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"Somebody's got to teach that guy how to die!"
Jack O'Neill[src]

Apophis was once an extremely powerful Goa'uld System Lord. The brother of the Supreme System Lord Ra, Apophis originally commanded a minor fleet, but grew in strength to command the power of multiple System Lords that had been killed during his reign. Ultimately, he succeeded Ra as the dominant System Lord after the latter's death. He possessed only one human host in his life.

In addition, Apophis was one of the most powerful enemies of the Tau'ri and a personal enemy (ultimate nemesis) of SG-1. Apophis had taken Sha're, Dr. Daniel Jackson's wife and Skaara, Daniel's brother-in-law as hosts for his Goa'uld family. Teal'c had previously been Apophis' First Prime before defecting to join the SGC.

After many years of war against his fellow Goa'uld and the Tau'ri, Apophis' fleet was destroyed in the Vorash system and Apophis himself was finally killed for good when his ship crashed into his new homeworld of Delmak in 2001 thanks to SG-1 and the Replicators.

Biography[]

Background Information[]

This section requires expansion


1997[]

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Apophis during the invasion of Stargate Command.

In 1997, Apophis and his Jaffa Serpent guards used a Stargate to travel to Earth, arriving in the empty Embarkation room of Stargate Command. Prior to invading the SGC, Apophis used a Goa'uld scanning device to determine if the planet was suitable. After the object deemed Senior Airman Carol Weterings as a possible candidate to host Apophis' mate, Amaunet, Apophis and his men arrived at the SGC.

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Apophis and his Serpent Guards in the Embarkation Room of the vacant Stargate Command.

With his First Prime, Teal'c of Chulak having restrained Weterings, Apophis scanned her with a Goa'uld hand device with the effect knocking Weterings unconscious. Weterings and the other guards attempted to repel the invaders, culminating in a firefight. Despite their efforts, which included killing two of Apophis' six Serpent Guard party, the four guards were all killed. As reinforcements and Major General George S. Hammond arrived, Apophis and the Serpent Guards later fled back through the Stargate, taking an unconscious Weterings with them.

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Apophis on Abydos.

Following the initial encounter with the Tau'ri, Apophis later traveled to Abydos, while Colonel Jack O'Neill's team were on the planet exploring a cave. Louis Ferretti, while guarding the Stargate, engaged with Apophis and his guards. The Serpent Guards kidnapped both Sha're and Skaara while killing some Abydonians and also leaving Ferretti badly injured before the group left Abydos.

After the Abydonian events, Apophis returned to his palace on Chulak and began the process of selecting a suitable host for Amaunet. Amaunet rejected Apophis' first choice (Waterings) whom he then killed with his hand device.

Later, Sha're was chosen by Amaunet with whom she then blended. Arriving at a village in Chulak, he revealed the implanted Sha're to a group of unidentified, seemingly important, individuals (including SG-1). Apophis ordered SG-1 taken prisoner and were sent to a prison cell with others. He later returned to the cell, ordering his Goa'uld and Jaffa servants to select the "Children of the gods" or rather, those who would become the new hosts for his fellow symbiotes. Skaara was among the chosen. Once the "children" were selected, Apophis ordered the other prisoners to be executed and departed to the Stargate. The execution was largely prevented by O'Neill and Teal'c (having had doubts about Apophis) who decided to join SG-1. Following the escape, Teal'c, SG-1, SG-2, and the rest of the refugees, attempted to stop Apophis from leaving with Skaara. Their attempts failed and Apophis and his group left to an unknown planet. (SG1: "Children of the Gods")

Apophis

Apophis' symbol.

In revenge for the actions of SG-1 and SG-2, Apophis had a number of his Jaffa attempt to invade the SGC while their incursion was prevented by the Iris. Apophis eventually ceased his assault after realizing that his many attempts failed. (SG1: "The Enemy Within")

Continuing his search for the seemingly cloakable Fenri on a planet occupied by the Nox, Apophis attempted to capture a Fenri with three other Jaffa guards, including Shak'l. At the same time, SG-1 was investigating the creature in hopes of obtaining it's cloaking ability. Apophis encountered SG-1, who had ambushed him, but was able to activate his personal force field within his hand device before being stunned. Using one of his guards' staff weapons, he was able to kill all members of SG-1 except for Teal'c. The Nox took SG-1, along with an injured Shak'l and healed them. When Shak'l escaped, he alerted Apophis to the incredible powers of the Nox, which prompted an attack. Apophis' attack was prevented by a revived SG-1. Colonel O'Neill was ready to stun Apophis, but the Nox transported Apophis through the Stargate before he could. (SG1: "The Nox")

1998[]

Because of the problems the Tau'ri were causing the Goa'uld, Apophis, with his son Klorel, took two Ha'taks in a campaign to conquer Earth. SG-1, however, had already arrived on a Stargate being carried in Klorel's mothership and managed to rig the vessel to explode and incapacitate Klorel. Bra'tac, Apophis' former First Prime, also helped SG-1, by directing Klorel's mothership to move closer to Apophis' and damaging the Pel'tac's controls. Unable to save his ship, Apophis and Klorel ringed over to Klorel's mothership and used the Stargate to escape. However, the damage to Apophis was incalculable. (SG1: "The Serpent's Lair")

The cover story for the destruction of Apophis' fleet was massive solar flare activity. In 2004, Joe Spencer attempted to use these reports to prove to his estranged wife Charlene Spencer that his visions about SG-1 were real.

