Ascension (Stargate)

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Oma Desala

Ascension, in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, describes a process whereby an individual is able to transcend the physical plane of existence and move on to a higher plane. The physical body is transformed into energy. Ascension is described as the first step on an even greater journey toward further enlightenment and knowledge. There are several planes of existence and there is some indication that there is a hierarchy to these planes. It's unclear what planes, if any, lie beyond that of the Ascended beings in the series, but it has been established there are other levels between the mortal plane and that of the Ascended.

The concept of Ascension was first approached in the episode "Maternal Instinct." It was not until the episode "Ascension" that it became clear that Ascended beings were once humans who achieved enlightenment and moved on to a higher plane. It remains unclear whether humans are the only ones who can achieve Ascension. The idea has strong ties to the Buddhist concept of achieving nirvana. Comparisons have also been drawn to the Shadows and Vorlons in the series Babylon 5.

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1 History
2 Ascended Beings
3 Methods of Ascension
- 3.1 Natural Evolution
- 3.2 Artificial Evolution
4 Rules
5 Powers
6 Limitations of Ascended Beings
7 Reasons to Ascend
8 Key Episodes
9 Related Articles

History

In "Maternal Instinct," Daniel Jackson meets the Ascended being Oma Desala, who protected the Harcesis child on the legendary planet of Kheb. SG-1, in their search for the Harcesis child, arrives at a Buddhist–like temple on Kheb, where a monk teaches Daniel how to use his mind in new ways. They spend hours together learning to listen to Oma Desala, Mother Nature. For a short while, Daniel believed his ability to light fire with his mind was his own but it proved to be the doing of Oma, who was trying to teach him that the Harcesis child was safer with her. Many of the lessons taught to Daniel in the episode proved confusing, but it provided an initial glimpse of the great power of an Ascended being.

Ascension was approached once again in the episode "Ascension," in which Orlin, an Ascended being, follows Samantha Carter home from the planet Velona, to which he'd been banished for breaking fundamental rules laid out by the other Ascended beings. Carter quickly made the connection between Oma and Orlin—that they are members of the same Ancient race. The process of Ascension was not revealed until the episode "Meridian," in which a dying Daniel is aided in the process by Oma. The knowledge and understanding he gained in the process appeared to be intentionally limited by Oma and, as a result, he does not discover that the other Ascended beings are the Ancients, the builders of the Stargates, until the episode "Full Circle," when he helps SG-1 to find the Eye of Ra. In "Full Circle," he also discovers that the Goa'uld Anubis was also an Ascended being, forced to a lower plane by “The Others.” As a result of trying to use his powers to destroy Anubis, Daniel was de-Ascended, with no memory of his time as an Ascended being and, temporarily, no knowledge of his own past.

Daniel was offered the choice to Ascend once again, in the episode "Threads." He was brought to the Astral Diner, a place on the Ascended plane below full Ascension where Daniel could contemplate his choices. At the diner, he learned that Anubis tricked Oma into Ascending Anubis. Because of the knowledge Anubis gained, the others were not able to force him out completely, and he remained an energy being on a lower plane. Daniel also learned the full extent of The Others' determination not to interfere in affairs on planes below their own. The Others made no attempt to stop Anubis's plan to destroy and recreate the galaxy in his own image using the Ancient weapon at Dakara. It was made clear that the Milky Way was just one small section of the universe when compared to all galaxies the Ascended were aware of. Oma finally confronts Anubis and the two are locked in combat.

Ascension, and the history of the Ancients before they achieved enlightenment, became a focus of the series in its ninth season, as well as becoming important in the spinoff series Stargate Atlantis. In "Avalon," it is discovered that the Ancients were once known as Alterans, a race from a distant galaxy. They were forced to flee their galaxy as a result of a philosophical divide in their society. It is implied that Ascension played a part in the divide, and that the more religious half, known as The Ori, attempted to destroy their scientifically minded counterparts, forcing them to flee. The Ori remained in their home galaxy, where they also learned to Ascend, and the Alterans fled to the Milky Way, known to them as Avalon.

The philosophical divide continued on the Ascended plane. The Ori created Origin: a religion devoted to their worship and devised to gain power from humans who worship them. The Ori seek to convert all humans to Origin. The Ascended Ancients managed to keep knowledge of humans in the Milky Way from the Ori, but when Daniel and Vala Mal Doran used an Ancient communication device to contact the Ancient's home galaxy, the Ori become aware of the knowledge previously kept from them and launched a crusade to find and convert all unbelievers in the Milky Way, and destroy all who refused to believe in the Ori.

Ascended Beings

While the Ancients and The Ori are the most commonly known ascended beings, they are not the only ones. Humans have ascended in several known cases, most notably Daniel Jackson who ascended twice. Through deception a Goa'uld, Anubis, managed to ascend with the help of Oma Desala.

In the Stargate Atlantis episode "Progeny" the Atlantis team came across a race of machines on the planet Asuras, some of whom desired to ascend as the Ancients, their creators, did. The ascension of a non-humanoid race would offer up the certainty that other distinctly alien races are also capable of ascension. Many of the Asurans believed this to be true as the human body is merely a biological machine. It is yet unknown if machines can ascend.

Methods of Ascension

In the series, it has been established that there are three ways to Ascend. Ascension can be achieved through natural evolution or through manipulation of the body with technology. The third method requires the help of an Ascended being. Oma Desala, an Ascended Ancient, has Ascended hundreds of humans, against the rules of The Others. She has her own requirements, which seem to involve purity of spirit and inherent goodness; it is unlikely these requirements are necessary for those who Ascend on their own. Though the path to Ascension appears to have spiritual ties, it is an evolutionary process that can be manipulated.

