"I'm trying to bring an entire galaxy from darkness into light. In order to do that, all doubt must be removed or it will spread like a cancer."
— Adria
Earth's alliance with the Free Jaffa Nation is endangered when the Jaffa use the Dakara superweapon against a planet where Ori followers have gathered, killing thousands of humans in the process. The team attempt to salvage what they can from an Ori warship left behind on the planet only to find that the Jaffa have the same idea, while Daniel and Vala have a run-in with Adria, now a full-grown adult intent on leading the Ori armies to victory.
"Counterstrike" provides examples of the following tropes:
- Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene: Daniel opening up to Vala about Sha're.
- Balcony Speech: Adria gives one to her followers at the beginning of the episode.
- Blatant Lies: Mitchell claiming that he and Teal'c are alone on the ship after they're captured by Jaffa, despite the fact that the Jaffa heard him talking to Carter on the radio.
- Bus Crash: Possibly the case for Jonas Quinn; Carter mentions at the end of the episode that Langara is among the planets that have fallen to the Ori and that they haven't been able to get in contact with their allies there.
- Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Adria reassures Vala that she won't kill Daniel because she has "plans" for him.
- Concealment Equals Cover: Averted; Daniel and Vala hide behind an altar, but they're instantly spotted by the first Jaffa patrol to walk into the room.
- Continuity Nod:
- The Dakara superweapon is used again.
- Daniel tells Vala about what happened to Sha're, specifically referencing events from "Children of the Gods" and "Forever in a Day".
- Carter mentions that the control chair on the Ori ship is of similar design to the Ancient chair in Antarctica.
- Carter says that Earth can't afford to lose another ship following the destruction of the Prometheus and the Korolev.
- Landry reminds the Jaffa of their prior agreement never to use the superweapon again.
- Carter mentions that Hebridan and Langara were invaded by the Ori.
- Downer Ending: Dakara is destroyed, more planets have fallen to the Ori, the Tau'ri-Jaffa alliance is hanging by a thread and the team are at a total loss as to how they can possibly fight Adria and her armies.
- Empty Piles of Clothing: This is all that's left behind after the Dakara superweapon is used on living tissue.
- Fantastic Racism: Landry accuses Se'tak of this. The Dakara Weapon could easily have been used on any of the occupied Jaffa worlds, yet Se'tak intentionally chose a human world. Se'tak is also visibly anti-Tau'ri, dismissing them despite all Earth did to help the Jaffa against the Goa'uld.
- Frontline General: Landry personally travels to Dakara in order to meet with Se'tak, the new leader of the Free Jaffa.
- Genocide Dilemma: Landry gives a What the Hell, Hero? speech to Se'tak for using the superweapon to kill thousands of human villagers. Se'tak stands by his decision, however, as all those killed were followers of the Ori.
- Godzilla Threshold: Se'tak uses this to justify his use of the superweapon, pointing out that all their conventional weapons are useless against the Ori and the consequences of losing the war are too great to risk.
- I Will Punish Your Friend for Your Failure: The Jaffa who capture Mitchell and Teal'c on board the ship threaten to kill them if the other three don't reveal themselves.
- Internal Reveal: Minor example. Vala finally learns about Sha're after Daniel mentions he knows the sense of loss Vala's experiencing.
- It's All My Fault: Vala admits that she holds herself at least somewhat responsible for Adria's actions, insisting that maternal instinct can only excuse so much and if she'd really been determined enough she could have terminated the pregnancy.
- Just in Time: The team are beamed off the ship and make their escape in the Odyssey just as the superweapon is activated again.
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: Upon entering the Ori ship, the team splits up into smaller groups consisting of Daniel and Vala, Mitchell and Teal'c and Carter on her own.
- Mexican Standoff: Mitchell and Teal'c get into this with the same group of Jaffa on two separate occasions.
- Mind Rape: Adria tries to do this to Daniel in order to find out where the superweapon is located, but she comments that his mind is too strong for her to penetrate and ends up reviving one of the Jaffa she'd just killed to get the information from him instead.
- Morality Pet: Subverted; it's made clear that Adria does genuinely love and care for Vala, and wants her mother to come around to her way of seeing things, but she won't allow Vala to sway her from her "destiny" to lead the Ori to victory.
- Not Quite Dead: The heroes assume that Adria is dead since she's on the planet the first time the superweapon is activated at the beginning of the episode, but unfortunately things were never going to be that easy and sure enough she shows up again before long.
- Orbital Bombardment: Adria destroys Dakara this way at the end of the episode.
- Power Glows: Lampshaded when Mitchell and Teal'c find a large glowing generator on the Ori ship:Mitchell: I'm no expert, but this looks important.
- Protective Charm: Adria wears a pendant containing a piece of the holy city of Celestis that protects her from being harmed, even by a weapon capable of disintegrating all other living tissue.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Teal'c states that he is ashamed of his fellow Jaffa choosing to use the superweapon, calling it "dishonorable".
- Psychic Strangle: Adria does this to four Jaffa at once, later reviving one of them to get more information out of him before killing him again via psychic Neck Snap. She also starts doing it to Daniel after he tries to shoot her, but Vala talks her down.Vala: Okay, we all know, darling; you have telekinetic powers. You can stop showing off now!
- Remember the New Guy?: Se'tak is introduced as the current Jaffa leader even though he's never been mentioned before now. Probably justified to the political shake-ups from Gerak's death, Ba'al's attempts to brainwash the High Council, and any political fallout from the Ori Invasion.
- Sanity Slippage: It's implied Se'tak's cracked under the strain of trying to be a wartime leader and holding the Jaffa together against a hopelessly powerful foe.
- Strange Minds Think Alike:Teal'c: You are a student of ancient strategies?Mitchell: No, Landry said it to me. I think he was quoting Sun Tzu... or it could have been Dr. Phil.
- Later:
Landry: Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right.Walter: Patton?Landry: That one's Dr. Phil. - Take Me Instead: Vala tries to pull this, promising Adria that she'll go with her willingly and try to accept Origin if she lets the others go. Adria simply responds that it's too late.
- To Win Without Fighting: Teal'c and Mitchell discuss this, though Mitchell is quoting Landry quoting Sun Tzu (or Dr. Phil).Teal'c: A great Jaffa once said, "exultant is the warrior who achieves victory without battle".Mitchell: "Winning shows strength; winning without fighting shows true skill."
- Ungrateful Bastard: As has been the norm with the Free Jaffa politicos, despite the role Earth played in toppling the Goa'uld, Se'tak has little love for the Tau'ri.
- Villainous Rescue: Adria "saves" Daniel and Vala from the Jaffa holding them at gunpoint, only to spend the rest of the episode holding them prisoner, intimidating them, and generally being creepy as hell.
- We ARE Struggling Together: A large portion of the episode concerns disagreements between the Tau'ri and the Jaffa over how they should handle the Ori threat.
- You Are Too Late: Adria's response when she realizes that Mitchell intends to have the team abandon the ship, since she can fly it with her mind without even needing to sit in the control chair.
- You Can't Go Home Again: A variation. Darkara is devastated, costing the Jaffa Nation their holy religious site and seat of government.
- You Kill It, You Bought It: The Jaffa aren't too happy to find the team trying to blow up the Ori ship, arguing that it belongs to them since they're the ones who killed its original crew.
