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scifi_rewatchThere are a lot of firsts this episode. It’s the first time D’argo (at least in one form or another) isn’t on “Farscape”! :/ It’s the first time that Talyn takes center stage, or really plays anything more than an ancillary role—there’s no Moya here, either. It’s the first time that Paul Goddard, aka Stark, gets a significant, b-line story arc with “the puppet,” aka Rygel. :P Apparently that’s something he wanted. And, probably most importantly, this is the first time that Ben Browder, aka John Crichton, wrote an episode. It’s one of two for him, and he did a great job.
There’s a few technical details that make me a little eyerolly—eg one of those literal “saved during the final countdown” moments, and even a little problem with editing where John is supposed to pull something and then the ship moves, but it ends up happening in reverse. But there’s also such cool new Talyn sets, both inside and out, that the iffy stuff hardly seems to matter.
Lots to chew over in this heavily character-driven drama (the only “guest star” was a CGI-created “space monster,” as John dubs it.) Doubtless, most fans zero into the very last scene, where a long-awaited, well-earned romantic development takes place between two major characters (and if that’s not giving it away, then you’ve been skipping seasons. :P) I might argue, however, that the more nuanced and thought provoking relationship that we see is between Talyn and Crais. They’ve been off screen for a long time, only to return as occasional dinner guests at the Moya table; this is the first time that we really get to observe them, up close and personal, in their own environment. It’s a dramatic tableau, even more than might meet the eye…and already there’s a lot in this episode that has to do with eyes. :P Let’s get down to it.
Episode summary is here, courtesy of the John and Aeryn Fansite.
The whole deal with Ben’s episode is kind of twofold. He wanted to write a character-rich piece where we could deal a bit with relationship tension. Then, from on high, he had to figure out a way to get John and Aeryn together by the end of the hour. Obviously the latter is finally a possibility because there’s still drama with the notion of the two Johns. :P But I don’t mean to pick at it too much; this outcome is fully earned, not only due to the focus of this episode, but because they’ve been building up to this for cycles. But it’s too simplistic to call all of this merely a romance, the same as it’s too simplistic to say this episode was solely about being swallowed by a budong. (But speaking of which—what great continuity, hearkening back to one of my favorites from season two, “Home on the Remains.” And I like the conceit they thought up of budongs living around planetary rings and eating up asteroids. Served to make the CGI a little bit easier, too. :P) There’s a couple of other characters in this mix as well, and although some of their desires might be a little sexualized, there’s an underlying truth for everyone (human, sebacean, Leviathan/PK half-breed ship alike) about fitting in and finding a family. A final note about the title—“Green Eyed Monster” is a phrase from “Othello” (a Shakespeare play where the main character is also duped by the real “bad guy” into believing that his lady love is being unfaithful with someone else), and it refers to jealousy. The budong, too, has a physically green eye. As a ScapeCast commentator pointed out, John, Aeryn, Crais and Talyn are literally swallowed by jealousy. Sorry, Ben, this is so much more awesome than your title suggestions of “Das Budong” or “All About Aeryn.” :P
There’s another sneaky little component to this hour as well—the art of misdirection. John is so certain that Crais is the arbiter of his little tableau of misfortunes, but that doesn’t turn out to be the case. One can, and in the case of the wonderful ScapeCast crew, does, argue that Talyn might be influenced by Crais’s thoughts. “Neural bleedback” can go both ways. I agree with this, too, but to start off with, let’s think of the physical mechanics of what actually happens. John’s being disturbed regularly by Talyn’s awesome little DRDs doing maintenance work. He’s also missing Winona. Talyn never “fesses up” to any of this (at least not on camera), but given the larger context of what’s happened, it’s pretty much inferred. When Aeryn notes that John got Winona back, he blames a DRD now instead of Crais, as he had been previously doing. But at the beginning of the hour, although he knows to ask Talyn to unlock the perpetually locked doors for him, his attention is on his former nemesis and his secretive dealings with Aeryn. Talyn uses this to his advantage, particularly when Crais is selling Aeryn on the new and improved “finger of friendship.” ;) He makes some garbled transmission of his “father’s” voice to have John meet Crais in his quarters, where he’s created this data chip, starting with some real footage of Aeryn “offering” herself to Crais in return for his help last season in rescuing John, but then it morphs into some, ahem, adult home movies, as it were. :P Except that they’re altered footage. (Just a quick sidenote—although I appreciate heady realism in depicted sex scenes, there’s something so wonderfully emotional about this one—all of the shadows and the music and Aeryn’s vulnerable face at the end—that gets the point across about what this really means to John. GUH. Though apparently the extras didn’t know until arriving on set that they were performing a sex scene? Weird ethics there. :P) Anywho, from there John returns to command where Talyn opens the door as Crais and Aeryn are “conveniently” disheveled (Aeryn because she was hot in her space suit—remember sebaceans hate heat—and Crais because he had just shown her the lesions on his chest.) Aeryn looks guilty but it’s not because she and her former captain were just “recreating”—it’s because she’s debating whether she can leave her Moya family more substantially and join with Talyn. Finally, there’s the issue of Talyn lying to Aeryn directly when he refuses to show her what’s really going on—most significantly when he’s locked John outside in “space”. They almost have to leave him…can’t believe how long it took me to realize that the image changed from an open airlock to John banging at a closed door because Aeryn was forcing Talyn to tell her the truth. Man, that Talyn. He pulled the wool over the eyes of the audience, too. I’m still so in love with the idea that the SHIP is such a character. :P
Talyn is the bad guy (and Crais, to an extent, is, too,) but it’s not as easy as having a villainous guest character to star in one episode and never return. Talyn is Moya’s son. We’re going to need him around, unless we want half of the cast to be living in deep space out on that transport pod (seeing how Rygel and Stark struggled this hour, I’m not sure that’d be easy. :P) The tense confrontations here exist between main characters, not our guys vs random extras who are standing in the way of immediate goals. Yes, there’s an immediate goal of this episode—escape the budong—but the bigger questions have been building for longer. Who can we trust? Which “home” should we claim? Aeryn feels deeply connected to Talyn—she certainly has a natural empathy towards him, as exemplified even through her opening shot of instinctively knowing a way to accelerate his healing. She isn’t even bonded to him yet! (Though, wow, that scene of bonding…the soundtrack, the dialogue, the amazing camera work when Aeryn “snuck up” on herself…it was so arresting and I really felt for what the characters were going through.) If she wants to see a Peacekeeper endeavor as “good” again—her excitement at the beginning of “Different Destinations” seems proof of that—Crais and Talyn are the obvious bet. Crais, too, craves like-minded companionship, for reasons that go deeper than expected (more on that later.) Meanwhile, John, we’re told quite explicitly at the end of the episode, views Aeryn as “my one constant.” So tensions emerge, even without our main antagonist of the hour. Physically, this is often exemplified by the three humanoids in a triangle formation—and we often see the odd one out in between the other two. The quibbling between the boys and Aeryn’s attempts at mediation are great. Ben spoke about the scene where our guys are laying down the “go through the digestive tract” exposition as a rare time that they’re not hurling people around while getting the pedantic stuff out, because the there’s already that underlying sexual drama. Everyone’s arguing really means something else, and none so much as when Aeryn chases John down the hall, wanting his support but ultimately walking away from him as he refuses to hear her side of events. So many unspoken desires and genuine misunderstanding!
