The Tollan: One of the most advanced human civilizations encountered by Stargate Command,
the Tollan became an important ally of Earth. With a demeanor that often comes across
as cold or arrogant, they held any species with a lesser level of technology to be “inferior.”
While they maintained good relations with Earth, the Tollan refused to share their
advanced technologies – until finally they were confronted by a superior foe.
Years ago the Tollan people consented to share their technology with a neighboring
planet in their solar system, Serita, advancing the world far ahead of its time.
The people of Serita used the technology to make war, eventually destroying themselves
and shifting the orbital path of Tollan. With volcanic activity on the rise and their planet
on the verge of destruction, the Tollan people were forced to evacuate to a new homeworld.
Because of this great tragedy, today the Tollan’s highest law forbids them from sharing
any of their technology with a less-advanced species. While they were friends to Earth,
therefore, they would not share any advanced technology – even for defensive purposes.
Their arrogance aside, the Tollan are a peaceful people with a strong sense of order and justice.
Their society is governed by a body of high-ranking Tollan officials called the
Curia. Many of these political leaders hold an almost xenophobic attitude toward other species.
Even trade is difficult to negotiate, except when the Tollan themselves have a particular
need that they cannot meet for themselves. Most Tollan technology appears to lack wires,
moving parts, or anything that governs normal mechanical devices. This decreases the possibility
of compatibility with technology from other cultures. Tollan technology is so far ahead of
Earth's that even reverse-engineering a device, such as an ion cannon, is impossible for us.
Tollan technology can instantly disable even mechanical weaponry from Earth.
They also possess phase technology that allows them to pass through solid objects.
With help from the Nox, they even constructed their own unique Stargate
on their new homeworld, Tollana. Ultimately the Tollan’s arrogance regarding
their technological advancement contributed to their downfall at the hands of a more powerful
foe. After growing comfortable with their ability to shoot Goa’uld ships out of the sky,
the Tollan leadership was stunned when Anubis’ forces arrived and
proved invulnerable to Tollana’s network of ion cannons. With Anubis’ knowledge of the Ancients,
he posed a threat they could not overcome. Through his representative, Tanith, Anubis
brought the powerful Tollan to heel – attempting to manipulate them into destroying Earth for him,
in order to circumvent the Asgard Protected Planets Treaty.
Tollan High Chancellor Travell and the rest of the Curia were convinced to concede to the Goa’uld in
order to save their world. But when SG-1 learned of this, their ally the Tollan Narim took drastic
action, destroying his people’s new phase-shifting weapons that were to be used against Earth.
The arrangement with the Goa’uld violated, Tanith opened fire on the capital city. As
SG-1 escaped through the Stargate the advanced Tollan civilization was bombarded from space,
and completely wiped out. The Tollan tried to evacuate their planet in ships, but were
shot down. It is unknown if anyone escaped through the Stargate and survived the attack.
The Tollan ultimately fell victim to their own arrogance,
believing the Goa'uld could never be a threat to them.
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