Trial of Ra

The ‘’’Trial of Ra’’’ was an ancient test established by Ra to test the capabilities of those who sought to enter his service, challengers being required to pass thirteen tests on thirteen worlds, each task requiring them to find the next ‘gate address, along with a password required to activate the Stargate, before moonrise the day of their arrival. At the start of the test, the participants were infected with nanocytes that would be triggered if they attempted to depart the planet after their time frame ran out, the DHDs of each test having been altered to prevent anyone from simply dialling out to another planet.

The Trials were overseen by Bes, a mysterious being who it is implied had some connection to the Ancients, who had been defeated by Ra- implied to be an Ascended-like being over the course of the Trials rather than the Goa’uld that he had been presumed to be- and forced to work as his servant. Under the terms of his servitude, Bes resided in the Barque of Heaven- a ship that awaited those taking the Trial after passing its last test- and could travel to any of the worlds involved in the Trial, but could do nothing on his own.

SG-1 were forced to participate in the Trial when Mat, Ra’s mate, learned of their role in Ra’s death from Amaunet- although Sha’re was apparently able to deceive Amaunet by concealing the full details of Ra’s death from her, with the result that Amaunet believed that Ra had been killed only by Jack O’Neill, that the Abydonians had no part in his destruction, and that Daniel Jackson was a medical doctor- and arranged for a fake Tok’ra agent to provide SG-1 with the coordinates for the world where the Trials began, thus infecting them with the nanocytes and forcing them to participate in the test.