The Broca Divide
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"The Broca Divide" is an episode of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. The title refers to the cultural division spoken of by Paul Broca.[citation needed] Broca's area is a part of the brain used in speech formations.
Plot
SG-1 accompanies SG-3 to the planet designated P3X-797. Upon arrival they find themselves attacked by a group of savage primeval men living in the forest like animals. They scare them off and walk out of the darkness into the light.
Once out of the forest and in the light they find a beautiful civilization that appears to be of Minoan origin, which fascinates Daniel immensely. The locals refer to their land as "The Land of Light" and the savages in the forest as "The Touched". Citizens of the Land of Light afflicted with a "curse" devolve into savage beasts and are banished into the dark.
After returning to Earth, members of the SGC start displaying the same symptoms as "The Touched". Sam tries to seduce Jack, but he realizes she has the mysterious disease and takes her to the infirmary. Later, when Daniel expresses concern for Sam, Jack becomes unaccountably jealous, insisting "she's not yours to care about", and assaults Daniel.
Very heavily sedated, Jack asks Doctor Fraiser to experiment on him in hopes of finding a cure, but she refuses. Teal'c returns to the planet with Daniel, as they are the only members of SGC except Doctor Fraiser who haven't come down with the disease. Teal'c brings back a blood sample of the Untouched for Fraiser to analyse, but Daniel is taken by the Touched.
Doctor Fraiser realizes Daniel and she were not infected as a result of their antihistamine allergy medicine, and the "curse" is actually a disease targeting histamine. From analysing the blood she concludes there must be something in the diet of the people in the Land of Light that acts as an antihistamine; which, if eaten more often will prevent the "curse".
Doctor Fraiser synthesises a cure (lots of antihistamine) and the SGC is brought out of lockdown. The team goes back to P3X-797 and finds Daniel living among the Touched -without his allergy medicine he contracts the disease. The team uses darts loaded with Fraiser's serum to treat the Touched.
SG-1 explains to the people the "curse" is reversible, and their lost family members will be returning. When Daniel awakens back to his normal self he serves as proof to the people who rush into the forest. SG-1 follows and witnesses a moving moment of reunions. They give some serum and aid to the Land of Light so that none shall ever be "Touched" again, and, having made new friends, return to Earth through the Stargate.
Series continuity
Dr. Janet Fraiser, who returns to become a recurring character throughout the first seven seasons of SG-1, first appears in this episode.
The Land of Light would often be used as a safe-haven for refugees later in the series. Its leaders and existence first reoccur in the episode "Enigma", when the Tollan need a planet to stay on. It also appears on Family for a place for the son and wife of Teal'c.
External links
- "Official Stargate SG-1 site". MGM. Retrieved 2006-06-08. Most of site requires Flash.
- "Screenplay" (PDF). Distributed by MGM. Prepared by Casablanca Continuity. 1997-06-25. Retrieved 2006-10-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) Also see Google's cache. - "Summary". SciFi. Retrieved 2006-06-05.