Shaqarava

The Shaqarava is an organ used by several fictional species in the science fiction television series "". When active, it manifests as an energy whorl in the palm of the creature wielding it. The Taelons, Jaridians, Kimera and Atavus are able to use the Shaqarava in a variety of ways.

The color and appearance of the Shaqarava differs from person to person. Liam Kincaid has pink/purple Shaqarava, Rho'ha and Ha'gel have yellow Shaqarava, and blue Shaqarava have been shown occasionally as well.

Kimera

For the Kimera, the Shaqarava embodies the totality of self. They use it for communication, to share their memories, thoughts and spirits with one-another, and as a tool to assume the form of others. They can also use it as a weapon when needed, creating destructive energy blasts. The Kimera appear to be the originators of the Shaqarava, though this is not confirmed in the series.

From what is shown in the series it is likely that the Kimera passed the Shaqarava to the Jaridians, Atavus, and Taelons during their interactions with those species.

Liam Kincaid, who is part Kimera, also has Shaqarava. In addition to using it as a weapon, on a few occasions he uses it to create a force field to defend himself (from an explosion, for example), and he also uses it to heal/revive people (reviving Augur on one occasion, and a Jaridian on another), using it in a way similar to defibrillation.On another occasion, Liam uses his Shaqarava to expel a piece of dark matter from the Taelon mothership.

Jaridians

The Jaridians possess the Shaqarava and have a use for it. While they can use it in combat, they appear to prefer to use firearms. This may be due to some undisclosed disadvantage of the Shaqarava, such as accuracy or range, or there may be negative biological side-effects of its use. It is unknown whether or not the Jaridians could use their Shaqarava to drain life force.

On one occasion, a Jaridian uses his Shaqarava to revive Liam Kincaid, who had previously revived the Jaridian in the same way.

While only one (very atypical) Jaridian birth has been seen, the Shaqarava is used in the birthing process in order to help bring the offspring into the world.

Atavus

Three versions of the Atavus are shown over the series' run: the Season 2 Atavus is assumed in much of the fan community to be an atavistic Taelon (a creature from after the divergence from the Jaridians, but before the establishment of the commonality). The second is seen in the fourth season, and is the result of a merging of modern Taelon and Jaridian. The last is not endowed with the Shaqarava and may have come from a time before contact with the Kimera.

The season-5 atavus were originally planned to possess the shaqarava. This idea was apparently dropped due to the expense of the required special effects.

The atavistic Taelons are described above.The rejoined Atavus, identical to a depiction of an eight million year old creature of the same name, resembles both the Taelons and Jaridians and possesses the Shaqarava which can be used to create destructive blasts powerful enough to vapourise humans.

Taelons

In ancient times, the Taelons possessed the Shaqarava. The change from atavistic Taelon to modern Taelon is unclear, but the atavistic (monster) Taelons use the Shaqarava to drain the life-energy of other creatures, feeding on it to sustain themselves. They are also able to use their Shaqarava as a weapon, much like the Kimera can. The only modern Taelon to have exhibited the Shaqarava is Rho'ha, who becomes unstable and use his Shaqarava to kill.

While modern Taelons do not exhibit this organ, the Taelons do retain the ability to channel energy through their palms to a certain extent, as is shown most explicitly in several episodes of the fourth season, particularly "Epiphany", for the redistribution of core energy.

The Taelon Da'an reverts to an Atavus after his link to the commonality is severed. The commonality, or the combined psyche of all Taelons, past and present, is the means by which Taelons control the "baser" impulses the Shaqarava allows. In the season two episode "Atavus", the Shaqarava, used by Kimera-human hybrid Liam Kincaid, is used to bind an atavistic Taelon to the collective sentience. It is unclear whether this binding is a form of healing, or a newly created link to the commonality.

Other theories

The Shaqarava of each species may have evolved independently over time. On Earth, eyes have evolved separately over forty times in different ways. The Shaqarava may be similar and be one of those factors that are likely to evolve in any species at a certain stage of development. That all wielders of the Shaqarava are able to use it as a weapon, but that not all appear to be able, or perhaps willing, to use it in its other capacities may support this interpretation.

Real world equivalent

The Shaqarava corresponds to the Laogong cavity, [cite web|url=http://www.acufinder.com/points_detail.php?id=235|title=Laogong cavity|publisher= Acufinder.com|accessdate=2006-06-19] which according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, is also located in the center of the palm. The Chinese believe that energy or Qi (pronounced Chee) can be emitted or absorbed via this point, much like the Atavus drains the life-force from their victims.

imilar examples in fiction

In many science-fiction/fantasy films and TV series, a similar concept to the "Shaqarava" is used for self-defense, matter/electrical manipulation or healing.

*In the TV series "Roswell" the alien/human hybrids Max Evans, Michael Guerin, Isabelle Evans, Tess Harding and human Liz Parker are able to manipulate matter, heal and defend themselves, by emitting an energy pulse/field from their palms that can demolish cars over several meters distance when used in self defense.

*In the TV series "Tracker", when the alien Daggon uses his alien powers it is shown as a glowing yellowish energy emitting from his palms.

*In TV sci-fi episodes, often faith healers or spiritual healers are shown which heal ill people or even revive recently deceased people with "hands-on-healing", showing a light that is emitted from the palms of their hands, corresponding to the Laogong cavity, mentioned above.

*In the TV series "The Outer Limits" 1995-2002, in episode 4x07 "Josh", Josh Butler, a recluse who lives in a cabin near a park, brings back to life a young girl who has died after a fall, a feat he accomplishes by generating a mysterious blue glow from his palms.

*In various Kung Fu movies, mystical inner energy, Qi, is used for attacks with energy blasts sent through the Laogong cavities in the center of the palms.

*In "Stargate Atlantis" the vampiric Wraith use an organ in the centre of their hands to feed of the life force of humans.

*In "Dragon Ball Z" many of the energy attacks, which are said to be made from the chi of the attackers body, are thrown or pushed from the palm of the hand, though other ways of launching similar attacks are seen. The favorite attack of the main character Goku, the Kamehameha, is a blast coming from the two hands cupped together with the blast originating between the palms and firing outward like a comet.

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