Anti-Prior Device

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Anti-Prior Device

Summary

The Anti-Prior Device was developed by Dr. Bill Lee and Lt. Col. Samantha Carter to emit frequencies which prevent a Prior of the Ori from using his advanced human mental powers. When activated, the Device's blue indicator lights strobe in a clock-wise direction.

Stargate References

The Powers of the Priors of the Ori

Ori turn Administrator into a Prior
Prior stops bullets from P-90
Prior's orbed staff glows when being used

The Priors of the Ori are advanced humans similar in physiology to the Ancients and have been given extensive mental powers by the Ascended Beings called the Ori. They appear to be normal humans to start, but the Ori use their ascended powers to advance these men in their evolution. With this advancement, the Priors have telekinetic and telepathic abilities, both of which are amplified through the use of their orbed staffs. (9.03 "Origin Part 3")

Fighting against the Priors was difficult because they protected themselves with their powers. For example, the Prior on P8X-412 stopped the bullets fired from a P-90 at close range. This ability was demonstrated by the victims of Nirrti's experiments on P3X-367 after she used an Ancient DNA Manipulation Device on them in her quest to create the perfect human host, a hok'taur. That device was destroyed by the natives of the planet after they killed Nirrti and restored themselves. (6.16 "Metamorphosis", 9.05 "The Powers That Be")

Daniel studies output of DNA Manipulation Device
Khalek is shocked that Daniel's gun delivered a mortal blow
Brain Scanner output from Khalek

The fact that the Priors and Nirrti's victims had similar powers did not go unnoticed by those at the SGC. When they came across another DNA Manipulation Device on P3X-584 and the object of the experimentation in stasis, a very unique opportunity arose. Anubis had created a human-Goa'uld hybrid whom he was advancing in his evolution toward ascension. This hybrid, named Khalek, had the genetic make-up similar to the Ancients, and the International Oversight Committee (IOC) advocated that he be studied so that a weapon could be developed to work against the Priors. Gen. Landry wished to send Khalek back into his stasis chamber, but Richard Woolsey of the IOC overruled him and the research commenced. (9.09 "Prototype")

Thinking they had things under control with dopamine inhibitors, Woolsey and Dr. Carolyn Lam recorded their observations of Khalek. Major Altman of SG-5 discovered a unit which was interfaced with the DNA Manipulation Device on the planet and determined that it could be disconnected and used at the SGC. He successfully interfaced the Brain Scanning Device with the SGC computers and Dr. Lam recorded a remarkable wealth of information on Khalek's brain functions, some of which was recorded while he was using his advanced telekinetic powers. (9.09 "Prototype")

Not only did Khalek have telekinetic abilities, but he also demonstrated telepathy, sharpened hearing, accelerated self-healing, and enhanced strength. He couldn't be safely confined at the SGC and eventually attempted his escape, killing several SGC personnel in the process. Although possessing great mental powers, Khalek was so distracted by stopping the bullets from Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell's handgun that he did not sense Daniel Jackson's firing of his handgun. Daniel delivered a mortal shot to Khalek's chest, but the two men continued to fire their weapons to ensure that Khalek was assuredly dead. (9.09 "Prototype")

Development and Testing of the Anti-Prior Device

Carter and Lee instruct Daniel and Mitchell on the device
Mitchell buries device on Sodan homeworld
Daniel searches for proper frequency

Richard Woolsey was devastated that several SGC personnel were killed during Khalek's escape attempt. He wanted to make up for the loss as best he could, as did Gen. Landry. After Dr. Bill Lee and Carter studied the output of the Brain Scanning Device, they determined that it might be possible to engineer a device which would emit frequencies which interfered with the regions of the brain the Priors use to bring forth their enhanced mental powers. Gen. Landry gave the go-ahead for the two scientists to pursue the research, hoping something good could come out of the entire Khalek affair. (9.09 "Prototype", 9.10 "The Fourth Horseman Part 1")

The device Carter proposed was a "field generator emitting fluctuating ultrasonic frequencies." The auditory functions are targeted by the device, based on research into certain sounds which are in direct line to certain brain functions, such as the generating of frequencies to enhance relaxation (see WikiPedia: Binaural Beats). The biggest challenge was to isolate one small part of the brain. The resulting device was designed to emit several different frequencies because of this challenge, and it was up to the operator to try each frequency with a trial-and-error approach. (9.10 "The Fourth Horseman Part 1")

