Farscape Episode 1.09: “DNA Mad Scientist”
Feb. 1st, 2012 09:18 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
chavalah.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
scifi_rewatchThis might be one of the most controversial episodes in the series, certainly to date in season one. It features D’argo, Rygel and Zhaan forcibly cutting one of Pilot’s arms off in order to pay for passage home. A few months ago I was fortunate enough to meet Virginia Hey (Zhaan) at DragonCon; she said this was one of two scenes where she went to the writers and said, hey, wait a minute. Is this something that a peace-loving priest would engage in? Is this something that would endear the crew of Moya to us? Personally I don’t care that much about the second question; so long as they are in character, I’m fine. So there have been several attempts at justification for this scene. They’re aliens—do we expect them to act as human beings? (Though certainly this action weighed heavily on all of the characters after it was finished.) Zhaan may still be under the influence of the “evil” she awoke within herself during the last eppy. Or maybe, just perhaps, people do desperate things when it comes to what they believe will be their only chance to get home.
Some other changes in this episode—Pilot is back and features prominently! Yay! Aeryn and D’argo also do a little switcheroo. Last episode it was Aeryn who was all gung ho warrior and D’argo was more reflective. This time around, Big D is swinging his qualta blade at a comrade’s arm, and Aeryn is faced with her personal demons. …plus some demons that don’t actually belong to her. :-O What’s that all about? Let’s find out!
Moya is flying near a large asteroid. Nice atmosphere. We quickly center on a close up of a metal cylinder right next to John’s eye. Yikes. “If you wish to blink, now would be the time,” a large, reptilian alien says. The rest of the crew, some with eyepieces held up to themselves, looks on. John gives his assent and a needle pokes itself into his eye! Youch! Luckily it’s out in a couple of seconds and Zhaan helps him out of the chair. Who’s next? The alien asks. D’argo volunteers Aeryn but she backs out; she wants no part of this. The alien, Namtar, notes her discomfort: “is it because of my reputation?” The rest of the crew is quick to step in and assure this new guy that he’s ok in their book. It’s what brought them here, in fact. Intriguing discussion! Anywho, with Aeryn out it’s now D’argo’s turn in the chair, and John, rather tardily, gets freaked out about the whole thing. Zhaan fills us in with some backstory; Namtar may have data that could guide them home! The alien puppet—looking like his lips aren’t really moving—explains that he needs a DNA sample from the eye because it’s a more complicated procedure than just taking a skin sample, blah blah science. :P
He calls for his assistant, an alien, Cornata, who looks like an engorged, fleshy blob. D’argo’s out of the chair now, and Cornata takes an oblong crystal out of a shelf and places it on a circular table with the middle cut out. The crystal immediately lights up and a holograph rises from the empty table space. As the music turns mystical, it explodes into a galaxy. Namtar volunteers Zhaan to go first; it’s supposed to show her the place of her “genetic origin.” Zhaan touches the image, and Delvia rushes to the forefront! Zhaan cusps the planet in her hands. “That’s my home,” she chokes out happily. As Zhaan geeks out, Namtar ascertains that they want a “genetic map” to their home worlds that avoids PK jurisdiction. Sounds reasonable. The alien turns off his display—the time has come for his price. After confirming that they came here on a Leviathan (Moya,) Namtar says he wants one of Pilot’s arms! :-O Gory! The crew looks shocked.
Later, elsewhere on this commerce planet, John takes a swig of a liquid and then rubs his tongue. Sheesh, I don’t know how I’d survive out in space with all those different ethnic foods, man. :P He’s distracted, because out of all the millions of species and worlds Namtar has catalogued, he could find diddly squat on Earth. “Am I even in the right neighborhood?” John whines. Aeryn, his sole companion, decides to join the pity party. At least y’all can go home, she says; I’ve been banished! John decides to bring the conversation back to Pilot. The maps are a moot point because their navigator would never volunteer an arm. They’ll be thrown out of here in another hour—or “arn.” (“Farscape” terminology ftw!) “You saw the looks on the others’ faces,” Aeryn contradicts him. “What makes you think they’re going to wait for Pilot to volunteer anything?”
Sure enough, we cut to the controversial scene in Pilot’s den. Our poor navigator is struggling and protesting angrily as Zhaan and Rygel do their best to hold him still. “I’ll take some of your pain,” Zhaan promises, sounding at least a little upset with the whole situation as Pilot’s head swivels around and D’argo’s qualta blade descends. Can I just say how incredible it is to get that much emotion from a puppet? I was floored in retrospect. In the moment, he was a living, breathing character. The puppets of “Farscape” (the main ones anyway) always were.
We see the arm next on a table in Namtar’s lab. The alien promises to have the crystal with the three maps for Zhaan, D’argo and Rygel delivered asap. After our crewmates leave, he and Cornata go into a back room and look upon what appears to be a disintegrating hynerian chained to the wall. :-O Namtar hopes that Pilot’s DNA shows “better results” than whatever was done to that screeching alien. Evil much?
On Moya, John approaches Pilot as he shoos away a DRD performing some sort of laser work on his amputated stump. Pilot says his arm will regenerate—which is either the biggest copout for that earlier controversy, or is a brilliant, creative move for this alien species, or probably both. “I will never understand you people,” John grouses. “How can you not be angry?” His eyes are big and vulnerable, almost as if he were the one who was betrayed and amputated. Pilot explains that when his species bond to a Leviathan, they learn to serve others first—starting with the ship, then the crew, then themselves. It’s the only way he can indulge in space travel, “see the world,” as it were. “I consider it to be a perfectly equitable arrangement.” …sounds slightly forced, though.
