Ascension – SGCommand – Wikia

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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