Q&A with Joseph Mallozzi

Joseph Mallozzi is a writer-producer on the Stargate SG-1 staff, who first joined the show for its fourth season (alongside writing partner Paul Mullie).

The following Q&A was conducted via GateWorld Forum in June of 2002, shortly after the premiere of Season Six. Fans were invited to submit questions to Mr. Mallozzi via e-mail. (Questions appear in bold.)

Thanks to Joe for participating!

---

SEASON SIX: ‘WHO WILL RETURN?’ QUESTIONS

From Henrique:
Are we going to see Zipacna, Nurrti and any System Lord other than Baal in Season Six?

Joseph Mallozzi: No Zipacna (he was killed by the toxin that Elliot released when he was transported aboard the mother ship at the end of “Last Stand”). Nurrti — could be … possibly Yu …

From several people:
Will we be seeing the Furlings this season? The Tollan? The Reetu? The Nox? Skaara? Klorel? Those “giant aliens” made out of mist again? Osiris? McKay?

JM: The Furlings — yes and no. Check out this season’s “Paradise Lost” for more on those adorable little Care Bears of sci-fi. As for the rest — no Tollan, Reetu, Nox, Skaara, Klorel, or giant aliens. No plans to have Osiris back (sniffle). We won’t be seeing McKay after “Redemption” I and II.

From Matt E.:
Where on Earth is Feretti? We (to the best of my knowledge) haven’t seen him since his scrapped mission to rescue SG-1 in “Within the Serpent’s Grasp.” Are we ever going to hear from him again?

JM: Probably not. Feretti was transferred and is currently living a happy, healthy, albeit less-adventuresome existence elsewhere.

SEASON SIX: GENERAL QUESTIONS

From Mendy:
Will there be a third gate found on Earth, and will it be explained where the civilizations came from that were transplanted after the second gate on earth was cut off from the Stargate system?

JM: Check out hints through Season Six and tune in for the big series finale for the answer to these questions.

From Mycelle:
Will we get to see more of Teal’c and his quite personal crusade against the Goa’uld this season?

JM: Yes, we will. Big things on this front upcoming.

From several people:
What galaxy is Anubis from? When will learn more about him? Any relationship to the Furlings?

JM: Anubis hails from the same galaxy as the other System Lords, although his host body … well that’s another story. We’ll learn more about him (and that weird host body) near season’s end. No direct relationship to the Furlings.

From Duncan M.:
Are there any connections between the ancients and Oma Desala’s race?

JM: Maybe.

From several people:
Will Sam finally get a man (that doesn’t die) in this last season?

JM: Sam already has a man who won’t die — unfortunately, so long as they’re serving together in the Air Force, a relationship is out of the question. That said, you may want to check out the season finale …

GENERAL SG-1 QUESTIONS

From Richard D.:
Who decides the design of the Goa’uld warships? Do you decide on what they look like or do you just pick the best one out of a couple of drawings?

JM: Our design team comes up with the designs, sometimes based on a general notion we have in mind, other times simply based on their own imaginations. In these cases, it helps to be incredibly talented and a creative visionary. Being a little warped helps too.

From Roy S.:
Sci-Fi is now airing Season Six in widescreen format. Were all episodes shot in this format, and Showtime just decided not to show them that way?

JM: We went to the widescreen format for Season Six.

QUESTIONS ABOUT SG-1‘S PAST

From Bob J.:
Any hints as whether chevron 9 is of mammoth importance or not in the scheme of the series?

JM: No hints.

From Rocky:
Why do Chronos and Nurrti have Jaffa and ships with an Egyptian design if they do not portray Egyptian gods and Goa’uld do not share technology?

JM: The Goa’uld are a parasitical race that not only steal technology from other races but from one another as well. System Lords like Ra reigned supreme amongst their lesser rivals following a series of wars that wiped out their enemies and, in the process, many of the ships bearing non-Egyptian designs. Ra consolidated his hold but, in time, other System Lords stepped up and, through duplicity and conquest, strengthened their own resources by, for instance, acquiring ships, weapons, and Jaffa from rivals like Ra. Thus, you’ll have non-Egyptian “deities” with Jaffa and ships sporting Egyptian designs.

From Derek B.:
Why was the ancestral Goa’uld homeworld in [“The First Ones”] completely abandoned by the Goa’uld? Don’t they hold any affection for it? Or consider it holy?

JM: That’s a story for Brad to tell and, hopefully, he’ll get the chance to tell it some day.

