Who are the Ancients?

Who are the Ancients?

On the planet P3X-972 (also known as Ernest's Planet and later redesignated PB2-908), Daniel was shown a library room which had the writings of four alien races on its walls. In the center of the room was a device which projected a universal language written with pictoral depictions of the basic elements (of the periodic table). Daniel was so excited by the discovery of this language and database, calling it the "meaning of life stuff," that he was willing to risk being stranded on the planet for an indefinite period of time just to study its contents. He was pursuaded to leave, but the database and all it contained were lost when the building they were in collapsed, sending the Stargate into the ocean. (1.11 "The Torment Of Tantalus")

Daniel recognized the writings of one of the four races from P3X-972 as that which belonged to the Asgard, based on his experiences on Cimmeria with Thor's Hammer (1.10 "Thor's Hammer"). When a probe returned results from the planet P3R-272 which had images of writings which matched those of one of the four races, Daniel suggested that if the race were an ally to the Asgard, then it was possible they'd be helpful in Earth's war against the Goa'uld. Based on this proposal, SG-1 went to the planet and there, Jack inadvertently took a download from a Repository of Knowledge. Jack began to read the inscription in a form of Latin similar to Medieval Latin. He also input several new Stargate addresses into the SGC's dialing computer database (those not on the Abydos Cartouche discovered by Daniel in the episodes, 1.01 "Children Of The Gods Part 1", 1.02 "Children Of The Gods Part 2"). Jack helped Daniel translate more of the inscription which revealed the identity of the race: "We are the Ancients." Based on these clues, Daniel studied the Roman histories and made the assumption that it was the "ancient ones" who actually built the Stargate network: "See, the Romans were the first real road builders. They spoke Latin and they learned to build roads from the gods, known as the Ancient Ones. Roads. Stargates. The Gate builders. What if these Ancients were the alien race who invented the Stargate?" (2.16 "The Fifth Race")

Jack used the Ancient knowledge to build a power supply which would enable the SGC to connect to a Stargate in another galaxy. Using this device, he introduced the SGC to an eight-symbol Stargate address, the "extra" symbol adding a distance calculation to the standard seven-symbol address (six points in space and a point of origin). He dialed the homeworld of the Asgard, Othala in the Ida Galaxy, and the Asgard removed the knowledge of the Ancients from Jack's mind. This meeting with the Asgard, as well as the one with Thor on Cimmeria (2.06 "Thor's Chariot"), helped to solidify Earth's alliance with this highly advanced race. This alliance proved to be extremely beneficial in the saving of many lives in several galaxies. (2.16 "The Fifth Race")

Daniel's theory about the "ancient ones" being the builders of the Stargates, those spoken of in Roman histories who spoke a form of Latin, was proved by the Asgard when Jack met them on Othala. The Asgard said that the Ancients moved from "our region of space long ago." The alliance of four great races was created "millennia ago" and included the Ancients, the Asgard, the Furlings, and the Nox. (2.16 "The Fifth Race")

Several million years ago, the race of humans known as the Altera left their home galaxy because another group of humans of their society, called the Ori, were attempting to kill them. The Altera and Ori were on the evolutionary path toward ascension, the shedding of the physical body to live as a form of energy on a higher plane of existence, and a great philosophical rift concerning ascension developed between them. The Altera took a scientific approach toward ascension while the Ori attached a religious aspect to it, calling it the Path to Enlightenment, because ascension gave one greater knowledge and understanding of the universe. Eventually, the Ori grew so extreme in their beliefs that they sought to wipe out the Altera. Instead of engaging in a war, the Altera fled. They traveled thousands of years before they found a new home in the Milky Way Galaxy. They called their new home "Avalon" and built the Stargate network (they called them "Astria Porta"). The exact time that the Altera, known as the Ancients in this galaxy, left their home galaxy is not yet known, but they could have had a presence in this galaxy as long ago as 50 millions years. This was Carter's estimation of the lifespan of the power crystal technology used in the Dial Home Device (DHD) found with the second Stargate in the Antarctic. This DHD's power ran out not long after it was discovered. Her estimates, however, cannot be used to conclusively state that the Stargate and DHD found in Antarctica were original to that location—they could have been moved there at some later date. (1.18 "Solitudes", 6.04 "Frozen", 9.02 "Avalon Part 2", 9.10 "The Fourth Horseman Part 1")
During their search for the Lost City of the Ancients and after Jack took a second download from the Repository of Knowledge on P3X-439, Jack led SG-1 to a planet called Praclarush Taonas. This planet had been buried in molten lava for at least a million years, according to Carter's estimates. Still, however, the Outpost remained, having been protected by a domed-shaped force field. Jack took the team to the Taonas Outpost to retrieve a Zero Point Module (ZPM), an advanced power source which would be used to activate powerful weapons in the Antarctic Outpost to destroy Anubis' attacking fleet. While sitting in the command chair at the Taonas Outpost, Jack displayed a map which showed the Ancients' domain in the Milky Way Galaxy, and then zoomed in on Earth to indicate the location of Terra Atlantis, the Lost City of the Ancients. The map which Jack projected, however, did not account for 30 million years of continental drift. It was not clear if this age was indicative of how long ago the database at the Taonas Outpost was abandoned or how old the Repository of Knowledge information was which Jack was using. It does hint, however, that Terra Atlantis, the city-ship Atlantis on the planet Terra, might have been located on Earth as long ago as 30 million years. (7.21 "Lost City Part 1", 7.22 "Lost City Part 2")

