TNMC
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Greetings Scapers!
We're now in week three of the new season, and we've already got our first multiple-part storyline. Whereas the first two episodes basically tied up loose ends from season II, this week's installment seems to set the theme for the season to come.
Season III, Episode III
Self Inflicted Wounds, Part I: "Could'a, Would'a, Should'a"
Original Air Date: 3.30.01
Director: Tony Tilse
Writer: David Kemper
We knew immediately in the season III premiere that drastic changes were in store for Farscape. John's opening prologue is different now, with mysterious references to Earth like, "should I stay, protect my home, not show them that you exist?... but then you'll never know the wonders I've seen..." Scorpius now has the wormhole information he sought all of season II, but as far as John goes, the knowledge is still locked away in his head, so what's he talking about?
This episode lends some possible answers. It starts off with the crew desperately trying to find a world suitable for Zhaan to recuperate. Her health is declining rapidly, and as a flora-based lifeform, she needs a certain type of soil if she's to survive much longer.
Before such a planet is found, however, Pilot shows Crichton something that more than captures his attention -- a wormhole. This was a very significant moment -- John has been stuck in the Uncharted Territories a very long time now, and made some valuable friendships, not to mention falling in love with Aeryn, but at the mere sight of the anomaly, he instructs Pilot to take readings, measurements, etc., and to ready the Farscape One. This is very significant because it shows where John's priorities really are. Even on the one in a million chance Earth is on the other side of that wormhole, he's willing to walk out of all of their lives forever.
Or maybe he would have taken Aeryn with him? In any case, he never gets the chance, because at that same moment a ship is regaining dimensionality and trying to enter normal space. Problem is, Moya is sitting right there, and the two become conjoined, and stuck as it turns out, in the "wall" of the wormhole -- the area between the corridor and normal space.
So John's really frelled up this time. By taking the crew off course, even for a few minutes, he's now jeopardized the lives of Moya and Pilot, as well as Zhaan. The alien scientists from the other vessel seem reasonable enough once the communication problem is resolved (these guys aren't local -- they had no translator microbes), but it becomes apparent later on (unbeknownst to the crew) that they're up to no good, though it's not revealed exactly what.
Aside from that, they must escape the wormhole soon, because the strain is becoming too much for Moya. But before they can go anywhere, they have to find out where "here" is. Neeyala, the lead alien scientist has a device that does such a thing, and John volunteers to venture out with the Farscape One and calibrate it. He drags Rygel along to operate the device while he flies, which turns out to be a bad idea. While flying inside the wall of the wormhole, they see a small opening into normal space. Rygel suggests they take it, an idea which John discredits immediately as selfish and unacceptably risky, since they have no idea where they might end up. Rygel momentarily takes matters into his own hands however by taking the controls and veering out into space. John freaks out, reasonably enough, and elbows Rygel five (!) times, rather forcefully in the nose (slits), before doing a 180 and re-entering the wormhole. (what would have happened had they been unable to return will undoubtedly be the subject of some good fanfiction) Now John and "Sparky" have always had a good relationship, but at this point it becomes severely strained. Rygel is not one to forget something as indignant as a violent physical attack, as we know he can hold a grudge. Ultimately, however, they return with the device successfully calibrated.
That would be enough daily troublemaking for most lifeforms, but not Rygel. Before they left, he unsealed the last of the Interon cryopods, and awoke a rather annoying female called Jool. What makes her annoying is a tendency to let out brain-rattling, metal-melting screams, and truth be told, she just looks kind of funny. She is for the time being, however, the latest addition to the crew because for some (unfortunate) reason, she did not puke and die like her cousin. And Rygel, in his infinite wisdom, tells her that her other cousin was sacrificed so that Crichton may live. This does not make her day.
Now, there's plenty of interesting things going on in this episode. In one scene, Zhaan is looking out a window, and catches a glimpse of what we know is Earth and the moon. (yet another hint that Earth will become a focal point of the Farscape universe?) John, at one point, consults with "Harvey", the Scorpy clone in his head for advice. It's a really funny scene as they sit in his old Mustang at a drive-in, to which Scorpy declares, "I long for the dumpster." The dumpster of course, is where John locks him away, and at one point, it even growled. Like I said, funny stuff. But the really bad news comes when Neeyala informs them that only one of the two ships can survive the return to normal space, and a consensus must be agreed upon. With Moya badly damaged and dying, and Pilot unable to remain conscious, that consensus is that Moya must be abandoned -- a decision that did not come lightly, and could haunt the crew down the line.
This makes for some very intriguing possibilities. If Moya really does die, where the frell does the crew go? Would they start living aboard Talyn? If so, would Pilot be able to have any control? Talyn is compatible with a Pilot, but does not require one. (reference The Way We Weren't) If not, would Crais be in control? Could Zhaan somehow save Moya before dying herself? In any case, it seems obvious that the producers will live up to their words, and a major character will eventually die. And don't forget, they still have that alien craft on board from last week's episode, that I have to think will play a part down the line, although it's way too small to live on.
Farscape is a very brave show. Unlike Star Trek:(pick one) which is (essentially) the same thing week in and week out, I would not be surprised to see something totally far out happen here, such as Moya dying, or the action moving to Earth. After all, could this become a race between Scorpius and John to get there?
When I like a show as much as I like Farscape, I'm hesitant to see anything major change, but at the same time, that's what keeps it fresh and exciting. If I had any complaints about this episode, it was Jool (who may or may not grow on me), a couple of totally off-the-wall comments by Stark ("You are very pretty" he says rather creepily to Aeryn...I mean, is this guy right in the head?) and the seemingly unnecessary subplot about a snake-like creature indigenous to the wormhole. But maybe that will fit in better in part two. Overall, pretty good.
Episode Rating: 8 out of 10
So what do you think is going to happen in part two? Is John really obsessed with wormholes? Is Stark insane? Do you like the new character Jool? Isn't Claudia Black ridiculously hot? Sound off on the boards!
- your resident Farscape guru, Ultra Magnus
