Unlike the pacifist Nox, “Thor’s Hammer” introduces us to another, more hands-on potential ally in the fight against the Goa’uld.

What begins as a mission to investigate a planet feared by the Goa’uld quickly turns into something much bigger: one of the first real suggestions that there may be powerful, benevolent forces in the galaxy — and that humanity might not be as alone as it fears.

In this review, I get into why “Thor’s Hammer” is such a pivotal episode this early on in the franchise. Along the way, I dig into Teal’c’s courage, O’Neill’s refusal to leave him behind, and where Carter feels surprisingly out of step with an episode otherwise so beautifully rooted in Daniel’s sacrifice, O’Neill’s loyalty, and getting to know what the Asgard stand for, and what they might one day offer us.

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