Deconstructing the Goa'uld: Why Ba'al doesn't work

[fignewton]

From the very beginning, the SGC had three goals: defending the Earth from the Goa’uld; taking the war to the Goa’uld in the galaxy at large, to destroy them before they could make it to Earth; and learning, through their exploration of cultures through the Stargates, a little bit more about themselves and where they were headed.

After eight years, the Tau’ri and their allies – the Free Jaffa, the Tok’ra, and one or two Helpful Ascended Beings – succeeded, with the inadvertant help of the Replicators, in destroying the Goa’uld. What next, then? Time for a new enemy, in the form of the Ori? Reasonable enough approach, even if (like me) you don’t like the storyline. Time to utterly retcon who and what the Goa’uld are and were, so we’re left wondering why the SGC didn’t destroy them in the first ten minutes of the first episode of the first season? Not so reasonable at all.

I’m going to use Ba’al, mostly, to illustrate my point, because in these last two seasons, he has essentially become the Goa’uld. And what he’s become is, to put it bluntly, absolutely pathetic.

This post includes spoilers through The Quest, part 2.

In the beginning, the Goa’uld were presented as a truly terrifying enemy. They had the power to steal your body, your knowledge, and your will; they possessed technologies far beyond any of Earth’s capabilities; they were backed by armies of millions of Jaffa, who were indoctrinated from birth into believing the Goa’uld were their gods, and who themselves were possessed of superior strength and stamina. The Jaffa weren’t necessarily skillful, although all the First Primes seemed to be; they were essentially a tool of terror, firing a weapon designed to destory and maim.

The Goa’uld were more or less immortal. They had superhuman strength and the ability to heal from almost any wound. Ra’s death in the movie, when we thought he was the only one, was possible only because of an armed nuclear warhead, some Jack and Daniel in-tandem thinking, and an amazing amount of luck and good timing. (And a group of Abydonians willing to rebel despite five thousand years of oppression and indoctrination…) Their eyes and their voices were otherworldly, inhuman, and extra ammunition for fear.

They considered humans to be slaves, or cannon fodder. They were ruthless, power-hungry egomaniacs. Worst of all, we were fighting the battle by ourselves, without any help. Under those circumstances, the Goa’uld’s tendencies towards gaudy, tasteless costumes didn’t matter; if you’re the owner of a fleet of vessels capable of obliterating a planet’s cities from orbit, no one is going to argue about the tacky gold wallpaper you insist on putting in all the ships’ corridors.

As time passed, familiarity bled some of that visceral terror away. Watching the death of Apophis, even with the knowledge that Sokar would bring him back to life, was huge. We watched Apophis die more than once; we saw Hathor die, we saw Seth die, we saw Sokar die, we saw Cronus die. Those were the big names, the ones taken from the Egyptian and Greek pantheons. We knew there were still more Goa’uld out there, of course; but there was hope where once there had been none, and the anticipation that just maybe, we could get rid of them permanently. We were cutting off their armies through Teal’c and Bra’tac inspiring their fellow Jaffa to revolt; we were rescuing victims of the Goa’uld and relocating them on planets where they could live out their lives in safety; we were making allies that would help us in our battle, or at least drop hints on occasion. There were setbacks, too; every victory seemed to allow another Goa’uld to take the loser’s place, somehow even more powerful than before. Allies were lost, or overwhelmed. Nevertheless, the future looked less bleak. None of this, however, took away the essential menace of what the Goa’uld were. Despite Apophis’ and Zipacna’s silly headpieces, despite their decadance and indulgences, the Goa’uld were still a dangerous, ominous enemy.

Let’s consider our first introduction to Ba’al: in Summit/Last Stand, as one of the System Lords who had gathered for the meeting which Daniel infiltrated. We don’t hear him speak much; he’s really one of the crowd, at that point. But even then, there’s something about him that exudes more menace than many of the others. Daniel, in his rundown of the characters with Lord Yu, observes that Ba’al “wiped out the inhabitants of two star systems, sixty million lives, rather than lose them to Sokar in a territorial dispute.”

We meet him next under truly terrifying circumstances: Abyss. We watch him casually torturing Jack to death, over and over again, with deliberate precision and maximum cruelty. Ba’al is clearly portrayed as a powerful, frightening force.

Over the course of S7, we watch Ba’al maneuvering his way through Goa’uld politics: He joins temporary forces with Yu to destroy Anubis’ forces over Kelowna; he takes charge of Erebus; he tries to get hold of naquadria; he takes Felger’s computer virus and deliberately corrupts the entire Stargate network. When Anubis’ physical form is destroyed in The Lost City, Ba’al steps into the vaccuum and claims his territories, his Jaffa, and his Kull warriors (aka supersoldiers) as his own, making him one of the most powerful System Lords of all.

