The kara kesh, also called a hand device or a ribbon device, is a multifunctional Goa'uld apparatus, and an example of their use of Goa'uld/Technology in deceiving others.
Overview
- "Put your hand down!"
- ―Jack O'Neill to Korra
A kara kesh.
The hand device is a gold or silver colored, forearm-length glove worn on the left hand of the user, with a red gem in the center of the palm. Silver versions tend to be used by underlords, suggesting the color denotes the status of the user. It is controlled by a neural interface, and is powered by naquadah in the user's blood, functionally rendering it impossible to use except by those who are or have been host to a Goa'uld symbiote.
The kara kesh has numerous functions with a variety of controls on its surface that can be used by its user. It can fire waves of kinetic energy from the palm, repelling or even killing adversaries. It has a shield to block attacks, and can absorb zat blasts without harming the user. It can also emit a fiery beam of energy to torture or kill a victim. This same energy beam can allow the host to form a neural link with the victim in order to share information. (SG1: "Children of the Gods", "Thor's Chariot", "Seth", "Forever in a Day")
The device can also wirelessly control Goa'uld technology, triggered through a button on the back of the palm. This is usually used to control ring transporters and later Asgard transporters. It has enough range to contact ships in orbit in order to trigger this function. (SG1: "Reckoning, Part 2")
Features
Terok using his hand device.
The Goa'uld hand device has a number of abilities:
- Emiting a series of constant electical bolts when placed upon the head of a victim. The bolts cause the victim's head to shake rapidly and eventually, "scrambling their brains" as said by Dean Devlin. (Stargate)
- Conducting a scan of a human - though it is unknown what the scan actually detects. (SG1: "Children of the Gods")
- Firing a powerful kinetic energy wave, capable of throwing grown humans several meters with significant force. It can potentially kill the target if they impact a solid surface nearby. (Stargate (SG1: "The Curse", "Seth", "Between Two Fires")
- Shooting a deadly fiery energetic neural link that connected to the brain of another person with the intention of torturing or killing them. (Stargate) (SG1: "Thor's Chariot", "The Serpent's Venom")
- Creating an energy shield that encompasses the user and protects them from harm. (SG1: "The Nox")
- Serving as a Ring remote to activate a nearby Ring transporter. (SG1: "The Curse")
- Later additions included remote controlled use of an Asgard transporter allowing for another means of escape. (SG1: "Reckoning, Part 2")
- Paralyzing a human (SG1: "Children of the Gods")
- Catching zat blasts and rendering them harmless. (SG1: "Double Jeopardy")
History
The Supreme System Lord Ra made use of this device on Abydos and used it to execute one of his soldiers after the warriors failure in retrieving the Humans from Earth. He furthermore attempted to execute Daniel Jackson with the kara kesh but he was destracted when a ring transporter was activated and Daniel was able to push Ra's hand away from his forehead, thus allowing him to live. (Stargate)
Apophis scanning a potential host.
Apophis used his kara kesh to scan a human on Earth in order to determine if she would make a good host for his queen. He later used this same hand device to send Sha're unconscious after he determined that she was perfect for Amaunet. (SG1: "Children of the Gods")
Whilst searching for the secrets of the Fenri on Gaia, Apophis's guards came under attack from SG-1 which attempted to kill the Goa'uld lord. However, Apophis activated his kara kesh's shield which protected him from their weapons allowing him to kill them through a Staff weapon that was given to him by one of his warriors. (SG1: "The Nox")
Apophis's shield raised.
Hathor tried to kill Jack O'Neill, Samantha Carter, Janet Fraiser and Teal'c with a kinetic blast from her hand device but this only succeeded in damaging her Sarcophagus which, in its damaged state, overloaded and exploded shortly after. (SG1: "Hathor")
On Cimmeria, Kendra kept posession of the Kara kesh that her Goa'uld symbote owned, it later came into the possession of Samantha Carter, who tried to use it but lacked control over the device, after Kendra and her husband were killed during Heru'ur's invasion of the planet. When Heru'ur invaded the Protected Planet, he was challenged by the natives who were devotees of the Asgard Thor and stated that their god taught them to fight against their enemies. Heru'ur smirked and asked Olaf what his god taught him of pain after which he used the kara kesh on the human. (SG1: "Thor's Chariot")
Seth had a kara kesh while on the planet Earth where he lived a secret life until he was discovered by the SGC and the Tok'ra. When he attempted to flee in the tunnels, he was challenged by Samantha Carter. Seth tried to use his kara kesh to kill her but she used another hand device to kill him first. (SG1: "Seth")
The Tok'ra Korra had a hand device while being hunted by Aris Boch. When SG-1 captured him, he fired a kinetic shot at Teal'c, who ducked in time to avoid the blast. (SG1: "Deadman Switch")
Osiris using the kinetic function on his kara kesh.
The newly awakened Osiris secretly attempted to locate his kara kesh and used it to defend herself from SG-1 on Earth. Osiris nearly killed Daniel Jackson with the device but was wounded by a dart containing a powerful sedative. Weakened, Osiris activated his ship's ring transporter in order to escape the planet. (SG1: "The Curse")
The Underlord Terok who served Her'ur used his kara kesh to constantly torture Teal'c in order to break the Jaffa and force him to accept the Goa'uld as gods. (SG1: "The Serpent's Venom")
Teal'c being tortured by the neural beam.
Tanith had a kara kesh on the new Tollan homeworld and used it to send Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson flying backwards after they attempted to charge at him but this was only a distraction to allow Narim to escape. (SG1: "Between Two Fires")
Ba'al makes his escape.
The System Lord Ba'al used his hand device to escape his Ha'tak mothership through the use of an Asgard transporter after his vessel was boarded by members of the Jaffa Rebellion. (SG1: "Reckoning, Part 2")
In an alternate timeline where the Stargate Program never existed, Qetesh had a kara kesh and attempted to use it to kill Teal'c after he discovered that the Sovereign was killed by his queen. (SG1: "Continuum")
See Also
External links
- Ribbon Device in Kathleen Ritter's Lexicon.
- GateWorld's article on Hand device in The Stargate Omnipedia