Goa'uld technology

Encyclopedia : G : GO : GOA : Goa'uld technology

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This article provides a more exhaustive list of the fictional technologies used by the Goa'uld race in the Stargate universe.

For a listing of their more prominent technologies see the main technology article.

The Goa'uld are a strictly parasitic race. They rely on hosts for life, Jaffa for strength, and deception for power. Their technology is no different. The Goa'uld are scavengers, and their technology is a conglomeration of the discoveries and ingenuity of multiple races, most of which seems to come from the Ancients.

All (or the vast majority) of their technology contains, in some form or another, naqahdah, the material of which the Stargates are constructed. This material also flows in Goa'uld veins, and is often used as a key to their technology, much like the ATA gene. The devices of the Goa'uld, it will be noted, are mostly warlike in nature, reflecting the megalomaniac nature of the species.

Death glider

A small and fast attack fighter, generally piloted by a Jaffa in service to a System Lord. Mainly used in attack but can be modified as reconnaissance vessels or transport ships for passengers. These are the basic fighter air/spacecraft of the Goa'uld.

Ha'tak mothership

The Goa'uld Mothership, the most powerful standard vessel in the Goa'uld fleet. It is shaped like the Great Pyramids of Egypt, upon which it can land (according to SG-1, when the Goa'uld enslaved Egypt 3000 years ago, they commissioned the pyramids specifically as docking pads). The Goa'uld Ha'tak Mothership is equipped with powerful energy weapons that can destroy an entire city with only one blast, and it is able to travel in hyperspace. They are often the residences and main transports of System Lords. Traditionally they do not possess cloaking technology, although all of them possess shields.

Hand device

The so-called "hand device" is the personal weapon of the Goa'uld themselves, that fits snugly around the fingertips and palm. It can only be used by those who have Naqahdah in their blood (mostly current or previous Goa'uld hosts). When used, it can generate a force-wave that knocks away nearby foes, or at close range can subdue an enemy when placed over their head, inducing a sort of trance; this effect can be extended to torture or kill the victim. The wearer may also produce a personal body shield using the hand device, though this is a nonstandard upgrade.

As the device appears to be mind-activated, it has on at least one occasion been used to transfer a thought between minds.

Jaffa mask

Worn by many Jaffa, and almost all low ranking Jaffa in the entourage of a powerful Goa'uld, often a System Lord, this retractable mask is concealed inside the collar of a standard Jaffa uniform. The mask is designed to look like a lesser form of the god whom that Jaffa worships—-a birdlike head resembling the Egyptian god Horus for the Horus Guards of Heru-ur and Ra, a cobra for the Serpent Guards of Apophis, a jackal (originally servants of Anubis, later serving Ra), and a long-nosed animal of unknown origin for the Setesh Guards that supposedly once followed Seth. The Anubis and Heru-ur masks were constructed of a large number of folding metal plates that would retract the entire headpiece into the collar, while Apophis's was a simpler design, with the top flipping back and the faceplate dropping down.

The mask is multifunctional, shielding the user from direct facial blows and intimidating slaves who believe the Goa'uld are gods. The mask provides views of the wearer's surroundings with a HUD projected on its inside while hiding their identity, a tactic exploited by SG-1 to infiltrate the Goa'uld. The "eyes" of the Serpent Guard helmets glow red as long as the wearer is still alive and, in the same sense, stop glowing soon after their death.

Ring transporter

Ring transporters were apparently invented by the Ancients and copied by the Goa'uld with little or no modification.

Sarcophagus

A chamber shaped like a coffin that, when activated, heals the living or revives the dead within. According to Stargate Command, the sarcophagi of ancient Egypt were built to emulate the look of these devices (in pre-technological attempts to heal the dead Pharaohs). The Goa'uld themselves based the technology on a reverse-engineered Ancient healing device.

They also serve to extend the life of the Goa'uld. Prolonged use of the device, especially superfluous use, leads to an effect on judgment and creates an addiction like a narcotic, also making the user more and more megalomaniacal (accounting for the increasing arrogance of the Goa'uld). In addition, the sarcophagus can heal life-long ailments, such as bad eyesight, as observed with Daniel Jackson. Several of these characteristics were seen in the episode "Need."

The Tok'ra refuse to use the devices because they believe that the sarcophagus (along with Goa'uld genetic memory) is what makes the Goa'uld evil.

Staff weapon

A long staff wielded by the Jaffa of multiple System Lords. It is made of a metallic substance, with curved decorative lines carved into it. Bumps exist along its length to allow the wielder to grip it more easily. At the end, an almond-shaped ornament houses a small container of liquid-naqahdah, which powers the staff's ability to fire blasts of charged plasma.

