George Hammond

From The Stargate Omnipedia

For other uses of this name, see George Hammond (disambiguation)

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Commanding officer of Stargate Command, located at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado, for its first seven years of operation. In 2004, newly-elected President Henry Hayes -- an old friend of Hammond's -- temporarily assigned him to command the Prometheus in the defense of Earth from Anubis's attack. The General was then put in charge of a new, secret government division called "Homeworld Security," which oversees the Stargate Command, Prometheus and the F-302 and BC-303 programs, and the Atlantis expedition. He appears to have retired about a year later.

Hammond's wife died of cancer just three years before the inception of the Stargate program. The general was rapidly approaching retirement when he was transferred to the Stargate base, which was inactive at the time. It was supposed to be one last, easy assignment -- but when the Goa'uld Apophis and his Jaffa came through the gate, Stargate Command was created and Hammond remained at its head. His own first trip through the Stargate came just over one year into the program's existence, when he went to an alien world to negotiate for the release of SG-1 from the prison world Hadante.

As the S.G.C.'s commander, Hammond was responsible for coordinating all Stargate missions for the S.G.C.'s teams. The mandate given to his command includes the acquisition of new technologies, establishing diplomatic relations with alien cultures, and defense against attack from the Goa'uld and other enemies. The S.G.C. is, quite simply, Earth's first line of defense.

Hammond was a career military man. Though wise and kind, he was also strict and firm in his decisions. And though a man of regulations, Hammond knew when it is appropriate to bend the rules. He was accountable directly to the President of the United States and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Though he has often been pressured by groups such as the rogue N.I.D. to use his position for black-ops actions (such as stealing alien technology from other worlds), Hammond maintained his firm stance of maintaining friendly ties with other worlds and making new allies.

General Hammond died of a massive heart attack (off-screen) in 2008, paralleling the real-life passing of actor Don S. Davis. Earth's newest battle cruiser -- originally designated Phoenix -- was named the U.S.S. George Hammond in his honor.

Hammond had at least two grandchildren: Tessa and Kayla.

