After a poor training simulation with new potential recruits for the SGC, O'Neill tries one more exercise, which goes equally bad for the recruits. At the end of the exercise, Jack receives a cryptic call and repeats into the phone the word 'Foothold.' The recruits hearing this know that a potential alien takeover of the SGC has occurred. Jack is then shot, as he shoots and kills several unknown strangers that arrive in vehicles to talk to Jack. The recruits now appear to be the only people around that can help O'Neill in this situation. They sneak into the SGC through the ventilation system, and try to find Carter, who had warned O'Neill and has the answer to what is happening. However, all is not all what it seems there. And in the end, the recruit team leader, Lt. Elliott, must risk death to save one of his teammates.
Max must take on a cult of superhuman-blood addicts when she learns they're being led by a Manticore mutant intent on rebuilding an X-5 army. Meanwhile, Joshua falls in with the wrong crowd after Alec tricks him into delivering his packages for Jam Pony.
Three short stories: 1) Jack confronts a two-headed riddling serpent who will grant him his wish if he can answer their questions. 2) Jack confronts a family that feed on metal, only for him and they to find out that they are robots. 3) Jack tries to rescue a wish-granting fairy from a gargoyle.
