Pharaoh Seti I

Pharaoh Seti I
Background Information
Films	The Prince of Egypt
Voice	Patrick Stewart
Character information
Other Names	Pharaoh
Quote	"Oh, my son...they were only slaves..."

Pharoah Seti I (or simply known as Pharaoh or Seti) is a minor antagonist from The Prince of Egypt.

Personality

Pharaoh Seti I may appear to be a wise and kind old man, but his cruelty brews just beneath the surface. He is vicious and cold, having every Hebrew baby boy killed because they were "only slaves" who threatened his legacy.

Role in Film

Pharaoh Seti I is the ruler of Egypt alongside his queen, Tuya. He is the father of Rameses II and the adoptive father of Moses. At the beginning of the film, he ordered his Egyptian soldiers to kill every male Hebrew baby, out of fear that the Hebrews would grow in number and rebel against him. Later, he reprimands Moses and Rameses after a temple is destroyed. He is especially hard on Rameses, who he feels he must prepare the throne for. Moses appeals to Seti's better nature and promises him that Rameses sought only his approval, and would succeed if he only had the opportunity.

Seti later appears at the feast where he appoints Rameses as Prince Regent, by Moses's recommendation. Moses suggests Hotep and Huy pay tribute to their new Prince Regent with a gift. They bring out Tzipporah, a Midian girl captured as a concubine for Rameses, who eagerly gives her to Moses because she is too spirited. After Moses struggles to restrain Tzipporah he jokingly "lets her go" into a small pool behind her. Seti is indifferent to this display, but his wife is ashamed of the behavior.

After Moses is told by Miriam that he is a Hebrew, he has a nightmare of his people being killed. As Moses searches for answers through historical etchings throughout the palace, he finally finds a mosaic of Seti ordering the massacre of infants. Pharaoh finds Moses, devastated, and reveals to him that he had the Hebrew infants killed to keep their population in check, and prevent any rebellion against him. He attempts to comfort Moses with a hug and justify his behavior, but when Seti tells Moses that the children were "only slaves", Moses backs away from him in disgust. Seti dies some point after Moses escapes into the desert and passes his throne to Rameses, who surpasses his rule.

Gallery

Pharaoh Seti I scolds Rameses

Trivia

Pharaoh's voice actor, Patrick Stewart, also plays Jean Luc Piccard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

In the original biblical story, the Pharaoh still rules Egypt. In the film, Pharaoh passes away and his son Rameses gains the throne.