Elsewhere, Aeryn confronts Zhaan and D’argo. Calling Pilot defenseless, she demands to know how they could do this. Damn, girl, if it upset you that much, why didn’t you put a stop to it earlier, when you guessed what was going on? Zhaan confirms that it was a difficult but necessary decision. “You attacked one of your own. Would you do the same to the rest of us?” Aeryn challenges. D’argo rises up to it: “of course.” …well, at least he’s an honest guy. :-/ Well, you have your crystal now, Aeryn continues. But what makes you think Pilot will help you get home? D’argo scoffs that Pilot is “a servicer” and if he won’t do it on his own, Big D will make him. I love how they all view Pilot differently. Zhaan plays therapist to Aeryn. You feel awful because you can never go home, she says, but please don’t deny the rest of us. Aeryn stalks off, similar to how Zhaan did last episode when the former PK told her something she didn’t want to hear. Always easier to overlook the feelings of others, alas.
John is in the mess hall, drinking and muttering sarcastically about Pilot’s situation when Aeryn approaches him. Dude has four arms; who cares about taking one? It will take awhile, he guesses, but sooner or later the others will return home. “Then what, it’s just you and me?” Aeryn sounds skeptical and John defends himself. “I happen to be a learned guy.” Yeah, keep telling yourself that, John. :P Aeryn grabs his bottle and pours herself a glass of whatever is inside. John, ever sensitive, immediately asks her what’s wrong. Everyone is going home, she grouses, even you, if you ever can. She can’t go home, but she’s always been one of many. “I’ve never been on my own, John. I’ve never been alone. Ever.” I love the curtness of her voice to cover her fear. John promises that she can come to Earth with him, a prospect that doesn’t thrill her. :P “Me, on a planet filled with billions of you?” But remember, Aeryn, he’s one of the learned ones. ;)
Rygel is throwing various items out of his quarters and into the corridor. D’argo comes in to tell him the crystal is on its way, but he gets distracted by all the junk. Rygel identifies them as “items I’ve procured since our escape to aid us in our bartering. “ But once he’s dominar again, “offers such as this will not be allowed to offend my sight.” Rygel love. ♥ D’argo picks up a package of food cubes and demands to know how long Ryg has had them. Were they in his possession when the crew was without food for nearly two “weekens”? Ryg shrugs it off; take them now if you want them. He had them in case of an personal emergency. “You haven’t reclaimed your birthright yet, little man,” D’argo reminds him.
Zhaan and D’argo talk privately over current events. The Delvian is surprised that John was as upset as Aeryn about Pilot’s arm…really?? Well, D’argo does point out that Namtar wasn’t able to locate Earth. If he had, John would sell “his own mivonks, useless as they are.” Someone’s claiming alpha status. :P Zhaan wonders what they would have given of themselves, had Namtar asked for it, but D’argo shrugs it off. He’s surprised that the alien has made a home for himself in the uncharted territories when his abilities could bring him such fame and glory in civilized lands. What a weapon this DNA stuff could make, D’argo muses. Take a prisoner, find his/her home world, have the chance to strike at “their heart.” Zhaan is appalled by this. Someone else would make use of it if I didn’t, D points out. Sadly, the dude has a point. Zhaan changes the subject to reminiscing about Delvia, and D’argo joins in about his homeland…which of course leads to who’s going home first? D’argo points out that it was his qualta blade that chopped off “the price,” and he puts himself in charge (not for the last time. :P) Zhaan threatens that if he does this he’ll put himself at odds with everyone on the ship. She wants a “fair compromise.” Wow. These two covered a lot of ground in this scene!
Back on the asteroid, Namtar is agitated. He uses psychic powers to sweep his table of filled vials! Cornata screams. “Your anger…” she gets out. Damn, are they connected or something? In response, the reptilian alien clenches his fist and Cornata puts her bloated hands to her face. Then she sends Aeryn in! :-O What’s our former PK doing back here? Namtar immediately adopts his kindly persona. Aeryn wants in on his experiments! She wants him to find her a Sebacean colony in the UT. “I want you to find me one where I can…” “Fit in?” Namtar supplies. This would be touching if the guy were a nice alien. Alas, he is not, but he still sits her down in his chair. Aeryn remarks, all controlled, that the approaching needle burns her. Only for a moment, Namtar assures her. He inserts it in her eye and Aeryn gasps. Her eye goes purple! That didn’t happen to John! The needle is removed, Aeryn blinks and the purple slowly disappears. “When will I have the results?” she asks. “It won’t be long at all,” Namtar says ominously. :-/ Dude’s foreshadowing something….
D’argo places the red, shimmering crystal on a Moya console. The crew stands around arguing. Of course Rygel should go home first, he argues; he supplied the coordinates for this asteroid, he set up the meeting with Namtar… Zhaan cuts in that she and D’argo already discussed it; whoever’s home is the closest will be first. Rygel’s immediately offended that he wasn’t consulted in this decision; “what am I, chopped melet??” Zhaan says no—“I could stomach chopped melet.” :P Not one of the better days in their relationship. Rygel mutters “blue-assed bitch,” lol. “What did you call me?” Zhaan demands, rising. John steps in to distract everyone, asking if anybody understands these coordinates. There’s no need, D’argo says, Moya gets it. Nope, Pilot says, appearing on the clamshell, Moya doesn’t! Zhaan checks the data and finds that Moya is processing it directly, but there’s just too much data. D’argo starts to protest. “Moya can do nothing about it,” Pilot says. “It appears your crystal is useless. Lucky for you, you didn’t trade anything of real value to get it.” Damn, son. Stick it in there! Zhaan determines that they might be able to save one map…but only if they destroy the other two. …dun dun DUUUUUN! Well, first Rygel suggests they return to Namtar and ask for three separate crystals. What will he demand of us then? D’argo counters. Pilot chimes in; “if he should ask, what body part are you willing to sacrifice, Your Eminence?” Hee. Sarcastic Pilot is funny. Rygel responds by grabbing the crystal and steering his thronesled the heck outta there! …and we have our standoff.