And then, we have this Crais/Talyn “bleedback.” It’s difficult to tell where one’s feelings end and the other one’s begin, especially when Talyn is occasionally able to exert physical and mental control over his paternal figure. When I first watched this episode, I viewed this more simply as a relationship of abuse—and it is—but Crais isn’t only just the victim. Would Talyn think to hate John as much as he does without Crais’s influence? I don’t think Crais is actively telling Talyn that the guy is bad, but feelings can speak for themselves. Also, how would the ship know to use the sexual jealousy card against our human without Crais’s understanding of the issue? Both Crais and Talyn seem to be terrified and on the edge half the time, but the ScapeCast posited that perhaps that has something to do with PTSD? Crais was a victim of the Aurora Chair, after all. Even beyond that, there’s the issue of our former PK captain absconding with the ship very quickly after defecting from his former post. His whole life is in disarray, the Moya crew is peeved with him for taking the baby, and he’s out there, alone in space with this freaky science experiment. I mean to say that no one had lived aboard a PK Leviathan hybrid before, much less alone, much less while taking the hand of friendship. And this hand of friendship…it’s pretty freaky. It’s like a hybrid between the symbiosis between Pilot and Moya, and the craziness of Harvey in John’s head. :P I really think that Crais has the worst of it—and it’s part of the reason that he’s clinging to Aeryn for help. Granted, he’s not completely noble about it, particularly with the human complications. :P (I kind of doubt he realized the depth of Aeryn’s feelings for John until she undid the “finger of friendship.”) But his need is still great, and Lani knocks the performance right out of the ballpark.
Before we move onto our two lovebirds, allow me to spare a moment for our kooky roommates in the b plot storyline! Stark and Rygel are away on reconnaissance when their fellows are swallowed up by a budong. They almost succumb themselves, but thanks to some convenient backstory, Stark knows a thing or two about budongs and they’re able to escape. :P (It is a bit convenient. First of all, apparently Stark worked near dead budongs, not live ones. And the scare-tacitc of “no one ever returned from a dead budong” kind of loses it’s sting when “Farscape” had an entire episode where everyone went in and was fine. :P Or got out, at least. Anywho.) Once they figure out their situation Rygel, of course, wants to flee, and Stark restrains him by tying him up. This works until an, um, vomit incident. :P Hello, “Farscape” gross-out humor. And, kind of like Ryg’s exploding gas in “Thank God It’s Friday Again,” the vomit serves a purpose…Stark is, uh, examining some of it, and that makes him realize that they have to make the budong upchuck in order to rescue Talyn et al. Stark saves the day with his plan! Also, I know the cast and crew all see Ryg as “the puppet” (and because he’s so valuable, they probably take extra pleasure in being allowed to, say, thrust their entire arms down the mouth hole, :P) but to me, all I saw were the fumbling, comedic roommates. (That passing line Rygel made about Chiana—so awful! But I kind of think, like an inappropriate, codgy old uncle, this is his way of saying he cares about her. :P) Certainly needed the laughs to cut through the family drama happening inside of the budong!
And finally…J/A. Sooo romantic; even male fans are into this ship. :P We start and end with the star chart—the one that Moya John noticed was missing from his quarters last ep. One of the more diffusing arguments between John and Aeryn occurrs while Crais is sleeping, and the word “drannit” escapes Aeryn’s mouth. Ben confirmed in commentary that they never thought up a meaning for the word “drannit”—besides the space between John and Aeryn, that chasm through which they were trying to communicate. I like that when they acknowledge it’s existence, eg Aeryn realizing that John really doesn’t know what a drannit is, it dispels some of the tension, and they laugh. John is actually a bit more like Chiana (whoah, transition!) Both of them hold their pain close to the chest—hell, they’re even defensive in similar ways. Back in “Taking the Stone,” when Chiana was struggling with Nerri’s supposed death, she went on a tirade against John “I’m not your kid, I’m not your sister…” Now, when John is refusing to own up to his sexual jealousy, he’s all “I’m not your boyfriend, I’m not your husband…” Plus, John feels very alien and unwelcome overall this episode—one of the greatest scenes to portray that has absolutely no dialogue; it is simply John and a DRD, post-Aeryn/Talyn bonding, staring each other down in a corridor. It takes until the end of the episode for Aeryn to realize why he’s acting like a big teenager. :P She’s flabbergasted—because John didn’t bring it up to her, but more grandly, about the ethical changes in her life. Before John, she could do what she pleased and answer to no one, at least with regards to her sex life. Now this jealousy exists because these people aren’t just using each other for sex—they want something more. I was always moved by Aeryn’s speech—especially the plague bit—because on the surface it almost sounds like she’s struggling with an abusive relationship. But in actuality it’s not that at all. She’s struggling with her desire to trust, to love—essentially to nurture her emotional self and take it more seriously. The relationship with Talyn and Crais doesn’t work, she ultimately has to realize, because she needs John. Now is finally the time to act on it. And I loved the lighting, the music, the stars—on first viewing it fueled my own teenage desires for some sort of space romance. :P But I have to admit, the twinkling star at the end was a bit over the top. One of the ScapeCasters insisted that it’s important symbolism, but eh—as an English major, I understand that there are times when people can overdo their symbolism. Surely whatever needed to be said could work more subtly. Even Ben agrees with me—they apparently added the twinkle in editing. :P And he’s a self-proclaimed schmaltzy guy, but…enough is enough already.
Favorite Crichtonism: That’s no moon…that’s a budong!
Favorite Quotes:
*John and Crais’s first argument*
Crais: What seems to be the problem?
John: Keepin' the DRDs over my head workin' 24/7 - so I can't sleep!
Crais: Repairs to Talyn-
John: All of the doors - locked! The shower -ice-cold - so I'm freezin' the boys off!
Aeryn: John what are you talking about?
John: It's not really a problem - but you do NOT mess with my stuff! Where's Winona?
Crais: What?
John: Wi-no-na!
Aeryn: His pulse pistol.
John: My gun!
Aeryn: Well maybe Rygel came-
John: Rygel and Stark have been on recon for more than a day!
Crais: John-
John: DON'T CALL ME JOHN!
Crais: Crichton then. Are you accusing me of theft?
Aeryn: Talyn - you've seen them both naked. Perhaps you can tell us who's bigger.
Crais: Talyn -- In addition to their current duties, please have the DRDs keep an eye out for Mr Crichton’s pulse weapon. He seems to have mislaid it.
*Crais changes names during a crisis; Aeryn is the one able to calm Talyn down*
Crais: AERYN! PROPULSION!
Aeryn: SHOULD BE ONLINE!
John: IT'S TOTALLY BLACK OUT THERE! THIS BIG GUPPY JUST LOCKED US IN!
Crais: TALYN! CEASE FIRE! OFFICER SUN! TRY AND OVERRIDE THE WEAPONS! *Talyn keeps shooting the budong via his canon* TALYN! YOU WILL DESIST!
Aeryn: IT'S NOT WORKING *violent thud* OBVIOUSLY WE HIT SOMETHING! THE MAIN CANNON IS OUT! IT'S DAMAGED. AND MANEUVERING JETS ARE FIRING.
Crais: (NO! TALYN NO! DO NOT PANIC! YOU'RE COSTING US VITAL TIME!
Aeryn: Talyn listen to me! Focus on a single point with your senses - align yourself with that point and block out all other distractions. *Talyn calms down!*
*orienting ourselves due to perspective*
John: Down! Do we want to be goin' down?
Crais: We have no notion of which way is up or which way is down!
John: YO JONAH! WE HAVE BEEN SWALLOWED! THAT IS DOWN AND I, FOR ONE, DO NOT WANT TO BE BUDONG CHOW!
*John’s idea of “dropping anchor”*
Aeryn: Tak-five torpedoes. Handheld. Fusion-bonded rhenium claws. Stick. Never let go. Cables attach to the rear.
John: So we're gonna use this high-grade hardware like a mooring harpoon?
Aeryn: Unless you have a better idea.
John: It was my idea. But it'll work?
Aeryn: Well the cables are iridium alloy. As long as we hit bone, we should hold fast.
John: Good. I must be smarter than I look.
Aeryn: That would be easy.
*tensions exist over comms*
John: Crais - he's tryin' to make a point.
Crais: If I may interrupt-
John: Damn! Open channel.
*reminding us of the broader story arc, even if it doesn’t come into play this episode; also, apparently Aeryn came clean to everyone about her mother, likely for reasons of intel and to claim it doesn’t bother her*
Rygel: Not one of you deficients can properly read a chart! Right - let's call the frellniks.
