Stargate Atlantis

Races

Human civilizations

Upon their arrival to the Pegasus galaxy, the Ancients seed several planets with human life. Most of them are pre-industrial civilizations, but a few have developed more advanced technology.

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Major human civilizations include:

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• Athosians: A pre-industrial civilization, the Athosians were the first Pegasus natives the Atlantis expedition encountered. After their planet was culled by the Wraith, they moved to Atlantis.
• Tau'ri: The humans from Earth, arrived to the Pegasus galaxy in search of the mythical city of the Ancients, Atlantis.
• Genii: An advanced, militaristic culture with a technology level similar to mid-20th century Earth, that hide under the mask of simple, Amish-like farmers.

Non-human races

Ancients (Alterans)

A historical, technically highly advanced race that once existed on Earth and other planets through out the Milky Way galaxy and are the builders of the Stargates. The Ancients moved from Earth to the planet in the Pegasus galaxy which Stargate Atlantis is set (see The City below), taking their spacefaring city Atlantis with them, in order to spread new life. In the new galaxy, they faced an enemy, the Wraith, that, although they had inferior technology compared to the Ancients, overwhelmed them in numbers. Besieged in Atlantis, the remaining Ancients retreated to Earth, passing on not only the legend of Atlantis but also their Ancient Gene to the Greeks. A small fraction of the Terrestrial human race still carries the gene expression of the Ancients ("Ancient Technology Activation", or ATA) that allows them to use Ancient technology, most prominently Maj. John Sheppard of the Terrestrial human expedition team. Dr. Carson Beckett of the Terrestrial human expedition team is experimenting with transferring the ATA gene expression by means of in vivo retroviral gene therapy.

Related Topics:
Earth - Milky Way - Stargates - Wraith - "Ancient Technology Activation", or ATA - John Sheppard - Carson Beckett - In vivo - Retroviral - Gene therapy

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Wraith

This hive-based species drove the Ancients out of the Pegasus galaxy around 8000 BC, and are currently the antagonists of Stargate Atlantis. They maintain thousands of worlds populated by humans as a source of food, and they feed off the life force of other beings. The Wraith follow a cyclical feeding pattern: they lay in a dormant/hibernation stage for many years or generations, then sweep through the Pegasus galaxy to "cull their human herd", and finally stop when there are just enough surviving humans to maintain a breeding population for the next culling cycle. Although their technology is highly advanced and parallels many Ancient technologies (the similarity between Wraith Darts and the Ancient jumpers, for example), the Wraith forced the Ancients to abandon the Pegasus Galaxy through their overwhelming majority.

Related Topics:
8000 BC - Antagonist - Ancient jumpers - Pegasus Galaxy

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