Aeryn, in the maintenance bay, is sweaty and disoriented. John comes in to give the scoop on the others; Aeryn protests, “not so loud!” She rubs her head as Crichton rambles about “Larry, Curly and Moe” finding out they can only use one map. His voice starts to echo; Aeryn’s breathing becomes more labored. John finally catches on to the fact that something is wrong; heat delirium? Aeryn says no. Standard “PMS: Peacekeeper Military—” “Frell you!” Aeryn snaps. …and I believe Claudia Black has the honor of saying the first of many “frells” on “Farscape”! *applauds*
D’argo is in Rygel’s room, looking for him, but the dominar is cackling, high up on his thronesled. The crystal is well-hidden…until the two others are able to listen to reason. “Reason” meaning that the Hyneria map will be saved, D’argo guesses. He starts pawing around, but Ryg is unperturbed. “I have places in this cell even the PK scent-hounds couldn’t detect,” he boasts. But D’argo has a new plan. How will you wrest your throne back from your cousin? He posits. “If you side with me against Zhaan, imagine returning to Hyneria with a whole contingent of Luxan warriors at your command.” Sweet deal. Though Rygel points out—didn’t your people imprison you? “My leaders imprisoned me,” D’argo clarifies. My people will help. Rygel scoffs—once he has the crystal, he’ll never honor his agreement. (Speaking from experience, Ryg? :P) D’argo lunges and Rygel swings out of the way. They continue in this fashion one or two more times, until D finally locks his eminence back in his cell. Go starve! Thanks to his current housekeeping, he doesn’t have food in there anymore. D’argo crushes a food cube to make his point.
Aeryn is back on the asteroid where she stumbles blurrily. She approaches Namtar in public and twists his hand behind his back! What did he do to her?? Namtar struggles a little, then abruptly relaxes. He’s turned his pain sensory nerves temporarily to pleasure, he explains. “This is not like what you did to the others,” she says. “Oops!” Aliens can be sarcastic! Aeryn slams his body down onto the bar counter. “Please, push harder,” Namtar goads her happily. It’s like the Addam’s Family up in here. :P If only John were here to comment! Aeryn breaks off in disgust; her breathing is getting labored again. She must be entering the latter part of phase one, Namtar muses coolly. “Phase one of what?” Aeryn demands, her fear beginning to peek through. Namtar refuses to answer; “I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise of phase two.” Ick. Wish I could punch him.
D’argo and Zhaan talk. “Rygel was a useful ally in the past but now he is enemy,” Zhaan surmises. “Agreed,” D’argo says brusquely. The two of them have to remain unified…of course. :P No one is looking out for him or herself first…*whistles*
Aeryn goes to see Pilot, who is improving, he says. New arm delivery in… She says she’s bothered by the DRDs and all of the ships functions. “You hear all that?” Pilot asks, surprised. “Not so much hear it as…sense it.” Aeryn sounds a little flabbergasted. How? Pilot asks. In response Aeryn holds up her hand—it’s starting to look like his! As Pilot blanches, the former PK continues that everything seems to be happening at the same time. John runs in, wanting to take her back to the planet so Namtar can help. Sheesh, dude, where were you before? Aeryn, with her back to him, refuses and pushes his hand away. Finally, she turns and lifts her shirt…her stomach is ripped open, filled with Pilot organs! (Masterful makeup job by the already wonderful Henson company.) Aeryn has figured out that Namtar gave her some of Pilot’s DNA. She went back there when they were arguing; she wanted to find a place to belong so she wouldn’t get left behind. “I’m so scared.” Vulnerable Aeryn! Perhaps the first time since her heat delirium incident that we have seen her thus.
Rygel reaches his hand under the door for some food cube crumbs, and Zhaan’s foot comes into frame. She holds up a crumb enticingly; “there’s no reason you and I should be at odds with each other,” she posits. D’argo would leave him in there to starve but Pa’us like herself “are open to any manner of experience.” She strokes his mustache…is that porno music I hear starting up? :P “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Standard line. Zhaan continues to stroke his sensitive spots, her voice silky as she plants the idea that they should go to Delvia. When she asks for the crystal, Rygel snaps out of it. “You could honestly believe I could find you appealing?? I mean you’re so… so blue!” Sheesh, what’s so wrong with blue? Zhaan immediately gets nasty, re-joining D’argo’s crusade to let him starve. That went well. ;)
John leads a cloaked Aeryn around back on the asteroid. She has a headache from all of the noise, so Crichton repeats Pilot’s advice about straining her thoughts. John corners Cornata at the bar, but Cornata screams! Aeryn flinches. Namtar comes stalking out. He bats John away psychically and draws Aeryn to him. He’s really tall, you can see now! He takes a look at her purpling neck, satisfied. But it’s not just the appearance that matters—certainly her mind is changing too, yes? “Please stop this,” Aeryn pleads, backing away from him. Namtar protests; she’s making a contribution to make sentient life reach “perfection!” Aeryn gets her gun out, looking more focused again (great detail.) She shoots him, and a large chunk of his side disintegrates…then reforms! :-O “Impressive weapon,” he scoffs. John lunges for him, but Namtar flicks his hand and knocks him out cold, Crichton’s head making contact with a metal pole. Ouch. Namtar leads Aeryn away as a crowd looks on.
D’argo and Zhaan approach Rygel’s room together. They speak in turns—okay, we admit you’re in control of the situation and we’ll take you home to Hyneria! They unlock the door and see a lump on the bed. “He didn’t hear our offer, and I hereby rescind it,” D’argo growls. He yanks off the blanket, but it’s only covering dirty clothes! Rygel, now outside the room, locks them in! After all those years of imprisonment, of course he had a secret way in and out of his cell (guess it would be too noisy to sneak past them on his thronesled.) He leaves them to do some “trip planning…” gotta hand it to Ryg; he played both of them gooood.