Stark: Remember Aeryn’s mother? Aeryn’s mother - retrieval squad? Yes? Well she's out there - and she's looking for us! Radio silence keeps us hidden and alive.
*Stark and Rygel squabble, physically and mentally, as they try and outrun the budong*
Stark: They're a frelling shipping hazard! Our ships energy fields make us electromagnetic candy!
Rygel: I've never heard anyone say that!
Stark: That's because they're all dead!
Rygel: Dead? We're flying out of here! *physically fighting over controls*
Stark: NO! NO! OHNO! - NOT THE POWER STATION! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF!
Rygel: I am the eater! Not the eatee!
*first major bit of misdirection…*
Aeryn: Cables are holding.
Crais: Yes. Good. It was well done.
Aeryn: By everyone. *loosening collar* It's warm in here.
Crais: Aeryn, ah - there is something we need to discuss.
Aeryn: How to get out of this animal.
Crais: Indeed.
Aeryn: Crichton will be up here shortly.
Crais: What we have to discuss does not concern him. I have engaged privacy mode and I wish to speak solely with you.
Crais: *outside, John can’t get into command; Crais’s voice is broken up* Crichton - meet - my quarters.
John: Crais - your comms are fritzing - where?
Crais: *slightly less broken up* Meet me in my quarters.
*both John and Aeryn move to a situation of seeing Crais unclothed :P*
Crais: Because of what has passed - between us. I wanted to wait - for you to make up your own mind in your own time. But events have led us to a new situation.
John: Crais:! No - of course. Not here. *as he’s alone, he starts snoopin* Tell me he's got pumps in the closet. Or an inflatable Scorvian - or Winona. *finds something else, inserts it into projector* PK vidchip. Home movies? Oh I really shouldn't.
Aeryn: *on vidchip* Well you can have anything you want. Anything.
Crais: *on vidchip* Aeryn Sun - are you offering yourself?
Aeryn: *on vidchip* You can take what you want Crais and I won't stop you. *devolves into made-up sexual footage*
Aeryn: Listen Crais - I'm not prepared to remain on board Talyn-
Crais: Let me finish.
Aeryn: -under these circum-
Crais: Perhaps it would be best for ah... Perhaps it would be best for you to see me as I am. *starts to disrobe*
*barely-contained misdirection and competing emotions make this exposition a tensely layered conversation*
John: Sorry I'm late. What did I miss? *others are nervously covering up*
Crais: We were just discussing how best - to resolve our - predicament.
John: Really.
Crais: Yes. Yes Talyn has completed his scan of the Budong.
John: Right. Have him - whip up a hologram.
Crais: Not necessary. I have a direct link. We are moored in a passageway above the stomach. The Budong has too much mass to scan its length successfully - but I believe we can navigate the digestive tract.
John: And what about - gizzards? Stomach acids? Bowel obstructions?
Aeryn: Budong’s are very large structures.
Crais: And Talyn is designed for intense combat. We should pass through.
John: You know what, I-I-I may have - swallowed a-a quarter once or twice - but this seems to me to be a little bit different. Can we not find an alternative? Use an alternative orifice? Blowhole or something?
Crais: Not according to our scan.
John: So - according to - your scan - assuming this Budong is not constipated - you You wanna fly out the ass? An-and Talyn can do that? He ah - he's like - he's not gonna freak on that plan?
Aeryn: Not with help.
John: What help?
Aeryn: I have decided to take the neural interface with Talyn.
John: The Hand of Friendship. I see. I thought Talyn was designed for one captain only.
Crais: We have devised a modified transponder for insertion.
John: Yes - I bet you have. So you ah - two - three - you three are uh -gonna be one. And ah - anything I can do to help?
Crais: At the moment - no. Nothing.
*John throws a tantrum because he can’t confront Aeryn directly about his jealousy*
Aeryn: John, wait.
John: Aeryn you do not want me there.
Aeryn: I-I do want you there.
John: Why? To throw rice? Forget about it. I've seen my share of hardware insertion. I'm not watchin'.
Aeryn: It's been modified!
John: Yeah I heard that.
Aeryn: Less invasive. it's-it's safer.
John: Yes it's new! It's improved! It's the Finger of Friendship! 19.95! But wait kids! There's more!
Aeryn: What's the matter with you? This is the right thing to do.
John: For who?
Aeryn: For all of us! He needs my help to control Talyn to get us out!
John: Aeryn - do what you have to do.
Aeryn: I will.
John: Fine - but do not sugarcoat it for me! "Right thing to do" my ass!
Aeryn: And what's that supposed to mean?
John: It means that you do things the way you want to - when you want to - with who you want to do them.
Aeryn: It's got nothing to do with what I want!
John: It's always about what you want! So yes - walk back in there and let Crais stick a spike in the back of your neck!
Aeryn: Listen to me-!
John: It'll be a brave new universe Aeryn! You and Crais! You can finally rejoin that Peacekeeper family you've been pining for from the moment we met!
Aeryn: You have got this so-
John: JUST DON'T PRETEND TO ME - that it wasn't what you've always wanted!
Aeryn: You finished? You're right. I don't want you there.
*classic mama insults and vomit to escape captivity :P*
Stark: What's that? *Rygel is muttering through gag* My mother sucks what? *removes gag; gets massively vomited on!*
Rygel: You heard me.
Stark: What have you eaten? *attempting to clean up and not throw up himself* Oh! Oh! Ughugh-! Oh! I think I'm going to-
Rygel: Waste funnel's in the back. *as Stark dashes away* I love that trick.
*Aeryn and Talyn joining together*
Crais: There will be pain. It will pass. Try not to control Talyn’s systems too quickly. He was an infant when I joined with him. His will and his ways are much stronger now. Accept him for what he is and he will welcome you. This is a moment we have long waited for Aeryn. Are you certain?
Aeryn: *nods, is pricked through, violently, with the transponder, and experiences Talyn’s life and powers* He is - beyond beautiful!
Crais: Welcome to our world - Officer Sun.
*Aeryn is able to reach the pod’s communications; maybe not the best idea after all :P*
Rygel: Hello out there! Anyone! Come and get me off this stinking pod!
Crais: Dominar - you're back from recon.
Rygel: Well of course I'm back! Where the yotz are you?
Crais: We are somewhat - inconveniently tethered inside a Budong.
Rygel: Inconvenient? Kiss my mivonks. Stark! Get out here. Stark thinks he's some kind of Budong expert.
Stark: What? *still cleaning himself off; reacting to Rygel being free of his bonds* Oh! You're loose!
Rygel: Not half a loose as Chiana. Now listen, I've got Talyn on the comms. (They're stuck inside the Budong.
Stark: Inside!? No-o-o-o!
Crais: Not for long. We hope to pass through the digestive tract shortly.
Stark: NO! NONONONONONONO! You-you CAN'T! Its stomach is an inferno! Nothing ever comes out of a Budong alive! *Talyn begins to panic along with Stark*
Crais: Talyn!
Stark: ITS STOMACH BURNS AT 5000 KLANCES! ANYTHING THAT GOES IN COMES OUT-
Rygel: SHUTUP!
Stark: -LIQUID ORE!
Rygel: SHUT UP! SHUT UP! *Talyn worsening*
Aeryn: TALYN!
Crais: CALM YOURSELF!
Aeryn: NO! TALYN-!
Crais: TALYN! DO NOT PANIC!
Stark: YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD ALREADY!
*Aeryn tries to warn John about Crais’s condition, but it’s something he has to find out for himself, while confronting the mind-addled captain*
John: Well can you stop him?
Aeryn: Wait - I... Yes! I can keep the cables secure, but I-I can't leave this override panel - it's the only advantage I've got.
John: Fine. I'll go - you give me your gun. You hold him off.
Aeryn: Listen-
John: AERYN! YOUR GUN! *she reluctantly gives it up*
Aeryn: Listen, he's cau- *he’s already out the door*
John: *nearing the airlock* Aeryn get ready to open the access chamber door!
