mind stays in the Synth until it is ready to leave.
Major, if you pull someone out of that game...
...you don't know what will happen.
There could be permanent psychological damage.
[GROANS]
Aah!
Save us a seat.
[DRAGA GRUNTING]
We need a new plan.
I didn't know we had an old plan.
First, we'd better find shelter.
I say we look for a hotel. Preferably five-star but I'm flexible.
You know how long it's been since I had a hot shower?
[SNIFFS]
Too long. Trust me.
Hmm.
Wait a minute. Look at this.
I was testing the MORV's systems when I picked up this signal.
EC'CO: It's from a Tranquan satellite.
- Sunspots? - Yes.
Like the solar storms we're used to on Earth.
The sun ejects huge amounts of electromagnetic radiation...
...and charged atomic particles.
Which messes up the magnetic field. Radio, TV, power grids.
Only it appears that the Tranquan sun has much bigger flares.
Which leads to very powerful waves of charged particles.
- Draga's electric wind. - Mm.
Which drops those electric storms all along the surface...
...in nice neat rings.
EC'CO: But there's more.
This is the flare that caused the storm that just went by.
And this is what's coming our way right now.
Maybe a hundred times stronger than the last one.
How long will it take to get here?
Traveling at the speed of light, maybe 10 minutes.
- Huh? - Wha?
This whole city will be destroyed.
We've got to figure out...
...how the Tranquans used to protect themselves.
Maybe we can get their defenses working again.
Even if we found it, there's no time to learn that kind of technology.
We've got to get the Tranquans out of the Synth so they can fix the problem.
ALL: Huh?
You heard what He'lot said. Their brains could fry.
What if we entered the Synth? We could shut it down from inside.
Uh-uh. Or lose touch with reality and get trapped, like the rest of them.
I can do it. I can stay in touch with Draga through our minds.
She can help me remember it's all just a game, just VR, not the real thing.
- Hmm. - You sure you wanna risk this?
If you do get stuck in the Synth, we might not be able to get you out.
We don't have any other choice. You ready?
[GRUNTING]
See you when I get back.
We hope your visit to the Synth will be a pleasant one.
Same here.
[GASPS]
[LAUGHING]
[BEEPING]
The storm just hit the edge of the city.
It's headed right for us.
Hard to see with Seattle.
Synth not game. Another reality.
Figures.
Why would anyone wanna leave a world they designed?
I'm sure it feels perfect.
DRAGA: Seattle, remember, not real.
- Huh? DRAGA: You are Stargate trainee.
Yes, the stargate.
MAN: Welcome home, cadet. - Huh?
Congratulations on making it back to Earth.
Is the Ancient all right?
The Ancient? You mean Draga?
DRAGA: Seattle, I with you, in mind.
Not be fooled by what think you see.
Got one.
Don't get cocky, Harrison. There's more coming.
Seattle, seek heart of Synth. Learn how works.
- Find way to-- - Draga.
- Unh! - Draga.
Oh, no.
Well? Is she gonna be all right?
I don't think there's any permanent damage.
Oh. Lost Seattle.
Cannot speak to her.
Seattle's lost in the Synth, alone.
Seattle, this is Gus.
Do you copy?
I am He'lot, creator of the Synth.
May I take you to your seat?
Yeah, you do that.
Come on, Draga, concentrate.
Try to re-establish contact with Seattle.
Cannot. Mind not focus.
Uncle Gus, come in. Do you read me?
What's he doing? Aah!
He'lot, can I share the Synth with someone else? The same fantasy?
The Synth is your world. You are in control.
Okay, then, here goes.
[BEEPING]
- Major. - This is your fantasy?
Major Bonner. Gus, I owe you an apology for having you court-martialed.
Yes, regrettable business, but I never doubted you were innocent.
Uh....
In fact, Stargate Command has decided to give you a promotion.
Congratulations, general.
Oh! Ha-ha-ha.
By the way, Cadet Montoya...
...that lottery ticket you bought right before you left?
It was a winner. You're a very wealthy young woman.
- You have your fantasy, I have mine. - Huh?
[BEEPS]
[GRUNTING]
What are you doing?
The ARJP's shutting down. All this static's messed up the circuits.
Mind clearer.
Draga, the major went into the Synth, to try to help Seattle.
You've got to make contact.
- Wha? DRAGA: Seattle, hear me.
Major, it's Draga.
Give me a minute.
DRAGA: You and major in Synth. Must find way to shut down.
- Michelle? - Yes, Gus. It's me.
Oh. I can't believe seeing you here.
It has to be 25 years, but you haven't aged a day.
Gus, I was wrong...
...asking you to choose between me and Stargate Command.
Now I see how much it meant to you.
- Can we--? Can we try again? - Hmm...
Major, it's the Synth putting on a show. She's not real.
But she was once.
We have to get to the central processing unit of the Synth.
We've got company.
This is like the video games I used to play.
Only with some recent additions.
[GROWLING]
Oh!
[GROWLING]
I used to play video games too.
- Look out. - Aah!
[GROWLING]
[YELLING]
SEATTLE: I think that's it up ahead.
Why are you doing this? The Synth is perfect.
That's what's wrong about it. Life is never perfect.
Sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's hard.
But at least it's real.
HE'LOT: Here, you can do whatever you want...
...be whomever you want, in your own world that you create.
You are in control.
In control, or trapped in make-believe?
- It isn't real and neither are you. - Aah!
[GASPS]
[ALL MUTTERING]
How did you know that would work?
Well, he said I was in control.
Lucky guess, huh?
You said it.
Oh!
A storm. Hurry.
We must raise the energy conductors.
We have to take cover.
Yeah, where?
Now.
Any other bright ideas?
See, there.
HE'LOT: When I created the Synth...
...I only wanted to make the lives of my fellow Tranquans more fulfilling.
Instead, I almost destroyed them.
Best laid plans, huh?
It's from an old Earth poem. Robert Burns, Scottish guy.
Eighteenth century.
I didn't spend all my time playing video games.
When I was younger, I really got into computer games.
Nothing like your Synth, but pretty neat.
- Oh? - My parents had to set a time limit...
...on how much I could play.
I hated that, at first.
Then I got into doing other things. Real things, at school or with friends.
Then one day, I realized I wasn't even using the game time I was allowed.
A time limit.
Interesting idea.
I wonder if the Tranquans will find reality boring after being in the Synth.
Maybe, at first.
But eventually, they'll figure out that nothing is quite as exciting as real life.
[ALL GRUNTING]
Subtitles by SDI Media Group