Stargate franchise

Stargate is a military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a worldwide hit grossing nearly $200 million (USD) worldwide. Three years later, Canadian Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner created a television series entitled Stargate SG-1 as a sequel for the film— a series that would set the scene for Stargate's over 15 year and ongoing legacy.

Premise
The Stargate series takes place in the present day. At the beginning if the initial show, Stargate SG-1, only technology that existed at the time was employed by the protagonists, humans from Earth who are known throughout the galaxy as the Tau'ri. In the Movie Stargate, it was shown that in the 1920s in Giza Egypt, a mysterious ring was uncovered—buried in the sand long ago. However, it wasn't until 1994 (when the movie aired and took place) that Earth figured out the device's true purpose and was able to utilize it for exploration. Ever since their first mission to a planet known as Abydos, Earth has continued using the Stargate for both exploration and the defense of humanity from a terrible and parasitic enemy known as the Goa'uld. To this end, the Stargate Program (which is a secret to the general public) was created with a mandate of acquiring alien technology for the defense of the planet. However, the SGC (the base in which the program is located) has also focused in such efforts as trading and forming diplomatic relations with the rest of the galaxy. It was through this program (the main focus of Stargate SG-1) that Earth was able to gain, over time, such technology. In the ten years since the first trip through the Stargate (spanning from the reactivation of the Stargate to the series finale of SG-1) Earth has become a technologically advanced race, capable of rivaling most others.

Stargate Network
Several million years ago, an ancient race of advanced humanoid beings, now known as the Ancients, created a device capable of near-instantaneous transportation across the universe by means of a subspace wormhole. This device, which has been used by countless races since its creation, has more commonly become known as a "Stargate"— a name, discovered by Dr. Daniel Jackson, from hieroglyphics written by humans on Earth thousands of years ago. While various cultures have created their own name form the device, Stargate is among the most common used.

A Stargate itself is a device made out of a volatile mineral known as naquadah. It is between two Stargates that travel is possible. A stable wormhole in a Stargate is achieved by dialing the correct address in a mechanism named a DHD by the Tau'ri. In a DHD, an address of six symbols (representing constellations as seen from Earth for the Milky Way galaxy-style of gate) is required, plus a point of origin– a symbol unique to a particular Stargate that represents the location a person is dialing from, bringing the total up to seven symbols for an in-galaxy address. Eight symbols are required to establish a lock with a Stargate in another galaxy (such as the Pegasus galaxy). Nine symbols are required to dial the Stargate aboard the Ancient starship Destiny, which was designed with the purpose of exploring the universe and Stargate networks established by the Stargate seeding ships that were launched prior. The Stargate contains nine chevrons spaced equally around its circumference. With each symbol that is locked, so is a chevron, making nine symbols the maximum number of symbols (or glyphs) that can be imputed. The design of the Stargates themselves tend to vary between galaxies. Three distinct designs are known; Stargates in the Milky Way galaxy, Pegasus galaxy, and that which resides on Destiny and are constructed by Stargate seeding ships.

Stargates play an extremely important role in each of the Stargate series. It is through these gates that races, mostly consisting of humanoid-like beings (particularly humans themselves), trade and explore. However, several races often use the Stargate networks in far different, and deadlier, ways. These races play an important role in the Stargate series, and are the driving force for the shows themselves.

Tau'ri
The Tau'ri are the main protagonists in the Stargate series. Tau'ri is the term used by the inhabitants of the Milky Way to refer to Earth and human beings from Earth. The word means "first ones" or "those from the first world" in Goa'uld in the sense that human life began on Earth. While it originally applied to all human beings in the Milky Way, the term has come to apply specifically to the humans who currently live on Earth as the Stargate Program progressed and began to inflict more and more serious blows to the Goa'uld Empire.

The Tau'ri have become known as the "Atlanteans" by the races of the Pegasus Galaxy due to their habitation of the city of Atlantis, and Earth has been referred to as "Midgard" by the peoples of planets under the protection of the Asgard. Most of the time, the majority of protagonists in the fight against galactic oppressors are of the Tau'ri, fighting a multi-front war against several other major races. When the Asgard race became close to extinction they declared the Tau'ri as the "Fifth Race", an allusion to the now-broken Alliance of Four Great Races.

