GEOS - Character - Daniel Jackson

Saturday 31st July 2010 10:43am

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Daniel Jackson

Daniel Jackson was the son of Melburn and Claire Jackson. When he was young, his parents were killed in a tragic accident at the New York Museum of Art and Antiquities, and Daniel was raised by foster parents. When he grew up, Daniel obtained several university degrees and learned to speak 23 languages. With his archeology degree he went to work with Doctor David Jordan at the University of Chicago. Part of Jordan's team, Daniel was a part of many discoveries in the fields of archeology and Egyptology. During this time, Daniel became romantically involved with fellow-archaeologist Doctor Sarah Gardner. However, Daniel's workaholic behavior proved the relationship's undoing, and when Daniel worked through an anniversary, Sarah broke off the relationship. While working with Jordan, Daniel began forming more and more radical theories about who actually built the pyramids. Wanting to publish his theories, but not wanting the fallout to affect Doctor Jordan, Daniel left the team and began working on his own. Daniel's substantial reputation gained him several university grants at first. But, as the archaeological community ridiculed his theories more and more, few of his grants were ever renewed. By 1994, Jackson was out of money and essentially on the street. His friend, Doctor Ajami hosted a conference for Daniel, hoping that he would be able to couch his theories in terms the archaeological community could accept. The conference was a disaster, but it was at this conference that Daniel met Doctor Catherine Langford and was recruited into her Stargate Program. Daniel's linguistic talents enabled him to solve the final pieces to the puzzle that allowed Catherine's team to activate the stargate. Needed to figure out how to operate the stargate on the other side, Daniel earned a place on the first exploration team through it under Colonel Jack O'Neill. While on that trip, the team met the inhabitants, displaced ancient Egyptians. The leader of the Abydonians (Kasuf) gave his daughter, Sha're (also spelled Sha'uri) to Daniel as wife, though it was several days before Daniel actually found out that he was married. The mission was interrupted by the arrival of one of Earth's oldest enemies, Ra. Much of the team was killed, but Daniel and Jack supported an Abydonian revolt and managed to destroy Ra's ship (and Ra) with a nuclear device. The team returned to Earth, but Daniel remained behind with his wife.

Daniel lived among the Abydonians for over a year, happily in love with his new bride. However, this happiness ended when Apophis staged a raid through the stargate, kidnapping his wife and his brother-in-law, Skaara. Daniel returned to Earth and joined SG-1, hoping one day to find and free his wife. This was never to happen. Sha're had been taken as host by the goa'uld Amonet, Apophis' new queen. On Abydos, Daniel was briefly reunited with his wife. She had been impregnated by Apophis, and Amonet had to remain dormant during the pregnancy. Once the baby was born, Amonet regained control and took her host back to Apophis. Daniel achieved a small victory when he secured the boy child and had Kasuf keep the child in secret, away from Apophis and Amonet. When Amonet and Heru'ur's Jaffa finally obtained the child, Daniel was nearly killed by Amonet, but Teal'c saved him by killing Amonet, and Sha're along with her.

Despondent over the death of his wife, Daniel remained with SG-1, kept going by the hopes of recovering her child. Eventually he found the child, but chose to leave him in the care of Oma Desala, with whom he'd be safe. Daniel continued as a valuable member of SG-1. He briefly encountered his old flame Sarah Gardner, only to discover that she too had been taken by a goa'uld, this time Osiris. Osiris fled Earth, but Daniel hoped one day to find her and free Sarah. On a mission to P2S-4C3, Daniel saved the planet from a nuclear catastrophe, but received a fatal dose of radiation in the process. However, instead of dying, he was helped by Oma Desala to ascend to a higher plane of existence.

After this, Daniel watched over his friends, helping them as he could, though the rules for ascended beings severely limited his ability to help. Eventually, Daniel found himself in a situation where he could not resist breaking the rules. Anubis was going to destroy Abydos, and Daniel decided to stop him. Oma prevented Daniel from acting, though, and Daniel chose to return to a mortal existence, even though it meant losing his memories (well, partially). SG-1 found Daniel on Vis'Uban and returned him to Earth. On Earth, Daniel regained most of his pre-ascension memories, but could only remember bits and snatches from his time ascended. Daniel resumed his duties with SG-1, and the most significant event in his later personal life was the rescue, finally, of Sarah Gardner. When the Replicators threatened to conquer the Milky Way galaxy, Daniel once again died in the line of duty, this time only briefly. Yet again, Daniel ascended to a higher plane of existence, this time returning immediately to mortal form.

After the defeat of the Replicators and the successful Jaffa rebellion had greatly reduced the Goa'uld threat, Daniel left SG-1 to join the Atlantis expedition. However, circumstances prevented him from making the voyage. He has currently been working with SG-1's new commander, Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell. Mitchell hopes to convince Daniel to rejoin SG-1.

James Spader originally had the role of Daniel Jackson in the movie Stargate. The character's history differed slightly in how his parents died. For the series Stargate SG-1, the character has been portrayed by Michael Shanks. Because of an incident where bodies got swapped, Michael also portrayed Ma'chello (in Ma'chello). and Richard Dean Anderson portrayed Daniel Jackson (in Jack O'Neill).

Michael Shanks was a regular cast member for all seasons of Stargate SG-1 except season 6, when he left the series for that one season. During that season, Daniel Jackson appeared in three episodes as a guest star (Abyss, The Changeling, Full Circle), and in the episode Disclosure in excerpts from past episodes.

Michael Shanks was listed in the title credits for all episodes during which he was a regular cast member. However, he and his character did not appear in two episodes, A Matter of Time and Prodigy. Also, Michael Shanks appeared in three episodes in which the character Daniel Jackson did not. In Double Jeopardy, he only appeared as Android Daniel Jackson. In Revelations, he only appeared only as Thor (Voice). And, in Moebius Part 1, he only appeared as Daniel Jackson (Alternate-6) and Daniel Jackson (Alternate-7), versions of Daniel that were from time lines other than that continued in the series. Also, in Inauguration, he appeared in no new footage, but did appear in excerpts from past episodes.

Michael Shanks has also appeared in the role of Daniel Jackson as a guest star in the series pilot for Stargate: Atlantis.

This character's appearance in Disclosure was in archival footage.