Several months ago, an article by A. O. Scott appeared in the New York Times. Scott was discussing the power of fantasy for adolescents - and, by extension, for all of us - through its use of certain types as core characters in the most successful fantasy stories.
Scott wrote, 'The central characters (in Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc) show an especially close kinship. They are - following a convention so deep it seems to be encoded in the human storytelling gene - orphans, summoned out of obscurity to undertake a journey into the heart of evil that will also be a journey of self-discovery'.
The blueprint for Daniel Jackson's character and role in the Stargate story could not be more explicitly demonstrated than in Scott's words. And this understanding of his vital importance to the mythology of the show is key to understanding why a continuation of the show without him renders it essentially meaningless.
The analogy is simple and stark. If we look at the Lord of the Rings trilogy, we can see that it could be argued it is the story of Aragorn. It is, after all and in large part, the tale of his resumption of kingship. It could also be persuasively suggested that it is Gandalf who is the central character - he strides the pages like a Colossus, and it is no coincidence that his image is frequently chosen to illustrate the cover of the books.
Is it simply the story of the ring? But then, how many of us are invested in the travels of a round piece of metal, however magical it may be?
Tolkien had a far deeper understanding of mythology and its needs, steeped as he was in knowledge of the genre. He cast at its heart Frodo - a gentle, generous, compassionate, courageous but at first glance unremarkable hobbit. An Everyman. Lord of the Rings may resound with the doings of the great and noble, but it is Frodo's story that gives it heart and psychological power. Remove him from the tale and it at once becomes rather sterile and lacking a good deal of its interest. Though other characters were my favourites I understood, even as a child reading the books for the first time, that this was Frodo's Adventure.
Imagine then, if Frodo was killed three-quarters of the way through the book. It's almost impossible to do so - the affront to our sense of the heroic and mythical is too much. We know, almost, as Scott suggests, in our genes, that this is not right. Imagine how much worse we would feel if Frodo were replaced not by Sam but by the treacherous Gollum.
Would we be interested in seeing if Gollum could redeem himself? I find it unlikely, but Tolkien was far too wise for any such nonsense, and far too respectful of the world and characters he'd created, the people who would be immersed in reading them. He knew that the greatest treachery had he pulled such a stunt would be to his own story, for the key to the myth would be gone, its essential function ruptured beyond repair.
If we consider Stargate through Professor Tolkien's eyes, I have no doubt he would be quick to see whose story it remains. Though colourful and fascinating characters circle him, it is Daniel Jackson, the orphan 'summoned out of obscurity to undertake a journey into the heart of evil' who is undertaking 'the central journey of self-discovery'. Though the Stargate is a central image, as is the ring in LOTR, it is Daniel's travails that bring the story human focus.
The story is immeasurably richer for the central relationship between Daniel and Jack, just as Sam Gamgee adds so much to LOTR - and again, I can imagine Tolkien giving a nod of approval as he watches the warrior protect and learn from his more far-seeing friend. He would, I have no doubt, be fascinated by the possibilities in Teal'c, and would recognise Artemis in Sam Carter.
But he would be appalled by the notion of Gollum slipping long slimy fingers around Frodo's neck and undertaking the central role in his place; he would be equally disgusted by the choosing of a man as inherently treacherous as Jonas to first allow Daniel to sacrifice himself in his place and then assume his role within the story. No retrospective claims of orphanhood, no mysterious powers of prescience, no magical ability to withstand radiation can redeem the character from that initial corruption. Loki, the killer of Baldur the Beautiful, is not welcomed by the gods in his place - instead, he suffers infernal punishment. Had Gollum strangled Frodo and assumed the quest, would the other hobbits embrace him? Would Aragorn wryly accept him as a better alternative than nothing? Would we wince as Gollum jokes with Sam Gamgee, picks up Frodo's cloak and tries it on for size, wanders into Bag End and makes himself at home? You can be sure Tolkien would dismiss any such ideas as lunacy.
Stargate has lost its heart. Whatever adventures befall the characters left, they remain a dumb-show, silhouettes viewed through a curtain, lacking humanity and warmth and the essential interest they derived from having Daniel Jackson as their centre. As Scott says; 'But ultimately, whatever fellowship he may have found along the way, the hero's quest is solitary, his triumph an allegory of the personal fulfilment that is, in the real world, both a birthright and a mirage'. The attempt to replace him - and make no mistake, that is precisely what has been essayed - was doomed from the beginning, but doubly and damnably so by the choosing of a character so distinctly unpalatable. Stargate was not simply the story of a big, magic circle; it was the story of Harry Potter, Frodo, Luke Skywalker. Daniel Jackson has a fitting place in Valhalla alongside these other Everyman heroes - and without him, the Stargate becomes simply a subway to the stars - without magic or meaning.
By Poss
14th Oct 2002
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