John wakes up on the asteroid. Cornata, standing over him, says he should leave now. John follows her because he wants to help Aeryn! Namtar wants her too badly, Cornata protests. He wants to isolate her new multitasking capabilities. “It’s an ability he doesn’t possess yet,” Cornata hisses. John gets the picture—he grafts the genetic traits of other species onto himself? Cornata confirms. She used to be the project leader of a lab, and everyone in the bar was part of her team. They were working on quantum genetics, identifying the origins of intellect. Sounds fascinating. Cornata was responsible for enhancing Namtar’s intellect to start with, but when he got smarter he was able to do it on his own. He was a test subject, a lab creature! :-O Now he’s borrowing traits from thousands of life forms. He’s used everyone here and now he’s using Aeryn. John demands to know if there is a way they can stop him. At least on Moya they have their own lab!
Aeryn is still seeing blurry, but we don’t see her head on yet. “You are in no way being diminished,” Namtar tells her. “You are being given a gift!” Aeryn, hiding behind a thick curtain, says she can feel the increased intellect he describes “but I am slipping away.” And as soon as the transformation is complete in her body, “you will take the features you desire and discard the rest.” “I look forward to experiencing the insights you obviously already possess,” Namtar replies. Sheesh, someone is self-involved. :/ He reaches for Aeryn’s hand…a completely Pilot-like claw ascends from behind the curtain and Aeryn takes a cup from him. Yikes.
Rygel is in command with the crystal. D’argo and Zhaan are trying to break down his door. They start blaming each other for their predicament and for betraying each other. Sheesh, and the Brats of the Episode award goes to… :P Zhaan comms both John and Aeryn but receives no answer. Nice of you to notice that they’re missing—when you need them, heh. D’argo says she’s wasting her time, and Zhaan counters that she doesn’t want to grow old while he scratches at the door to make it open.
John brings Cornata to Pilot and she immediately fangirls him. It’s a common trait. :P Pilot agrees to help them. John leads Cornata to the lab and talks to Pilot via clamshell. John wants to help, but Pilot and Cornata pretty much have the science stuff down. Poor Crichton; such a big shot egghead on Earth. :P There is something for our plucky human to do, however. Rygel has almost finished isolating his map, Pilot says. Cornata looks up; don’t try to import the maps! It’ll erase everything in Moya’s databanks!! Namtar didn’t want them to be able to leave; new test subjects and all. :/ John runs for Rygel. D’argo breaks down the door! Sudden rush on command. John attempts to grab the crystal and Rygel attempts to bite him. :P Finally there’s a fumble—D’argo and Zhaan are inside now—and a slow-mo of the crystal falling and breaking. The galaxy hologram spills out, revolves nostalgically in front of the crew, and then disintegrates. “What have you done?” Zhaan growls to John, looking somewhat murderous. John explains that Moya’s memory would have been wiped. “It was never meant to work.” Pilot calls him back to the lab; the others stare mutely at him as he leaves. No more ways home. :(
Cornata, back on the asteroid, rejoins with Namtar. He needs her help for Aeryn’s final stage. John comes in behind her. Cornata starts pouring vials. John says he knows it’s useless to attack, but he wants to see Aeryn. Namtar pulls back the curtain…and we see a transformed, hybrid Aeryn! (The creature job…so intricate!) “How could you do this?” John asks the alien scientist. Namtar scoffs at him; is that the way you talk to someone attempting to reach perfection? “Give credit where credit is due!” John lectures about morality, about using innocents, and when he was a lab rat himself! Namtar theorizes that this is just the road of evolution; every species strives for perfection. John says he gets it—there are men like Namtar on Earth. He mentions Josef Mengele, the Nazi concentration camp doctor who performed genetic experiments on unwilling prisoners. John describes him, and others as men “searching for some self-described ideal and willing to main and murder untold thousands to find it.” John is a scientist with a soul. “This Mengele sounds like a visionary!” Namtar proclaims. John gets into his face. “He was a monster.” Some brilliant acting by Ben Browder…and a chance to distract Namtar so that Cornata can stick him! He shoves her back psychically, but whatever she injected him with starts to take its toll. Namtar stumbles around as his body transforms, slowly melting like the Evil Witch of the East. :P Ultimately, he looks like a mini-Rygel, no bigger than a kitten! Cornata picks him up out of his old outfit and puts him in a cage. I have to wonder if he even has the brain capacity anymore to realize what he’s lost. Talk about a completely different character.
Aeryn comes out, stumbling. Cornata tells John that he has to inject her in the eye; Aeryn nods her consent. John injects her and she starts convulsing. What has he done?? John asks. “You saved her life,” Cornata assures him. John holds Aeryn and the shippers swoon. :P
Moya is finally away from the asteroid. John brings Aeryn a plate of food cubes shaped as a smiley face. Aeryn is back to her old self—physically and mentally. She doesn’t get the food cube art. :P She eats, though. Does food still taste funny? John wants to know. She nods. What was the hardest part? John presses. Aeryn thinks it through for a second. She’d always seen herself in terms of survival, “keeping the body alive.” But what Namtar did hurt “me, the real me.” She was alive but not herself anymore. What a wonderful, understated way to put it. John says she would have fit in on Earth just fine and he leaves her alone to her thoughts.
D’argo approaches Pilot, asking if his arm is healing. “Of course,” Pilot says. You understand our motives, D’argo presses. Pilot says yes. And I’d do it again, D says. Yup, Pilot answers. He notes that Luxans don’t apologize—though it certainly doesn’t seem like D’argo intends to anyway. Instead, he shows off the wooden instrument he’s been making, called a shulkhan. “And what kind of weapon is it?” Pilot asks. “It’s not a weapon,” D’argo explains. He begins to play, the electric guitar sounds working nicely with the acoustics in Pilot’s den. What a powerful ending scene. It didn’t diminish what D’argo did to Pilot and it didn’t whitewash over the fact that he can be brutal…but it also reminded us that he is more than just a thuggish warrior. He showed Pilot a kindness in the best way he knew how.
