Skip to content
Menu
Meerkat Musings
  • Welcome to Meerkat Musings
  • Meerkat Podcasts
  • Why Meerkats?
  • Formula 1
  • Why I love…
  • What I think…
  • Sci-Fi Analysis
  • Reviews
  • Meerkat Fiction
  • Meerkat Book Reviews
  • Sites Meerkats Like
  • If Meerkats Could…
  • The Meerkat Muse
  • Site Updates
Meerkat Musings

Gods and Monsters

Tweet
Follow me

One of the driving narratives within Stargate SG1 was the relationship between the Goa’uld and earth mythology. The Stargate film built upon the fascinating idea that aliens had constructed the pyramids, and the series expanded upon this connection between earth-bound culture and alien influence.

In the early years of Stargate SG1, Egyptian mythology was the primary one explored by the show, with Ra being introduced in the film, and Apophis, Hathor, Seth, Osiris and Anubis were all introduced as evil Goa’uld, working to subjugate humanity.

Apophis(the System Lord Apophis was one of humanity’s most dangerous foes in SG1)

The premise is a lot deeper than it got portrayed on the show. The Goa’uld used humanity in so many different ways (as a slave labour force, as physical hosts for the snake-like life form that is the Goa’uld symbiote), but the chief and most effective means of control they held over humans (be it whilst still on earth or within their empires) was via our unshakable belief that they were gods. As a species, our spiritual values are very important to us, and the Goa’uld understood that perfectly, using existing mythology and advanced technology to manipulate us. Even when faced with carrying out acts of great cruelty, followers or servants of the Goa’uld would carry out their orders, lest they risk the wrath of their god.

GoauldSym(a Goa’uld symbiote)

It says a lot about what we are prepared to do in the name of our beliefs. Humanity has used religion as justification for acts of war, slavery, and other heinous acts. Whilst SG1 does not generally shove this message down the viewer’s throat, it is nonetheless there.

The opposite idea is also present – in Stargate, other alien races also portray themselves as gods. The Asgard (who go on to become strong allies of humanity) often took on the role of Norse gods, and in that capacity tried to shepherd and help human settlements. The counter message here is that we are capable of doing a great deal of good, and sometimes, our beliefs can motivate us to do this.

Beyond the philosophical ideas, the use of historical gods in Stargate provides a tangible connection to a lot of earth’s history that can help make the show relevant to a wide range of fans with a wide range of interests. In later years the show dipped into a variety of mythologies, suggesting that aliens had woven themselves into our history in a hugely significant way.

It’s an idea that tantalises us. We love to believe in aliens and the idea that they’ve actually been guiding or influencing us throughout our history is even more titillating to the human mind. Stargate taps into this idea brilliantly, and continues to do so throughout the course of the show – in later seasons, the Ancients and the Ori can be seen as symbolising angels and demons. In a scary sort of way, what Stargate presents makes sense – could our history be influenced by aliens, in ways we could never detect?

It’s food for thought.

Back to the Gateverse

 

The Awakening UK

The Awakening USA

Please like and follow this meerkat!

Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Follow Me
Tweet
YouTube
Follow by Email

Meerkat Comments

  • Football Manager P17 – Tough Lessons – Meerkat Musings on Football Manager P18 – Middle of the Road
  • Football Manager P18 – Middle of the Road – Meerkat Musings on Football Manager P17 – Tough Lessons
  • Football Manager P16 – Mighty Eagles – Meerkat Musings on Football Manager P17 – Tough Lessons
  • Football Manager P17 – Tough Lessons – Meerkat Musings on Football Manager P16 – Mighty Eagles
  • Football Manager P15 – Soaring Eagles – Meerkat Musings on Football Manager P16 – Mighty Eagles

Meerkat Tweets

Ben BerwickFollow

Ben Berwick
Retweet on TwitterBen Berwick Retweeted
SelfPubShowcaseSelfPubShowcase@SelfPubShowcase·
4h

A fallen warrior, together with a small band, must tear down everything his kind holds dear and reshape his people -- or see them utterly destroyed. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DK71165 #scifi #action #adventure @darth_timon

Reply on Twitter 1367940491715678210Retweet on Twitter 13679404917156782101Like on Twitter 13679404917156782101Twitter 1367940491715678210
darth_timonBen Berwick@darth_timon·
4h

WandaVision definitely did not go in the way I thought.

Reply on Twitter 1367936381599813632Retweet on Twitter 1367936381599813632Like on Twitter 13679363815998136322Twitter 1367936381599813632
darth_timonBen Berwick@darth_timon·
7h

I am all for fair wages and an equal society, but if I have created something, it only ceases to be mine after I let it go, *not* after an arbitrary length of time.

Timothy B. Lee@binarybits

People are dogpiling @mattyglesias for his completely reasonable view that copyrights should last for about 30 years. One of the more ridiculous counter-arguments is that royalties from old books can serve as an author's pension.

Reply on Twitter 1367882002725240833Retweet on Twitter 1367882002725240833Like on Twitter 1367882002725240833Twitter 1367882002725240833
darth_timonBen Berwick@darth_timon·
8h

To beer or not to beer tonight? 🤔

Reply on Twitter 1367879631530000387Retweet on Twitter 1367879631530000387Like on Twitter 1367879631530000387Twitter 1367879631530000387
Retweet on TwitterBen Berwick Retweeted
OwenJones84Owen Jones 🌹@OwenJones84·
13h

A government which applauds nurses like they're heroes, then imposes a real terms pay cut on them like they're worthless. Genuinely nauseating.

Reply on Twitter 1367793851352702978Retweet on Twitter 1367793851352702978911Like on Twitter 13677938513527029786513Twitter 1367793851352702978
Load More...

Meerkat Categories

  • Art
  • Books
  • Charity
  • Family
  • Fiction
  • Film
  • Food
  • Football
  • Formula 1
  • Funny
  • Games
  • History
  • Interwebs
  • Music
  • Other Stuff
  • Politics
  • Religion
  • Reviews
  • Sci Fi
  • Science
  • Site News
  • Society
  • Technology
  • TV
  • Uncategorized
  • Weird
  • Work

Meerkat Podcasts

Meerkat Musings
Meerkat Musings
A man (meerkat?) called Ben discusses the world!

Podcast Subscription Menu

  • Visit Website
  • RSS Feed
FM21 – Going Up
by Ben Berwick

The Eagles Soar!

FM21 – Going Up
FM21 – Going Up
February 25, 2021
Ben Berwick
Zelda 35
February 21, 2021
Ben Berwick
Football Manager 2021 Career
February 21, 2021
Ben Berwick
The latest Aldershot Action!
February 14, 2021
Ben Berwick
Rambles
January 30, 2021
Ben Berwick
Football Manager 2021 – Upwards
January 29, 2021
Ben Berwick
Absolute Power
January 23, 2021
Ben Berwick
Football Manager 2021 – The New Career P1
January 23, 2021
Ben Berwick
Favourite Day of the Week
January 17, 2021
Ben Berwick
Meerkat Musings on 2021!
January 8, 2021
Ben Berwick
Search Results placeholder
©2021 Meerkat Musings | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes.com