Stargate Atlantis Secretly Confirmed SG-1’s Greatest Romance

Joins the elite squad at Stargate Command, a covert government base that employs alien technology for interplanetary exploration and combat against hostile alien forces aiming to dominate the galaxy. The sarcastic and competent Colonel Jack O’Neill captained SG-1. Completing the team were archaeologist Dr. Daniel Jackson, the rebellious Jaffa Teal’c, and Dr. Samantha Carter—a dedicated Air Force officer with a background in astrophysics.

Sam and Jack shared an instant connection, and for eight years while Jack was on Stargate SG-1, there were hints of a possible romantic relationship between them. However, due to military regulations and their professional roles, they suppressed their feelings towards each other. After the end of SG-1, Colonel Carter took charge of the Air Force’s base in the Pegasus Galaxy. A previously unreleased scene from Stargate: Atlantis revealed that Carter and O’Neill’s relationship had become official.

Carter and O’Niell Had an Instant Connection on Stargate SG-1

The Will-They-Won’t-They Romance Began in Season 1

Right from the start, the chemistry between Carter and O’Neill was palpable to me. The show subtly explored their mutual attraction as early as the fourth episode. In “The Broca Divide,” Sam got infected by a virus that triggered our primitive impulses. Caught in the locker room, Carter passionately kissed O’Neill, declaring, “I want you.” Yet, Carter and O’Neill’s connection was not only romantic; it evolved from mutual respect, as O’Neill initially expressed his dislike for scientists in the very first episode.

In the story “Solitudes,” O’Neill and Carter are unexpectedly redirected during a wormhole journey to another gate enveloped by endless ice. Since O’Neill is wounded, it falls upon Carter to devise a means to return them home. Their harrowing adventure served to strengthen their bond and mutual trust. In “There But for the Grace of God,” Daniel inadvertently visits an alternate universe. Although the environment was familiar, there were significant differences. For instance, Samantha Carter wasn’t employed by the Air Force; instead, she worked as an astrophysicist for NASA. As a result, she and O’Neill were planning their wedding.

In Seasons 2 and 3, there were fantastic instances of team bonding, both overtly and subtly conveyed through interactions without words, as well as increased amusement from exploring different dimensions. In “Point of View,” an alternate Carter, who was married to O’Neill, traverses the same mirror Daniel had used in Season 1 to escape the Goa’uld who had taken over Earth. However, her Jack had perished in this reality. Before she leaves for her world, she shares a heartfelt goodbye kiss with O’Neill, emphasizing that their military duties were what kept them apart.

One clear sign of the growing bond between Carter and O’Neill is evident in “A Hundred Days.” In this instance, when O’Neill found himself stranded on an alien world, Carter worked tirelessly to rescue him, but ultimately accepted that she might not be able to do so swiftly. Additionally, Carter showed signs of jealousy upon discovering that O’Neill had been in a romantic relationship with another woman while on the distant planet.

In Season 4, the relationship between Carter and O’Neill becomes increasingly romantic, hinting at deeper emotions. After spending an uncertain length of time together in “Small Victories,” their mutual attraction grew stronger. The moment arrived in “Upgrades” when they were tasked with a perilous mission involving enhanced speed and strength, provided by unknown gauntlets found by the Tok’ra. When Carter was unable to use her superspeed to escape danger due to malfunctioning devices, O’Neill hesitated to leave her behind, revealing his growing affection for her.

In the episodes following “Upgrades,” it is revealed that the underlying theme was the Tok’ra’s efforts to identify brainwashed individuals, including assassins or Za’tarc, among them. To do this, they need complete access to a person’s memories, emotions, and intentions. During the test, Carter and O’Neill fail when recalling their mission from “Upgrades.” O’Neill was preparing for a risky operation to reverse the brainwashing, but if he perished, it would bring them one step closer to saving Carter. At the critical moment, Carter understands that they failed because they hadn’t disclosed their true feelings. To pass the Za’tarc test, both must confess how their romantic feelings influenced their decisions and motivations.

In retrospect, the emotions portrayed in Stargate might not be openly discussed, but it certainly doesn’t shy away from injecting humor into them. For instance, in “Window of Opportunity,” I found myself trapped in a time loop. During one of these loops, I resigned my position and shared a heartfelt kiss with Carter, filled with passion. A few episodes later, our team was made to believe we were working in an underground power station on a frozen planet, laboring as slaves to avoid certain death. Despite the false memories we harbored, Sam and I still felt inexplicably drawn to each other and spent most of our time together. However, once we regained our original memories, we had no choice but to forgo the budding romance between us.

