Stargate

This article is about the science-fiction universe based on the film Stargate. For other uses, see Stargate (disambiguation).

Stargate collectively refers to the fictional universe started with the 1994 science fiction feature film Stargate, and afterwards continued in novel form, in two live-action television series (Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis), one animated series (Stargate Infinity), and in other derivative works.

It is based on the premise of a 'Stargate', a device that allows for almost instantaneous teleportation, by creating a wormhole to a complementary device on another planet. Discovered in 1928 at Giza, Egypt, the purpose of the alien device was unknown until the mid 1990s. A top-secret military program was created to use the Stargate, eventually for the purpose of exploration and interaction with extraterrestrial cultures.

In the Stargate universe, most Earth mythologies are based on events and personalities of aliens who visited or controlled Earth in the distant past. Most significantly an alien race later known as the Goa'uld enslaved the inhabitants of ancient Egypt, creating its culture and mythology. The Goa'uld pose as Gods to make slaves of humans, and used the Gate to take slaves from Earth to other habitable planets. After a rebellion on Earth thousands of years ago, they fled, leading to the burying of Earth's Stargate, which was not rediscovered until 1928.

Stargate Movie

File:Stargate-poster.jpg

Promotional poster for Stargate.

Template:Spoiler The feature film Stargate was released in 1994. It was originally intended as the start of a film franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin moved on to create Independence Day and Godzilla. Emmerich and Devlin had nothing to do with the later Stargate SG-1 and do not consider it a valid continuation of the film's story, although MGM owns the rights to the franchise. As a result, some fans of the movie reject the series (and vice-versa).

The movie set the grounds of the Stargate universe. Dr. Daniel Jackson (played by James Spader), a brilliant Egyptologist shunned by the academic world due to his farfetched theories, is hired to decipher the symbols on the cover stones of an ancient ring-shaped artifact (the Stargate), made of an unknown material (Naqahdah, which is later discovered to be very unstable), which had been found at Giza in 1928. Jackson discovers the true purpose of the ring and opens the gate for interplanetary travel. USAF Colonel Jack O'Neil (played by Kurt Russell) leads an expedition to the planet Abydos, where they come into conflict with an alien "god" posing as Ra (the sun god of Egyptian Mythology), a member of a race known as the Goa'uld. Jack O'Neil brings a tactical nuclear bomb along, with the intention of destroying the Abydos stargate if the inhabitants of Abydos turn out to be a threat to earth. Of course, when the power of "Ra" is finally revealed, Jack decides to proceed with his mission and destroy the gate, against Jackson's better judgement. This would have happened had Ra not stolen the bomb and enhanced it with Naqahdah so that it would be able to destroy most of planet Earth. Jack and Daniel eventually use the bomb to destroy Ra and his mother-ship before returning to Earth.

Television

Two live-action television series continue the story of the original movie (with adjustments). An animated series has also been broadcast, but it is not considered canon.

Stargate SG-1

Stargate SG-1 debuted on Showtime on July 27, 1997, and moved to the Sci-Fi Channel after its fifth season. Created by Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright, it starred Richard Dean Anderson (as O'Neill), Michael Shanks (as Jackson), Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge and Don S. Davis.

The cast has remained fairly regular for most of SG-1's run but has equally experienced some changes. Michael Shanks was replaced during season 6 by Corin Nemec (as alien scientist Jonas Quinn), but was swapped back afterwards. At the end of season 7 Don Davis left the show and Anderson filled the gap he left in the story. In season 9, Anderson also left, which added new regulars Beau Bridges and Ben Browder. After appearing in eight episodes in season 9, Claudia Black was added to the cast in season 10.

Starting one year after the original film, the series chronicles the activities of SG-1, the first exploratory team of the newly-formed Stargate Command (the "SGC"). The series expanded on the movie, creating a full and rich mythology and a cast of recurring characters. Stargate SG-1 proved to be very popular. The series was expected to end at its seventh season, however as of October 24th 2005, it was officially renewed for a record breaking tenth season (surpassing the The X-Files as the longest running United States science-fiction series).

The original Stargate film made it seem like Ra was the last of his race, but in SG-1 seasons 1-8, the main threat to Earth was from other beings like him, the Goa'uld, parasitic aliens that posed as gods, backed by colossal armies of footsoldiers, the Jaffa, and colonies on other enslaved planets, as well as fleets of attack ships. At the end of season 8, SG-1 (with great help) vanquished the Goa'uld only to find in season 9 that a greater threat existed in the cosmos, a cosmic group of violent ethereal self-evangelists called the Ori.

Stargate Atlantis

File:SGA-poster.jpg

The original starring cast of Stargate Atlantis.

