Stargate: Every Time Daniel Jackson Died In SG-1

Stargate SG-1‘s Daniel Jackson technically died six times. Played by Michael Shanks, Daniel Jackson was one of the most iconic characters in the Stargate franchise. Where the others approached matters from a military background, he viewed the worlds he explored through the eyes of an archeologist, fascinated at discovering new cultures that often had deep links back to the history of Earth. Unfortunately, that sense of wonder often meant he wound up in the line of fire.

Daniel gained a reputation for his deaths and resurrections. Even the show itself began to lampshade this, with one Stargate team making an archeological discovery and joking that “Daniel Jackson would die to see this – again.” It didn’t hurt, of course, that the Goa’uld possessed Sarcophagus technology that could bring people back from the brink of death – even if they appeared dead according to human science. His first death was in the movie, when he was killed by a staff blast and brought back through that means.

Stargate SG-1 ran for 10 seasons, and over the course of the show Daniel Jackson died many times. This list only includes times where Daniel actually died on-screen, not occasions like “Fire and Water” (season 1, episode 13) in which he was erroneously believed dead. Some of Daniel Jackson’s deaths were agonizing and drawn-out, others were abrupt and shocking; some were rushed past, and others had lasting consequences for Stargate SG-1.

Daniel Jackson Is Killed During An Ill-Advised Attack On Apophis

Daniel’s first death in Stargate SG-1 occurs in season 1, episode 8, “The Nox.” This episode saw SG-1 travel to a planet named Gaia, seeking out a being with the ability to cloak themselves from sight; they hoped to obtain this technology and use it against the Goa’uld. SG-1’s enemies knew of these creatures as well, however, and the Goa’uld Apophis arrived on the world. Richard Dean Anderson’s Jack O’Neill launched an attempt on Apophis’ life, but it proved ill-fated, with the three human members of SG-1 all killed during their attack. They were resurrected by the beings they had been seeking, the Nox, who nonetheless concluded humans were so “young” as a race that they were not ready for their technology. Neither the SGC nor the Goa’uld profited from this encounter, but at least Daniel Jackson got his first resurrection out of it.

Daniel Jackson Survived Another Jaffa Staff Blast Through Use Of A Sarcophagus

Daniel Jackson’s next death took place in Stargate SG-1 season 2, episode 1, “The Serpent’s Lair.” Earth was facing a direct attack from the Goa’uld, but fortunately, SG-1 gained advance notice of the coming invasion after Daniel visited an alternate reality where it had happened a little earlier. The elite team successfully infiltrated the lead Goa’uld vessel and set a self-destruct, but Daniel was shot with a Jaffa staff weapon. He was critically injured, and told Jack O’Neill to leave him behind; fortunately Daniel used a sarcophagus to heal himself, and then escaped through a Stargate before the Goa’uld ship exploded. This was Daniel’s most convenient resurrection, but it certainly made for an exciting season opener.

Daniel Jackson Was Crushed By A Rock-Slide

The characters of Stargate SG-1 often faced misadventure, and in season 2, episode 5 (“Need”), Daniel faced his most innocuous death. He accidentally caused a diplomatic princess when he prevented the princess of another world committing suicide, and he and his fellow SG-1 members were enslaved in Naquadah mines. Daniel was critically injured by a rock-slide, but the princess Shyla took him to a Goa’uld sarcophagus. This episode actually turned the death-and-resurrection trope on its head, revealing the sarcophagus was dangerously addictive if misused. Naturally, Daniel – already exposed to the sarcophagus more than anybody else – became addicted.

Daniel Jackson’s Heart Flat-Lined After He Became Addicted To A Goa’uld Energy

This wasn’t the only time Daniel Jackson faced an addiction to Goa’uld energy. In Stargate SG-1 season 4, episode 18 (“The Light”), SG-1 visited a Goa’uld pleasure planet. There, Daniel and his teammates were exposed to an addictive light; Daniel suffered severe withdrawal symptoms, and his heart flat-lined during treatment. Stargate Command only saved Daniel’s life by sending him back to the planet and exposing him to the light again. They then worked on a controlled withdrawal, with Teal’c shutting the machine down slowly to carefully reduce SG-1’s exposure. It wasn’t long before Daniel was back on duty, and ready to die again.

Daniel Jackson’s Most Famous Death Was From Radiation Poisoning

Stargate SG-1 changed a lot before it was canceled after its tenth season. One of the greatest changes took place in season 5, episode 21, “Meridian.” There, Daniel sacrificed himself to save an entire world, but in doing so was exposed to a fatal dose of naquadria radiation. Daniel faced a slow and agonizing death, but he was visited by the alien entity named Oma Desala, who offered him an alternative. Instead of dying, Daniel ascended to a higher plane of existence. Most of these ascended beings are bound by a policy of non-intervention, so this should technically have served as Daniel’s final death. He could not abide simply watching his friends struggle, however, and consequently returned in numerous cameos in season 6 before being banished from the higher plane.

Daniel Jackson Was Killed By A Replicator Version Of Carter

Hilariously, even this wasn’t Daniel’s final death. In Stargate SG-1 season 8, episode 17 (“Reckoning Part 2”), he was stabbed by a Replicator Doppelganger of Amanda Tapping’s Samantha Carter. Shanks himself was unimpressed with this particular scene, telling the audience at Creation Con 2007 that he complained to writer Robert C. Cooper. “Rob,” he recalled saying, “Come on, man! This is like what? The tenth time?” In his view, the idea of Daniel Jackson being apparently killed off, only to be subsequently resurrected, had gotten old. He certainly had a case in this particular example, because the script repeated Daniel’s last resurrection; Oma again saved his life, but this time took Daniel Jackson to a semi-ascended state from which he could choose his own fate. Daniel chose to return to Earth, appearing naked in Jack O’Neill’s office. This was Daniel’s last death in Stargate SG-1, with the writers of seasons 9 and 10 rightly concluding the idea had gotten a little too predictable.