Stargate SG-1 - Bringing Cult Mentality into the Future
Okay, so here is the paper I wrote last semester for my Ancient Mysteries class. One of the prompts was we could choose out own topic, as long as it was done if relation to ancient/cult mysteries (such as the Dionysian Mysteries). I, of course, chose Stargate for my topic because...well, this is me (even though I was supposed to get the topic approved first if it was one of my 'own', but never did). I ended up with a 96 on the paper (yes, out of 100) which I am EXTREMELY happy about - and I did it without citing a single source.
As with all the others, this was a paper for class, so it had to be done in a certain way and I had to find angles in the topic that might not be...well, agreed upon by others. Anywho, here it is (Sorry about how it is 'organized' here on LJ...the damn site doesn't recognize Word coding anymore and won't cooperate and display the text the right way)
Stargate SG-1 - Bringing Cult Mentality into the Future
The idea of cults is nothing new to the human mentality. For centuries, stemming from the time of the Ancient world, cults have helped connect people to ‘otherworldly’ being and concepts. They have helped carry civilizations and individuals through tough times and the trials of life. When one sits and considers the idea of cults and mystery religions, it is likely the person will immediately think back to those Ancient rites that have lived on in the ways of literature and archaeological evidence for ages. But it is not only in Ancient time that cults flourished and thrived. Many still exist today - maybe not in the same manner as their long-gone predecessors, but they are around. And many of these ‘cults’ are just as mysterious to the everyday world as those that were devoted to Demeter and Mithras in the era of great Greek and Roman empires. From the Trekkies in the Star Trek fandom, to the lingerie-dressing ‘sluts’ of the Rocky Horror Picture Show fan base, the modern world is smattered with its own brand of modern cult. One such modern ‘cult’ is the one surrounding the world of Stargate SG-1.
Stargate SG-1 is a science fiction television show that aired from the mid-nineties all the way up until 2007. It was a show that infused the well-known tropes of the science fiction genre with the mythologies and stories that spanned this world’s population for centuries. Everything from Ancient Egyptian lore to the legends of King Arthur and his gallant knights were covered over the course of the series’ ten-year run. The show was a ‘continuation’ of the movie Stargate, which in itself is often labeled under the title of ‘cult classic’- though it is not clear whether it was considered such from its inception or if that built because of the growth of interest in SG-1. Like many other science fiction shows, Stargate SG-1 quickly built up a cult following that only grew with the length of the series’ run. Not only did it build up a cult following, but it also (as a science fiction show based in Earth-bound mythology) examines the ideas of cult mentality and mystery religions within the realm of its storylines and character developments. It is through both the cult fan base and its examination of mystery religions that a comparison can be made to the Ancient Mysteries of centuries ago.
History was an important, necessary even, aspect of Stargate SG-1’s makeup. Even more necessary than history was mythology because it was in the Earth mythologies of gods and goddesses that SG-1 drew a bulk of its material. It is in these very same mythologies where the roots of some of the most famous mystery cults reside. So it is no wonder that often times the stories on the show delved into the concept of cult gatherings and religions. One of the most famous (and popular, in its time) Ancient Mysteries was that dedicated to Osiris and Isis, of the Egyptian Pantheon. Stargate SG-1’s popularity, from its startup, sprang from the examination of the very same gods and goddesses found in said Egyptian Pantheon. The show did cover the mythology based around Isis and Osiris - they even made Osiris into a recurring antagonist throughout a large portion of the series. But it was through the introduction of Seth that the concept of ‘mystery religion’ was explored in relation to the mythology. In the season three episode, aptly titled ‘Seth’, SG-1 (the team after which the show is named) learns of the mysterious disappearance of young people. They come to realize that these people are being drawn into the ‘world’ presented to them by the god Seth. While the ‘cult’ presented in this episode has some details that make it slightly different than the cults of the Ancient world, the core of its existence is the same. A population’s youth being drawn into another world by the promises of a divine being. They wish to experience the joys and fruits presented to them when they provide dutiful worship to their true god. As in the myth of Isis and Osiris, Seth is a bad guy. What he is offering these young people isn’t as divine and enlightening as he says. It is presented early on in the episode that the character of Seth has had a cult dedicated to him “in one form or another for centuries”. He popped up throughout history as Typhon, in a cult in the Middle Ages calling himself Seth, and in the current cult (referred to as the “Children of Seth”) shown in the episode that the team infiltrates. The show is subtly showing how the importance of mystery religions lies within what the individuals involving themselves in said religions wish to believe above all else. Seth is embodying, in each cult he pops up in history, whatever those people of that time wish to have the most. The biggest difference seen between the cult of Seth in this episode of SG-1 and those, say, of Demeter or Dionysus, is that Seth’s cult is very dark. All the ones mentioned throughout history have him leaving behind a trail of bodies. Here it can be interpreted quite easily that SG-1 fell into the stereotype that all ‘cults’ are a bad thing by giving Seth’s cult a darker edge.