Shortly after this incident, the SGC received intel suggesting that Apophis may have survived the destruction of his mothership and escaped to Chulak. Major General George S. Hammond called a briefing to discuss the matter with SG-1. However, it seems that nothing came of this information as they still erroneously believed that he had been killed until several months later. (SG1: "Citizen Joe", "Family")

Because of the loss of two motherships and most of his Serpent Guards, Apophis' standing among the System Lords was considerably weakened. Apophis attempted to take revenge on Teal'c by brainwashing his son Rya'c with Nish'ta and using him to infect Earth with a deadly plague, though Stargate Command stopped him. (SG1: "Family")

He also impregnated Sha're, the host of Amaunet, with the hope of using the child as a future host. He hid Sha're on her homeworld Abydos to keep the other System Lords from discovering her. However, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c thwarted his efforts, feeding him misinformation that Heru'ur took the child. (SG1: "Secrets")

1999[]

Within a year, Apophis' forces were nearly depleted, suffering losses to both Heru'ur and Sokar. Fleeing from Sokar's forces, Apophis demanded sanctuary among the Tau'ri, at the very least hoping that Sokar would kill the Tau'ri with him. However, the Tau'ri soon turned Apophis over to Sokar after his death. Sokar revived him with a Sarcophagus and sent him to Netu. Apophis managed to assume the guise of Na'onak, First Prime of Bynarr, Lord of Netu. However, at some point his face was left permanently and horribly disfigured on one side, presumably from torture and he took to wearing a sort of mask over that side after his escape. (SG1: "Serpent's Song")

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Apophis in Sokar's ship.

When SG-1 and the Tok'ra Martouf arrived hoping to rescue Jacob Carter, Apophis killed Bynarr, and incited a rebellion. He tortured SG-1, trying to learn information to make Sokar spare his life, such as information about Iris codes and how to contact the Asgard. While he greatly enjoyed torturing SG-1, all he learned was that the Tok'ra were based on Entac. Planning to kill Sokar once he was in his presence, Apophis ringed aboard Sokar's mothership. However, Sokar had already conquered Entac, and there were no Tok'ra there. Sokar ordered Apophis to be killed, but soon Netu's core began to destabilize. Apophis killed two of Sokar's guards and ringed to Delmak, Sokar's homeworld. Sokar was killed when Netu's explosion destroyed his ship. There, he claimed that he had killed Sokar, and took Sokar's forces for his own. (SG1: "Jolinar's Memories", "The Devil You Know").

2000[]

Less than a year later, Stargate Command learned of Apophis' survival, after he launched an attack on Chulak, searching for the Harcesis, and later launched an attack on Kheb. He also built a new flagship, more powerful than the standard Ha'tak, and began to build a new type of mothership. The latter was destroyed when SG-1 sabotaged the construction facility. (SG1: "Maternal Instinct", "Upgrades")

Apophis later came close to an alliance with Heru'ur, but the Tok'ra and SG-1 were able to sabotage it, hoping to start a war between the two and decimating their power. However, Apophis had brought a cloaked fleet with him, and was able to destroy Heru'ur's mothership, killing him. Absorbing Heru'ur's forces into his own, making Apophis the most powerful System Lord within the Goa'uld Empire. (SG1: "The Serpent's Venom")

With his fleet on the way to attack the Tok'ra base on Vorash, Major Samantha Carter and Jacob Carter devised a bold trap: they intended to cause Vorash' sun to go supernova, hoping to destroy most of Apophis' fleet and possibly even Apophis himself. The plan worked, but Apophis survived, capturing Teal'c in the process. Apophis' mothership and a Ha'tak that SG-1 had acquired after they had killed Cronus was thrown to another galaxy, one which the Replicators were in.

