Yu (Stargate)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Stargate character | |
|---|---|
 Yu in Summit |
|
| Yu-huang Shang Ti | |
| Race | Goa'uld |
| Gender | Male |
| Rank | System Lord |
| Portrayer | Vince Crestejo |
| First episode | "Fair Game" |
Yu is a Goa'uld System Lord on the sci-fi television show, Stargate SG-1 played by actor Vince Crestejo.
Yu proved to be popular with fans as a recurring character, because unlike most of the other System Lords (who were often arrogant, egotistical, and hell bent on total galactic domination), Yu was actually a very pragmatic villain, trying to protect and expand his own interests but not maniacally obsessed with conquering everyone else.
Contents |
[edit] Assumed persona
Two references in the series to the historical basis of Yu show a clear contradiction on the persona Yu assumed. In a briefing at the SGC, Daniel Jackson introduced Yu as "Yu the Great. He did not assume the role of a god, per se. But may have been one of China's earliest emperors... He founded the first recorded dynasty". [1] Later, Jackson, impersonating Yu's servant, announced Yu's full title as "the Jade Emperor, the exalted Lord Yuhuang Shangti". [2] The first reference refers to Yu the Great, founder of the Xia Dynasty, a mortal who lived in 21st century BC, and "Yu" would be written as 禹 in Chinese. The second reference refers to the Jade Emperor, a deity of Taoism developed much later on, and "Yu" would be written as 玉 in Chinese.
[edit] History
A powerful and intelligent Goa'uld, Yu was a leader among the System Lords, and was the oldest Goa'uld to hold that rank. Historically, on Earth, Yu likely did not impersonate a god per se, but may have been one of China's earliest emperors. He also founded the first dynasty. Legend says that Yu sprang forth into the world from a dragon's body, and possessed great mythic powers.
His first modern encounter with the Tau'ri was when he, along with fellow System Lords Cronus and Nirrti, represented the Goa'uld at an Asgard-mediated summit on Earth to amend the Protected Planets Treaty. Yu was the group's key spokesman, and eventually supported the non-aggression treaty when it was discovered that Nirrti had attempted to kill Cronus and sabotage the negotiations. A contributing factor to this decision was that Yu's own interests did not lie in Earth's area. [1]
When the System Lords met in a summit of their own to discuss a mysterious new threat to them all, Yu was expected to attend along with his personal slave, or Lo'tar. However, the Tok'ra had enabled Daniel Jackson to impersonate Yu's Lo'tar as part of an elaborate plan to assassinate all System Lords in a single blow. [2] When the identity of the mysterious attacker was revealed, Yu was outraged to learn that the threat was none other than Anubis, his old enemy whom he believed to have been killed a thousand years ago. The other System Lords voted to reinstate Anubis as a System Lord, although Yu was the only dissenting vote. The Tok'ra eventually called off their assassination attempt as the new System Lord, Anubis, was not present at the time.
After surviving an attack by Osiris [3], Yu began a battle campaign against Anubis. Despite the latter's superior technology, Yu's forces managed to hold their own. He eventually convinced the other System Lords to oppose Anubis, and led their combined forces into a battle over the planet Abydos. However, Anubis used his advanced new weapon to annihilate their fleet. [4]
When SG-1 offered Yu a chance to destroy Anubis once and for all, he inexplicably betrayed them and withdrew his forces from the battle. His First Prime, Oshu, expressed to Teal'c his concern over Yu's failing health. The sarcophagus no longer sustained the very old Goa'uld as it once did, and Yu had begun to exhibit poor memory and judgment. In addition, Oshu revealed that Yu could not take a new host because his Goa'uld was simply too weak. The leadership over the United Alliance of the System Lords, formed to battle Anubis, was transferred to Ba'al, who attacked Anubis at Langara. [5]
However, when Anubis' fleet was defeated when he attempted to attack Earth, Ba'al rose to power and made an enemy of his fellow System Lords, including Yu. As Earth had recently discovered the Ancient outpost in Antarctica and used it against Anubis' fleet, Yu travelled to the SGC along with Camulus and Amaterasu in the hopes of convincing them to join the fight against Ba'al. As the SGC was not willing to do so, the System Lord delegation left. [6]
The following months did not go well for Yu. In addition to his senility, his fleet suffered heavy losses against Ba'al. He eventually attended a System Lord summit organized by Ba'al to negotiate the System Lords' surrender. When the station was invaded by Replicator Carter, Yu was stabbed, and is presumed dead. [7]
[edit] Trivia
- Because of his name, Yu has been the source of several jokes:
- Daniel: Uh, the second Goa'uld representative we're expecting is Yu.
O'Neill: Me?
Daniel: "Yu" is the name of the Goa'uld.
O'Neill: Sorry.
- Jacob Carter: [to Jackson] Yu will be among the System Lords attending the meeting.
Samantha Carter: I thought you said he'd be going in as a slave?
Jacob: The System Lord Yu.
Sam: Little joke there.
- Daniel: I was just going over some research material on the delegates they're sending. Camulus was the one who sent the original message. Then there's Amaterasu, Japanese Sun Goddess, and the last one is Lord Yu.
Elizabeth Weir: Yu?
Daniel: Don't. Every joke, every pun, done to death, seriously.
- His hat resembles those of noble men's during the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Fair Game" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ a b "Summit" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Last Stand" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Full Circle" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Homecoming" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "New Order" (Stargate SG-1)
- ^ "Reckoning" (Stargate SG-1)
[edit] External Links
| Recurring characters on Stargate SG-1 | Edit | |
| Tau'ri | Malcolm Barrett | Jacob Carter | Chekov | Adrian Conrad | Major Davis | Paul Emerson | Louis Ferretti | Janet Fraiser Walter Harriman | Charles Kawalsky | Robert Kinsey | Carolyn Lam | Catherine Langford | Bill Lee | Harry Maybourne Rodney McKay | Lionel Pendergast | Robert Rothman | Frank Simmons | Pete Shanahan | Siler | Richard Woolsey |
 |
| Other Humans | Cassandra | Kasuf | Linea | Ma'chello | Martin Lloyd | Sha're | Shifu | Skaara | |
| Goa'uld | Amonet | Anubis | Apophis | Ba'al | Cronus | Hathor | Heru-ur Nerus | Nirrti | Osiris | Ra | Sokar | Tanith | Yu | Zipacna |
|
| Jaffa | Bra'tac | Gerak | Ishta | Rya'c | |
| Other | Adria | Chaka | Fifth | Harlan | Merlin | Oma Desala | Reese | Replicator Carter | Thor | |
| Lists by race | All | Tau'ri | Ancient, Aschen, Asgard, Goa'uld, Jaffa, Langaran, Lucian Alliance Ori, Replicator, Tok'ra, Tollan, System Lord |
|