The exploration into cult religions by SG-1 isn’t tied to one episode stories that are neatly wrapped up in forty-three minutes. They also delved deeper into the idea of ‘cult followings’ through story arcs that spanned several episodes, and even entire seasons. Two perfect examples of these are the multi-episode Ishta/Molok/Hak’tyl storyline and the multi-season arc of the Ori. With the episodes dedicated to Ishta, you get the concepts of sacrifice and gender separation that permeate many (if not all) of the well-known mystery religions. Ishta is a strong female character who takes her fellow women counterparts away from the forced sacrifice put upon them by the god Molok. This group of women call themselves the Hak’tyl, and in a way can be considered a cult of sorts by their devotion to the idea that they can break free from their worldly bonds. Molok decreed that almost all female children under his rule must be sacrificed at birth, and this is what the Hak’tyl are trying to free themselves from. They see their enlightenment through the eyes of their leader Ishta and are determined to experience it. It is almost as if the Hak’tyl are a cult to Ishta herself, their devotion to her and her idea of breaking free of their known world too intoxicating to pass up. This spanned a two episodes over the course of two seasons, and it is within these episodes that the concept of gender separation is explored (more so than SG-1 had done in any other episode). Only men were decreed worthy enough to live in Molok’s empire, but the strength and ingenuity of women that is so cherished in the concepts of mystery cults is presented beautifully within the scope of the two episodes. SG-1, in this case, examines the good and bad associated with mystery cults.
This same examination of the good and bad, which can again be easily related back to the cults of Ancient times, is distinctly experienced through the eyes of one of the show’s most important characters - Daniel Jackson. As if he were an initiate in one of the mystery cults of old, Daniel is presented with the opportunity to experience a bit of the divine. He is quite literally offered ascension and enlightenment and, as is only natural, he accepts. He must sacrifice much to achieve it, just like many of those people who were initiated into the ancient cults. His worldly body has no place in the higher, brighter plane - he has to leave it behind. His way of thinking, the human way of thinking, is not be enough to get him to this new, divine realm. He has to “free his mind” in order to reach it. And the most important aspect, one can argue, when he reaches this new ascended level is that he cannot share what he has experience with those he left on the lower, human level. The mystery that comes into mystery religions is quite wonderfully represented in Daniel’s struggle to accept that fact that he cannot tell anyone. Neither the audience, nor the fellow characters, knows what happens on that higher plane. It is only found out in snippets and hint, enough to pique interest and possibly inspire others to try and reach the higher level themselves. The message that comes with mystery religions, such as with the Cult of Dionysus, is that one must return to the human world to truly appreciate what they have. This is clear through Daniel’s struggle to accept his silence. He realizes that all that he learned while reaching that divine state wasn’t worth the sacrifice of losing his humanity. Daniel only gets a brief taste of the divine, but returns to his human form (at the sacrifice of the divine knowledge) because he learns that it is the way things were meant to be. The good in his ascension was that he could experience the divine and learn the limits of his humanity. The bad is that Daniel is a character truly devoted to all knowledge and that the sacrifice of that knowledge is not only hard for him to bear, but difficult to watch from an audience point of view. Still, this is another excellent example from SG-1 where the strengths of such a mystery religion outshine the weaknesses. It also is a fantastic examination of how mystery religions are based in the personal, not the public.