The Replicators destroyed Apophis' mothership, though Apophis was able to escape along with a few Jaffa bodyguards and Teal'c, who had been brainwashed into believing he was his First Prime. Apophis and his forces were able to take over the Ha'tak, but the Replicators had managed to sneak aboard (Apophis had unwittingly brought them with him to the Ha'tak). The Replicators took control of the Ha'tak, flying to Delmak at incredible speeds (up to 800 times the normal maximum Hyperspace speed of a Ha'tak). Though SG-1 and Jacob were able to escape, taking Teal'c with them, Apophis was trapped in the Pel'tac. SG-1 was able to disable the Sublight engine, causing an uncontrolled re-entry into Delmak with Apophis dying in the crash which also finally ended his host's torment. (SG1: "Exodus", "Enemies")

Apophis' death, following the death of Cronus a few days earlier, caused the System Lords to enter into a war that the Tok'ra hoped would last for years. However, it helped Tanith and Zipacna become formidable players in the "new order" forged and also accelerated events, resulting in the return of the supposedly dead System Lord, Anubis who would later go on to become a huge threat to Stargate Command and the Tok'ra. (SG1: "Enemies", "Between Two Fires", "Summit", "Last Stand")

Alternate realities[]

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Apophis in an alternate reality

  • In another alternate reality, Apophis took control of Earth in 1999 and tortured Major General George Hammond for the location of the Beta Site. However, with the help of visitors from another reality, the Tau'ri contacted the Asgard and Apophis was defeated, though his fate is unclear. This version of Apophis had a goatee. (SG1: "Point of View")
  • While technically not an alternate reality, Apophis did appear as a doctor and an accident victim in a hallucination that Teal'c was having when he was sharing his symbiote with Bra'tac after the Ambush of Kresh'ta. (SG1: "The Changeling")

Alternate timelines[]

  • In an alternate timeline created when SG-1 failed to return from a mission and thus the NID's rogue actions were never exposed, Earth's allies abandoned the Tau'ri. Apophis subsequently took advantage of this and attacked Earth, destroying the planet. When the Wraith arrived in Atlantis, Apophis fought them but was defeated and killed. In 2098, his fellow Goa'uld Hecate called Apophis a fool who insisted on fighting but didn't stand a chance against the Wraith. (Stargate SG-1: Apocalypse)
Alt Apophis 2

Apophis in the alternate timeline accidentally created by SG-1

Alt Apophis

Apophis in the alternate timeline

Personality[]

Like all Goa'uld, Apophis was arrogant, egotistical, and confident. But he seemed less confident than others by comparison, though this was only after he experienced torture at the hands of Sokar. Apophis did seem to genuinely care about his son and wife, as he was outraged at his son's disgrace, and cried out his wife's name as he was dying. It is interesting to note he was one of if not the only Goa'uld to actually admit fear. Like many Goa'uld Apophis was sadistic, taking pleasure in the torturing of his enemies.

Like others of his kind, he had a flair for dramatics, speaking rhetoric to reinforce the belief of others that he was a god.

Apophis was a thoughtful individual, and a keen strategist, having been shown to play out long term, calculated plans. He also was ready and willing to use underhand tactics, such as flat out lying to his enemies. He also is a powerful manipulator, manipulating Teal'c at one point with relative ease. He would kill innocent people, including children, if he saw it as a way in gaining a powerful asset.

In contrast to his brother, Apophis seemed to be comfortable on the battlefield. He was one of only two Goa'uld, the other being Heru'ur, to actually lead his Jaffa servants out into the battlefield.

Apophis seemed to be the first of the System Lords to recognize the Tau'ri as a possible threat, though he took them into little consideration when it came to his long-term plans. This tendency to underestimate the Tau'ri would not only lead to Apophis's own downfall, but would (indirectly) cause the collapse of the greater Goa'uld Empire. Prior to Apophis's raid on Earth in search of new hosts, the planet's Stargate had been mothballed and no other Goa'uld apart from Ra were even known to exist; Apophis's attack would lead to the revival of Earth's Stargate program, the formation of SG-1, and trigger a chain of events that would ultimately leave Apophis and all of the other Goa'uld System Lords dead within the next decade.

Despite his arrogance, Apophis was willing to swallow his pride, and beg for help from his own enemies, and was willing to bargain with them. Although it would have no effect on his enemies, Apophis offered them all the knowledge of the Goa'uld Empire.

Equipment[]

This section requires expansion

Weapons[]

  • Kara kesh: Like most Goa'uld lords, Apophis used a Kara kesh. He used it to attack and to protect himself by deploying a Goa'uld shield.
  • Staff weapon: In the episode "The Nox", Apophis gets hold of a Ma'Tok staff which he uses to kill the members of SG-1, with the exception of Teal'c. After his resurrection and during his imprisonment on Netu, under the identity of Na'onak, he frequently uses a Ma'Tok staff. This is one of the few instances of a Goa'uld directly using this weapon, which is more often reserved for Jaffa soldiers.

