Harsesis

Shifu, a true Harsesis

Earth Culture of Origin

Egypt

Alternate Names / Spellings

Harsiesis, Hor-sa-isit. Hor-sa-isit means “Horus, son of Isis”

Personal Symbols

Boy with hawk’s head, carrying the instruments of death

Earth Mythological References

This aspect of Horus, the child-god Harsiesis, was one of the most popular gods in Egypt. Following the death of Osiris at the hands of his brother Set, Isis had intercourse with her dead husband and became impregnated with the Harsiesis child, who was born prematurely on the island of Chemmis, situated in the marshes of the Delta near Buto. In his early youth he was known as Harpakhrad, the 'infant Horus' and was later known as Horus the Younger. Set wished to destroy Harsiesis but the boy was protected by his mother until he became an adult, at which time he battled Set and won.

Harsiesis was often pictured as a small boy sucking on his thumb or putting his finger in his mouth because this deity was responsible for conducting the “opening of the mouth” ceremony during mummification of dead kings, the most important part of the process. In sculpture the young Harsiesis is shown dressed as a typical Egyptian child wearing no clothing but quantities of jewelry and baring the side lock of youth.

Originally a minor god from Buto, as he became more popular Harsiesis gathered to himself all the attributes of the other forms of Horus. Later in his campaigns against Set, his father's murderer, he was known as Hartomes,'Horus the Lancer', and by this time he had almost completely assumed the identity of 'Horus the Elder'.

Stargate References

Shifu: A True Harsesis

According to Jaffa legend, when the hosts of two Goa’uld mate and conceive a child, the offspring will be born with the genetic knowledge of the Goa’uld. This is strictly forbidden under Goa’uld law, and any such child lives under an immediate sentence of death.

One such child was born when the human hosts of the Goa'uld Apophis and his queen Amaunet conceived a boy who came to be known as Shifu. Daniel delivered this child on Abydos and then searched for him after he was taken by the Goa'uld to the planet Kheb. The baby boy was in the protective care of the Ascended Being Oma Desala when Daniel found him on Kheb and after Oma demonstrated that she could take care of the child better than he, Daniel appointed Oma as Shifu's step-mother. Shifu later visited Abydos and Earth to learn more of his mother and told Daniel that Oma had buried the genetic memories deep into his subconscious because the evil was too great to resist. Shifu chose not to access those memories and asked that Daniel not seek the knowledge as well, but choose a different path. Shifu returned to Oma as an Ascended Being. (2.09 "Secrets", 3.10 "Forever in a Day", 3.20 "Maternal Instinct", 4.17 "Absolute Power")

Genetically-Engineered Harsesis

Anna, engineered by rogue NID scientists on Earth

Geneticist Dr. Keffler attempted to genetically engineer a human-Goa'uld hybrid who would be physically human, but possess the genetic memory of the Goa'uld. His efforts produced a young woman named Anna. The genetic manipulation was faulty and the Goa'uld DNA grafted into Anna's contained more than just the genetic memory—the Goa'uld personality of the donor symbiote, Sekhmet, emerged. Anna killed Dr. Keffler and then herself when she realized that there was no hope for her. (7.19 "Resurrection")

Khalek, engineered by Anubis on P3X-584

Even though Anubis himself is locked in an eternal battle with Oma Desala on the ascended plane, he still remained a threat to the galaxy because of what he left behind: research into ascension by means of DNA manipulation of humans. Some of the Ancient research on ascension that Anubis found before he tricked Oma into ascending him included the use of a DNA manipulation device which permitted Anubis to re-create his genetic memories and incorporate them into a human clone. He, in effect, created a Harsesis with his Goa'uld genetic memories and his thirst for power through death and destruction. The first of Anubis's clones was named Khalek, and he was discovered in stasis in an underground laboratory on the planet P3X-584. SG-1 accidently revived Khalek before they knew his nature, but eventually had to kill him to prevent him from placing himself in more DNA manipulation treatments to reach wilful ascension. The SGC, however, gained valuable information studying Khalek, and this research enabled them to fight the advanced human Priors of the Ori. (9.09 "Prototype", 9.11 "The Fourth Horseman Part 2")

Episodes

• 2.09 "Secrets"
• 3.10 "Forever In A Day"
• 3.20 "Maternal Instinct"
• 4.17 "Absolute Power"
• 7.19 "Resurrection"
• 9.09 "Prototype"
• 9.11 "The Fourth Horseman Part 2"

Related Characters

• Dr. Daniel Jackson
• Amaunet
• Anna
• Anubis
• Apophis
• Isis
• Dr. Keffler
• Khalek
• Oma Desala
• Sekhmet
• Set
• Sha're
• Shifu

Related Articles

• Ascended Beings
• Cloning
• DNA Manipulation Device
• Goa'uld
• Jaffa
• Kheb
• P3X-584
• Priors of the Ori

Further Reading

• WikiPedia: Horus

Actors

• Lane Gates as Shifu
• Kristen Dalton as Anna
• Neil Jackson as Khalek

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--DeeKayP 15:10, 13 Oct 2004 (PDT)