Mayleen Al-Khatib

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FULL BIRTH NAME: Mayleen Al-Katib

CURRENT AGE: 38 years

GENDER: Cisgender Female

GENDER IDENTITY: Female

SPECIES: Human

RACE: Caucasian

HERITAGE: Egyptian

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Heterosexual

PLACE OF BIRTH: Jersey City, New Jersey

PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Colorado Springs, Colorado

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Good

RELIGION: Ancient Egyptian Religion

OCCUPATION: Egyptologist

LOVE INTEREST (CANON DIVERGENT): Daniel Jackson

PORTRAYER: Mai Ezz El Dinn

PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER ANALYSIS: Mayleen Al-Khatib is ambitious

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PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER ANALYSIS: Mayleen Al-Khatib is ambitious. When she has her heart and mind set on something, she will do whatever it takes to accomplish it (within reason). She can be naive, but that has improved with time. Her trust issues have also improved, though they sometimes create intense paranoia for her, which can be a problem. She is meticulous, knowledgeable, and open to learning new things. She can also be spontaneous. She has gradually loosened up in terms of rules and practicality. She knows when to respect rules and when to rebel against them. She has a protective instinct that typically comes out in helpful moments, but her emotions sometimes blind her. She has gotten better at expressing herself and is good at creating long-term plans. She is also occasionally good for a spontaneous plan. When her trust is gained, she is loyal to a fault and she loves deeply.

