Farscape — 3x21 — Into the Lion's Den Part II: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Synopsis
On the Command Carrier, Crichton is making incredible breakthroughs in his wormhole research, accessing information previously locked away. His crewmates are not so sure about the success of the plan, and are debating whether to leave or stay. Crais also has his own interests at heart, and when he is denied access to Talyn by the Peackeepers, he realizes he needs a bargaining chip. He goes to Scorpius and reveals Crichton's true intentions: to sabotage the wormhole research and destroy the Carrier. The plan blown, Moya's crew is immediately arrested, and it seems all is lost.
Filler rating: not filler
Numerous major long term plot threads are serviced here.
Remarkable scenes
- Aeryn: "How's he planning to stop Grayza?" John: "We're talking about Scorpius. You prepared to bet against him?"
- John proposing destroying the command carrier.
- Crais revealing John's plans to Scorpius in exchange for control over Talyn and reinstatement into the Peacekeepers.
- Crais meeting secretly with John and proposing to starburst Talyn while still within the command carrier in order to destroy it.
- Crais: "Starburst in a confined space where the energy can't dissipate will be the hero's death that Talyn deserves."
- John: "If I don't kick this project in the ass before Commandant Cleavage gets back, she's gonna execute me anyway, right?"
- John: "All right, Scorp, you ready to rumble?" Scorpius: "Oh yes, John."
- John taking Scorpius for a ride through the wormhole.
- Crais boarding Talyn by force.
- John: "Flying through wormholes ain't like dusting crops, farm boy. It takes a little finesse."
- Crais to Scorpius: "I am standing in your heart and I am about to squeeze."
- Talyn starbursting within the command carrier.
- The ensuing evacuation havoc.
- Co-Kura: "To stabilize a wormhole, to tame it, to tame its power, would have been the greatest scientific discovery anyone could imagine!" John: "It is not just science! It's never just science. It's a weapon. It kills. And I will not let the Peacekeepers have it."
- Scorpius: "Commander John Crichton. Generations will know that name. Because of you very soon the Scarrans will destroy us."
- Scorpius telling John that he never really did see any point in going after Earth.
Review
In one of the most spectacular episodes so far Scorpius sees everything he worked for crash down before his eyes in Talyn's and Crais' noble sacrifice. The episode even implies that Scorpius may have gone down with his ship. Season of death indeed. By the end it seemed clear that John felt bad for poor Scorpy even after all Scorpius had done to him, but I can see why. Scorpius' declaration in his final moments that he never had any intention of hunting down Earth was a nice touch and makes it clear that all Scorpius ever wanted was to loyally serve the Peacekeepers in their fight against the Scarrans. The degree of evil Scorpius was willing to wield to further that goal was considerable, but his goal wasn't necessarily wrong on the whole.
The moral dilemma of whether or not the Peacekeepers should possess such a weapon of mass destruction is also well played. John struggling to fight his temptation to continue researching this knowledge with the vast resources the Peacekeepers were offering him was fantastic and Scorpius' final statements about the consequences of John's decision were terrifying. Will the Scarrans invade the Peacekeepers now? Will John have to take some responsibility for putting the Peacekeepers on the losing side of this fight? Or will Grayza be able to pull it out of the fire by forming alliances as she claims? And will John be able to use his wormhole knowledge to get home? This episode does an awesome job wrapping up previous story arcs while setting up for some incredibly exciting new ones to come.