Memphis, designated P3X-116 by the Tau'ri, was a planet in the Milky Way galaxy which held a Stargate. Memphis came under the control of the Goa'uld System Lord Sokar, who populated the planet with Unas, together with many of the more dangerous creatures he encountered, making the world a difficult place to live. After Sokar's death, Anubis had the planet scouted as the possible location of a new base. There, his forces encountered SG-1 and the Dial Home Device was destroyed in the ensuing battle, though not before the Stargate was activated and SG-1 stepped through it.
History[]
Early history[]
A cool world which was covered in trees, Memphis was one of the many planets visited by the Ancients during their travels in the Milky Way galaxy. Whether or not they inhabited the planet is unknown, but by the time that the Tau'ri had constructed Stargate Command, the only sign remaining that they had visited the planet was the solitary Stargate. In addition to the forests, the planet's major continents were covered in mountains which added dizzying heights and dangerous depths to the landscape, creating many natural hazards. Though winters were often extremely harsh, the rest of the year was perfect for most of the beings living on the planet. (RPG: "Living Gods: Stargate System Lords")
Goa'uld rule[]
An explosion on Memphis.
Long after the Ancients left the Milky Way galaxy, Memphis was the capital world of Ptah, but, with the rise of Sokar, became one of the many planets under his control, which the Goa'uld turned into a sanctuary for many of his so-called demons. The population of the planet consisted primarily of Unas who had managed to evolve past their primitive tribal nature and become loyal servants to Sokar. In addition to these "demonic" beings, Memphis was home to many more hellish beasts and alien animals which Sokar gathered from other planets throughout the Milky Way galaxy in order to create an ecosystem which consisted almost entirely of monstrous beings. The end result of Sokar's machinations was one of the most fearful home of monsters throughout the galaxy. It was also known that the planets name was the inspiration for the city of Memphis on Earth.
It was because of Sokar's penchant for creatures that inspired fear that Memphis became a haven or menagerie for foul creatures of all types, turning Memphis into a nearly lawless world with almost no semblance of order or discipline. Indeed, even Sokar's own Necropolis Guards had difficulty simply surviving on the planet, let alone enforcing the will of their god among the people. Bands of roving Unas often fought amongst themselves for the honor of serving Sokar, whilst other Goa'uld who still preferred Unas hosts would often come to the planet and prey upon these packs in order to find a being suitable for implantation. Much likes these Unas, creatures from various worlds under Goa'uld control fought one another for dominance on their transplanted world. All of these dangers were hazards for helpless Humans and Jaffa who were abandoned in the wilderness of the planet to be hunted down for the amusement of Sokar and his servants; none of this activity stopped upon the death of Sokar.
Sokar himself never chose to erect any cities, temples, starports, or other signs of habitation on the surface of the planet, but instead chose to locate all of his facilities under the surface of the planet. The only structures that were located on the surface of the planet were small outposts which were manned by the Necropolis Guards, one of which was located roughly six miles from the Stargate. Underground, he constructed a set of stasis chambers which he left to be maintained by Goa'uld scientists which were loyal to him. If a species which was brought to the planet wasn't adapting well to the cold climate, Sokar or his scientists would take samples of the species and cryogenically freeze them underground so that he did not lose what might one day turn into a valuable asset. Some of these creatures were also given to genetic manipulators for experimentation, provided that they gave any resulting monstrous creatures to Sokar for his own use. (RPG: "Living Gods: Stargate System Lords")
Rise of Anubis[]
In early March 2002, Anubis sent his underlord Tanith to scout the planet as the possible location of a new base. Whether or not this was due to Anubis' knowledge of Sokar's labs on the planet, the local wildlife, or simply as a strategic location was unknown. While Tanith was on the planet, however, SG-1 visited and, through a set of unknown circumstances which involved a Death Glider making their position, found themselves trying to flee the planet to get away from the Tanith and his forces. During this mission Teal'c wielded a Staff cannon. This could have been the cannon he obtained several months earlier, or he could have acquired the weapon during the mission.
Daniel Jackson dialing the Dial Home Device on Memphis.
Tanith, chasing SG-1 in an Al'kesh with two Death Gliders and a battalion of Jaffa for support, managed to track them all the way to the Stargate. Before escaping from the planet, however, Teal'c fired the staff cannon at Tanith's Al'kesh which killed Tanith in a single shot. Just as Teal'c was stepping through the Stargate, however, Tanith's Al'kesh crashed into the Dial Home Device where it exploded. The resulting shockwave split the Stargate in two, causing the wormhole to destabilize while Teal'c was mid-transit and thus trapping him in Earth's Stargate buffer, which became clear when Stargate Command attempted to redial the planet, only to get an unknown error that Major Samantha Carter realizing that Teal'c was trapped which ultimately prompted the dial-up to be aborted.
After releasing Teal'c from the buffer by redialing the planet and using a DHD they had acquired from the Russians, Stargate Command attempted to dial P3X-116 but were unable to do so as the Stargate was destroyed. Whether or not Anubis planted his base on the planet remains unknown. (SG1: "48 Hours")
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- P3X-116 in Kathleen Ritter's Lexicon.
- GateWorld's article on P3X-116 in The Stargate Omnipedia