Around Stargate SG-1's sixth season, the Tau'ri's first battleship, Prometheus, was constructed.

Stargate Series
In addition to film and television, the Stargate franchise has expanded into other media, including books, video games, and comic books. These supplements to the film and television series have resulted in significant development of the show's fictional universe and mythology. In 2008, the films Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum were released direct-to-DVD, which in total grossed over 21 million in the United States. In 2002, the franchise's first animated series, Stargate Infinity, was released as an introduction to the Expanded Universe. In 2004, Stargate Atlantis was released as a spin-off from Stargate SG-1. The newest Stargate spin-off series, entitled Stargate Universe, began airing on October 2, 2009.

Stargate and SG-1
The whole premise of the Stargate franchise began with the feature film Stargate, released theatrically in 1994 by MGM. It was directed by Roland Emmerich, written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin and starred Kurt Russell, James Spader and Jaye Davidson.

Stargate SG-1 is a television spin-off of Roland Emmerich's 1994 film Stargate. The series was developed for television by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, who together wrote the two-hour pilot episode "Children of the Gods." "Children of the Gods" originally aired on July 27, 1997 and "Unending," the final episode of the series, aired in the UK on March 13, 2007 and in the US on June 22, 2007.

Overview
Although an overall story arc was present from the start, the episodes of the first few seasons were mostly episodic, depicting the SG-1 team traveling to a different planet in each episode. Occasionally, this formula was broken slightly, usually when they dealt with NID agents, in which case the episode would take place mostly on Earth. Gradually, the show became less episodic and more serialized. Over its ten-year run, the show built up a complex mythology involving the history of the galaxy and introduced many new alien races, such as the Ancients and the Asgard, whereas the only true alien to appear in the original film was Ra.

Originally, the Goa'uld, namely Apophis, were the principal villains of the series. However, at the end of season three a new threat was introduced, the Replicators. Although they appeared in multiple episodes over the next five seasons, they were never as widely depicted as the Goa'uld were. In "Enemies," the opening episode of season five, Apophis was finally defeated and Anubis replaced him as the main villain for the next three seasons. Anubis and the Replicators were defeated in one blow at the end of season eight. Even though the Goa'uld were not completely destroyed, a new race called the Ori became the principal villains for the show's final two seasons.

The tone of the show also changed considerably over the course of its run. Much like the original film, the earlier episodes were mostly serious in character with an underlying comic tone. Later, the show became much lighter and occasionally even verged on borderline self-parody. The introduction of the Ori in season nine and the additions of Claudia Black and Ben Browder continued the show in its comedic and light hearted aspects.

Goa'uld
The Goa'uld are a race of sentient parasitic beings that take over hosts. Several species can serve as hosts, including humans and Unas. They originated on the planet designated P3X-888. They are also extremely ego-maniacal due to their genetic memory and the sarcophagus technology. Goa'uld means "God" in the Goa'uld language. Races which will not serve them are completely destroyed without compromise.

Ori
The Ori were a race of ascended beings who used their knowledge and power as justification to demand the worship of mortal beings. Millions of years ago, the Ori lived together with the Ancients as a single, united society in a distant galaxy as the Alterans. Unfortunately, at some point, a split occurred among the Alterans: The Ancients began to devote themselves to science, while the Ori became more and more religious. This division eventually became so great that the Ori attempted to destroy the Ancients. To avoid a war, which was contradictory to their beliefs, the Ancients departed their home galaxy for the Milky Way.

The Ori conceived the Origin faith, one that puts them in the center of creation, and wrote down their word in the Book of Origin to be administered to followers through Priors, missionaries and teachers of Origin. The Ori use the Doci, the chief Prior, as their "mouthpiece" for communicating with lesser beings. They are able to possess his body to spread their demands and will.

The Ori serve as the main antagonists for Stargate SG-1 in seasons 9 and 10. After being discovered by Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran, the Ori were subsequently alerted to the presence of humans in the Milky Way galaxy, and began a religious crusade in an effort to convert the galaxy's population to Origin. In season 10, the Ori manage to sent a fleet of warships to the Milky Way, capable of rivaling even the most advanced starships. However, in the SG-1 series finale, the Tau'ri were gifted the most advanced Asgard shield and weapon technology, capable of successfully combating Ori ships.