He shows up first in S8 in Zero Hour, when he lies about taking SG-1 captive and Jack is forced to speculate on his own team being tortured by the same Goa’uld who killed him over and over again. By the end of S8, he has allied himself with Anubis, although he also recognizes him for insane and actually goes to the Tau’ri – first to appeal to them for help, and then to hold off on destroying the Free Jaffa and actually helping Selmac/Jacob and Sam reconfigure the device on Dakara to destroy the Replicators. The Jaffa try to take him captive, but he is wily enough to escape; and even though his power base is mostly destroyed, he is still the arrogant, powerful Goa’uld who has acted as Jack’s personal nemisis for three years.

…Right?

Ba’al still has all the arrogance and pretentiousness he possessed from the beginning. But that’s all he has, now. There’s no menace; no evil; nothing but a smirk, an accent, and better fashion sense than most Goa’uld. Like all the other Goa’uld in Seasons 9-10, he no longer bothers to phlange his voice. There’s no indication of the strength he is supposed to have, no drive to be worshipped, no need for power.

Can you suggest a single thing Ba’al does in these last two seasons that is even slightly reminsicent of the Goa’ulds’ usual motives and methods?

This was why I had such a tremendous problem with last year’s episode in which Ba’al created multiple clones of himself. Aside from the sheer ridiculous of the premise – How can he clone a parasite and its host body? Did he clone twenty separate symbiotes and implant them in twenty identical hosts? – it goes against everything that a Goa’uld is. The real Ba’al would never, ever dream of sharing his power with anybody, not even a clone of himself. And the real Ba’al would not have the slightest interest in becoming the next top guy in Fortune 500.

Things get even worse in Stronghold, when Ba’al confronts Teal’c and drops the phlanged voice, speaking normally as he tells him that of course the Goa’uld never bought into their own propaganda; it was just a shtick to make life easier for them to easily recruit the Jaffa and bamboozle the slave populations. No. No. Did I say “no”? That was one of the most terrifying things about the Goa’uld: that they’d bought into their own delusion, and had that crave to be worshipped at all costs. Until that moment, there was never, in eight seasons, even the faintest hint of suggestion that the Goa’uld were only putting on an act. Remember Klorel’s fury at Bra’tac, in The Serpent’s Lair?

It is incredible that Ba’al and Athena are reduced to arranging corporate takeovers. Nerus is a bumbling glutton who would sell his soul for a piece of apple pie. And these were the enemies we feared and fought for all these years?

Now, let’s consider Ba’al in The Quest. We don’t hear the phlanged voice; we see no sign of his strength; he talks, he sneers, but he doesn’t actually do anything that reminds us that he’s a Goa’uld at all. He's as affected by the cold as the humans, perhaps more. He whines instead of looming. And when he started using idioms from Earth – “his drawbridge doesn’t go across the moat,” “it’s like comparing a laptop to a supercomputer” – I came close to cringing. No. No. Did I say “no”?

We got one glimpse at the menace of Ba’al in the first part of The Quest, when they found his knife and he claimed that it was of “sentimental value.” I didn’t get it at first viewing, but the implication that he treasures that knife as one of the knives he used on Jack, back in Abyss, is deliciously creepy. But it’s a single moment in one and a half seasons, and it’s contradicted by all the other ridiculous behavior. This is NOT a Goa’uld; this is a smarmy businessman scrambling and lying to keep up with his rivals.

Even SG-1 doesn’t take him seriously any longer. They have no trouble turning their back on him, even when they're walking straight into danger. Evidently, they’ve forgotten that a Goa’uld is perfectly capable of snapping their necks in seconds. Ba’al apparently has forgotten this as well. redbyrd_sgfic pointed out, in the comments section of my review of The Quest, part 2, that Sam should not have been able to deck a Goa’uld. That statement carries weight, although a well-placed blow could knock any person down, if he or she is not expecting it. But the Ba’al we’ve been watching? The Ba’al who doesn’t seem to have superior strength, much less the genetic memory and superior menace of the Goa’uld? I have no problem with Sam knocking him down, and it was frankly a true pleasure to watch.

Ding dong, a Ba’al is dead… Or isn’t. Frankly, at this point, who cares any longer?

(ETA: I must include aurora_novarum's hilarious phrase: "six-pack of Ba'al." Utterly perfect. Especially because he may look great, but he's not exactly filling any more.)

