Ra (Stargate)

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

Ra is a fictional alien in the Stargate universe. In Egyptian mythology, he is the god of the sun. His first appearance was in the movie Stargate, where he was played by Jaye Davidson. He is referred to but not seen in the series Stargate SG-1, as he is already dead when the series begins. Ra was once the supreme System Lord of the Goa'uld.

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 Stargate Movie
2 Stargate SG-1
3 Enemies
4 Related Articles
5 Key Episodes
6 External Links

Stargate Movie

In the movie, a team from Earth visits the planet Abydos where they discover humans being ruled over by an alien they worship as a god called Ra. Several thousand years ago, Ra came to Earth as a member of a dying race. In ancient Egypt he discovered primitive humans and took a young boy as his host. For many years he ruled over them as their god, using them as his labor force and building pyramids as landing pads for his massive space ship. He took humans through the Stargate to Abydos where he enslaved them and used them to mine a mineral (naquadah in the series) that powered the technology that gave him his immortality. His advanced technology enabled him to convince humans he was a god.

Eventually the people of Earth rebelled against Ra. They buried the Stargate preventing him from returning and it would be many thousands of years before it was found again. Ra still ruled over the humans on Abydos.

When the Earth team visited Abydos, they were tasked with finding and eliminating any threats to Earth. Jack O'Neill carried a nuclear weapon with him, intending to destroy Abydos therefore eliminating the chance of anyone coming through the gate to Earth. When Ra discovers the nuclear weapon, he enhances it with more explosive material intending to send it back through the Stargate to Earth. O'Neill was able to stop him, and the bomb was transported to Ra's ship where it exploded above the planet, killing Ra.

Stargate SG-1

In the movie, Ra's alien appearance was seen just as the nuclear weapon exploded on his ship. Within the human form appeared an alien being much resembling the Roswell Greys or in Stargate SG-1, the Asgard. This was changed in the series.

In Stargate SG-1, Ra is a member of a race known as the goa'uld. The goa'uld are worm-like parasitic aliens who invade and take over the human body. They are known for their megalomaniacal tendencies and their abuse of humanity.

As in the film, it is believed the goa'uld were dying out when Ra comes across humans. They goa'uld were once hosted by a primitive race known as Unas but when Ra came across humans on Earth, he found human hosts a much better alternative. Humans proved to be the saviors of the goa'uld race and in return the goa'uld took over many humans, enslaving them for their purposes and masquerading as their gods.

Enemies

Ra's list of enemies was long. Despite his position as Supreme System Lord, he was much hated by other goa'uld including Apophis, Shaq'ran and Egeria. Ra also had a goa'uld queen Hathor who spawned several other goa'uld including Ra's son Heru'ur. Hathor was exiled on Earth where she was sealed inside a sarcophagus for several thousand years.