Several attempts to destroy the Ori and their followers have taken shape, such as by searching for and using Ancient technology, such as the Sangraal and Ark of Truth. The Sangraal (which SG-1 searched for through the last half and season nine and the first half of season ten) is an Ancient device that is capable of, and was used to, destroy the Ascended Ori. However, despite the Ori themselves dieing in Season 10's "The Shroud", their followers were still very much a threat and were still carrying on their crusade (oblivious to the fact that their "gods" were dead). The Ori story arc came to a conclusion in the Direct-to-DVD movie Stargate: The Ark of Truth, in which SG-1 travels to the Ori's galaxy of origin (via the Odyssey) and finds an ancient device known as the Ark of Truth. This device, when found, was used to show the followers of Origin the faults of the religion, thus ending the Ori campaign.

Stargate Infinity
Stargate Infinity was an animated spin-off of Stargate SG-1 that lasted one season, from 2002 to 2003. Many Stargate fans consider Infinity to be of low quality and Brad Wright has stated that it should not be considered part of the SG-1/Atlantis canon.

Overview
Stargate Infinity is set 30 years after the Tau'ri used the Stargate and traveled to Abydos. According to the show, by that time the Stargate had become public knowledge, and some aliens had become citizens of Earth (or of countries on Earth). A veteran member of the SGC, Major Gus Bonner leads a team of young recruits through the gate after being framed by an alien infiltrator of the hostile Tlak'kahn race (the Goa'uld having long since been defeated; this was written years before their defeat was even conceived on SG-1). The team must travel from world to world until they find the evidence to clear their names while learning about the unique cultures in the galaxy, alongside learning about themselves in the process. This plot was never resolved.

Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a television series spin-off from Stargate SG-1, which began airing in 2004, and concluded after five seasons. "Enemy at the Gate", the final episode of the series, aired on January 9, 2009. A follow-up film, titled Stargate: Extinction, will continue the plot and if it is successful, more movies will most likely be planned. Atlantis is followed by a third series, Stargate Universe.

Overview
Stargate Atlantis is the first spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which began airing July 16, 2004. The show takes place after the finale of Stargate SG-1's seventh season, particularly after the episode "Lost City", in which SG-1 discovers an advanced outpost, built by the Ancients, under the ice of Antarctica. It is through this outpost that, in Stargate Atlantis' premier episode "Rising", an eight symbol gate address is found that leads to the, long sought after, Lost City of the Ancients— also known as Atlantis. The search for this city had been an ongoing theme since the sixth season of Stargate SG-1.

An international expedition is thus sent through the Stargate to the far off Pegasus galaxy where the Ancient City-ship Atlantis resides. However, soon after the discovery of this grand city, a terrible enemy known as the Wraith is discovered. Throughout the series, the Wraith serve as the main antagonists, with the Atlantis Expedition being the protagonists. The ultimate driving force of the series if the protection of Atlantis and the discovery of advanced Ancient technology, continuing the SGC's original mandate.

The show itself has the same feel as the later seasons of Stargate SG-1 in that the overall atmosphere is light, with the exception of more serious moments.

Ancients
The Ancients, also known as the Gate Builders or Anquietas, in their language, were those Alterans who left their home galaxy for the Milky Way galaxy and seeded it with life. They are one of the most advanced races known to have existed, having evolved for millions of years prior to the present day and reaching their level of technology long before humanity evolved on Earth. They are best known as the builders of the Stargates and Atlantis, and most of them now reside on a higher plane of existence with near infinite knowledge and power. While not directly involved in the show, the Ancients set the stage for the entire Stargate universe by creating the Stargate, Atlantis, and Destiny.

Several million of years ago, the Ancients were once part of a race of beings known as the Alterans. However, due to contradicting ideologies, a great schism occurred. In its wake left two distinct cultures: the Ori and the Ancients. These Ancients then proceeded to Earth, where they established a new home and lived for several more million years. However, only a few million years ago, a great plague swept the galaxy and the Ancient were forced to leave. In the City-ship Atlantis, they set off for the Pegasus galaxy where they established a new Stargate network (as they did in the Milky Way) and settled on a planet named Lantea.

