Keller: I went to summer camp. There were other kids; we had cabins – with beds ... and electricity ... and food. I didn't even make it three days. Got homesick; called my parents to come and get me.
Teyla escorts Dr. Keller to New Athos for the Athosian's quarterly medical checkup (the first such since Dr. Keller became head of medicine). When they arrive, however, they find the Athosian village deserted, its weapons cache empty, and the area swarming with warriors from a hostile tribe called the Bola Kai. Teyla warns that the Bola Kai will hunt them if they cannot make it back to the gate, but the gate is already guarded, and they're not expected back until tomorrow morning. Teyla and Keller must evade capture until then.
This proves difficult, as the Bola Kai are already tracking them, and Dr. Keller manages to sprain her ankle almost immediately. Teyla suggests they make for a hunting blind on the other side of the river that should keep them hidden over night. Before they make it, they come across a wounded man in the woods, and Dr. Keller insists on helping him. The delay allows the Bola Kai to catch up with them, but Teyla dispatches them all handily with a sharpened stick.
They make it to the blind and have a meal of ground squid guts. The man they rescued turns out to be named Nabel and reveals himself to be a Genii spy who had infiltrated the Athosians. He tells them that the Bola Kai have become Wraith worshipers and led the Wraith to New Athos. All the Athosians were culled, but he managed to escape, and has been being hunted by the Bola Kai.
They survive the night without incident, but in the morning they are overwhelmed by Bola Kai and Teyla and Dr. Keller are captured. The Bola Kai reject the allegations of being Wraith worshipers and attempt to torture the location of Atlantis out of Dr. Keller, but she gives them the adress of an uninhabited planet instead. The two of them eventually escape, and rejoin Nabel, who had managed to evade capture again. It turns out he was the Wraith worshipper, and the Athosians may still be alive.
Before they can find out any more, they are once more ambushed by Bola Kai, and Teyla goes down. They are rescued by Sheppard, McKay and Ronon, who figured out that something was up when they were late returning. Nabel escapes, and Teyla is rushed back to Atlantis to get patched up. Teyla makes a full recovery, but Dr. Keller comes to her with startling news.
Which we get to find out about next time, apparently.
Tropes:
- Call-Back: To McKay's Amusing Injury in the episode "Sateda"Ronon: They're primitive. Clubs and arrows.
McKay: Hey, arrows can hurt!
Ronon: Only if you're stupid enough to get hit in the ass with one. - Cliffhanger: A mild one — the last line of the episode is Dr. Keller telling Teyla "we need to talk." What could it possibly be!? Find out next time...
- Gilligan Cut: Downplayed. After arriving on the planet, Teyla offers to help Keller carry her bags but Keller declines and says she'll carry them herself. The next scene doesn't start immediatelynote , but as soon as it does it's clear that Teyla did end up carrying Keller's bags for her after all.
- Gory Discretion Shot: The sounds indicate that Teyla beheads at least one of the Bola Kai, but we never see it.
- The Load: Dr. Keller, being very much out of her element and having grown up not having to fend for herself in such harsh conditions. She eventually realizes she's being this and starts to get better.
- Robinsonade: Teyla mentions that being sent into the woods to fend for yourself for ten days is a Rite of Passage among her people. Dr. Keller, on the other hand, went to summer camp.
- Rope Bridge: Although it doesn't break or get cut, Dr. Keller does manage to nearly fall off of it. In her defense, she already had a Twisted Ankle.
- Twisted Ankle: Dr. Keller.
- Worm Sign: The ground squid is detected this way.
- Worst Aid: Dr. Keller, who should know better, removes her sock before applying a pressure bandage on her own sprained ankle.
