DNA Mad Scientist

Farscape Episode Review

In which there is a mad scientist who wants a piece of Pilot.

What Happened

The crew bargains with a scientist named Nambtar, who claims that he can find each of their homeworlds if he has a sample of their DNA to compare to his database. The price, however, is quite high: he wants one of Pilot's arms. D'Argo, Rygel, and Zhaan don't even bother to ask Pilot his opinion and immediately hand over Nambtar's fee.

It's no bargain for John (Earth isn't listed) or Aeryn, who couldn't return to her homeworld even if she did know where to go. Aeryn is disturbed by Zhaan and D'Argo's assault on Pilot; you attacked one of your own, she spits. She is also not looking forward to being left on the Leviathan with only John for company once the others get home.

John's offer to take her to Earth isn't appreciated, so she goes back to Nambtar, asking if he can identify a Sebacean colony outside Peacekeeper influence. Her faith in Nambtar is misplaced. Injecting her with Pilot's DNA, he explains that this is how he steals other species' gifts. He will use her as an incubator in order to obtain the multi-tasking abilities that allow Pilot to control Moya.

Meanwhile, the others discover that the crystal Nambtar gave them is incompatible with Moya's systems. Only one map to one homeworld can be read; the others will be destroyed. As Rygel, Zhaan, and D'Argo argue about which map to save, Nanbtar's assistant Coranada tells John that it's a trap: trying to import a map will erase Moya's memory.

John breaks the crystal before Rygel can use it, then goes to Nambtar's lab with Coranada. They inject Nambtar with a serum and strip him of all his stolen gifts, returning him to his natural state. After tossing itty bitty Nambtar back in his cage, Coranada injects Aeryn, reversing the manipulations.

What We Learned

• Needle in the eye. Happens all the time.
• It's only one of Pilot's arms. Hell, he's got four.
• John is not entirely useless.
• Don't trust mad scientists. Look for a sane one at the very least.
• Zhaan believes talk is overrated as a means of connection between two consenting beings.
• Rygel's not really a body breeder.
• John thought they had a deal.
• A deal connotes reaching some point of equality.
• It's a happy face.
• Luxans are not given to apologies.

Best Lines

Aeryn: "Me on a planet full of billions of you?"

What Did I Think?

I guess Zhaan got over the not doing violence thing, didn't she? And couldn't Coranada make Nambtar's map thingie work? Or was it all a scam from the start? Never mind; I don't really care.