The Ancients lived in peacefully and prosperously in Pegasus for several million years— creating a vast empire that spanned the entire galaxy. However, with the emergence of the Wraith, which they themselves played a role in creating, this empire would soon change forever. These Wraith grew in number and technological power, capable of inflicting serious damage to the Ancients. When war between the two races broke out, the Ancient's technological advancement was able to keep the Wraith at bay and enable them to win almost any battle against them. However, as the Wraith grew in number, the Ancients shrank and, after over a hundred years of fighting, Atlantis was the last city in the Ancient's domain in a galaxy to remain unconquered by the Wraith. Seeing no way they could win, 10,000 years ago, the Ancients enacted measures to protect their city and evacuated through the Stargate to Earth, hoping that they would, one day, be able to return. Stargate Atlantis picks up 10,000 years later, when the Tau'ri find the Pegasus galaxy in much the same state it was in when the Ancients left— controlled by Wraith.

Atlantis
Atlantis, also called the Lost City of the Ancients, the City of the Ancestors or Atlantus in Ancient, is a city-ship built by the Ancients several million years ago, and has approximately the same internal space as found in Manhattan. The Ancients left the Milky Way galaxy several million years ago for the Pegasus galaxy, taking Atlantis with them, and settled on a planet they named Lantea.

Millions of years later, after the Lanteans—the name the Ancients came to be known by—submerged the city to protect it from their enemies, the Wraith, and returned to Earth through the Stargate. Their story, over time, inspired the Tau'ri myth of Atlantis.

Wraith
The Wraith are a vampiric, hive-based species that harvest the 'life-force' of other humanoid beings for nourishment through sucker organs on their palms. Countless worlds in the Pegasus galaxy live in constant fear of the Wraith, who return periodically to cull their human herds.

Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe is the title of the third science fiction television series in the Stargate franchise. Produced by MGM, the show entered production in early 2009, and premiered on October 2, 2009 on Syfy and on October 6, 2009 on Sky1 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Stargate Universe is filmed and produced in Vancouver, Canada, as with the preceding series.

Overview
After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate's ninth chevron, a team of explorers ends up on an unmanned starship called Destiny, launched by the Ancients at the height of their civilization as a grand experiment to explore the universe, set in motion but never completed.

The crew travels to the far reaches of the universe, connecting with each of the previously launched Stargates, thus fulfilling the Destiny's original mission. Challenges will arise though as the ship comes into range of Stargates placed centuries ahead of the Destiny and the crew is unable to control the ship's navigational schedule. If someone is left behind, there is no way to go back for them, adding to the drama of encountering new races, enemies and adventures.

Destiny
Destiny is a ship in the Ancient fleet, launched originally from Earth, constructed millions of years ago. It is the primary setting of Stargate Universe. The Ancients launched several automated ships prior to Destiny, each with the purpose of constructing and seeding Stargates throughout the numerous galaxies they crossed, with Destiny itself following in their path to explore those planets. After beginning this process, the Ancients initially planned to wait until the ship reached a sufficient distance from Earth to begin to inhabit it and explore the universe. However, because of other endeavors, such as ascension, they never followed through on the plan. Because of this, Destiny has continued on a pre-programmed path on its journey throughout the stars, alone, for millions of years until the arrival of the Tau'ri in 2009. Initially starting from the Milky Way, the ship has crossed many galaxies, including Pegasus.

Destiny itself is relatively flat and triangular in shape. The left and right sides are markedly concave, while the aft portion of the ship is convexly rounded. The ship is very long and becomes more narrow towards the bow. The surface of the ship is covered with layers of textural elements, including a large number of double-barreled weapon turrets. The ship also contains much advanced technology, but it far rivaled by more recent constructions, such as Atlantis.

Technology
The technology in the Stargate series ranges from extremely advanced (in the cases of such races as the Ancients, Asgard, and Tau'ri) to basic medieval technology. In the Milky Way galaxy, during the reign of the Goa'uld, the vast majority of races were kept in a state of perpetual technological infancy to keep them subservience to the Goa'uld. This is largely the same situation in the Pegasus galaxy in the case of the Wraith.

Races and Cultures
In both the Milky Way and Pegasus galaxies, humans (or humanoid-like beings) account for the majority of the sentient population. In the Milky Way galaxy, human life began on Earth. Thousands of years ago, the Goa'uld Ra took some of these humans and distributed them to planets across the galaxy to serve him. Whilst on these separate planets, numerous human populations were able to develop and flourish (some more than others) across the galaxy.

