Jaffa

"The Jaffa are the foundation upon which the false gods have built their empires. We can tear them down!"

- Teal'c

The Jaffa are an offshoot of humanity, genetically engineered by the Goa’uld. They have an abdominal pouch which serves to incubate larval Goa’uld. The infant Goa’uld provides strength, longevity, and good health, at the cost of supplanting the Jaffa's natural immune system, making them dependant on the Goa’uld for more symbiotes. The Jaffa have a warrior culture and form the armies of the Goa’uld.

History
The Goa’uld sought to populate the galaxy (and also mine other planets for a rare substance called Naquadah, which is central in all Goa’uld technology), and sent slaves to other planets via the Chappa'ai (Stargate) until 3000 BC, before a rebellion led to Ra's retreat from Earth and the burial of Earth's Stargate. Some of the slaves who were taken from Earth were implanted with infant Goa’uld, and became known as Jaffa. As reward for carrying infant Goa’uld, the symbiote (or prim'ta) protects the host Jaffa from disease and gives the host Jaffa a long life, along with increased physical capabilities (although it is unclear how much is from the symbiote and how much is a result of their disciplined upbringing). The symbiote is also capable of healing its host of most injuries or conditions. When a human child reaches the age of puberty he/she is given a pouch using a Goa’uld device. This device destroys the immune system making the child dependent on a symbiote for the rest of their life. Several thousand years ago a group of Jaffa realized the Goa’uld were not gods and went into hiding. They became known as the Sodan. They do not carry the mark of any Goa’uld and are proud of their independence. They still require symbiotes however, and must go on raids of symbiote transports to procure new ones.

For thousands of years Jaffa faithfully served various Goa’uld masters as soldiers in their armies and servants of different kinds, controlled with the indoctrination of the idea of the Goa’uld were gods. Although only men served as warriors, all Jaffa are raised as warriors, with strong emphasis on physical development and discipline. In many ways, they can be fanatical in their devotion, as a result of being taught from birth that dying in the service of their Goa’uld masters results in great rewards in the afterlife. They also believe strongly that their ultimate purpose is to ascend, although it is unknown if this belief is fostered by the Goa’uld or simply ignored.

The final Jaffa resistance did not begin until the First Prime of the Goa’uld Apophis, Teal'c betrayed him and joined the Tau'ri. Teal'c began to doubt the Goa’uld were gods but it wasn't until he came across Jack O'Neill that he found the will to abandon his service to the Goa’uld.

With the help of his mentor Bra'tac, and SG-1, Teal'c was able to spread his new belief in freedom for all Jaffa. Many Jaffa joined his cause, allying themselves with the Tau'ri and Tok'ra in the fight against the Goa’uld.

There were several stumbling blocks on the way to Jaffa freedom. The Goa’uld wiped out several Jaffa leaders at a Free Jaffa meeting. Only Bra'tac and Teal'c survived. Attempts were also made to break up the resistance and the Jaffa alliance with the Tau'ri and Tok'ra. Seeds of mistrust were planted and successfully flourished between the Tok'ra and the Jaffa and the alliance was disbanded, with all three taking their own route to defeating the Goa’uld.

The resistance was helped by the return of the Goa’uld Anubis and the subsequent civil war among the System Lords. In addition, the Replicators further weakened the Goa’uld. In a series of grand events, Anubis was prevented from completing his goal of galactic destruction by Oma Desala, the replicators were destroyed by a temporary alliance of Ba'al, Carter and Selmak, and the Jaffa struck a major blow to the remaining Goa’uld winning their freedom.

With the fall of the Goa’uld Empire, the Free Jaffa Nation is born. Teal'c is a strong influence on the High Council representing the Jaffa nations. His hope is to create a democratic nation elected by the people.

There is opposition to this idea however. Gerak believes council representation should be determined by the military strength of the vaying coalitions. Despite Teal'c's attempts to sway the council, Gerak becomes the leader of the council. He ensures the faith of the other council membors by capturing and executing the former System Lord Ba'al. When a Prior of the ascended beings known as the Ori arrives spreading the religion of Origin, Gerak is quick to believe after seeing their power is real unlike that of the Goa’uld. He urges the council to accept Origin and make it law. With civil war on the horizon, between those who wish to follow Origin and those who do not want to serve another set of false gods, Gerak even becomes a Prior as proof of the power of the Ori.

Using the past as a motivator, Teal'c manages to convince Gerak that the promises of the Ori are false and allowing them to destroy the freedom they fought for would be wrong. Gerak helps the Tau'ri heal the plague another prior had inflicted on members of the SGC and as punnishment was burned to death.

The death of Gerak allowed for the democratic nation Teal'c envisioned. The Jaffa nation remains in danger however due to the Ori invasion of the Milky Way.

After the final defeat of the Ori at the hands of the Tau'ri, the Jaffa continued to rebuild and enjoy their freedom. .

