Ancient technology in Stargate
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The Ancients
(also known as "Alterans" and "Lanteans") are a fictional advanced race in the Stargate franchise, and are depicted as the precursor to modern-day humans. Their most notable creation in Stargate mythology is the entire Stargate
network. Ancient science and technology, with a few exceptions, is shown as being superior to that of other races. The Ancients are portrayed as being extremely advanced in the areas of healing, power generation, and biology. They are also credited with designing a number of fictional weapons, primarily for use in the centuries-long war with the Wraith
in the Pegasus Galaxy. Ori technology in Stargate is shown as similar to that of the Ancients, since they are also depicted as ascended beings. In Stargate chronology, all Ancient technology was created prior to their ascension, with the exception of the Velona weapon, assisted by the character Orlin, and the weapon created by the character Merlin to destroy ascended beings. However, not all the artifacts credited to the Ancients are depicted as a complete success.
A fictional Ancient power source used to power their cities and outposts. ZPMs supposedly extract vacuum energy from a small artificially-created region of subspace, based on the concept of zero-point energy
. ZPMs are depicted as more powerful and efficient than fictional Naquadah generators or any conventional energy source on present day Earth, and are shown as lasting for thousands of years.
The first ZPM is found by Jack O'Neill
in the SG-1 season 7 finale "Lost City
" at an abandoned outpost, and used to power Ancient weaponry left behind on Earth to repel Anubis' attack on Earth. The same ZPM allows Stargate Command
to open a wormhole to Atlantis
in the Pegasus Galaxy. Another is found on Earth in an alternate timeline and allows Earth to send supplies and reinforcements to Atlantis. The finding and recapturing of ZPMs is a recurring theme on Stargate Atlantis, being a necessary asset to protect the city from attacks and invasion, to power the city (e.g., for space travel) and to accelerate Earth ships in-between galaxies. However, they also have destructive powers, which has been misused by Camulus, the Trust, and McKay aboard an Asuran City ship.
Most of the Atlantis
characters and aliens pronounce ZPM as Zee
-P-M (with an American accent). The team's Canadian scientist, Rodney McKay
, on the other hand, pronounces the abbreviation in the standard Canadian fashion, Zed
-P-M.
The Ancients were the first race to build an intergalactic hyperdrive. The Ancients have the most powerful hyperdrives known to exist; Atlantis
(and presumably other city-ships) can travel several million light-years in mere hours when powered by a full complement of ZPMs. By comparison, the Asgard-built intergalactic hyperdrive on an Earth Daedalus-class starship takes 18 days to make the same trip, four if similarly powered by a ZPM.
Unlike their city-ships, most Ancient vessels are powered by the more conventional interstellar hyperdrive, which cannot traverse intergalactic distances in a reasonable time frame but can move across a galaxy with relative ease. The hyperdrives equipped on the Aurora-class could be modified to make an intergalactic trip if necessary, possibly meaning the interstellar hyperdrives of other Ancient vessels could be modified in a similar manner; though they were usually ill-equipped to make such a trip and it is unknown how fast they would be (but likely far slower than an Asgard ship). Like their intergalactic counterparts, Ancient interstellar hyperdrives are far more powerful than those of other races. McKay designed an interstellar hyperdrive for a Puddle Jumper, but it was only reliable for about two trips and drained the Jumper's power quickly. (SG1: Ark of Truth) (ATL: "Rising
", "Aurora", "Tao of Rodney", "Lifeline
", "Enemy at the Gate
")
The Ancient starship Destiny and its Seed ships use an unidentified form of faster-than-light
propulsion which must remain active for at least 4 hours uninterrupted to prevent damage, this indicates it undergoes considerable strain from entering and exiting FTL. This FTL is described primarily as being distinct from hyperspace
, an example of this is that hyperspace is depicted as a tunnel, the Destiny FTL drive is depicted as if the ship is pushing through something, creating a trailing energy effect along the hull, similar to St. Elmo's fire
. The FTL-drive itself spans the entire breadth of the stern of the vessel. In contrast to a hyperdrive, which opens a window in subspace upon activation, the FTL-drive rapidly accelerates the vessel to faster-than-light speeds. Due to the inertial dampeners, the only visible effects of the drive is a stretched, blurry sensation felt when the drive is accelerating. When active, the ships shields must remain active in order to protect it from objects the ship may encounter in its path and the speed of the ship itself. If the shield were to fail mid-flight, the ship would disintegrate. The drive is apparently extremely resilient (a characteristic of all Ancient technology), having remained in operation well over fifty million years. Following a sabotage attempt by an enemy alien faction, the crew determined that removing one of the drive's modules would actually improve overall drive efficiency, also indicating that the drive can continue to function unhindered without all of its components operational.
An experimental technology installed on Atlantis, capable of traversing vast distances in moments. In "Enemy at the Gate
", the expedition uses it at the risk of instantly vaporizing the city, allowing Atlantis to reach Earth in time to defend it against an attack by a ZPM-powered Wraith hive ship. The drive essentially functions in a similar manner to a stargate, in that it creates an artificial wormhole that envelopes the entire city, transporting it almost instantaneously to its intended destination. The research into the drive was abandoned by the Ancients due to the enormous power constraints and the highly likely possibility of destroying the city. When the Atlantis Expedition was en route to Earth to defend against a Wraith attack, the stardrive failed on the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. With no remaining options to complete the journey, Dr. Radek Zelenka suggested to Richard Woolsey that he complete Dr. Rodney McKay's calculations that would theoretically safely engage the city in a wormhole "jump". Woolsey agreed and Atlantis safely transported into orbit around Earth in the midst of the Wraith's attack on Earth.
A type of sub-FTL seen only in the episode "The Return", under which an Ancient warship with damaged hyperdrive, the Tria, traveled consistently at 99% of the speed of light. They however had a ZPM onboard and patched it into their sub-light engines allowing them to push to 99% the speed of light and maintain it for 10,000 non relative years(about 12 years on the ship). They were attempting to return to Earth to rejoin the Ancients from Atlantis. As a result of traveling at that speed, they had experienced very limited passage of time. They encountered the Daedalus in the intergalactic void while the Earth ship was testing the nearly completed Midway Station.
The Ancient Stardrive is a drive unique to Ancient city-ships such as Atlantis. It is apparently a combination of both a sublight drive and a hyperdrive. Spanning the entire underside of the city-ship, it is capable of propelling the immensely heavy vessel away from the planet's surface, into orbit and through hyperspace. Considered one of the quickest drives in existence, Atlantis has traversed the distance from its home in Pegasus to the edge of the Milky Way galaxy in mere hours, a feat which takes the Daedalus approximately 18 days to complete. In additional spaceflight, the drive is also crucial for liftoff and entry to control the city-ship to ensure a smooth take off and landing.
Originally developed and used by the Ancients
, but later used by the Goa'uld
, the Tok'ra
, and the Ori
. The rings are roughly half the diameter of a Stargate and function under similar principles. The matter within the first set of rings is swapped with the matter in the second set of rings. A single set of rings can also be used to transfer matter over short distances. All matter inside the rings is dematerialized and transported via matter stream to another set of rings in a different location where it is then rematerialized. The five or eight rings levitate slightly off the ground and stack on top of each other during operation. Each ring transporter platform weighs 12.9 tons, but what components are used in the "platform" is unknown.
After a completed transport, the rings move back into their storage platform and deactivate. The rings themselves do not transport. Some ring platforms are portable and can be moved when inactive. They have sensors that detect other active transport rings in an area. Transport rings are also used to enter and exit spacecraft, with one set of rings inside the craft and another set of rings mounted outside the hull. This is commonly seen with the Goa'uld Tel'tak cargo ships and Al'kesh, and some of the Earth ships. It is possible to intercept a matter stream that is in transport by interposing a set of mobile rings between the sending rings and the planned receiving rings. However, such an intercept requires that the entire matter stream be captured by the intercepting rings; otherwise, the transported people will not fully reintegrate, resulting in death. In the original Stargate film, O'Neil used the rings to decapitate one of Ra's foot soldiers by pinning him under the rings as they were activated, causing only the soldier's head to be transported.
and can compensate for its effect on gate travel). Gates with a DHD communicate with each other through updates the only gate that has to take stellar drift into consideration is Earths gate since it does not have a DHD. Eight symbols must be used to dial a stargate that is in a different galaxy (the extra symbol referred to in SG-1 as being "like an area code"). The nine-symbol address is a specific combination used to dial the Destiny, a massive Ancient vessel that was part of a project to explore the universe, before the Ancients ascended. A Stargate is a one-way portal; it can only be entered from the side it is activated at. Simultaneous access is impossible. The Stargate is often considered to be the Ancients most famous creation, as the Ancients are often called the "Gate Builders". Because the Goa'uld are scavengers, they claimed that they were the builders to make the populations of the planets they enslaved worship them as gods.
, the result being microscopic nanites capable of attacking and destroying Wraith cells. They were programmed with an aggression that surpassed even that of the Wraith, and the ability to replicate to far greater numbers to increase their effectiveness. They replicated at such a rate that they took even the Ancients by surprise. As they became more advanced, the molecular machines began interlocking and assembling themselves into more complex constructs, and eventually they reached the point where they exactly emulated the Ancients in appearance. They desperately pleaded with the Ancients to have the aggression removed from their base code, but since the Ancients included a directive in the coding that prevented the Asurans from harming them, they continued the experiment. After they concluded that they would never become the weapon they desired to create, they launched a massive attack on their homeworld in an attempt to destroy them, and then erased all traces of them in their database. Even after this, a few nanites survived and began replicating, bringing about a second-birth of their kind. They are finally destroyed by the Tau'ri with the help of the Wraith and the Travellers. However, it should be noted that a small contingent of replicators under Dr. Weir were not destroyed, but were eventually sent through a stargate into space, so they couldn't do anything more.
temple. It was once used by the Ancients to re-create life in the galaxy after a devastating plague. It is capable of destroying all life in the galaxy as well. Anubis intended to use it to repopulate the galaxy according to his own designs. However, Jacob Carter recognizes that it is also the galaxy's only hope against the Replicators
. The weapon uses an energy wave that decomposes matter into its constituent parts. He, (along with Selmak), Samantha Carter
, and Ba'al reprogram the device to emit an energy wave matching that of the Replicator Disruptor, and send it through all the Stargates in the galaxy at once, and wipes out the Replicators. In , Anubis conquers Dakara and almost completes his plan to wipe the galaxy clean, but is stopped by Oma Desala. Confronted by how close they came to annihilation, the Free Jaffa Nation agrees to dismantle the device. However, in , the weapon is used again to fight the Ori
. The Jaffa High Council uses it to eliminate the crew of an Ori mothership, so they can capture it. Their attack is successful, but the Orici Adria is protected from the weapon by her personal shield, and takes the Ori mothership to Dakara where she fires a weapon that annihilates the Dakara superweapon.
An extremely powerful projectile weapon, shaped like a meter-long squid, capable of autonomously targeting and destroying its target, even if it is moving extremely fast. These are the Ancient's main type of weapon. In the Pegasus Galaxy, drones are rare in the aftermath of the loss of the Ancients' war against the Wraith. Only a few dozen remained in Atlantis
, which were used up during the siege by the Wraith
. A larger supply is found in another city ship, which is later used to replenish Atlantis' armory. They are also found on Puddle Jumpers and Aurora class battleships. The Asurans also use drones. In the Milky Way
, thousands of drones have been discovered in Ancient outposts such as the Antarctica outpost. Drones are partially intelligent weapons that are capable of seeking, tracking, and engaging targets on their own accord. They are normally controlled by an Ancient Control Chair that reads the operator's mind and can send thousands of drones swarming to attack an entire fleet at once. They appear to be guided by a central control system using various available sensors, and can be controlled either by continuous operator control or in a fire-and-forget manner. Aurora-class ships have a dedicated control chair for the drones, with the second meant to fly the ship.
