Kromagg

The Kromaggs (also known pejoratively as "Maggs" and "Maggots" by humans), are a technologically advanced and highly militaristic race of humanoid primates hellbent on conquering all human-dominated Parallel earths in preparation for an assault on the world they call Kromagg Prime, the world the humans on that Earth originally drove them from after a world war.

Professor Maximillian Arturo, Rembrandt Brown, Quinn Mallory, and Wade Welles first encountered the Kromaggs in the season two episode "Invasion" on one of the more than 150 Earths they had subjugated. It was revealed in the episode that when the Kromaggs began interdimensional traveling, they were shocked to see world after world dominated by Homo sapiens. They both hate and fear humans, considering them "vermin" and the enemy and have treated them accordingly. Kromaggs conquer most parallel earths they encounter and keep those humans they didn't kill for slave labor, breeding purposes, or as test subjects. They find humans ugly in appearance, and prize human eyes as a delicious delicacy.

Exiled from Kromagg Prime, the Kromaggs put a stop to their inter-species tribal wars, uniting under a government known as the Kromagg Dynasty. Through Sliding technology, they set about building their empire, travelling from Earth to Earth and claiming most as their own under a brutal occupation. They do not conquer all worlds however, as one episode revealed that the Kromaggs performed a hit-and-run assault on an unsuspecting Earth by stealing its fuel reserves and leaving, forcing humans on that world to live without automobiles.

Kromaggs can procreate with humans, which results in a species called Humaggs.

Appearance[]

Physically, Kromaggs appear very similar to humans, though differently evolved. Their teeth are sharp and pointed and their skin is distorted and ridged with a dark pigment. Many appear to be bald or balding with no facial hair.

Their officers dress in grey uniforms similar to Wehrmacht uniforms, while their troops dress in black "SWAT"-type uniforms. Their pilots dress in flight suits.

Kromaggs faces appear bestial and inhuman. The word "Kromagg" is similar to the term "Cro-Magnon," leading many viewers to believe that they descended from some prehistoric ancestor of modern man called 'Cro-magnon Man'. However, this is an erroneous belief, due to the fact that 'Cro-Magnon man' actually is Homo sapiens, or modern man. Arturo theorizes that the Kromaggs descended from another prehistoric hominid species that drove human ancestors to extinction.

The first appearance of the Kromaggs in Season 2 differs slightly from their Season 4 and Season 5 appearances.

Technology[]

Kromaggs are technologically advanced, with technology that can control gravity, create force fields, hand-held energy weapons, genetic engineering and aircraft (manta ships) equipped with energy weapons and dimensional travel capabilities.

Society[]

Little is known of their society. It appears to be highly militaristic, with no forgiveness for failure among its members. One episode had two Kromagg soldiers sentenced to death for letting the human protagonists escape through no fault of their own. Another episode had a former commander of the famed "12th Legion" being forced to command a prison world for losing a battle on Kromagg Prime he couldn't win.

Kromaggs appear to despise human sentimentality (such as pity) and are insulted when such feelings are directed toward them. They require no sentimentality when "breeding" amongst each other.

One episode made a passing reference to Kromagg "Houses"; presumably Kromaggs are also organized by Clans of similar kin.

Their current homeworld has been described as a large forest with tall trees.

Psychic abilities[]

Some Kromaggs possess psychic abilities. Though they cannot read minds, some have the ability to project illusions and plant post-hypnotic suggestions into human minds. One episode had one Kromagg attempt to force data out of someone's minds by touch, similar to Star Trek's Vulcan "mind meld". Otherwise, the Kromaggs resort to interrogation, "mind probes" and torture to acquire information.

Almost all Kromaggs however, appear to have an illusion-casting ability which allows them to look human.

Kromaggs have healing powers, whereby they can heal others, including humans, with their minds. One person was healed from radiation poisoning through Kromagg healing techniques by a Humagg, indicating that they teach this ability to others. In the episode "Asylum", a human trained by the Kromaggs was able to heal Quinn with Kromagg healing powers.

Kromagg telepathic abilities can be taught to humans, not just their healing power. Jules Koenig, raised as Kaldereen by the Kromagg Kolitar, displayed Kromagg telepathic abilities while in the Slidecage, having been presumably taught them by Kolitar, however, Kolitar seemed surprised by the strength Jules displayed when he used the abilities to remove the Kromaggs post-hypnotic suggestion implanted in Rembrandt Brown.

