Antarctic Outpost

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Antarctic Outpost

Summary

The Antarctic Outpost is a defense facility left behind by the Ancients when they took their city-ship "Atlantis" to the Pegasus Galaxy. It is the site of powerful weapons which led to the destruction of Anubis' attacking fleet. (7.22 "Lost City Part 2")

Stargate References

Location and Purpose

Original Location of Antarctic Stargate
Command Chair
Jack in Cryogenic Chamber

The Antarctic Outpost was discovered by SG-1 while Col. O'Neill possessed the knowledge of the Ancients (7.21 "Lost City Part 1", 7.22 "Lost City Part 2"). As its name implies, it is located in the Antarctic. Although its exact location is not known, it is accessible by helicopter from McMurdo Station. It would be assumed to be in the same proximity as the SGC's research station at the original location of the Antarctic Stargate, which is only 50 miles out of McMurdo Station and the location of the only known Ancient, Ayiana (1.18 "Solitudes", 6.04 "Frozen").

Originally near the location of the city of Atlantis, which is now in the Pegasus Galaxy, the Antarctic Outpost appears to be some sort of defense outpost.

The most prominent features of the outpost are the chair and a cryogenic chamber. The chair occupies a central circular chamber with the cryo chamber off to the side.

Defense Weapons

Jack installs new ZPM
Drones released from Outpost
Anubis' fleet is destroyed by drones

Colonel O'Neill first activated the Antarctic Outpost's defenses during the battle with Anubis (7.22 "Lost City Part 2"). First, he powered the Outpost using the Zero Point Module (ZPM) procured at the Praclarush Taonas Outpost, the original Antarctic Outpost ZPM being dead. From the chair, he was able to launch and control hundreds of drones, which destroyed Anubis and his fleet. Drained by the effort and overcome by the knowledge of the Ancients, O'Neill used a cryogenic chamber to put himself into a suspended sleep.

Initial Manning of the Outpost

Access to the Outpost, buried in a mile of ice
Cargo Elevator
Research at the Outpost

Over the course of the next few months, O'Neill remained "frozen" at the Outpost. Although a presence was set up immediately, full control of the Outpost could not be negotiated for several months. Dr. Elizabeth Weir, on behalf of the SGC, had difficulty negotiating the military occupation of the Antarctic Outpost (8.01 "New Order Part 1"). According to the International Antarctic Treaty established in 1961, "The primary purpose of the Antarctic Treaty is to ensure in the interests of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord. To this end it prohibits military activity, except in support of science; prohibits nuclear explosions and the disposal of nuclear waste; promotes scientific research and the exchange of data; and holds all territorial claims in abeyance."

It wasn't until Col. O'Neill was revived and subsequently cured by the Asgard that a scientific expedition was sent, led by Dr. Elizabeth Weir. Dr. Daniel Jackson, the premiere authority on the Ancient culture and language, accompanied the expedition in hopes of unraveling the secrets of the Outpost and discovering how to use its resources to protect Earth from further invasion. (8.02 "New Order Part 2", Stargate Atlantis: 1.01 "Rising Part 1")

The Antarctic Outpost is overseen by the Department of Homeworld Security, lead by Lt. Gen. George Hammond, and was initially staffed by an international team of scientists and technicians. A small number of U.S. Air Force personnel also accompanied the expedition.

A dome was erected over the Outpost. Several buildings, used for storage occupy the ground level. A cargo elevator was installed in the shaft created by the souped up Rings used to access the site initially. Several hundred feet below, the Outpost, now powered by a naquadah generator, has been divided into laboratories. The main areas of research are translating the Ancient text, led by Dr. Jackson; interfacing with the Ancient technology led by Dr. Rodney McKay; weapons systems led by Dr. Peter Grodin; and undisclosed genetic research led by Dr. Carson Beckett. The Air Force has a military contingent, including pilots.

Command of Defenses

Jack in chair
Dr. Beckett in chair
Maj. Sheppard in chair

Dr. Beckett confirmed that to activate the chair, the user required a "Ancient's" gene, which he happens to have. "They think the gene was used as a sort of genetic key if you will. So that only their kind could operate certain dangerous and powerful technologies." There are a "handful" of people with this gene, but Colonel O'Neill, Major John Sheppard, and Dr. Carson Beckett are the only subjects known to activate it with varying degrees of success.

Dr. Beckett was able to "power" the chair up once, and then accidentally activated one of the defense drones. With considerable concentration, he was barely able to stop the machine from destroying General O'Neill's helicopter.

Major John Sheppard, on the other hand, turned out to have a strong affinity for the machine and was able to activate the chair easily and produced a three-dimensional map of the solar system with only a thought.

Research Results

Daniel discovers eight-symbol destination of "Atlantis"
Dr. McKay's portable ZPM adaptor powers SGC stargate to Pegasus Galaxy
Dr. Elizabeth Weir leads Expedition Team to Pegasus

Dr. Daniel Jackson discovered during his tenure at the Antarctic Outpost that the Outpost was all that was left of "Atlantis", which is the "Lost City" mentioned in the Ancient text discovered on Abydos. In his translations, he discovered that for unknown reasons, the occupants "left," taking the city with them to the Pegasus Galaxy. Dr. Jackson was able to reproduce an eight-symbol 'gate address' that would open a Stargate to the new Atlantis location.