An active drone is enveloped in a bright yellow glow. Drones fired from a control chair require a ZPM for normal operation, though a Mark II Naqahdah generator set on a controlled overload can provide the necessary power (but will fail after three uses). Drones require an outside power source, and will shut down in mid-flight if this power source is disabled. A drone was observed causing a relatively small explosion on impact, while a swarm enveloped a Kull warrior
while on its way from Anubis' attacking fleet. Conversely, two Drone Weapons are enough to completely destroy a Goa'uld Ha'tak if it hits a critical spot and a single drone can seriously damage a Wraith
cruiser. Drones have the ability to shield itself from impact with matter to a certain degree, allowing them to literally tunnel through larger enemies such as ships before returning to detonate. Drones have also been observed passing through ships, with unused ones heading back to their launch site, and can be used under water.
There is a smaller variant called mini-drones. It is theorized that the drones are used to guard certain areas against people without the ancient gene, as was the case on queen Harmony's planet where only the wearer of a special ancient "key" (pendant) can control the mini-drones from the "test site" where the Ancients developed mini-drone technology, which was perfected in Pegasus while the normal sized drones were invented in the Milky Way.
, and the only one completely effective against human-form Replicators, it disrupts communication between cells, rendering each one inert. When fired, any Replicator in its blast radius falls apart into its constituent units. The weapon is created by Jack O'Neill
, who had the entire Ancient Database downloaded into his mind at the time, in conjunction with Asgard computers. However, the Replicators are able to become immune to the device, requiring the recalibration of the disruptor. The actual prop was piston-driven and had a trigger device inside. Because the model shop knew that actor Richard Dean Anderson
would play with it off-screen, they made it extra-robust. Area 51
produced a version of the Replicator Disruptor specifically to combat the Asurans. (see "Anti-Replicator Gun").
or (as in the episode "Camelot") the Bloodstone, is a weapon designed by Merlin to neutralize ascended beings, including the Ori
, but cannot target a specific group of ascended but rather wipes all of them out within the weapon's range. The weapon consists of several devices working together, with a red stone as the "key" to make it work. According to Daniel Jackson, the notion of the Grail as a cup or chalice was a late addition to the myth, but some chroniclers originally described the Holy Grail as a stone that fell from the heavens. Exactly how it works is unknown, but the Asgard
have surmised that it's an energy transfer device, similar to a Zero Point Module, except that the energy is channelled not from sub-space into ordinary space-time, but rather into the dimension occupied by Ascended beings. The effect of this again theorized by the Asgard as two standing waves canceling each other out. The Sangraal is launched through the Supergate by Dr. Jackson and confirmed to have destroyed the Ori.
until it has enough energy to fire. During the war with the Wraith, Atlantis was guarded by a network of satellites placed at Lagrangian Point
s to protect the city. However, they were destroyed one by one, until eventually only one remained, damaged and without power. When the Wraith decide to attack Atlantis again after the Atlantis Expedition had taken up residence there, a team led by Rodney McKay
repairs the satellite to use against the incoming Wraith fleet. The repairs allowed the weapon to destroy one Hive-Ship using secondary power lines, but the systems overloaded after the first shot and it is soon destroyed by a barrage of Wraith weapons fire.
present in all Ancients, and some of their human descendants, which acts as a key to much of their technology; if the user does not possess the gene, the technology will not activate. The ATA gene instructs various cells in the body to produce a series of proteins and enzymes that interact with the skin, nervous system, and brain, allowing the gene carriers to operate Ancient technology. Though rare naturally in most humans, Dr. Carson Beckett
develops a retroviral
gene therapy
(using a deactivated mouse retrovirus) to transfer the Ancient gene expression to humans, but the treatment only has a 48% success rate. The necessity of the gene in utilizing Ancient technology varies. In some cases, like use of the Control Chair, the gene is required for continued use, while other devices simply need to be initially activated by someone with the gene, after which anyone can use the device. Gene expression is stronger in some carriers, allowing them to use Ancient technology instinctively while others require training and practice. The individual's ability to operate ancient devices are ranked by a system devised as the CIA(Chair Interface Aptitude). It seems people with it naturally occurring seem to have a higher CIA (such as Sheppard and Beckett are higher than McKay).
Natural gene carriers from Earth include Major General
Jack O'Neill
, Lt. Colonel
John Sheppard
(he apparently has a very strong form of the gene, and operates Ancient technology almost instinctively), Dr. Carson Beckett
, Sgt.
Markham (who was killed in action), Dr. Kusanagi (who was mentioned but never seen), and Joe Spencer. Gene carriers by therapy include Dr. Rodney McKay
(as the first human trial), Col.
Dillon Everett, and some of his troops. Gene carriers of unknown source include Lt.
Miller, Dr. Abrams, and Major
Lorne. The gene therapy did not work on Dr. Radek Zelenka
. The status of Dr. Daniel Jackson as a carrier is uncertain. He utilized Ancient technology after encountering the Ancient Repository that Merlin used in his laboratory. This technology modified Dr. Jackson's genetic make up, so he could resist the effects of being transformed into an Ori
Prior, as well as allowing him to house Merlin's consciousness. Whether it modified his genetics to include the Ancient gene, or whether he already possessed it, is unknown. However, the Goa'uld Anubis was able to use Ancient technology due to him being partly Ascended, suggesting that Daniel may also be able to use Ancient technology as he was an ascended being. Whether his ascension or the repository were responsible for his ability to use Ancient technology at the time is unknown, as he has not used any ATA gene-based technology since. Lt. Aiden Ford
asked for the gene therapy during the nanovirus crisis, but it was never said if he got it after the crisis. After Ford used a Puddle Jumper to leave Atlantis, series' writer Martin Gero
explained in an online message that he does not have the gene, because "The Jumpers, while near and inside Atlantis, are pretty much on autopilot when it comes to landing and taking off."
Series writer and producer Joseph Mallozzi
has stated in his blog that the ATA gene did not factor into any Stargate Universe
story lines.
cave under Glastonbury Tor
, England
. The device was named by Merlin's trusted aides, the Knights of the Round Table. In order to access the data from its computer, the user must be out of phase, to prevent the ascended Ancients from discovering it. The device itself is accessible from either dimension, allowing a person to enter and exit. Although being out of phase hides the user from both the Ancients and conventional observers, those wearing Sodan personal cloaking device, which operate on a similar principle, can observe affected matter, though they cannot interact with it. The device is accidentally accessed by Colonels Carter
and Mitchell
, who were rendered out of phase by the device. With the eventual help of Daniel Jackson, they manage to return to normal; however, its power source is permanently depleted in the process. The device is then exploited as a defensive weapon by Colonel Carter, first on a village under threat by the Ori then on the entire planet Earth in an alternate reality.
In addition to their regular function, two communications stones can form a psychic link between the last two people that used them. SG-1 retrieved one of these stones from the same planet where the quantum mirror was discovered. The stone was kept in Daniel Jackson's lab and inadvertently activated by Jack O'Neill
. Another stone was purchased at a yard sale by Joe Spencer, a barber from Indiana
, who was then able to see O'Neill's memories as he recalled them while writing his mission reports.
One of these devices was discovered under Glastonbury Tor, and it was subsequently used by Dr. Jackson and Vala. It transported their minds to the Ori galaxy into the bodies of a married couple, Harrid and Sallis. Their minds were sent back by a similar device, but the transfer was cut short by a Prior. Col. Mitchell and Teal'c
eventually destroyed it by throwing it into the Stargate's
unstable vortex, bringing Daniel and Vala back. Several months later, Vala Mal Doran contacted the SGC
from the Ori Galaxy using the device thanks to the Ori underground resistance, and warned SG-1 about the nearing Ori invasion of the Milky Way
. However, the link was cut by her husband Tomin. Another communication device was found in the Pegasus galaxy, switching Dr. Keller's mind with that of a thief. Both Keller and the thief were able to use each other's bodies despite the lack of a second device. Unable to find any shut-down switch, Ronon shoots it to break the link.
In Stargate Universe
, Stargate Command has apparently devised a more compact version of the communication device. This version is a boxed-shaped device with room for five stones in an 'X' formation. The stones are simply placed on the flat panel of the device to activate it. It can be deactivated by removing the power source attached to the base. The team aboard the Destiny has access to one, as does Stargate Command, allowing for regular communication between the expedition and Earth. Like the original, the transfer works both ways and will only deactivate when deprived of power (which is much easier with this version). Due to the vast distance between Earth and the Destiny the transfer will only work if both devices are active, and deactivating either device will terminate the link. In addition, stones must be placed on both devices for a transfer to occur, as shown when Young had to bring in an additional person to switch with Chloe after they both used the device (Telford had been the only one present on the other end). However, connections across a shorter distance (as in the same or adjacent galaxies) still work with only one device present, as seen when Young switched body with a Blueberry Alien. These Aliens seem to have developed a similar device, which they used to switch bodies with Vanessa James. This issue was compounded when she did not have her imprint erased from the stone she was inadvertently switched with a member of the alien race who ended up sabotaging Destiny.
The SGU device has been shown to glitch when Destiny jumps to FTL travel, allowing for minds to be inadvertently returned to their host bodies.
The SGU device's link is also terminated upon either linked individual entering an active Stargate, or at least one going to Destiny.
It is also revealed that the death of one person using the stones, also kills the person on the other end. (As and edit, a more current episode shows that the physical body of the person dies while the mental being of the person gets lost and "floats" around.) The mental part was able to be reconnected with by the stone user to fall asleep. The person(s) mind(s) would then download into the stone users and will disappear and be lost if it is not taken out of the body i.e. through a neural link in a control chair. In SGU one of the characters has two other characters minds downloaded into her brain through the stones (who where thought to be dead) and were taken out through the chair on-board.
A chair-shaped neural interface
which allows the user to remotely control systems on whatever facility the chair is installed in, such as the Ancient City Ship or smaller Ancient outposts like the one in Antarctica. The chairs, like most Ancient technology, requires the Ancient Technology Activation gene. They are primarily used to fire and control Drone Weapons, though they are also shown to be used to pilot spacecraft in addition to more minor systems such as holographic projectors and power distribution. They are normally powered by a Zero Point Module, but can be powered by Mark II Naqahdah reactors in a "controlled overload", which provides just enough energy to activate the chair three times before the reactor burns out. Two chairs have been encountered in the Milky Way
– Proclarush Taonas and the Antarctica outpost on Earth
. In the Pegasus Galaxy, chairs are located in the tower of Atlantis
and its sister cities. Ancient Aurora-class starships each have two chairs, one for weapons and the other for piloting. The one for piloting looks different than the ones for drone control.
In Stargate Universe series, the spaceship Destiny has a primitive version of the control chair, which also acts as the ship's repository of knowledge.
, granting the subjects what appeared to be superhuman
powers. Nirrti attempted to use the machine to create humans with superpowers, called "hok'taur", Goa'uld
slang meaning "advanced human", to take as hosts.