Natural Evolution

After millions of years of evolution, the Ancients reached a point where they were able to shed their physical bodies and transcend to another plane. It has been implied that the process requires some devotion to the path and can be guided by spiritual understanding and meditation. Humans on the path to Ascension may gain powers such as clairvoyance, healing, telekinesis, and remote viewing.

Artificial Evolution

For many millennia, the Ancients researched the Ascension process. They left behind research that suggested that their naturally advanced evolutionary state was not always enough to Ascend naturally. They used genetic manipulation as a means to induce the necessary changes that would lead to Ascension. It is presumed the DNA Resequencer, misused by Nirrti (with terrible consequences) in her attempt to create an advanced human, was one of the technological tools used to aid the process.

Anubis employed similar technology with significantly more success. Anubis created a hok'taur, or Goa'uld-human hybrid, called Khalek. Khalek possessed the genetic memory of the Goa'uld, but as a human, was able to achieve Ascension. Anubis completed the genetic manipulation in sequences. The manipulation resulted in increased brain function and activity. As Khalek approached the necessary ninety percent brain activity mark, he gained impressive powers including telekinesis and the ability to read minds. Khalek was killed before he could Ascend.

A technological device designed to force unwilling Lanteans to ascend was discovered on Atlantis and accidentally activated by Dr. Rodney McKay. Once the process is begun, it is intended to be irreversible. Unfortunately, as there is a mental component involved in ultimately achieving ascension, if an effort is not made to prepare the mind and body for the process, death will result. On the verge of ascension, McKay was able to access the information needed to reverse the process.

Rules

The rules of the Ascended are that no Ascended being may interfere in mortal affairs. When this rule is broken, the Ascended being is often punished, usually in a way that deals specifically with the results of the offenders’ deeds. The most notorious offender of the rules is Oma Desala, who, against the rules of The Others, helped mortals to Ascend. It is unknown why this was allowed to continue for so long, but as a result, all those Ascended by her are watched and walk a narrow line. Any offense they commit may result in their de-ascension by the Others or by Oma.

If the events in the series are any indication, the Ascended are either unwilling to or have difficulty with de-Ascending individuals who have gained Ascension on their own. The punishment meted out to those beings, in the case of an offense, often has consequences for the mortals with whom the Ascended being interfered to show them the consequences of their actions.

The ascended being, Orlin, interfered and prevented the destruction of the planet Velona by the Goa'uld by giving the Velonans the knowledge to create a powerful weapon to defend themselves. The Velonans defeated the Goa'uld, but then proceeded to use the weapon to conquer others. In response, the Ascended wiped out the entire civilization and banished Orlin to Velona. While some view this as a drastic act of destruction, it can also be interpreted that the Ancients restored events to what they would have been prior to Orlin's interference.

The Ori are not subject to the rule of The Others in their own galaxy. Thus far, they have been prevented from acting in the Milky Way, as they risk conflict with The Others if they do. In their galaxy, however, the Ori act freely and they have converted the entire galaxy to their worship. It is possible that the Ori's influence extends to other galaxies as well, because they need worshipers in order to gain sufficient power to destroy the Ascended beings who oppose them. The Ancients have not acted to stop the Ori or their followers despite the blatant opposition to their rules. This is likely because they are unsure that acting would result in victory or that it would aid in their further enlightenment.

Powers

Ascended beings have access to the knowledge of the universe. This knowledge is infinite, meaning that no Ascended being can be described as all-knowing at any time. Initial ascension is merely the beginning of the process of learning more.

Ascended beings have many powers that appear nearly godlike to lesser beings.

Orlin described the power to control nature as being easy. An Ascended can control wind, lightning, fire, and rain.
As energy beings, they can pass through solid objects, but can also take on a physical human form. They can also render themselves invisible at will and influence the thoughts of corporeal beings.
They are capable of focusing and directing their energy in a devastating way. The Ascended being Athar uses her power to destroy Wraith ships that venture near the planet she protects. This duty is her punishment for interfering to protect the people of Proculus from the Wraith. She is allowed to continue to protect the planet but is banished from the Ascended plane.
Ascended beings can share their essences with corporeal beings, which is a pleasant sensation for humans. Orlin does this with Carter in "Ascension," and Athar shares with Sheppard in "Sanctuary."

Limitations of Ascended Beings

In the episode "Arthur's Mantle," Daniel Jackson is accidentally shifted into another dimension by an Ancient device. While there, he discovers research left behind by the Ancient known as Merlin. Merlin ascended but later retook human form to research and design a weapon to neutralize Ascended beings. To prevent the Others from learning of his research, he shifted it to another dimension. This implies The Others are not able to see everything.

It is unknown whether an Ascended being can really be destroyed. It is implied that Jackson was capable of destroying Anubis, but later Anubis suggests that Oma was not able do so. It is possible that he was referring to her unwillingness to do so rather than her inability.

Reasons to Ascend

The Ancients in the Milky Way galaxy were likely pushed toward Ascension by a plague that, despite their advanced technology, they could not cure. Ancients continued to research Ascension after they moved on to the Pegasus Galaxy. Some ascended during their time there. Those who survived the war with the Wraith returned to Earth and ascended there. Inescapable difficulties faced on the mortal plane can be the definitive incentive to move on.

Ascension, being the ultimate goal of human evolution, is perhaps the supreme human pursuit. Some see ascension as the ultimate goal of humanity; for example, the Ori preach that ascension is the only goal humans should seek to attain.