Asgard technology in Stargate
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- This article provides a more exhaustive list of the fictional technologies used by the Asgard race in the Stargate universe.
- For a listing of their more prominent technologies see the main technology article.
The Asgard possess a considerably higher level of technology than the Goa'uld, and have now even surpassed the Ancients in several fields. The substance neutronium is a key element of Asgard technology.
They do not reproduce in the strictest sense; continuity as a species is maintained through a process of cloning and mind transferral, although this has resulted in a decay of the Asgard genome. While the Asgard maintain a large fleet of ships with defensive capabilities, as a whole they are not a militaristic race, and they strongly disapprove of the use of technology for aggressive purposes.
All of the Asgard's technology was shared by their primary adversary, the Replicators (The Replicators were continually scavenging technology, especially from the Asgard as they were the most advanced in their galaxy). All Asgard technology now belongs to the Tau'ri, a gift given to them before self-destructing their homeworld to avoid their death by the hands of a plague and Ori invasion.
[edit] Auto-Dialer
The Asgard Auto-Dialer is a small, stone-shaped device that can be used to establish a stable wormhole to a predetermined address (stored within the device) without the need for the lengthy dialing sequence or a DHD to even a distant galaxy without a ZPM connected to the gate. The device also appears to create a wormhole without the vortex that engaging a wormhole usually creates. [1]
[edit] Asgard weapons
Throughout SG-1, several different styles of Asgard weaponry are shown. Their ships are apparently equipped with energy cannons,[2] as well as the fact that they can use their transporter system offensively to great effect.[3] However, as a peaceful race, much of their military strength is never shown.
Although Thor at first offered the Tau'ri Asgard-designed weapons to install on the Prometheus[4], the Asgard eventually chose not to give this type of technology to Earth, fearing corrupt humans would use it against them.[5]
One Asgard weapon was loaned to the SGC by Kvasir to make the Stargate's wormhole divert through a black hole, in order to send alternate SG-1's back to their own realities, although it was eventually returned to them.[6]
The most powerful Asgard ship-based weapons are plasma beam weapons. They were installed on board the Odyssey along with all of the latest Asgard technology, and later refitted on the Daedalus, Apollo, and now the Phoenix (in an alternate timeline).[7] Instead of firing energy bursts these weapons fire short beams (with a compelling similarity to those on a Replicator infested ship encountered in a distant galaxy)[8]. It is possible therefore, that plasma beam weaponry was not a new development to the Asgard but had been used in the war with replicators. They have proven capable of penetrating the shields, and destroying Ori motherships[9] , Lantean-designed Aurora class warships[10] and Wraith Hive Ships[7].
[edit] Central Asgard Computer Core
In the episode 'Unending,' the Asgard race installed a sophisticated central computer core on the Earth ship, Odyssey. This computer core contained all of the Asgard's most up-to-date knowledge as well as their entire recorded history. Included in the computer core was information on all of the Asgard's beaming, time dilation, shields, weapons and hyperdrive technologies etc, and its own power source (so that the Asgard Computer Core does not infringe on the ships main power source i.e. naquadriah generator/ZPM); the time dilation technology being integrated within the core itself. The core could also present a holographic image of any Asgard on record as an interface, intended to assist any humans who do not understand the Asgard language and or the technologies themselves.
For sometime it had been known that the Asgard were a dying race, and after acquiring a degenerative disease from their last attempt to solve their problem, it was evident to the Asgard themselves that there was nothing left they could do. The Computer Core was the Asgard's legacy, and their way to ensure they were forever remembered by the intergalactic community.[9]
The core has been shown to inadvertently give off a subspace energy signature that Ori or their followers are capable of tracking, even while in hyperspace. To this end, the core has been left disabled when the Odyssey's location needed to be kept from the Ori. In The Ark of Truth, the core was shown to be capable of constructing a replicator with only simple commands entered by someone not intimately familiar with the technology. Because the core contained all of the Asgard's information on the replicators, the user only had to insert a crystal which told it to construct a replicator, and the core "filled in the blanks".[11]
[edit] Beaming technology
The Asgard beaming technology is a teleportation system used to instantly transport a person or object(s) from one place to another over massive distances. Unlike the Ancient Ring Transporter, the object in transport does not need to be on a platform, and can be beamed to any location desired; as a result the ring transporter is generally unused on board ships fitted with the capability to use Asgard beaming. This technology is a great tactical advantage, and it also provides great usefulness in society as a form of mass transportation for people and cargo.
