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Farscape: Liars, Guns and Money, Part 3: Plan B

As much fun as this episode was, it was also one hell of a downer. This trilogy ended on perhaps the darkest note of the series so far.

Let's start with the brighter stuff. All the interactions between our heroes and the mercenaries they hired were fun. My favorites were the scene with Stark trying to go over the plan with everyone, and his lunacy making the complex strategy seem impossible, which it probably was. I also loved when the Zenetens tried to take over the ship and Aeryn shamed them to the point where she could get the drop on them. It was perfectly in character for her, especially given how upset and mildly frantic she was clearly feeling due to John's sacrifice. Then there was that scene in the hallway where Aeryn was shooting blind. Talk about scary. She's a dangerous person on her most rational days.

From a character drama perspective, this episode also ended D'Argo's major arc for the series and started a new one. For almost two entire seasons, D'Argo has been looking for his son. Now that he's found him, it turns out that dreams are always more fun than reality. Jothee is the product of his situation and birth. Being half Sebacean and half Luxan, he is stuck between two societies that don't want him. He's been a slave and he's suffered mutilation. No wonder he is a bit selfish and self-serving, and most definitely an angry young man. At least he ended up volunteering to help rescue John, even though D'Argo wouldn't risk endangering his son.

The Crais sub-plot involving his commitment to non-violence in an attempt to reign in Talyn felt a little convenient. I've never really cared for Crais or Talyn, and Crais clearly wants Aeryn as either a partner or a lover which makes them even more uncomfortable to have around. At least we got to see the scope of Talyn's power, and Crais did finally admit he has virtually no control over the leviathan. I guess breeding an intelligent warship wasn't the greatest idea, after all.

Crichton. Poor, poor Crichton. The neural chip, which explains all the inconsistencies in his behavior and his strange relationship with Scorpius over the course of the season, has finally driven him mad. He managed pretty well at the depository while being interrogated by Scorpy and threatened by Natira. Except, it was all just a front. John's officially lost it, because the neural clone is pissed because it thinks they killed the real Scorpius.

So what did we learn from the whole trilogy, besides the fact that Moya's crew has become more than just shipmates? My take is that we finally learned what Scorpy's real intentions are, and what his plans are for the wormhole technology. Basically, he wants to use it as a short cut for interstellar travel, and maybe use it as some form of weapon that could take out planets? I'm not really sure how that would work, but it sounds ominous.

Bits:

Poor Ben Browder. That ball looked incredibly uncomfortable to lay on, and he had to be stuck there for hours and hours while filming.

It was fun to see Crichton back in his old IASA uniform, even though he looks better in black.

There was a fun little nod to Star Wars in the hallway shoot out, with them going across a hallway into a waste tunnel.

At least D'Argo realized that John loves him as a brother, finally.

Rygel waving around Durka's head as a trophy was both hilarious and creepy.

In the end, pretty much all of the mercenaries they hired ended up dying. Teurac and Rorf died heroically, the Zenetens betrayed them and were destroyed because of that betrayal. Bekhesh was the only one that made it out alive, and he was the only one that got paid, too.

Quotes:

Stark: "The Zenetens will deploy the flax."
Rorf: "The flix, what the frell is the flix?"

Bekhesh: (to Aeryn after the firefight) "For someone who couldn't see, you did okay."

Scorpius: "Good news... I'm always suspicious of good news."

John: "Aeryn, I'm uh, I'm gonna go to Scorpius."
Aeryn: "Frell you are."

While this did wrap up the trilogy in a fun way, the note it left us with was both depressing and tragic. Moya's crew is rich, D'Argo has his son back, but they were ultimately responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people on the station and the mercenaries they hired. John is gone, and Moya could be dying.

3 out of 4 Crazy plans that end up working
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Samantha M. Quinn spends most of her time in front of a computer typing away at one thing or another; when she has free time, she enjoys pretty much anything science fiction or fantasy-related.

4 comments:

  1. Son of a hazmot!! I'm frelling excited that these reviews are back! I'd given up hope. Virtual kisses and thank you to all involved. I also was worried for Ben during his scenes on that big sphere thing. Besides hurting his back, he must have gotten dizzy being tilted back like that. My favorite part was Crichton acting so dazed and confused and telling Aeryn that he was going back to Scorpy during his rescue. He looked so sad and defeated, but Aeryn wasn't going to let that happen. She's amazing.

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  2. Oh, you have no idea how happy this review makes me! And now I have a very strong urge to start rewatching Farscape again...

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  3. Aeryn kicked some serious butt, how awesome is she? Shooting blind and knocking John out to save him from Harvey compelling him to go to Scorpius.

    The cost in lives lost was huge, i dare not think what Crichton and Aeryns body count is now at. No matter their intentions things always get frelled up somewhere, luck is rarely on their side.

    I cant stand the thought of Aeryn with Crais, when she said "take whatever you want, I wont stop you" i felt so sad, John wants to end his life as he cant see hope for sanity and Aeryn is contemplating an insane deal with Crais to save him.

    One had hoped for some genuine upside at the end, only Rygel seems completely happy.

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