Newbie Here...

[Frontier]

So, I've never gotten into Stargate. Seen a smattering of episodes over the years, about a half-dozen in a decade, and it just never caught on with me. But I happened on a re-airing of the SGU pilot and... well, it's nBSG-ish-ness drew me in. It seems more 'adult' than the other SG shows, though as I said, I've only seen a few episodes over a decade, so don't take that as a crack at their expense. Just a non-fans opinion.

The grim scenario, the mysterious ship, the conflict between the people, and the classic 'we're lost, we want to go home' aspect which I always loved in Voyager. Certainly, that sex scene in the beginning between the Lieutenant fellow and whomever-she-was was very nBSG-ish.

So... this show seems fairly isolated from other SG shows. Seems like one you might be able to jump into without having seen the others. But, what do you all think I may need to know as a crash course?

Like, who are the SG universes badies? And how do the gates work?

Basically, if I where advising someone new to Trek, I'd give them the low down on the Klingons, Romulans, Vulcans, and the big tech elements - Warp drive, phasers, transporters.

Can someone do as such for SG?

 

[cylkoth]

This show was specifically created to appeal to a new, younger, hipper audience such as yourself. You need no extensive knowledge of the past shows, all you newbies needed to know was in the pilot.
In a nutshell, as Eli's video tutorials explained, a race of humans that were came to be referred to as The Ancients (due to their race having lived for millions of years) created the gate network, first in the Milky Way, then several millions years later, in the nearby Pegasus galaxy. This ship was originally built and sent out while they lived on Earth, but they were stricken by a mysterious plague and began dying off-which took several thousand years, so they never traveled to board it .

There aren't any established baddies out here where the Destiny is, and the producers have vowed to avoid going the galactic heavies route that they wedded SG1 and ATL to. To emulate BSG, they have created a ship built far earlier than most of the super fantastic technology that was discovered by SG1/ATL Expedition, which gives the show the closer to present day Earth feel that won't scare off tv critics who drooled over BSG's low tech trappings.
The base attackers were the Lucian Alliance, humans who were once enslaved by the Gouald, and once the System Lords were bought down by the big damn heroes at Stargate Command, grabbed whatever Goulald ships and weapons they could, and formed a cabal, intent of filling in the power vacuum that resulted in the SL's defeat.

 

[Jenee]

A wormhole is established between to gates. You can only go through the gate that initiated the wormhole. To go back, you must re-establish a wormhole from the side you are now on.

Two way radio and video communications are possible through the wormhole.

Since everything in SGU is all Ancient design and stellar drift is already accounted for, there's no point touching on that....

and ... I that's all I can think of right now.

Next

 

[SmoothieX]

Uh, college football is played on Saturdays, pro on Sundays. And there are no fish in my pond, at all, where I fish.

I think that covers it for me.

 

[Islander]

Humans are the second evolution of a race called the Ancients that long ago evolved into a non-corporial form existing now on a higher plane of existence (through a process call ascension). 2 Ancients faction existed, the Alterans and the Ori. on their path to ascention, they split apart due to difference of opinions (Alterans using science, Ori religion). The Alterans left their galaxy and seeded life in the Milky way, amongst other places. The Ori forced their followers to worship them, gaining power from the process but the Alterans have a strict rule of non-interference with lower planes of existence. The Ori were completely destroyed at the end of SG1.

Before the Ori became a treat in the Milky way, the main bad guy were a race call the Goa'ould. A parasidic snake-like race that controls their human host, posing as God. These were highly machiavelic and megalomaniacs and have enslaves humans throughout time and created cultures like ancient egypt. A small group of them, opposing this way exist called the Tok'Ra. Most of the Goa'ould were destroyed in Season 8 (their power was completely obliterated, anyway) but some may still live.

Another significant race is the Asguard, small benevolant grey aliens (looking like the alleged Roswell aliens) that no longer reproduce but instead transfers their conscience into clone bodies. Their have protected humans at times and even introduce the Norse mythology. Most of them are dead as they commitment mass suicide at the end of SG1 (they were already a dying race due to cloning problems) but left their entire knowlegde to Earth.

That completes who's who for the most relevant races, stay tune for specific technologies.

 

[Broccoli]

Uh, college football is played on Saturdays, pro on Sundays. And there are no fish in my pond, at all, where I fish.

I think that covers it for me.

Win.

 

[Jenee]

Oh, yea. the Furlings. Here's hoping we run into them. and, let's also hope they aren't freakin' Ewoks.

 

[Islander]

Oh, yea. the Furlings. Here's hoping we run into them. and, let's also hope they aren't freakin' Ewoks.

The only thing we know is that they reject ways of war like the Nox. Given the dark theme of SGU, their presence is highly unlikely.

 

[Islander]

It will be slightly irrelevant to talk about most technologies that we know since the Destiny pre-dates by far any other ship/base by the ancient but existing ships (from any previously named races) uses hyperspace drives (enable a window to a subspace region for FTL travels).

One of a big issue with Ancient technology is a mechanism that makes them only operable by individuals with a specific gene (called the Ancient-Technology-Activation gene) preventing enemies from using their technology against them. Due to cross-breeding, some human have this gene (like the main charaters of both SG1 and Atlantis) and this can be implemented through gene therapy but it doesn't always work. Again, given Destiny's age, it is unclear if such is already implemented.

