Wormholes in fiction

In franchises

In the Stargate franchise, which includes the original movie and the TV series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe, wormholes are the primary method of space travel, making it the series most strongly linked to the concept. The core device is an ancient network of ring-shaped Stargates that create artificial wormholes. When the correct coordinates are dialed, these wormholes allow matter to travel one way and radio signals to pass in both directions between gates.

The Babylon 5 series and its spin-off Crusade use jump points, which are artificial wormholes that act as doorways into and out of hyperspace for faster-than-light travel. These jump points can be generated either by large ships like battleships or by stationary jumpgates. In this universe, jumpgates are neutral ground; directly attacking them breaks standard rules of engagement because every spacefaring race relies on the gate network. In wartime, factions often reprogram their gates to block enemy access, forcing opponents to create their own jump points.

In Farscape, an American astronaut named John Crichton is accidentally launched through a wormhole, ending up in a distant part of the galaxy. Wormholes also connect to other universes, called unrealized realities, and are used as weapons of mass destruction. Crichton’s arrival sparks an arms race, as various alien species believe he can control wormholes. An ancient alien implanted wormhole knowledge into his brain, and when an interrogator discovers this, Crichton becomes caught in interstellar conflict. He cannot directly recall the information, but he can subconsciously predict when and where wormholes will appear and travel through them safely, while others die trying. By the series’ end, he learns enough to create his own wormholes and demonstrates the devastating power of a wormhole weapon to those chasing him.