"You know, I can't tell you how much I've looked forward to being here with you. Being able to pick your brain..."
— Dr. Sarah Gardner/Osiris, to Dr. Daniel Jackson
Osiris visits an oblivious Daniel in his dreams, using his memories of his former relationship with Sarah Gardner to search for information about the Lost City of the Ancients that may be buried in his subconscious. Carter takes things to the next level with her new boyfriend, Denver cop Pete Shanahan, but he starts to become suspicious of the secrecy surrounding her work.
Last appearance of Osiris and first appearance of Pete Shanahan.
"Chimera" provides examples of the following tropes:
- And I Must Scream: Sarah indicates that she was conscious and trapped in her own body for at least some of the time she was possessed by Osiris, apologizing to Daniel and saying that she "couldn't stop it".
- Ask a Stupid Question...: As the team is staking out Daniel's house in preparation to capture Osiris:O'Neill: Hey, Daniel? Daniel! You sleepin' yet?Daniel: (wide awake, staring right into the camera) Yes, Jack. I'm fast asleep.
- The Bait: Daniel deliberately uses himself as such so that the team can get the drop on Osiris when she beams into his bedroom.
- Bittersweet Ending: For Sarah, at least. On the one hand, she's finally free of Osiris, but it's clear that she's psychologically damaged and will probably require extensive therapy.
- Brits Love Tea: In case we hadn't realized that Sarah is British, one of Daniel's memories involves her mentioning that the only thing she doesn't like about Chicago is the lack of a good cup of tea. Soon afterwards, Daniel asks her out for coffee, before correcting himself and clarifying that he's sure they also serve tea.
- Broken Masquerade: Carter tells Pete the truth about her job after he witnesses Osiris using Goa'uld technology.Carter: What I'm about to tell you is classified under section 11C-9 of the National Security Act.Pete: Chicks with laser-beam rings and glowing eyes are classified under 11C-9?
- Brutal Honesty: Teal'c doesn't pull any punches in delivering his assessment of Daniel's mental state.Teal'c: Most often dreams are merely the mind's way of dealing with desires that cannot be fulfilled.Daniel: Oh. So basically, I'm destined never to get a good night's sleep again.Teal'c: Knowing your past experiences, Daniel Jackson, I do not know how you have slept well before now.Daniel: Thank you, Teal'c. This conversation has been disturbing on... many levels.
- Call-Back: O'Neill finally takes Osiris down with the same kind of tranquilizer dart that Daniel used on her in "The Curse".
- Cartright Curse: Discussed when Carter warns Pete about the unfortunate fates met by all her previous boyfriends, though they're playing a game at the time and he doesn't realize just how truthful she's being.Carter: I feel compelled to warn you, most of the guys I've dated recently have died.Pete: As in...?Carter: Dead.Pete: How?Carter: Various circumstances.Pete: I'll risk it.
- Continuity Nod:
- Following the events of "Grace", Carter seems to have taken her own advice to heart and is now involved in a real relationship.
- Carter still uses "Deep Space Radar Telemetry" as her go-to cover story.
- Teal'c suggests at one point that Daniel's dreams may represent his subconscious mind trying to remember something he learned while ascended, similar to his flashbacks of Bra'tac and Rya'c on Erebus.
- Osiris is able to use Asgard beaming technology thanks to Anubis probing Thor's mind.
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: Carter hums the SG-1 theme tune in the elevator as she's in a good mood after seeing Pete.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Osiris sitting in Daniel's bed and looming over him while he sleeps has some very uncomfortable undertones.
- Fake Kill Scare: Pete is hit during the firefight with Osiris, and his fate seems to be sealed when Carter promises to tell him everything if he makes it through, especially given the lampshade hanging on her Cartwright Curse earlier in the episode... Then we cut to him recovering in the SGC's VIP room, where Carter proceeds to make good on her promise.
