Gerak - SCIFIPEDIA

Gerak

<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Stargate SG-1 Character
Gerak

Status	Deceased
Gender	Male
Species	Jaffa
Origin
Portrayed by	Louis Gossett Jr.
First Appearance	"Avalon, Part 2"
Profession	Former First Prime of Montu
Relatives	none
Special Features	Became a Prior of the Ori

Gerak was the first leader of the Jaffa high council and a Prior of The Ori in the Stargate universe. Gerak was played by acclaimed actor Louis Gossett Jr. His first appearance was in the Season 9 episode "Avalon, Part 2."

Spoiler Warning: Plot details and/or information about the ending follow. If you wish to enjoy the work first, stop reading here and return at another time.

1 Council History
2 Alliance History
3 Gerak as a Prior
4 Related Articles
5 Key Episodes

Council History

Gerak was a former First Prime of the Goa'uld Montu, who was in service to Ra. After the Tau'ri killed Ra, he became a servant of Baal where he served until the Replicators and Goa'uld were defeated in the season eight episode "Reckoning".

Soon after the defeat of the Goa'uld, the Free Jaffa Nation came to power. To get the nation off to a good start, they formed a high council representing the different Jaffa according to the System Lords they served. The council provided government until all affairs and disagreements regarding what type of government they would employ were settled. Gerak was in favor of a system much like that of the System Lords determined by military power; a government that would put him in power. Teal'c was in favor of a democratic government like that he'd seen and admired on Earth which made him a rival of Gerak whom he considered untrustworthy.

When Gerak apprehended Baal on Earth, he quickly came to power because of the large amount of Jaffa under his command. He was settled in the old ways of the Jaffa. His second in command wanted to change, allowing the Jaffa to have a democratic government. He soon disappeared and Gerak's spot was confirmed on the council. It was suggested that Gerak had him killed but there was no evidence.

Alliance History

General Hank Landry invited Gerak to Stargate Command in order to talk about maintain the alliance between the Jaffa and the Tau'ri. During the visit, Gerak did not appear very interested in talking about the allicance. Instead he was more interested in Origin. When a Prior showed up on the base, Gerak wanted to hear him out. Also during this meeting he showed distrust at Teal'c.

Gerak's leadership of the council increased tensions between Earth and the Free Jaffa. He also made it clear that he distrusted the Tok'ra and wanted nothing to do with them. He also criticized Teal'c for his allegiance to the Tau'ri and his control of the council alienated Teal'c and decreased his influence.

Besides his distrust towards Teal'c, he also distrusted the Tau'ri as a whole. In the episode Ex Deus Machina he and his Jaffa visited Earth, uninvited in a successful attempt to try to capture Ba'al. His troops killed several innocent people and cause a major exposure problem for the SGC. He claimed he did it because he was not sure if the Tau'ri could handle it. Unbeknownst to him, he did not kill the real Baal but one of several clones.

In the episode Beachhead, The Ori attempted to establish a supergate by encapsulating a planet inside an energy field. Carter realized that the energy from their weapons was helping the field to expand, furthering the Ori's goal. She requested they stop firing but Gerak refuse and said that if they stooped firing he would shoot the ship. As a result of his contributions, the field engulfed the entire planet and it collapsed into a singularity the Ori used to power the gate.

Gerak as a Prior

One day a Prior showed up on Dakara and asked to speak with Gerak. He agreed to listen to the teaching of origin. Gerak believed in the promise of the Ori as that which Jaffa have always sought. He went to Celestis were he was willingly turned into a Prior. After his transformation, Gerak went to the high council and informed them that Origin would now become the religion of the Jaffa.

As beliefs among the Jaffa were split between those who believed in Gerak's choice and those who refused to worship another false god, the Jaffa Nation was on the verge of civil war. Gerak was encouraged by the Prior to do whatever was necessary, even war, to convert his brethren. Teal'c brings Gerak to his father's grave on Chulak where he convinces him that he and other Jaffa would rather live free or die.

As a result of Teal'c's guidance, Gerak realized that the Ori were not gods. He visited Earth and cured the plague caused by the priors that was quickly spreading across the planet. Gerak died a noble death. As his last words he said "I die Free" as he burned to death immediately after healing the infected at the SGC. As a reasult of his death, the Jaffa voted for a democratic government.