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Stargate (SG-1) -- Thoughts on aliens
Aug. 25th, 2004 04:07 amIn the grand tradition of Sci-Fi/Fantasy being all about exploring the human condition (and what isn't, when it comes down to it? We are what we know and we always yearn to know more), I've been thinking about what aspects of humanity the various alien races on Stargate might be symbolizing. These are, of course, just some off-the-cuff ideas. Possibilities.
The Goa'uld are pretty easy to my eye -- they are arrogance personified. All the various shades of it, some less toxic than others (the less toxic ones including Lord Yu and the Tok'ra). This is why to have the Goa'uld genetic memory is to be warped, because that memory is wrapped up in centuries of parasitic entitlement.
The Nox are wisdom and the Asgard may well be intelligence -- the differences between them match up fairly well with the differences in those attributes. The Asgard are often also there to illustrate the dangers of science and technology (They need the more 'stupid' ideas of the Tau'ri to accomplish pretty much anything. Just how did their race survive before Jack showed up?) -- Cloning is bad like woah, and energy weapons aren't always better than projectile weaponry.
The Ancients and the Ascended are an interesting thought. Because the Ancients were a distinct race, but one that can be joined by leaving the mortal plane. The Ancients could be either ascended or not, yet ascension seems to make one an Ancient.
Actually, it kinda made me think of Judaism. Because even if you stop being religiously Judaic, you stay culturally Jewish, and someone can convert to Judaism even if they aren't born into it. Three overlapping circles, though it's much more complicated than that.
Of course, everything is.
The Goa'uld are pretty easy to my eye -- they are arrogance personified. All the various shades of it, some less toxic than others (the less toxic ones including Lord Yu and the Tok'ra). This is why to have the Goa'uld genetic memory is to be warped, because that memory is wrapped up in centuries of parasitic entitlement.
The Nox are wisdom and the Asgard may well be intelligence -- the differences between them match up fairly well with the differences in those attributes. The Asgard are often also there to illustrate the dangers of science and technology (They need the more 'stupid' ideas of the Tau'ri to accomplish pretty much anything. Just how did their race survive before Jack showed up?) -- Cloning is bad like woah, and energy weapons aren't always better than projectile weaponry.
The Ancients and the Ascended are an interesting thought. Because the Ancients were a distinct race, but one that can be joined by leaving the mortal plane. The Ancients could be either ascended or not, yet ascension seems to make one an Ancient.
Actually, it kinda made me think of Judaism. Because even if you stop being religiously Judaic, you stay culturally Jewish, and someone can convert to Judaism even if they aren't born into it. Three overlapping circles, though it's much more complicated than that.
Of course, everything is.