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This article is about the process of Ascension. For the episode, see Ascension (episode).

Daniel Jackson ascends to a higher plane of existence

Ascension is a process that allows beings to be able to separate from their physical bodies and to live eternally as pure energy in a superior plane with agreater amount of knowledge and power. It can be a mental, spiritual or evolutionary processa direct result of obtaining a certain level of wisdom and knowledge as a civilization.

The Ancients were the first race to ascend and some of them, such as Oma Desala, attempted to teach the "lowers" to ascend without the use of technology. Dr. Daniel Jackson speculated that this is what the Earth religion of Buddhism is based on, and that Oma is Mother Nature along with the other Ancients as spirits.

According to research by Dr. Rodney McKay, once the brain achieves 90% synaptic activity, they must achieve an EEG of 0.1 to 0.9 hertz, during which they will learn how to convert their body into energy. If they do not achieve ascension before 96% synaptic activity is achieved, the lower functions of the brain will shut down. Ascension can happen in two ways: spiritually or evolutionary. Both cases, the physical body of a mortal being will become energy (leaving a heap of empty clothes), and a glowing light being will raise up through the ceiling. From then on the ascended being tends to take the form of the glowing light being. (SG1: "Meridian") (SGA: "Tao of Rodney")

Oma Desala in ascended form

A being previously or currently Ascended can help a mortal Ascend. The Ancient Oma Desala, found in Earth myths of Mother Nature, helped to Ascend many beings of this form, most significantly Dr. Daniel Jackson, and the entire population of Abydos. In this case, a being does not need to be morally good in the first place, although most Ascended beings would never promote a morally bad person. This happened to Anubis when Oma Ascended him and later realized what a horrible mistake it was. (SG1: "Maternal Instinct", "Meridian", "Full Circle", "Threads")

An Ori in ascended form

Ascension can also be a physical process, because, essentially, Ascended beings are still "strictly physical". A human who has the ability to use approximately 90% of their cerebral capacity can learn to Ascend without much problem, gaining more and more power as a mortal (including telekinesis) until the person reaches this point (see Near ascension.) This is related to the myth of which the people only use 10% of their brains, with no real justification. Again, this form of Ascension does not require the being to be good of heart.

Some of the Ancients that Ascended naturally like Mesha reached this point without the aid of technology. Nevertheless, they also developed the DNA resequencer, a device able to make humans so advanced that they could obtain abilities like telekinesis, telepathy, healing, and more. They also created an Ascension machine to hasten the process. (SG1: "Prototype") (SGA: "Tao of Rodney")

An Asuran digitally ascending

Since the Atlantis expedition's first contact with the Asurans, they've known that a splinter faction of the Replicators, led by Niam, had the aspiration to ascend, just as their creators the Ancients had done. However, this goal is impossible to achieve because they are machines, not humans.

After the rest of the Asurans and their home world were destroyed, Niam's faction, now led by Dr. Elizabeth Weir, was able to pursue ascension without worry of any hindrance or fear of reprisal for not conforming. An individual named Koracen discovered a way to "ascend" into subspace as a means of reaching a higher plane. However, that plan didn't work, as they were trapped in subspace. The experience is described as rather unpleasant, as they were constantly subjected to the background noise and transmissions sent through it. They were eventually forced to abandon that plan and retake corporeal form. (SGA: "Ghost in the Machine")

Note that this is not technically ascension, as they did not gain any of the abilities of the ascended or move to a higher plane. Instead, those so ascended became, almost literally, ghosts in the machine; that is, a consciousness existing as electrical energy which can control technology. In this state, they could travel through subspace and take control of any machine after a short acclimation period.

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Ascension - SGCommand - Wikia

Ascension is described as a state of communion with the Old Gods. Among other benefits, those who succeed in attaining it are able to travel through the Mists, and with the right help can unlock hidden reserves of power. As well as being masters of their primary chosen heroic profession, Ascendants are able to grasp, to an extent, elements of all the other professions.

In 272 AE, Glint compiled the Flameseeker Prophecies that foretold a group of Chosen would rise and gain Ascension in the Crystal Desert. Many great human civilizations have traveled to the Crystal Desert to Ascend, seeking the guidance of the gods or believing that the prophesied few were among them, and almost all have failed.

The first known attempt to Ascend was made by the Margonites, whose erasure from history was so extensive that many historians considered them to be entirely mythological and mistakenly attribute their existence to the Luxons. The Margonites traversed the region formerly known as the Crystal Sea, and were different to the other human nations in that they as a nation worshiped primarily one of the Six Gods, Abaddon. During this time, the Margonites deconstructed their many ships and built towers out of them atop the dunes that stuck out of the water's surface in the area now called Thirsty River, misunderstanding the nature of Ascension and believing that if they could build the towers tall enough, they could speak with or plead to Dwayna, Melandru, and Balthazar directly - however, how accurate knowledge on these events is remains unclear given the removed history on Abaddon and the Margonites, including whether this happened before or after Abaddon's fall.

In 868 AE, six years after his defeat of Palawa Joko at the Battle of Jahai, the great Warmarshal Turai Ossa, first ruler of a united Elona since the Great Dynasty, abdicated his throne and led a Great Pilgrimage north into the Desolation, believing himself to be a Chosen mentioned in the Flameseeker Prophecies.

The pilgrimage established a colony, Elonia, in the treacherous desert and set about attempting the Tests of Ascension. In the desert they found the Forgotten, and mistakenly believing them to be mere beasts, attacked them. Nevertheless they built a Temple of Ascension, hoping that the gods would notice whomever sat upon the Throne of Pellentia, and attempted to assemble the Vision Crystal, a powerful artifact necessary to focus the gaze of the gods. However, a glimpse of the power offered by Ascension was enough to seed mistrust within the pilgrimage, and it split into multiple groups, three of which with their own piece of the Vision Crystal. Eventually, between their own internal strife and Forgotten attacks, Elonia crumbled and Turai's dream of Ascension with it.

Since the failure of the Great Pilgrimage, there have been at least two more groups who traveled to the desert to attempt to Ascend. Their names, and the details of their failures, are unknown but aside from the Elonians and Margonites, a group called the Seekers as well as some Ascalonians are known to have traversed the desert.

In the early days of the Krytan Civil War in 1072 AE, a group of Ascalonians and Shining Blade rebels fled the wrath of the White Mantle after the Henge of Denravi was destroyed due to Markis' treachery. On the advice of Vizier Khilbron, the group were to travel to the Crystal Desert and Ascend, unlocking the Gift of True Sight and allowing them to face the White Mantle's unseen gods directly. In the desert the group encountered the Ghostly Herothe spirit of Turai Ossa, still determined to reach the Hall of Heroes. Under his guidance, the heroes retraced the steps of the Elonians, seizing the Throne of Pellentia, cleansing their spirits at the Rune Circle, and reassembled the Vision Crystal.

Having completed the Tests of Ascension, the heroes, blessed with Divine Fire, were able to gain access to Augury Rock itself, and within they faced the last obstacle before Ascensionthemselves. After passing this test and became Ascended, the heroes were taken to the Dragon's Lair and allowed to meet Glint face-to-face.

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Ascension - Guild Wars Wiki (GWW)