 

I have no objection to creating new enemies for SG-1, even if I would have liked a different choice. But there was no reason whatsoever to reduce the former enemies to posturing parodies. It cheapens our victories, it ruins some wonderful villains, and it gains us absolutely nothing.

Comments

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

I maintain that cloning Ba'al diluted his character greatly. It diminished his menace because he's essentially become a Whack-A-Mole.

Sure the Goa'uld could be killed (and sometimes even that didn't stop them--see Apophis). But when the six pack of Ba'als showed up, where was the focus on power? Where was the cunning strategy? Where was the ominous presence? Where is the personal connection for the audience or the heroes against this archenemy? Who is the guy who tortured O'Neill? Sure if they're clones, they have the same memory, but making them interchangeable disrupts the connection.

Ba'al is no longer an individual villain. He is a mass produced stereotype that's become the one generic Goa'uld. Killing him would not longer have emotional impact, because I'm sure there's another out there. As proven by the mass killings in Insiders, or the death in Stronghold, or killing one or two in EDM...

I completely agree with you. Ba'al is not good at sharing. As Bra'tac pointed out in the S2 premiere, most Goa'uld lose out from rivals. He was going to try and stop the attack on Earth by making Apophis believe Klorel was attacking him in an attempt to topple him. The risk of having so many others with EXACTLY your same memories and thought processes is too risky for a Goa'uld as clever as earlier Ba'al.

Heck, if he wanted to be low profile and stay away from Earth authorities, it would make more sense to change host bodies! Easier than plastic surgery! Yeah, yeah, I know, that would put Cliff out of work. I'm not saying that.

But it just seems to me that TPTB got too focused on their funky stop motion camera trick to make multi-Ba'als (or Carters in RE--though at least they were all AU "individuals", a subtle distinction, yes, but I don't think an incorrect one--sorry tangent) and lost the focus on the plot and character development.

I liked the Ba'al in Q2...and even parts of Q1. Partly because he WAS by himself. I like to think he WAS the Ba'al in some ways, though the real Ba'al wouldn't have been stupid enough to trap himself in a forcefield while all his Jaffa stayed outside (and conveniently disappeared--my love of Q2 make me overlook this plot hole of Q1 more). But looking for the Sangreal for his own purposes fits with the Ba'al we've seen in Reckoning, and the one who took advantage of the situation with Anubis in S7 and S8 overall.

I'll admit I'm prejudiced since I think my hate of Insiders is only topped by my hatred of EDM. At least one makes it on my top 10 hated episodes, maybe both. I've never actually counted them out.

Whew. Thanks for letting me rant.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

It diminished his menace because he's essentially become a Whack-A-Mole.

Aptly put. :) On the other hand, maybe the writers have killed off less minor characters than they would have otherwise, because they're satisfying their killing urges by knocking off various Ba'als?

Your third para sums up my entirely post rather nicely. :) And YES. If Ba'al wanted to hide, why not just change hosts? Although, come to think of it, the only symbiotes we ever actually saw switching hosts were Anubis (because they kept dying), Selmac (although Tok'ras are different, since the lifespans are shorter), Jolinar (who had a seriously weak understanding of the "willing host only" concept), and the one in the Unas from Demons. And Amaunet, I suppose; she's pretty high up in the Egyptian pantheon, so she was hardly getting her first host when she took Sha're. And Klorel and Osiris, although those were against their will. Apophis kept his old host even after his face was permanently scarred. Really, all the host-switching was only because of immiment death, with the possible exception of Amaunet. So it looks like they don't do it very often - at least not as much as our perceptions might suggest. Could it be.... ::gasp:: FANON?? :)

Political maneuvering is a Ba'al tactic, I agree. But sinking so pathetically low is NOT.

Didn't watch Insiders. Not sure if I'm going to bother with the next two eps (I'm assuming that this is where we're going to get the two non-Daniel eps, while he's off being "interrogated" by Adria). I'll have to see what the reaction is, hopefully without getting spoiled more than I might want.

And, hey! Rants are always welcome here, as long as they're civil. Maybe I should include that in my bio. :)

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

The multiple Ba'al ep has really struck a nerve for me ever since I had to transcribe g-d EDM, so it's easy to push my button on that issue.

I don't remember what time zone...or country...you're in. Have youseen the mythology special. It aired on SciFi right before the premiere.

MGM (yes, official owners MGM) has it up on youtube if you're not a philistine like me on dialup and can watch such things.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ezy0d3VaHYk

I bring it up because there's a point they do a little display about the Goa'uld, and they mention "most system lords keep the same hosts for centuries", and then specifically give the example of Yu the Jade Emperor.