- Former Teen Rebel: When Carter asks Pete what made him decide to become a cop, he admits that he had a troubled youth and probably would have ended up in jail if not for another cop who took a special interest in him.
- Hidden Depths: Teal'c expresses an interest in the meaning of dreams now that he requires sleep.
- Married to the Job: Daniel admits that his obsession with his research caused him to ruin his relationship with Sarah, the final straw coming when he worked right through their anniversary. This becomes a plot point when it helps to tip him off to the fact that Osiris may be messing with his head, since the Sarah he's been dreaming about is much more understanding and seems to be as excited by his work as he is.
- The Masquerade Will Kill Your Dating Life: Carter complains about this when she has a row with Pete over the secrecy surrounding her job, though it becomes irrelevant by the end of the episode when she lets him in on the secret.Carter: You know how it is. Usually you don't let it bother you because you know that they couldn't cope with the truth anyway.O'Neill: Usually?Carter: I think he could have.
- Meet Cute: Subverted at the beginning of the episode, when Pete seems to hit on Carter in a coffee shop only for it to be revealed that they're already dating. Daniel's first meeting with Sarah could also be considered this, as she takes him by surprise in his lab to correct his identification of the artifact he's been working on.
- Mind Probe: Osiris uses a memory recall device on Daniel while he's sleeping, manipulating their shared memories of his relationship with Sarah to try and access any subconscious knowledge he might have about the Lost City.
- Modesty Bedsheet: Used by Carter the morning after her date with Pete when things turn sour due to her inability to discuss her real job with him.
- Neuro-Vault: Subverted; Osiris believes that the location of the Lost City is buried somewhere in Daniel's subconscious memories of his time among the ascended, but he eventually realizes that he never had the knowledge to begin with.
- The Stakeout: O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c stake out Daniel's house in order to catch Osiris in the act, while Pete holds a stakeout of their stakeout to try and figure out what Carter really does for a living.
- Sexy Discretion Shot: Happens the first time Carter and Pete sleep together, with their increasingly frantic kissing against the wall fading into the morning after.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: Pete is left lost for words by the slinky black and red number that Carter dons for their date, complete with the camera slowly panning up the length of her body.
- Sherlock Scan: Pete delivers one of these in his introductory scene, though he's roleplaying at the time.Carter: How do you know I'm single?Pete: There's no ring on your finger.Carter: I could have a boyfriend.Pete: You're having coffee by yourself at 7.30 in the morning.Carter: You're very observant.Pete: I'm a cop.
- Sleepyhead: Daniel spends most of the episode half-asleep due to Osiris screwing with his dreams.
- Spotting the Thread: Daniel realizes that there's something not quite right about his dreams when Sarah forgives him for missing their anniversary instead of walking out like she did in reality.
- Stalking is Love: Pete gets one of his FBI contact to do a background check on Carter and then follows her when she goes to stake out Daniel's house. She doesn't seem to hold a grudge against him for either.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: After Pete gets a background check done on Carter, claiming it's for a case he's working:Agent Farrity: You might wanna back off on this one, okay buddy? It's way out of your league.Pete: Hey! It's not like I'm dating her or anything.Farrity: Right.
- Uncomfortable Elevator Moment: Carter and O'Neill share a very, very long elevator ride during which he grills her about her love life before they lapse into uncomfortable silence.O'Neill: Bit uncomfortable, isn't it?Carter: Yeah, a bit.
- Understanding Boyfriend: Pete becomes this when Carter tells him the truth at the end of the episode, seeming to take everything in stride.
- Warrior Therapist: Teal'c attempts to analyze Daniel's dreams, having recently developed a fascination with the subject.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Sarah is never seen or mentioned again after being freed from Osiris; the last we see of her she's being comforted by Daniel when she wakes up in the infirmary at the end of this episode. It's not explicitly stated what happens to the Osiris symbiote either, though presumably it was killed after being extracted.
- Workout Fanservice: Daniel and Teal'c have a conversation while lifting weights in the gym.
