Osiris

System Lord Osiris

Earth Culture of Origin

Egypt

Alternate Names / Spellings

Asar. Usire. Also associated with Sokar.

Presides Over

Death, resurrection, and fertility

Personal Symbols

Eternal life

Earth Mythological References

Son of Geb and Nut, Osiris is brother to Setesh (Set/Seth), Nephthys, and Isis (to whom Osiris is also husband). Osiris is one of the earliest known gods. He was considered the symbol of eternal life and was worshipped at Abydos and Philae.

Osiris is said to have abolished cannibalism and taught the arts of agriculture. He built the first temples and laid down fair laws for his people. Leaving Isis to rule Egypt, Osiris sought to expand his kingdom. He returned to find that Isis ruled wisely and his kingdom was still in perfect order. His brother Setesh, however, was plotting to kill him and legend says Setesh tricked Osiris, sealing him in a box and cast it into the Nile.

Isis searched for Osiris at Setesh assumed Osiris' place as king. She found Osiris' body and returned with it to Egypt, hinding the remains in a marsh. Setesh discovered the body and hacked it to pieces, tossing them in the Nile. Isis again found them and attempted to piece back together the remains, wrapping them in bandages - the root of the term 'mummy'. This mummy then transformed an akh, and following that, this new form of Osiris traveled to the underworld to rule over and judge the souls of the dead.

Stargate References

Osiris first appeared in the episode "The Curse" in which Daniel Jackson travels to Chicago to attend the funeral of his old archaeology professor and estranged mentor, Dr. Jordan. Jordan died in a lab explosion under mysterious circumstances, and an awkward reunion with former university colleagues - ex-girlfriend Sarah Gardner and ambitious academic rival Steven Rayner - leads Daniel to discover Goa'uld writing on a canopic jar. The jar, (depicting the goddess Isis) was amongst a collection of Egyptian artifacts on loan from Egypt, which Drs. Jordan, Rayner, and Gardner were studying. As Daniel investigates further, he learns there were in fact TWO canopic jars and one (the Osiris jar) is missing. Daniel returns to Stargate Command with the Isis jar, and initial analysis revealed the jar contained a recently deceased Goa'uld symbiote. Shaken by this discovery, Daniel returns to search for the missing Osiris jar amidst reports of more mysterious deaths, fearful that a Goa'uld has been reborn and is now among them. Evidence seems to point at Steven Rayner who is on his way to Egypt. Daniel, Sam and Janet on hot on his heels, but when they discover an seriously injured Steven, they are confronted by the Goa'uld Osiris, who has taken Daniel's former flame Sarah as his host. (4.14 The Curse)

Osiris is mentioned briefly in "The Fifth Man" as Colonel Frank Simmons interrogates Daniel Jackson, questioning Daniel's loyalty following Osiris' blending with Daniel's ex-girlfriend Sarah. (5.04 The Fifth Man)

Later, a Goa'uld Summit has been called and Daniel is asked by the Tok'ra to infiltrate the gathering of System Lords as Yu's Lo'taur (human slave) and to use a poison designed to kill Goa'uld symbiotes, even Tok'ra and Jaffa larvae. The poison kills the host as well. Daniel agrees, albeit with some reservations, and at the moment when he is ready to let loose the poison, a new Goa'uld visitor arrives to represent Anubis - Osiris. Daniel scraps his plan to release the poison, and instead hatches a plan to save Sarah. (5.15 Summit/5.16 Last Stand)

SG-1 are still raw from the loss of Daniel Jackson in "Revelations" when they are called upon by the Asgard to help retrieve invaluable research in danger of being stolen by Osiris and Anubis. Osiris has managed to capture Thor and is awaiting the arrival of Anubis who plans to probe Thor's mind in an attempt to acquire the advanced knowledge of Asgard. SG-1 manage to rescue Thor and the Asgard research, but not before Anubis has probed Thor's mind and learned much of Asgard technology. (5.22 Revelations)

Osiris returns to Earth in "Chimera" to probe Daniel Jackson's for knowledge of the Lost City of the Ancients. Using guided dreaming and Daniel's memories of Sarah Gardner, as well as Asgard beam-in/beam-out technology, Osiris drops in on Daniel nightly as he sleeps. An exhausted and none-the-wiser Daniel shares his perplexing dreams with his teammates, but when the dreams begin to not accurately reflect the outcome of his relationship with Sarah, Teal'c becomes suspicious that Goa'uld technology is at work. A trap is set for Osiris and sprung when she learns Daniel does not have knowledge of the Lost City. Jack and Teal'c manage to save Daniel before Osiris can kill him, securing Osiris in the process. At the SGC, the Tok'ra remove the Goa'uld symbiote from Sarah Gardner and she is now free of Osiris. (7.15 Chimera)

Episodes

• 4.14 "The Curse"
• 5.04 "The Fifth Man"
• 5.15 "Summit Part 1"
• 5.16 "Last Stand Part 2"
• 5.22 "Revelations"
• 7.15 "Chimera"

Related Characters

• Dr. Daniel Jackson
• Anubis
• Dr. Sarah Gardner
• Isis

Related Articles

• Goa'uld
• System Lord
• Tok'ra

Further Reading

• http://www.touregypt.net/osiris.htm
• http://www.pantheon.org/articles/o/osiris.html

Actor

• Anna-Louise Plowman

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--Shell Article by: DeeKayP 12:47, 20 Jul 2004 (PDT)
--Completed Article by: Mellenbal 09:57, 26 Sep 2004