One of the most prominent features of theStargatefranchise is its use of ancient mythology, with stories that take inspiration from multiple places around the globe. The originalStargatemovie was based upon conspiracy theories about such tales – specifically, that the Ancient Egyptianpyramids were constructed by alien life forms. The ensuing shows and movies have expanded upon that approach to Earth’s history, crediting alien technology in place of human imagination.
The earliest story arcs inStargate SG-1dealt with the Goa’uld, who piloted enormous ships shaped like pyramids. These parasitic aliens were explained as the original creators of Earth’s pyramids, just as the Asgard were understood to be the source for most of Norse mythology. InStargate Atlantis,the Ancients (also known as Alterans) were the builders of the lost city of Atlantis, and Ancient ingenuity isforms the basis forStargate Universe. There’s no shortage of familiar myths to be found in theStargatefranchise, even if they are transformed to fit sci-fi parameters.
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The most identifiable part ofStargate’s canon is its employment of Ancient Egyptian mythology. In this universe, the Goa’uld are the source of Egyptian mythology on Earth, particularly the System Lord Ra. The Goa’uld made themselves known as gods to the humans they encountered, and knowledge of their exploits led to the creation of artifacts and literature depicting them. The System Lords that appear inSG-1all havethe names of mythological Egyptian gods: Ra, Anubis, Hathor, and Apep, among others. They fly ships resembling pyramids, write in hieroglyphs, and use technologically enhanced sarcophagi to heal themselves. The remnants of their Earth occupation aroused the interest of Egyptologist Dr. Daniel Jackson, who became an expert in Goa’uld culture.
InStargate SG-1season 1, episode 10, “Thor’s Hammer,” the members of SG-1 encounter the Asgard for the first time. The Asgard are a people who masquerade as gods on certain planets, using advanced technology to look human. They appear as gods in order to protect the human settlements they have encountered, populations that haven’t developed enough to protect themselves from the Goa’uld. Their visitation to Earth a millenniumago led to the birth of Norse mythology, and that belief system still exists on many planets.
Asgard such as Thor, Loki, and Heimdall are all scientists and leaders, with Thor demonstrating the strongest will to protect humanity. Loki, meanwhile, is somewhat of a rogue scientist, giving credence to how he is perceived as a trickster on Earth. They have the appearance of the quintessential ‘little gray aliens’ too, meaning they lurk even in modern human literature and storytelling.
The first hint of the Grecian legend of Atlantis was in season 7 ofStargate SG-1. A new command team is rapidly formed to headthe expedition to Atlantis, which is not a lost Earth kingdom, but a city in a distant galaxy. It’s revealed to be a city-sized ship left over from the Ancients, a race of people who seeded multiple galaxies with human life. The spinoff seriesStargate Atlantistakes place on this ship, which is submerged underwater when the team from Stargate Command first arrives on it. They realize that the migrating Ancients must have brought the legend of the city back to Earth, which explains its presence in human mythology. Many of the tales told in ancient societies on Earth end up being remnants ofthe Ancients, whose technology and cultureshapes the way humans have developed.
The Ancients are the source of Arthurian mythology as well. These myths were first mentioned inStargate SG-1, season 9, episode 1, “Avalon, Part One,” setting up a storyline that wouldn’t be resolved until the finalStargatemovie,Stargate: The Ark of Truth. SG-1 discover the machinations of the Ancient being known as Merlin, who has spent millennia devising means of fighting the deadly Ori. The Ori are religious zealots, while Merlin was the wielder of technology so advanced that ancient human societies believed him to be a wizard.
The final two seasons of the showdelve into Arthurian mythology: Merlin’s rival is an Ancient who gave rise to the story of Morgan le Fay; Merlin aided King Arthur with magic a thousand years ago. Camelot was a real city; Avalon was an Ancient repository; and the Sangraal, or ‘Holy Grail,’ was a hidden weapon designed to destroy the Ori.
The show touches on other forms of mythology, in addition to having entire stories built around Ancient Egyptian, Norse, Greek and Arthurian mythologies. The Ancients defer to a spiritual order that resembles Buddhism, while the Asgard have an offshoot of their race that invokes Roman legends. It reinforces the idea that in this universe, the mostwell-known stories have their roots in alien strangeness.
WithinStargate SG-1, mythology is given sincere weight, shedding light on the importance of taking art and literature seriously. Dr. Daniel Jackson, whose specialty lies in anthropology, archeology, and linguistics, is generally regarded as one of the most crucial members of the Stargate program – not only because of his academic knowledge, but because he pushed the idea that ancient myths are the key to understanding our place in the universe.