CHARACTER ARC (CANON COMPLIANT)
Part 1
Mayleen Al-Katib was born an only child in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her mother, Layla Habib, and her father, Omar Al-Khatib, were Egyptian archaeologists who studied egyptology. When Mayleen was born, Layla retired and Omar used his archaeology degree to pursue a safer job that would allow him to stay home more often. Layla and Omar encouraged Mayleen to pursue her own path and said that any career she chose was okay with them as long as she had a college degree, which they had the money to pay for. Mayleen grew up hearing stories of her parents' adventures, particularly their adventures with fellow archaeologists, Melburn and Claire Jackson, and became fascinated with egyptology at a young age. She met Melburn and Claire when she was very young, but they made a lasting impression on her and she looked up to them almost as much as she looked up to her parents. When she was in high school, she decided on her own accord that she wanted to pursue some form of archaeology as her future career. It was not until she was accepted into university that she decided to aim for egyptology specifically. During her studies, she began researching the existence of deities and avatars.
Mayleen succeeded at becoming an egyptologist. She graduated from university one year early, in the year 1998, at twenty-two years old, and left home to continue her research on deities and avatars abroad. Her research led her to the Pyramids, where she encountered a mysterious and enchanting young man named Caspian Mousavi, an Egyptologist who claimed that he was the avatar of the goddess Aphrodite. Though she was skeptical at first, he eventually showed evidence of Aphrodite's existence and tried to convince Mayleen to stay with him. He claimed that he had fallen in love with her at first sight and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Though she was infatuated with him, she explained that she had a dedication to her career and was not ready to settle down yet. She offered to be friends with him and sought his help with her research, but she also said that if it was too awkward for him, they could part ways. He accepted her offer to be friends and helped her with her research. Over time, she fell in love with him, and he opened up to her about memories of his past and how he felt trapped as an avatar. He said that he missed his old life, though he did not miss his controlling parents, and being with her made him feel free.
Three years later, in 2001, Mayleen decided to help Caspian break free of Aphrodite's control. Though he was skeptical, he desired to be free and run away with Mayleen, so they rebelled together. Unfortunately, they failed, and Aphrodite tried to make Mayleen kill Caspian, claiming that he was dishonorable and not worthy of love. Tragically, Mayleen was unable to resist and she killed him under Aphrodite's influence. Mayleen was devastated and felt responsible for his death. She fled back home, telling her parents that she had a terrible accident, and retired from archaeology.
Part 2
Six years later, in the year 2007, Aphrodite returned and took control of Mayleen's body, saying that her work was not finished and that she needed to return to Egypt. Mayleen resisted and tried to fight against the Goddess. Unfortunately, Mayleen accidentally killing her parents in the process. Distraught, she sought out Melburn and Claire for help. Instead, she found their son, Daniel Jackson, who informed her that his parents had been dead for years. Shocked and devastated, she felt like she had no one left who loved her. Daniel encouraged her to come back with him to Stargate Command. Feeling like she had no other option, she followed him, where she was introduced to Stargate-1 (SG-1). She explained her situation to them and they were quick to offer her a place to stay. They said that she would need to be placed under observation so that they could catch Aphrodite the next time that she tried to take over.
Mayleen was so devastated that she wanted to die, so she stayed in the observation room for days, and she would not walk around or eat or drink unless she was forced to. Ultimately, Daniel was the first one who managed to connect with her. He stood outside her room sometimes and slid archaeology papers under her door, hoping that she would react. She eventually began sliding them back with her own notes, which gradually turned into verbal conversation. This went on for days until she finally came out of the room.
After several tests, SG-1 concurred that they would not be able to free Mayleen from Aphrodite's control unless Aphrodite relinquished control willingly. This meant that they needed to find out what Aphrodite wanted from Mayleen. Mayleen said that she would rather die than serve Aphrodite in any way at all. Mayleen's parents were dead and so was the love of her life, and she didn't have any close friends, so she saw no reason to live. Upon discovering this, SG-1 determined that she was free to wander around the command as she pleased, but they kept a close eye on her in case she hurt herself. However, she had no intention of doing this. She intended on letting herself wither away, but SG-1 made an effort to keep her around by socializing with her. Vala Mal-Doran, another SG-1 Team Member, along with Daniel, were the ones who managed to connect with Mayleen on the most personal levels and help her break out of her shell. In the process, Mayleen became more interested in life and more determined to break away from Aphrodite's control.
The more that SG-1 learned about Mayleen, the more that they realized how little she knew about Caspian, despite being deeply in love with him for years. He never told her much about his past or how he became an avatar in the first place, and SG-1 thought that uncovering this information would help them know more about Aphrodite's goals with Mayleen. As painful as it was, Mayleen decided that she wanted to know more about Caspian as well. She tried to remember bits and pieces of what he told her about his life, which led her and the team to his home in Iran, where she met his parents. His parents said that he was an archaeologist like Mayleen and that he went on a trip to the Pyramids to unearth ancient Egyptian artifacts. They were unaware of what happened to him during his travels. When Mayleen informed them, they accused her of witchcraft and blamed her for their son's death. Crippled with shame and guilt, she ran out. Daniel furiously defended her and ran out to comfort her. She blew up at him and told him that she felt like a prisoner in her own body, so she didn't need him and his friends to imprison her anymore. He apologized, said that he understood, and told her that he wouldn't hold it against her if she left. He walked back inside to give her space.