Also discovered in Antarctica was a frozen woman, Ayiana. She miraculously revived herself after being thawed out by the scientists assigned to study the location where the Antarctic Stargate was found. Based on their preliminary ice core sample readings, the scientists estimated that Ayiana had been frozen in the ice for at least three million years. Ayiana's discovery led them to conclude that she was an Ancient. They were surprised that she was nearly human, but she did possess abilities which humans currently do not have, one being the ability to heal through touch. Whenever Ayiana used this ability, she drained herself until, ultimately, she could not heal herself of the plague which she carried and spread to the SGC personnel at the research facility. Ayiana died at the SGC base. When Jack took the download from the Repository of Knowledge the second time, he carried it longer than he did from his first experience. He demonstrated the ability to heal by touch in the same manner as Ayiana. (6.04 "Frozen", 7.21 "Lost City Part 1", 7.22 "Lost City Part 2")

The plague which killed off many of the Ancients had been speculated about over the course of SG-1's first years of exploration, but wasn't a definite event until Daniel discovered a tablet on Abydos written in one of the oldest dialects of the Ancients' language. This tablet provided some additional information about the Ancients who lived in the Milky Way Galaxy: the Ancients were a race of humans who lived long before us; some of them learned to ascend to a higher plane of existence; those who did not ascend died of the plague. From this tablet, Daniel concluded that the collective of Ascended Beings known as The Others, were the ascended Ancients. (6.22 "Full Circle")

The tablet discovered on Abydos did not tell the story of a third group of Ancients who lived in the Milky Way Galaxy, those who lived in the city-ship known as Atlantis, but it did refer to their Lost City which had powerful weapons. When Daniel did research at the Antarctic Outpost, he estimated that these Ancients left Earth five to ten million years ago. Viewers are given the additional information that Ayiana was present when Atlantis left, watching her people leave from her station at the Antarctic Outpost. Since Ayiana was a carrier of the plague which killed off many of the Ancients, it can be assumed that the plague swept through the galaxy sometime between five and ten millions years ago as well. (Stargate Atlantis: 1.01 "Rising Part 1")
Daniel did not know the exact reasons why the Ancients left for the Pegasus Galaxy, but he suggested the following: to escape the plague, to start over, or to seek out new life in a new galaxy. Once the Atlantis Expedition Team entered Atlantis, they started to explore the great city-ship. They discovered a holographic recording made by a female Ancient who explained why they had come to the Pegasus Galaxy: to seed the galaxy with "new life where there appeared to be none." This seeding resulted in the creation of the Wraith, an insect-human hybrid which evolved from a life-sucking bug and the human DNA which the Ancients introduced into the galaxy. (Stargate Atlantis: 1.01 "Rising Part 1", 1.02 "Rising Part 2")
The Ancients who lived in the city-ship Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy returned to Earth 10,000 years ago. These Ancients were the last survivors of the city-dwellers and left because they were under siege by the Wraith who had grown into a powerful, technologically advanced race. They sank the city-ship in the ocean on the planet Lantia which they used as their homeworld in the Pegasus Galaxy and escaped through the Stargate back to Earth, never to return to Atlantis. (Stargate Atlantis: 1.01 "Rising Part 1", 1.15 "Before I Sleep")

The Ancients influenced the development of Earth both directly and indirectly through the use of their left-over technology.
After the plague swept throughout the Milky Way Galaxy, Jim/Anubis said that the Ancients used the weapon on Dakara to reseed life in the galaxy "some million odd years" ago. He did not elaborate further concerning which group of Ancients used this weapon, if at all (consider that the source of the information was an evil, deceptive, half-ascended Goa'uld). If this weapon was indeed used to reseed the galaxy with new life, then it can be reasonably concluded that the Stargate on Earth was used during that reseeding, since the weapon's energy wave was more effective when used through the Stargate and the human form has been considered to have evolved solely from Earth in this galaxy. (1.03 "The Enemy Within", 8.16 "Reckoning Part 1", 8.17 "Reckoning Part 2", 8.18 "Threads")
The Ancients also did research on ascension which Anubis discovered and used to trick Oma Desala into helping him to ascend when he found her on the planet Kheb (8.18 "Threads"). Oma Desala, whose name means Mother Nature, might have influenced Earth religions and philosophies through her ability to control nature and her teachings concerning the worthiness of the soul of those who sought enlightenment through ascension (akin to Zen Buddhism) (3.20 "Maternal Instinct").