When a Prior infected Lt. Fisher of SG-6 with the Prior Plague, the need to have a working device became urgent as the Plague spread all over Earth. If they could use the device successfully on the Prior who gave Fisher the Plague, they could extract his blood in order to develop a cure. This Prior became the guinea pig for the newly-developed, but not yet tested, Anti-Prior Device. (9.10 "The Fourth Horseman Part 1")

Daniel and Mitchell found the Prior on the Sodan Jaffa's homeworld, P9G-844. They buried the device inside the fighting ring in the middle of the village and Mitchell had the Sodan lead the Prior there. Mitchell tried to use the Sodan Cloaking Device to hide his approach, but the Prior sensed him and used his telekinetic powers to levitate him several feet in the air. Daniel, hiding behind a nearby hut, rapidly tried the frequencies until Mitchell fell unceremoniously to the ground. The Prior was shocked that his powers were neutralized. Carter also theorized that his orbed staff would be rendered ineffectual by the frequency as well. (9.11 "The Fourth Horseman Part 2")

Daniel and Mitchell successfully got the blood sample from the Prior. Unfortunately, the effects of the Device were temporary, for somehow the Prior was able to overcome the interference and tap into his mental powers once more. While he was distracted with using his powers to attack Gen. Landry, Mitchell shot him in the back, apparently killing him. This was exactly how Daniel and Mitchell had killed Khalek, proving that the Priors had limited abilities as well. (9.11 "The Fourth Horseman Part 2")

Subsequent Uses of the Anti-Prior Device

Following the successful testing of the Device on P9G-844, the SGC apparently made the technology available to other worlds which had been visited by the Priors. When Daniel was attempting to talk the Rand Protectorate's Commander Pernaux into turning against the Prior who had come to Pernaux's world, Tegalus, he offered the Anti-Prior Device as a means. He was confident enough in the Device's functionality to make this offer, calling it "a machine that neutralizes the Prior's powers." (9.15 "Ethon")

Anti-Prior Device being used against Daniel the Prior
Daniel regains his powers and uses them against Adria
Daniel shows the Device he used against Adria

In a rather ironic twist of fate, the Device was used against Daniel Jackson, the man who had tested the Device originally and found its operating frequency. Daniel had become a Prior after being captured by Adria. At the time, he harbored the consciousness of Merlin so that he could build Merlin's Anti-Ori Weapon (also known as the Sangreal). His conversion into a Prior was part of an elaborate plan for him to steal the Ori warship on which the completed weapon was built and pilot it through the Supergate to the Ori's home galaxy where the weapon could be detonated. Since the warships were piloted by Priors using their special genetic physiology and mental powers, Daniel willingly let Adria convert him into a Prior, but Merlin protected him against any ill effects. (10.14 "The Shroud")

Daniel purposefully had himself captured by SG-1 as he was performing his duties as a Prior of the Ori in teaching Origin in a small village because he needed their help in severing the wormhole which was blocking the Supergate (established in 10.03 "The Pegasus Project"). They beamed him from the planet and onto the Odyssey into a room in which the Anti-Prior Device was active. Daniel wasn't able to use his powers against Mitchell and Teal'c because of the Device and was easily incapacitated with a zat. (10.14 "The Shroud")

Daniel eventually overcame the Device's effects and escaped. All of his advanced human powers were available to him once more, including additional powers he possessed from Merlin's advanced human traits (he had already gained telekinesis, the ability to control weather, and the ability to counter energy blasts before he was converted into a Prior). He boarded the Ori warship armed only with the Anti-Prior Device (most likely, the same one which was used against him) in order to neutralize Adria so that she couldn't access his mind to determine if he was lying to her or not. When she admitted to him that his mind was closed to her, he knew that the Device was working on her. He used nearly all of his last bit of strength to knock out Adria with an energy blast that penetrated her personal shield. (10.14 "The Shroud")

The team successfully armed Merlin's weapon and sent it through the Supergate to the Ori galaxy where it would detonate (the weapon was on a five-minute timer). They were beamed off of the warship before it entered the event horizon, but the unconscious Adria was left behind with the Anti-Prior Device still activated against her. (10.14 "The Shroud")

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--DeeKayP 11:08, 29 May 2006 (PDT)