When it comes to the concept of the Ori, however, SG-1 returns to the idea that religions of great power and hold over a population are dark and sinister. It provides a wonderful example of the xenophobia that was strong in the hearts and minds of the Greeks and Romans in ancient times. Origin (the religion of the Ori, all powerful, godlike beings) had an entire galaxy worth of followers dedicated to it. Like with Seth, the Ori are promising their followers enlightenment ( quite literally). They say they will provide better understanding of the universe and human existence, which is arguably the concept that connects all mystery religions. One of the things that make Origin such a mystery religion is that the galaxy in which it comes from is not ours. It is accidentally stumbled upon by two of the main characters of the series, and they do not understand why these people are so devoted to it. In relation to show context, Origin is the exact opposite of what Daniel experienced with his own ascension. So SG-1 protagonists, the characters that the audience is rooting for (and at this point, wholeheartedly devoted to, considering this storyline takes place in the later seasons), are confused by the devotion to a religion that is dark and ‘unnatural’. This is where the concept of xenophobia comes into play. SG-1 is like the Greeks, who fear those things they do not know. Origin is something unusual, different from what they have experienced previously. It is from a faraway place; so far away they didn’t even know it existed until it was found by accident. Origin was not something they went looking for, but was brought to them by random happenstance. Origin is similar to the Cult of Dionysus, which the Greeks fears equally as much as SG-1 and Earth fear Origin. Also similar to Dionysus is how the Ori are promoting their religion to gain recognition and power, and will do whatever it takes to make sure that power is recognized. Where Dionysus has his initiates cut up a man for not believing in his divine power, the Ori have their followers burn unbelievers.
An extremely important Ancient Mysteries trait explored through the Ori storyline is that of the power of women. The Ori create a vessel to represent them in human form, and that vessel is very definitely a female. She goes by the name of Adria. It is often joked about by the characters of the show that it is no surprise that Origin begins to spread like wildfire in our galaxy when they have a leader like Adria. She is portrayed as being divinely beautiful, a mystery that can only be understood when one succumbs to her need to convert to Origin. She is the heavenly creature all her followers strive to be - a human with the knowledge from a higher level. This contradicts the argument that the human mind and body are too insignificant to obtain such knowledge and understanding. But when the Ori, as a whole, are defeated, it is Adria who gains all their power and their followers. Her human body is shed at that point, thus proving the weakness inherit in being mortal. She is the great female - Demeter, Cybele, Isis. Adria is even able to make the most stout unbeliever, such as Daniel, waver in his resolve to not bend to her will. There is no human force powerful enough to destroy her. It is not until another higher being comes along (noticeably female as well) that Adria can be destroyed. It is important to realize, however, that Adria is the antagonist, unlike her female counterparts in the ancient cults. Perhaps it is better suited to call her destroyer, our protagonist, the equivalent of the great female. Morgan Le Fay is the show’s Demeter, the great goddess Isis (not ‘literally’ since the Isis in the show was a villain) who comes to the rescue when she is most needed. It is ironic in the strongly Christian Arthurian lore that Morgan Le Fay is the enemy, often portrayed as a bad character. By making Morgan an ‘Isis’ on SG-1 a ‘good guy’, the ties to the importance of the female divine within the realm of mystery religions is established. The people of the Ancient world saw the power within the female sex and that power it clearly portrayed in the world of SG-1.
It is not only within the confines of the show’s storylines that one can find a connection to the great mystery religions. Stargate SG-1, as a whole, has amassed a cult following that rivals some of both its modern day, and ancient day, counterparts. And a lot of today’s society does not realize just how deep and leveled the fandom of SG-1 really is. It is only when one is initiated ‘properly’ and shown the ways of the fandom that they can truly grasp the importance within.
An everyday person would never know that beyond what they might see on the TV of SG-1 is an online and even real life world that thrives by those devoted to the fandom. It is not just about the witty one-liners and the good looking cast that draws the most hardcore Stargate fans into the fold. It is about connection - a connection to the stories, a connection to the characters, and a connection to the others who find the connections similar to what you found in the show.
As a person who has been deep in this fandom cult for many years now, I understand the levels and rites and passage that go down within it. And these are the type of things that people just do not understand until they experience it themselves. The first level of initiation is through the show, but making those connections to the show already mentioned. It has become a lot easier with the internet being as mainstream in everyday life to reach the next level. That next level is discovering the online community devoted to Stargate SG-1. This online community has several layer of its own, from the graphics, to the Meta, to the fanfiction. There is the interacting with fellow fans and the importance is stressed in finding someone on a higher ‘level’ than you (been in the fandom longer) so you will be able to reach the next level. This is how one is best able to learn the proper terms and lingo that is almost necessary when interacting with fellow fans. The next level is the creating - providing your own graphics, metas, and fanfictions to the fandom. This introduces one to others and helps build up that reputation.