The Ancients who returned to Earth 10,000 years ago from the Pegasus Galaxy probably spread the legend of the Lost City of Atlantis to the Greeks and influenced the Romans with their language and knowledge. Some of these Ancients lived for thousands of years and built the underground caverns of "Avalon" in the Glastonbury Tor in the present-day United Kingdom. One of those Ancients, named Myrddin, influenced the King Arthur legends as the wizard Merlin. It was from a book stored with the treasures of Avalon that Daniel Jackson discovered the story of the Altera and of their finding a new home in the Milky Way Galaxy. These Altera were the progenators of the Ancients. (9.02 "Avalon Part 2"; Stargate Atlantis: 1.01 "Rising Part 1")

Also, those who returned to Earth from the Pegasus Galaxy might be the reason that there are some humans of Earth today who have the Ancient gene which performs as a key to unlock most of the Ancients' technology. They never returned to Atlantis, but some of them most likely left Earth through the Stargate to other planets in the Milky Way Galaxy. (2.16 "The Fifth Race", 8.13 "It's Good To Be King"; Stargate Atlantis: 1.15 "Before I Sleep")
In the thousands of years of Anubis' life (at least 10,000 years, if Ra's lifetime is taken under consideration), there existed an Ancient device discovered by the Goa'uld Telchak which had great healing abilities. Anubis went into battle with Telchak and defeated him, but he never discovered the location of this device which Telchak used to fashion the first sarcophagus. Telchak is thought to have been on Earth during the Mayan civilization (circa 900 B.C.-1000 A.D.) and impersonated Chac, the Mayan god of rain. It is believed that his use of the Telchak Device and the writings describing where the device was hidden (near a waterfall) were what spawned the Fountain of Youth myth. (7.11 "Evolution Part 1", 7.12 "Evolution Part 2")
The Goa'uld's use of Ancient technology, namely the Stargate network, enabled them to enslave humans from Earth all over the galaxy. These Goa'uld, in turn, influenced Earth's development when many of them took on the identities of the ancient gods from Egyptian, Canaanite, Celtic, Chinese, Hindu, Greek, Mayan, and Japanese cultures, among many others.

After discovering an Ancient intergalactic communications device in the treasures of Avalon, Daniel Jackson formed a psychic link with a villager of Ver Ager on the planet thought to be the original home of the Ancients (when they were known as the Altera). What he discovered was that the Alterans who had ascended to become The Others had kept the existence of humanity in the Milky Way Galaxy a secret from the Ori who had also ascended. The Ori have created a religion which dictates that they be worshipped as humanity's creators and gods and promise ascension to the faithful, although they never intend to help their devotees to ascend. If anyone rejects the Ori, the Ori will destroy them. Daniel thought that since the Ori manifest themselves in a wall of fire and fire is the icon of the religion, called Origin, that the Ancients might have influenced Earth's religions to associate fire with demonic aspects as a way to warn humanity of the Ori's evil intent. (9.02 "Avalon Part 2", 9.03 "Origin Part 3")

Notable Characters

Ayiana - She was left behind when the city-ship Atlantis left Earth from the Antarctic five to ten million years ago. She stayed at the Antarctic Outpost, but somehow ended up near the Stargate and froze there. She was recovered and revived by research scientists, but she died soon thereafter. (6.04 "Frozen")

Janus - He was one of the Ancients who left Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy 10,000 years ago and returned to Earth. He built a timeship which was used by one version of the Atlantis Expedition Team to save the city and the Team when they first set foot on Atlantis. That timeship was destroyed 10,000 years ago in the Pegasus Galaxy, but it is possible that Janus built another timeship and used it in the Milky Way Galaxy since the timeship found on Harry Maybourne's planet looked identical in its design. (8.13 "It's Good To Be King", Stargate Atlantis: 1.15 "Before I Sleep")

Merlin - He was one of the Ancients who returned to Earth 10,000 years ago from the Pegasus Galaxy and built the underground caverns of Avalon in the Glastonbury Tor to store Ancient writings and technology. The writings, in the form of a storybook, revealed the name of the Ancients as the Altera when they left their home galaxy millions of years ago. The technology was used by Daniel Jackson to discover the existence of the Ancient's ascended rivals, the Ori. (9.02 "Avalon Part 2", 9.03 "Origin Part 3")

Oma Desala - Her name means Mother Nature and she chose to help humans ascend through her teachings of worthiness. She helped Daniel Jackson ascend and gave him a second chance at ascension about two years after his return to human form. Oma helped the Goa'uld Anubis ascend and The Others punished her by forcing her to watch Anubis wreak havoc and destruction throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. The Others wished for her to take responsibility for helping to ascend an evil being such as Anubis, but she chose to try to make up for it by continuing to help "those beneath" whom she felt were worthy to ascend. Finally, Oma realized what she had to do and engaged herself in an eternal struggle against Anubis to occupy him and prevent him from destroying all life in the Milky Way Galaxy as part of his "grand design." (3.20 "Maternal Instinct", 5.21 "Meridian", 8.18 "Threads")

Orlin - As one of the Ascended Ancients, he shared his knowledge with the people of Velona and they built a powerful weapon which they used to destroy the Goa'uld who was attacking their world. After that, the Velonans decided to use the weapon on other planets. At that point, The Others destroyed Velona and the weapon was rendered inoperable. Orlin was banished to the planet as punishment for his interference. He stayed alone there for about 400 years until he returned to Earth with SG-1. He made amends with The Others by sacrificing his newly-taken human form to prevent the SGC from powering up the weapon and he was accepted back into the collective by being permitted to ascend once more. Orlin retook human form for a second time in order to help humanity stop the Ori from gaining more power in the ascended planes, something which could result in cosmic chaos. (5.03 "Ascension", 9.10 "The Fourth Horseman Part 1")

Alliances

Asgard, Furlings, Nox - At one point, the Ancients were joined in an alliance comprised of these four great races. This alliance was formed a very long time ago, but now it no longer exists. (1.11 "The Torment Of Tantalus", 2.16 "The Fifth Race")

The Others - Those Ancients who learned how to ascend joined a collective of other Ascended Beings to establish rules of how they interact with the corporeal plane. It was recently revealed that The Others are not all ascended Ancients. (5.03 "Ascension", 6.06 "Abyss", 6.22 "Full Circle", 7.20 "Inauguration", 8.03 "Lockdown", 8.16 "Threads")

Enemies

Within the Milky Way Galaxy itself, there are no known enemies of the Ancients, but they did build powerful weapons long ago which must have been needed to defend against some other great military power.