So much stands out in this episode. Some great issues explored concerning morality on a personal and general scale. Despite the questionability of cutting Pilot’s arm off (particularly in Zhaan’s case,) the characters seem increasingly nuanced. Certainly the chance to go home can make anyone desperate. But John and Aeryn really stole the show—John as an incredibly intuitive friend and Aeryn as the soldier confronting her own vulnerabilities. Can she be on her own? If not, are the crew her new unit? She certainly has a strong reaction to the others hurting a comrade. Not to mention that she gets to walk a bit in Pilot’s genetic shoes. :P Plus, maybe Pilot’s DNA isn’t all out of her system! :-O Granted she won’t be turning into a hybrid creature again, but perhaps something remains that can link her, empathetically, to Pilot. Such unique relationships on this show. Can’t wait to explore more.
___
Some other changes in this episode—Pilot is back and features prominently! Yay! Aeryn and D’argo also do a little switcheroo. Last episode it was Aeryn who was all gung ho warrior and D’argo was more reflective. This time around, Big D is swinging his qualta blade at a comrade’s arm, and Aeryn is faced with her personal demons. …plus some demons that don’t actually belong to her. :-O What’s that all about? Let’s find out!
Moya is flying near a large asteroid. Nice atmosphere. We quickly center on a close up of a metal cylinder right next to John’s eye. Yikes. “If you wish to blink, now would be the time,” a large, reptilian alien says. The rest of the crew, some with eyepieces held up to themselves, looks on. John gives his assent and a needle pokes itself into his eye! Youch! Luckily it’s out in a couple of seconds and Zhaan helps him out of the chair. Who’s next? The alien asks. D’argo volunteers Aeryn but she backs out; she wants no part of this. The alien, Namtar, notes her discomfort: “is it because of my reputation?” The rest of the crew is quick to step in and assure this new guy that he’s ok in their book. It’s what brought them here, in fact. Intriguing discussion! Anywho, with Aeryn out it’s now D’argo’s turn in the chair, and John, rather tardily, gets freaked out about the whole thing. Zhaan fills us in with some backstory; Namtar may have data that could guide them home! The alien puppet—looking like his lips aren’t really moving—explains that he needs a DNA sample from the eye because it’s a more complicated procedure than just taking a skin sample, blah blah science. :P
He calls for his assistant, an alien, Cornata, who looks like an engorged, fleshy blob. D’argo’s out of the chair now, and Cornata takes an oblong crystal out of a shelf and places it on a circular table with the middle cut out. The crystal immediately lights up and a holograph rises from the empty table space. As the music turns mystical, it explodes into a galaxy. Namtar volunteers Zhaan to go first; it’s supposed to show her the place of her “genetic origin.” Zhaan touches the image, and Delvia rushes to the forefront! Zhaan cusps the planet in her hands. “That’s my home,” she chokes out happily. As Zhaan geeks out, Namtar ascertains that they want a “genetic map” to their home worlds that avoids PK jurisdiction. Sounds reasonable. The alien turns off his display—the time has come for his price. After confirming that they came here on a Leviathan (Moya,) Namtar says he wants one of Pilot’s arms! :-O Gory! The crew looks shocked.
Later, elsewhere on this commerce planet, John takes a swig of a liquid and then rubs his tongue. Sheesh, I don’t know how I’d survive out in space with all those different ethnic foods, man. :P He’s distracted, because out of all the millions of species and worlds Namtar has catalogued, he could find diddly squat on Earth. “Am I even in the right neighborhood?” John whines. Aeryn, his sole companion, decides to join the pity party. At least y’all can go home, she says; I’ve been banished! John decides to bring the conversation back to Pilot. The maps are a moot point because their navigator would never volunteer an arm. They’ll be thrown out of here in another hour—or “arn.” (“Farscape” terminology ftw!) “You saw the looks on the others’ faces,” Aeryn contradicts him. “What makes you think they’re going to wait for Pilot to volunteer anything?”
Sure enough, we cut to the controversial scene in Pilot’s den. Our poor navigator is struggling and protesting angrily as Zhaan and Rygel do their best to hold him still. “I’ll take some of your pain,” Zhaan promises, sounding at least a little upset with the whole situation as Pilot’s head swivels around and D’argo’s qualta blade descends. Can I just say how incredible it is to get that much emotion from a puppet? I was floored in retrospect. In the moment, he was a living, breathing character. The puppets of “Farscape” (the main ones anyway) always were.
We see the arm next on a table in Namtar’s lab. The alien promises to have the crystal with the three maps for Zhaan, D’argo and Rygel delivered asap. After our crewmates leave, he and Cornata go into a back room and look upon what appears to be a disintegrating hynerian chained to the wall. :-O Namtar hopes that Pilot’s DNA shows “better results” than whatever was done to that screeching alien. Evil much?
On Moya, John approaches Pilot as he shoos away a DRD performing some sort of laser work on his amputated stump. Pilot says his arm will regenerate—which is either the biggest copout for that earlier controversy, or is a brilliant, creative move for this alien species, or probably both. “I will never understand you people,” John grouses. “How can you not be angry?” His eyes are big and vulnerable, almost as if he were the one who was betrayed and amputated. Pilot explains that when his species bond to a Leviathan, they learn to serve others first—starting with the ship, then the crew, then themselves. It’s the only way he can indulge in space travel, “see the world,” as it were. “I consider it to be a perfectly equitable arrangement.” …sounds slightly forced, though.
Elsewhere, Aeryn confronts Zhaan and D’argo. Calling Pilot defenseless, she demands to know how they could do this. Damn, girl, if it upset you that much, why didn’t you put a stop to it earlier, when you guessed what was going on? Zhaan confirms that it was a difficult but necessary decision. “You attacked one of your own. Would you do the same to the rest of us?” Aeryn challenges. D’argo rises up to it: “of course.” …well, at least he’s an honest guy. :-/ Well, you have your crystal now, Aeryn continues. But what makes you think Pilot will help you get home? D’argo scoffs that Pilot is “a servicer” and if he won’t do it on his own, Big D will make him. I love how they all view Pilot differently. Zhaan plays therapist to Aeryn. You feel awful because you can never go home, she says, but please don’t deny the rest of us. Aeryn stalks off, similar to how Zhaan did last episode when the former PK told her something she didn’t want to hear. Always easier to overlook the feelings of others, alas.