The highest level, I believe, in this fandom, is when one is committed and able to make it to a convention (and then more after the first one). Conventions, unto themselves, are a whole new kind of initiation. It is even common in convention lingo to refer to a new comer as a ‘virgin’. This is the most ‘secretive’ level of the fandom because it is honestly not possible to describe a person not a convention what has actual happened. The experience, the joy, and the proper emotions, get lost in the retelling. It is only when a person actually attends a convention for themselves that they begin to truly understand what it is like to be on the highest level in the fandom. And, of course, there are two parts to this new level. Attending and experiencing the conventions, and becoming acquainted (and possibly well-known) with the very actors and actresses that you created a connection with in the beginning of initiation is the final level. It brings one full circle - going from craving the divine (connection with the show), trying to reach the divine (immersing oneself deep within the fandom), and reaching the divine (being able to talk with the actors and actresses). The convention is the culmination of this and it is the return home that brings one back to the reality with the experience necessary to continue on and possibly initiate others.
Of course it is not just SG-1 that this kind of level breakdown is specific to. It is a base model for many cult fandoms around today. But each fandom is unique and there are mysteries locked deep within them that can only be accessed by those truly devoted to them. People in other fandoms may be familiar with some things from another fandom, but they will not comprehend the significant of another until they are willing to commit to it completely. And these fandoms are referred to as ‘cult like’ because of the mystery they present to every day, ‘normal’ people. These people don’t understand the joy, the enlightenment, that comes from being within the fandoms. A lot of them present themselves with that same Greek xenophobic mindset - it is different from what they know. They’re not sure where it came from. So it must be weird simply because they don’t understand.
Mystery Cults are a concept that has been around for centuries - it is nothing new to human behavior. As long as humans have a desire and need to understand and connect with the divine (in whatever way they ‘see’ their divine), there will be a need for mystery cults. Stargate SG-1 fills this need for many people all over the globe. Not only does it provide the concept of mystery cults within its own story arcs, it also becomes one on its own by its mere existence and by the type of show it is. Most people out there in the normal world are not even aware of the existence of this fandom world, and if they are, they will not truly understand the significance until they take that leap and start climbing that fandom ladder for themselves. Stargate SG-1 is public, and yet is also private. It is unknown except by those who already are consumed by its power. It connects people and provides an understanding of life that many of its initiates will not be able to find elsewhere - a true mystery cult by any definition of the term.
Comments and feedback are definitely appreciated!
~Pip
As with all the others, this was a paper for class, so it had to be done in a certain way and I had to find angles in the topic that might not be...well, agreed upon by others. Anywho, here it is (Sorry about how it is 'organized' here on LJ...the damn site doesn't recognize Word coding anymore and won't cooperate and display the text the right way)
Stargate SG-1 - Bringing Cult Mentality into the Future
The idea of cults is nothing new to the human mentality. For centuries, stemming from the time of the Ancient world, cults have helped connect people to ‘otherworldly’ being and concepts. They have helped carry civilizations and individuals through tough times and the trials of life. When one sits and considers the idea of cults and mystery religions, it is likely the person will immediately think back to those Ancient rites that have lived on in the ways of literature and archaeological evidence for ages. But it is not only in Ancient time that cults flourished and thrived. Many still exist today - maybe not in the same manner as their long-gone predecessors, but they are around. And many of these ‘cults’ are just as mysterious to the everyday world as those that were devoted to Demeter and Mithras in the era of great Greek and Roman empires. From the Trekkies in the Star Trek fandom, to the lingerie-dressing ‘sluts’ of the Rocky Horror Picture Show fan base, the modern world is smattered with its own brand of modern cult. One such modern ‘cult’ is the one surrounding the world of Stargate SG-1.
Stargate SG-1 is a science fiction television show that aired from the mid-nineties all the way up until 2007. It was a show that infused the well-known tropes of the science fiction genre with the mythologies and stories that spanned this world’s population for centuries. Everything from Ancient Egyptian lore to the legends of King Arthur and his gallant knights were covered over the course of the series’ ten-year run. The show was a ‘continuation’ of the movie Stargate, which in itself is often labeled under the title of ‘cult classic’- though it is not clear whether it was considered such from its inception or if that built because of the growth of interest in SG-1. Like many other science fiction shows, Stargate SG-1 quickly built up a cult following that only grew with the length of the series’ run. Not only did it build up a cult following, but it also (as a science fiction show based in Earth-bound mythology) examines the ideas of cult mentality and mystery religions within the realm of its storylines and character developments. It is through both the cult fan base and its examination of mystery religions that a comparison can be made to the Ancient Mysteries of centuries ago.