Ori - The Ascended Beings known as the Ori are philosophical rivals of The Others who are the ascended Ancients (aka the Altera). The Alterans kept the existence of humanity in the Milky Way Galaxy a secret from the Ori, who live in the Alteran's home galaxy, as a form of protection because the Ori will destroy all those who reject them as their creators and gods. The Ori gain more power in the ascended planes through the surrender of man's free will. Unfortunately, humanity's existence in the Milky Way Galaxy has been revealed, ironically through the use of the very technology left behind by the Alterans, and the inevitable war avoided all of those millions of years ago has now been ignited in the corporeal plane. (9.02 "Avalon Part 2", 9.03 "Origin Part 3", 9.10 "The Fourth Horseman Part 1")

Wraith - In the Pegasus Galaxy, the Ancients were overrun by the Wraith, a race that accidently evolved when they seeded that galaxy with life. (Stargate Atlantis)

Episodes of Stargate SG-1 that feature the Ancients

1.01 "Children Of The Gods Part 1"
1.02 "Children Of The Gods Part 2"
1.03 "The Enemy Within"
1.10 "Thor's Hammer"
1.11 "The Torment Of Tantalus"
1.18 "Solitudes"
2.06 "Thor's Chariot"
2.16 "The Fifth Race"
3.20 "Maternal Instinct"
5.03 "Ascension"
5.21 "Meridian"
6.04 "Frozen"
6.06 "Abyss"
6.22 "Full Circle"
7.20 "Inauguration"
7.21 "Lost City Part 1"
7.22 "Lost City Part 2"
8.03 "Lockdown"
8.13 "It's Good To Be King"
8.16 "Reckoning Part 1"
8.17 "Reckoning Part 2"
8.18 "Threads"
9.02 "Avalon Part 2"
9.03 "Origin Part 3"
9.10 "The Fourth Horseman Part 1"

Celestis

The City of Celestis

Daniel and Vala gaze on the City of Celestis

ORIGIN

Daniel Jackson (played by Michael Shanks) meets the amazing Doci of the Ori (played by guest star Julian Sands) in front of the flames of enlightenment.

Celestis

The fabulous city of the god's: Celestis.

This is the home to the Ori, the ascended beings who have set themselves up as god's (sound familiar?).

As seen in season 9 of Stargate SG-1.

The Plains of Celestis

Atlantis

Save Stargate SG-1

We’ve learned that in its 3rd week, Battlestar Galactica, critically acclaimed flagship show of the SCI FI Channel, has shed more viewers.

Airing Friday 20 October, Exodus Part 2 obtained a 1.4 HHR according to the Nielsen fast overnight ratings. This is a drop of approximately 11.1% from the 1.6 HHR for Exodus Part 1, and a drop of approximately 22.2% from the 1.8 HHR gained by the Season 3 premiere episodes.

No one here wishes ill of Battlestar Galactica, any more than we wish ill of Stargate SG-1 or Atlantis. Many of us are fans, or at least viewers, of all three shows. As campaigners, we’ve been arguing since the cancellation that, together, the Gates and Galactica had a natural synergy, a must-see triad in the SCI Friday lineup that strengthened the ratings of all.

SCI FI fixed what wasn’t broke. They were wrong.

Stargate SG-1, Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica have all shed viewers since the separation. Together, they were thriving, holding their audiences, gaining viewers, riding high. Separated by SCI FI’s scheduling decisions, they’re suffering. Stargate SG-1 has been cancelled. Even more expensive to produce, Galactica is bleeding viewers week on week. The proof is in the Nielsens, not the media hype.

It’s time to call SCI FI Channel on its bad decisions. Time to tell it straight to Bonnie Hammer and Mark Stern. They were wrong. Dead wrong. Let’s help them right that wrong.
Now is the time to tell them to save not just Stargate SG-1, but themselves.

SCI FI Channel needs to reinstate its SCI Friday lineup NOW: Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica.

SCI FI Channel needs an 11th season of Stargate SG-1. Or it might not make it into a 4th season of Galactica.

Parent company NBC Universal’s poor performance has seen them launch a $750 million restructure, including shedding 700 jobs, in a bid to restore profits. They cannot afford for SCI FI or Galactica to fail.

