As Moya goes into labor, Aeryn, D’Argo, and Zhaan attempt to rescue Crichton from the Gammak Base. Meanwhile, Gilina continues to help Crichton resist the Aurora Chair.‘Nerve’ and ‘The Hidden Memory’ feel like they should have been the first season finale. Together, these episodes ramped up the story, delivered some satisfying resolution for several lingering threads, and left us with exciting fodder for what’s to come. Makes you wonder what they’ve got in store for the actual season finale!
‘The Hidden Memory’ fully lived up to the promise of ‘Nerve,’ with an even more exciting and action-packed hour. We got the twisty and exhilarating rescue of Crichton, as well as the birth of Moya’s offspring. We got Crais being tortured and exposed as a murderous traitor. We got Aeryn fully embracing her status as an ex-Peacekeeper. We got Gilina coping with her unrequited love for Crichton. We even got an intriguing glimpse behind Stark’s mask, both figuratively and literally.
I loved pretty much everything that happened down on the Gammak Base: Gilina tricking the chair; Scorpy torturing Crais; Stark revealing his true nature and easing Crichton’s pain; Aeryn taking out the security chief in Crichton’s cell; Aeryn confronting Crais; the firefight on the surface. In fact, the events down on the Gammak Base were so exciting and intense that I kept forgetting Moya was having her baby. I think it’s highly amusing that after all the drama Moya’s pregnancy has caused, the actual birth of her baby wasn’t an episode unto itself. It was just added on as one more thing the crew had to deal with in an already crappy situation. But kudos to Pilot, Rygel, and Chiana for holding down the fort --- especially Chiana, who really rose to the occasion by volunteering to climb into an access shaft with a frightened and heavily armed baby Leviathan. I guess she was being straight with Crichton when she said she wanted to do her part as a member of the crew. Huzzah!
About the only thing I didn’t care for down on the Gammak Base was Gilina’s hemming and hawing about whether Crichton loved her or Aeryn. As all you Chuck fans know, it totally irks me when people fixate on their relationship issues in the middle of an important mission. Shut up and focus! In this case, Gilina actually had a very valid point --- if she’s going to run off with them, she should know where she stands. Moreover, I really shouldn’t hate on such a smart and brave woman, especially after she pulled off that fantastically brilliant move with the fake chair memory. And yet ... I still did the little mental dance of joy when Scorpius gunned her down. At least she got to go out in a blaze of glory. And she got her kiss before dying. And she got to hold on to her hope that Crichton could have loved her, too, if things had been different. So it wasn’t all bad for her, right? (Yes, yes. I’m a terrible person.)
Back to things that made me happy (aside from Gilina’s demise), one of the best moments of the episode was Aeryn’s scene with Crais. Not only did she get to confront him for what he did to her, but she also got to wreak some seriously badass vengeance. “You know what I give you, Crais? Your life. I will make you watch … your life.” What an absolutely cathartic moment to hear Aeryn declare that everything he forced her to give up wasn’t worth a damn “and I don’t want to go back to your past.” I’m sure the sadness of what could have been will always be with her to a certain extent, but she’s finally accepted her fate and fully embraced her new life. Yea! You’ve come a long way, baby. Now you just need to open yourself up to love.
Other Thoughts
Congrats to Moya on the arrival of her seriously freaky offspring! A baby gunship. Oy! My children can be a troublesome twosome without any advanced weaponry, so I shudder to think of the growing pains we are going to have to endure with this “beast,” as D’Argo put it.
Scorpius is so delightfully evil! I know he’s seriously dangerous, but I loved him lording it over Crais. Especially his little smirk as Crais screamed in the chair. The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Not in the long term, I think, but for the moment, it was sweet to see Crais brought low.
I really liked the revelation that Stark is not as crazy as he initially appeared. I’m not sure he’s entirely sane either, but he’s a fascinating addition to the team. He seems to be made of light and has the power to grant serenity by sharing his thoughts. Very strange and intriguing. I’m more than curious about the memory of the “beautiful” place he saw as a boy that he was hiding from Scorpius. (I honestly don’t remember if we ever find out what that’s all about.)
I was very surprised that Zhaan went down to the planet while Moya was giving birth. Her alchemy skills came in handy, but it seems like her medical expertise might have been needed more on the ship. I guess since she isn’t a Leviathan midwife, she figured there wasn’t much she could do for Moya.
D’Argo’s line about “my Qualtha blade and I” being able to cut rocks for Zhaan was puzzling and a bit creepy. Was it supposed to be a come on? Even Zhaan looked perplexed!
The return of the “you fart helium?” gag was unexpectedly hilarious. “You’re disgusting!” Rygel’s hand on the steamy pod window a la Titanic was even funnier.
Loved Scorpius’s slow-mo walk through the flames and smoke in the aftermath of Crichton’s escape. We so haven’t seen the last of him.
Quotes
D’Argo (to Aeryn as they prepare to rescue Crichton): “If you can be an idiot, I can be an idiot.”
Crichton: “You like the chair?”
Stark: “Love the chair, love the chair, love the chair.”
Stark: “If you don’t stop, I’m gonna have to kill you.”
Crichton: “Give it a couple days. I think Scorpy and Peacekeeper Barbie’ll do it for you.”
There it is!
Rygel: “I think this is a trifle different, don’t you? My progeny were tiny. Tiny and handsome. Like their father.”
Stark: “It’s almost ironic. What made me a slave now keeps me alive.”
Crichton: “What made you a slave?”
Stark: “This. [Grabs face mask.] I’m of the Bannek slave race. Outsiders think that we do not feel, but it’s only that our feelings don’t always show. Just as this can hide our feelings, we’re also able to cloud thoughts from our minds.”
Stark: “Who is she?”
Crichton: “That is ... the radiant, Aeryn Sun.”
Crais: “Who are you?”
Aeryn: “I am irreversibly contaminated. Now do you know who I am?”
Aeryn: “Your oath means nothing to me, you made sure of that. You destroyed everything. I lost everything because of you. [...] Do you know what I learned while I was away from you? Everything I lost isn’t worth a damn. And I don’t want to go back to your past.”
Stark: “What was the secret you were keeping hidden from Scorpius down there?”
Crichton: “He thought it was about his Doomsday Device, about wormholes. It wasn’t. It was only about the time I kissed a girl.”
Stark (incredulous): “Really?”
Crichton: “Yeah.”
[Both burst out laughing.]
Chiana (re: Moya’s offspring): “'He.’ It’s a boy?”
Pilot: “Yes.”
Rygel: “A male. Excellent!”
Final Analysis: A fantastic, action-packed conclusion to a stellar two-parter.
Jess Lynde is a highly engaged television viewer. Probably a bit too engaged.
An undeniably terrific episode. Great review, Jess.
ReplyDeleteA most excellent episode, Jess you have captured perfectly everything i loved about it. Gilina saved the day, but i too am glad she wont be around to come betweem Aeryn and John.
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