The beaming technology is mostly onboard on Asgard vessels; however, Anubis was able to steal the technology from the Asgard by probing Thor's mind. [12] As a result, he was able to use the technology on a mass scale. Beaming capability had also been installed on the now-destroyed Prometheus [13] and all of the more recent Daedalus class battlecruisers. The technology was used aggressively as a weapons delivery system to teleport nuclear weapons right inside nearby Wraith Hive-Ships. However, the Wraith quickly developed jamming countermeasures so that the beaming technology could not acquire a lock and thus stop this tactic. The Asgard themselves do not employ this tactic as they have ethical issues with using the technology for offensive purposes. [5][10]
Besides people and small objects, the beam device is apparently capable of beaming large objects, from Stargates [14] to complete skyscrapers. [15]
The beaming technology could also be modified to create matter from energy and allowed the creation of 'replicated' food, supplies and other equipment. [9]
[edit] Cloning
Since the Asgard are unable to reproduce sexually, they have almost perfected cloning technology, and build populations with clones. To preserve particular lives, a new body is cloned and the old consciousness is transferred into a new body. The technology for mind-transferral is unique to the Asgard. A cloned Asgard has a very primitive mind, almost no mind at all, until it receives a transferral. [16] However, this process is not without its drawbacks. Throughout the series, the Asgard mention that their race is slowly dying because their clones are deteriorating due to overuse, and many resources have been invested in research to combat this problem. Unfortunately the problem leads to the end of the Asgard.[12]
[edit] Explosive Suppression Systems
Asgard ships possess a system of unknown nature (mentioned in Nemesis), that prevents explosions from occurring onboard a ship. As a result, many of the tactics used against Go'auld ships from the inside, by less advanced races (grenades, C4 and nuclear devices), would be rendered useless on Asgard ships.
[edit] Holographic technology
.jpg/180px-Asgard_hologram_(Nemesis).jpg)
The holographic technology of the Asgard is very highly advanced. It is able to send a holographic image of something to a place far away, even over many light years. When a hologram is activated, it gives a near real representation of the image similar to the holograms of Star Trek. These technologies are often incorporated into the Halls on their protected planets, and utilize them in communications with the High Council. [17]
This device is often used to produce a holographic image of a person, which then is sent to the people with whom the person wants to talk. Holographic projections can also be used strategically, to distract enemy troops from battle without risk to the user. [12] This technology was copied by Anubis from Thor's mind and used several times to contact Earth. [18] Ba'al uses this technology to contact Earth several times in season 8.
This technology is notably different from Ancient holographic technology which allows for one-way communication where as the Asgard holograms are capable of two-way communication.
[edit] Hyperdrive
Asgard hyperdrives are designed to reach distant galaxies in minutes. [1] They gave Earth their hyperdrive systems for the new Daedalus class battlecruisers as thanks for helping defeat the Replicators. However, the Earth ship power sources are much weaker, and hyperdrives deployed appear to be less advanced than typical Asgard ships, so it takes them three weeks to get to the Pegasus Galaxy, though this speed is still far beyond anything other advanced races such as the Goa'uld or Wraith can accomplish. A ZPM would allow the Earth ships to reach Pegasus in four days. [5] The Odyssey was recently fitted with the newer Hyperdrive, and it is likely the technology will propagate to other Earth ships.
[edit] Mind-Transferral System
The Asgard have a technology that allows them to preserve an individual's consciousness by transferring it into a computer system. This system is used to maintain an Asgard's mind until it is ready to be transferred to a new clone body. However, it has been used for other purposes.
Thor's consciousness was once downloaded into the computer of a Goa'uld mothership by Anubis, who was attempting to access the information contained within Thor's mind. However, Thor's mind managed to overpower the Goa'uld computer and, at the time, he controlled various portions of the ships systems to allow SG-1 to escape from the ship. Unfortunately, though they managed to rescue his body while they escaped, Thor's mind remained within the Goa'uld computer. Over time, he gradually seized more and more control of the ship until he had assumed nearly total dominance of the vessel, taking the Ha'tak to Earth, where his mind was removed from the system and reimplanted into a new body. [19]
This system was also used to transfer Jack O'Neill's mind to the computer on Thor's new ship, the Daniel Jackson, after he had been frozen in the Ancient outpost under the ice of Antarctica. Thor's reasons for doing this were to access the Ancient database stored in O'Neill's mind to find a weapon to use against the Replicators. However, the first thing Jack did while in control of the ship's main computer was to turn the lights on and off repeatedly. [2]
[edit] Personal Cloaking Device
A small hand-held device used by the Asgard. When the device is applied to the body of an individual and then activated, the person becomes invisible. This device was used by the people of PX3-595, an Asgard protected planet, to hide from predators.
In 2000, SG-9 attempted to negotiate for the device, but was unable to obtain one. Harry Maybourne later sent a rogue team temporarily led by Jack O'Neill to steal the device, which was later brought back to Earth by Colonel Makepeace. Presumably, the device was returned to the Asgard along with other stolen technologies. [20]
[edit] Power Generation
The Asgard utilize massive Neutrino Ion Generators to power their starships, though the internal functions of said generators are unknown.
[edit] Replicator Disrupter Satellite
Planet-defending version of the smaller Replicator disruptor, designed to disintegrate Replicator vessels on a planetary scale. The disruptor itself was based on Ancient technology, although the Asgard were able to adapt it for their own uses. The satellite was compatible with human computers and could be remodulated to target Replicator ships who had made themselves immune to previous attacks by the technology. This remodulation could occur while the satellite was in orbit over the base.