WRITE NBC
Randy Falco, PresidentNBC Universal Television Group,30 Rockefeller Plaza,New York, NY, 10112

WRITE SCI FI
Bonnie Hammer, PresidentNBC Universal Sci Fi Channel,30 Rockefeller Plaza,New York, NY, 10112
Mark Stern, Executive Vice President Original ProgrammingNBC Universal Sci Fi Channel100 Universal City PlazaBld. 1440, 14th FloorUniversal City, CA 91608

FAX or PHONE SCI FI
FAO: Bonnie Hammer, PresidentNBC Universal Sci Fi ChannelFax: (212) 664-3890Tel: (212) 664-4444

FAO: Mark Stern, Executive VP Original ProgrammingNBC Universal Sci Fi ChannelTel: (818) 777-1000

Spread word as far as you can.

Encourage everyone to write SCI FI’s wrongs.

Born Againers meet the follower of the Ori on the journey to Celestis

As I was walking down the road to the papershop on Sunday morning, in South Tottenham, I was accosted by 4 smart-almost-Mormon-looking-Osmond-types, a particularly strange brand of our local born against Christian fundamentalists.
I have often had them land on the doorstep and shut the door in their faces.
Never met these weird bods ever before.
They stopped me and, being a Stargate fan--and having just seen episode one of season 10 (see http://www.gateworld.net/sg1/s10/1001.shtml) I decided to have some fun.

They asked me if I was a believer in the one true god, and did I want to buy whatever nonsense they were selling. To which I replied, as only the Doci (see http://www.gateworld.net/omnipedia/characters/links/doci.shtml) could that:

"Those who seek the path to enlightenment must not be led astray."

"Those who abandon the path are evil."

"Enemies of the Ori show no mercy in their attempts to draw believers away from the path."

"Then to Tyolus: say to the people of the low plains, seek not the wickedness amongst your neighbors lest it find purchase in your own house."

I continued that I had just finished my PROSTRATION and that it was a session akin to Catholic mass where an Ori village comes together in worship of chants and prayer. It is led by the village administrator. During Prostration, it is customary to carry a copy of the Book of Origin. The administrator lights candles and recites chants hailing the Ori. Prostration is known to last six hours.

By this time my four fundamentalist pals were about ready to run away. I said, no you have not ascended and reached enlightenment yet.

I finished them off with the coolest quote of all, and this makes me an utter Stargate nerd:
"Great holy armies shall be gathered and trained to fight all evil."
"Ships shall be built to carry Ori warriors out amongst the stars and they shall spread Origin to all unbelievers."

I asked them if they wished to join me on my journey to the City of Celestis (see http://www.gateworld.net/omnipedia/planets/index.shtml)

By this time they were in deepest Enfield!!!

Image of the Pegasus Galaxy

Here is an image of the Pegasus Galaxy

Stargate--fight to keep it going

It is essential that if you are a sci-fi fan but have never seen Stargate SG-1 that you both watch it and then fight to keep it going. It is simply the most fabulous TV sci-fi show to come out of the USA.
The series began with the SGC (Stargate Command) fighhting the Gouald and other enemies and allying with the Asgard and others along the way.
Season 5 saw Daniel Jackson, one of the four central characters die and meet the Ancients--a group of beings also known as Alterans, who left their human form behind after they came here from the Pegasas Galaxy.
The Alterans/Ancients invented the Stargates or Astria Portas.
Jackson returned after an internet campaign to reinstate him, in series seven.

Series 9 and 10 introduced the Ancients alter-ego, the Ori. The Ancients refused to intervene in earthy affairs whereas the Ori force sentient beings to worship them.

Watch it.

Mikey

A Fabulous new Stargate website

Below find a link to a fabulous new Stargate website:


http://stargatesg1.com/Default.aspx

Where we live...the Milky Way Galaxy

The most fabulous villains ever on TV--meet the...ORI

The Ori (pronounced "OR-eye") are fictional characters on the Stargate SG-1 television program. Collectively, they are a group of "ascended" beings who use their advanced technology and spiritual knowledge of the universe to trick non-ascended humans into worshiping them as gods.
They were introduced into Stargate SG-1 in its 9th Season, replacing the Goa'uld as the show's primary antagonists. Whilst the Goa'uld relied almost exclusively on technology to portray godlike power, the Ori are one step further - beings of almost godlike power, but nevertheless not gods. The Ori fabricated a religion, called Origin, which they force on all non-ascended beings for the purpose of total control. The Ori try to destroy anyone who rejects their religion. A central theme that surrounds story arcs involving the Ori is that power does not make someone a god, nor does great power entitle anyone to be worshipped; rather, the way they use great power is the measure of how they should be revered.