Physiology
The Jaffa were created from the human slaves taken from Earth by the Goa’uld. They were genetically altered to function as incubators for Goa’uld young. The process ensures compatibility and the success of implantation once the Goa’uld matures and takes a host.

Jaffa children are implanted with a larval Goa’uld when they reach the age of of implantation, approximately ten-years old. Honored Jaffa are granted a ceremony of prim'tah during which the implantation is performed. If the implantation is not completed before the Age of Prata (puberty), the Jaffa child will die as a result of a failing immune system.

During the implantation process, an X is cut on the stomach to create a pouch for the larva. The pouch never closes completely and the symbiote can be removed at any time and must be removed and replaced by a new larva once it matures in about seven years. The symbiote replaces the immune system completely and without one a Jaffa will die a painful death in only a few hours.

The symbiote grants a Jaffa increased physical strength, health, and longevity. They may live in great health for well over a hundred years. Jaffa do not sleep but they must perform Kelno'reem‎, a deep meditation. This time allows the symbiote to repair any injuries to the Jaffa's body and is neccessary to maintain good health. It is possible for a Jaffa to communicate with the symbiote during kelno'reem, as in the case of the Jaffa priestess Shan'auc.

On the planet Pangar, humans developed a drug made from Goa’uld symbiotes known as Tretonin. The drug functioned much like a symbiote replacing the immune system of the humans who used it and granting them immunity from disease and increased longevity. Once used however, the body became dependent on it. Tretonin proved a successful replacement to symbiotes for the Jaffa, but Jaffa would lose the advanced healing that the symbiote provided. With the help of the Tok'ra the process was refined and several Jaffa, including Teal'c and Bratac use the drug until another, more permanent, solution can be found.

Due to their genetically altered nature given to them by the symbiote, the Jaffa are capable of surviving radiation exposure for an extended period of time.

First Prime


The First Prime is the highest ranking Jaffa warrior in a System Lord's employ. The First Prime commands the Goa’uld's army and is tasked with carrying out his master's most important tasks. Each group of Jaffa, are led by a First Prime, a Jaffa warrior who has risen through the ranks by displaying superior stregth and ability. First Primes typically, as in the case of Teal'c, bear the mark of the Goa’uld they serve in a raised form created by cutting into the skin and pouring molten gold into the wound.

The final task and mission of a First Prime to their lord and master was avenging their death if they were killed by an enemy.

Some example of First Primes are: Apophis' First Prime was Teal'c, until he rebelled and joined the Tau'ri. Ronac, the father of Teal'c, was the First Prime of Cronus, until he was sent to an unwinnable battle, and executed. Bra'tac has also served as First Prime of Apophis, and of his son, Klorel. A Jaffa known as Her'ak served as the First Prime of Khonsu and later Anubis until he died in the battle against Earth.

Culture
Jaffa are a society of warriors and bear the mark of their "gods", a black symbol tattooed on the foreheads. They believed the Goa’uld to be gods and did not see themselves as slaves until the advent of the Jaffa rebellion. They believed that serving their gods is the highest calling, and to die while performing their tasks leads to great rewards in the afterlife. Without Jaffa, however, the Goa’uld have limited power. The Jaffa fight their wars, oversee their human slaves, and determine their strength and ultimate success.

Jaffa are well known for their courage and strength of will. Despite being treated as disposable by the Goa’uld, they take pride in their skill as warriors and have a great sense of honor and nobility. They can, on occasion, be superstitious and have many legends; some, like the legend of Kheb are based in fact. Most Jaffa believe in an afterlife. The rebel Jaffa believe their souls will be taken to Kheb when they die, a mysterious planet once inhabited by Oma Desala. Some free jaffa will kneel as a sign of respect to ascended beings.

Jaffa were noted for bearing a grudge against their enemies and for their long memories. Jaffa are shown to have little sense of humour, but the jokes they do have are usually at the expense of the Jaffa of a rival Goa’uld.

Technology
The Jaffa would inherit most of the technology used by the Goa’uld prior to their liberation. However, some pieces of Goa’uld technology, such as the hand device and the healing device, responds only to mental commands and require naqahdah in the bloodstream of the user to operate, making them worthless to the Jaffa.

 Common Weapons: 


 * Ma'Tok staff

Zat'nik'tel

Common Aircraft:

Death Glider


 * Udajeet


 * Tel'tak


 * Al'kesh


 * Ha'tak

Related Articles

 * Jaffs
 * Sodan
 * First Prime
 * Jaffa Guards
 * Horus Guards
 * Necropolis Guard
 * Serpent Guards
 * Setesh Guards
 * Jackal Guards
 * Raven Guard
 * Bast Guard
 * Brahma Guard
 * Crocodile Guard
 * Dragon guard
 * Emperor's Hand Guard
 * Guard of Ages
 * Imperial Guard
 * Lightning Guard
 * Magi-Uchawi
 * Ninja Jaffa
 * Olympian Guard
 * Spartan Guard
 * Ta-tanen
 * Thunder Guard
 * Warriors of Akkad