The device works by altering a subject's DNA
and consequently increasing their brain
activity from roughly 10% up to 90% (based on the popular but inaccurate myth that humans only use 10% of their brain at any given time). Depending on the length of time for which they were subjected to the machine, various characters were shown to have abilities such as telekinesis and telepathy
, super-human senses and strength, supernatural health and self healing, perfect memory, and the power to heal by touch. The show's ascended beings possessed similar supernatural abilities of the same order but in far greater magnitudes and proficiencies. It was confirmed in Season 9 of SG-1, that through extreme evolution, such as that provided by the DNA Resequencer, a being would gradually acquire Ascended powers until genuinely Ascending themselves.
The prop
consists of three components. Two of the components are physical but the third is computer
generated. The first component is a pedestal that rests on the floor, elevating the actor in the device and drawing attention to him or her. Above the user was the second component, an orange globe. This was what appeared to be the technological part of the device (at least the first time the device appeared). Later, in the editing process, the third component was added: a computer generated energy field which appears to paralyze the user, and a computer-generated representation of DNA surrounding the user.
A device with similar capabilities was found in an initially submerged part of Atlantis, although it differs considerably in appearance. The diposition of the command console on a pedestal and under the blue light emitter of the "resequencing" field suggest it was designed for self-modifications.
s, but bullet
s would pass straight through it when fired at it. The hologram was designed to resemble a medieval knight
, to test the worthiness of those who entered. If the program had determined the visitors to be "worthy", the treasures and hidden technology inside the cave would be revealed. When SG-1 gained access to the cavern, the sentry was eventually defeated by Cameron Mitchell
. Another holographic knight guarded Merlin's library on Camelot, where his research on an anti-Ori
weapon, the Sangraal, was kept. Instead of battling those who trespass within the library, the hologram, which was known to the locals as the Black Knight, emerge in the village to incite terror and discourage re-admittance. When SG-1 visited Camelot in search for more information on the weapon, the hologram almost killed Col. Mitchell, before Daniel Jackson was able to destroy the control crystals governing the program.
and use healing powers. A variation appears in "The Quest". This version is smaller, does not latch on to the user's head, and has additional, hand-sized input devices at its base. It interfaces with a replication device to allow users to build devices from the molecule up. It was used by Merlin to create the first Sangraal. Merlin downloaded his mind into the device when he could not complete work on the second, allowing Daniel to finish it. It also allowed Daniel to use telekinetic powers.
In Stargate Universe series, the spaceship Destiny has a primitive version of the control chair, which also acts as the ship's repository of knowledge.
. The device slows the user's bodily functions to a near halt but does not stop them. Thus, over long periods, the person can potentially age to a point where being removed would be fatal. One such device was located inside the Antarctic outpost and used by Colonel O'Neill, who put himself in stasis to stop the Ancient knowledge in his brain from killing him. Another chamber was encountered on Atlantis, where an alternate version of Elizabeth Weir
had survived for 10,000 years, reawakening every 3,300 years to rotate among Atlantis' three ZPMs. The clone of Carson Beckett
enters another such pod to prevent death that was caused by cellular deterioration from the cloning process. A third stasis chamber on a planet contained Khalek, a clone Anubis created by using his own pre-Ascended DNA. Another such device is found containing Merlin himself, who stayed in suspended animation for about 1,000 years (since the time of King Arthur), when SG-1 enlists his help to re-create the Sangraal. Similar devices are used in Aurora-class ships, for use on extended voyages. These stasis chambers are egg-shaped and require the user to lie down. The pods can be modified so that the occupants can participate in virtual reality
, allowing their minds to remain active during long voyages. The pods interface with the ship's computer, so the crew can work on tasks while asleep.
, used by Morgan le Fay as one of her tests for persons searching for the Sangraal. This model had a set field around the location of the mountain, which almost froze objects that entered the field and was the reason why many human villagers were lost on the quest as they had become trapped in the field. However, as part of the test, a set path is present that allowed movement without being compromised. And a third was installed by the Asgard into the Odyssey, (along with an Asgard core and many other systems) which Colonel Carter used in Unending
to protect the Odyssey from the Ori, while she could find a way to isolate the Asgard core from the hyperdrive and shut the core down as it was giving off a signal the Ori could trace through sub-space.
A similar device was discovered a few years earlier. This was much larger, which dialed several planets through the Stargate to form a subspace bubble. The machine was flawed, as it only creates a short-term time loop
, which forces the planets that the device dialed to relive the same ten hours again and again. It is powered by the ionized atoms in the atmosphere caused by the geo-magnetic storms on the planet. Two capacitors start to hum and emit static electricity that is channeled to the Stargate. The Ancients originally created it to stop a plague that was wiping them out, although it eventually only forced them to keep doing the same thing over and over. In the end, they were forced to shut down the device.
Ancient (Stargate)
The Ancients are a humanoid race in the fictional Stargate universe. They are called "Ancients" in the Milky Way, but are also known as Lanteans or Ancestors in the Pegasus galaxy and as the Alterans in their home galaxy, and they sometimes call themselves Anquietas in their language...
(also known as "Alterans" and "Lanteans") are a fictional advanced race in the Stargate franchise, and are depicted as the precursor to modern-day humans. Their most notable creation in Stargate mythology is the entire Stargate
Stargate (device)
A Stargate is a portal device within the Stargate fictional universe that allows practical, rapid travel between two distant locations. The devices first appear in the 1994 Roland Emmerich film Stargate, and thereafter in the television series Stargate SG-1 and its spin-offs...
network. Ancient science and technology, with a few exceptions, is shown as being superior to that of other races. The Ancients are portrayed as being extremely advanced in the areas of healing, power generation, and biology. They are also credited with designing a number of fictional weapons, primarily for use in the centuries-long war with the Wraith
Wraith (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the Wraith are the original enemy alien species, first introduced in the pilot episode . In the series, they are a vampire-like telepathic race who feed on the "life-force" of humans, and are the dominant power in the Pegasus galaxy...
in the Pegasus Galaxy. Ori technology in Stargate is shown as similar to that of the Ancients, since they are also depicted as ascended beings. In Stargate chronology, all Ancient technology was created prior to their ascension, with the exception of the Velona weapon, assisted by the character Orlin, and the weapon created by the character Merlin to destroy ascended beings. However, not all the artifacts credited to the Ancients are depicted as a complete success.
Power sources
Ancient technology has varied in power and capability over the passage of many millions of years. Early Ancient technology has shown various advantages over Later Period Ancient technology for inexplicable reasons. The multi-million-year old vessel Destiny possesses an early hyperdrive system that manages FTL travel in normal space with the use of multiple modular drives, giving it vastly superior speed to the later hyperdrive systems that utilized hyperspace windows. Destiny also possesses the ability to convert plasma discharges from the chromosphere of a sun into energy without damage, giving it the ability to recharge at any point in travel while Late Period Ancient ships were more fragile and required an exhaustible power supply provided by ZPMs. While certain prototypical properties of Destiny such as shields, weapons, and interface technology improved significantly over time, the reasons for the loss of many superior advantages of Early Period Ancient technology have not been explained. Ancient beings themselves have also expressed a similar loss of advanced abilities over millions of years; the Stargate device was conceived by an Alteran during a dream on the eve of the exodus from the Ori galaxy, but by the end of the war with the Wraith, Ancient scientists such as Janus required lengthy periods of work to create equally powerful technology such as time-travel.Zero Point Module
Zero-point energy
Zero-point energy is the lowest possible energy that a quantum mechanical physical system may have; it is the energy of its ground state. All quantum mechanical systems undergo fluctuations even in their ground state and have an associated zero-point energy, a consequence of their wave-like nature...
. ZPMs are depicted as more powerful and efficient than fictional Naquadah generators or any conventional energy source on present day Earth, and are shown as lasting for thousands of years.
The first ZPM is found by Jack O'Neill
Jack O'Neill
Jonathan J. "Jack" O'Neill is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe, three science fiction shows about military teams exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
in the SG-1 season 7 finale "Lost City
Lost City (Stargate SG-1)
"Lost City" is the two-part finale to the seventh season of the science fiction television show Stargate SG-1. It was originally intended to be a second Stargate film, and was then to be the show's absolute finale, and finally ended up being the seventh season finale after the series was renewed...
" at an abandoned outpost, and used to power Ancient weaponry left behind on Earth to repel Anubis' attack on Earth. The same ZPM allows Stargate Command
Stargate Command
The Stargate Program is a fictional top-secret program that plays a key role in the Stargate franchise: it surrounds the operations of the Stargate on Earth. The core of the Stargate Program is Stargate Command , based at the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station near Colorado Springs, Colorado...
to open a wormhole to Atlantis
Atlantis (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the spin-off of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis is a city-sized starship originally located in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis serves as the base of operations for the main characters, from which they explore other planets through the Stargate...
in the Pegasus Galaxy. Another is found on Earth in an alternate timeline and allows Earth to send supplies and reinforcements to Atlantis. The finding and recapturing of ZPMs is a recurring theme on Stargate Atlantis, being a necessary asset to protect the city from attacks and invasion, to power the city (e.g., for space travel) and to accelerate Earth ships in-between galaxies. However, they also have destructive powers, which has been misused by Camulus, the Trust, and McKay aboard an Asuran City ship.
Most of the Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
characters and aliens pronounce ZPM as Zee
Zee
Zee, is an American Holy Hip Hop artist and songwriter. His debut album Livin' Proof was released in 2006....
-P-M (with an American accent). The team's Canadian scientist, Rodney McKay
Rodney McKay
Doctor Meredith Rodney McKay, Ph.D, is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, two military science fiction television shows about a military team exploring two galaxies via a network of alien transportation devices...
, on the other hand, pronounces the abbreviation in the standard Canadian fashion, Zed
Zed
Zed , in Commonwealth English, is the name of the twenty-sixth and final letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet Zed may also refer to:- Living persons :*Zed Shaw, US computer programmer...
-P-M.
Other power sources
- Project Arcturus: Experimental project to extract vacuum energyVacuum energyVacuum energy is an underlying background energy that exists in space even when the space is devoid of matter . The concept of vacuum energy has been deduced from the concept of virtual particles, which is itself derived from the energy-time uncertainty principle...
from the current stargate universe, which could replace Zero Point Modules, based on Doranda. It failed and several Ancients involved died trying to shut it down. The Atlantis Expedition discovers the device, but run into the same problem: the device constantly generates new and exotic particles that would make it impossible to stabilize, which causes the destruction of 5/6 of the solar system. The Atlantis team later experiments with shunting the exotic particles to another universe. However, the other universe is inhabited, and an alternate McKay travels to Atlantis to stem the damage being done to his universe. - Ram scoop like devices: The Ancient starship Destiny is powered by a series of devices similar to ram scoops on each "fin" at the rear of the ship. The vessel flies through the corona of a star to recharge its reactors. The shields protect the vessel from the intense solar heat while this process occurs.
- Submerged Geothermal Station: A small facility the Ancients constructed to find an area where volcanic activity was close to the surface. Once found, the Ancients made use of the planet's geothermal energy. An umbilical cord is tethered from the facility to Atlantis to deliver power.
- Supervolcano Geothermal Facility: A large Ancient outpost was discovered on Taranis, a planet in the Pegasus galaxy where the Orion was also stored. This outpost contained an Ancient shield and utilized geothermal energy from a dormant supervolcano. Excessive use of the facility destabilized the volcano, resulting in an eruption which rendered the planet uninhabitable.