Contents[hide]
1 The Ori and the Ancients
1.1 Differences in Beliefs
1.2 Ontological Comparison
1.3 Demise of the Ancients
2 Religion ("Origin")
2.1 Symbolism
2.2 Teachings
2.2.1 Verses
2.2.2 Parables - What They Are
2.3 Quotations
3 Priors
4 Orici
5 Technology
6 Story
7 Key Episodes
8 External links
//
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The Ori and the Ancients
The Ori can be simply described as ascended beings who disagree with the Ancients' viewpoints about interference with less developed sentient beings, science, and the importance of free will. As Ascended beings, they live on a higher plane of existence of great power and knowledge, and, due to their immense power and transcendental state, are as close to being "gods" as any non-deific being can be.
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Differences in Beliefs
The Alterans in the Milky Way Galaxy, often called the Ancients; the Ori refer to them as "the Others" (this of course is a contextual reference and should not be confused with "the others" which has been used by de-ascended or banished Ancients such as Oma, Chaya/Athar or Orlin). They originally were not distinguished from each other, and lived in the same society. At some point however, the Ori became more religious, whilst the Ancients became more scientific. Ultimately their viewpoints diverged so much that the two races split apart and began to oppose each other.
The Ancients are well known for their fierce belief in free will. As such, they do not interfere on lower planes of existence at all, even if something terrible is about to happen. In contrast, the Ori teach that failure to share the secrets of the universe to those on the lower planes of existence is an evil act, that anyone not following their religion must be eliminated (anti-free will), and they have no rules against taking direct control of living beings or completely changing them to behave as they desire. However, Orlin, an Ancient who retook human form to help the SGC, states that their religion ("Origin"), which promises its followers Ascension, in fact offers no such thing. Orlin goes on to explain that the Ori are able to drain power from their followers, and this is the real reason they created Origin, as the more followers they have, the more power they have.
The Ancients who came to the Milky Way decided to shield the second evolution of humans (i.e. current human culture) in the Milky Way Galaxy from the Ori. It is their policy that humans may find enlightenment through their own means, in the spirit of free will. Even though the Ancients do not believe in interfering in mortal affairs, it is speculated that they are responsible for generating the associations of fire and certain other characteristics (e.g. horns, spikes) with Demonic imagery in the Milky Way. This would be a method of shielding humans from the Ori, as the central symbols of Origin involve fire and (what we would call) Demonic costumes. For instance, the Doci, the leaders of Origin, bear a very close resemblance to a devil or demon. The worshippers of the Ori view fire as a cleansing symbol. As Daniel Jackson points out, there is no immediate illogicality with fire as a symbol of all that is good: it provides warmth, light, etc.
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Ontological Comparison
Daniel Jackson speculates in "Avalon" that the Ori and the Ancients are on the same level of evolutionary existence, in as much as that both are Ascended. The Ancients have Ascended to a point of existence where they only exist as energy, which is manifested as light. The Ori have taken to manifesting as tendrils of flame and they appear to dwell eternally in the Flames of Enlightenment.
Although the Ancients (Alterans) as a whole refrain from interfering with lesser beings, a small few have taken it upon themselves to interact and even help lower beings to Ascend, a prerequisite of this assistance is that one must be pure of heart, however it is now known and demonstrated by the Ori that if one has the ability to Ascend "naturally" (with no assistance from other Ascendants) no such limitations exist.
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Demise of the Ancients
It appears that the Ori sought to wipe the Ancients out; however, the Ancients fled to the Milky Way. It appears however that the final jump towards Ascension was made by necessity when the Ancients contracted a deadly plague of unknown origin. Daniel Jackson posits that the pre-Ascended Ori may have been responsible for this plague.
The plague that the Ori use against human non-believers is very similar in nature to what is known of the Ancient's plague. Orlin - a de-Ascended Ancient - said that the plague is made by modifying the DNA of a Prior, a missionary of Origin, and giving it to a "Patient Zero", who will feel no effects, to enable a wide spread of the virus. The virus not only rapidly evolves, but can also remain airborne across small distances making quarantine an almost impossible means of prevention. There was no known cure or vaccination prior to Season 9's The Fourth Horseman. Stargate Command was able to formulate a cure for the plague with the help of Gerak, leader of the free Jaffa Nation.
The Ori ultimately wish to destroy the Ancients once and for all.
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Religion ("Origin")
The religion which the Ori wish to impose on all sentient beings is called Origin, or the Path of Origin, and it is their way to assert dominance by promising to guide humanity towards enlightenment (i.e. Ascension). Its central promises are supposedly false, and is nothing more than a way to garner worshippers, which in turn increases the power of the Ori. To grant Ascension to all their followers would mean sharing their power, an idea the Ori find less than appealing. Followers of the faith receive nothing whatsoever from the Ori.
It is a dogmatic, proselytizing faith, which comes with a holy book called The Book of Origin, and specialised missionaries called Priors, enhanced humans who are thus able to demonstrate some of the Ori's powers. Priors are responsible for spreading the Word of Origin, and only designate a people for destruction if they deny Origin outright. The Book of Origin contains tales of how the followers of the Ori returned to the path to enlightenment, and thus achieved Ascension.
The centre of the faith is the city of Celestis (also 'The Plains of Celestis': "The City of the Gods", according to the faithful), which apparently can only be reached by Ring Transporter or by a sort of mental teleportation which leaves the transported individual's body in the same place but brings their consciousness into the city.
