Movement on reviving Stargate is on hold following the news that Amazon execs didn’t like the idea showrunner Martin Gero pitched. He worked on SG-1 and Atlantis, and many fans thought whatever he pitched would automatically get green lit. His track record is generally good since he’s even helped bring Quantum Leap back, even though that never saw a finale.
According to Variety, a source with knowledge of the production had to let the cat out of the bag. He did not say what the concerns were, other than that the concept may alienate part of the fandom. The social media post from Joseph Mallozzi didn’t say much either.
Whether the new idea involved the military presence controlling the gate or not, nobody knows. My love for this franchise has always been with the archaeology. With the original creators involved, there’s potential to revisit strange new worlds or dimensions inspired by lore. That’s why I adored the franchise. I’ve even read the novels written by Bill McCay which, according to a Wiki source, were produced by consulting the original notes made by film director Roland Emmerich, in an attempt to envision where the film “would have gone.”
I still consider that narrative the best, even beating out the televised series. Along with the original film’s novelization, the aliens’ origin story was never dumbed down. Rather than saying there’s a snake coiled around a host body’s spine, they simply existed. If I remember the details correctly, Ra was borne after an alien race travelled the stars looking for perfection and a way to extend their life; what they did was distinct from implying a symbiote existed.
Whatever Gero’s pitch was, I have my own fan theory on what to explore next: focus on Skaara’s afterlife.
In SG-1 lore, the boy who grew up to be a man had quite the journey. From meeting Daniel Jackson to becoming a rebel to being kidnapped, Skaara’s story never stood still. He became a host for a Goa’uld, living a life where his soul was trapped in limbo (see below for a list of episodes comprising his story arc). Following a tribunal to determine who rightfully possessed the body, he finally gained freedom and returned home to Abydos. But the planet, rich in ancient artefacts, drew the System Lords to find the Eye of Ra. He would protect a forgotten pyramid, and with Anubis leading the charge, the last of Abydos’s people were slain.
Fortunately, with the help of an Ancient (who are basically gods), they were saved and now live in a literal cosmic Field of Reeds, a type of heaven reserved for only the pure of heart. That sounds like a peaceful ending. But I’m sure Skaara’s desire for adventure would come calling again.
He’s been through a lot, and in the stories not yet told, from wrestling control of his body away from the Goa’uld Klorel to seeking redemption, there’s plenty of material to work with. Some theologians argue the journey of the soul matters more than the preservation of the physical body. If fans want to dig into Egyptology, those immaculately preserved as mummies are said to live an eternal life through the ba, that little bird-soul that can leave the physical form, participate in the natural world, and return home to rest. But no matter how many traps and cosmic curses line a tomb, someone always finds a way in. The plundering never stops.
As much as I’d love to see a return to the archaeological spirit that defined the original film, any televised reboot will likely lean harder into science fiction, in the vein of Star Trek. That’s what SG-1 became. The first three seasons were strong. The later seasons, at their core, were about checking off familiar sci-fi narrative boxes every long-running series eventually gets to: time loops, mirror universes, you can spot them coming. That was not what I wanted.
While changing the later season’s direction is not necessarily bad, but it dilutes what made the concept special. To cut ties with the ancient astronaut angle, the Erich von Däniken DNA running through the franchise, would be a disservice. It doesn’t have to be heavy-handed, but the connective tissue has to be there. And the series doesn’t have to be about alien visitation.
With public interest in UAPs growing, there’s a real case for revisiting the saga through the lens of discovering a living ancient civilisation hidden in the inner earth, one that wants control of the gate. Perhaps there’s a supergate to allow larger crafts to travel between galaxies. This would be a perfect follow-up since we had puddle jumpers in Atlantis, and the military looking to bridge the gap between one cosmic star clutter to another.
And the perfect person to lead this team is Skaara. He’s been through it all. It’s also been argued on Dial the Gate (YouTube) that this character’s arc is incomplete. Other civilisations could have heard of him, or understand him through senses beyond language, telepathy included. If these other entities are just as wise and ascended as the Ancients, the team would need allies who can meet them at that level. With this man to help translate and bridge the gap, it’d be a fresh direction for the IP: instead of travelling to other worlds, they’re navigating other states of awareness.
The Lemurians of Mt. Shasta are said to be ascended beings, so to fit them into this IPs lore isn’t difficult. As for lost civilisations, even Shangri-La can be brought into the fore. Because this series really is about exploring links between ancient cultures and the stars, that connective tissue is essential. Without it, just saying “let’s travel to the planet Sirius” needs to be taken, pardoning the pun, seriously.
As for the team around him, casting could build a core group of five or seven. I’d lean toward seven for the simple reason that the number carries spiritual significance. Even three would work. Without these small nods to deeper meaning, whatever gets produced will lack the quality that made the Stargate franchise worth caring about in the first place.
Stargate SG-1 Skaara Arc is Made up Of
- “Children of the Gods, Part 1”
- “Children of the Gods, Part 2”
- “Within the Serpent’s Grasp”
- “The Serpent’s Lair”
- “Pretense”
- “Full Circle”
Available to watch with the Stargate SG-1 The Collection