According to Thor, the most effective deployment would be geosynchronous orbit above the base at an altitude of 33,798 kilometers with a zero inclination. [21]
[edit] Sensors
Asgard sensors are highly advanced. They can scan through Goa'uld shields and pinpoint life signs from far away, and are also what allows their beaming technology to lock on to an object so accurately. [12] A (likely less advanced) version was installed on the Earth ships of the Daedalus class. [5] Asgard sensors can detect replicators, however this is the first system the replicators will disable on an Asgard ship to ensure they remain hidden.
[edit] Shields
Energy shields are the primary defense technology used by Asgard starships. As the technology was shared by the Asgard with the Tau'ri after their contributions in defeating the Replicators, the Earth-designed Prometheus- [13] and Daedalus-class battlecruisers are also protected by Asgard shields. [5] This gives them great superiority over most other space-faring races in both the Milky Way [22] and Pegasus Galaxy. [5]
Asgard shields create an elliptical "bubble" around the starship that absorbs and diffuses the energy from weapons fire. The shields will gradually weaken under sustained fire, rather quickly if the attack is of sufficient force, allowing energy from attacks to bleed through, causing damage to the ship. [13][23]. Although additional energy can be allocated to the shield bubble to reinforce it, ultimately the only way for a ship to survive a continual attack is to withdraw, and give the shields time to recharge, unlike Ancient City Shields. [5]
Asgard shields are more effective than most Goa'uld energy shields, except when facing foes of an equal or superior technological level. [12] However, the strength of these shields is relative to the power channeled into the shield system. The most advanced shields they had were given to the Odyssey in Unending and this allowed the Odyssey to take multiple hits from Ori motherships and survive (though damaged) [9], something no ship had ever done before.
Asgard shields on the Daedalus are unable to stop incoming radiation from a nearby star, (the Asgard on board states that the ship will be intact, but all life forms on the ship will die) when a virus took control of the ship.
[edit] Starships
The starships of the Asgard Fleet are among the most advanced ever encountered by the SGC. Their ships are equipped with powerful hyperdrives, enabling them to traverse thousands of light years in minutes. These ships are capable of operating with as few as one Asgard on board, suggesting that their ships possess highly advanced AI. However, in one instance, Thor has made a reference to evacuating his crew. [24]
[edit] Thor's Hammer
- Further information: wikia:Stargate:Thor's Hammer
Thor's Hammer was a two-part device left by the Asgard on the planet Cimmeria to protect its people. Anyone who came to the planet via the Stargate was instantly scanned by the Hammer, which detected whether or not they were hosts to a Goa'uld. If the Hammer determined that the visitor was a host, it transported them to an underground labyrinth.
In this labyrinth, the Goa'uld was forced to make a choice between spending eternity inside the bleak caves or meet its own doom. The labyrinth's only exit was through the second part of the Hammer, which would kill a Goa'uld symbiote whilst preserving the host. The device was destroyed to allow Teal'c to escape the labyrinth.[25] After a new version was constructed by the Asgard, Thor's Hammer now allows Teal'c to come and go to this planet through the Stargate without getting sent to the Labyrinth. [3]
[edit] Time Dilation Device
The first seen Asgard version of a time dilation device was created by the Asgard to generate a time dilation bubble of radius 0.16 light years. The device was first used by the Asgard to trap the Replicators in a time bubble where time was slowed down by a factor of 104 relative to the outside of the time bubble. This bought the Asgard time to figure out what they could do about the Replicator threat. The Replicators, however, were able to modify the device to speed up time inside the bubble instead. This allowed them to evolve at a faster rate. The Replicators also learned how to create time dilation effects themselves, using it to escape from a black hole.[26] Two years later, the time dilation device is used to close an interdimensional gap in a black hole.[6]
The Asgard computer core that was deployed on the Odyssey in the series finale episode possessed a time dilation generator. It was first tested to escape an Ori attack but unfortunately, the Odyssey had no way to escape the field or the blast. After fifty years Carter figured out how to use the device to reverse time to the moment before the device was activated.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Small Victories" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ a b New Order, Part I" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ a b "Thor's Chariot" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Disclosure" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Siege, Part III" (Stargate Atlantis)
- ^ a b "Ripple Effect" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ a b "The Last Man (Stargate Atlantis)"
- ^ "Enemies (Stargate SG-1)"
- ^ a b c d e "Unending (Stargate SG-1)"
- ^ a b "Be All My Sins Remember'd (Stargate Atlantis)"
- ^ "Stargate: The Ark of Truth
- ^ a b c d e "Revelations" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ a b c "Ethon" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Off the Grid" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Ex Deus Machina" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Covenant" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Red Sky" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Redemption" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Descent" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Shades of Grey" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Gemini" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Company of Thieves" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Camelot (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Nemesis" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Thor's Hammer" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Unnatural Selection" (Stargate SG-1)
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