The Ori keep human followers at a low level of development, on par with the Medieval period of English history. They use their powers to maintain a level of fear among the population, who worship the Ori as gods. Among the population of natives to the Ori home galaxy are a group of heretics who believe they are being suppressed, and seek to discover forbidden historical knowledge to show others that the Ori are, though powerful, not gods. These people are in a plight similar to that which the Jaffa were in. Individuals who show signs of doubt for the faith are deemed to be under the control of demons and are said to be "overcome". They are put through a Trial by Fire. It is only through the intervention of a Prior that anyone can escape this ordeal.
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Symbolism
The central icon of this religion is fire, something which gives off light and warmth. The fact that on Earth this icon has some evil or Satanic associations in many modern religions prompted Daniel to posit that the Ancients had influenced this negative connotation in order to identify the threat the Ori pose.
The religion spreads its word through the use of simple, easy-to-grasp parables and aphorisms, using powerful and obvious symbolism and imagery of dark and light, the blind and the seeing, the right path and straying from it, and 'good followers' who have set shining examples of devotion and faith.
The Ori constantly assert that they "do not require blind faith." They generate true belief in potential followers by showing them real miracles (created through their great understanding of the universe).
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Teachings
Some viewers have noted that many quotes from the Book of Origin bear resemblence to the Holy texts of many religions. Several lines from the Book of Origin, or otherwise repeated mantras, are heard on the show. These include:
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Verses
"Hallowed are the Ori." (this mantra is repeated by all believers almost as punctuation)
"Hallowed are the children of the Ori." (this mantra is said by the priors, which followed by the next mantra):
"Hallowed are we; hallowed are the Ori."
"Those who reject the path to enlightenment must be destroyed."
"The power and the greatness of the Ori cannot be denied."
"Those who seek the path to enlightenment must not be led astray!"
"Glorious are the Ori, who lead us to salvation, who did fight the evil that would doom us all to mortal sin. Did they defeat the old spirits and cast them out? And now, with the strength of our will, they do call upon us to prevail against the corruption of all unbelievers."
"Fear not the Ori, fear the darkness that would conceal the knowledge of the universe. Believe in the truth of all things, and you too may find the path to enlightenment."
"Guide us on the path that we may triumph over the enemy of our salvation and be with you in the end of ends on the planes of enlightenment."
"Those who abandon the path are evil."
"Blessed are those who walk in unison."
"And the people shall deliver the wicked unto your divine judgement, where their sins shall be weighed in the balance of all that is just and true."
"Life and death, light and darkness, hope and despair. The rift was created, and on that day, the Ori were born."
"The hatred of those who strayed from the true path festered and bloomed in the dark corners of the Avernakis to which they have been cast!"
"Consumed by this hatred, they poisoned all they touched, bringing death, darkness and despair."
"The souls of their victims knew no peace, until the Ori came and whispered to them: 'Sleep, for the end draws near!' And on that day all will rejoice, when the Ori come and lay them low."
"Those who follow the path of righteousness shall be raised up high."
"Ours is not to question, but to rejoice in their service, for they are perfection."
"Priors are beacons on the road to enlightenment."
"Pity not the blind man, for he is hindered not by the visions of this world, but rather pity yourselves, for he will see the light before you do."
"Those who reach enlightenment shall rejoice with the ori forever."
"The book of Origin tell us that enemies of the Ori will show no mercy in their attempt to lead us astray from the true path, likewise we must attack with all the Strength which we have been given."
"...and those who are prideful and refuse to bow down shall be laid low and made unto dust."
"...then did Tilius say to the people of the low plains: seek not the wickedness amongst your neighbors, lest it find purchase in your own house." --quoted by Daniel Jackson in a (failed) attempt to convince the Ori fleet to abandon its invasion of the Milky Way at Battle of P3Y-229
"Caelum videri esset. Et terra rus ad sidera tollere voltus. Ex uno discent omnes" --quoted by Prior announcing the divine nature of the Orici in Flesh and Blood
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Parables - What They Are
"As he lay there, dying in the sun, the sand of desert all around him, Hetaris spoke to the rock, not with his lips, but with his mind, and the rock wept tears of fresh water and his thirst was quenched."
"When Hannor Mir fell from above and learned to fly on the way down, that was a miracle."
"Amica strayed from the path of enlightenment. He was forgiven, and was allowed back on the path."
"Egidius of Valdair needed to speak things that could only be spoken in the light of the fire." (to the Doci)
"Adelenus chose to hunt the lion and was eaten by his prey."
"The Ori fought the Alterans, to save their followers."
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Quotations
Prior: "Hallowed are the children of the Ori."Crowd: "Hallowed are we. Hallowed are the Ori."
Doci: "Great holy armies shall be gathered and trained to fight all who embrace evil. In the name of the gods, ships shall be built to carry our warriors out amongst the stars and we will spread Origin to all the unbelievers. The power of the Ori will be felt far and wide and the wicked shall be vanquished."
Prior: "Caelum videri esset. Et terra rus ad sidera tollere voltus. Ex uno discent omnes."
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Priors
Main article: Prior (Stargate)
The Ori are served by those called Priors, who act as the prophets, messengers and missionaries of the Ori by travelling to different planets and reading from the Book of Origin. Priors are artificially "evolved" humans, with 80%-90% of their neurons firing at any given time. This massive mental power allows them to perform miracles, read minds, and attack enemies, as they are closer to being Ascended. The Ori use the Priors to spread the word of Origin throughout the universe, and believe that any who reject Origin must be killed.
Daniel Jackson has speculated that the Ori included a biological mechanism within Priors that would ensure physical destruction by Ori fire if a Prior changed sides.