I remember whatshisface that used to wear the feather duster on his head made a fuss that Osiris was in a female host now, but didn't seem confused that Osiris was in a different host. Qetesh and Athena seem to have switched hosts for some reason...or at least Athena has, since Vala didn't recognize her or remember dealings with Athena...I thought it was because Vala hadn't personally experienced those moments and it was part of Qetesh's genetic memory from prior hosts, but that may just be fanwanking.

As for not watching the next two episodes...

I'm a spoilerphobe myself, so I'm trying to be very careful in straddling the line of what to say here. I think I'm safe, but if you are EXTREMELY spoilerphobic, then don't read (and delete the comment if you want fig). *VERY VAGUISH* COMMENTS ABOUT "LINE IN THE SAND" and "ROAD NOT TAKEN" to follow...
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I have seen most of the back half of S10. Since I know you love Sam too, I recommend next week's for good moments with Sam & Mitchell. Vala has a good storyline (I know that doesn't recommend it to you, but Vala's not my favorite either and I found her moments intriguing here...) Teal'c isn't the focus of the episode but he is a solid presence and has some cool moments. It also has some plot, plot arcs for the season, and teamy moments too. MMV, some people liked next week's better, but I think this coming week's was pretty solid overall.

The following week is very much a Sam centered episode. I've seen mixed reactions to it...I personally have a mixed reaction to it, loving some aspects and annoyed/hate other parts. You don't *have* to watch the ep, but I think you're missing some nice character moments if you do, and IMHO, one of Browder's best scenes acting wise. I say no more because I don't wish to reveal anything plotwise.

Then again, I'm still trying to convince you to watch some of season six beyond those three episodes, so take my advice with the grain of salt provided...LOL!

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I think Osiris was an exception, because the host-switching was against the symbiote's will - Ra, or whoever it was who pushished Osiris, "banished [him] to eternity." So it was no surprise that Osiris had a different host, since everyone knew he'd lost the first one.

Yes, Yu is an excellent example, like Apophis. It's clear that the System Lords, at least, don't like changing hosts. They like the look in the mirror too much, perhaps?

Qetesh and Athena... Hm. We don't know why Qetesh or Athena switched; they both might have been a case of the previous host dying. All the other examples I gave definitely fell into that category. We don't know if those switches were voluntary.

Regarding future eps: EEEEE! You spoiled their names for me!!!!

(kidding)

That was vague enough for me, thank you! (I don't mind hearing "Sam-centric" or "Vala has a good storyline." I would mind hearing "Sam uses her Palm Pilot to hotwire an Ori ship, and Vala steals the keys.") So I'll at least give them a try, on your recommendation. Thank you.

And yes, I've seen the special. I reviewed it over here. And complained most vociferously about Jonas' absence, which is ironic coming from me, isn't it?

(And hey! I'm up to FOUR eps from S6 now, thanks to you - I watched Allegiance, which was amazing. So you have more power than you might think.)

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

Regarding future eps: EEEEE! You spoiled their names for me!!!!

OMG I totally had a heart attack for a minute! LOL

Okay, I won't tell you about Sam using her Palm Pilot to hotwire an Ori ship then. :-D [I am merely repeating your words and make no claims or denials as to whether such an event ever happens in the rest of Season Ten.]

Oh yeah! I do remember you were one of the ones who complaiined about Jonas! Sorry, my brain is still a sieve and I'm not 100% from my illness. The sad thing is, I noticed him in Full Circle's clip and never thought about him not listed in the history blip.

Heh. My forum friends adore Smoke and Mirrors...mainly for the opening sequence of RDA walking in slo mo. Hey I didn't say they don't hang out in the shallow end of the pool from time to time. However, it's also good as a great Teal'c ep, as well as Sam & Barrett! Maybe I'll poke you about *that* one next.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Hee! Sorry. :)

But whoo! Smoke and Mirrors - yes, I watched that one too! So it's five, not four. (and yes, you're the one who "poked" me into it.) I'm afraid that I'm enough of a get-yourself-into-the-story fan that I couldn't enjoy the slow-mo, because hey, it WASN'T Jack!

I liked that one a lot. I liked Jonas as the guy who needed to be told about previous missions and events, and the way the whole team went to work for Jack, and of course Daniel teaching Teal'c how to drive... "I believe the year was 1969." Loved that bit, especially because the first time we see Teal'c driving in 1969, Daniel is sitting next to him. Although I think they missed a GOLDEN opportunity when that guy opened the door. Imagine if he'd grabbed Daniel's imitator chip instead! :)

Too many Ba'als

[randomfreshink.livejournal.com]

>>I maintain that cloning Ba'al diluted his character greatly.