- O'Neill's jury-rigged device: The first time that Colonel Jack O'Neill had the knowledge of the Ancients downloaded into his mind by an Ancient Repository of Knowledge, he used this knowledge to build a complex device that interfaced with the power supply for Earth's Stargate. The device provided the requisite amount of power for the Stargate to create a wormhole to another galaxy by depleting the liquid Naqahdah energy cell of a staff weapon, which allowed O'Neill to travel to an Asgard-controlled location in the Ida galaxy. The device he built to power the Stargate for this purpose worked only once until a second Samantha Carter arrived from a parallel universe, and the two Carters managed to figure it out so that the Alternate-Carter could return to her universe via the Quantum Mirror and contact the Asgard (by travelling to the Asgard's home galaxy via Stargate) to stop the Goa'uld Apophis from conquering Earth, similar to what Daniel Jackson had witnessed when he discovered the Quantum Mirror on an abandoned planet.
Shielding
Shields were used by the Ancients aboard their ships and outposts. Ancient shields prove to be almost impenetrable, as long as sufficient power is maintained to operate them. In contrast, the shields of other races, such as the Goa'uld and Asgard, are weakened directly by outside forces, like enemy fire and natural phenomena, causing them to fail or diminish in capacity rather quickly in cases of extreme stress. Various types of shields include:- Prison cell shield: Ancient prison cells are known to employ shields between their bars to prevent occupants from escaping, as shown within Atlantis as well as their ships. Atlantis' sister ship was shown not to have this capability but this is most likely due to the severe lack of power available.
- Aurora-class shields: The shield of Aurora class warships contours around the ship, like an extra hull, instead of an ordinary bubble. These shields are incredibly powerful, and have a yellow gold-like color. The Orion's shields, operating at well-below full power, were able to withstand a supervolcanoSupervolcanoA supervolcano is a volcano capable of producing a volcanic eruption with an ejecta volume greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers . This is thousands of times larger than most historic volcanic eruptions. Supervolcanoes can occur when magma in the Earth rises into the crust from a hotspot but is...
's eruption for 4.1 seconds, while using the eruption to propel it out of its hangar. - Atlantis' shield: The massive dome-like force field protects the city from enemy attacks, extreme weather, and water pressure when submerged in the ocean. The power required to operate the shield depends on the load it is being subjected to. When interfaced with a Puddle Jumper's cloak generator, it acts as an invisibility shield and draws less power than it normally would, though it offers no protection other than invisibility. During normal operation the shield can be sustained by one ZPM. The shield draws a substantial amount of power when under strain. The shield could only be sustained by a single ZPM for just days when under heavy attack from a WraithWraith (Stargate)In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the Wraith are the original enemy alien species, first introduced in the pilot episode . In the series, they are a vampire-like telepathic race who feed on the "life-force" of humans, and are the dominant power in the Pegasus galaxy...
fleet, but for 10,000 years under the pressure of thousands of feet of water with only three ZPMs used in sequence. - Personal shield: A palm-sized shield generator worn on one's person that projects a defensive barrier. It deflects any objects propelled at it, and has inertial dampeners. The shield is activated by the ATA gene, and controlled by the user's mind, though the user must be trained in mind-control to override the conscious desires in the use of the device; for example, the user may believe they do not need the shield, but their subconscious may still believe they require protection, causing the shield to remain active until the danger passes. Once a person activates the device, only that person can use it. However, on at least one occasion, a personal shield is worn by several users. The shield can prevent the user from eating or drinking while the device is active, but experienced users have been known to eat and drink while wearing it. The wearer still requires air to breathe, and thus is not protected from drowning or being buried alive. Three personal shields have so far been encountered. One was discovered in AtlantisAtlantis (Stargate)In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the spin-off of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis is a city-sized starship originally located in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis serves as the base of operations for the main characters, from which they explore other planets through the Stargate...
and used by Rodney McKayRodney McKayDoctor Meredith Rodney McKay, Ph.D, is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, two military science fiction television shows about a military team exploring two galaxies via a network of alien transportation devices...
, but its power source is depleted by an energy-absorbing creature. Another was used by a McKay from a Parallel universeParallel universe (fiction)A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
to cross over to our universe. The third is used by Lucius Lavin, although its power source was later depleted. - Stargate shield: Much like the Iris on the Earth Gate, Atlantis' Stargate is protected by a shield that can be activated at a touch of a button to prevent any matter from materializing beyond the event horizonEvent horizonIn general relativity, an event horizon is a boundary in spacetime beyond which events cannot affect an outside observer. In layman's terms it is defined as "the point of no return" i.e. the point at which the gravitational pull becomes so great as to make escape impossible. The most common case...
. Unlike the iris, it is transparent and one can see the suppressed kawoosh and impact of objects prevented from rematerializing. The Shield has yet to be breached by anything, but a "back-door" is coded into the shield's control system by Dr. McKay, allowing him to deactivate it remotely from an off world location and preventing anyone else (including the inhabitants of Atlantis) from reactivating it. - Puddle Jumper shield: The Atlantis Puddle Jumper cloaking devices can be modified to create a shield instead. The shield drains much more power than the cloak does, however.
- Destinys Shield: Stargate Universe's Destiny appears to have a far more primitive Ancient shielding technology than Atlantis and other Ancient ships. Whereas Atlantis' shield appears to specialize in containing atmosphere, Destiny's shield is far inferior in this capability. Though Atlantis appears not to be airtight itself (stated several times throughout Atlantis that the shield is necessary for space travel), the shield retains the atmosphere with ease. The shield is battle tested in Season 1 Episode 11 and it is put under severe strain in the short fight with the aliens encountered, but Destiny is very damaged, with the power lines damaged enough for the ship being capable of storing only 40% of its maximum reserves, the shields also aren't at full power. The shield's obvious purpose is to withstand extreme temperatures when diving into a star's corona to recharge itself, though the recharging itself also powers the shields. However, with all available power devoted to shields during a battle, they can take a lot: during a battle simulation Destiny was running, all available power was devoted to the shields and they were said to be able to hold out for 44 minutes against nine alien ships and were only penetrated when six more ships showed up and joined in the firing.
Transportation
The Ancients were the first race known to develop interstellar transport technology, being able to make intergalactic trips millions of years before human life was ever seeded in the Milky Way and Pegasus galaxies, and possessed multiple methods of achieving this from ship mounted engines to devices that could transport people. They also possessed short-ranged transportation for non-interstellar use.Intergalactic hyperdrive
The Ancients were the first race to build an intergalactic hyperdrive. The Ancients have the most powerful hyperdrives known to exist; Atlantis
Atlantis (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the spin-off of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis is a city-sized starship originally located in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis serves as the base of operations for the main characters, from which they explore other planets through the Stargate...
(and presumably other city-ships) can travel several million light-years in mere hours when powered by a full complement of ZPMs. By comparison, the Asgard-built intergalactic hyperdrive on an Earth Daedalus-class starship takes 18 days to make the same trip, four if similarly powered by a ZPM.
Interstellar hyperdrives
Unlike their city-ships, most Ancient vessels are powered by the more conventional interstellar hyperdrive, which cannot traverse intergalactic distances in a reasonable time frame but can move across a galaxy with relative ease. The hyperdrives equipped on the Aurora-class could be modified to make an intergalactic trip if necessary, possibly meaning the interstellar hyperdrives of other Ancient vessels could be modified in a similar manner; though they were usually ill-equipped to make such a trip and it is unknown how fast they would be (but likely far slower than an Asgard ship). Like their intergalactic counterparts, Ancient interstellar hyperdrives are far more powerful than those of other races. McKay designed an interstellar hyperdrive for a Puddle Jumper, but it was only reliable for about two trips and drained the Jumper's power quickly. (SG1: Ark of Truth) (ATL: "Rising
Rising (Stargate Atlantis)
"Rising" is the pilot episode for season one of the military science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a Canadian-American spin off series of Stargate SG-1. The episodes were written by executive producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, the episodes were directed by Martin Wood...
", "Aurora", "Tao of Rodney", "Lifeline
Lifeline (Stargate Atlantis)
"Lifeline" is the second episode of the fourth season, and the 62nd episode overall, of the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis. The episode first aired in the United States on October 5, 2007 on the Sci Fi Channel, and subsequently aired October 16 on Sky One in the United Kingdom....
", "Enemy at the Gate
Enemy at the Gate (Stargate Atlantis)
"Enemy at the Gate" is the 100th and final episode of the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis. The episode aired on January 9, 2009 on the Sci Fi Channel in the United States, and on January 13, 2009 on Sky1 in the United Kingdom...
")
FTL drive
The Ancient starship Destiny and its Seed ships use an unidentified form of faster-than-light
Faster-than-light
Faster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
propulsion which must remain active for at least 4 hours uninterrupted to prevent damage, this indicates it undergoes considerable strain from entering and exiting FTL. This FTL is described primarily as being distinct from hyperspace
Hyperspace (science fiction)
Hyperspace is a plot device sometimes used in science fiction. It is typically described as an alternative region of space co-existing with our own universe which may be entered using an energy field or other device...
, an example of this is that hyperspace is depicted as a tunnel, the Destiny FTL drive is depicted as if the ship is pushing through something, creating a trailing energy effect along the hull, similar to St. Elmo's fire
St. Elmo's fire
St. Elmo's fire is a weather phenomenon in which luminous plasma is created by a coronal discharge from a grounded object in an electric field in the atmosphere St. Elmo's fire is named after St. Erasmus of Formiae St. Elmo's fire (also St. Elmo's light) is a weather phenomenon in which luminous...
. The FTL-drive itself spans the entire breadth of the stern of the vessel. In contrast to a hyperdrive, which opens a window in subspace upon activation, the FTL-drive rapidly accelerates the vessel to faster-than-light speeds. Due to the inertial dampeners, the only visible effects of the drive is a stretched, blurry sensation felt when the drive is accelerating. When active, the ships shields must remain active in order to protect it from objects the ship may encounter in its path and the speed of the ship itself. If the shield were to fail mid-flight, the ship would disintegrate. The drive is apparently extremely resilient (a characteristic of all Ancient technology), having remained in operation well over fifty million years. Following a sabotage attempt by an enemy alien faction, the crew determined that removing one of the drive's modules would actually improve overall drive efficiency, also indicating that the drive can continue to function unhindered without all of its components operational.
Wormhole drive
An experimental technology installed on Atlantis, capable of traversing vast distances in moments. In "Enemy at the Gate
Enemy at the Gate (Stargate Atlantis)
"Enemy at the Gate" is the 100th and final episode of the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis. The episode aired on January 9, 2009 on the Sci Fi Channel in the United States, and on January 13, 2009 on Sky1 in the United Kingdom...
", the expedition uses it at the risk of instantly vaporizing the city, allowing Atlantis to reach Earth in time to defend it against an attack by a ZPM-powered Wraith hive ship. The drive essentially functions in a similar manner to a stargate, in that it creates an artificial wormhole that envelopes the entire city, transporting it almost instantaneously to its intended destination. The research into the drive was abandoned by the Ancients due to the enormous power constraints and the highly likely possibility of destroying the city. When the Atlantis Expedition was en route to Earth to defend against a Wraith attack, the stardrive failed on the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. With no remaining options to complete the journey, Dr. Radek Zelenka suggested to Richard Woolsey that he complete Dr. Rodney McKay's calculations that would theoretically safely engage the city in a wormhole "jump". Woolsey agreed and Atlantis safely transported into orbit around Earth in the midst of the Wraith's attack on Earth.