O’Neill and Carter Tried to Find Happiness With Others in the Latter Seasons

Season 8 Saw a Resurgence of Their Romance Prior to Anderson’s Exit

In the later seasons, Stargate SG-1 presented additional hurdles for O’Neill and Carter’s relationship. Season 5 reintroduced a few suitors for Carter and added some new ones. Notably, Nareem, a character from the Tollan, who had a strong connection with Carter since their first encounter in Season 1, returned for an episode. The ambassador from “2010” made an appearance and was attracted to Carter immediately. Most significantly, Sean Patrick Flannery appeared as a being from the ascended realm who took on human form and developed feelings for Carter.

In some instances, their bond seemed to impact their actions significantly. In the sixth season’s “Paradise Lost,” both O’Neill and Col. Maybourne were mysteriously transported to a supposed paradise. Maybourne had no intention of returning to Earth, convinced that there was no way back. With O’Neill missing and stranded, Carter remained relentless in her search for him, growing increasingly distraught and combative as each lead proved fruitless. Teal’c offered comfort to Carter as she grappled with the fading hope of finding O’Neill. The situation was heart-wrenching indeed.

In Season 7, a scenario echoing O’Neill’s predicament unfolded when Carter embarked on a space mission to investigate a nebula. Her ship disappeared without a trace, leaving everyone puzzled. Teal’c found O’Neill in the locker room and shared his thoughts, “When Colonel Maybourne and you were stranded off-world, Major Carter felt akin frustration. She worried she would never see you again.” O’Neill acknowledged Teal’c’s presence gratefully. During her absence, Carter experienced hallucinations of her team, and in one of these illusions, she conversed with an imaginary O’Neill. It was then that Carter understood that she held onto her feelings for O’Neill due to safety. Their relationship could never materialize, so she wouldn’t be vulnerable to emotional harm.

After her revelation in “Grace,” Carter starts seeing a policeman named Pete. They continued dating from Season 7 up until Season 8. Even with Carter’s relationship with Pete, there were still hints of something more between O’Neill and Carter. When they stumbled upon another Ancient storehouse of knowledge that could aid them in defeating Anubis, O’Neill downloaded the information once more. As they waited for it to take effect on O’Neill, their talks were heavy with unsaid feelings.

In season eight, it seemed quite probable that the writers were planning to resolve significant storylines, notably the goa’uld and hinting at a romantic relationship between Carter and O’Neill. During “Threads,” Carter’s father suggests she should not let rules hinder her happiness when he is on his deathbed. Despite Carter’s insistence that she’s content with Pete, her father intuits otherwise. As Jacob passes away, O’Neill is by Carter’s side, being referred to as “always.” It was suggested that O’Neill’s girlfriend ended their relationship after witnessing him and Carter together, questioning if military regulations were the only thing keeping them apart, implying that he might be making a significant error if that were true. Richard Dean Anderson departed Stargate SG-1 following season eight, but continued to make guest appearances on both SG-1 and its spinoff, Atlantis; however, it was implied that Carter and O’Neill would develop a romantic relationship after season eight.

A Deleted Scene From Stargate: Atlantis Confirmed Stargate’s Best Romance

Amanda Tapping Joined the Cast of Stargate: Atlantis in Season 4

Amanda Tapping’s Colonel Samantha Carter began appearing on Stargate: Atlantis in season four following the conclusion of Stargate SG-1 in 2007. In the episode “Trio,” Carter, McKay, and Dr. Keller leave for an off-world mission but end up trapped in a deserted mine. While they collaborate to find a means out of the mine, there is some character development and bonding among them. On the DVD release, a commentary from the episode’s creators hints at the romantic relationship between O’Neill and Carter.

Martin Gero introduces the scene, sharing that it was eliminated due to pacing issues, despite being “a treasure” on the DVD. In the scene, Carter ambiguously reveals her romantic involvement with O’Neill when she says, “It’s complicated.” Although the scene doesn’t confirm this relationship outright, Gero hinted at it in his introduction. This deleted scene from the DVD is particularly valuable to longtime fans of the franchise.

2025-07-06 05:21