A Bug's Life

Farscape Episode Review

In which people get possessed.

What Happened

When a Peacekeeper Marauder lands on Moya, Crichton and Aeryn pretend to be Peacekeepers who have recaptured the Leviathan and her prisoners. The Captain insists that he has the authority to commandeer Moya to transport his cargo to a secret Peacekeeper base in the Uncharted Territories.

Aeryn seems awfully interested in the good Captain Larrak, but there are problems with this little charade: Crichton's Sebacean accent could use some work, the "prisoners" refuse to stay in their cells, and it doesn't take any time at all for Chiana and Rygel to open the Super Secret Crate and release what's inside, an intelligent virus that goes into Chiana.

Larrak insists that they have to find it before it lays spores and spawns some more body snatchers, so Chiana blames Rygel and sends everyone on a wild goose chase for the Hynerian. As per horror movie conventions, everyone splits into pairs for search and bonding activities. With Rygel cornered and whimpering and pointing at Chiana, the virus jumps into John for cover. He locks up his prisoners, then brutally kills the Peacekeeper scientist who could create an anti-body.

John's violent behavior leads Zhaan and D'Argo to figure out what happened, so they stage a prison break. Desperate, Crichton starts a general brawl that leads to a stand-off, as no one can be sure who's caught the virus in the confusion. John establishes that the virus cannot re-enter a host, so he and Chiana are theoretically safe. He gets Zhaan to synthesize an anti-body (so hopefully it isn't in her) and starts to administer the cure.

Larrak is revealed as Possessed Boy, but gets away into the corridors. He shoots the last of his men and demands that they let him board the Marauder without a fight so that he can infect everyone on that Peacekeeper base. After Larrak stabs Aeryn, Crichton tells Pilot to let Larrak go, then uses a mini-starburst to ignite the leaking fuel of the Marauder and blow it up.

What We Learned

• Captain Larrak's assignment is none of your business.
• Aeryn can handle big.
• Those DRDs can come in handy.
• Aeryn started flying at fourteen.
• Rygel can keep his fantasies to himself.
• Wanna be a pervert, practice subtle.
• It is a grave misfortune the Captain's uniform did not fit Aeryn.
• As soon as John's leaving here, he's going straight to Hot Lips.
• That's one intelligent virus.
• Zhaan is sure Rygel learned his lesson.

What Did I Think?

Good "Body Snatcher" episode got a lot more interesting once John got possessed.