Military brat

I could not NOT claim Vala for this, as strange as it may sound. Vala and I are probably very close to being polar opposites, name similarity notwithstanding. Even as I found myself grimacing at Daniel's treatment of her on screen, deep down I knew that I would have probably done the same thing in real life.

And yet, there is something oddly fascinating about what lies beyond that shallow façade of hers. I blame most of her inappropriateness and apparently reckless action on bad writing. They pushed the comedic aspect too far but they were dealing with a character that had very little comedy, or cheerfulness in her life. They turned it into a farce at every chance they got, and while I found Vala's antics entertaining, and Black's performance spot-on and thoroughly enjoyable, the character suffered in terms of consistency and depth.

There was so much more about Vala Mal Doran than the few snippets of bare humanity we saw in seasons 9-10. She was never a poster girl for honesty and ethics, but when she was first introduced, we saw a cunning con artist, smart, tech-savy, who could hack and take command of a huge ship based on unfamiliar technology. We learn that she's an ex-host, a survivor, and that she has to deal not only with the haunting memories of the atrocities that her Goa'uld committed materially through her body, but with the knowledge that she can never go back to her old life.

I will try to discuss different aspects of the character during this week, and try and bring to the fore what quite obviously simmered under the surface and yet - almost - never had the chance to emerge on screen. Tonight I'm leaving you with a song that I included in a Vala fanmix back in 2007 and that I feel strongly relates to her emotional story:


haven't ever really found a place that I call home
I never stick around quite long enough to make it
I apologize once again I'm not in love
But it's not as if I mind
that your heart ain't exactly breaking

It's just a thought, only a thought

But if my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

I've always thought
that I would love to live by the sea
To travel the world alone
and live more simply
I have no idea what's happened to that dream
Cos there's really nothing left here to stop me

It's just a thought, only a thought

But if my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

If my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

While my heart is a shield and I won't let it down
While I am so afraid to fail so I won't even try
Well how can I say I'm alive

If my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

If my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine
Cos nothing I have is truly mine
Cos nothing I have is truly mine
Cos nothing I have is truly mine