Aeryn: I'll try. Crais: has released a cable!
John: One more and we're Budong manure!
Aeryn: I can't stop him and Talyn is resisting!
John: AERYN! THE DOOR!
Aeryn: I'll try. *is finally able to force Talyn to open the door*
John: Crais:! Get your fat, hairy ass away from the mooring controls.
Crais: I see you've found a weapon. What do you intend to do with it? Shoot me?
John: That's one option.
Crais: Of course it is. We've come full circle John Crichton. Now you want to kill me.
John: And then don't make my day. Step away from the panel.
Crais: I can't. Talyn won't let me. He doesn't believe the Banik. He wants to fly free. You'll have to shoot me. *John shoots the wall so that Crais falls down*
John: You see, Crais. I don't have t' kill ya.
Crais: I wish - you had! TALYN! *opens up shirt to reveal his bright, red, painful-looking lesions*
Aeryn: TALYN! STOP IT! NOW!
Crais: KILL MEEEEE!
*Crais explains cybernetic bleedback, and John explains why he can’t trust the guy*
John: Wake up Bialar.
Crais: Talyn...?
John: Aeryn knocked him cold.
Crais: Where is she?
John: She's on the bridge, patching up systems. She'll be here in a little bit. But before she gets here, and Talyn wakes up - - you and I are gonna have a little Q&A.
Crais: Put that weapon away.
John: No you might be right, I might want to kill ya.
Crais: Ask your questions.
John: You and Talyn - what the hell is goin' on?
Crais: Cybernetic bleedback. My sores and lesions are physical symptoms.
John: You want to expand on that? Talyn did that?
Crais: In times of stress - our emotions, our desires - can merge. And Talyn can gain a degree of control over me. Resistance - causes pain.
John: Clarification - Talyn controls you? Crais - you just set up Aeryn for the same problems you're having.
Crais: No - her transponder is limited. She will not be harmed by Talyn.
John: You cockroach.
Crais: The choice was Aeryn’s. Are we finished?
John: No. I keep hearing that you've changed. I think - weather changes. And we just keep making the same mistake. *puts gun aside* Remember why you’re still alive.
*poor, belabored Aeryn :P*
Aeryn: You're no use to us dead. You rest.
Crais: I have to get to the bridge.
Aeryn: No rest! You're not going to make it out the door in your current condition!
Crais: I must get - to the bridge. *tries to stand, collapses into bed*
Aeryn: Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?
*yes, vomit is the key, Stark finds out as he flicks a spec of Rygel’s :P*
Stark: That's it!
Rygel: That's vomit!
Stark: No! That's it! *comms* Aeryn! Crichton! Crais! I see it! A plan! Aeryn! Crichton! Crais! Why don't they answer?
Rygel: Because they're dead.
Stark: *spots a circuit* Give it to me!
Rygel: What?
Stark: You pulled the comms relay circuit! Give it to me!
Rygel: Get back! They are dead! And we are leaving! *swallows circuit* Now be a good little Banik and help me power up this pod. *Stark reaches down Rygel’s throat instead*
*oh, the space of miscommunication :P*
Aeryn: What's your problem?
John: Shouldn't you be with Crais?
Aeryn: He's sleeping. Answer the question.
John: Aeryn, I am - doing everything I can to get us out of this absurdly large space monster. I am doing the good little soldier bit. What else do you want from me?
Aeryn: I want you to stop acting like a drannit.
John: You know what? I have no idea what a drannit is.
Aeryn: No don't play dumb with me. That hasn't worked for over 2 cycles John.
John: Aeryn - I am dumb! I don't understand you half the time and I have no idea what a drannit is!
Aeryn: Fine! Forget the drannit!
John: Fine! Screw the drannit! *argument dissolves into amusement* What?
Aeryn: You really have no idea what a drannit is do you?
John: What's a drannit?
*Stark pitches his plan and Rygel provides commentary*
John: Stark - you're still here.
Rygel: Oh wonderful! They're alive! Now you can torture them with your inane dribblings.
Stark: I know how we're going to get you out of there. Vomit!
Aeryn & John: Vomit?
Stark: Rygel and I are going to feed the Budong - overfeed the Budong - ice!
Rygel: Ice?
Stark: From the planet’s rings
Rygel: Beautiful, Stark. They can now die laughing.
*this would be my Chrictonism, if Stark were John :P*
Stark: Electromagnetic candy!
…
Rygel: You flew across its eye?
Stark: I had to be sure it would follow.
Rygel: Well it is! And it's gaining!
Stark: This pod could never outrun a Budong! We just want it to eat, 'cos we're candy!
Rygel: Candy! You've killed us all you trankass! Mother always said I'd die from incompetence! I finally know what she meant! That's why we keep people like you chained in the first place!
*John, of course, has an association for the inside of the budong’s skin*
John: Man - you guys should see this ugly sticky-flesh. Kind of like my Aunt Ruth’s Special Jell-O.
*dun dun DUUUUN*
Aeryn: Crais can you start waking Talyn up?
Crais: *realizing it* Talyn is already awake.
*we all start to realize who the antagonist has been this episode*
Crais: I never thought... I tried to warn... Talyn never - trusted Crichton.
Aeryn: What are you talking about?
Crais: Crichton's not a Peacekeeper - he's not a Sebacean.
Aeryn: So?
Crais: So - he finds him offensive! Perceives him as a threat!
Aeryn: To who?
Crais: You! He wants to protect you.
Aeryn: John is only dangerous to himself!
Crais: I tried to persuade Talyn that he was wrong about Crichton.
Aeryn: Well then persuade him now to go back and get him!
Crais: He cannot be coerced! He will do as he wants. I can do nothing!
Aeryn: Don't you lie to me Crais! This is not about what Talyn wants. You have taught him everything he knows! This is about you, me and John!
John: Hey Talyn - I've been reviewin' this situation. Aeryn's pretty pissed at me, but - she kinda likes me.
Crais: Talyn prepare to dump 70% of our cesium.
Aeryn: No! Talyn!
John: Crais - well he hates me, but he's not stupid. He knows if he kills me that Aeryn would do the math - and his shot at domestic bliss would be cut off along with his balls.
Crais: I regret - losing Commander Crichton. He was an honorable man. But we need you here now!
John: That leaves one suspect. Open the door YOU SOULLESS, TINHEADED, ADOLESCENT PIG!
*Aeryn finally comes clean about her feelings, in order to save John’s life*
Aeryn: Talyn - I want you to share something with me. Before he dies. You can taste something that is denied to Peacekeepers Something that you will never know. *shares her feelings for John with Talyn* Can you feel that? Good. Talyn - that is what it is to need someone. You don't need me. You never will. *takes out transponder*
*Rygel’s usual MO once a plan works*
Stark: Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! YES!
Rygel: I - knew it would work.
*J/A become an official ship*
John: Aeryn - I'm not your boyfriend, I'm not your husband, I'm not your anything. You can do what you want.
Aeryn: It's not real. You know that don't you? The - um - the last part. Talyn - altered the image. I never - recreated with Crais. Not that it should matter.
John: It does.
Aeryn: It never did before. See, uh - I had this life. I liked it! it had rules - I followed the rules - and that made everything right. And then you come along and you frell everything up. S-strange human, - with - arrogance, stubbornness...
John: Dumb.
Aeryn: Let me finish. You saw the recording - and you didn't say a word. You are like a plague, John Crichton. And you have ruined my life. And yet I just -- keep coming back. You can talk now.
John: Let me show you something. Come here, I'm not gonna bite. *she follows him into his nook to look out the portal* This is a star chart. These are the names I give the stars.
Aeryn: They've already got names.
John: Yeah, I know, but Mintaka 3 sounds boring to me. Anyway -- that's Hughie, Louie, and Dewey. You see that one? *taps chart* That's that star right there - *points to star* The bright one. That's my point of reference - my guide - and it always becomes the center of my chart. I always name it Aeryn.
