By Nicholas Yanes

Stargate Origins not only introduced us to a younger Catherine Langford, it also gave us a new Goa’uld, Aset. Serving as one of Ra’s underlords, Aset governed Abydos in a unique way. Unlike most of the Goa’uld, Aset is distinctly maternal in regards to how she oversees her subjects, in this case, the humans of Abydos. Not only does she offer her human subjects gifts, she even conceives and gives birth to a harcesis child – an act which is forbidden by the Goa’uld.

Aset was not only an imposing and complex figure in Stargate Origins, she also served as an interesting reflection of her real-life mythological foundations. Like many of Stargate’s alien beings, Aset is steeped in mythology from the ancient religions of Earth’s past. So, with a history that spans over 4,000 years, let’s break down some of the key aspects of Aset, her impact on Egyptian and other Mediterranean societies, and her legacy as a whole.

A Goddess by Any Other Name…

While many Egyptian deities can be traced back to the founding of the Egyptian state, circa 3100 BCE, Aset wasn’t first mentioned until the 5th Dynasty (which existed from 2465 BCE to 2325 BCE). Despite this comparatively late start, Aset quickly became popular in Egypt and other neighboring cultures. In fact, Aset would eventually become so well known that Greeks would translate her name into their language. The Greek version of Aset’s name would become Isis – a version which became this deity’s more commonly used designation.

Now, eagle-eyed fans of Stargate will realize that both versions of this god’s name have been used throughout the franchise. These would be the Goa’ulds Isis who was mentioned in the SG1 episode, “The Curse,” and Aset from Stargate Origins. But this is no mere coincidence, as many of you who have read the Stargate Origins Mission Files will know. In the Mission File for Stargate Origins episode 7, it is revealed that Aset is actually a clone of Isis, the former being created before the latter was imprisoned in a canopic jar by Ra.

A Goddess of Thrones and Witchcraft

Some texts and stories limit Aset to merely being Osiris’s wife; however, she is far more than just that.

Highly protective of her son, Horus, she is often seen as the goddess of motherhood. It’s this strong tie to motherhood that shaped Aset’s portrayal in Stargate Origins, in which she was often depicted with her harcesis baby in her arms and possessing a maternal sentiment towards the people of Abydos.

Outside of her family roles, Aset is also the goddess of the pharaohs and responsible for protecting the Egyptian kingdom. This makes her one of the key gods responsible for the sanctity of the throne. It might seem ironic, then, that in Stargate Origins Aset sought to use her caretaker position on Abydos to steal power away from her leader, Ra. Similarly, in SG-1’s ‘The Curse’ we learn that Isis fell foul of Ra’s wrath after she and Osiris attempted to overthrow the Supreme System Lord. But again, this isn’t actually all that far from some of the legends created around the deity by her real-life worshippers….

Aset’s strength, and the respect she commands, stems from the fact that she is also often seen as the goddess of knowledge and magic. Her ability to manipulate magic once allowed her to secretly create a venomous snake which she sent to bite Ra. In order to be cured of this venom, Ra had to give Aset his true name – information which enabled Aset to become more powerful than all her fellow gods. Though this will be expanded on later, Aset’s magical abilities have left her deeply tied to witchcraft…even into the modern era.

Essentially, Aset was so powerful that if a mortal or deity upset her, she’d have the ability to make their lives difficult. Luckily, she’s mainly depicted as being an entity filled with compassion because, if Aset were a video game character, she’d definitely be an end of level boss.

Family Matters

Like most pantheons, Egyptian deities had an unusual family tree. For instance, Aset was seen as Min’s consort and mother. Why? Well, because Min created himself by impregnating his mother.

Beyond this strange twist in her family tree, Aset was the daughter of Geb and Nun. She is the wife of Osiris and they are the parents of Horus. In other Egyptian myths, she was also the mother to the four sons of Horus. So again, family trees in ancient pantheons are…strange.

Those bonds between Aset and Osiris are particularly strong in Stargate lore. From information provided by Daniel Jackson and the Stargate Origins Mission Files, we know that the pair had once attempted to overthrow Ra, but were deceived by Setesh. When Osiris later escaped the banishment of his canopic jar, one of his first acts before causing Jackson and SG-1 so much grief was to search (in vain) for his lover.

The Greeks and Romans Loved Her

When discussing ancient cultures, people tend to views these populations as being geographically static. However, history has shown this assumption to not be the case. Whether it was from people moving across land or water, societies based around the Mediterranean frequently exchanged goods and ideas. And Aset was one of the many ideas that spread from Egypt to the Greco-Roman world.

Often associated with Demeter, Aset (under the name of Isis) inspired a cult to form in her honor throughout Greco-Roman areas. One of the many activities associated with the Cult of Isis were initiations called the Mysteries of Isis. Outside of the cult’s activities, the Romans at large celebrated Isis annually on March 5 as part of festival called “Navigium Isidis.” Loosely meaning the “vessel of Isis,” this day was dedicated to praying for the safety of sailors and anyone else who worked on the sea.

Overall, Aset was not the only Egyptian god to be worshipped by the Greeks and Romans, but her presence echoed in Greco-Roman culture for centuries.

Modern Relevance

At over four-thousand years old, Aset (primarily under the name of Isis) still has a place in today’s world. As alluded to above, her connection to magic and witchcraft has kept her relevant to pagan communities and those who practice witchcraft. There is even an organization called the Fellowship of Isis devoted to this goddess and claims to have over 24,000 members across the globe.

DC and Marvel Comics both have characters named Isis. And Isis remains a popular name for girls in North America and Europe. Though not as popular as Isis, Isidore (which means ‘gift of Isis’) is a men’s name inspired by this goddess that is still used to this day.

Final thoughts about Aset?

Aset has a history going back thousands of years so there was no way this article could possibly cover everything about her. So, what aspects of Aset do you wish more people knew? Also, what other mythic backgrounds for a Stargate character would you like to learn more about? Just let us know in the comments.

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