Sublight drive
A type of sub-FTL seen only in the episode "The Return", under which an Ancient warship with damaged hyperdrive, the Tria, traveled consistently at 99% of the speed of light. They however had a ZPM onboard and patched it into their sub-light engines allowing them to push to 99% the speed of light and maintain it for 10,000 non relative years(about 12 years on the ship). They were attempting to return to Earth to rejoin the Ancients from Atlantis. As a result of traveling at that speed, they had experienced very limited passage of time. They encountered the Daedalus in the intergalactic void while the Earth ship was testing the nearly completed Midway Station.
Ancient Stardrive
The Ancient Stardrive is a drive unique to Ancient city-ships such as Atlantis. It is apparently a combination of both a sublight drive and a hyperdrive. Spanning the entire underside of the city-ship, it is capable of propelling the immensely heavy vessel away from the planet's surface, into orbit and through hyperspace. Considered one of the quickest drives in existence, Atlantis has traversed the distance from its home in Pegasus to the edge of the Milky Way galaxy in mere hours, a feat which takes the Daedalus approximately 18 days to complete. In additional spaceflight, the drive is also crucial for liftoff and entry to control the city-ship to ensure a smooth take off and landing.
Ring transporter
Ancient (Stargate)
The Ancients are a humanoid race in the fictional Stargate universe. They are called "Ancients" in the Milky Way, but are also known as Lanteans or Ancestors in the Pegasus galaxy and as the Alterans in their home galaxy, and they sometimes call themselves Anquietas in their language...
, but later used by the Goa'uld
Goa'uld
The Goa'uld are a fictional symbiotic race of ancient astronauts from the American-Canadian military science fiction television franchise Stargate. The Goa'uld are parasites from the planet P3X-888, integrated within a host, most of the time human. The resulting creatures are a powerful race bent...
, the Tok'ra
Tok'ra
The Tok'ra are a fictional alien race on the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. They first appear in the season 2 episode . In the show, the Tok'ra are biologically the same species as the Goa'uld who inhabit human hosts in a symbiotic relationship, and are opposed to the evil System...
, and the Ori
Ori (Stargate)
The Ori are fictional characters in the science fiction television series, Stargate SG-1. They are a group of "ascended" beings who use their advanced technology and knowledge of the universe to attempt to trick non-ascended humans into worshipping them as gods.They first appeared in the ninth...
. The rings are roughly half the diameter of a Stargate and function under similar principles. The matter within the first set of rings is swapped with the matter in the second set of rings. A single set of rings can also be used to transfer matter over short distances. All matter inside the rings is dematerialized and transported via matter stream to another set of rings in a different location where it is then rematerialized. The five or eight rings levitate slightly off the ground and stack on top of each other during operation. Each ring transporter platform weighs 12.9 tons, but what components are used in the "platform" is unknown.
After a completed transport, the rings move back into their storage platform and deactivate. The rings themselves do not transport. Some ring platforms are portable and can be moved when inactive. They have sensors that detect other active transport rings in an area. Transport rings are also used to enter and exit spacecraft, with one set of rings inside the craft and another set of rings mounted outside the hull. This is commonly seen with the Goa'uld Tel'tak cargo ships and Al'kesh, and some of the Earth ships. It is possible to intercept a matter stream that is in transport by interposing a set of mobile rings between the sending rings and the planned receiving rings. However, such an intercept requires that the entire matter stream be captured by the intercepting rings; otherwise, the transported people will not fully reintegrate, resulting in death. In the original Stargate film, O'Neil used the rings to decapitate one of Ra's foot soldiers by pinning him under the rings as they were activated, causing only the soldier's head to be transported.
Stargate
Also known as Astria Porta in Ancient, and to the Goa'uld and Jaffa as the "Chappa'ai" (Cha-Pa-Eye). were created and distributed by the Ancients across several galaxies, along with Dial-Home Devices to control them, forming the Stargate Network. A traveller may use any Stargate to travel almost instantaneously to any other Stargate in the system, so long as he knows the "address," a combination of at least seven symbols (six for the 3D position and one for the point of origin) that must be entered on the DHD (and assuming that the traveller is aware of stellar driftStellar drift
Stellar drift, or the motion of stars, is a necessary result of the lack of an absolute reference frame in special relativity. The term is used mainly in science fiction, however; in particular, the phenomenon affects stargates in the Stargate franchise....
and can compensate for its effect on gate travel). Gates with a DHD communicate with each other through updates the only gate that has to take stellar drift into consideration is Earths gate since it does not have a DHD. Eight symbols must be used to dial a stargate that is in a different galaxy (the extra symbol referred to in SG-1 as being "like an area code"). The nine-symbol address is a specific combination used to dial the Destiny, a massive Ancient vessel that was part of a project to explore the universe, before the Ancients ascended. A Stargate is a one-way portal; it can only be entered from the side it is activated at. Simultaneous access is impossible. The Stargate is often considered to be the Ancients most famous creation, as the Ancients are often called the "Gate Builders". Because the Goa'uld are scavengers, they claimed that they were the builders to make the populations of the planets they enslaved worship them as gods.
Other
- "Eye of the Gods": A large obeliskObeliskAn obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
located not far from the Stargate of the Sodan world, It transports people to another location where a similar transporter is located to get back. An energy signature is detected within the column of stones, although it remains unknown how the device functions. A control crystal is required to activate the obelisk. Without the crystal, the obelisk can be transported to, but cannot transport people back. Morgan le Fay uses similar obelisks to transport Merlin and those with him to various planets throughout the Milky Way, which also contains command overrides for the DHD and is able to distinguish between a regular human and an Orici. - Atlantis transporters:In Stargate Atlantis the cityship does not appear to be equipped with ring transporters but instead it has transporter rooms (initially mistaken for storage cupboards) which would seem to be an upgraded version of the technology as they work in a similar manner. They may also be compatible with ring transporters similar to the way that separate era stargates are compatible.
- Beam transporter: Outposts built by Ancients after their return from the Pegasus Dwarf Galaxy possessed transporters that were similar to Asgard transporters. Such devices were used to reveal treasures to SG-1 after passing several tests.
Asurans
The ultimate product of extensive Ancient research into smaller and more effective weapons for use against the WraithWraith (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the Wraith are the original enemy alien species, first introduced in the pilot episode . In the series, they are a vampire-like telepathic race who feed on the "life-force" of humans, and are the dominant power in the Pegasus galaxy...
, the result being microscopic nanites capable of attacking and destroying Wraith cells. They were programmed with an aggression that surpassed even that of the Wraith, and the ability to replicate to far greater numbers to increase their effectiveness. They replicated at such a rate that they took even the Ancients by surprise. As they became more advanced, the molecular machines began interlocking and assembling themselves into more complex constructs, and eventually they reached the point where they exactly emulated the Ancients in appearance. They desperately pleaded with the Ancients to have the aggression removed from their base code, but since the Ancients included a directive in the coding that prevented the Asurans from harming them, they continued the experiment. After they concluded that they would never become the weapon they desired to create, they launched a massive attack on their homeworld in an attempt to destroy them, and then erased all traces of them in their database. Even after this, a few nanites survived and began replicating, bringing about a second-birth of their kind. They are finally destroyed by the Tau'ri with the help of the Wraith and the Travellers. However, it should be noted that a small contingent of replicators under Dr. Weir were not destroyed, but were eventually sent through a stargate into space, so they couldn't do anything more.
Dakara superweapon
An extremely powerful device hidden inside a monument on Dakara, which was later turned into a Goa'uldGoa'uld
The Goa'uld are a fictional symbiotic race of ancient astronauts from the American-Canadian military science fiction television franchise Stargate. The Goa'uld are parasites from the planet P3X-888, integrated within a host, most of the time human. The resulting creatures are a powerful race bent...
temple. It was once used by the Ancients to re-create life in the galaxy after a devastating plague. It is capable of destroying all life in the galaxy as well. Anubis intended to use it to repopulate the galaxy according to his own designs. However, Jacob Carter recognizes that it is also the galaxy's only hope against the Replicators
Replicator (Stargate)
In the military science fiction series Stargate SG-1, the Replicators are antagonistic self-replicating machines that propagate by ingesting the metals that make up civilizations and use them to create either blocks that form the bug-like version or smaller cells that compose the human-form...
. The weapon uses an energy wave that decomposes matter into its constituent parts. He, (along with Selmak), Samantha Carter
Samantha Carter
Samantha "Sam" Carter is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction Stargate franchise, appearing in television series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe. SG-1 and Atlantis are both about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien...
, and Ba'al reprogram the device to emit an energy wave matching that of the Replicator Disruptor, and send it through all the Stargates in the galaxy at once, and wipes out the Replicators. In , Anubis conquers Dakara and almost completes his plan to wipe the galaxy clean, but is stopped by Oma Desala. Confronted by how close they came to annihilation, the Free Jaffa Nation agrees to dismantle the device. However, in , the weapon is used again to fight the Ori
Ori (Stargate)
The Ori are fictional characters in the science fiction television series, Stargate SG-1. They are a group of "ascended" beings who use their advanced technology and knowledge of the universe to attempt to trick non-ascended humans into worshipping them as gods.They first appeared in the ninth...
. The Jaffa High Council uses it to eliminate the crew of an Ori mothership, so they can capture it. Their attack is successful, but the Orici Adria is protected from the weapon by her personal shield, and takes the Ori mothership to Dakara where she fires a weapon that annihilates the Dakara superweapon.
Drone weapon
Atlantis (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the spin-off of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis is a city-sized starship originally located in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis serves as the base of operations for the main characters, from which they explore other planets through the Stargate...
, which were used up during the siege by the Wraith
Wraith (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the Wraith are the original enemy alien species, first introduced in the pilot episode . In the series, they are a vampire-like telepathic race who feed on the "life-force" of humans, and are the dominant power in the Pegasus galaxy...
. A larger supply is found in another city ship, which is later used to replenish Atlantis' armory. They are also found on Puddle Jumpers and Aurora class battleships. The Asurans also use drones. In the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
, thousands of drones have been discovered in Ancient outposts such as the Antarctica outpost. Drones are partially intelligent weapons that are capable of seeking, tracking, and engaging targets on their own accord. They are normally controlled by an Ancient Control Chair that reads the operator's mind and can send thousands of drones swarming to attack an entire fleet at once. They appear to be guided by a central control system using various available sensors, and can be controlled either by continuous operator control or in a fire-and-forget manner. Aurora-class ships have a dedicated control chair for the drones, with the second meant to fly the ship.
An active drone is enveloped in a bright yellow glow. Drones fired from a control chair require a ZPM for normal operation, though a Mark II Naqahdah generator set on a controlled overload can provide the necessary power (but will fail after three uses). Drones require an outside power source, and will shut down in mid-flight if this power source is disabled. A drone was observed causing a relatively small explosion on impact, while a swarm enveloped a Kull warrior
Kull Warrior
In the fictional universe of the science fiction TV show Stargate SG-1, the Kull Warriors are creatures created by the Goa'uld Anubis for use as his personal army.-Concept and production:...
while on its way from Anubis' attacking fleet. Conversely, two Drone Weapons are enough to completely destroy a Goa'uld Ha'tak if it hits a critical spot and a single drone can seriously damage a Wraith
Wraith (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the Wraith are the original enemy alien species, first introduced in the pilot episode . In the series, they are a vampire-like telepathic race who feed on the "life-force" of humans, and are the dominant power in the Pegasus galaxy...
cruiser. Drones have the ability to shield itself from impact with matter to a certain degree, allowing them to literally tunnel through larger enemies such as ships before returning to detonate. Drones have also been observed passing through ships, with unused ones heading back to their launch site, and can be used under water.
