Mav Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Back in late season 5, while on a mission to infiltrate a Goa'uld summit Daniel learns from Selmak that the Goa'uld population has hit 0% growth. Either from large losses of life, large losses of viable hosts or simply slow reproduction right. Well when Daniel finds out why, it turns out to be that the current System Lords of that time period are literally eating, the symbiotes that are ready for implantation. They do not eat the head, it's usually either bitten off or torn off, while the rest of the body of the symbiote is consumed. Once you get past the "wtf?..." factor, you wonder "why?" Now I will admit it's been over a year and half since I've seen seasons 4-7 (since sci fi has only really replayed s8 in reruns and 9 seasons is alot to re-download again). So I may not quite remember the minor things. I can easily tell you the results of Daniel dying, Anubis rising and falling from power, the discovery of Atlantis, RepliCarter, etc all the way up to current season 9. My question is (other than "why" the goa'uld began eating symbiotes) did they ever explain it? Sub-question being if so, what was the reason? Afaik the blood of a symbiote is highly toxic even to Jaffa and Goa'uld. They never said if a normal Goa'uld+host would survive if symbiote blood was introduced into the body (aka would their current symbiote be able to fix the poisonous effects or not). So I'm wondering how they were able to eat a live symbiote without it damaging them. Sure we can easily be left to assume their normal symbiote heals them as they ate it but honestly, I think that goes above "minor assumption" into the "needs a mentioning or explaining" ballpark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindwalker Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Why? To consume their possible future enemies, I guess. How? I have no clue how they survived the stunt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 No idea. As regularly happens - they just forgot it. To be honest the goa'uld have been ridden with contradictions. At the start of the show it's implied that there aren't many but the numbers are growing. It's also implied that there has to be something specific about a host for them to be implanted. Then of course they were jumping in peoples bodies like there's no tomorrow and then they stopped doing that entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mav Posted March 10, 2006 Author Share Posted March 10, 2006 I think the "specifics" refer to how Apothis and his current queen chose a new host for her, and then later chose a host for their "son", Klorel. I mean when you're playing god and have that much power over people, you'd pick and choose the best of the pack. But when it boils down too it they will take a host to survive and more likely ditch that host later if they no longer need it or want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindwalker Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Crazy evil worms need no reason! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TetsuoShima Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 Eh, they did explain it, I can't remember the exact episode, but they (the systemlords) actually ate the symbiotes. At the end of the episode some SG-1 member (I can't remember who) comments: well, at least we now know why there population hasn't been increasing much lately, I think it was Daniel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amnot Borg Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 The eating of symbiotes was mentioned in Mav's first post. It still didn't fully explain how the population dropped so quickly. Which brings us back to the question.... What happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TetsuoShima Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 oh, darn, he mentioned it multiple times, infact that is what this thread is all about. How could I have so blindly read past that. Must have still been half asleep... Apologies. I believe they said is was an old tradition, that at the end of each day that they still have not made an agreement, they have to eat one. It makes sense, as sort of a punishment/incentive to come to an agreement sooner... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorunNova Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 It could also be because... 1) Jaffa are symbiote incubators, and 2) Lots and lots of Jaffa have been killed since humans arrived on the scene... Just a suggestion. ^^ Edit: Whoo! 1500 posts! ^^' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 One would assume that most Jaffa are on tretonin now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TetsuoShima Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 One would assume that most Jaffa are on tretonin now. hehe, that could also explain why their numbers aren't growing (though not at first), they're all being grinded into powder. :cyclops: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 Sounds like goa'uld farming will be a growth industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amnot Borg Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 Jaffa are mutated Humans. They were created for one main reason and a lesser important reason. Incubation and protection of Goa'uld Gods. I'd think that they would start wanting to be Human again. No tretonin needed for their children. Culturally, they'd have some changes to accept. They wouldn't be super warriors any more. Better off for the kids, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFMF Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 I seem to remember somthing about the simbiotes that made the other goa'uld stronger or somthing like that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Just how different are they from humans? Teal'c seems to indicate that if his son wasn't implanted with a symbiote that he'd never need one. It's only after being implanted they need to keep a symbiote in their belly hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TetsuoShima Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Yeah, because he'd be dead... :D 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)' date=' so they will die if they do not receive a symbiote.[/quote'] As for Jaffa becoming humans again, I'd imagine that would require again some form of willfull and specific genetic modification by someone with the right technologies... Do we have willing candidates for this open post? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amnot Borg Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 with all the ancient technology out there, surprised they haven't found genetic modification tech already. ...or the ORI could offer the change for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 If what wiki says is true - I don't see why they had an episode where Teal'c was getting stressed about stopping his son from getting the symbiote implanted. As that would have meant he died... I imagine Teal'c would know that and I'm afraid that eps must trump wiki in terms of canon, unless that's something that is retconned later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TetsuoShima Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 Yes, that was a first season episode, I remember it. He indeed does not plan for his son to die (I think), becasue when he finds out he will, he implants him with the symbiote anyway. It would indicate an inconsistency, unless you take into account that Teal'c at that point doesn't yet know, that they (as a race) are dependant on the symbiote for suvival. There is another episode about female resistance fighters on a lone planet that steal symbiotes from dead warriors to give to their young 'sisters' to keep them from dying. Which is mentioned in the episode that has allready happened frequently if they didn't find suitable symbiotes in time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 It seems extremely unlikely that someone as knowledgable about all things concerning the Jaffa would be ignorant of the fact that his son would die without the symbiote. As I recall, the only reason he implants his son is because he gets wounded? Maybe he got hit on the head and forgot. They'd better have some goa'uld farms if they're genetically engineered to require a symbiote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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