- "We're talking about the Vatican of the Ori followers, right?"
- ―Cameron Mitchell[src]
The City of Celestis, also called the City of the Gods, is a great golden fortress that lies amid the Plains of Celestis on the planet Celestis.
Overview[]
The City appears to be the central location in which the servants of the Ori reside. It contained numerous hallways where monks began their training which resulted in their eventual transformation into a Prior. Artifacts created by the Ancients were also transported to the City where they were destroyed, though members of the Anti-Ori underground managed to save several such devices due to sympathetic monks in the City.
At its heart resides the Doci who serves as the speaker for the Ori and watches over the Flames of Enlightenment. A door served as the entrance into the chamber and a gate was present before the Flames which needed to be opened when the Ori themselves were consulted. (SG1: "Origin")
History[]
Dr. Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran arrived at the Plains of Celestis with a Prior through the Transportation rings. They were escorted into the waiting room and remained there while they studied the Book of Origin. Jackson then asked to speak to the Doci as he believed that the servants of the Ori had misinterpreted the teachings of the Ascended. He came before the Flames of Enlightenment and met the Ori who demanded that all Humans worship them or be destroyed thus beginning the Ori crusade against the Milky Way. (SG1: "Origin")
Gerak was telepathically transported to the City of Celestis by the hands of a Prior where he encountered the Doci. Witnessing the power of the Ori, Gerak was transformed into a Prior in order to demonstrate their power and to persuade the Jaffa to join Origin and to convert the Free Jaffa Nation. (SG1: "The Fourth Horseman, Part 1")
SG-1 was captured by the Ori Army and escorted to the City of Celestis where they were placed in the prison cells where they were tortured by the Priors. Vala was taken before a chamber where the Orici manifested and showed the Ark of Truth which had been uncovered. SG-1 later managed to escape their cells and came into Adria's chamber where they were almost killed by the Orici and the Doci until the Ark was activated. The power of the Ark was engulfed by the Doci who became aware of the truth about the Ori who distributed the information to the other Priors thus diminishing Adria's power. Weakened, Adria was forced to fight Morgan Le Fay which ended the threat of the Ori. (SG1: "The Ark of Truth")
Locations[]
Doci's chamber[]
The Doci's chamber was a central structure deep within the City and where the leader of the Priors reside. A doorway was present which served as an entrance into the room and was opened when one wished to speak to Doci. On the wall of the chamber resides a symbol of Origin which the Doci typically faces at times.
Dr. Daniel Jackson was brought before this chamber when he asked to speak before the fire. (SG1: "Origin")
Gerak was also brought to this location telepathically by the hands of a Prior where he encountered the Doci. (SG1: "The Fourth Horseman, Part 1")
- It is unknown what happened to this room after the Ori were destroyed.
Flames of Enlightenment[]
- Main article: Flames of Enlightenment
The Flames of Enlightenment are where the collective fiery form of the Ori reside which rests next to the Doci's chamber. This appears as a massive wall of fire which served as the physical manifestation of the Ori's Ascended form. On certain occasions, an Ori might leave the Flames and take the body of the Doci in order to demonstrate their powers to their believers.
Dr. Daniel Jackson was taken before the Flames where an Ascended Ori took possession of the Doci to explain that all of Humanity were subject to the rules of the Ori and that unbelievers needed to be destroyed rather than drift away from the Path of Enlightenment. (SG1: "Origin")
- It is unknown what happened to this room after the Ori were destroyed.
Adria's chamber[]
After the destruction of the Ori at the hands of Merlin's weapon, a new chamber was constructed which contained a large room with a single table and a mirror styled portal shaped as the symbol of Origin. Its surface contained fire and served as the home of the Ascended Orici Adria.
Vala Mal Doran and the Ark of Truth were brought to this room where Adria explained that she inherited the mantle of the Ori and planned to ruthlessly finish the Ori crusade of the Milky Way galaxy and become a god. SG-1 attempted to activate the Ark when the Doci arrived and attempted to kill them. However, Vala distracted Adria letting Dr. Daniel Jackson to activate the Ark which fell to the floor after the table it was placed on had its leg shot off by Teal'c who made use of an Ori staff weapon. Once it fell, the machine opened and its power engulfed the Doci who learned the truth about the Ori and Adria thus converting all the Priors in the Alteran Home Galaxy which ended the crusade. (SG1: "The Ark of Truth")
Waiting room[]
The waiting room was where guests of the City were placed. It was an ornate room with a large table and chairs for people to sit. A bowl of fruits and food were placed on the table for people to eat. A copy of the Book of Origin was placed as well for guests to read. A set of doors was present which also served as a way of trapping these guests until a Prior arrived to escort them throughout the City.
Dr. Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran were escorted to this room by a Prior where they waited for some time. Jackson read the Book of Origin and when the Prior returned, he asked questions that could only be asked before Doci and the fire. (SG1: "Origin")
Prison cells[]
The City contained a number of prison cells which appeared as crude steel bar rooms where enemies of the Ori were placed. A set of keys were required to open the locks to the cells which was enough to trap a normal Human. Typically, the Doci and the Priors would arrive at some point and begin using their powers to inflict excruciating pain upon the unbelievers as part of their torture. This was enough to leave enemies sobbing and broken within the cells.
The defeated SG-1 were left within these cells once they were captured by the Ori Army. They were tortured within the chambers until Teal'c infiltrated the City as he was left for dead and managed to free his teammates. (SG1: "The Ark of Truth")