In the Pegasus galaxy, human life was seeded by the Ancients. At the present time, humans live on many planets under constant threat of Wraith cullings. Some of them worship the Ancients as gods, and a very select few have become Wraith worshipers. While some cultures passively wait in fear from one culling to another, some make attempts to break this vicious cycle, building shelters in an attempt to hide from cullings. Others have found ways to fight the Wraith (like the Genii and Hoffans). The Travelers chose to completely abandon their home planet(s) and have been able to to avoid any contact with Wraith by creating generational ships and living there for generations. Some civilizations possess heritage from the Ancients. Sometimes on these planets, the ability to control Ancient technology makes a human the rightful ruler in the eyes of fellow citizens.

DVDs
In addition to the Stargate DVDs released (which include entire season releases and special collections of episodes), several direct-to-DVD Stargate movies have been released.

Stargate: The Ark of Truth
Stargate: The Ark of Truth is a direct-to-DVD movie written and directed by Robert C. Cooper. The film is the conclusion of Stargate SG-1's Ori arc, and picks up after the SG-1 series finale, but takes place before the fourth season of Stargate Atlantis. The movie's plot centered around SG-1 taking the Odyssey to the Ori's home galaxy in search of the Ark of Truth&mdash; an Ancient device capable of showing the followers of Origin their religion's faults. The Ark of Truth was released as a Region 1 DVD on March 11, 2008. British Sky One broadcasted the film on March 24, 2008, followed by the Region 2 DVD release on April 14, 2008 with the Region 4 DVD release on April 9, 2008.

Stargate: Continuum
Stargate: Continuum was the second Stargate film to be released on DVD following the end of Stargate SG-1. It is written and directed by Brad Wright and stars Richard Dean Anderson, Ben Browder, Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge and Claudia Black. The film was released July 29, 2008. The movie's plot revolved around time travel. After the Goa'uld Ba'al went back and time and prevented the Stargate Program from ever existing, a new timeline was created— a timeline in which the Goa'uld still ruled the galaxy. During the film, SG-1 worked to correct the timeline and stop a subsequent Goa'uld attack on Earth.

Future movies
Two more Stargate movies are planned for production including Stargate: Extinction and Stargate: Revolution. Extinction is planned to continue that story line of Stargate: Atlantis, which takes place shortly after the events of it's series finale, "Enemy at the Gate". Revolution is planned to be a stand-alone Stargate SG-1 revolving around Jack O'Neill.

Literature
There are three series of novels based on the Stargate franchise, one based on the original Stargate film and two based in Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. A series of books written by Bill McCay were published from 1995 to 1999 that were unofficial sequels to the film. These were produced by consulting the original notes made by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, in an attempt to envision where the film "would have gone". Neither party has commented on whether McCay's interpretation was correct. Despite the fact that he attempted to remain close to the original vision, the subsequent television series Stargate SG-1 (which began under an entirely independent development) developed the story along different lines, making no attempt to reconcile the plot lines of the books. This marked the first major branching of the franchise.

Later, from 1999 to 2001, Roc Books published four novels based in Stargate SG-1 written by Ashley McConnell. In 2004, UK-based Fandemonium started a new series of licensed tie-in novels based on Stargate SG-1. Due to the conflict with ROC's license, these books were available in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK, but not in the US. Fandemonium books became available in the US in 2006. The official Stargate Magazine (Magazines), produced by Titan Publishing, began publishing short stories written by Fandemonium authors in their 8th issue. The stories alternate between both SG-1 and Atlantis.

A series of comic books, based on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, began to be published by Avatar Press in 2003. Five have been published to date, with stories by James Anthony and artwork by Jorge Correa. In February 2008, it was announced that Big Finish Productions would be releasing officially-licensed audiobooks featuring members of the cast reading new stories. The first two stories, available on CD and digital download, are Gift of the Gods read by Michael Shanks and A Necessary Evil read by Torri Higginson.

Games
Several Games relating to the Stargate series have been released. These range from loosely-related board and card games to more recent videos games— the most prominent of which being the MMORPG Stargate Worlds that is currently in development.

Also see
Stargate (disambiguation)