Teal'c's Five Favorite Board Games, by Komos (G)

Rec Category: Gen

Pairing: none
Categories: gen, Teal’c, character study, team
Warnings: none
Author on LJ: paian
Author's Website: Enkomion
Link: Teal'c's Five Favorite Board Games

Why This Must Be Read: This amazing Five Things is my personal definitive Teal’c fic. Despite the seemingly lightness of its premise – Teal’c’s favorite board games on Earth – it is filled with rich characterization and a deeply moving insight into Teal’c and his history, both before and after he joins the SGC.

Teal’c sees satisfying metaphor in checkers and Go and Chutes and Ladders – or, as Daniel points out, Snakes and Ladders, with an extra nod to canon in Fire and Water. He slowly and patiently collects bits and pieces of facts, until he is undisputed king of Trivial Pursuit, even when they play with Daniel Rules and use the Jaffa Edition. And he finds bemused escapism in the innocence and charm of the simplicity of Life, with its airy assumptions of easy success.

This story is poignant and humorous and thought-provoking in turns. We get some lovely glimpses of various team members, and they all ring clear and true. But most of all, we get Teal’c – in his entirety, and wonderfully, beautifully real.
 

( Snippet of fic... )