Jaffa (Stargate)
From Free net encyclopedia
Template:Stargate race The Jaffa are a fictional alien race, in the television series Stargate SG-1. They are actually biologically human and descended from people from Earth who were kidnapped by the Goa'uld using the Stargate during antiquity. They were kidnapped and modified to serve as slaves and hosts.
Contents |
Background
Jaffa live on several different planets, depending on which Goa'uld they serve, so they have no one "homeworld" (as they were originally human slaves from Earth). However, planets with large concentrations of Jaffa include Chulak, Dakara, and Delmak.
The main function of the Jaffa is to serve their gods, the Goa'uld, as warriors and incubators for Goa'uld larvae. Jaffa are genetically engineered by the Goa'uld for their immune system to fail when they reach puberty (which they call the age of prata), so they will die if they do not receive a symbiote. An immature Goa'uld larva is then implanted in a marsupial-like pouch in the Jaffa abdomen, in which it grows to maturity before implantation in a host.
The presence of the larva replaces the Jaffa's immune system, and after receiving a Goa'uld larva a Jaffa is unable to live for long without one. Additionaly, the Jaffa needs to engage in a form of meditation known as Kelna'rim on regular intervals in order to synchronise with the symbiote. If Kelna'rim is not performed the jaffa might become seriously ill. In exchange, the Goa'uld offers strength, health and a long life (120-150 years). Following the discovery of Egeria, the drug Tretonin was developed to allow the former Jaffa host to survive without a larva.
All Jaffa have a brand on their foreheads bearing the insignia of the Goa'uld they serve. In most cases it is just a black tattoo, but in the case of each System Lord's First Prime (chief warrior and commander), it is a raised mark, made with a special knife and filled with pure gold in what even Teal'c says is a very painful process.
A faction of the Jaffa that identified the Goa'uld as false gods went into hiding thousands of years ago, and became known as the Legendary Sodan. These Jaffa do not bear any mark but retain the symbiote pouch; they steal larval Goa'uld in raids.
Supposedly, married male Jaffa must shave their heads soon after their wedding. However, in his current spirit of rebellion against the old ways, Teal'c later grows a short fuzz of hair.
Events in the Series
Teal'c (portrayed by Christopher Judge), a Jaffa who chooses to join the SG-1 team and fight for freedom, starts out as a lone traitor, but gradually and with the aide of his former Jaffa mentor, Bra'tac, Teal'c is able to rally an increasing number of other Jaffa to his cause of freedom.
Jaffa Resistance
By season six, the Jaffa Resistance has been formed; an organized rebellion against the Goa'uld of which Teal'c is a prominent leader. At the end of season eight, Teal'c achieves his goal and finally helps liberate the Jaffa from the Goa'uld; the Goa'uld were weakened by first a civil war amongst the System Lords (precipitated by the ascent of Ba'al and the unexpected return of Anubis), and then decimated by an invasion of our galaxy by the Replicators.
Soon after, forces of the Tau'ri are able to defeat the Replicators. The Jaffa see the Goa'uld's inability to save themselves from the Replicators as proof that they are false Gods, especially when System Lord Ba'al makes a cowardly escape from the Jaffa Resistance, after which the Jaffa turn against the Goa'uld en masse.
Free Jaffa Nation
In season nine, the Free Jaffa Nation is being set up; it appears that High Council representation will be based on the military strength of the coalitions, against Teal'c's wishes; Teal'c himself advocates new ways, supposedly adopted from the Tau'ri. He hints to General Hank Landry that he wants a democratic system.
Gerak becomes leader of the Jaffa High Council despite the efforts of Teal'c and the Tau'ri. He even strengthens his position by capturing Ba'al and executing him before the Council's eyes. The interest he shows in the religion of the Ori - Origin - after having seen "the show" by the Prior is disconcerting, especially now he has won the hearts and minds of the Council.
A threat of civil war begins to brew as Gerak advocates that all Jaffa should follow the Ori and even adopt a law to that effect. When prompted by a Prior to wipe out the unbelievers he is too fainthearted. He is taken to Celestis - the City of the Gods - and transformed into a Prior himself.
When Teal'c addresses the Council to convince them not to follow the Ori, Gerak enters and declares that it is the destiny of all Jaffa to follow... Origin! However, after Gerak's change of heart (apostasy, in the eyes of the Ori), the Jaffa now stand firm against the Ori.
