Jaffa - SCIFIPEDIA

Jaffa

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

The Jaffa are a fictional alien race, in the TV series Stargate SG-1. They are genetically modified humans 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 warriors, slaves, and incubators for Goa'uld larvae.

1 Background
2 Biology
3 Jaffa Resistance
4 Free Jaffa Nation
5 Notable Jaffa
6 Key Episodes

Background

The Jaffa were originally believed to originate from Chulak. However, Jaffa live on several different planets according to the goa'uld they serve and worship as god. Chulak was the domain of the goa'uld Apophis and the home of the Shol'va (traitor) Teal'c.

Jaffa are a society of warriors and bear the mark of their gods, a black symbol tattooed on the foreheads. They believed the goa'uld to be gods and did not see themselves as slaves until the advent of the Jaffa rebellion. Without Jaffa, however, the goa'uld have limited power. The Jaffa fight their wars, oversee their human slaves, and determine their strength and ultimate success.

Each group of Jaffa, are led by a First Prime, a Jaffa warrior who has risen through the ranks by displaying superior stregth and ability. First Primes typically, as in the case of Teal'c, bear the mark of the goa'uld they serve in a raised form created by cutting into the skin and pouring molten metal into the wound. first Primes are the right hand of a goa'uld System Lord. They relay orders and lead their troops in battle against other goa'uld. Before he betrayed Apophis, Teal'c was First Prime.

Jaffa are well known for their courage and strength of will. Despite being treated as disposable by the goa'uld, they take pride in their skill as warriors and have a great sense of honor and nobility. They can, on occasion, be superstitious and have many legends; some, like the legend of Kheb are based in fact. Most Jaffa believe in an afterlife. The rebel Jaffa believe their souls will be taken to Kheb when they die, a mysterious planet once inhabited by Oma Desala.

Biology

The Jaffa were created from the human slaves taken from Earth by the goa'uld. They were genetically altered to function as incubators for goa'uld young. The process ensures compatibility and the success of implantation once the goa'uld matures and takes a host.

Jaffa children are implanted with a larval goa'uld when they reach the age of of implantation, approximately ten-years old. Honored Jaffa are granted a ceremony of prim'tah during which the implantation is performed. If the implantation is not completed before the Age of Prata (puberty), the Jaffa child will die as a result of a failing immune system.

During the implantation process, an X is cut on the stomach to create a pouch for the larva. The pouch never closes completely and the symbiote can be removed at any time and must be removed and replaced by a new larva once it matures in about seven years. The symbiote replaces the immune system completely and without one a Jaffa will die a painful death in only a few hours.

The symbiote grants a Jaffa increased physical strength, health, and longevity. They may live in great health for well over a hundred years. Jaffa do not sleep but they most perform kelnorim, a deep meditation. This time allows the symbiote to repair any injuries to the Jaffa's body and is neccessary to maintain good health. It is possible for a Jaffa to communicate with the symbiote during Kelnorim, as in the case of the Jaffa priestess Shaun'auc.

On the planet Pangar, humans developed a drug made from goa'uld symbiotes known as Tretonin. The drug functioned much like a symbiote replacing the immune system of the humans who used it and granting them immunity from disease and increased longevity. Once used however, the body became dependent on it. Tretonin proved a successful replacement to symbiotes for the Jaffa. With the help of the Tok'ra the process was refined and several Jaffa, including Teal'c and Bratac use the drug until another, more permanent, solution can be found.

Jaffa Resistance

Several thousand years ago a group of Jaffa realized the goa'uld were not gods and went into hiding. They became known as the Sodan. They do not carry the mark of any goa'uld and are proud of their independence. They still require symbiotes however, and must go on raids of symbiote transports to procure new ones.

True Jaffa resistance did not begin until the First Prime of the goa'uld Apophis, Teal'c betrayed him and joined SG-1. Teal'c began to doubt the goa'uld were gods but it wasn't until he came across Jack O'Neill in "Children of the Gods" that he found the will to abandon his service to the goa'uld.

With the help og his mentor Bra'tac, and SG-1, Teal'c was able to spread his new belief in freedom for all Jaffa. Many Jaffa joined his cause, allying themselves with the Tau'ri and Tok'ra in the fight against the goa'uld. The resistance gained true strength in the series' sixth season with Teal'c at the head.

There were several stumbling blocks on the way to Jaffa freedom. The goa'uld wiped out several Jaffa leaders in the episode at a meeting "The Changeling". Only Bra'tac and Teal'c survived. Attempts were also made to break up the resistance and the Jaffa alliance with the Tau'ri and Tok'ra. Seeds of mistrust were planted and successfully flourished between the Tok'ra and the Jaffa and the alliance was disbanded, with all three taking their own route to defeating the goa'uld.

The resistance was helped by the return of the goa'uld Anubis and the subsequent civil war among the system lords. In addition, the Replicators further weakened the goa'uld. In a series of grand events, Anubis was prevented from completing his goal of galactic destruction by Oma Desala, the replicators were destroyed by a temporary alliance of Baal, Carter and Selmak, and the Jaffa struck a major blow to the remaining goa'uld winning their freedom.

Free Jaffa Nation

In the series' ninth season, The Free Jaffa nation is born. Teal'c is a strong influence on the High Council representing the Jaffa nations. His hope is to create a democratic nation elected by the people.

There is opposition to this idea however. Gerak believes council representation should be determined by the military strength of the vaying coalitions. Despite Teal'c's attempts to sway the council, Getak becomes the leader of the council. He ensures the faith of the other council membors by capturing and executing the former System Lord Baal.

When a Prior arrives spreading the religion of Origin, Gerak is quick to believe after seeing their power is real unlike that of the goa'uld. He urges the council to accept Origin and make it law. With civil war on the horizon, between those who wish to follow Origin and those who do not want to serve another set of false gods, Gerak even becomes a Prior as proof of the power of the Ori.

Using the past as a motivator, Teal'c manages to convince Gerak that the promises of the Ori are false and allowing them to destroy the freedom they fought for would be wrong. Gerak helps the Tau'ri heal the plague another prior had inflicted on members of the SGC and as punnishment was burned to death.

The death of Gerak allowed for the democratic nation Teal'c envisioned. The Jaffa nation remains in danger however due to the Ori invasion of the Milky Way. As of the episode "Flesh and Blood" Chulak has been succssfully invaded.