There is a smaller variant called mini-drones. It is theorized that the drones are used to guard certain areas against people without the ancient gene, as was the case on queen Harmony's planet where only the wearer of a special ancient "key" (pendant) can control the mini-drones from the "test site" where the Ancients developed mini-drone technology, which was perfected in Pegasus while the normal sized drones were invented in the Milky Way.
Replicator Disruptor
The most effective weapon against ReplicatorsReplicator (Stargate)
In the military science fiction series Stargate SG-1, the Replicators are antagonistic self-replicating machines that propagate by ingesting the metals that make up civilizations and use them to create either blocks that form the bug-like version or smaller cells that compose the human-form...
, and the only one completely effective against human-form Replicators, it disrupts communication between cells, rendering each one inert. When fired, any Replicator in its blast radius falls apart into its constituent units. The weapon is created by Jack O'Neill
Jack O'Neill
Jonathan J. "Jack" O'Neill is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe, three science fiction shows about military teams exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
, who had the entire Ancient Database downloaded into his mind at the time, in conjunction with Asgard computers. However, the Replicators are able to become immune to the device, requiring the recalibration of the disruptor. The actual prop was piston-driven and had a trigger device inside. Because the model shop knew that actor Richard Dean Anderson
Richard Dean Anderson
Richard Dean Anderson is an American television and film actor, producer and composer. He began his television career in 1976 as Dr. Jeff Webber in the American soap opera series General Hospital, then rose to prominence as the lead actor in the television series MacGyver...
would play with it off-screen, they made it extra-robust. Area 51
Area 51
Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
produced a version of the Replicator Disruptor specifically to combat the Asurans. (see "Anti-Replicator Gun").
Sangraal
Also known as the Holy GrailHoly Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
or (as in the episode "Camelot") the Bloodstone, is a weapon designed by Merlin to neutralize ascended beings, including the Ori
Ori (Stargate)
The Ori are fictional characters in the science fiction television series, Stargate SG-1. They are a group of "ascended" beings who use their advanced technology and knowledge of the universe to attempt to trick non-ascended humans into worshipping them as gods.They first appeared in the ninth...
, but cannot target a specific group of ascended but rather wipes all of them out within the weapon's range. The weapon consists of several devices working together, with a red stone as the "key" to make it work. According to Daniel Jackson, the notion of the Grail as a cup or chalice was a late addition to the myth, but some chroniclers originally described the Holy Grail as a stone that fell from the heavens. Exactly how it works is unknown, but the Asgard
Asgard (Stargate)
The Asgard are a fictional highly advanced race in the science fiction series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. They are first mentioned in the episode , and first seen in . In the series, the Asgard gave rise to Norse mythology on Earth, as well as accounts of the Roswell "Greys"...
have surmised that it's an energy transfer device, similar to a Zero Point Module, except that the energy is channelled not from sub-space into ordinary space-time, but rather into the dimension occupied by Ascended beings. The effect of this again theorized by the Asgard as two standing waves canceling each other out. The Sangraal is launched through the Supergate by Dr. Jackson and confirmed to have destroyed the Ori.
Lagrangian Point Defense Satellite
Enormous satellites floating in deep space, equipped with an energy beam weapon powerful enough to cut a Wraith Hive-Ship in half. Puddle Jumpers can dock with it. The satellite can be charged by multiple types of power sources, storing power in its capacitorCapacitor
A capacitor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in an electric field. The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but all contain at least two electrical conductors separated by a dielectric ; for example, one common construction consists of metal foils separated...
until it has enough energy to fire. During the war with the Wraith, Atlantis was guarded by a network of satellites placed at Lagrangian Point
Lagrangian point
The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
s to protect the city. However, they were destroyed one by one, until eventually only one remained, damaged and without power. When the Wraith decide to attack Atlantis again after the Atlantis Expedition had taken up residence there, a team led by Rodney McKay
Rodney McKay
Doctor Meredith Rodney McKay, Ph.D, is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, two military science fiction television shows about a military team exploring two galaxies via a network of alien transportation devices...
repairs the satellite to use against the incoming Wraith fleet. The repairs allowed the weapon to destroy one Hive-Ship using secondary power lines, but the systems overloaded after the first shot and it is soon destroyed by a barrage of Wraith weapons fire.
Personal Weapons
- Lantean Pistol A side arm carried by the crew of the Aurora in their virtual reality. This weapon also appears to have been mimicked by the Asurans. It appears to have a stun setting and presumably one to kill too.
- Lantean Grenade A small oval device that is opened, twisted, then closed to activate. Although the two devices seen in 'The Defiant One' are found on a Wraith corpse, the golden colour, inorganic design and the fact that the grenades seem designed to kill rather than stun lead to a high probability that these are in fact of Lantean origin.
Other
- Ark of Truth: Invented by Amelius, and is built to brainwash someone into believing whatever is programmed into it, as long as it is true. The Alterans left the device behind in their home galaxy rather than use it against the OriOri (Stargate)The Ori are fictional characters in the science fiction television series, Stargate SG-1. They are a group of "ascended" beings who use their advanced technology and knowledge of the universe to attempt to trick non-ascended humans into worshipping them as gods.They first appeared in the ninth...
followers, because it contravened their belief in free will. SG-1 eventually travels to the Ori galaxy to find the device, so as to convince the Ori army that the Ori are not gods. They find the Ark underground on Celestis with the guidance of Morgan le Fay. Although Adria's soldiers capture the device, Daniel Jackson manages to activate it and convert the Doci, whose telepathic link in turn converts all the Priors in the Ori galaxy. They bring the Ark to the Milky Way and it converts all the Priors there also, causing Adria to lose the power she previously gained from her worshipers, rendering her no more powerful than any other ascended being. The Ark is eventually taken to Area 51Area 51Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
for study. - Attero device: An extremely powerful weapon built by Janus, which emits subspace interference that destabilizes the formation of Wraith hyperspace windows when activated. As a result, any Wraith ship is instantly destroyed by entering hyperspace. It was abandoned by Janus because it emits radiation which causes energy to quickly buildup within any active Stargate in Pegasus, leading to its destruction in a powerful explosion equivalent to twelve nuclear bombs. The device is reactivated by a renegade Asgard faction unconcerned with the loss of lives, but is eventually shut down by Dr. McKay, then destroyed by a Travellers ship, so it cannot be used again. The control key, however, is taken by the Asgard.
- Explosive tumor machine: An extremely powerful bio-weapon created by the Ancients. The device emits radiation which causes the body to gather specific elements in a tumor behind the victim's lung, which eventually explodes. The device is activated by two scientists in Atlantis, one of whom dies. The other is saved by Carson BeckettCarson BeckettDr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of...
, though Beckett himself is killed when the excised tumor explodes. - Gate overloader: A weapon able to target a Stargate and turn its naquadah to a deadly weapon. The weapon would send massive amounts of energy through a Stargate to be stored in the receiving gate, which would keep absorbing energy until it can't hold any more, eventually exploding with devastating power. The resulting blast would be big enough to destroy ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and the ensuing dust cloud would destroy all life on EarthEarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. It is capable of maintaining an active wormhole between two Stargates indefinitely, until the target gate is destroyed. It is used against the Tau'ri by Anubis, although the SGC is able to dispose of the gate, transporting it to space before it explodes. The weapon itself is destroyed by Teal'cTeal'cTeal'c is a fictional character in the military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. Played by Christopher Judge, Teal'c is a Jaffa warrior from the planet Chulak. As a Jaffa, Teal'c is a genetically modified human with an abdominal pouch that serves as an incubator for a larval Goa'uld...
, Bra'tac and Rya'c.
Shrine of Talus
A device with an unknown purpose, which is powered by a super heavy element giving off an unknown form of ionizing radiation. A parasite that causes "Second Childhood" is affected by the radiation, allowing those suffering from the ailment to become themselves for a day before a quick death from immune system failure or leaving the range of the shrine's radiation.ATA Gene
The Ancient Technology Activation gene (ATA) is a specific geneGene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
present in all Ancients, and some of their human descendants, which acts as a key to much of their technology; if the user does not possess the gene, the technology will not activate. The ATA gene instructs various cells in the body to produce a series of proteins and enzymes that interact with the skin, nervous system, and brain, allowing the gene carriers to operate Ancient technology. Though rare naturally in most humans, Dr. Carson Beckett
Carson Beckett
Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of...
develops a retroviral
Retrovirus
A retrovirus is an RNA virus that is duplicated in a host cell using the reverse transcriptase enzyme to produce DNA from its RNA genome. The DNA is then incorporated into the host's genome by an integrase enzyme. The virus thereafter replicates as part of the host cell's DNA...
gene therapy
Gene therapy
Gene therapy is the insertion, alteration, or removal of genes within an individual's cells and biological tissues to treat disease. It is a technique for correcting defective genes that are responsible for disease development...
(using a deactivated mouse retrovirus) to transfer the Ancient gene expression to humans, but the treatment only has a 48% success rate. The necessity of the gene in utilizing Ancient technology varies. In some cases, like use of the Control Chair, the gene is required for continued use, while other devices simply need to be initially activated by someone with the gene, after which anyone can use the device. Gene expression is stronger in some carriers, allowing them to use Ancient technology instinctively while others require training and practice. The individual's ability to operate ancient devices are ranked by a system devised as the CIA(Chair Interface Aptitude). It seems people with it naturally occurring seem to have a higher CIA (such as Sheppard and Beckett are higher than McKay).
Natural gene carriers from Earth include Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Jack O'Neill
Jack O'Neill
Jonathan J. "Jack" O'Neill is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe, three science fiction shows about military teams exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
, Lt. Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
John Sheppard
John Sheppard (Stargate)
John Sheppard is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
(he apparently has a very strong form of the gene, and operates Ancient technology almost instinctively), Dr. Carson Beckett
Carson Beckett
Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of...
, Sgt.
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Markham (who was killed in action), Dr. Kusanagi (who was mentioned but never seen), and Joe Spencer. Gene carriers by therapy include Dr. Rodney McKay
Rodney McKay
Doctor Meredith Rodney McKay, Ph.D, is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, two military science fiction television shows about a military team exploring two galaxies via a network of alien transportation devices...
(as the first human trial), Col.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Dillon Everett, and some of his troops. Gene carriers of unknown source include Lt.
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Miller, Dr. Abrams, and Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Lorne. The gene therapy did not work on Dr. Radek Zelenka
Radek Zelenka
Dr. Radek Zelenka is a fictional character in the television series Stargate Atlantis, portrayed by David Nykl. He is a scientist from the Czech Republic and a member of the original expedition from Earth to the Ancient city of Atlantis in the Pegasus galaxy. His expertise on Ancient technology is...
. The status of Dr. Daniel Jackson as a carrier is uncertain. He utilized Ancient technology after encountering the Ancient Repository that Merlin used in his laboratory. This technology modified Dr. Jackson's genetic make up, so he could resist the effects of being transformed into an Ori
Ori (Stargate)
The Ori are fictional characters in the science fiction television series, Stargate SG-1. They are a group of "ascended" beings who use their advanced technology and knowledge of the universe to attempt to trick non-ascended humans into worshipping them as gods.They first appeared in the ninth...