History was an important, necessary even, aspect of Stargate SG-1’s makeup. Even more necessary than history was mythology because it was in the Earth mythologies of gods and goddesses that SG-1 drew a bulk of its material. It is in these very same mythologies where the roots of some of the most famous mystery cults reside. So it is no wonder that often times the stories on the show delved into the concept of cult gatherings and religions. One of the most famous (and popular, in its time) Ancient Mysteries was that dedicated to Osiris and Isis, of the Egyptian Pantheon. Stargate SG-1’s popularity, from its startup, sprang from the examination of the very same gods and goddesses found in said Egyptian Pantheon. The show did cover the mythology based around Isis and Osiris - they even made Osiris into a recurring antagonist throughout a large portion of the series. But it was through the introduction of Seth that the concept of ‘mystery religion’ was explored in relation to the mythology. In the season three episode, aptly titled ‘Seth’, SG-1 (the team after which the show is named) learns of the mysterious disappearance of young people. They come to realize that these people are being drawn into the ‘world’ presented to them by the god Seth. While the ‘cult’ presented in this episode has some details that make it slightly different than the cults of the Ancient world, the core of its existence is the same. A population’s youth being drawn into another world by the promises of a divine being. They wish to experience the joys and fruits presented to them when they provide dutiful worship to their true god. As in the myth of Isis and Osiris, Seth is a bad guy. What he is offering these young people isn’t as divine and enlightening as he says. It is presented early on in the episode that the character of Seth has had a cult dedicated to him “in one form or another for centuries”. He popped up throughout history as Typhon, in a cult in the Middle Ages calling himself Seth, and in the current cult (referred to as the “Children of Seth”) shown in the episode that the team infiltrates. The show is subtly showing how the importance of mystery religions lies within what the individuals involving themselves in said religions wish to believe above all else. Seth is embodying, in each cult he pops up in history, whatever those people of that time wish to have the most. The biggest difference seen between the cult of Seth in this episode of SG-1 and those, say, of Demeter or Dionysus, is that Seth’s cult is very dark. All the ones mentioned throughout history have him leaving behind a trail of bodies. Here it can be interpreted quite easily that SG-1 fell into the stereotype that all ‘cults’ are a bad thing by giving Seth’s cult a darker edge.
The exploration into cult religions by SG-1 isn’t tied to one episode stories that are neatly wrapped up in forty-three minutes. They also delved deeper into the idea of ‘cult followings’ through story arcs that spanned several episodes, and even entire seasons. Two perfect examples of these are the multi-episode Ishta/Molok/Hak’tyl storyline and the multi-season arc of the Ori. With the episodes dedicated to Ishta, you get the concepts of sacrifice and gender separation that permeate many (if not all) of the well-known mystery religions. Ishta is a strong female character who takes her fellow women counterparts away from the forced sacrifice put upon them by the god Molok. This group of women call themselves the Hak’tyl, and in a way can be considered a cult of sorts by their devotion to the idea that they can break free from their worldly bonds. Molok decreed that almost all female children under his rule must be sacrificed at birth, and this is what the Hak’tyl are trying to free themselves from. They see their enlightenment through the eyes of their leader Ishta and are determined to experience it. It is almost as if the Hak’tyl are a cult to Ishta herself, their devotion to her and her idea of breaking free of their known world too intoxicating to pass up. This spanned a two episodes over the course of two seasons, and it is within these episodes that the concept of gender separation is explored (more so than SG-1 had done in any other episode). Only men were decreed worthy enough to live in Molok’s empire, but the strength and ingenuity of women that is so cherished in the concepts of mystery cults is presented beautifully within the scope of the two episodes. SG-1, in this case, examines the good and bad associated with mystery cults.
