@dgw Just to play devils advocate with respect to the armor, where would they get female armor if no Goa'uld has women warriors? They could take male armor, but it would be oversized and not properly fitted. Armor that is too bulky would interfere with their fighting so would it be worth it? As for the bare midriffs or shoulders, is that any worse than a shirtless Teal'c every few episodes? Does the fact that they are female require them to be completely covered yet the men can go bare chested without comment? The pouch detail, I agree, was overlooked, though.
@wpafbo79 It's not "the fact that they are female" at all. It's the fact that they are going into battle with no protection, regardless of gender presentation. This isn't only a TV thing; it's been a trope (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChainmailBikini) in video games for decades.
As for the Hak'tyl warriors getting such armor for themselves? They could make it, I'm sure. It can't be harder than raiding other Jaffa for their symbiotes.
Review by dgwVIP 10BlockedParent2021-06-13T04:50:45Z
Did SG-1 need to show some Jaffa women? Yes, definitely. The fact that we only ever see Jaffa men fighting for their respective system lords needed to be addressed somehow, and this story did cover it as far as Moloc is concerned.
However, I was deeply disappointed in the wardrobe choices made for this episode. Just like in every video game or action movie featuring women in fighting roles, the Hak'tyl warriors wore unrealistically skimpy outfits that would provide no real protection in battle. These costumes were no better than what Hathor wore* a few seasons ago—and in that case, "Hathor never expects to find herself in active combat" was a flimsy but valid excuse. Ishta and the others here go off to raid other Jaffa parties for symbiotes with no armor at all. It's no wonder they lose so many good warriors in trying to procure symbiotes for the children among them.
We also have to acknowledge that Teal'c's romance with Ishta makes no sense. Had Christopher Judge not written the script, I very much doubt that idea ever would have come up. Though I have no evidence to prove that it was indeed his idea, the lack of any co-writer credits for this script is about as damning as possible. To think that Jolene Blalock took a break from T'Pol's Bermanization on Star Trek: Enterprise to film this, where her character was arguably treated even worse… Sigh.
Honestly, I'm out of energy now to also complain about the huge gaping plot hole: there were at least three symbiotes available at the SGC for reimplantation into Neith, since their original Jaffa hosts had given them up in favor of Tretonin treatments.
In writing this down, I talked myself into revising my rating from 6/10 to 5/10. Whoops.
* — And at least Hathor's skimpy costume covered where her symbiote pouch should be; "Birthright" overlooked that detail a few times.