Prior, as well as allowing him to house Merlin's consciousness. Whether it modified his genetics to include the Ancient gene, or whether he already possessed it, is unknown. However, the Goa'uld Anubis was able to use Ancient technology due to him being partly Ascended, suggesting that Daniel may also be able to use Ancient technology as he was an ascended being. Whether his ascension or the repository were responsible for his ability to use Ancient technology at the time is unknown, as he has not used any ATA gene-based technology since. Lt. Aiden Ford
Aiden Ford
Aiden Ford is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate Atlantis, a military science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
asked for the gene therapy during the nanovirus crisis, but it was never said if he got it after the crisis. After Ford used a Puddle Jumper to leave Atlantis, series' writer Martin Gero
Martin Gero
Martin Gero is a Canadian screenwriter and co-executive producer for Stargate Atlantis.Born in Switzerland, Gero spent much of his childhood in Ottawa, Ontario. He attended Canterbury High School for the Arts and Ryerson University in Toronto...
explained in an online message that he does not have the gene, because "The Jumpers, while near and inside Atlantis, are pretty much on autopilot when it comes to landing and taking off."
Series writer and producer Joseph Mallozzi
Joseph Mallozzi
Joseph Mallozzi is a Canadian writer and producer.He is most noted for his contributions to the Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis, and Stargate Universe television series. He joined the Stargate production team at the start of Stargate SG-1s fourth season in 2000...
has stated in his blog that the ATA gene did not factor into any Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny many billions of light years distant from the Milky Way...
story lines.
"Arthur's Mantle"
A device built by Merlin that pushes matter 'out of phase' with normal reality, making everything within its area of effect invisible and intangible. It also doubles as a computer. The device was used to conceal his research on the Sangraal, a weapon capable of destroying ascended beings. The console was concealed in the AvalonAvalon (Stargate SG-1)
"Avalon" are the Season 9 premiere episodes of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1.They marked the beginning of a "new" Stargate SG-1 that continued after the total closure and possible ending of the previous season. Despite seeing the departure of Richard Dean Anderson's Jack...
cave under Glastonbury Tor
Glastonbury Tor
Glastonbury Tor is a hill at Glastonbury, Somerset, England, which features the roofless St. Michael's Tower. The site is managed by the National Trust. It has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument ....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The device was named by Merlin's trusted aides, the Knights of the Round Table. In order to access the data from its computer, the user must be out of phase, to prevent the ascended Ancients from discovering it. The device itself is accessible from either dimension, allowing a person to enter and exit. Although being out of phase hides the user from both the Ancients and conventional observers, those wearing Sodan personal cloaking device, which operate on a similar principle, can observe affected matter, though they cannot interact with it. The device is accidentally accessed by Colonels Carter
Samantha Carter
Samantha "Sam" Carter is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction Stargate franchise, appearing in television series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe. SG-1 and Atlantis are both about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien...
and Mitchell
Cameron Mitchell (Stargate)
Cameron "Cam" Mitchell is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, a science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
, who were rendered out of phase by the device. With the eventual help of Daniel Jackson, they manage to return to normal; however, its power source is permanently depleted in the process. The device is then exploited as a defensive weapon by Colonel Carter, first on a village under threat by the Ori then on the entire planet Earth in an alternate reality.
Communication device with stones
A dome-shaped device with a blue crystal spire designed to facilitate communications across vast distances. The device works in tandem with palm-sized oval stones. When inserted into one of twelve slots on the base, the stones allow the user's mind to take over the body of whoever last touched the stones on the other end, provided someone with the ATA gene activated them. The reverse is also true if those on the receiving end make use of a similar device. The device draws its power from subspace (the same way a ZPM does), and works seamlessly even when communicating over billions of light-years apart. The Destinys FTL drive is shown to disrupt the connection when it either deactivates or engages, but the stones reestablish contact within seconds.In addition to their regular function, two communications stones can form a psychic link between the last two people that used them. SG-1 retrieved one of these stones from the same planet where the quantum mirror was discovered. The stone was kept in Daniel Jackson's lab and inadvertently activated by Jack O'Neill
Jack O'Neill
Jonathan J. "Jack" O'Neill is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe, three science fiction shows about military teams exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
. Another stone was purchased at a yard sale by Joe Spencer, a barber from Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, who was then able to see O'Neill's memories as he recalled them while writing his mission reports.
One of these devices was discovered under Glastonbury Tor, and it was subsequently used by Dr. Jackson and Vala. It transported their minds to the Ori galaxy into the bodies of a married couple, Harrid and Sallis. Their minds were sent back by a similar device, but the transfer was cut short by a Prior. Col. Mitchell and Teal'c
Teal'c
Teal'c is a fictional character in the military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. Played by Christopher Judge, Teal'c is a Jaffa warrior from the planet Chulak. As a Jaffa, Teal'c is a genetically modified human with an abdominal pouch that serves as an incubator for a larval Goa'uld...
eventually destroyed it by throwing it into the Stargate's
Stargate (device)
A Stargate is a portal device within the Stargate fictional universe that allows practical, rapid travel between two distant locations. The devices first appear in the 1994 Roland Emmerich film Stargate, and thereafter in the television series Stargate SG-1 and its spin-offs...
unstable vortex, bringing Daniel and Vala back. Several months later, Vala Mal Doran contacted the SGC
Stargate Command
The Stargate Program is a fictional top-secret program that plays a key role in the Stargate franchise: it surrounds the operations of the Stargate on Earth. The core of the Stargate Program is Stargate Command , based at the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station near Colorado Springs, Colorado...
from the Ori Galaxy using the device thanks to the Ori underground resistance, and warned SG-1 about the nearing Ori invasion of the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
. However, the link was cut by her husband Tomin. Another communication device was found in the Pegasus galaxy, switching Dr. Keller's mind with that of a thief. Both Keller and the thief were able to use each other's bodies despite the lack of a second device. Unable to find any shut-down switch, Ronon shoots it to break the link.
In Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny many billions of light years distant from the Milky Way...
, Stargate Command has apparently devised a more compact version of the communication device. This version is a boxed-shaped device with room for five stones in an 'X' formation. The stones are simply placed on the flat panel of the device to activate it. It can be deactivated by removing the power source attached to the base. The team aboard the Destiny has access to one, as does Stargate Command, allowing for regular communication between the expedition and Earth. Like the original, the transfer works both ways and will only deactivate when deprived of power (which is much easier with this version). Due to the vast distance between Earth and the Destiny the transfer will only work if both devices are active, and deactivating either device will terminate the link. In addition, stones must be placed on both devices for a transfer to occur, as shown when Young had to bring in an additional person to switch with Chloe after they both used the device (Telford had been the only one present on the other end). However, connections across a shorter distance (as in the same or adjacent galaxies) still work with only one device present, as seen when Young switched body with a Blueberry Alien. These Aliens seem to have developed a similar device, which they used to switch bodies with Vanessa James. This issue was compounded when she did not have her imprint erased from the stone she was inadvertently switched with a member of the alien race who ended up sabotaging Destiny.
The SGU device has been shown to glitch when Destiny jumps to FTL travel, allowing for minds to be inadvertently returned to their host bodies.
The SGU device's link is also terminated upon either linked individual entering an active Stargate, or at least one going to Destiny.
It is also revealed that the death of one person using the stones, also kills the person on the other end. (As and edit, a more current episode shows that the physical body of the person dies while the mental being of the person gets lost and "floats" around.) The mental part was able to be reconnected with by the stone user to fall asleep. The person(s) mind(s) would then download into the stone users and will disappear and be lost if it is not taken out of the body i.e. through a neural link in a control chair. In SGU one of the characters has two other characters minds downloaded into her brain through the stones (who where thought to be dead) and were taken out through the chair on-board.
Control Chair
Brain-computer interface
A brain–computer interface , sometimes called a direct neural interface or a brain–machine interface , is a direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device...
which allows the user to remotely control systems on whatever facility the chair is installed in, such as the Ancient City Ship or smaller Ancient outposts like the one in Antarctica. The chairs, like most Ancient technology, requires the Ancient Technology Activation gene. They are primarily used to fire and control Drone Weapons, though they are also shown to be used to pilot spacecraft in addition to more minor systems such as holographic projectors and power distribution. They are normally powered by a Zero Point Module, but can be powered by Mark II Naqahdah reactors in a "controlled overload", which provides just enough energy to activate the chair three times before the reactor burns out. Two chairs have been encountered in the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
– Proclarush Taonas and the Antarctica outpost on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. In the Pegasus Galaxy, chairs are located in the tower of Atlantis
Atlantis (Stargate)
In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the spin-off of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis is a city-sized starship originally located in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis serves as the base of operations for the main characters, from which they explore other planets through the Stargate...
and its sister cities. Ancient Aurora-class starships each have two chairs, one for weapons and the other for piloting. The one for piloting looks different than the ones for drone control.
In Stargate Universe series, the spaceship Destiny has a primitive version of the control chair, which also acts as the ship's repository of knowledge.
DNA Resequencer
A genetic manipulation device, which "resequences" to an extreme state of human advancementTranshumanism
Transhumanism, often abbreviated as H+ or h+, is an international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human...
, granting the subjects what appeared to be superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
powers. Nirrti attempted to use the machine to create humans with superpowers, called "hok'taur", Goa'uld
Goa'uld
The Goa'uld are a fictional symbiotic race of ancient astronauts from the American-Canadian military science fiction television franchise Stargate. The Goa'uld are parasites from the planet P3X-888, integrated within a host, most of the time human. The resulting creatures are a powerful race bent...
slang meaning "advanced human", to take as hosts.
The device works by altering a subject's DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
and consequently increasing their brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
activity from roughly 10% up to 90% (based on the popular but inaccurate myth that humans only use 10% of their brain at any given time). Depending on the length of time for which they were subjected to the machine, various characters were shown to have abilities such as telekinesis and telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
, super-human senses and strength, supernatural health and self healing, perfect memory, and the power to heal by touch. The show's ascended beings possessed similar supernatural abilities of the same order but in far greater magnitudes and proficiencies. It was confirmed in Season 9 of SG-1, that through extreme evolution, such as that provided by the DNA Resequencer, a being would gradually acquire Ascended powers until genuinely Ascending themselves.
The prop
Theatrical property
A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a theatrical production. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set...
consists of three components. Two of the components are physical but the third is computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
generated. The first component is a pedestal that rests on the floor, elevating the actor in the device and drawing attention to him or her. Above the user was the second component, an orange globe. This was what appeared to be the technological part of the device (at least the first time the device appeared). Later, in the editing process, the third component was added: a computer generated energy field which appears to paralyze the user, and a computer-generated representation of DNA surrounding the user.
A device with similar capabilities was found in an initially submerged part of Atlantis, although it differs considerably in appearance. The diposition of the command console on a pedestal and under the blue light emitter of the "resequencing" field suggest it was designed for self-modifications.
Holographic sentry
A hologram was used as a security measure by Merlin in his vault in "Avalon" and at his library in "Camelot". The hologram was capable of interacting with people and certain other projected objects, particularly holographic swordSword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
s, but bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
s would pass straight through it when fired at it. The hologram was designed to resemble a medieval knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, to test the worthiness of those who entered. If the program had determined the visitors to be "worthy", the treasures and hidden technology inside the cave would be revealed. When SG-1 gained access to the cavern, the sentry was eventually defeated by Cameron Mitchell
Cameron Mitchell (Stargate)
Cameron "Cam" Mitchell is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, a science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
. Another holographic knight guarded Merlin's library on Camelot, where his research on an anti-Ori
Ori (Stargate)
The Ori are fictional characters in the science fiction television series, Stargate SG-1. They are a group of "ascended" beings who use their advanced technology and knowledge of the universe to attempt to trick non-ascended humans into worshipping them as gods.They first appeared in the ninth...
weapon, the Sangraal, was kept. Instead of battling those who trespass within the library, the hologram, which was known to the locals as the Black Knight, emerge in the village to incite terror and discourage re-admittance. When SG-1 visited Camelot in search for more information on the weapon, the hologram almost killed Col. Mitchell, before Daniel Jackson was able to destroy the control crystals governing the program.
