Universe deals with ninth chevron

The working concept for the third Stargate television series includes the Stargate’s ninth chevron, executive producer Robert C. Cooper told fans today. Cooper appeared on stage in front of 500 fans at Creation’s Official Stargate SG-1 / Stargate Atlantis Convention in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“It plays a major factor in the third series,” Cooper said in response to a fan’s question about the significance of the ninth chevron. “So that question is answered!”

Fans have long wondered why the ninth and final chevron was created by the Ancients, since normal gate addresses only utilize seven of them. The eighth chevron adds an extra distance calculation, allowing the team to establish a stable wormhole to a Stargate in another galaxy. It was first used in SG-1 Season Two’s “The Fifth Race.”

Cooper also said that the third series “is very active in development. MGM is currently putting financing together. The goal is to have it out in the marketplace in early 2008, which means that we have to start writing very soon. The hold-up has really been the movies — Brad and I are busy. When we are done with Continuum and Ark of Truth we’re going to turn our attention to that pretty seriously.”

Whatever form the series takes, viewers can definitely expect the same familiar form that has made the franchise a 10-year-old success. “There will be a Stargate, and a team on adventures,” Cooper said. “I can tell you what it won’t be, which is it really won’t be as much of a spin-off of SG-1 as Atlantis was. And it won’t be a spin-off of Atlantis. It’s going to be a third arm of the franchise that will really stand alone and I think be an entirely new flavor from what we’ve done before.”

Just what the Stargate’s ninth chevron does and how it might relate to working title Stargate Universe (story) fans can only speculate. Watch GateWorld for more on the third series!