One the the ancient most efficient piece of technology is a weapon called "drone", an energy-matter hybrid projectile that can be maneuvered remotly and is extremely destructive, especially in swarms. They are control from an interface called the ancient's chair (requiring ATA gene) that enable a form a mind meld between the operator and the computer systems guiding the drones. Again, it is unclear if such technology will be seen on SGU.

 

[The Wormhole]

Certainly, that sex scene in the beginning between the Lieutenant fellow and whomever-she-was was very nBSG-ish.

I'm sorry, but what is so "BSG-ish" about two people having sex? Did Ron Moore invent sexual intercourse?

 

[Hyperspace05]

Certainly, that sex scene in the beginning between the Lieutenant fellow and whomever-she-was was very nBSG-ish.

I'm sorry, but what is so "BSG-ish" about two people having sex? Did Ron Moore invent sexual intercourse?

You didn't know that? Geez...

 

[The Wormhole]

I guess I should read Battlestar Wiki more often.

 

[Jenee]

I, personally, never had sex before watching NuBSG.

I've no idea where my 27 year old son came from.

 

[MNM]

well, it's nBSG-ish-ness drew me in. It seems more 'adult' than the other SG shows

Meh, so the lighting is darker, the camera more hand held and the characters less friendly and nice towards each other (my initial impression anyway), and if that indicates the show is more "adult" than previous ones, then I am happy to stick with my un-adult shows like SG-1.

I'm not attempting to knock you specifically, I just find the idea that a show is more "adult" simply because it looks darker and less friendly on screen to be a very sad one.

 

[FrankR]

I think this show is going to be more stand alone-ish than a lot of other series that are part of a franchise. You probably don't need to know anything to get into the show (why else have a character that is a newbie if not to be a way to explain things to the audience.) However since you asked; given the premise, probably the only relivant back story would be that of the Lanteans/Anqueetsas/Alteraans/Ancestors/Ancients. And wikipedia has a pretty good writeup on them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_(Stargate)

 

[Star Wolf]

So, I've never gotten into Stargate. Seen a smattering of episodes over the years, about a half-dozen in a decade, and it just never caught on with me. But I happened on a re-airing of the SGU pilot and... well, it's nBSG-ish-ness drew me in. It seems more 'adult' than the other SG shows, though as I said, I've only seen a few episodes over a decade, so don't take that as a crack at their expense. Just a non-fans opinion.

The grim scenario, the mysterious ship, the conflict between the people, and the classic 'we're lost, we want to go home' aspect which I always loved in Voyager. Certainly, that sex scene in the beginning between the Lieutenant fellow and whomever-she-was was very nBSG-ish.

So... this show seems fairly isolated from other SG shows. Seems like one you might be able to jump into without having seen the others. But, what do you all think I may need to know as a crash course?

Like, who are the SG universes badies? And how do the gates work?

Basically, if I where advising someone new to Trek, I'd give them the low down on the Klingons, Romulans, Vulcans, and the big tech elements - Warp drive, phasers, transporters.

Can someone do as such for SG?

It suppose to be like Voyager was suppose to be. If you have seen the movie and/or a handful of episodes you know enough. Now its a matter of how long before an Atlantis or SG1 baddie shows up as happened on voyager.

 

[The Wormhole]

Now its a matter of how long before an Atlantis or SG1 baddie shows up as happened on voyager.

Well, the Lucian Alliance was in the pilot.

Spoiler: I've heard...

And word is they're returning before the season ends.

 

[Star Wolf]

Now its a matter of how long before an Atlantis or SG1 baddie shows up as happened on voyager.

Well, the Lucian Alliance was in the pilot.

True but that is the same as Voyager in the Badlands chasing the Maquis in their pilot. Should System Lords or Hives show up later they run the Borg risk.

 

[The Wormhole]

Now its a matter of how long before an Atlantis or SG1 baddie shows up as happened on voyager.

Well, the Lucian Alliance was in the pilot.

Should System Lords or Hives show up later they run the Borg risk.

It'll be worse if the Replicators ever show up.

 

[SG-17]

I really, really, really hope that we never see the Replicators again. Ever!
I loved them in pre-season 6 SG-1 where they were this mysterious bunch of techno-bugs, but after they introduced the human-form ones, I lost interest.

Anyway, I am betting that the Lucian Alliance will play a bigger role in the series then we think, mainly for the reason that a large portion of the show will take place on Earth via the Stones.


Some things that you should know about the Stargates themselves. They are made from a mineral called Naquadah. Naquadah can store massive amounts of energy and when a Stargate overloads it explodes with the force of a thousand nuclear bombs, enough to wipe out life on Earth. Naquadah can also be added to nuclear weapons to increase their yield significantly.
The unstable vortex that you see when a wormhole is established is just that, unstable. Anything within its radius will be destroyed.
Transportation between Stargates is not instant. This was a bit fuzzy during the first few seasons, but by season 7 it was firmly established that it takes about .03 seconds to gate from Earth to any other gate in the Milky Way. Travel between gates farther away equals longer times.