- "...the Apollo and the Daedalus have been retrofitted with the new Asgard plasma beam weapon which—given—are very, very powerful..."
- ―Rodney McKay[src]
Plasma beam weapons are a highly-effective ship-based weapon system developed by the Asgard just prior to their extinction in 2007 and gifted to the Tau'ri as part of their legacy. They are among the most advanced ship-based weapons known to exist.
Overview[]
- "At least we now have weapons we know will destroy an Ori ship."
- ―Cameron Mitchell[src]
Unlike most ship-based energy weapon systems, which are designed to fire individual pulses of energy, the Asgard plasma beam is a narrow, high-intensity beam of superheated plasma. These beams are capable of overloading and penetrating even the most advanced shields and burning through the hulls and internal structures of an enemy vessel with comparative ease, causing heavy damage; if the beam hits a critical area the target can be destroyed in only two to three shots. This incredible ship-to-ship weapon might be one of the most powerful and efficient ever encountered. (SG1: "Unending") (SGA: "Be All My Sins Remember'd")
In terms of effectiveness, Asgard plasma beam weapons are among the only known weapons capable of penetrating the shields of Ori warships, being able to destroy such vessels in 5 to 6 hits (the shields begin to fluctuate after 2 hits, indicating that they are being drained, and fail after 3-4 hits, with the ship itself then sustaining crippling damage). (SG1: "Unending") For reference, pulse weapon fire from an entire fleet of ships (including ten Ha'taks of the Free Jaffa Aliance, three Ha'taks of the Lucian Alliance, two Tauri BC-304s, and an Asgard O'Neill-class ship) were unable to penetrate Ori warship shields. These weapons have also proven exceedingly effective at destroying unshielded Asuran Aurora-class battleships in several hits, and Wraith Hive ships in three hits. (SGA: "Be All My Sins Remember'd", "The Last Man")
The power of these weapons furthermore appears to be adjustable; two shots from a BC-304 were used to incapacitate a Wraith cruiser without destroying it. (SGA, "Search and Rescue")
History[]
- "I want to be able to brief the President as soon as we get back. He's gonna want to know how quickly we can duplicate this new Asgard weaponry."
- ―Henry Landry[src]
These weapons were placed on the Odyssey as a gift to the Tau'ri in a mass upgrade which included all the knowledge of the Asgard (in the form of an Asgard computer core), providing the ship with a means to effectively fight the Ori warships that had been invading the Milky Way galaxy. They were first used when the Odyssey couldn't get to hyperspace in time while chased by an Ori ship and proved their worth by destroying it in their very first use. Later, they were used to destroy another mothership. These weapons were eventually equipped on both the Daedalus and the Apollo, which put them to use almost immediately when they used them to rapidly destroy the Aurora-class warships that the Asurans were deploying in the Pegasus galaxy. They saw great use in the Battle of Asuras in which they destroyed several battleships. Since then, all Daedalus-class warships have been outfitted with these weapons. (SG1: "Unending") (SGA: "Be All My Sins Remember'd")
In an alternate timeline, plasma beam weapons were also equipped on the Phoenix, and used to quickly destroy several Hive ships under Michael Kenmore's command. (SGA: "The Last Man")
During the Battle of M2S-445, the Daedalus was able to use its beam weapons to disable the hyperdrive of Michael's cruiser with two shots to the stern as it attempted to flee to hyperspace. The Daedalus later destroyed Michael's cruiser with two more shots from its beam weapons after Teyla Emmagan was rescued and the cruiser was disabled. They were later used in the Battle of the Super-hive, but were largely ineffective against the upgraded hive ship due to its much-improved hull armor, with a direct hit from the Daedalus resulting only in minimal damage. The Apollo and Sun Tzu presumably used these weapons in their later attempt to destroy the hive ship to no effect as well despite there being two ships at once using the weapons. (SGA: "Search and Rescue", "Enemy at the Gate")
