How does a Goa'uld Queen with a host determine through sex she will conceive Goa'uld larva or a human child? Hathor has sex with Daniel in "Hathor" and becomes pregnant with larva while it is learned in "Secrets" that Share under the influence of her queen has had sex with Apophis to conceive a human child. Can the Queen choose which eggs are fertilized (human or Goa'uld) or are the different types of eggs released in separate menstrual cycles?
shareThe Goa'uld are asexual and do not need a mate to produce offspring. It seems, however, that they have the ability to incorporate another's genetic material into their larvae. As I recall, this can be done with another Goa'uld for the purpose of sharing that other Goa'uld's genetic memory with the offspring. If it's done with a non-Goa'uld then it's done in order to assure compatibility with that that species:
JACKSON: So you actually create the larva? How?
HATHOR: We must first have the code of life from the juices of the species intended as the host.
JACKSON: Code of life?
HATHOR: In order to assure compatibility for the Goa'uld child and the host.
JACKSON: DNA. You mean you need DNA to prevent rejection?
HATHOR: The code of life. We do so enjoy the method of procuring the code in your species.
So, Hathor is already pregnant before she has sex with Daniel?
In Hathor's case, would her offspring inherit Daniel's genetic memories too (I assume she would choose him as a mate because of his good health and great intelligence and knowledge)? Plus, Daniel does say, "a lot of [the larva DNA] is probably mine," implying the offspring are his biological children. It would have been interesting had at least one these larva survived and taken a host so we can learn more about Hathor and Daniel's parentage. It would have made for good drama too if Daniel had a goa'uld son or daughter as a recurring villain (similar to Adria and Vala).
It's unclear, although it would make the most sense if she incorporated Daniel's DNA at the point of conception. Also, as you said, since none of them survived we don't know if memories can pass between humans and the Goa'uld.
I would imagine that someone like Daniel would be a bad pick if that was the case because he's also someone with a strong moral fiber and the last thing you'd want is his morality infecting your offspring. Nevertheless, we do know that Goa'uld genetic memories can pass into a human offspring so it's not a stretch to imagine the reverse is possible.
But humans don't really pass on genetic memories though, aside from basic animal instincts. Otherwise there would be no need for schools.
shareRight. I agree that it wouldn't make sense. What I'm not sure about is if the writers nevertheless intended for something like that to be possible.
I'm also not sure how a human child can inherit the genetic memories of a Goa'uld just because it was conceived by two humans who were being used as hosts, but that's something the writers decided to make possible within their fictional universe. It's not like the Goa'uld alter the genetics of their hosts so their biological processes should be separate from the that of their symbiotes.
But then how was Hathor being able to give birth to symbiots from what was hinted to be her host's genitals?
But I think the writers never really did go into details about how this works. maybe, just maybe, human hosts will have their genetic material modified so that it gives away the genetic memory of goaúld.
idk.
Maybe Hathor attaches to her host's lower spine so she has control over her host's brain while being able to release Goa'uld eggs for conception and birth into the host's womb. Notice too that Hathor doesn't appear to be in any pain during birth, which makes sense because of the size and shape of the larva. The one thing that really baffles me is that she shows no noticeable bulge while pregnant with the Goa'uld larva considering it appears she has birthed several in the tub. And it appears she doesn't birth them all at once. I don't know if this means some larva grow faster inside her than others or she needs to have more sex in order to conceive more Goa'uld.
shareA Goa'uld having a female host does not usually mean the Goa'uld is a queen. Many of the Tok'ra had female hosts, but only Egeria was actually a queen, and she didn't even have a host. I think there may have been less than a half-dozen queens among the Goa'uld with the thousands of other drones (and larval Goa'ulds in countless Jaffa also drones). Most Goa'uld female hosts are referred to as "queens" as a counterpart to the male hosts being called "lords."
As Martouf explained to Sam when they first met, the symbiotes do not have a gender, they often identify with the gender of their host for simplicity sake.
Formerly l5rfox.
And there was one world with nothing but shrimp. I tired of it quickly.