From Derek B.:
Why doesn’t the SGC always use the intars of “Rules of Engagement” in all their missions? If you have the option of using non-lethal force that’s just as effective in a fight, shouldn’t you use it?

JM: It’s an option, but there’s no way to tell how an alien life form will respond to the intars. And, in life or death situations, it’s sometimes better to go with a weapon you know will put an aggressor down for the count. For example, it’s doubtful whether an intar would have proven effective against the likes of the Replicators or an Unas.

From Rowe:
I should probably ask Robert Cooper instead since it was his script, but was Shifu already ascended when he came to the SGC? We saw in Ascension that it is possible for the ascended to appear human even when they’re not. If so, how was Aldwin able to attach the memory device to his temple?

JM: I defer all Oma Desala and Shifu questions to RCC [Robert C. Cooper]. Feel free to harangue him at the next Gatecon. Tell him Joe sent you.

From Eric:
Just how did the folks from “Red Sky” or “Demons” get taken from Earth? In “Red Sky” the gate is called the anulus, which is the latin word for ring … so is this a hint that both the Asgard and the Ancients brought people from earth … by ship maybe?

JM: The evidence does seem to support this theory …

From Furies:
In “The Warrior” Kytano / Imhotep says to SG-1, “Are you familiar with the System Lord Nurrti?” I was under the impression Nurrti was banished from the System Lords following the signing of the Asgard treaty. In “Summit” Jacob says Nurrti is still a rogue and shouldn’t be at the meeting. Has Nurrti been restored to the rank of System Lord? Or was this just a mistake on Kytano’s part?

JM: It was a mistake on Kytano’s part. Nurrti is no longer a System Lord — but she is still a force to be reckoned with out there. Watch for her later this season.

From Yamadara:
Just was wondering some minor things I noticed in “The Tomb.” Sorry if it’s long.

JM: When Sam calls Jack to let him know the Goa’uld has escaped, she tells him that Teal’c sensed that she was in the clear. Since this discussion was on the radio, wouldn’t it have been wiser for Teal’c to have been the one to inform him. Couldn’t she have been lying?

Logically, if she was the Goa’uld, she wouldn’t have radioed Jack and warned him about the fact that the Goa’uld had taken a human host. Instead, she would have radioed him and told him they had caught / killed the Goa’uld or, better yet, not contacted him at all and taken everyone by surprise.

After Sam, Teal’c, and Daniel discover the rings, they decide not to radio Jack and let him know in case he has the Goa’uld. But when Jack radios them to let them know that the Goa’uld was in Valerin, they inform him of the rings. Again, couldn’t he have been lying?

He could have been lying — which was why they were waiting for him, weapons out, upon his arrival in the main chamber. Once Sam and Teal’c were able to verify that a Goa’uld did not reside within him, they lowered their weapons and filled him in on their situation.

Why did Goa’ulded Valerin talk to Zukov in English? Just so Jack and the viewers could understand them?

More so Jack could understand.

At the end, Jack blamed Zukov for what happened, lying about the Eye, etc. But though the viewer is aware Zukov had the Eye, Jack never sees him with it. Zukov says he had it, but throws a grenade. So for all Jack knows, Zukov said it to bluff their way out. So why was Jack so mad at the end? Is it just Cold War resentment?

Vallerin makes mention of their “secret orders” — in this case, to acquire off-world tech (i.e. the Eye of Tiamat). This is why Jack was so mad at episode’s end. Regardless of whether Zukhov had the eye or not, the fact is the Russians were operating under a secret agenda.

From 100 Bauer:
As Stargate SG-1 is drawing to a close, what do you feel is your biggest accomplishment to the series so far? What do you feel is your best / most favourite memory from all that you have been a part of in Stargate SG-1?

JM: Biggest accomplishment — Getting to write and produce our own episodes.

Best memory — The friends I’ve made on set and online.

From several people:
Are there any plans to release technical manuals or blueprints for the balisner, or a Goa’uld mothership?

JM: No plans as of yet, however I could put in a special request for you.

By the way, the following question came up in the last Q&A:

From Matt G:
So far there is an American and Russian Stargate program — are there plans for any other countries to get involved at any point?

JM: I responded: “There are no plans for other countries to get involved at this point but stay tuned. That could change in a hurry.” There’s been a little development on this one. Check out a late Season Six episode titled “Disclosure.”

---

Joseph Mallozzi is a writer and supervising producer for Stargate SG-1. Along with writing partner Paul Mullie, he has penned such episodes as “Window of Opportunity,” “Exodus,” “The Tomb” and “Descent.”