I have generally avoided commenting on specific episodes of series, but I might be changing that — especially when I really like an episode. Stargate SG-1 is a series to which I have often returned to when I just want to relax or enjoy an easier evening, and on a recent one the episode I managed to select for myself was ‘It’s Good to be King’. I knew this episode to have some good fun in it, plus I remembered that Jack O’Neill got off-planet — something that generally increases the “fun” content of a Stargate episode.
Maybourne: I guess congratulations are in order. You made general.
Gen. O’Neill: You made king!
There’s an interesting dynamic at play in this episode with the Earth people trying to rescue Maybourne from an impending Goa’uld attack. Naturally, things get complicated with there being not enough time and wonderful technological discoveries that may not fall into enemy hands and some general evil-Jaffa-waltzing-around-the-place moments.
What I really appreciate about this episode is, however, the feeling of familiarity. For example, the moment where Maybourne tries to put down his office of King while the people keep him on is quite remarkable — even someone who has previously not been the most altruistic in their behaviour has clearly done some good to others. It is moments like this that make life worth it, and I’m happy to have experienced one such more.
And, well, aside from that aspect of the episode, there’s a lot of general Stargate fun with things being blown up and people not doing what is expected of them. And, as mentioned above, an evil Jaffa who clearly just takes pleasure in the sufferings of humans — queue duel and more entertainment.
Overall, what makes this episode good in my mind might be summed up in the words of General O’Neill…
God, I miss goin’ off world!
I have to say I think Maybourne was quite an interesting character for the Stargate franchise. He started off as this underhanded evil NID lackey that you couldn’t help but hate, and then as you got further into the series he sometimes became an almost likeable character such as is the case I think in this episode at times. He would pop up when you least expected it and although he often worked against the team it started to seem he just as often helped them especially when it came to kind of getting back at the NID.