Stargate Atlantis debuted on the Sci-Fi Channel on July 16, 2004, starring Joe Flanigan, Torri Higginson, Rainbow Sun Francks, David Hewlett, and Rachel Luttrell. The series is currently on its second season, adding Paul McGillion and Jason Momoa (replacing Francks, now a regular guest) as series regulars, and has been renewed for a third season. This series follows the adventures of the Atlantis expedition, a combination of military forces and civilian scientists that travelled to the Pegasus galaxy in search of the Lost City of Atlantis, left behind by the powerful aliens known as the Ancients. Once there, they find that the Pegasus galaxy is dominated by a terrible enemy known as "the Wraith".

Atlantis was originally intended to succeed Stargate SG-1 after its seventh season and a second feature film. When SG-1 was renewed for an eighth season, the intended movie became the episode "Lost City", a two-part season finale, and the setting of Stargate Atlantis was moved to the Pegasus galaxy.

Stargate Infinity

Stargate Infinity is an animated series that ran from September 2002 to June 2003. Even though the series was produced by MGM with DiC Entertainment, none of the writers and producers of Stargate SG-1 or other live-action Stargate projects were involved with Infinity. According to SG-1 co-creator Brad Wright, the animated series should not be considered official Stargate canon, although he says he personally does not "have a problem with it. I'm just not involved."[1]

Set about 30 to 40 years in the future, Infinity tells the story of a team of young recruits led by a veteran member of the SGC that are framed for a crime they did not commit. The team must travel from world to world trying to find a way to clear their name.

Books

There are three series of novels based on the Stargate franchise and various comics. Short fiction has also been published in the official Stargate Magazine.

Movie-based

A series of books written by Bill McCay were published from 1996 to 1999 that were sequels to the film. However, the subsequent TV series was an entirely different development and there was no attempt to reconcile the plot lines of the books and television show.

Stargate: Rebellion
Stargate: Retaliation
Stargate: Retribution
Stargate: Reconnaissance
Stargate: Resistance

Series-based

ROC books

Since 1999, several novels have been released based on the Stargate SG-1 series. These books were written by Ashley McConnell and published by ROC.

Stargate SG-1 (novelization of the series' pilot, "Children of the Gods")
The Price You Pay
The First Amendment
The Morpheus Factor

Fandemonium books

A series of licensed tie-in novels by Fandemonium Press Ltd. based on the Stargate SG-1 series is also available in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. They're not available in US bookstores due to licensing issues. Titles have been corrected to show the authorised official title for each novel.

Stargate SG-1: Trial By Fire by Sabine C. Bauer
Stargate SG-1: Sacrifice Moon by Julie Fortune)
Stargate SG-1: A Matter Of Honour (1 of 2) by Sally Malcolm
Stargate SG-1: City Of The Gods by Sonny Whitelaw
Stargate SG-1: The Cost Of Honour (2 of 2) by Sally Malcolm
Stargate SG-1: Siren Song by Jaimie Duncan and Holly Scott (upcoming) — spelling of author names is per the authors and amazon.co.uk
Stargate SG-1: Survival of the Fittest (upcoming)

Fandemonium will also launch a new series of books based on Stargate Atlantis in late 2005. Those books will be available worldwide.

Stargate Atlantis: Rising by Sally Malcolm (novelization of the pilot episode). On sale December 15.
Stargate Atlantis: Reliquary by Martha Wells (forthcoming February 2006) -- title and publication date are per Martha Wells' website, amazon.co.uk and gasbo.net
Stargate Atlantis: The Chosen by Sonny Whitelaw and Beth Christensen (13 April 2006) - per gasbo.net

Unlike with the SG-1 books, Fandemonium will not be accepting fan submissions for the Atlantis books. They will be written only by professional writers.

Short fiction

These short stories were published in the pages of the official Stargate Magazine, produced by Titan Publishing.

Flipside by Sally Malcolm, a Stargate Atlantis story appearing in issue #7 (Nov/Dec 2005)
Archeology 101 by Martha Wells, a Stargate SG-1 story appearing in issue #8 (Jan/Feb 2006)

Comic books

A series of comic books was based on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis which began to be published by Avatar Press in 2003.

Other

A Stargate Role-Playing Game was produced by Alderac Entertainment; however, they lost the license to produce Stargate RPG products when Sony bought MGM, and the RPG license is currently unassigned.
Two video games based on the movie were released by Acclaim Entertainment: a side-scrolling platformer for the Super NES and Sega Genesis, and a Tetris like puzzle game for the Game Boy.
Stargate SG-1: The Alliance, a computer game based on the Stargate concept, was due to be released in late 2005, however the release has been cancelled.
There are at least three simulator-style amusement park rides named Stargate SG-3000 located at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, Six Flags Great America, and Six Flags Marine World.
Stargate Worlds, a Stargate-universe MMORPG, has recently been announced to be in development. [2]

External links

Official sites

Official merchandise

IMDB

News