Repository of Knowledge
The Repository of the Ancients is a device that stores all knowledge of the Ancients. The interface is a metallic circle, with a dark window in the middle, and is usually attached to a wall. The console is designed to allow a human to place his/her head into it, whereupon the device grabs them by the temples and downloads the entire database into their mind. The transfer of knowledge from this device can cause serious problems for beings whose physiology is not prepared to take the mental strain. The device was used on two separate occasions by Jack O'Neill, both times threatening his life; during both of these times, he was able to build a powerful generator. He was also shown to be able to create a weapon capable of defeating any ReplicatorsReplicator (Stargate)
In the military science fiction series Stargate SG-1, the Replicators are antagonistic self-replicating machines that propagate by ingesting the metals that make up civilizations and use them to create either blocks that form the bug-like version or smaller cells that compose the human-form...
and use healing powers. A variation appears in "The Quest". This version is smaller, does not latch on to the user's head, and has additional, hand-sized input devices at its base. It interfaces with a replication device to allow users to build devices from the molecule up. It was used by Merlin to create the first Sangraal. Merlin downloaded his mind into the device when he could not complete work on the second, allowing Daniel to finish it. It also allowed Daniel to use telekinetic powers.
In Stargate Universe series, the spaceship Destiny has a primitive version of the control chair, which also acts as the ship's repository of knowledge.
Stasis Chamber
A device designed to put the occupant into a state of suspended animationSuspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
. The device slows the user's bodily functions to a near halt but does not stop them. Thus, over long periods, the person can potentially age to a point where being removed would be fatal. One such device was located inside the Antarctic outpost and used by Colonel O'Neill, who put himself in stasis to stop the Ancient knowledge in his brain from killing him. Another chamber was encountered on Atlantis, where an alternate version of Elizabeth Weir
Elizabeth Weir (Stargate)
Dr. Elizabeth Weir is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate Atlantis, a military science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices. Elizabeth Weir is introduced as a recurring character in...
had survived for 10,000 years, reawakening every 3,300 years to rotate among Atlantis' three ZPMs. The clone of Carson Beckett
Carson Beckett
Dr. Carson Beckett is a fictional Scottish character in the Canadian-American science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1. He is portrayed by Scottish-born Canadian actor Paul McGillion, who previously played Dr. Ernest Littlefield in the first season of...
enters another such pod to prevent death that was caused by cellular deterioration from the cloning process. A third stasis chamber on a planet contained Khalek, a clone Anubis created by using his own pre-Ascended DNA. Another such device is found containing Merlin himself, who stayed in suspended animation for about 1,000 years (since the time of King Arthur), when SG-1 enlists his help to re-create the Sangraal. Similar devices are used in Aurora-class ships, for use on extended voyages. These stasis chambers are egg-shaped and require the user to lie down. The pods can be modified so that the occupants can participate in virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
, allowing their minds to remain active during long voyages. The pods interface with the ship's computer, so the crew can work on tasks while asleep.
Time dilation device
A device capable of altering the speed at which time passes in an area around itself. The first Ancient time dilation technology was in the Pegasus galaxy, where the Lanteans had constructed a refuge on a planet known as the Cloister, which had one entrance. The entire 'valley' region was engulfed by the time dilation field that accelerated time within its position in order to allow the inhabitants to learn how to ascend. The field was a potent defensive mechanism as it prevents objects from entering the bubble from orbit, as they would be destroyed from the stresses generated by the field. The device is powered by a ZPM. A second form was later seen in the Milky WayMilky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
, used by Morgan le Fay as one of her tests for persons searching for the Sangraal. This model had a set field around the location of the mountain, which almost froze objects that entered the field and was the reason why many human villagers were lost on the quest as they had become trapped in the field. However, as part of the test, a set path is present that allowed movement without being compromised. And a third was installed by the Asgard into the Odyssey, (along with an Asgard core and many other systems) which Colonel Carter used in Unending
Unending
"Unending" is the season finale of the tenth season and series finale of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, and the show's two-hundred sixteenth episode overall. Written and directed by Robert C. Cooper, the episode originally premiered in the United Kingdom on Sky One on March...
to protect the Odyssey from the Ori, while she could find a way to isolate the Asgard core from the hyperdrive and shut the core down as it was giving off a signal the Ori could trace through sub-space.
A similar device was discovered a few years earlier. This was much larger, which dialed several planets through the Stargate to form a subspace bubble. The machine was flawed, as it only creates a short-term time loop
Time loop
A time loop or temporal loop is a common plot device in science fiction in which time runs normally for a set period but then skips back like a broken record. When the time loop "resets", the memories of most characters are reset...
, which forces the planets that the device dialed to relive the same ten hours again and again. It is powered by the ionized atoms in the atmosphere caused by the geo-magnetic storms on the planet. Two capacitors start to hum and emit static electricity that is channeled to the Stargate. The Ancients originally created it to stop a plague that was wiping them out, although it eventually only forced them to keep doing the same thing over and over. In the end, they were forced to shut down the device.
Other
- "Ascendometer": An Ancient device used to measure a person's synaptic activity. Designed to work alongside the DNA Resequencer, the scanner analyzes a subject's current physiological status and feeds the information back into the resequencer. It was able to locate the areas of the brain that were used for advanced abilities such as telekinesis, and was apparently used by the Ancients during their pursuit of Ascension. One of the scanners was discovered in the lab where Anubis created and experimented on Khalek, a clone created by Anubis using his pre-ascension DNA. After the SGCStargate CommandThe Stargate Program is a fictional top-secret program that plays a key role in the Stargate franchise: it surrounds the operations of the Stargate on Earth. The core of the Stargate Program is Stargate Command , based at the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station near Colorado Springs, Colorado...
brought Khalek back to Earth for study, the scanner was brought with them and used to monitor his development. The device was nicknamed "ascendometer" by Colonel MitchellCameron Mitchell (Stargate)Cameron "Cam" Mitchell is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, a science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
. The device was later sent to AtlantisAtlantis (Stargate)In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the spin-off of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis is a city-sized starship originally located in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis serves as the base of operations for the main characters, from which they explore other planets through the Stargate...
and used on Rodney McKayRodney McKayDoctor Meredith Rodney McKay, Ph.D, is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, two military science fiction television shows about a military team exploring two galaxies via a network of alien transportation devices...
after he accidentally manipulated his own DNA. - Clava Thessara Infinitas: Ancient for "Key to Infinite Treasure", a circular tablet that supposedly holds the location of a cache of Ancient weapons. Daniel Jackson believes it to be a hoax. In , the Goa'uldGoa'uldThe Goa'uld are a fictional symbiotic race of ancient astronauts from the American-Canadian military science fiction television franchise Stargate. The Goa'uld are parasites from the planet P3X-888, integrated within a host, most of the time human. The resulting creatures are a powerful race bent...
Athena abducts Vala Mal DoranVala Mal DoranVala Mal Doran is a fictional character in the American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, a science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices. Played by former Farscape actress Claudia Black, Vala was created by...
and probes her mind in an attempt to find the treasure. In , SG-1 goes to a planet in search of it, only to end up being mistaken for hostage takers in a museum. In , the Clava Thessara Infinitas is used as a pretense in a plan by SG-1 to capture Adria. - Containment vessel: A device that encapsulates its contents in a layer of subspace. One such device is found on AtlantisAtlantis (Stargate)In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the spin-off of Stargate SG-1, Atlantis is a city-sized starship originally located in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis serves as the base of operations for the main characters, from which they explore other planets through the Stargate...
in . The Ancients had modified the device to attract and trap an energy creature as part of their research into Ascension. - Heliopolis "Book" A device detailing the meaning of human existence, found on PB2-908. Its design is similar to a DHD, but the only button on it is the red hemisphere in the center. Once pressed, an orange beam of light shoots out from the center and produces 3D holographic displays of elements, said to be a language anyone can understand. It has a shield that can absorb fire from Goa'uld staff weapons, as displayed in the episode.
- Inertial dampeners: A field of artificial gravity found in ships and personal shields to minimize the effects of inertiaInertiaInertia is the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion or rest, or the tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion. It is proportional to an object's mass. The principle of inertia is one of the fundamental principles of classical physics which are used to...
. They are activated first before ships take flight, and can be adjusted. - Interdimensional visibility device: Cylindrical device, though its complete purpose remains unknown, the device is known to have the ability to allow humans to perceive alien creatures that exist in other dimensions. The creatures do interact with our dimension in a limited way, as they appear to be resting on solid objects. Anyone who touches the device receives the extra-sensory perception, and becomes able to detect the creatures. This ability is spread via physical contact. It emits a type of radiation that appears to attract the creatures, and is controlled by reordering the crystals that power the mechanism in various positions. The Ancients constructed the device to study these extra-dimensional creatures. The device was later brought back to Earth by SG-1, after which several SGC personnel began seeing the creatures. The effect was transmitted outside the base, though SG-1 was eventually able to contain the outbreak.
- Kino: A spherical data-gathering device about the size of a softball found aboard the Destiny in Stargate UniverseStargate UniverseStargate Universe is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny many billions of light years distant from the Milky Way...
. It has audio and visual recording abilities, as well as a wide range of other scanning devices. It hovers under its own power. The Destiny apparently carries a large supply, dispensed from a device resembling a gumball machine. The devices can be controlled by a primary panel near the dispenser or through handheld remotes. It is the Ancient equivalent of a MALP, as it can be sent through an active Stargate and controlled remotely to gather data about the planet. Eli WallaceEli WallaceEli Wallace is a fictional character in the Canadian-American television series Stargate Universe, a science fiction drama centering on the adventures of a present-day, multinational scientific team unable to return to Earth after an evacuation to the Ancient spaceship Destiny, which is traveling...
discovered the Kinos and named them after the Russian Kino-PravdaKino-PravdaKino-Pravda was a newsreel series by Dziga Vertov, Elizaveta Svilova, and Mikhail Kaufman.Working mainly during the 1920s, Vertov promoted the concept of kino-pravda, or film-truth, through his newsreel series. His driving vision was to capture fragments of actuality which, when organized...
newsreelNewsreelA newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
series. Eli uses the room housing the device as his personal quarters. - Magnetic harmonic resonance: A device created by Janus in order to hide a secret laboratory on Atlantis and discovered by Rodney McKayRodney McKayDoctor Meredith Rodney McKay, Ph.D, is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Sci-Fi Channel television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, two military science fiction television shows about a military team exploring two galaxies via a network of alien transportation devices...
and Daniel Jackson. The device is activated by emitting a series of tones tuned to a specific resonance frequency which destabilizes the atomic structure of an object. Magnetic fields are used to preserve the shape of the object, and to prevent material making up the object from getting swept along with other objects passing through it. The only known example of this technology has been to create a wall hiding the entrance to Janus's lab. - Personal cloaking device: Consists of a triangular crystal worn around the arm, allowing a user to exist out of phase. They can still see and interact with each other. Apparently, the cloaking device works similar to the Ancient device known as "Arthur's Mantle", as the cloak's user will be able to interact with someone rendered out of phase by the Mantle, though they would still pass right through them if touched. The devices were mostly used by the Sodan, though the SGC acquired several after the Sodan were exterminated by the Ori. Schematics for an Ancient cloaking device were found in Janus's secret lab, suggesting he may be the one who designed the device.