Ultimately, she went back inside to face Caspian's parents, who were suddenly mild thanks to Daniel's outburst. Bit by bit, they all exchanged information. Apparently, Caspian was more than interested in Egyptian mythology, and the Ancient Egyptian Religion became more than a religion for him. He grew obsessed with it to an unhealthy degree, speaking of when the Gods would take over the world and how he heard their voices. He cut off his parents when they warned him of his dangerous behavior, but they mentioned that he had been in relationships before and they hadn't ended well due to his outbursts. Mayleen couldn't explain Caspian's obsession before he traveled to the Pyramids and his previous relationships shocked her, but she knew that the voices were likely linked to Aphrodite, meaning that he had probably become an avatar before he traveled to Egypt. She wondered if Aphrodite had chosen him due to his past relationships, but she decided not to dwell on it and chose to believe that his parents were exaggerating.
The next steps were to go through Mayleen's research and Caspian's research to see if any of it correlated with what Aphrodite might have been trying to communicate, which is what Mayleen and the Stargate team did. Mayleen and Caspian's research overlapped in many ways since they worked together, but there was something that Caspian uncovered which Mayleen was unaware of until then; the ability for a human to give themselves the power of a God or Goddess without being an avatar, which was partly what Aphrodite trying to warn Mayleen about. Soon enough, SG-1 began to question if Mayleen and Caspian's relationship was honest, if it was rooted in Aphrodite's romantic appeal, or if Caspian was genuine at all. Even Mayleen began to doubt her affection for Caspian, even though she was in denial that Caspian's intentions may have been less than innocent.
Mayleen was confused because she could still hear Aphrodite's voice sometimes and knew that she was in control, but Aphrodite was not making Mayleen do anything. It seemed like the more time that Mayleen spent around the Stargate team, the less that Aphrodite tried to control her. Mayleen wondered if this was Aphrodite's way of telling her that she was meant to be there. Rather than focus on the past or on Aphrodite, Mayleen focused on her new friends and preventing what could have been a future apocalypse.
Eventually, Mayleen and SG-1 decided that the best solution would be to go back to where it all started; Egypt. They all traveled back there so that Mayleen and Daniel could go on an archaeology dig in the Pyramids to see if they could find anything that would help them learn more about Aphrodite, Caspian, or anything about Mayleen's past. During the dig, Mayleen and Daniel told each other about their pasts and compared archaeology notes. They remembered that their parents used to go on digs together and that they did digs in the Pyramids. Together, Mayleen and Daniel tried to find out if anything that their parents worked on were related to Gods or Goddesses.
Unfortunately, Mayleen and Daniel had a tragic accident and became trapped under rubble. They still weren't ready to give up and they continued to go through their research. Mayleen came across an unfinished piece of research about connecting past artifacts to the future and Daniel came across an unfinished piece of research about expelling spirits by speaking the truth. It was as if the two pieces completed each other. They realized that, in order to free Mayleen, she needed to let go of a precious artifact from the past and surrender it to Aphrodite. Reluctantly, Mayleen buried her ring from Caspian and Daniel told Mayleen about how he had been brainwashed by aliens in the past, and how he struggled to let go of it. As soon as they finished speaking, Aphrodite granted special powers to Mayleen, who used them to save herself and Daniel from being crushed under rubble.
After they went back to Stargate Command to rest, they were convinced that what they went through had been the key to getting rid of Aphrodite, but Mayleen still felt Aphrodite's presence. Mayleen, however, was not upset by this. She had begun to enjoy Aphrodite's presence. Finally, Aphrodite started speaking to Mayleen and told her that, in order to move on with her life, she needed to let go of Caspian and learn to love herself. Mayleen told this to SG-1 and decreed that she couldn't be cooped up in their compound if she wanted to experience life. She said that she needed to take a break and find herself. Reluctantly, they let her go, but she and Daniel kept in touch.
Part 3
One year later, in the year 2008, Vala sought out Mayleen for help with a bounty hunting incident regarding Egpytian artifacts. Mayleen, who was no longer an avatar and now a full-time archaeologist, had been traveling the world and was back in Egypt to visit some of her relatives. She eventually ran into Vala, who explained that she had stolen some ancient Egyptian artifacts years ago and had a bounty on her head. The bounty hunter had found her and she needed Mayleen's help to get out of it. Mayleen pulled some strings and made some deals, which ultimately ended in her giving up a drawing of a valuable alien artifact that she found in Colorado years ago. She promised to bring the artifact to the bounty hunter if he stopped tracking Vala. The bounty hunter agreed and gave Mayleen one month to bring back the artifact.
On the flight to Colorado, Mayleen felt compelled to explain why she hadn't visited SG-1 while she was in Colorado all those months ago. Vala didn't need an explanation. She understood that Mayleen needed time to find herself. Being the nosy person she was, however, Vala wanted to know more about Mayleen's research and the papers in her briefcase. Vala, due to her nosiness, discovered that Daniel and Mayleen had been frequently writing to each other ever since Mayleen left SG-1 two years ago. Vala seemed slightly put-off by this information and claimed that it was because she was offended that Mayleen hadn't written to her as well. Mayleen said that Vala wouldn't understand; that it was "archaeology stuff." Vala said that if it was just archaeology stuff, then Mayleen shouldn't mind if someone looked at it. Mayleen frantically put the letters out of Vala's reach and changed the subject.