Orici
Main article: Adria (Stargate)
In episode "Flesh and Blood" of Stargate SG-1, the Orici was introduced as a female Human/Ori hybrid created to lead the Priors and the army of the Ori on a campaign for galactic domination. The daughter of Vala Mal Doran, she was named Adria and was rapidly aged by the Ori. Adria is programmed with the knowledge of the Ori (as much as humanly possible) and possesses the ability to heal as well as several other abilities Priors poses. A Prior stated "ex uno discent omnes" or as Tomin translated "from one all will learn" suggesting she carries a tremendous amount of knowledge. Furthermore the Prior announced her part-divine, part-human nature saying: "et terra rus et sidera tollere vultus"-"the earth will rise his face towards the stars."


Technology
Main article: Ori technology
Not much is known of Ori technology, save that it is probably far more advanced than any in our galaxy. In Season 9, the show features powerful Ori weapons in "Ethon", ships in "Camelot" and supergates in "Beachhead".
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Story
9
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details for Stargate SG-1 Season 9 follow.
The Ori were first encountered by Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran using an Ancient communications device. The minds of Daniel and Vala were transported to the Ori's home galaxy. There, they inhabited the bodies of Harrid and Sallis, a married couple who belonged to a secret underground of heretics who reject the path of Origin. The existence of this device suggests that the pre-Ascended Ancients who migrated to our galaxy wished to stay in contact with their brethren across the universe. [1]
Daniel's use of the communications device brought the existence of humanity in the Milky Way Galaxy to the Ori's attention. Because they believe that all humanity is their creation, the Ori have decided to spread their doctrine to the unbelievers. It is the dawn of a new age for the Ori. They've begun dispatching their missionaries, called Priors, through the Stargates and building spaceships with highly-trained militia for their holy war in the Milky Way Galaxy. [2]
Initially, the Ori sent individual Priors to worlds in the Milky Way to try to convert the inhabitants. Where initial calls to worship the Ori fail, a Prior has been known to unleash devastatating plagues, then healing the populace and raising the dead in order to seal a world's devotion to the Ori. [3]
Recently, the Ori attempted a full-scale invasion of the Milky Way Galaxy by collapsing an entire planet into a micro-singularity, which could then be used to power a massive Stargate, between 300 and 400 metres in diameter, connected to the Ori home galaxy indefinitely. SG-1, with the help of Vala, managed to thwart the Ori's plan, but not long after they attempted to create another 'Supergate'. [4]
With the conversion of Gerak to Origin, and his transformation into a Prior, the Ori had potentially gained a foothold in the Free Jaffa Nation. Gerak eventually chose the Free Jaffa Nation over the Ori and in helping Earth with the plague, was consumed by Ori fire. It was revealed in "The Fourth Horseman (Part 2)" that the Ori intend to destroy the Ancients.
Recently, the Priors of the Ori have attempted to convert the Rand Protectorate to the belief of Origin however this failed and the planet Tegalus has its Stargate now buried after a war with its neighbouring nation of Caledonia. Not only that but on many worlds that Priors have visited, they have left a bio-engineered asexual insect life form that feeds voraciously on crops. However, the bugs are capable of changing their physiology to allow them to eat different things when their food source runs out, and that can include meat. Currently, attempts are being made by the SGC to combat this new threat.
Meanwhile, in the Ori galaxy, Vala reluctantly becomes an undercover agent and learns of the Ori's plan. She makes contact with the SGC through the same communications device that she and Daniel used when they first discovered the Ori, and offers what may be the first glimpse of these beings as they manifest in her nightmare.
Daniel Jackson later uncovered a phase-shifting device created by the Ancient, Merlin, to hide a weapon he was creating from the other Alterans. The information in the phase-shifter revealed that the weapon was hidden on Camelot. Once they reached the legendary home of King Arthur, Daniel Jackson and Cameron Mitchell managed to unlock Merlin's secrets, revealing a hoard of treasure, but not the device capable of neutralizing the Ori. They discovered that Arthur had left long ago and hidden the secret of the weapon on three different planets.
In the meantime, a Jaffa vessel managed to locate the new Ori Supergate. The combined firepower of several Ha'tak vessels were unable to damage the supergate; as a result, Samantha Carter, assisted by the Asgard Kvasir, tried to dial out before the Ori could dial in, but was unsuccessful. The four Ori ships that came through were able to withstand the combined firepower of several Ha'tak vessels of the Lucian Alliance and free Jaffa, two Daedalus-class (BC-304) battlecruisers (the Odyssey and the Korolev — at this time the Daedalus was still in the Pegasus galaxy), and an Asgard O'Neill-class battleship. The main weapon aboard the Ori Cruisers appears to be much the same as the superweapon in Ethon. The Ha'tak vessels were unable to withstand fire from this weapon, and the Tau'ri ships fared little better, managing to take only two (this is based on the fact that when the Odyssey took a direct hit from an Ori ship a crewman commented that shields were down to 50%) and at the very most three direct hits. Many of the Ha'tak vessels were destroyed, as well as the Korolev. It is unknown how well the Asgard warship was able to fare against the Ori. The Ori ships suffered no apparent damage.
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Key Episodes
^ Avalon (Part 2)
^ Origin
^ The Powers That Be
^ Beachhead
? The Fourth Horseman
? Ethon
? Crusade
? Camelot
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Sci-Fi Channel Cancels most successful US show EVER!!!

The Sci-Fi channel has just cancelled Stargate SG-1, which is more popular than even the X-Files and has just finished its tenth series.
All UK fans should innundate the Sci-Fi channel with demands to restore it to its rightful place on TV!

Mikey