John is in the mess hall, drinking and muttering sarcastically about Pilot’s situation when Aeryn approaches him. Dude has four arms; who cares about taking one? It will take awhile, he guesses, but sooner or later the others will return home. “Then what, it’s just you and me?” Aeryn sounds skeptical and John defends himself. “I happen to be a learned guy.” Yeah, keep telling yourself that, John. :P Aeryn grabs his bottle and pours herself a glass of whatever is inside. John, ever sensitive, immediately asks her what’s wrong. Everyone is going home, she grouses, even you, if you ever can. She can’t go home, but she’s always been one of many. “I’ve never been on my own, John. I’ve never been alone. Ever.” I love the curtness of her voice to cover her fear. John promises that she can come to Earth with him, a prospect that doesn’t thrill her. :P “Me, on a planet filled with billions of you?” But remember, Aeryn, he’s one of the learned ones. ;)
Rygel is throwing various items out of his quarters and into the corridor. D’argo comes in to tell him the crystal is on its way, but he gets distracted by all the junk. Rygel identifies them as “items I’ve procured since our escape to aid us in our bartering. “ But once he’s dominar again, “offers such as this will not be allowed to offend my sight.” Rygel love. ♥ D’argo picks up a package of food cubes and demands to know how long Ryg has had them. Were they in his possession when the crew was without food for nearly two “weekens”? Ryg shrugs it off; take them now if you want them. He had them in case of an personal emergency. “You haven’t reclaimed your birthright yet, little man,” D’argo reminds him.
Zhaan and D’argo talk privately over current events. The Delvian is surprised that John was as upset as Aeryn about Pilot’s arm…really?? Well, D’argo does point out that Namtar wasn’t able to locate Earth. If he had, John would sell “his own mivonks, useless as they are.” Someone’s claiming alpha status. :P Zhaan wonders what they would have given of themselves, had Namtar asked for it, but D’argo shrugs it off. He’s surprised that the alien has made a home for himself in the uncharted territories when his abilities could bring him such fame and glory in civilized lands. What a weapon this DNA stuff could make, D’argo muses. Take a prisoner, find his/her home world, have the chance to strike at “their heart.” Zhaan is appalled by this. Someone else would make use of it if I didn’t, D points out. Sadly, the dude has a point. Zhaan changes the subject to reminiscing about Delvia, and D’argo joins in about his homeland…which of course leads to who’s going home first? D’argo points out that it was his qualta blade that chopped off “the price,” and he puts himself in charge (not for the last time. :P) Zhaan threatens that if he does this he’ll put himself at odds with everyone on the ship. She wants a “fair compromise.” Wow. These two covered a lot of ground in this scene!
Back on the asteroid, Namtar is agitated. He uses psychic powers to sweep his table of filled vials! Cornata screams. “Your anger…” she gets out. Damn, are they connected or something? In response, the reptilian alien clenches his fist and Cornata puts her bloated hands to her face. Then she sends Aeryn in! :-O What’s our former PK doing back here? Namtar immediately adopts his kindly persona. Aeryn wants in on his experiments! She wants him to find her a Sebacean colony in the UT. “I want you to find me one where I can…” “Fit in?” Namtar supplies. This would be touching if the guy were a nice alien. Alas, he is not, but he still sits her down in his chair. Aeryn remarks, all controlled, that the approaching needle burns her. Only for a moment, Namtar assures her. He inserts it in her eye and Aeryn gasps. Her eye goes purple! That didn’t happen to John! The needle is removed, Aeryn blinks and the purple slowly disappears. “When will I have the results?” she asks. “It won’t be long at all,” Namtar says ominously. :-/ Dude’s foreshadowing something….
D’argo places the red, shimmering crystal on a Moya console. The crew stands around arguing. Of course Rygel should go home first, he argues; he supplied the coordinates for this asteroid, he set up the meeting with Namtar… Zhaan cuts in that she and D’argo already discussed it; whoever’s home is the closest will be first. Rygel’s immediately offended that he wasn’t consulted in this decision; “what am I, chopped melet??” Zhaan says no—“I could stomach chopped melet.” :P Not one of the better days in their relationship. Rygel mutters “blue-assed bitch,” lol. “What did you call me?” Zhaan demands, rising. John steps in to distract everyone, asking if anybody understands these coordinates. There’s no need, D’argo says, Moya gets it. Nope, Pilot says, appearing on the clamshell, Moya doesn’t! Zhaan checks the data and finds that Moya is processing it directly, but there’s just too much data. D’argo starts to protest. “Moya can do nothing about it,” Pilot says. “It appears your crystal is useless. Lucky for you, you didn’t trade anything of real value to get it.” Damn, son. Stick it in there! Zhaan determines that they might be able to save one map…but only if they destroy the other two. …dun dun DUUUUUN! Well, first Rygel suggests they return to Namtar and ask for three separate crystals. What will he demand of us then? D’argo counters. Pilot chimes in; “if he should ask, what body part are you willing to sacrifice, Your Eminence?” Hee. Sarcastic Pilot is funny. Rygel responds by grabbing the crystal and steering his thronesled the heck outta there! …and we have our standoff.