Aeryn: You say it's your guide?
John: It's my one constant. Would you like to name some stars?
Aeryn: There's a lot of them.
John: And we could take our time. *the most beautiful smooch. Seriously, that star-scape. Swoon*
___
There’s a few technical details that make me a little eyerolly—eg one of those literal “saved during the final countdown” moments, and even a little problem with editing where John is supposed to pull something and then the ship moves, but it ends up happening in reverse. But there’s also such cool new Talyn sets, both inside and out, that the iffy stuff hardly seems to matter.
Lots to chew over in this heavily character-driven drama (the only “guest star” was a CGI-created “space monster,” as John dubs it.) Doubtless, most fans zero into the very last scene, where a long-awaited, well-earned romantic development takes place between two major characters (and if that’s not giving it away, then you’ve been skipping seasons. :P) I might argue, however, that the more nuanced and thought provoking relationship that we see is between Talyn and Crais. They’ve been off screen for a long time, only to return as occasional dinner guests at the Moya table; this is the first time that we really get to observe them, up close and personal, in their own environment. It’s a dramatic tableau, even more than might meet the eye…and already there’s a lot in this episode that has to do with eyes. :P Let’s get down to it.
Episode summary is here, courtesy of the John and Aeryn Fansite.
The whole deal with Ben’s episode is kind of twofold. He wanted to write a character-rich piece where we could deal a bit with relationship tension. Then, from on high, he had to figure out a way to get John and Aeryn together by the end of the hour. Obviously the latter is finally a possibility because there’s still drama with the notion of the two Johns. :P But I don’t mean to pick at it too much; this outcome is fully earned, not only due to the focus of this episode, but because they’ve been building up to this for cycles. But it’s too simplistic to call all of this merely a romance, the same as it’s too simplistic to say this episode was solely about being swallowed by a budong. (But speaking of which—what great continuity, hearkening back to one of my favorites from season two, “Home on the Remains.” And I like the conceit they thought up of budongs living around planetary rings and eating up asteroids. Served to make the CGI a little bit easier, too. :P) There’s a couple of other characters in this mix as well, and although some of their desires might be a little sexualized, there’s an underlying truth for everyone (human, sebacean, Leviathan/PK half-breed ship alike) about fitting in and finding a family. A final note about the title—“Green Eyed Monster” is a phrase from “Othello” (a Shakespeare play where the main character is also duped by the real “bad guy” into believing that his lady love is being unfaithful with someone else), and it refers to jealousy. The budong, too, has a physically green eye. As a ScapeCast commentator pointed out, John, Aeryn, Crais and Talyn are literally swallowed by jealousy. Sorry, Ben, this is so much more awesome than your title suggestions of “Das Budong” or “All About Aeryn.” :P
There’s another sneaky little component to this hour as well—the art of misdirection. John is so certain that Crais is the arbiter of his little tableau of misfortunes, but that doesn’t turn out to be the case. One can, and in the case of the wonderful ScapeCast crew, does, argue that Talyn might be influenced by Crais’s thoughts. “Neural bleedback” can go both ways. I agree with this, too, but to start off with, let’s think of the physical mechanics of what actually happens. John’s being disturbed regularly by Talyn’s awesome little DRDs doing maintenance work. He’s also missing Winona. Talyn never “fesses up” to any of this (at least not on camera), but given the larger context of what’s happened, it’s pretty much inferred. When Aeryn notes that John got Winona back, he blames a DRD now instead of Crais, as he had been previously doing. But at the beginning of the hour, although he knows to ask Talyn to unlock the perpetually locked doors for him, his attention is on his former nemesis and his secretive dealings with Aeryn. Talyn uses this to his advantage, particularly when Crais is selling Aeryn on the new and improved “finger of friendship.” ;) He makes some garbled transmission of his “father’s” voice to have John meet Crais in his quarters, where he’s created this data chip, starting with some real footage of Aeryn “offering” herself to Crais in return for his help last season in rescuing John, but then it morphs into some, ahem, adult home movies, as it were. :P Except that they’re altered footage. (Just a quick sidenote—although I appreciate heady realism in depicted sex scenes, there’s something so wonderfully emotional about this one—all of the shadows and the music and Aeryn’s vulnerable face at the end—that gets the point across about what this really means to John. GUH. Though apparently the extras didn’t know until arriving on set that they were performing a sex scene? Weird ethics there. :P) Anywho, from there John returns to command where Talyn opens the door as Crais and Aeryn are “conveniently” disheveled (Aeryn because she was hot in her space suit—remember sebaceans hate heat—and Crais because he had just shown her the lesions on his chest.) Aeryn looks guilty but it’s not because she and her former captain were just “recreating”—it’s because she’s debating whether she can leave her Moya family more substantially and join with Talyn. Finally, there’s the issue of Talyn lying to Aeryn directly when he refuses to show her what’s really going on—most significantly when he’s locked John outside in “space”. They almost have to leave him…can’t believe how long it took me to realize that the image changed from an open airlock to John banging at a closed door because Aeryn was forcing Talyn to tell her the truth. Man, that Talyn. He pulled the wool over the eyes of the audience, too. I’m still so in love with the idea that the SHIP is such a character. :P
Talyn is the bad guy (and Crais, to an extent, is, too,) but it’s not as easy as having a villainous guest character to star in one episode and never return. Talyn is Moya’s son. We’re going to need him around, unless we want half of the cast to be living in deep space out on that transport pod (seeing how Rygel and Stark struggled this hour, I’m not sure that’d be easy. :P) The tense confrontations here exist between main characters, not our guys vs random extras who are standing in the way of immediate goals. Yes, there’s an immediate goal of this episode—escape the budong—but the bigger questions have been building for longer. Who can we trust? Which “home” should we claim? Aeryn feels deeply connected to Talyn—she certainly has a natural empathy towards him, as exemplified even through her opening shot of instinctively knowing a way to accelerate his healing. She isn’t even bonded to him yet! (Though, wow, that scene of bonding…the soundtrack, the dialogue, the amazing camera work when Aeryn “snuck up” on herself…it was so arresting and I really felt for what the characters were going through.) If she wants to see a Peacekeeper endeavor as “good” again—her excitement at the beginning of “Different Destinations” seems proof of that—Crais and Talyn are the obvious bet. Crais, too, craves like-minded companionship, for reasons that go deeper than expected (more on that later.) Meanwhile, John, we’re told quite explicitly at the end of the episode, views Aeryn as “my one constant.” So tensions emerge, even without our main antagonist of the hour. Physically, this is often exemplified by the three humanoids in a triangle formation—and we often see the odd one out in between the other two. The quibbling between the boys and Aeryn’s attempts at mediation are great. Ben spoke about the scene where our guys are laying down the “go through the digestive tract” exposition as a rare time that they’re not hurling people around while getting the pedantic stuff out, because the there’s already that underlying sexual drama. Everyone’s arguing really means something else, and none so much as when Aeryn chases John down the hall, wanting his support but ultimately walking away from him as he refuses to hear her side of events. So many unspoken desires and genuine misunderstanding!
And then, we have this Crais/Talyn “bleedback.” It’s difficult to tell where one’s feelings end and the other one’s begin, especially when Talyn is occasionally able to exert physical and mental control over his paternal figure. When I first watched this episode, I viewed this more simply as a relationship of abuse—and it is—but Crais isn’t only just the victim. Would Talyn think to hate John as much as he does without Crais’s influence? I don’t think Crais is actively telling Talyn that the guy is bad, but feelings can speak for themselves. Also, how would the ship know to use the sexual jealousy card against our human without Crais’s understanding of the issue? Both Crais and Talyn seem to be terrified and on the edge half the time, but the ScapeCast posited that perhaps that has something to do with PTSD? Crais was a victim of the Aurora Chair, after all. Even beyond that, there’s the issue of our former PK captain absconding with the ship very quickly after defecting from his former post. His whole life is in disarray, the Moya crew is peeved with him for taking the baby, and he’s out there, alone in space with this freaky science experiment. I mean to say that no one had lived aboard a PK Leviathan hybrid before, much less alone, much less while taking the hand of friendship. And this hand of friendship…it’s pretty freaky. It’s like a hybrid between the symbiosis between Pilot and Moya, and the craziness of Harvey in John’s head. :P I really think that Crais has the worst of it—and it’s part of the reason that he’s clinging to Aeryn for help. Granted, he’s not completely noble about it, particularly with the human complications. :P (I kind of doubt he realized the depth of Aeryn’s feelings for John until she undid the “finger of friendship.”) But his need is still great, and Lani knocks the performance right out of the ballpark.
