SG-11 failed to report regularly while mining trinium, a vital mineral for earth's defense against the Goa'uld. SG-1 finds them missing, and all traces cease at the site of arrow-heads made from trinium. Then they are all sedated by such arrows and brought to the village of Tonané, whose earthly tribal ancestry Daniel identifies by its animal totems. However, they are soon awake and released, their guns even returned, and promised to get their friends back, too, from the wolf spirit T'akaya, and the raven-shaped supreme spirit Xe'ls. The council of elders refuses to allow resuming of the mining, which is disrespectful to nature, but Tonané is delegated to be shown alternatives on earth. Both teams return to SGC, or so it appears; in fact, SG-11 is a series of incarnated spirits, who are soon convinced the earthlings are most untrustworthy.

To fix a mistake caused by the fake SG team, the real SG-1 must enlist the help of two convicts. The threat of an approaching Goa'uld mothership stresses the repair of the Sentinel.