Kromaggs also have the ability to communicate telepathically to select subservient humans, thus allowing some Kromaggs to avoid "lowering" themselves by speaking to humans directly.

It is however shown at the end of "Invasion" that the Kromaggs can speak English, the excuse of not lowering themselves was merely a ploy put into place to cause the Sliders to trust Mary.

Notable Kromaggs[]

Kolitar

Key episodes[]

Kromagg invasion — Two Kromaggs from the episode "Invasion", the episode in which Kromaggs were introduced. Kromaggs had a different look in the episode "Invasion" than the look they had in seasons 4 and 5.

"Invasion": The Sliders' first encounter with the Kromaggs results in hostilities. Although this episode doesn't directly refute future established facts, it suggests that Kromaggs have never seen humans before learning the sliding technology and that their invasions have successfully continued for at least a generation. Both of those facts are somehow challenged in episodes to follow.

"The Other Slide of Darkness": It is revealed that Quinn's double (from the premiere episode) gave the Kromaggs access to sliding technology. After this, they destroyed his home and forbade humans from possessing the knowledge.

"Genesis": The Kromaggs slid to Earth Prime about two months earlier and took over the planet. It is revealed that Kromaggs originated from an Earth where they co-existed with humans,Kromagg Prime, and that Quinn Mallory is actually from that Earth.

"Common Ground": Shortly upon arriving on this Earth, Maggie Beckett saves the life of a Kromagg, and then the sliders are taken as prisoners. However, they are punished less severely since Maggie saved the life of a Kromagg. On this Earth, the Kromaggs have taken humanity hostage and are testing a weapon on the native population. The Kromaggs also learn that Quinn has the tracking device implanted in him from his stay on Earth 113, which the Kromaggs want to use to go back to Kromagg Prime.

"Slidecage": The sliders intend to go to Quinn and Colin Mallory's homeworld, but get caught in the slidecage instead. The slidecage was invented by Michael Mallory and is a place where people who attempt to slide to Kromagg Prime are bounced back to without the ability to leave. The intent of the slidecage is to block Kromaggs from returning to their homeworld, but as a safety precaution, they have to block humans as well. The slidecage was dominated by both Kromaggs and humans who are constantly having battles with each other.

"Asylum": This is the first episode where the sliders encounter a world that had been visited by Kromaggs but where the Kromaggs did not destroy the world and take humanity hostage. On this Earth, Margaret Thatcher negotiated with the Kromaggs, and agreed to give the Kromaggs natural resources, and in exchange the Kromaggs would leave this Earth alone. Since then, people who collaborated with the Kromaggs were termed "Thatchers". It revealed that Kromagg technology runs on resources that can be found on any Earth.

"The Dying Fields": Kromagg/human hybrids, Humaggs, are trained to kill humans. "Pure" Kromaggs are disappointed by the apparent failure in the humanity their subjects possess. The show also reveals that the Kromaggs energy weapons are not lasers, but in fact, particle beam weapons. If hit, a victim would be killed from the blast, but if hit in a nonfatal area, they would die from radiation poisoning. This is the first episode featuring Humaggs.

"Mother and Child": The first time the term "Humagg" refers to a baby born from a Kromagg father and human mother, or vice versa. When they return to the mother's world, the baby starts to die due to a virus that permeates the atmosphere that kills only Kromaggs. It is revealed that a lingering after-effect of the weapon used to drive the Kromaggs from Kromagg Prime caused every Kromagg pregnancy to be fatal to the mother, explaining the true importance of their breeding camps.

"Revelations": An alternate version of the Kromaggs is revealed to be of limited intelligence and were generally docile. On their Kromagg Prime ("Kromagg Double Prime") these Kromaggs were victims of a Holocaust-style purge by the humans.

"Requiem": While the Sliders relax in a garden waiting for the next slide, Rembrandt receives a telepathic message from Wade. In their next world, they meet the first female Kromagg. The Kromaggs are developing slide technology powered by the human body. However, this is the last encounter with the species.

"The Seer": In the last episode of the series, the sliders land on a world that has defeated the Kromaggs with a virus. The entire population on this Earth carries the virus in their blood. Vernon Peckinpah drew some blood from himself and gave it to Rembrandt, who injected himself with it and slid in an attempt to free Earth Prime from the Kromaggs. It was not revealed in the episode if Rembrandt was successful.

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Kromagg. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Sliders Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.