Before we move onto our two lovebirds, allow me to spare a moment for our kooky roommates in the b plot storyline! Stark and Rygel are away on reconnaissance when their fellows are swallowed up by a budong. They almost succumb themselves, but thanks to some convenient backstory, Stark knows a thing or two about budongs and they’re able to escape. :P (It is a bit convenient. First of all, apparently Stark worked near dead budongs, not live ones. And the scare-tacitc of “no one ever returned from a dead budong” kind of loses it’s sting when “Farscape” had an entire episode where everyone went in and was fine. :P Or got out, at least. Anywho.) Once they figure out their situation Rygel, of course, wants to flee, and Stark restrains him by tying him up. This works until an, um, vomit incident. :P Hello, “Farscape” gross-out humor. And, kind of like Ryg’s exploding gas in “Thank God It’s Friday Again,” the vomit serves a purpose…Stark is, uh, examining some of it, and that makes him realize that they have to make the budong upchuck in order to rescue Talyn et al. Stark saves the day with his plan! Also, I know the cast and crew all see Ryg as “the puppet” (and because he’s so valuable, they probably take extra pleasure in being allowed to, say, thrust their entire arms down the mouth hole, :P) but to me, all I saw were the fumbling, comedic roommates. (That passing line Rygel made about Chiana—so awful! But I kind of think, like an inappropriate, codgy old uncle, this is his way of saying he cares about her. :P) Certainly needed the laughs to cut through the family drama happening inside of the budong!
And finally…J/A. Sooo romantic; even male fans are into this ship. :P We start and end with the star chart—the one that Moya John noticed was missing from his quarters last ep. One of the more diffusing arguments between John and Aeryn occurrs while Crais is sleeping, and the word “drannit” escapes Aeryn’s mouth. Ben confirmed in commentary that they never thought up a meaning for the word “drannit”—besides the space between John and Aeryn, that chasm through which they were trying to communicate. I like that when they acknowledge it’s existence, eg Aeryn realizing that John really doesn’t know what a drannit is, it dispels some of the tension, and they laugh. John is actually a bit more like Chiana (whoah, transition!) Both of them hold their pain close to the chest—hell, they’re even defensive in similar ways. Back in “Taking the Stone,” when Chiana was struggling with Nerri’s supposed death, she went on a tirade against John “I’m not your kid, I’m not your sister…” Now, when John is refusing to own up to his sexual jealousy, he’s all “I’m not your boyfriend, I’m not your husband…” Plus, John feels very alien and unwelcome overall this episode—one of the greatest scenes to portray that has absolutely no dialogue; it is simply John and a DRD, post-Aeryn/Talyn bonding, staring each other down in a corridor. It takes until the end of the episode for Aeryn to realize why he’s acting like a big teenager. :P She’s flabbergasted—because John didn’t bring it up to her, but more grandly, about the ethical changes in her life. Before John, she could do what she pleased and answer to no one, at least with regards to her sex life. Now this jealousy exists because these people aren’t just using each other for sex—they want something more. I was always moved by Aeryn’s speech—especially the plague bit—because on the surface it almost sounds like she’s struggling with an abusive relationship. But in actuality it’s not that at all. She’s struggling with her desire to trust, to love—essentially to nurture her emotional self and take it more seriously. The relationship with Talyn and Crais doesn’t work, she ultimately has to realize, because she needs John. Now is finally the time to act on it. And I loved the lighting, the music, the stars—on first viewing it fueled my own teenage desires for some sort of space romance. :P But I have to admit, the twinkling star at the end was a bit over the top. One of the ScapeCasters insisted that it’s important symbolism, but eh—as an English major, I understand that there are times when people can overdo their symbolism. Surely whatever needed to be said could work more subtly. Even Ben agrees with me—they apparently added the twinkle in editing. :P And he’s a self-proclaimed schmaltzy guy, but…enough is enough already.
Favorite Crichtonism: That’s no moon…that’s a budong!
Favorite Quotes:
*John and Crais’s first argument*
Crais: What seems to be the problem?
John: Keepin' the DRDs over my head workin' 24/7 - so I can't sleep!
Crais: Repairs to Talyn-
John: All of the doors - locked! The shower -ice-cold - so I'm freezin' the boys off!
Aeryn: John what are you talking about?
John: It's not really a problem - but you do NOT mess with my stuff! Where's Winona?
Crais: What?
John: Wi-no-na!
Aeryn: His pulse pistol.
John: My gun!
Aeryn: Well maybe Rygel came-
John: Rygel and Stark have been on recon for more than a day!
Crais: John-
John: DON'T CALL ME JOHN!
Crais: Crichton then. Are you accusing me of theft?
Aeryn: Talyn - you've seen them both naked. Perhaps you can tell us who's bigger.
Crais: Talyn -- In addition to their current duties, please have the DRDs keep an eye out for Mr Crichton’s pulse weapon. He seems to have mislaid it.
*Crais changes names during a crisis; Aeryn is the one able to calm Talyn down*
Crais: AERYN! PROPULSION!
Aeryn: SHOULD BE ONLINE!
John: IT'S TOTALLY BLACK OUT THERE! THIS BIG GUPPY JUST LOCKED US IN!
Crais: TALYN! CEASE FIRE! OFFICER SUN! TRY AND OVERRIDE THE WEAPONS! *Talyn keeps shooting the budong via his canon* TALYN! YOU WILL DESIST!
Aeryn: IT'S NOT WORKING *violent thud* OBVIOUSLY WE HIT SOMETHING! THE MAIN CANNON IS OUT! IT'S DAMAGED. AND MANEUVERING JETS ARE FIRING.
Crais: (NO! TALYN NO! DO NOT PANIC! YOU'RE COSTING US VITAL TIME!
Aeryn: Talyn listen to me! Focus on a single point with your senses - align yourself with that point and block out all other distractions. *Talyn calms down!*
*orienting ourselves due to perspective*
John: Down! Do we want to be goin' down?
Crais: We have no notion of which way is up or which way is down!
John: YO JONAH! WE HAVE BEEN SWALLOWED! THAT IS DOWN AND I, FOR ONE, DO NOT WANT TO BE BUDONG CHOW!
*John’s idea of “dropping anchor”*
Aeryn: Tak-five torpedoes. Handheld. Fusion-bonded rhenium claws. Stick. Never let go. Cables attach to the rear.
John: So we're gonna use this high-grade hardware like a mooring harpoon?
Aeryn: Unless you have a better idea.
John: It was my idea. But it'll work?
Aeryn: Well the cables are iridium alloy. As long as we hit bone, we should hold fast.
John: Good. I must be smarter than I look.
Aeryn: That would be easy.
*tensions exist over comms*
John: Crais - he's tryin' to make a point.
Crais: If I may interrupt-
John: Damn! Open channel.
*reminding us of the broader story arc, even if it doesn’t come into play this episode; also, apparently Aeryn came clean to everyone about her mother, likely for reasons of intel and to claim it doesn’t bother her*
Rygel: Not one of you deficients can properly read a chart! Right - let's call the frellniks.
Stark: Remember Aeryn’s mother? Aeryn’s mother - retrieval squad? Yes? Well she's out there - and she's looking for us! Radio silence keeps us hidden and alive.
