SG1- What made the Tokra different from the Goa'uld?

[FaxModem1]

Okay, the general sense I've gotten is that the Goa'uld are basically genetically hardwired to be egotistical, murderous, manipulative parasites. And because of genetic memory, that gets passed down. So, what made the Tokra different?

[Purple]

Supposedly they took better care of their hosts. Like, share mind and body for fun rather than oppress and control drone for own purpose. If I recall correctly they seemed to act a bit closer to Star Trek Thrill simbiotes than to the rest of Goa'uld. But that is my memory only.

But I really watched just 1 episode where the Tokra appeared so my estimate might be flat out wrong.

[Captain Seafort]

Okay, the general sense I've gotten is that the Goa'uld are basically genetically hardwired to be egotistical, murderous, manipulative parasites. And because of genetic memory, that gets passed down. So, what made the Tokra different?

Simple - the queens simply tend to be raving lunatics, rather than being hardwired that way themselves. Egeria, the Tok'ra queen, wasn't a raving lunatic, ergo the Tok'ra weren't.

[NecronLord]

Egeria, a goa'uld queen, realised that the goa'uld's behaviour was evil and decided to form her own movement against the ways of Ra, spawning hundreds of symbiotes. The Tok'ra have her memory of benig not-evil and are thus, not-evil. The queen's genetic memory is passed on voluntarily, and it's uncertain what degree of control she has over that; it's likely she also supressed some of the more evil memories, if she could ((the RPG, for what that's worth, says that she did)).

Notably, there were also some converts to the cause early on who came to the decision that Egeria was right through their own free will, though none recently.

[Joe Momma]

Another factor is that the Tok'ra refuse to use the sarcophagus. Martouf said, "We believe that to use the sarcophagus would drain the good from our hearts," and given how quickly Daniel Jackson started developing a Goa'uld-like personality (megalomania, paranoia, callousness, etc.) after a few uses he probably has a point.

The only downside of not using the sarcophagus is that the Tok'ra symbiotes have to find new hosts more frequently. The healing powers they bestow on their hosts extends their lifespan to some extent, but nothing near the thousands of years a Goa'uld can use a host by rejuvenating the host's body with a sarcophagus.

The decision not to use a sarcophagus is likely the result of the same moral imperatives that the Tok'ra queen Egeria passed down to her offspring (as noted above) but also helps the Tok'ra stay on that course by avoiding the corruption resulting from use of that technology.

[Ahriman238]

Tok'ra starts with a 'T' and Goa'uld doesn't.

I'd thought Egeria didn't pass on any memories, period. To keep the Goa'uld genetic memory from corrupting the young Tok'ra. Everything the Tok'ra know about science or morality they learned from their hosts, or stole later from the Goa'uld (the science, obviously.)

[NecronLord]

I'd thought Egeria didn't pass on any memories, period. To keep the Goa'uld genetic memory from corrupting the young Tok'ra. Everything the Tok'ra know about science or morality they learned from their hosts, or stole later from the Goa'uld (the science, obviously.)

It was said that the tok'ra had a genetic memory, as most of them are first generation, she must have given them something. Conceivably that could just be those who joined the cause, but that's unlikely, I'd think. It was certainly never said they didn't have them.

[PREDATOR490]

The Tok'ra dont have the massive ego's, legion of devotes and resurrection tech messing with their heads. Thats it really.

Some of the Tok'ra appear to be decent - I.E Carter / Selmac but others sway more towards the Goa'uld spectrum.
I.E Selmac getting slowly booted out because he wasnt following the party line. Plus that conversation where the Tok'ra distrust the Tau'ri because their will hasnt been broken etc.

Both of them share the same parasite nature and while the Goa'uld are more brutal about it, the Tok'ra would logically share that nature if somewhat more 'suppressed'
A Goa'uld wouldnt think twice about jumping from one host to the other to save themselves and dominating them fully - I.E Baal > Adria
A Tok'ra would do it if their life depended on it or it serves their intrests - Jolinar / Carter, Kanen / O'Neil

I would say the genetic memory of the Goa'uld + the resurrection technology has had a cumulative effect turning them into malevolent parasites. Logically they would have genetic memories that gradually get darker and darker as a product of sarcophagus tech.
Multiply that by hundreds / thousands of years of memories and its quickly going to result in Goa'uld born that know nothing but being a complete bastard. Hence why recruiting over time would drop considerably as the snowball of malevolence continues to pick up pace.

Egeria, it could be a combination of her lineage being more 'reasonable' and her memories being less malevolent resulting in her offspring being decent enough. It could be possible she 'cherry-picked' what she wanted to pass on by filtering out the negative thus resulting in off-spring that start with a 'good' slate. That said, even if this were true the Tok'ra would still be constrained by their nature and fighting against the Goa'uld in a struggle for survival would take it's toll on their morality. Which kinda shows from the way they are depicted as being manipulative and selfish at points.

I suppose the Tok'ra and Goa'uld could make for an interesting case study in Nature vs. Nurture.
Assuming you could live long enough to chart it properly given the insanely long time scales involved.

[Ahriman238]

The Tok'ra dont have the massive ego's, legion of devotes and resurrection tech messing with their heads. Thats it really.

Let's leave it at no legion of devotees and psychotropic resurrection tech, aye?

I still remember in the first episode ('In the Line of Duty' if you're curious) Teal'c says that all Goa'uld fanatically seek power to enslave others and destroy their rivals, and Jolinar responds "Actually, some of us fanatically seek power for better reasons" or something damn similar. Note the conspicous lack of denial when accused of megalomania.