Durka Returns

Farscape Episode Review

In which we meet Chiana.

What Happened

Moya comes out of starburst and smacks into another ship. One of the crew is a man who Rygel claims is Durka, the Peacekeeper captain who tortured him when he was a captive on the Zalbanium. Losing it because of how he thought Durka was dead and all, Rygel attacks him and has to be forcibly restrained.

Aeryn, who studied Durka in her training, is thrown when Durka admits that he deserted his ship in battle and was found later by the people who destroyed the Zalbanium. The Nebari man, Salis, claims that they not only saved Durka, but also eliminated his evil behavior.

Salis and Durka are traveling with a prisoner, Chiana, who is being taken to be "realigned" as Durka was. She begs Crichton for amnesty and protection, telling him that the Nebari expect conformity or the offender is mentally cleansed. Chiana screams that she'd rather be dead and shortly after she escapes, Salis is murdered.

While everyone is searching for Chiana, Durka knocks out Aeryn and Rygel and takes control of Command. He launches into his whispery super villain routine, but Aeryn and Rygel resist. Durka tries to force Moya to starburst, but she refuses, trapping them in the Nebari sector. Despite John and Chiana's efforts, Durka gets to his ship and threatens to turn its weapons on Moya. Using the bomb Rygel built to kill Durka, John damages Durka's ship and the explosion prompts Moya to open the bay doors and toss him into space.

Moya flies off, taking Chiana with them for now, and leaves Durka there, minus his drive shaft, for the Nebari to find... or not.

What We Learned

• It might take a while for Rygel to calm down. Being tortured will do that to a person.
• We're making great progress.
• Satisfy yourself first.
• Rygel makes allowances for stress on this ship.
• Don't let reformed psychotics roam your ship unsupervised.
• When people on television give themselves haircuts, it always turns out better than the average job from SuperCuts.
• It's the simple things you really miss.
• Nebari mental cleansing doesn't get the tough stains out.

Best Lines

Salis: "Have you ever been stung by the wytukar plants?"
John: "Not yet."

What Did I Think?

A good speech from Rygel. Another good scene as John convinces Chiana to cooperate. Durka, however, was something of a dud.