"Do not try to kill me again. It makes me angry."

[danceswithwords]

Standard disclaimer: this post and/or the comments may and probably will contain spoilers for the entire series. Previous episode posts here.

Comments

[octavia_b]

Sometimes I love Aeryn so much it hurts.

Hee. I so understand this.

I only started watching Farscape a few weeks ago and have worked my way through almost the entire series in that time (just finished 4-14 last night). In the beginning particularly fell for John and Aeryn, both individually and as a couple but am now starting to realise that I love the whole damn lot of them.

I'm looking forward to rewatching too, as I'm sure I'll pick up more on a second run-through.

[danceswithwords]

One of the benefits of the show's excellent continuity is that when you rewatch it, you can see the story taking shape and the characters progressing along their arcs. And although I'm partial to some more than others, I love all of the characters a lot. Except for Noranti.

[_jems_]

While I love this trilogy a lot (despite being chock-full of pain, it feels a lot lighter than all the other trilogies), I agree that the middle episode feels like it meanders just a tad too much.

I feel it's worth mentioning that this episode also contains the best put-down ever: "It's not me, it's you. I don't like you." Sometimes I love Aeryn so much it hurts.
Actually, I believe it's "It's not you, it's me. I don't like you." But yes, Aeryn is love. =)

[danceswithwords]

That's what I get for not checking the transcript. ::is embarrassed:: Thanks for the catch.

despite being chock-full of pain, it feels a lot lighter than all the other trilogies

I think it is a lot lighter than all of the other trilogies. There's quite a bit of humor, there's a lot of political intrigue that's fairly abstract (Scarran vs. Peacekeeper maneuvering), and aside from the assassination attempts, most of the real danger revolves around John leaving Moya permanently. The really dark parts, involving John's relationship with Scorpius, are mere hints of what's to come. It's practically a walk in the park compared to the other ones.

[pellucid]

Commenting mostly so I can use this icon! Because yes, that line is so perfectly Aeryn.

This is a comfortably good ep for me, but definitely the weakest of the trilogy. Though batshit crazy John is kind of fun--and disturbing in a good way. In this trilogy in particular, though, it's hard for me to think of them as three separate eps; I can never remember exactly what happens in which episode. Good stuff all 'round, but not FS at its very best.

[danceswithwords]

It definitely feels like 2.5 episodes' worth of material in 3 episodes, but I wouldn't have wanted them to get rid of that .5 worth to squeeze it into 2. I also have trouble separating what happens in the individual episodes, which is why watching them with such big gaps of time in between and then writing them up individually has been an interesting exercise.

[thassalia]

As always, I love your analysis. Weirdly enough, I find this episode terribly effecting in its fallout. AFter the madness, when Aeryn comes to see John, thinking he's making the choice she wants him to make and he gives her this chance to ask him to run away with her, even knowing that he won't, he wants to hear it. And he knows it's not something she can say yet. Then he's alone, and at the same time Moya shuts down and I just get ridiculously weepy at all of these decisions, at all of these choices.

And dude, Sometimes I love Aeryn so much it hurts. I keep thinking this will change, but I'm pretty sure I will always, always love Aeryn this much.

[danceswithwords]

I love that scene, especially the way Aeryn is so obviously making an effort toward positive reinforcement, telling John how proud she is of him for fighting, and he admits that he's not giving up but he can't go on, and they disappoint each other so much--her by not giving him the words he wants, him by not doing the thing she wants him to do. It feels like a convincing separation, a real difference between two people who are just not in the same place at the same time.

[thassalia]

Exactly. I love how that whole scene gets translated into something they learn about each other, and that they take the chance the next time it comes around because they are there. That at the end of the trilogy, it's not about words or expectations, just a kiss and a possibility.

[brynnmck]

I had, in fact, totally forgotten about the Moya/Zhaan B-plot. I mean, I remember it existing, but not as part of this trilogy. Just another example of how I'm not sure the writers ever really knew what to do with Zhaan--she's on the outside in a lot of the best early episodes. (Hell of a send-off, though; I think I used an entire box of tissues on those episodes

[danceswithwords]

I mean, I remember it existing, but not as part of this trilogy.

It's on a completely separate track from the A-plot, and that's unusual for the show. Usually they manage to integrate things better. But it makes me connect much less with Zhaan as Season 2 progresses (except for LG&M, where she's really part of the crew again). Maybe the writers would have had a better idea of what to do with her if Virginia Hey's reaction to the makeup didn't dicatate such limited screentime.

I can never decide how much we're supposed to like/trust Jenavian.

I don't think we're supposed to trust her to have our heroes' best interest at heart unless it coincides with her mission, but outside of that mission, with John, who knows who she really is, she is completely honest about what she's doing, and that's hard not to like at least some. She and John seem to connect on that level--they both know what they're in for.

And "Chiana and I are having fantastic sex" remains one of my favorite Farscape moments ever.How great is it that D'Argo sent