In use, the weapon's nozzle opens and closes at the bearer's touch of a button in the handle, and when the nozzle opens the insides fizz with electricity. Opening the nozzle in the face of an enemy is often used to intimidate.

The energy blasts have more destructive power than a projectile firearm based on an individual shot, but not on continuous fire; the only continuous-fire staff weapons yet seen are the Kull Warriors' wrist-mounted weapon, which may not be a staff weapon at all (though this is unlikely). Staff weapons rarely run out of power, remaining useable for centuries. They can also be used for hand-to-hand combat in the manner of a quarterstaff.

Al'kesh

A mid-range bomber, equipped with energy weapons, a cargo hold, and a Ring Transporter. It also carries energy bombs for close air-support.

Anubis' mothership

The mothership that Anubis first used has a highly unorthodox design for a Goa'uld mothership. Its pyramid is highly non-traditional, as it takes the form of a hexagonal pyramid mounted on top of a hexagonal prism, all of which is the same color as the rest of the ship as opposed to the standard gold. It contains a powerful energy weapon powered by the seven crystal "eyes" (including the "Eye of Ra") that fires a lightning-like beam able to "arc" between multiple target ships as well as destroy ground targets. It is gigantic, dwarfing even the command motherships of the other System Lords.

Goa'uld energy shield

All Goa'uld capital ships and some Goa'uld leaders utilize energy shielding for protection. In the case of personal shielding, the shield's power is directly proportional to the kinetic energy of the projectile it is blocking. This makes the shield powerless against slow moving projectiles, like arrows. However, most Goa'uld seem to have adapted to that fault and fixed it.

Goa'uld long-range visual communication device

A featureless metallic sphere enabling communication over light years without the use of a Stargate. When in use, the face of the other person ripples onto its surface. Introduced in "Within the Serpent's Grasp" as a large sphere floating within an inactive Stargate, it has since appeared as a smaller, hand-held version. The larger version seemed to draw power from the Stargate, and may be used specifically for communication between distances even greater than a few light years.

The smaller ones have been mostly used for secret communications, such as Cordesh betraying the Tok'ra, Colonel Maybourne communicating with his off-world teams to steal technology, and Tanith informing Apophis of the Tok'ra base. Despite this, Garshaw says the Tok'ra do not use them because the system is not secure. O'Neill has called them "Goa'uld T.V.", "teleball dealies", and "Goa'uld communication balls".

Healing device

The Goa'uld healing device is a small device worn on the hand in a manner similar to a hand device. It allows a Goa'uld or former host to heal injuries of friends. It can cure almost any disease or injury. However, it is not as powerful as the sarcophagus, and its healing has limits. It cannot revive the dead, and cannot heal people if their wounds are too severe.

Intar

Training weapons used by the Goa'uld. They can be outfitted onto any weapon and fire red energy "bullets" that stun the target without killing them. They are first encountered in the episode "Rules of Engagement", where a large group of humans serving the Goa'uld Apophis are training to one day infiltrate the SGC.

These weapons are used by the SGC in "Proving Ground" to train potential recruits for SG teams.

Kormak linking bracelets

Used to link a valuable prisoner to his Jaffa guard. If two people wearing a pair of bracelets are separated for more than a short time, they collapse and will die if they are not restored to proximity within a short period of time. The technology is ascribed to Cronus; however, the only time that they are seen in the show is when Vala Mal Doran uses them to link herself to Daniel Jackson.

The purpose of this linkage is to ensure that the Jaffa escort does not lose his victim. If he does, his punishment by death is assured.

Pain stick

A weapon used by the Goa'uld to torture their prisoners, sometimes for information, sometimes for entertainment. It causes extreme pain and light to shine out of the victim’s mouth, ears, eyes and scars. Extended exposure is lethal.

After the fall of the Goa'uld, they were used by Gerak's Traditionalist faction to extract information from Goa'uld-infested Tau'ri businessmen who were members of The Trust and hence had information pertaining to the whereabouts of Baal. Gerak famously noted that the Goa'uld "should not have invented such an effective means of torture. (|test2=|val2=show|then= (Stargate )

Shock grenade

A re-usable, fist-sized grenade that looks similar to a Magic 8 Ball. They can be rolled into a group of enemies or under doors and will emit a blinding light and a deafening sound, which will render the enemy unconscious. It also causes great pain, similar to a Zat'nik'tel. However, unlike a Zat, these grenades can cover a very large area with one explosion. First seen in "The Serpent's Lair," SG-1 suffered temporary blindness as a result of their exposure to this device.

