Fic: Disconnect

[nebari_rebel]

Title: Disconnect
Word Count: 444
Rated: PG
Setting: DWTB
Characters: Aeryn Sun, Chiana
Summary: Under the seams runs the pain. - Anne Carson

Comments

[zardi]

Yes, I am glad I asked :D

D'Argo knocking John out and sending him back to Grayza to "take one for the team". John "volunteered" but it was reluctant at best, he also said no, and he was still wrapping his own mind around the fact that Grayza raped him.

One of the things I hate about season 4 is how no one in-universe seems to "get" what happened to John. I don't know if it's because they are alien and have a different view of rape...? Except that Chiana seemed quite shook up by her own rape, so at least one alien culture sees it as a horrendous act. Why does everyone see it as no big deal when it happens to John?

Much of his early relationship with Chiana makes me cringe, not that she was perfect.

Their whole relationship confuses me. I think they are so wrong for each other...not that their relationship doesn't have its cute moments, but I'm glad it ended and it should have stayed that way.

The way he randomly kicks DRDs and rips out Moya's innards when things aren't going his way.

I've noticed that Pilot and Moya rarely speak up when this happens (or, at least, not every time). Maybe Moya is big enough that she doesn't feel all of that, but Pilot is watching through the DRDs. I never understood why he didn't decide enough was enough and...I don't know what he would have done about it, exactly, but at the very least tell him it was unacceptable to abuse Moya and the DRDs that way.

(the guitar playing with Pilot at the end of DNA Mad Scientist that makes most people awwwww? Makes me throw up in my mouth a little, having been hit and then made to listen to an instrumental apology with a smile on my face).

Oh, I HATED that. What a pathetic attempt at an apology. I chalked it up to D'Argo being an alien warrior with bizarre ideas about forgiveness, but in actuality he didn't even follow his own morals with Pilot. In RA, D'Argo offered John a chance to take revenge on him...where was Pilot's chance?

With regards to the bigger discussion: for what it's worth, what was in Aeryn's head as I was writing her was a "friends with benefits" relationship, not a love affair :)

Thanks for the clarification :)

[nebari_rebel]

One of the things I hate about season 4 is how no one in-universe seems to "get" what happened to John.

Rebecca Riggs has said Grayza has no concept of rape and believed she was indeed offering Crichton a better option and giving him better treatment that Scorpius did, and I can believe that, the first time. But he tried to stab her, didn't he? I would think that would give her a moment's pause and contemplation, even if she saw no reason to change her methods.

It's possible PKs don't share our understanding of rape or process it in the same way, but as you point out, it's obvious Chiana does. Aeryn didn't know until WSS (and even then I don't know if she understands) but I find it odd that both D'Argo and Sikozu don't care...I do like the little things with Chiana, like how she's the only one that can initiate touch without him flinching for awhile, but I wanted more.

The show had too many balls in the air and didn't devote the proper time and attention to the storyline. I LOVE S4 but in some ways it is a mess. Not as tight as it could or should be and things fall by the wayside. Almost everything we get regarding the rapes comes from Gigi and Ben. The writing barely touches it. I don't know why and I used to be okay with it because it was still the most realistic treatment of the subject I'd seen on tv, but then I watched The Shield which has a male character raped and their writing is so flawless, unflinchingly honest and brave that Farscape's efforts now leave me disappointed. I think the most sophisticated storytelling we get from the writers is Coup By Clam, when they have scenes of John dressed as a woman being accosted by the creep juxtaposed with Chiana accosting the girl-pretending-to-be-a-boy tech on Moya in a sexually charged manner.

There are tiny moments for both of them in Lava, Chi's got small bits in TS and APM...then there's Kansas, which is beautiful...but it's not enough to do the characters and storylines justice.

I think they are so wrong for each other.

Agreed. Like I said, I'm okay with a reunion post MAA, but I don't think that would have lasted either. It may have ended more amicably than the first go around, but they are not J&A and they are not capable of living happily ever after, nor should they try to.

Anth has a hilarious statement in one of the official guides about D'Argo being a "planet slut" and he and Chi are alike that way...but when they get together D'Argo moves past that and decides he wants to settle down. But he never asks her if that's what she wants too, and is so wrapped up in his own dreams and desires he can't observe it for himself. JOHN knows she wouldn't be interested, but it doesn't enter D'Argo's head.

Allegedly there were a bunch of Chi/D'Argo scenes cut from Picture If You Will that would have given a much better foundation to and understanding of their relationship. I believe it was Chiana's first "real" relationship and she didn't know what the hell she was doing.

I don't know what he would have done about it, exactly, but at the very least tell him it was unacceptable to abuse Moya and the DRDs that way.

I wished he would shoot D'Argo out an airlock now and then...hey, he can survive 15 minutes and it would get his attention ;) I think there's an element of oh, that's just how D'Argo is, he can't control it (which is a lie, he may not be able to control it once he enters true hyper rage, but everything up to that point is a choice) and I think the others don't say anything because they don't want to get yelled at or threatened. Look at Jool's cowering meek little "Are you going to kill me?" in RA. And he pushes Chi in that episode too. I've seen people say she deserved the shove she got in SAL and the shaking in APM, but what's the excuse there? And now I'm rambling LOL

Oh, I HATED that.

Woo! I think you're the first fan who hasn't said "Oh, I thought that was sweet". I've known people to change their minds, but no one who didn't like it initially ;)