Unveiling the Secrets of Stargate's Infamous Goa'uld: A Jaw-Dropping Exposé
Unveiling the Goa'uld: Unravel the origins of these notorious villains and their tyrannical reign that spanned the Stargate franchise Discover their fateful encounters with the Tau'ri and the ultimate downfall that led to their defeat
In the spin-off series and various movies that followed the 1994 film Stargate, the Tau'ri of Earth encountered a multitude of adversaries. Among these, the Ori, the Wraith, and the Replicators gained notable recognition. However, spanning the entire franchise, there was one particular race of villains that Stargate Command consistently dealt with.
The Goa'uld made their first appearance in the original Stargate film and bid farewell to the franchise in the 2008 movie Stargate: Continuum. Throughout the Stargate SG-1 series, they appeared numerous times, displaying resilience by regrouping under new leadership when faced with defeat. Their substantial empire and enduring influence on the franchise raises the question: who exactly were the Goa'uld?
Who Were The Goa'uld, and Where Did They Come From?
The Goa'uld, a species of fictional parasites, can be difficult to detect due to their deceptive nature. These cunning Symbiotes invade and assume control of another organism's body, acting as its host. Initially originating as aquatic creatures on the planet P3X-888 in the Milky Way Galaxy, the Goa'uld first took over the Una race, who were also native to this planet.
A distinguishing characteristic of the Goa'uld is their possession of genetic memory. This unique trait allows them to pass down their memories to each succeeding generation. Consequently, every individual Goa'uld is born with the accumulated memories of their predecessors. This genetic memory contributes to their exceptional intellect, but also fuels their egomaniacal tendencies.
Upon infiltrating the Una people, the Goa'uld uncovered Ancient technology on P3X-888 that granted them the ability to travel through wormholes to other worlds, using a device later known as the Stargate by the future Tau'ri. They departed the planet, bringing the remaining Unas as slaves and soldiers, and initiated their quest for dominance by taking over new hosts across the Milky Way galaxy.
Initially, the Goa'uld were led by Atok, who pilfered Ancient technology for his conquest. Shortly thereafter, Atok was killed by his own son, Apep, who assumed leadership alongside fellow Goa'uld Ra, Nut, and Thoth. However, several thousand years later, Apep met his demise at the hands of the powerful Anubis. Despite his might, the new ruler was unable to overcome opposition from within his own people, igniting a civil war driven by vengeance for Apep's death. Ra spearheaded this rebellion and, after several centuries, emerged victorious over Anubis, who was subsequently banished into exile.
The Goa'uld and the Tau'ri
Ra then made a decision to restructure the government, creating the High Council of the System Lords, and declaring himself the Supreme System Lord of the Goa'uld Empire. Before long, he discovered a specific planet in the Milky Way, where he intended to establish his empire and reign as a deity.
Around 10,000 BCE, Ra descended upon Earth in Ancient Egypt using his advanced spaceship known as a ha'tak. Upon arrival, he selected a young Tau'ri boy as his lo'taur, a loyal servant dedicated to serving the Goa'uld with unwavering devotion. In due course, Ra abandoned Una's host and assumed control over the young boy's physical form.
During their time on Earth, the Goa'uld were regarded as divine beings, particularly in Ancient Egypt. They exerted control over the native population by enslaving and transforming them into Jaffa soldiers. These individuals, brought to the planet Dakara, were injected with infant Goa'uld parasites, effectively turning them into loyal soldiers of the powerful Goa'uld Empire.
Simultaneously, the enslaved individuals were either utilized for worship purposes or engaged in mining operations to extract Naquadah. This mineral, found in Stargates and other Ancient technology, also exists within the bloodstream of the Goa'uld, albeit not naturally. At some point in their evolutionary process, the Goa'uld assimilated Naquadah into their physical makeup, granting them the ability to detect nearby objects containing this mineral. This innate sense drew them towards Stargates, ultimately enabling them to traverse across the galaxy.
Ra's reign on Earth lasted for thousands of years until the Tau'ri finally revolted against the Goa'uld in approximately 3000 BCE, expelling them from the planet. It would take several additional millennia before the Tau'ri would once again come face to face with the Goa'uld. This encounter occurred in 1996, when the people of Earth, led by Dr. Daniel Jackson and Colonel Jack O'Neill, activated their Stargate, transporting themselves to the planet of Abydos.
How Were The Goa'uld Defeated?
The downfall of the Goa'uld entailed a sequence of defeats suffered by the System Lords. Upon arrival on Abydos, Stargate Command became aware of Ra's presence there, having escaped from Earth. Subsequently, Ra captured the Tau'ri explorers who, unbeknownst to him, possessed a nuclear warhead. Seizing the opportunity, Ra laid claim to the warhead and dispatched it back through the Stargate towards Earth.
Upon learning the truth about Ra's past, the Tau'ri who were held captive successfully incited a rebellion among his followers. Consequently, Ra was forced to flee once again. In a cunning move, Dr. Jackson and Colonel O'Neill strategically placed a nuclear weapon aboard Ra's shuttle, ensuring his demise as soon as he left the planet.
After the defeat of Ra, multiple power struggles ensued within the Goa'uld community. Ultimately, the System Lord Apophis emerged victorious, assuming the mantle of their new leader. However, his reign was cut short when his ship became infested with Replicators, leading to its destruction and his demise.
Anubis reemerged as an Ascended being and regained his position as System Lord. He formed a formidable army called the Kull and assembled a powerful space fleet. With these forces, he orchestrated an attack on Earth but was ultimately defeated by Ancient technology discovered in Antarctica.
Following Anubis' defeat, Ba'al rose to power by seizing control of the Kull army. He sought to acquire a superweapon located in Dakara, capable of annihilating an entire galaxy. Despite his efforts, Ba'al's true allegiance to Anubis was revealed. Anubis, now existing solely as an Ascended being, controlled Ba'al's actions. In order to prevent Anubis from influencing the physical realm again, Oma Desala, another Ascended being, sacrificed herself and engaged in an eternal battle with Anubis on the higher plane of existence.
After escaping Anubis' control, Ba'al fled and devised a new strategy to secure the Sangraal, a formidable weapon capable of eliminating Ascended beings such as the Ancients and the Ori. However, the Tau'ri successfully destroyed the weapon. Determined to alter the course of events, Ba'al embarked on a journey back in time in order to prevent the Tau'ri from reconnecting with Ancient technology and the Stargate, thus thwarting the destruction of the Sangraal. While initially successful, Ba'al ultimately met his demise at the hands of his queen Qetesh, who betrayed him for sparing Earth from invasion. Ultimately, the original timeline was restored, effectively eradicating the Goa'uld. Throughout their existence in the Stargate universe, the Goa'uld were plagued by internal strife and power struggles, which ultimately led to their downfall due to their insatiable greed and malevolent intentions.
