Wraith and life-force

[AnthonyAppleyard]

It is well known that adult Wraith live on life-force. For various people's ideas as to what life-force is, see:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odic_force

(and the main real-world effect of these is that QI and OD are now officially allowed words in Scrabble.)

Stargate says little about alien animals. I wonder if the Wraith absolutely need HUMAN life-force, or could they manage with life-force from any reasonably big and long-lived vertebrate animal? Would it ever be possible in the scenario of the story to make life-force artificially rather than taking it from humans?

[Falcon Horus]

It's probably the same idea as Vampire always seem to have. Ie human blood is more tastier than that of say a rat.

[Infinite-Possibilities]

They tried to feed Bob the Wraith other things and he wouldn't eat them. Given that he was going to be starving after the amount of time he spent in captivity, I think the idea is they can't survive on anything except humans or near humans.

The same thing is true with Todd when he was brought to earth. Or at least I'm assuming that that John didn't talk a guy into sacrificing himself, because no-one in the entire program had ever even considered trying to feed wraith something else.

[StargateMillennium]

I would think they need humans. They are going into all out civil war because of diminishing food sources. If they could sustain themselves on wild animals they wouldn't be fighting each other for human food. Todd nearly died that one episode because he didn't have any humans to feed on.

[thekillman]

I would think they need humans. They are going into all out civil war because of diminishing food sources. If they could sustain themselves on wild animals they wouldn't be fighting each other for human food. Todd nearly died that one episode because he didn't have any humans to feed on.

I'd say it's because humans have some stuff wraith need, that they haven't found in animals. So while it may be filling to feed on a cow, it won't nourish them.

[The Flyattractor]

In the books they pretty much made it clear that since the Wraith were evolved from humans that's why they could only feed on other humans.

[Falcon Horus]

In the books they pretty much made it clear that since the Wraith were evolved from humans that's why they could only feed on other humans.

The books don't count - speculation all the same.

[The Flyattractor]

The books don't count - speculation all the same.

Ohh! ^ is Anti Literature!

[Britta]

Perhaps the Wraith are just culinary snobs?

[Falcon Horus]

Ohh! ^ is Anti Literature!

Not anti-literature... just anti-canon.

[The Flyattractor]

I got yer CANON right here!