Other equipment[]

  • Jaffa armor: For most of his travels in combat or to outer worlds, Apophis wore full golden Jaffa armour. By the time he escaped from Sokar to seek refuge on Earth, however, he had abandoned his golden armour for ordinary grey armour. After taking over Sokar's forces, he stopped wearing Jaffa armour.
  • Jaffa helmet: On some of his journeys outside his territories, notably to Earth and Abydos, as well as on previous occasions, Apophis wore a golden Serpent Guard helmet in addition to his golden Jaffa armour.

Vehicles[]

  • Apophis' Ha'tak: In his first attempt to attack Earth, Apophis used a Ha'tak. It was destroyed when the other Ha'tak in his strike force, commanded by Klorel, exploded due to sabotage by SG-1 while approaching Apophis's Ha'tak, whose energy shield had been deactivated.
  • Death Glider: During his flight to escape Sokar's forces and to seek refuge on Earth, Apophis piloted a Death Glider. The aircraft was severely damaged and he was badly injured, but managed to survive the crash.
  • Apophis' mothership: This mother ship became the flagship of Apophis's new fleet after he took control of Sokar's forces. Very different in design to the basic Ha'tak, it was equipped with better shielding, greater weaponry and a generator to make it invisible.
  • Apophis' Tel'tak: To be added
  • Cronus' Ha'tak: To be added

Relationships[]

Family[]

First Primes[]

Appearances[]

Appearances for Apophis

In chronological order:

Behind the scenes[]

References[]

Links and navigation[]

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Goa'uld
Goa'uld AmaterasuAnkerAnnaAnubisAnubis' AshrakAnubis' Goa'uld LieutenantApophisAresAthenaBa'alBastetBelusBynarrCamulusCronusDemonEdrekhAdrian Conrad's Goa'uldKianna Cyr's Goa'uldSteven Caldwell's Goa'uldHeru'urImhotepJa'dinKaliKlorelMardukMolocMorriganMotNefertumNerusNirrtiNutOlokunOsirisPelopsQeteshRaRamiusRuaxSeteshSokarSvarogTanithTelchakThothTiamatTilgathWepwawetYu-huang Shang TiZipacnaZirstyr
Goa'uld queens AmaunetAnatAnubis' queenAsherahBadbCleo (Goa'uld)Cronus' QueenDanuEgeriaEphadriaGoa'uld Queen (Core Rulebook)HathorIsisMarasisMatMorgauseMorriganNutPamchadraTaweretXiwangmuZarpani
Goa'uld hosts AdriaApophis' hostAziruSteven CaldwellCanonRuslan ChernovshevAdrian ConradCrossKianna CyrSeth FargoughRichard FlemmingSarah GardnerHebronDaniel JacksonK'tanoCharles KawalskyKendraAnatole KonstantinovLiandraVala Mal DoranCharlotte MayfieldMalcolm McCaffreyRa (Human)Ruax's Unas HostSha'reFrank SimmonsSingerSkaaraSergei VallarinAlexi Vaselov
Goa'uld outposts AbydosAkkadAnubis' WorldApophis' training planetArgosArkhan's worldAsdadChodawwaChulakCo'rakDakaraDelmakDenderaDendredErebusEskalHankaHasara space stationJebannaJunaKhonsu's WorldLangaraMalkshurMedieval planetMemphisNasyaNetuNirrti's planetP2C-257P2X-338P2X-887P3X-042P3X-367P3X-584P4A-771P4S-237P5S-117P6Y-325P8X-412P8X-873PangarParavalPraxyonPX9-757Ra's planetRamius' homeworldTartarus
Goa'uld technology Al'keshAnti-gravity platformArk bombAerial Zat'nik'tel PlatformAnubis' mothershipAnubis' superweaponArchaic Tel'takBattleshipGoa'uld bodiceBreathing filtration systemCanon's ringCheops class warshipCloakCryogenic storage deviceDeath GliderDeath Glider communication systemDeath Glider propulsion systemGoa'uld control consoleGoa'uld GDOGoa'uld force fieldGoa'uld hologramGoa'uld hyperdriveGoa'uld recording deviceGoa'uld sensorGoa'uld shieldGoa'uld grenadeHa'takHara'keshGoa'uld healing deviceGoa'uld homing deviceIncomplete Goa'uld spacecraftIntarInvisibility screenKara keshKor mak braceletKull armorLight Matrix HologramLong range visual communication deviceMa'Tok staffMask of AnubisMind probeNaniteNaquadah bombNeedle ThreaderPage turning devicePlasma chargePlasma repeaterGoa'uld remote controlRecall deviceReconnaissance probeRing remoteRod of AnguishGoa'uld scanning deviceSarcophagusScarab miniature naquadah bombGoa'uld shield generatorShort range communicatorSolar radiation shieldStaff cannonStargate dialerStasis jarTacluchnatagamuntoronTel'takTransphase Eradication RodTransportation ringsTroopshipVo'cume projectorZat'nik'tel
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