How the Goa'uld became evil after all?

[McAvoy]

It appears that perhaps the Goa'uld are naturally aggressive and it might take a great amount of will to break that cycle like the Tok'ra.

Ba'al might just be one of those as well.

[Peterking72]

Ba'al was evil, period.
He killed O'neill like a hundred times just for fun. He knew he doesn't knew the answer yet he proceeded to ask him every time like he had alzheimer's. That alternate universe, free the Jaffa's move he did in Continuum doesn't count towards him becoming a better person, because that move just served him as well. By freeing the Jaffa armies he stripped his enemies of their armies as well thus making them easy to defeat and overthrow.

[Britta]

I think just having genetic memory largely precludes a lot of the vulnerability that would otherwise be experienced by the young symbiote. I would imagine being born with the full mental competency of their forbears would cause symbiotes to tend toward the egotistical.

Also, the symbiotes weren't always parasites. Earlier in their development they were predatory. That would significantly influence the general mentality of the species.

[Peterking72]

Maybe after they eat all the food in the lake they thought it's time to leave and evolved into parasites.

[Aesop]

I can see where the god-complex comes from, if nothing else than simply being able to literally control the body of another species who's physiological development may be more complex (bi-pedal humanoids). If one succumbs to that notion of complete control, that could be the threshold between good and evil.

Whereas the Tok'ra relinquish that total control, and exercise enough humility to coexist with their hosts, they don't cross that same line as the Goa'uld.

[Peterking72]

What is strange that the Tok'ra emerged from within Goa'uld ranks. So there must have been an incident in the past that left an inprint on the genetic memory of a group of pre Tok'ra symbiotes that led to the decision to part with the old ways.

I would've liked if the writers explored these cultural aspects more deeply. If I were in their shoes I would've sacrificed one or two episodes to this cause or integrated it in more episodes that specifically dealt with Tok'ra. For example: SG-1 talking with the Tok'ra and while asking them questions one of them remembers the old times in a couple of flashbacks or something.

[ajay]

The Tok'ra all came from the same queen, Egeria, right? So I think the question is, what made Egeria different from the Goa'uld?

[blueray]

My guess is something Egeria witnessed caused her to develop a conscientiousness and wanting to do good. Which was passed on to all her offspring.

[thekillman]

The Tok'ra all came from the same queen, Egeria, right? So I think the question is, what made Egeria different from the Goa'uld?

she despised what the goa'uld did.

So likely, she inherently showed more restraint. however the machello episodes proved that the tok'ra weren't the only anti-goa'uld group. So it's likely the System Lords just murdered themselves to superiority

[Peterking72]

I know they all came from Egeria, but all Tok'ra need to have something personal to keep them on the "path" and not revert back to the "old ways". What I mean is one tiny part of genetic memory doesn't necessarily keep a person from turning evil or choosing the wrong "side". There has to be something that makes them commit other than just that.

[thekillman]

I know they all came from Egeria, but all Tok'ra need to have something personal to keep them on the "path" and not revert back to the "old ways". What I mean is one tiny part of genetic memory doesn't necessarily keep a person from turning evil or choosing the wrong "side". There has to be something that makes them commit other than just that.

I'm pretty sure that not doing evil stuff and cooperating with hosts is what keeps them good.

After all, after the first act of evil the next act becomes easier. The Tok'ra simply didn't snowball into evil like the Goa'uld.

[Britta]

she despised what the goa'uld did.

So likely, she inherently showed more restraint. however the machello episodes proved that the tok'ra weren't the only anti-goa'uld group. So it's likely the System Lords just murdered themselves to superiority

I don't think the Linvris were like the Tok'ra. I think they were plotting to overthrow the System Lords out of their own desire for power. Out with the old System Lords, in with the new System Lords.

[thekillman]

I don't think the Linvris were like the Tok'ra. I think they were plotting to overthrow the System Lords out of their own desire for power. Out with the old System Lords, in with the new System Lords.

Ok. it's such an obscure subplot i'd mostly forgotten about it until i saw a machello episode being featured on Gateworld.

[ajay]

I know they all came from Egeria, but all Tok'ra need to have something personal to keep them on the "path" and not revert back to the "old ways". What I mean is one tiny part of genetic memory doesn't necessarily keep a person from turning evil or choosing the wrong "side". There has to be something that makes them commit other than just that.

Do you mean like a sense of morality?

I can understand that. 'Nature' in the genetic memory passed down from Egeria to do good, and 'nurture' in having the fellow Tok'ra reinforce it.

[Peterking72]

Imagine it like the this:

The System Lords are a gangster band like in the sixties in America. Just imigrated from abroad. Then by the seventies they solidified themselves as part of the "system". Then they go about their business as usual. Killing for them is casual like a regular guy eating a lunch or drinking a cup of tea.
Hardened criminals don't get sentimental just for reasons of morality, give me a break. They either have an outside push or selfish agenda.

I think the Tok'ra's real agenda was that it was easier for both the symbiote and the host (but mostly for the symbiote) to coexist "equally" and share the body. They didn't prolonge their life with the sarcophagus because they knew that would lead back to "evilness" and eventually to the end of the happy coexistence.
They couldn't very well overthrow the Goa'uld by force for they were few in numbers and didn't have armies to fight for them in battle. So they become covert and tried to bring down the system from the inside. Over the centuries they become "soft" and become the Tok'ra what we know. Whether their agenda is changed we may not know because Stargate ended.