*Stark and Rygel squabble, physically and mentally, as they try and outrun the budong*
Stark: They're a frelling shipping hazard! Our ships energy fields make us electromagnetic candy!
Rygel: I've never heard anyone say that!
Stark: That's because they're all dead!
Rygel: Dead? We're flying out of here! *physically fighting over controls*
Stark: NO! NO! OHNO! - NOT THE POWER STATION! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF!
Rygel: I am the eater! Not the eatee!
*first major bit of misdirection…*
Aeryn: Cables are holding.
Crais: Yes. Good. It was well done.
Aeryn: By everyone. *loosening collar* It's warm in here.
Crais: Aeryn, ah - there is something we need to discuss.
Aeryn: How to get out of this animal.
Crais: Indeed.
Aeryn: Crichton will be up here shortly.
Crais: What we have to discuss does not concern him. I have engaged privacy mode and I wish to speak solely with you.
Crais: *outside, John can’t get into command; Crais’s voice is broken up* Crichton - meet - my quarters.
John: Crais - your comms are fritzing - where?
Crais: *slightly less broken up* Meet me in my quarters.
*both John and Aeryn move to a situation of seeing Crais unclothed :P*
Crais: Because of what has passed - between us. I wanted to wait - for you to make up your own mind in your own time. But events have led us to a new situation.
John: Crais:! No - of course. Not here. *as he’s alone, he starts snoopin* Tell me he's got pumps in the closet. Or an inflatable Scorvian - or Winona. *finds something else, inserts it into projector* PK vidchip. Home movies? Oh I really shouldn't.
Aeryn: *on vidchip* Well you can have anything you want. Anything.
Crais: *on vidchip* Aeryn Sun - are you offering yourself?
Aeryn: *on vidchip* You can take what you want Crais and I won't stop you. *devolves into made-up sexual footage*
Aeryn: Listen Crais - I'm not prepared to remain on board Talyn-
Crais: Let me finish.
Aeryn: -under these circum-
Crais: Perhaps it would be best for ah... Perhaps it would be best for you to see me as I am. *starts to disrobe*
*barely-contained misdirection and competing emotions make this exposition a tensely layered conversation*
John: Sorry I'm late. What did I miss? *others are nervously covering up*
Crais: We were just discussing how best - to resolve our - predicament.
John: Really.
Crais: Yes. Yes Talyn has completed his scan of the Budong.
John: Right. Have him - whip up a hologram.
Crais: Not necessary. I have a direct link. We are moored in a passageway above the stomach. The Budong has too much mass to scan its length successfully - but I believe we can navigate the digestive tract.
John: And what about - gizzards? Stomach acids? Bowel obstructions?
Aeryn: Budong’s are very large structures.
Crais: And Talyn is designed for intense combat. We should pass through.
John: You know what, I-I-I may have - swallowed a-a quarter once or twice - but this seems to me to be a little bit different. Can we not find an alternative? Use an alternative orifice? Blowhole or something?
Crais: Not according to our scan.
John: So - according to - your scan - assuming this Budong is not constipated - you You wanna fly out the ass? An-and Talyn can do that? He ah - he's like - he's not gonna freak on that plan?
Aeryn: Not with help.
John: What help?
Aeryn: I have decided to take the neural interface with Talyn.
John: The Hand of Friendship. I see. I thought Talyn was designed for one captain only.
Crais: We have devised a modified transponder for insertion.
John: Yes - I bet you have. So you ah - two - three - you three are uh -gonna be one. And ah - anything I can do to help?
Crais: At the moment - no. Nothing.
*John throws a tantrum because he can’t confront Aeryn directly about his jealousy*
Aeryn: John, wait.
John: Aeryn you do not want me there.
Aeryn: I-I do want you there.
John: Why? To throw rice? Forget about it. I've seen my share of hardware insertion. I'm not watchin'.
Aeryn: It's been modified!
John: Yeah I heard that.
Aeryn: Less invasive. it's-it's safer.
John: Yes it's new! It's improved! It's the Finger of Friendship! 19.95! But wait kids! There's more!
Aeryn: What's the matter with you? This is the right thing to do.
John: For who?
Aeryn: For all of us! He needs my help to control Talyn to get us out!
John: Aeryn - do what you have to do.
Aeryn: I will.
John: Fine - but do not sugarcoat it for me! "Right thing to do" my ass!
Aeryn: And what's that supposed to mean?
John: It means that you do things the way you want to - when you want to - with who you want to do them.
Aeryn: It's got nothing to do with what I want!
John: It's always about what you want! So yes - walk back in there and let Crais stick a spike in the back of your neck!
Aeryn: Listen to me-!
John: It'll be a brave new universe Aeryn! You and Crais! You can finally rejoin that Peacekeeper family you've been pining for from the moment we met!
Aeryn: You have got this so-
John: JUST DON'T PRETEND TO ME - that it wasn't what you've always wanted!
Aeryn: You finished? You're right. I don't want you there.
*classic mama insults and vomit to escape captivity :P*
Stark: What's that? *Rygel is muttering through gag* My mother sucks what? *removes gag; gets massively vomited on!*
Rygel: You heard me.
Stark: What have you eaten? *attempting to clean up and not throw up himself* Oh! Oh! Ughugh-! Oh! I think I'm going to-
Rygel: Waste funnel's in the back. *as Stark dashes away* I love that trick.
*Aeryn and Talyn joining together*
Crais: There will be pain. It will pass. Try not to control Talyn’s systems too quickly. He was an infant when I joined with him. His will and his ways are much stronger now. Accept him for what he is and he will welcome you. This is a moment we have long waited for Aeryn. Are you certain?
Aeryn: *nods, is pricked through, violently, with the transponder, and experiences Talyn’s life and powers* He is - beyond beautiful!
Crais: Welcome to our world - Officer Sun.
*Aeryn is able to reach the pod’s communications; maybe not the best idea after all :P*
Rygel: Hello out there! Anyone! Come and get me off this stinking pod!
Crais: Dominar - you're back from recon.
Rygel: Well of course I'm back! Where the yotz are you?
Crais: We are somewhat - inconveniently tethered inside a Budong.
Rygel: Inconvenient? Kiss my mivonks. Stark! Get out here. Stark thinks he's some kind of Budong expert.
Stark: What? *still cleaning himself off; reacting to Rygel being free of his bonds* Oh! You're loose!
Rygel: Not half a loose as Chiana. Now listen, I've got Talyn on the comms. (They're stuck inside the Budong.
Stark: Inside!? No-o-o-o!
Crais: Not for long. We hope to pass through the digestive tract shortly.
Stark: NO! NONONONONONONO! You-you CAN'T! Its stomach is an inferno! Nothing ever comes out of a Budong alive! *Talyn begins to panic along with Stark*
Crais: Talyn!
Stark: ITS STOMACH BURNS AT 5000 KLANCES! ANYTHING THAT GOES IN COMES OUT-
Rygel: SHUTUP!
Stark: -LIQUID ORE!
Rygel: SHUT UP! SHUT UP! *Talyn worsening*
Aeryn: TALYN!
Crais: CALM YOURSELF!
Aeryn: NO! TALYN-!
Crais: TALYN! DO NOT PANIC!
Stark: YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD ALREADY!
*Aeryn tries to warn John about Crais’s condition, but it’s something he has to find out for himself, while confronting the mind-addled captain*
John: Well can you stop him?
Aeryn: Wait - I... Yes! I can keep the cables secure, but I-I can't leave this override panel - it's the only advantage I've got.
John: Fine. I'll go - you give me your gun. You hold him off.
Aeryn: Listen-
John: AERYN! YOUR GUN! *she reluctantly gives it up*
Aeryn: Listen, he's cau- *he’s already out the door*
John: *nearing the airlock* Aeryn get ready to open the access chamber door!
Aeryn: I'll try. Crais: has released a cable!
John: One more and we're Budong manure!
Aeryn: I can't stop him and Talyn is resisting!
John: AERYN! THE DOOR!