Aeryn, in the maintenance bay, is sweaty and disoriented. John comes in to give the scoop on the others; Aeryn protests, “not so loud!” She rubs her head as Crichton rambles about “Larry, Curly and Moe” finding out they can only use one map. His voice starts to echo; Aeryn’s breathing becomes more labored. John finally catches on to the fact that something is wrong; heat delirium? Aeryn says no. Standard “PMS: Peacekeeper Military—” “Frell you!” Aeryn snaps. …and I believe Claudia Black has the honor of saying the first of many “frells” on “Farscape”! *applauds*
D’argo is in Rygel’s room, looking for him, but the dominar is cackling, high up on his thronesled. The crystal is well-hidden…until the two others are able to listen to reason. “Reason” meaning that the Hyneria map will be saved, D’argo guesses. He starts pawing around, but Ryg is unperturbed. “I have places in this cell even the PK scent-hounds couldn’t detect,” he boasts. But D’argo has a new plan. How will you wrest your throne back from your cousin? He posits. “If you side with me against Zhaan, imagine returning to Hyneria with a whole contingent of Luxan warriors at your command.” Sweet deal. Though Rygel points out—didn’t your people imprison you? “My leaders imprisoned me,” D’argo clarifies. My people will help. Rygel scoffs—once he has the crystal, he’ll never honor his agreement. (Speaking from experience, Ryg? :P) D’argo lunges and Rygel swings out of the way. They continue in this fashion one or two more times, until D finally locks his eminence back in his cell. Go starve! Thanks to his current housekeeping, he doesn’t have food in there anymore. D’argo crushes a food cube to make his point.
Aeryn is back on the asteroid where she stumbles blurrily. She approaches Namtar in public and twists his hand behind his back! What did he do to her?? Namtar struggles a little, then abruptly relaxes. He’s turned his pain sensory nerves temporarily to pleasure, he explains. “This is not like what you did to the others,” she says. “Oops!” Aliens can be sarcastic! Aeryn slams his body down onto the bar counter. “Please, push harder,” Namtar goads her happily. It’s like the Addam’s Family up in here. :P If only John were here to comment! Aeryn breaks off in disgust; her breathing is getting labored again. She must be entering the latter part of phase one, Namtar muses coolly. “Phase one of what?” Aeryn demands, her fear beginning to peek through. Namtar refuses to answer; “I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise of phase two.” Ick. Wish I could punch him.
D’argo and Zhaan talk. “Rygel was a useful ally in the past but now he is enemy,” Zhaan surmises. “Agreed,” D’argo says brusquely. The two of them have to remain unified…of course. :P No one is looking out for him or herself first…*whistles*
Aeryn goes to see Pilot, who is improving, he says. New arm delivery in… She says she’s bothered by the DRDs and all of the ships functions. “You hear all that?” Pilot asks, surprised. “Not so much hear it as…sense it.” Aeryn sounds a little flabbergasted. How? Pilot asks. In response Aeryn holds up her hand—it’s starting to look like his! As Pilot blanches, the former PK continues that everything seems to be happening at the same time. John runs in, wanting to take her back to the planet so Namtar can help. Sheesh, dude, where were you before? Aeryn, with her back to him, refuses and pushes his hand away. Finally, she turns and lifts her shirt…her stomach is ripped open, filled with Pilot organs! (Masterful makeup job by the already wonderful Henson company.) Aeryn has figured out that Namtar gave her some of Pilot’s DNA. She went back there when they were arguing; she wanted to find a place to belong so she wouldn’t get left behind. “I’m so scared.” Vulnerable Aeryn! Perhaps the first time since her heat delirium incident that we have seen her thus.
Rygel reaches his hand under the door for some food cube crumbs, and Zhaan’s foot comes into frame. She holds up a crumb enticingly; “there’s no reason you and I should be at odds with each other,” she posits. D’argo would leave him in there to starve but Pa’us like herself “are open to any manner of experience.” She strokes his mustache…is that porno music I hear starting up? :P “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Standard line. Zhaan continues to stroke his sensitive spots, her voice silky as she plants the idea that they should go to Delvia. When she asks for the crystal, Rygel snaps out of it. “You could honestly believe I could find you appealing?? I mean you’re so… so blue!” Sheesh, what’s so wrong with blue? Zhaan immediately gets nasty, re-joining D’argo’s crusade to let him starve. That went well. ;)
John leads a cloaked Aeryn around back on the asteroid. She has a headache from all of the noise, so Crichton repeats Pilot’s advice about straining her thoughts. John corners Cornata at the bar, but Cornata screams! Aeryn flinches. Namtar comes stalking out. He bats John away psychically and draws Aeryn to him. He’s really tall, you can see now! He takes a look at her purpling neck, satisfied. But it’s not just the appearance that matters—certainly her mind is changing too, yes? “Please stop this,” Aeryn pleads, backing away from him. Namtar protests; she’s making a contribution to make sentient life reach “perfection!” Aeryn gets her gun out, looking more focused again (great detail.) She shoots him, and a large chunk of his side disintegrates…then reforms! :-O “Impressive weapon,” he scoffs. John lunges for him, but Namtar flicks his hand and knocks him out cold, Crichton’s head making contact with a metal pole. Ouch. Namtar leads Aeryn away as a crowd looks on.
D’argo and Zhaan approach Rygel’s room together. They speak in turns—okay, we admit you’re in control of the situation and we’ll take you home to Hyneria! They unlock the door and see a lump on the bed. “He didn’t hear our offer, and I hereby rescind it,” D’argo growls. He yanks off the blanket, but it’s only covering dirty clothes! Rygel, now outside the room, locks them in! After all those years of imprisonment, of course he had a secret way in and out of his cell (guess it would be too noisy to sneak past them on his thronesled.) He leaves them to do some “trip planning…” gotta hand it to Ryg; he played both of them gooood.
John wakes up on the asteroid. Cornata, standing over him, says he should leave now. John follows her because he wants to help Aeryn! Namtar wants her too badly, Cornata protests. He wants to isolate her new multitasking capabilities. “It’s an ability he doesn’t possess yet,” Cornata hisses. John gets the picture—he grafts the genetic traits of other species onto himself? Cornata confirms. She used to be the project leader of a lab, and everyone in the bar was part of her team. They were working on quantum genetics, identifying the origins of intellect. Sounds fascinating. Cornata was responsible for enhancing Namtar’s intellect to start with, but when he got smarter he was able to do it on his own. He was a test subject, a lab creature! :-O Now he’s borrowing traits from thousands of life forms. He’s used everyone here and now he’s using Aeryn. John demands to know if there is a way they can stop him. At least on Moya they have their own lab!