This same examination of the good and bad, which can again be easily related back to the cults of Ancient times, is distinctly experienced through the eyes of one of the show’s most important characters - Daniel Jackson. As if he were an initiate in one of the mystery cults of old, Daniel is presented with the opportunity to experience a bit of the divine. He is quite literally offered ascension and enlightenment and, as is only natural, he accepts. He must sacrifice much to achieve it, just like many of those people who were initiated into the ancient cults. His worldly body has no place in the higher, brighter plane - he has to leave it behind. His way of thinking, the human way of thinking, is not be enough to get him to this new, divine realm. He has to “free his mind” in order to reach it. And the most important aspect, one can argue, when he reaches this new ascended level is that he cannot share what he has experience with those he left on the lower, human level. The mystery that comes into mystery religions is quite wonderfully represented in Daniel’s struggle to accept that fact that he cannot tell anyone. Neither the audience, nor the fellow characters, knows what happens on that higher plane. It is only found out in snippets and hint, enough to pique interest and possibly inspire others to try and reach the higher level themselves. The message that comes with mystery religions, such as with the Cult of Dionysus, is that one must return to the human world to truly appreciate what they have. This is clear through Daniel’s struggle to accept his silence. He realizes that all that he learned while reaching that divine state wasn’t worth the sacrifice of losing his humanity. Daniel only gets a brief taste of the divine, but returns to his human form (at the sacrifice of the divine knowledge) because he learns that it is the way things were meant to be. The good in his ascension was that he could experience the divine and learn the limits of his humanity. The bad is that Daniel is a character truly devoted to all knowledge and that the sacrifice of that knowledge is not only hard for him to bear, but difficult to watch from an audience point of view. Still, this is another excellent example from SG-1 where the strengths of such a mystery religion outshine the weaknesses. It also is a fantastic examination of how mystery religions are based in the personal, not the public.
When it comes to the concept of the Ori, however, SG-1 returns to the idea that religions of great power and hold over a population are dark and sinister. It provides a wonderful example of the xenophobia that was strong in the hearts and minds of the Greeks and Romans in ancient times. Origin (the religion of the Ori, all powerful, godlike beings) had an entire galaxy worth of followers dedicated to it. Like with Seth, the Ori are promising their followers enlightenment ( quite literally). They say they will provide better understanding of the universe and human existence, which is arguably the concept that connects all mystery religions. One of the things that make Origin such a mystery religion is that the galaxy in which it comes from is not ours. It is accidentally stumbled upon by two of the main characters of the series, and they do not understand why these people are so devoted to it. In relation to show context, Origin is the exact opposite of what Daniel experienced with his own ascension. So SG-1 protagonists, the characters that the audience is rooting for (and at this point, wholeheartedly devoted to, considering this storyline takes place in the later seasons), are confused by the devotion to a religion that is dark and ‘unnatural’. This is where the concept of xenophobia comes into play. SG-1 is like the Greeks, who fear those things they do not know. Origin is something unusual, different from what they have experienced previously. It is from a faraway place; so far away they didn’t even know it existed until it was found by accident. Origin was not something they went looking for, but was brought to them by random happenstance. Origin is similar to the Cult of Dionysus, which the Greeks fears equally as much as SG-1 and Earth fear Origin. Also similar to Dionysus is how the Ori are promoting their religion to gain recognition and power, and will do whatever it takes to make sure that power is recognized. Where Dionysus has his initiates cut up a man for not believing in his divine power, the Ori have their followers burn unbelievers.
An extremely important Ancient Mysteries trait explored through the Ori storyline is that of the power of women. The Ori create a vessel to represent them in human form, and that vessel is very definitely a female. She goes by the name of Adria. It is often joked about by the characters of the show that it is no surprise that Origin begins to spread like wildfire in our galaxy when they have a leader like Adria. She is portrayed as being divinely beautiful, a mystery that can only be understood when one succumbs to her need to convert to Origin. She is the heavenly creature all her followers strive to be - a human with the knowledge from a higher level. This contradicts the argument that the human mind and body are too insignificant to obtain such knowledge and understanding. But when the Ori, as a whole, are defeated, it is Adria who gains all their power and their followers. Her human body is shed at that point, thus proving the weakness inherit in being mortal. She is the great female - Demeter, Cybele, Isis. Adria is even able to make the most stout unbeliever, such as Daniel, waver in his resolve to not bend to her will. There is no human force powerful enough to destroy her. It is not until another higher being comes along (noticeably female as well) that Adria can be destroyed. It is important to realize, however, that Adria is the antagonist, unlike her female counterparts in the ancient cults. Perhaps it is better suited to call her destroyer, our protagonist, the equivalent of the great female. Morgan Le Fay is the show’s Demeter, the great goddess Isis (not ‘literally’ since the Isis in the show was a villain) who comes to the rescue when she is most needed. It is ironic in the strongly Christian Arthurian lore that Morgan Le Fay is the enemy, often portrayed as a bad character. By making Morgan an ‘Isis’ on SG-1 a ‘good guy’, the ties to the importance of the female divine within the realm of mystery religions is established. The people of the Ancient world saw the power within the female sex and that power it clearly portrayed in the world of SG-1.