Actually, what if that's pretty much the truth. It speak in terms of possible excuses here, but we did hear from Thor that the cloning process is not what it should be even for them. Also, frankly, if I were a melgomaniac out to make copies of myself I would not make them as smart, or as strong, or as anything as me. I'd also make damn sure they knew it so if they got any ideas about becoming the only one they'd be aware that going up against the original is going to go nasty (I also might make sure they had something in them so if I pushed a button it'd release a toxin and they'd all die).

Which is to say, maybe these Ba'als ain't the original--and that's how you can tell a clone. They're the whimped out xerox.

Re: Too many Ba'als

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

That is quite an intriguing suggestion! It makes the cloning more a case of narcissim than stupidity, I suppose. And perhaps Ba'al does have some kind of trigger for killing them when he feels like it.

So far, Ba'al on the screen these past two years mostly makes me yawn. They'd have to do a lot to interest me again - as you say, to give me something other than a wimpy Xerox.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

I also think that for some reason Ba'al isn't using a sarcophagus any more, which would curb some of the really OTT behavior. Ba'al has always struck me as one of the more intelligent goa'uld, and if he figured out that the sarc use was causing him to make tactical errors through overconfidence, then he would grit it out and keep use to emergency-only and maybe a once-a-year anti-aging tune up.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I can easily accept the theory that the Ba'als don't have access to a sarcophagus on Earth. Maybe even those off-world have lost access to one - the one they had destroyed in various battles, or lost when they had to flee various strongholds, and so forth. But there's a huge difference between OTT behavior and OOC behavior, and what I'm personally seeing, these last two seasons, is definitely the latter.

Use of the sarcophagus doesn't make one more cunning. If anything, avoiding the sarcophagus should, in the short term, make Ba'al even more formidable - no withdrawal symptoms because of the symbiote, probably, but also more stable brain chemistry and a clearer mind. So I would expect him to be even more cunning and devious and intelligent - as you say, avoiding tactical errors. This does not explain the lack of drive, the overindulgence in Tau'ri-isms, the lack of strength. The only thing I could accept it affecting is his own belief in his divinity, and even that would be a stretch.

If anyone could come up with a theory other than "the writers recognize that Ba'al is a favorite, so make sure the actor often guest-stars, but have forgotten how they're supposed to write the Goa'uld," I would be deeply grateful. :)

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I think it does demonstrate intelligence that Ba'al's dropping the god act with the Tau'ri. He knows the goa'uld are 10,000 years too late to be pulling that crap on Earth anymore, and there's no point pretending with SG-1, who have actually personally killed/de-goa'ulded various "gods."

And he has shown various attempts to take over in the power vacuum, though he's had to fend off Replicators, the jaffa rebellion and the Ori to do so -- far more than any previous goa'uld ever had to fight.

I do agree that the whole "leave me alone to be a good little CEO" story was OOC; but I think it was only a huge feint, anyway, to cover for the activity of the clones out in the galaxy still. The lack of physical strength is bad writing, for sure. And I miss the voice. *sigh*

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

I FINALLY GET TO READ THIS POST!

A-Men! The whole clone storyline is ridiculous (part of me can see the use - hard to kill you if they can't find you) and really doesn't fit with the power-hungry nature of the Goa'uld. While Ba'al often felt different to me than other Goa'uld, slightly, it was mostly in that he seemed more ruthless, cunning and under-handed - less over the top and more into underhanded power-plays than obvious ones.

Now he just comes across as weak and helpless and it is hard not to think of him as human without the excesses, the voice, the glowing eyes, the hand devices. I spent a lot of "Quest" wondering why they didn't shoot him already and be done with it.

I don't think it makes me re-think what the Goa'uld were before - they were still that menace. Maybe it just makes what they've become that much more pitiful.

(but I also find the Ori storyline interesting...though just once I want a non-replicator villian who doesn't also insist on godhood)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Hee! Glad you could jump in! :)

You've summed it up just perfectly here: it is hard not to think of him as human. I think they're also writing him as human nowadays. There's no menace left. And yes, why didn't they shoot him in Quest?

Maybe it just makes what they've become that much more pitiful.

It's true that bullies, once they're beaten, turn out to be the biggest cowards. But the destruction of the System Lords doesn't really mean the Goa'uld are all gone; it just means they no longer dominate the galaxy.

Delusions of grandeur are part of any good villain's repertoire. Can't blame 'em all for trying. ;)