When Mayleen and Vala made it back to Stargate Command, Mayleen said that she just dropped by for a visit, only to find out that they were in the middle of a briefing. Daniel broke off from the conversation to catch up with Mayleen. They mentioned their letters, but they only discussed the archaeology content and some brief anecdotes. Eventually, he picked up on the fact that she was in trouble. She told him about the bounty on her head along with the artifact that she needed to find, without mentioning Vala's involvement. He offered to help her dig up the artifact and they went on a dig together. Vala tagged along for fun, which led to her blabbing, which led to her accidentally revealing that Mayleen had helped Vala with bounty hunting matters on another planet. Naturally, this led to an argument between Daniel and Vala, with Mayleen desperately trying to play peacemaker.
Ultimately, Mayleen and Daniel discovered that Vala accidentally gave them misinformation and the site that they were digging in was actually forbidden to dig in. They were not arrested by the police though. They were found by a human bounty hunter (with Asgard ancestry) named Ornolf who was an ally of Vala's and claimed to know Mayleen. Mayleen immediately recognized him as her friend from college. They were never really close, but they had the same archaeology class and he always respected her breadth of knowledge on the subject. He said that he made good with the police and did his best to separate himself from Vala's past antics, so he was able to pull some strings. Mayleen, Daniel, and Vala were released from custody thanks to Ornolf, who was happy to help. He did, however, request something in return; Mayleen's Egyptology expertise. He was in search of the Egyptian goddess, Isis, or anyone related to her, hoping to use her healing powers to bring back his dead mother, Inga.
Daniel was quick to say that he would help, but Ornolf specifically requested Mayleen because he knew her better and she had more knowledge about Egyptology specifically. Mayleen refused. Seeing as how she had just been freed from Aphrodite's control, she said that she did not want to get involved with anymore deities. Ornolf accepted Daniel's help instead, but when it was discovered that Isis had lost her husband, Osiris, Mayleen decided to get involved. Feeling a sense of connection to the Goddess, Mayleen dedicated much of her time trying to get in contact with Isis directly.
Daniel eventually realized that Mayleen was too emotionally engrossed in the project, so he advised her to take a step back for the time being. She refused, and at her weakest point, allowed herself to be taken over by Isis. Isis led to Mayleen to the Underworld, which used to be led by Osiris. Coincidentally, Mayleen saw Ornolf there. Ornolf had been trying to figure out how to contact Isis as well, and he used Mayleen and Daniel's hieroglyphic translations to contact Isis even when Daniel said that it was a bad idea.
Unfortunately, Mayleen and Ornolf were trapped in the Underworld with no contact other than Isis, who was very firm in her instructions; convince the Underworld tribunal of forty-two divine judges that Caspian and Inga were worthy of being brought back to life. Before the beginning of the trial, Isis and the judges presented Caspian and Inga's actions throughout their life for everyone to see. Inga was a homemaker of Asgard descent who fell in love with and married a human man who exploited her identity and left her for another woman when he pleased. Inga raised her son on her own until she grew too ill to care for him, and he was old enough to take care of her. Caspian, on the other hand, was a cheater. His passion for Egyptology outweighed his logic and ability to connect with people. Many of his relationships failed because of this, and he never really loved Mayleen enough to let go of his obsession.
Finally, Mayleen let go of Caspian. She realized that he was never who she thought he was and she determined that he should stay dead as he was. Rather than argue on behalf of Caspian, she argued with Ornolf on behalf of Inga. Ultimately, the tribunal decided that Inga should be granted a longer life on Earth. The case was dismissed, and Ornolf and Mayleen were granted entry back to Earth. When they returned, Mayleen regrouped with Daniel and Vala while Ornolf went to see if his mother had been saved. He brought his very well mother to meet Mayleen, Daniel, and Vala, who were happy to see her okay.
Ornolf and Inga invited Mayleen, Daniel, and Vala out for dinner, and they all three accepted. After dinner, Ornolf spoke with Mayleen and acknowledged how difficult it must have been for her to let go of Caspian, thanking her for helping him save his mother. He told her that he wanted to do something for her in return. She said that just keeping in touch with her would be enough, so they exchanged numbers before they said goodbye and she went back to SG-1 with Daniel and Vala to say goodbye to everyone else. Before she left, she was awarded with an honorary SG-1 member badge, as well as a job at Stargate Command in the archaeology department if she so desired. She excitedly accepted and became an official member of SG-1.
Part 4
The next several months consisted of Mayleen fitting in with the team and finding a new home at SG-1. She grew closer with some of the other SG-1 members, notably Cameron Mitchell, and spent most of her time with Daniel. Cameron picked up on Mayleen’s feelings for Daniel and brought it up to her, leading Mayleen to admit that she had been in love with Daniel since he started exchanging notes with her when she arrived at Stargate Command for the first time. She had just been in denial about it until she processed Caspian’s death and the death of her relationship with him. She said that she thought about confessing her love for Daniel through their letters a few years back, but she could never bring herself to do it because she did not have the courage. When Cameron encouraged Mayleen to tell Daniel, Mayleen said that it was too late because she worked with him and that would make things difficult. Daniel was struggling with his own feelings as well, and he confessed them first when she almost died during a mission, saying that he was in love with her. They developed a romantic relationship from that point on.
In the year 2009, Ornolf alerted that a disease has brought the Asgard people dangerously near to extinction after millennia of genetic manipulation. Mayleen immediately interrupted her travels to help and reunites with SG-1. However, Ori warships soon attacked Odyssey and Orilla. The Asgard race went extinct as a result of Orilla's massive explosions, which eventually blew up altogether. The Ori shot a final energy beam at the ship after Odyssey beamed the majority of its people down and used a Stargate to flee to the next planet.

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