DETAILS

PLAYED BY: Don S. Davis, Aaron Pearl
FIRST APPEARED: Children of the Gods

KEY EPISODES

Children of the Gods - Eager for retirement, Hammond is thrown into the wildest ride of his career as he is called to command the teams of the newly activated S.G.C.
The Enemy Within - Hammond is torn between keeping an officer alive at the expense of losing a new and deadly enemy within him -- and ultimately loses an officer under his command.
Bloodlines - Hammond is shocked when he learns Teal'c deceived him regarding his connections back on Chulak, and now must allow him to return to care for his maturing son who will soon take on a symbiote.
Fire and Water - Hammond comes to terms with the death of Daniel Jackson and consoles the rest of the team as they bear the loss -- only to discover Jackson is still alive.
Hathor - Hammond's rationality is suppressed when he is kissed by Ra's goddess, Hathor, and succumbs to her will for the future of the S.G.C. -- and Earth.
Enigma - Hammond and the N.I.D. face off over whether or not to keep an advanced alien species on Earth or allow them to travel to a new homeworld.
Tin Man - O'Neill's robot double tells Hammond about his wife's death and his two granddaughters, in an attempt to prove his identity.
There But For the Grace of God - In an alternate reality, Hammond is only a colonel and second-in-command of the Stargate Association.
Politics - Hammond is powerless to prevent Senator Kinsey from stepping into the S.G.C. and completely deactivating the program due to its enormous expense to the United States, and extreme risk to Earth.
The Serpent's Lair - Hammond returns to Senator Kinsey's office, the second time forcibly removed, and orders the Stargate closed for business. Fortunately, SG-1 disobeys to defend Earth against an oncoming Goa'uld attack.
Prisoners - Hammond makes his first off-world visit to P3X-775 to plead for the return of SG-1 from the prison world Hadante.
Secrets - Following a serious breach in security, Hammond awards O'Neill and Carter for their recent valor in defending Earth.
The Tok'ra, Part 1 - Hammond visits Jacob Carter, recently bedridden, and debates whether or not to tell his dying friend the truth of Sam's life within Cheyenne Mountain.
Touchstone - Hammond hooks up with an old acquaintance to gain intel on a secret plan to steal alien technology through Earth's second Stargate.
A Matter of Time - Hammond goes to Washington to consult with the President regarding a black hole that has snared the Stargate, potentially dragging all of Earth through its event horizon.
Serpent's Song - Hammond, after receiving a dying Apophis into his base, wrestles with the System Lord's fate as a rival Goa'uld begins to assault Earth through the gate.
1969 - Hammond delivers a note to Carter, knowing she and the rest of SG-1 will fall back in time to 1969 where they will require the aid of a Lieutenant George Hammond.
Out of Mind - Following the loss of SG-1 to a Goa'uld stronghold, Hammond is forced to let Teal'c return to Chulak in the hopes of building an army to free his friends.
Into the Fire - Hammond and Teal'c gate to P2X-555 to help rescue SG-1 and several other SG teams, who are under fire from two staff canon towers and a squad of Hathor's Jaffa.
Fair Game - Hammond relies on O'Neill to represent Earth in a meeting with the Asgard and several Goa'uld System Lord representatives, who arrive at the S.G.C. to negotiate adding Earth to their treaty.
Legacy - General Hammond faces the possibility of shutting down the Stargate permanently when Dr. Jackson exhibits extreme schizophrenia that may be a result of gate travel.
Learning Curve - Hammond orders an alien child returned to her homeworld, and is forced to decide whether or not to discipline O'Neill after he takes her off the base.
A Hundred Days - Hammond is forced to consider, and act on, the possibility that O'Neill and Edoran refugees may never be able to return to their respective homeworlds.
Shades of Grey - Hammond and O'Neill orchestrate a conspiracy to untangle a sleeper operation in the midst of the U.S. government, one which has successfully stolen technology from Earth's allies.
The Other Side - Hammond is faced with helping an alien race win a war about which he only knows one side, in order to gain advanced technologies for Earth.
Chain Reaction - Hammond's career falls into jeopardy when the N.I.D. blackmails him into retiring by threatening his granddaughters.
2010 - In a possible future Hammond has died while attempting to deliver crucial information regarding evil intentions of Earth's most important ally.
Threshold - Hammond is forced to stand by and watch as Teal'c's life hangs in the balance at the absence of his symbiote and psychological transformation back into the hands of the recently deceased Apophis.
The Fifth Man - The S.G.C., SG-1 and General Hammond are investigated by the N.I.D.'s Colonel Frank Simmons, who threatens to ruin the general with a damning report about their conduct.
Rite of Passage - As Cassandra's life hangs in the balance, Hammond orders the Goa'uld Nirrti to be released and allowed to leave through the Stargate once she's saved the young girl's life.
48 Hours - When Teal'c is trapped within the Stargate's systems, Hammond does everything he can to stall its reactivation -- which will kill the Jaffa -- even offering to resign his command over the matter.
Menace - Hammond and Carter defend the base against an onslaught of deadly Replicators.
Meridian - Hammond must come to terms with the impending death of his friend Daniel Jackson, but is also forced to consider capitulating to the species responsible in order to keep the doors of negotiation open.
Redemption, Part 2 - Earth is saved, but Hammond briefly faces the uncertain future of his command when the existence of Anubis's weapon means no gate travel to or from Earth.
Disclosure - Hammond represents the S.G.C.'s position at a panel of officials from Russia, China, France and Britain, whom he informs about the existence of the Stargate program.
Fallen - Hammond once again joins SG-1 on an off-world mission, this time to Vis Uban to destroy Anubis's new super-weapon.
Lost City, Part 1 - President Hayes relieves Hammond of his command, replacing him with a civilian diplomat.
Lost City, Part 2 - After advising the President in the heat of Anubis's threats to attack Earth, Hammond is assigned to command Prometheus. He defends SG-1 in Antarctica before setting a collision course with the Goa'uld's mothership -- but is saved by the Ancient super-weapon.
New Order, Part 2 - Dr. Weir informs O'Neill upon his promotion to command the S.G.C. that Hammond has been appointed the head of "Homeworld Security," a secret department to which the base will report.
Home - Weir and members of the Atlantis expedition are debriefed by General Hammond when they return home, only to learn that he is an alien impersonation.
Prometheus Unbound - Hammond takes command of Prometheus to investigate the fate of the Atlantis expedition, but his plans are cut short when Vala Mal Doran steals his ship.
The Fourth Horseman, Part 1 - Hammond's speech to Air Force personnel is cut short when word that the Prior plague has reached his location spreads to the personnel.
The Fourth Horseman, Part 2 - Hammond pays a visit to Landry at the S.G.C. while international tension is building in the heat of the Prior plague.
200 - SG-1 imagines a puppet version of themselves, with a puppet General Hammond in command of the new Stargate program.
Stargate: Continuum - In an altered timeline Hammond works alongside President Hayes when the Goa'uld arrive in Earth's orbit -- but he has no memory of SG-1.
Enemy At the Gate - Samantha Carter and John Sheppard reflect on General Hammond's (off-screen) death of a heart attack. Earth's new ship is named in his honor.