List of known Jaffa
| Name | Served | Rank/Position | First Appearance | Status | Played by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bra'tac | Apophis and Klorel | Former First Prime Jaffa High Councillor | Bloodlines | Alive | Tony Amendola |
| Del'nor | Apophis | Unseen | Deceased | Unseen | |
| Rak'nor's father | |||||
| Drey'auc | Apophis | Bloodlines | Deceased | Salli Richardson | |
| Teal'c's wife. | |||||
| Fro'tak | Apophis | Scribe | Family | Killed by O'Neill | Peter Bryant |
| Second husband to Drey'auc, betrayed SG-1 by jealousy. | |||||
| Gar'tok | Apophis | Unseen | Unseen | ||
| Gerak | Montu | Former First Prime of Montu Leader of the Free Jaffa Nation Prior of the Ori | Origin | Deceased | Louis Gossett Jr. |
| Hak'nor | Unseen | Unseen | |||
| Member of the Jaffa resistance. | |||||
| Herak | Anubis | First Prime | The Other Guys | Deceased | Michael Adamthwaite |
| Ishta | Moloc | Birthright | Alive | Jolene Blalock | |
| Female Jaffa leader of the Hak'tyl resistance. Mother-in-law of Rya'c. | |||||
| Ka'lel | Moloc | Member of Jaffa High Council | Birthright | Alive | Simone Bailly |
| Member of the Hak'tyl resistance before serving on the Jaffa High Council. Later brainwashed by Baal. | |||||
| Kar'yn | Moloc | Sacrifices | Alive | Mercedes de la Zerda | |
| Female Jaffa in the Hak'tyl resistance. Rya'c's wife. | |||||
| Ma'kar | Apophis | The Serpent's Venom | Art Kitching | ||
| Lured Teal'c to a trap alongside Rak'nor. | |||||
| Maz'rai | Apophis | Stronghold | Deceased | Dakin Matthews | |
| Progressive Jaffa High Councillor; influenced by brainwashing by Baal into changing his position on democracy. Committed suicide by symbiote removal to reverse the brainwashing and discover the truth. | |||||
| Moac | Apophis | Maternal Instinct | Deceased | Aaron Douglas | |
| Bra'tac's apprentice | |||||
| M'zel | Heru'ur, Apophis | Death Knell | Deceased | Mark Gibbon | |
| Was a leader of the Jaffa Resistance. Died while on a mission to P3S-114, with Teal'c, to accertain whether or not the Tok'ra was behind a series of chemical attacks leading to numerous death of Jaffas. | |||||
| Neith | Moloc | Birthright | Alive | Kathleen Duborg | |
| Female Jaffa in the Hak'tyl resistance. Nesa's older sister. | |||||
| Nesa | Moloc | Birthright | Alive | Kirsten Prout | |
| Female Jaffa in the Hak'tyl resistance. Neith's younger sister. | |||||
| Oshu | Yu | First Prime | Fallen | Kevan Ohtsji | |
| Rak'nor | Heru-ur | The Serpent's Venom | Alive | Obi Ndefo | |
| Once hated the resistance, now is one of its leaders; serves as Teal'c's advisor and proxy on the High Council. | |||||
| Ronan | Apophis, Anubis | Lost City, Part 2 | Killed by Bra'tac | Marc Worden | |
| Anubis' spy within the Jaffa resistance. | |||||
| Rya'c | Apophis | Bloodlines | Alive | Neil Denis | |
| Teal'c's son. | |||||
| Ryk'l | Moloc | Birthright | Killed by Moloc's Imperial Guard | Nigel Vonas | |
| Shak'l | Apophis | First Prime | The Nox | Killed by Teal'c | Michasha Armstrong |
| Shaq'rel | Apophis | Redemption, Part 1 | Aleks Paunovic | ||
| Member of the Jaffa Resistance | |||||
| Shau'nac | Apophis | Priestess | Crossroads | Killed by Tanith | Musetta Vander |
| Syn'ac | Birthright | ||||
| Female Jaffa in the Hak'tyl resistance. | |||||
| Teal'c | Apophis | Former First Prime Member of SG-1 Jaffa High Councilor | Children of the Gods | Alive | Christopher Judge |
| Va'lar | Apophis | Threshold | Killed by Teal'c | David Lovgren | |
| Yat'Yir | Montu | Alive | Gardiner Millar | ||
| Gerak's aide; has some misgivings about Origin | |||||
Template:StargateTopicses:Jaffa (Stargate) fr:Jaffa (Stargate) it:Jaffa (Stargate) fi:Jaffa (Tähtiportti) sl:Jaffe