It is not only within the confines of the show’s storylines that one can find a connection to the great mystery religions. Stargate SG-1, as a whole, has amassed a cult following that rivals some of both its modern day, and ancient day, counterparts. And a lot of today’s society does not realize just how deep and leveled the fandom of SG-1 really is. It is only when one is initiated ‘properly’ and shown the ways of the fandom that they can truly grasp the importance within.
An everyday person would never know that beyond what they might see on the TV of SG-1 is an online and even real life world that thrives by those devoted to the fandom. It is not just about the witty one-liners and the good looking cast that draws the most hardcore Stargate fans into the fold. It is about connection - a connection to the stories, a connection to the characters, and a connection to the others who find the connections similar to what you found in the show.
As a person who has been deep in this fandom cult for many years now, I understand the levels and rites and passage that go down within it. And these are the type of things that people just do not understand until they experience it themselves. The first level of initiation is through the show, but making those connections to the show already mentioned. It has become a lot easier with the internet being as mainstream in everyday life to reach the next level. That next level is discovering the online community devoted to Stargate SG-1. This online community has several layer of its own, from the graphics, to the Meta, to the fanfiction. There is the interacting with fellow fans and the importance is stressed in finding someone on a higher ‘level’ than you (been in the fandom longer) so you will be able to reach the next level. This is how one is best able to learn the proper terms and lingo that is almost necessary when interacting with fellow fans. The next level is the creating - providing your own graphics, metas, and fanfictions to the fandom. This introduces one to others and helps build up that reputation.
The highest level, I believe, in this fandom, is when one is committed and able to make it to a convention (and then more after the first one). Conventions, unto themselves, are a whole new kind of initiation. It is even common in convention lingo to refer to a new comer as a ‘virgin’. This is the most ‘secretive’ level of the fandom because it is honestly not possible to describe a person not a convention what has actual happened. The experience, the joy, and the proper emotions, get lost in the retelling. It is only when a person actually attends a convention for themselves that they begin to truly understand what it is like to be on the highest level in the fandom. And, of course, there are two parts to this new level. Attending and experiencing the conventions, and becoming acquainted (and possibly well-known) with the very actors and actresses that you created a connection with in the beginning of initiation is the final level. It brings one full circle - going from craving the divine (connection with the show), trying to reach the divine (immersing oneself deep within the fandom), and reaching the divine (being able to talk with the actors and actresses). The convention is the culmination of this and it is the return home that brings one back to the reality with the experience necessary to continue on and possibly initiate others.
Of course it is not just SG-1 that this kind of level breakdown is specific to. It is a base model for many cult fandoms around today. But each fandom is unique and there are mysteries locked deep within them that can only be accessed by those truly devoted to them. People in other fandoms may be familiar with some things from another fandom, but they will not comprehend the significant of another until they are willing to commit to it completely. And these fandoms are referred to as ‘cult like’ because of the mystery they present to every day, ‘normal’ people. These people don’t understand the joy, the enlightenment, that comes from being within the fandoms. A lot of them present themselves with that same Greek xenophobic mindset - it is different from what they know. They’re not sure where it came from. So it must be weird simply because they don’t understand.
Mystery Cults are a concept that has been around for centuries - it is nothing new to human behavior. As long as humans have a desire and need to understand and connect with the divine (in whatever way they ‘see’ their divine), there will be a need for mystery cults. Stargate SG-1 fills this need for many people all over the globe. Not only does it provide the concept of mystery cults within its own story arcs, it also becomes one on its own by its mere existence and by the type of show it is. Most people out there in the normal world are not even aware of the existence of this fandom world, and if they are, they will not truly understand the significance until they take that leap and start climbing that fandom ladder for themselves. Stargate SG-1 is public, and yet is also private. It is unknown except by those who already are consumed by its power. It connects people and provides an understanding of life that many of its initiates will not be able to find elsewhere - a true mystery cult by any definition of the term.
Comments and feedback are definitely appreciated!
~Pip