In 1997, the series 'Stargate SG-1' first aired on American cable television and over the course of nearly nine seasons has developed its own unique mythological superstructure. 'Stargate SG-1' focuses on the dynamic relationships among the show's main characters, the four-person first-contact team: SG-1. Each week they are taken to new planets where ancient human civilizations have been seeded as slave populations by the show's arch-villains, the parasitic, body-snatching Goa'uld. The series' concerns therefore range from ancient cultures and contemporary politics, to aliens and advanced technologies, all given life with award-winning special effects and anchored by the central icon of the Stargate. 'Stargate SG-1' has blossomed into a series driven by fierce fan loyalty, with lively internet discussion groups, growing 'textual poaching' in fan fiction and art, and popular annual conventions. It has also generated a spin-off, 'Stargate: Atlantis'. In this welcome critical