Aeryn is still seeing blurry, but we don’t see her head on yet. “You are in no way being diminished,” Namtar tells her. “You are being given a gift!” Aeryn, hiding behind a thick curtain, says she can feel the increased intellect he describes “but I am slipping away.” And as soon as the transformation is complete in her body, “you will take the features you desire and discard the rest.” “I look forward to experiencing the insights you obviously already possess,” Namtar replies. Sheesh, someone is self-involved. :/ He reaches for Aeryn’s hand…a completely Pilot-like claw ascends from behind the curtain and Aeryn takes a cup from him. Yikes.
Rygel is in command with the crystal. D’argo and Zhaan are trying to break down his door. They start blaming each other for their predicament and for betraying each other. Sheesh, and the Brats of the Episode award goes to… :P Zhaan comms both John and Aeryn but receives no answer. Nice of you to notice that they’re missing—when you need them, heh. D’argo says she’s wasting her time, and Zhaan counters that she doesn’t want to grow old while he scratches at the door to make it open.
John brings Cornata to Pilot and she immediately fangirls him. It’s a common trait. :P Pilot agrees to help them. John leads Cornata to the lab and talks to Pilot via clamshell. John wants to help, but Pilot and Cornata pretty much have the science stuff down. Poor Crichton; such a big shot egghead on Earth. :P There is something for our plucky human to do, however. Rygel has almost finished isolating his map, Pilot says. Cornata looks up; don’t try to import the maps! It’ll erase everything in Moya’s databanks!! Namtar didn’t want them to be able to leave; new test subjects and all. :/ John runs for Rygel. D’argo breaks down the door! Sudden rush on command. John attempts to grab the crystal and Rygel attempts to bite him. :P Finally there’s a fumble—D’argo and Zhaan are inside now—and a slow-mo of the crystal falling and breaking. The galaxy hologram spills out, revolves nostalgically in front of the crew, and then disintegrates. “What have you done?” Zhaan growls to John, looking somewhat murderous. John explains that Moya’s memory would have been wiped. “It was never meant to work.” Pilot calls him back to the lab; the others stare mutely at him as he leaves. No more ways home. :(
Cornata, back on the asteroid, rejoins with Namtar. He needs her help for Aeryn’s final stage. John comes in behind her. Cornata starts pouring vials. John says he knows it’s useless to attack, but he wants to see Aeryn. Namtar pulls back the curtain…and we see a transformed, hybrid Aeryn! (The creature job…so intricate!) “How could you do this?” John asks the alien scientist. Namtar scoffs at him; is that the way you talk to someone attempting to reach perfection? “Give credit where credit is due!” John lectures about morality, about using innocents, and when he was a lab rat himself! Namtar theorizes that this is just the road of evolution; every species strives for perfection. John says he gets it—there are men like Namtar on Earth. He mentions Josef Mengele, the Nazi concentration camp doctor who performed genetic experiments on unwilling prisoners. John describes him, and others as men “searching for some self-described ideal and willing to main and murder untold thousands to find it.” John is a scientist with a soul. “This Mengele sounds like a visionary!” Namtar proclaims. John gets into his face. “He was a monster.” Some brilliant acting by Ben Browder…and a chance to distract Namtar so that Cornata can stick him! He shoves her back psychically, but whatever she injected him with starts to take its toll. Namtar stumbles around as his body transforms, slowly melting like the Evil Witch of the East. :P Ultimately, he looks like a mini-Rygel, no bigger than a kitten! Cornata picks him up out of his old outfit and puts him in a cage. I have to wonder if he even has the brain capacity anymore to realize what he’s lost. Talk about a completely different character.
Aeryn comes out, stumbling. Cornata tells John that he has to inject her in the eye; Aeryn nods her consent. John injects her and she starts convulsing. What has he done?? John asks. “You saved her life,” Cornata assures him. John holds Aeryn and the shippers swoon. :P
Moya is finally away from the asteroid. John brings Aeryn a plate of food cubes shaped as a smiley face. Aeryn is back to her old self—physically and mentally. She doesn’t get the food cube art. :P She eats, though. Does food still taste funny? John wants to know. She nods. What was the hardest part? John presses. Aeryn thinks it through for a second. She’d always seen herself in terms of survival, “keeping the body alive.” But what Namtar did hurt “me, the real me.” She was alive but not herself anymore. What a wonderful, understated way to put it. John says she would have fit in on Earth just fine and he leaves her alone to her thoughts.
D’argo approaches Pilot, asking if his arm is healing. “Of course,” Pilot says. You understand our motives, D’argo presses. Pilot says yes. And I’d do it again, D says. Yup, Pilot answers. He notes that Luxans don’t apologize—though it certainly doesn’t seem like D’argo intends to anyway. Instead, he shows off the wooden instrument he’s been making, called a shulkhan. “And what kind of weapon is it?” Pilot asks. “It’s not a weapon,” D’argo explains. He begins to play, the electric guitar sounds working nicely with the acoustics in Pilot’s den. What a powerful ending scene. It didn’t diminish what D’argo did to Pilot and it didn’t whitewash over the fact that he can be brutal…but it also reminded us that he is more than just a thuggish warrior. He showed Pilot a kindness in the best way he knew how.
So much stands out in this episode. Some great issues explored concerning morality on a personal and general scale. Despite the questionability of cutting Pilot’s arm off (particularly in Zhaan’s case,) the characters seem increasingly nuanced. Certainly the chance to go home can make anyone desperate. But John and Aeryn really stole the show—John as an incredibly intuitive friend and Aeryn as the soldier confronting her own vulnerabilities. Can she be on her own? If not, are the crew her new unit? She certainly has a strong reaction to the others hurting a comrade. Not to mention that she gets to walk a bit in Pilot’s genetic shoes. :P Plus, maybe Pilot’s DNA isn’t all out of her system! :-O Granted she won’t be turning into a hybrid creature again, but perhaps something remains that can link her, empathetically, to Pilot. Such unique relationships on this show. Can’t wait to explore more.
___
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}