Staff cannon

A massive version of the Staff weapon, which is usually mounted on a swiveling base. It is used to defend large emplacements. Double Staff cannons are also mounted on Death Gliders.

Stasis jar

A container, resembling a canopic jar, with life support sufficient to keep a single Goa'uld symbiote alive at minimal metabolism for thousands of years. According to SG-1, these are the bases for the canopic jars of the ancient Egyptians, who tried to copy the design to preserve organs.

It consists of a jar containing a fluid in which a powerful sedative is dissolved, and a small naquahdah power source. One such device preserved Osiris for over 5000 years; a similar one preserved his queen Isis for a similar period until the seal was broken en route to the United States from the archaeological dig in Egypt where it was found.

Tacuchnatagamuntoron (Tak)

The Tacuchnatagamuntoron, commonly called a 'Tac', is a Goa'uld device from the Stargate SG-1 episode Deadman Switch. It is used as an automated Sentry device by the Goa'uld vaguely resembling shock grenades but firing short pulses of directed energy. Multiple devices are used to create a defensive perimeter around an encampment or fortress. They are small spherical objects that fire an energy blast at anything moving within the guarded area, based on heat. In "Deadman Switch" SG-1 used flares to draw their fire and then eliminated them with a Zat shot.

Tel'tak

Unarmed cargo ship, typically carries four escape pods and a set of Ring Transporters. Some are equipped with a cloaking device. The ship is divided into two major sections - the flight deck, onto which the main entrance opens, and the cargo area. They are separated by a bulkhead, which is removable to allow for more space during flight.

Transphase Eradication Rod (TER)

The TER (Transphase Eradication Rod) serves two purposes; first, it has a scanning light that causes cloaked objects (or invisible beings 180 degrees out of phase with our own reality) to appear. Secondly, it is an energy weapon with the ability to kill a Re'tu (one of the aforementioned beings).

Troop transport

Large, heavily armored Goa'uld transport vessel. The troop transport can carry a large army of Jaffa ground forces into battle.

Zae'tarc

An extremely small weapon worn like a ring. It is designed to be concealed by a brainwashed "Zatarc" sleeper agent who can then infiltrate the enemy and kill as many humans or Tok'ra as possible before killing themselves. The energy beam shot by this weapon is extremely powerful and has a large recoil. After the Za'tarc has fulfilled his mission, they can vaporize themselves by pressing a button on the Zae'tarc.

Zat'nik'tel (Zat)

A commonly used weapon shaped like a small snake, the zat'nik'tel is typically used to render a victim unconscious. One shot stuns, causing pain and/or unconsciousness, two shots kill, and three shots disintegrate the victim. (the disintegration feature has been retconned out of existence after season 3) Like most guns, they have a safety mode where the "snake" is compacted and flat, and in battle the "snake" jumps up to look "alert" and is then ready to fire (this is accompanied by a signature sound).

Originally seen in "Within the Serpent's Grasp". They are commonly referred to as "zats" or "zat guns" (both terms invented by Colonel Jack O'Neill), and are often used to disable electronics or eliminate enemies without killing them. They are increasingly preferred by SGC members over standard-issue pistol sidearms.

References

Technology in the Stargate universe		[http://encycl.opentopia.com/ Edit]
Tau'ri technology	GDO | IDC | Stargate Iris | Kull Disruptor | P90 | MALP | Naqahdah Generator F-302 | Prometheus (BC-303) | Daedalus (BC-304)-class Battlecruiser
Goa'uld / Tok'ra technology	Al'kesh | Death Glider | Ha'tak Mothership | Hand Device | Healing Device | Intar | Sarcophagus | Staff Weapon | Tel'tak | TER | Tunnel Crystals | Zat | Zatarc detector
Ancient technology	ATA Gene | Atlantis | Aurora-class Battleship | Dakara Weapon | DHD | DNA Resequencer Drone Weapon | Healing Device | Project Arcturus | Puddle Jumper | Repository of Knowledge Ring Transporter | Stargate | Time Dilation Device | Zero Point Module
Other races' technology	Beliskner-class ship | Daniel Jackson-class ship | O'Neill-class ship | Thor's Hammer | Ion Cannon | Wraith Dart | Wraith Hive-Ship | Supergate | Ori Battlecruiser
Technology by Race	All | Tau'ri | Ancient | Goa'uld | Tok'ra | Asgard | Tollan | Wraith | Ori | Other

 

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