During the Battle of M35-117 in an alternate reality, an alternate Daedalus attacked an Alien ship with these weapons. While the few shots it was able to get off due to great lack of power weren't enough to destroy the alien ship, it disabled the ship's weapons and saved the alternate Atlantis. (SGA: "The Daedalus Variations")
In an early battle with the forces of Queen Death, the George Hammond lost use of its plasma beam weapons and they were determined to be beyond repair until the ship could return to Earth. As a result, the Hammond lacked its plasma beam weapons during the following battles with Wraith forces. (SGA: "The Lost")
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- In a deleted scene, Samantha Carter, speaking to Colonel Steven Caldwell aboard the Daedalus, informs him of her plan to increase the yield of the Asgard plasma beam weapons by diverting some power to them from the sublight systems. (SGA: "Be All My Sins Remember'd")
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| Assault Rifles | Langaran assault rifle • Lucian Alliance assault rifle • Tagrean assault rifle • Tegalan assault rifle |
| Rifles | Hoffan rifle • Satedan military rifle • Tegalan rifle |
| Submachine Guns | Genii semi-automatic machine gun • Lucian Alliance submachine gun |
| Shotgun | Genii shotgun |
| Pistols | Firearm (Cicero's people) • Firearm (Elson's people) • Firearm (People of P3R-118) • Genii pistol • Genii revolver • Jannick's revolver • Jayem Seran's pistol • Langaran pistol • Lucian Alliance pistol • Nabel Golan's pistol • Pangaran firearm • Satedan pistol • Tagrean pistol • Tegalan pistol • Vala Mal Doran's pistol |
| Rocket Launchers | Lucian Alliance rocket launcher |
| Energy Weapons | Altairan disintegrator • Ankh weapon • Asgard hand weapon • Assassin Sniper's rifle • Asuran pistol • Bedrosian rifle • Eurondan sidearm • Intar • Lantean stun weapon • Ma'Tok staff • Malakai's gun • Odai Ventrell's pistol • Oranian pistol • Ori staff weapon • Ori stun weapon • Particle magnum • Plasma pistol • Serrakin pistol • Serrakin rifle • Stun rod • T-46 Pulse Blaster • Tollan sidearm • Togar's sidearm • Unknown Alien weapon • Wraith handblaster • Wraith spear gun • Wraith stunner rifle • Zat'nik'tel |
| Explosives | Genii explosive |
| Grenades | Lucian Alliance stun grenade • Shock grenade • Thermal grenade |
| Mines | Lucian Alliance mine • Tacluchnatagamuntoron |
| Missiles | Tagrean missile • Tegalan missile |
| Ship based | Asgard plasma beam weapon • Bedrosian cannon • Berzerker drone energy weapon • Destiny pulse weapon • Energy beam cannon • Ion gun • Laser cannon • Nakai energy weapon • Ori energy beam weapon • Ori pulse weapon • Plasma charge • Staff cannon • Unidentified spaceship energy weapon • Vanir energy weapon • Wraith energy weapon |
| Satellites | Asuran Stargate satellite • Lagrangian Point satellite • Ori satellite • Replicator disruptor satellite |
| Other Weapons | Asgard directed energy weapon • Drone weapon • Hara'kesh • Kara kesh • Mini-drone • Multiphasic blaster • Orbital weapon • Phase-shifting weapon • Replicator disruptor • Replicator disruptor cannon • Sangraal • Stargate destroyer • Tumor creation device • Transphase Eradication Rod • Wraith bomb • Za'tarc ring |
| Primitive | Arkad's sword • Axe • Ba'al's knife • Bantos rod • Blowgun • Bow • Crossbow • Dagger • Hammer • Inago's knife • Jaffa knife • Javelin • Kest • Kiryk's shortsword • Krantu • Mace • Michael's knife • Otho's knife • Ronon's knife • Ronon's sword • Shikra blade • Slingshot • Sword • Todd's knife • Traveler knife • Tyre's sword • Whip • Wraith Commander's sword |