Aeryn: I'll try. *is finally able to force Talyn to open the door*
John: Crais:! Get your fat, hairy ass away from the mooring controls.
Crais: I see you've found a weapon. What do you intend to do with it? Shoot me?
John: That's one option.
Crais: Of course it is. We've come full circle John Crichton. Now you want to kill me.
John: And then don't make my day. Step away from the panel.
Crais: I can't. Talyn won't let me. He doesn't believe the Banik. He wants to fly free. You'll have to shoot me. *John shoots the wall so that Crais falls down*
John: You see, Crais. I don't have t' kill ya.
Crais: I wish - you had! TALYN! *opens up shirt to reveal his bright, red, painful-looking lesions*
Aeryn: TALYN! STOP IT! NOW!
Crais: KILL MEEEEE!
*Crais explains cybernetic bleedback, and John explains why he can’t trust the guy*
John: Wake up Bialar.
Crais: Talyn...?
John: Aeryn knocked him cold.
Crais: Where is she?
John: She's on the bridge, patching up systems. She'll be here in a little bit. But before she gets here, and Talyn wakes up - - you and I are gonna have a little Q&A.
Crais: Put that weapon away.
John: No you might be right, I might want to kill ya.
Crais: Ask your questions.
John: You and Talyn - what the hell is goin' on?
Crais: Cybernetic bleedback. My sores and lesions are physical symptoms.
John: You want to expand on that? Talyn did that?
Crais: In times of stress - our emotions, our desires - can merge. And Talyn can gain a degree of control over me. Resistance - causes pain.
John: Clarification - Talyn controls you? Crais - you just set up Aeryn for the same problems you're having.
Crais: No - her transponder is limited. She will not be harmed by Talyn.
John: You cockroach.
Crais: The choice was Aeryn’s. Are we finished?
John: No. I keep hearing that you've changed. I think - weather changes. And we just keep making the same mistake. *puts gun aside* Remember why you’re still alive.
*poor, belabored Aeryn :P*
Aeryn: You're no use to us dead. You rest.
Crais: I have to get to the bridge.
Aeryn: No rest! You're not going to make it out the door in your current condition!
Crais: I must get - to the bridge. *tries to stand, collapses into bed*
Aeryn: Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?
*yes, vomit is the key, Stark finds out as he flicks a spec of Rygel’s :P*
Stark: That's it!
Rygel: That's vomit!
Stark: No! That's it! *comms* Aeryn! Crichton! Crais! I see it! A plan! Aeryn! Crichton! Crais! Why don't they answer?
Rygel: Because they're dead.
Stark: *spots a circuit* Give it to me!
Rygel: What?
Stark: You pulled the comms relay circuit! Give it to me!
Rygel: Get back! They are dead! And we are leaving! *swallows circuit* Now be a good little Banik and help me power up this pod. *Stark reaches down Rygel’s throat instead*
*oh, the space of miscommunication :P*
Aeryn: What's your problem?
John: Shouldn't you be with Crais?
Aeryn: He's sleeping. Answer the question.
John: Aeryn, I am - doing everything I can to get us out of this absurdly large space monster. I am doing the good little soldier bit. What else do you want from me?
Aeryn: I want you to stop acting like a drannit.
John: You know what? I have no idea what a drannit is.
Aeryn: No don't play dumb with me. That hasn't worked for over 2 cycles John.
John: Aeryn - I am dumb! I don't understand you half the time and I have no idea what a drannit is!
Aeryn: Fine! Forget the drannit!
John: Fine! Screw the drannit! *argument dissolves into amusement* What?
Aeryn: You really have no idea what a drannit is do you?
John: What's a drannit?
*Stark pitches his plan and Rygel provides commentary*
John: Stark - you're still here.
Rygel: Oh wonderful! They're alive! Now you can torture them with your inane dribblings.
Stark: I know how we're going to get you out of there. Vomit!
Aeryn & John: Vomit?
Stark: Rygel and I are going to feed the Budong - overfeed the Budong - ice!
Rygel: Ice?
Stark: From the planet’s rings
Rygel: Beautiful, Stark. They can now die laughing.
*this would be my Chrictonism, if Stark were John :P*
Stark: Electromagnetic candy!
…
Rygel: You flew across its eye?
Stark: I had to be sure it would follow.
Rygel: Well it is! And it's gaining!
Stark: This pod could never outrun a Budong! We just want it to eat, 'cos we're candy!
Rygel: Candy! You've killed us all you trankass! Mother always said I'd die from incompetence! I finally know what she meant! That's why we keep people like you chained in the first place!
*John, of course, has an association for the inside of the budong’s skin*
John: Man - you guys should see this ugly sticky-flesh. Kind of like my Aunt Ruth’s Special Jell-O.
*dun dun DUUUUN*
Aeryn: Crais can you start waking Talyn up?
Crais: *realizing it* Talyn is already awake.
*we all start to realize who the antagonist has been this episode*
Crais: I never thought... I tried to warn... Talyn never - trusted Crichton.
Aeryn: What are you talking about?
Crais: Crichton's not a Peacekeeper - he's not a Sebacean.
Aeryn: So?
Crais: So - he finds him offensive! Perceives him as a threat!
Aeryn: To who?
Crais: You! He wants to protect you.
Aeryn: John is only dangerous to himself!
Crais: I tried to persuade Talyn that he was wrong about Crichton.
Aeryn: Well then persuade him now to go back and get him!
Crais: He cannot be coerced! He will do as he wants. I can do nothing!
Aeryn: Don't you lie to me Crais! This is not about what Talyn wants. You have taught him everything he knows! This is about you, me and John!
John: Hey Talyn - I've been reviewin' this situation. Aeryn's pretty pissed at me, but - she kinda likes me.
Crais: Talyn prepare to dump 70% of our cesium.
Aeryn: No! Talyn!
John: Crais - well he hates me, but he's not stupid. He knows if he kills me that Aeryn would do the math - and his shot at domestic bliss would be cut off along with his balls.
Crais: I regret - losing Commander Crichton. He was an honorable man. But we need you here now!
John: That leaves one suspect. Open the door YOU SOULLESS, TINHEADED, ADOLESCENT PIG!
*Aeryn finally comes clean about her feelings, in order to save John’s life*
Aeryn: Talyn - I want you to share something with me. Before he dies. You can taste something that is denied to Peacekeepers Something that you will never know. *shares her feelings for John with Talyn* Can you feel that? Good. Talyn - that is what it is to need someone. You don't need me. You never will. *takes out transponder*
*Rygel’s usual MO once a plan works*
Stark: Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! YES!
Rygel: I - knew it would work.
*J/A become an official ship*
John: Aeryn - I'm not your boyfriend, I'm not your husband, I'm not your anything. You can do what you want.
Aeryn: It's not real. You know that don't you? The - um - the last part. Talyn - altered the image. I never - recreated with Crais. Not that it should matter.
John: It does.
Aeryn: It never did before. See, uh - I had this life. I liked it! it had rules - I followed the rules - and that made everything right. And then you come along and you frell everything up. S-strange human, - with - arrogance, stubbornness...
John: Dumb.
Aeryn: Let me finish. You saw the recording - and you didn't say a word. You are like a plague, John Crichton. And you have ruined my life. And yet I just -- keep coming back. You can talk now.
John: Let me show you something. Come here, I'm not gonna bite. *she follows him into his nook to look out the portal* This is a star chart. These are the names I give the stars.
Aeryn: They've already got names.
John: Yeah, I know, but Mintaka 3 sounds boring to me. Anyway -- that's Hughie, Louie, and Dewey. You see that one? *taps chart* That's that star right there - *points to star* The bright one. That's my point of reference - my guide - and it always becomes the center of my chart. I always name it Aeryn.
Aeryn: You say it's your guide?
John: It's my one constant. Would you like to name some stars?
Aeryn: There's a lot of them.
John: And we could take our time. *the most beautiful smooch. Seriously, that star-scape. Swoon*
___
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