This is an theory that i have alone, we know when it comes to the milky way gates and the Pegasus gates that they are independently powered by the mineral known as nahquda.

but my theory of the SGU gates stems from how the destiny is powered, and i believe that the SGU gates are powered in the same way, except that they use the core of the planet they are currently occupying to power the gates through thermal power from the core of the planet, we know these gates are limited in comparison to the gates in the milky way and the Pegasus but noting the age of these gates and where they are found, usually on some planet, we don't see them floating in space and being used.

The gate onboard the destiny is also powered by the stars, so we do have proof that it's possible to power a gate with that kind of power source, although i do wonder if the gate that's onboard destiny has been modified to handle more as it seems to be the only gate that can connect to the other network of gate systems if enough power on the other side matches it's requirements.

Icarus base was an entire planet that was used as not only a power source for the gate that was tied to the planet, the stargate was an milky way gate that was powered by nahquda, but it also needed the extra power to make the connection to the destiny.

However i do believe that the destiny also took some part into the connection when it came to power reserves, we know from the show, that the destiny's power reserves were nearly depleted when they arrived onboard, and we also know that the destiny's power reserves were not holding as much power as the ship was once designed for, like an battery near the end of it's life in an smartphone, the destiny's ability to hold that power was significantly less capable and efficient at this point of it's life, and our arrival caused more stress on that battery's capability to store power.

The other part of my theory has to do with either restoring the ships battery, not really sure how to do this, or to find some way to dismantle the gate and find another nearby planet that has an working stargate and unplug that gate to it's power source that i assume is what i'm describing the power source is, i believe that all that is required is using this specific stargate and it being plugged into an outlet that is powerful enough to gate back to earth.

If the destiny was new it wouldn't have this issue, but it's been millions of years on it's journey and is falling apart the ship is soon to be scrap especially thinking back on that last episode of SGU when they were preparing for that jump across the gap of space between galaxies, they did the math in how long it would take for the destiny to make that jump and it was coming up short because of the destiny's issues with it's power reserves not able to hold enough power, the FTL drive could make most of the journey on it's own, but it would run out of power long before it could finish that gap and end up adrift instead, which is why they decided to put everyone within stasis pods at the end.

Now i didn't read the full comic, and i'm not interested in that ending at all, especially the part where they mention the ancient found in the stasis pods part.

Anyway, like it or don't like it. i just want to hear your thoughts on the subject, and i'm talking to anyone who comments on this wall of text of mine lol.