The President of the United States, Henry Hayes, determined that an expedition to the Pegasus Galaxy would reap more rewards than continued research at the Antarctic Outpost. Dr. Weir was given the civilian lead of the project and led 40+ men and women through the Stargate to the Pegasus Galaxy. Dr. Grodin, Dr. McKay, Dr. Beckett, and Maj. Sheppard accompanied her. This effort cost the ZPM the last of its power and it is now expended. (Stargate Atlantis: 1.01 "Rising Part 1")

Additional References

It appears that the majority of the scientists who were familiar with the Outpost's Ancient technology, including two of the only three people known to successully activate the chair, were sent to the Pegasus Galaxy along with the Atlantis Expedition. Ultimately, the Expedition was able to provide the Outpost with a functioning ZPM so that it could remain a viable defense for Earth. Dr. Carson Beckett developed a gene therapy to enable those who weren't born with the Ancient Technology Activation gene to interface with the encoded technology, but that therapy isn't always successful. Even so, anyone who has been born with the "ATA" gene or was successfully threated with the gene therapy is able to operate the defenses when necessary. (Stargate Atlantis: 1.01 "Rising Part 1", 1.03 "Hide And Seek", 3.12 "Echoes")

The Outpost is mostly used for defense and for the stasis chamber. There has been no mention as to what other knowledge or technology has been utilized from there.

  • The Goa'uld System Lords were very interested in the defense system after it was used to destroy Anubis's fleet when he attacked Earth. (8.01 "New Order Part 1")
  • A boobytrapped ZPM was given to the SGC by the former System Lord Camulus. If it had been used, it would have exploded and taken out the solar system. (8.04 "Zero Hour")
  • Satellites owned by billionare Alec Colson recorded the Antarctic Battle, including the use of the Antarctic defenses. He wished to use this footage to blackmail the world governments into admitting the existence of alien life. (8.08 "Covenant")
  • The Goa'uld who took over several hosts in the seedy organization known as The Trust used their access to defense contractors and government officials to attempt to provoke a war between the world's superpowers so that they could gain access to the Outpost and its weapons. (8.14 "Full Alert")
  • Joe Spencer, a barber from Indiana, unwittingly discovered that he had the ATA gene. He learned of the Stargate Program through a psychic connection with Jack that was brought about after both men had touched Ancient Communications Stones that linked them whenever both were close to the devices. Joe enthusiastically offered his services to operate the Outpost defenses if ever it were necessary. (8.15 "Citizen Joe")
  • Although a fully functioning ZPM that could have been used to power the Outpost's defenses was discovered in Egypt, the rare technology was sent to the Pegasus Galaxy because Atlantis was under immediate threat by the Wraith who wished to gain access to Earth through the only Stargate in that galaxy that could reach it, as well as to the great wealth of knowledge contained in the city's Ancient database, which included the information to enable them to build intergalactic hyperdrive technology. (8.20 "Moebius Part 2"; Stargate Atlantis: 1.19 "The Siege Part 1", 1.20 "The Siege Part 2")
  • Use of the stasis chamber in the Outpost was considered as a means to stop Khalek, a human-Goa'uld hybrid created by Anubis, from reaching ascension. Eventually, the decision was made to return him to his original stasis chamber on P3X-584, but he was killed when he attempted to escape. (9.09 "Prototype")
  • An alternate reality double of SG-1 attempted to steal the ZPM from Atlantis and return with it to their Earth so that their Antarctic defenses could be powered against the Ori, but they were unsuccessful and sent back to their reality empty-handed. (9.13 "Ripple Effect")
  • When the Ori successfully sent four of their massive warships through an intergalactic Super Stargate ("Supergate") in the commencement of their crusade to convert humanity into their worshippers or to destroy them if they refused, IOA representative Richard Woolsey suggested taking the ZPM from Atlantis to power the Antarctic defenses, but General Hank Landry dismissed that proposal because there wasn't enough time and no guarantee that the defenses could effectively defend Earth if it were attacked. Additionally, taking Atlantis's ZPM would have left that base defenseless, since that was their only ZPM. (9.20 "Camelot Part 2", 10.01 "Flesh and Blood Part 3")
  • The Ancient Merlin was discovered in stasis on another planet, and Teal'c recognized that the stasis chamber was similar to the one in the Antarctic Outpost, indicating that the technology was of Ancient origins. (10.11 "The Quest Part 2")
  • The existence of the Antarctic Outpost and its defenses was thought to be the only reason why the Ori had not attacked Earth immediately upon their arrival in the galaxy. This theory was substantiated when an alternate reality version of Earth used their Antarctic defenses successfully against one Ori warship. This use of the defenses, however, left the ZPM critically low in power such that the defense weapons couldn't be used again. (10.02 "Morpheus", 10.13 "The Road Not Taken")
  • The Atlantis Expedition sent two ZPMs to Earth: one for the Antarctic Outpost and one to strengthen the shields on the Odyssey. (Stargate Atlantis: 3.12 "Echoes")
  • After Daniel Jackson was captured by the Ori and converted into a Prior, he was not trusted, and Richard Woolsey proposed that his life be terminated. A compromise was reached to transport Daniel directly into the stasis chamber in the Outpost until his sincerity could be determined by his teammates. Daniel, using his advanced human powers, prevented the beaming technology from locking onto him and was not sent to Antarctica. (10.14 "The Shroud")

Episodes

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--Torvac 08:09, 19 Jan 2005 (PST)
--DeeKayP 08:08, 31 December 2007 (PST)