Episode Report Card Jacob Clifton: C+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Mothers & Fathers and Brothers & Suns
By Jacob Clifton | Season 1 | Episode 10 | Aired on 06.24.1999
The only thing better than John and Zhaan getting their science on is that Aeryn's a part of this conversation. You know who I don't hate at all? Joolushko Tunai Fenta Hovalis. I don't think I get to write a single recap with her in it, so I should say that right now while the train of thought is leading there: in the show's ongoing exegesis on scientific ethics, Jool's "kid genius" role in opposition to John's applied, practical science is a great barometer of how the show feels about science at any given time -- no less the way she finally leaves the ship, and the show. Jool is so fucking key, I love her. If Aeryn and Pilot represent the abstraction of scientific truth to wordless intuition, Jool is the concretization of science to the point of flaccid overintellectualizing same. And I should know from overintellectualizing shit. She's heartless, but not cold: it's just book learnin'. You bring in Zhaan and John as the engineers (and the Ilanics and Scorpius, of course, on the PK side) and you've got the whole fucking platter of scientific philosophy.
John remembers that D'Argo "saw some Peacekeeper something" just before things went nuts and realizes that must be the answer. Aeryn sticks a needle in a Pilot tendril somewhere -- murmuring to Pilot as she does so -- and the lights come back on. John checks in on Rygel and D'Argo. "I'm not sleeping," says a very pissy Rygel, from D'Argo's bed. "D'Argo tucked me in and went for a walk. He thinks I'm someone called Jothee." So, Zhaan, confirms, D'Argo's not with Rygel? "He went for a walk and he's looking for Lo'Laan." Which is what he called Zhaan earlier, John remembers, and then takes off to find him. The task list is very methodical in this episode: got the lights back on? Good, now worry about D'Argo.
John finds D'Argo deep in thought. "I feel...unsteady," says D'Argo. "I know a little while ago, you were floating in deep space in your street clothes. I know you are going through some stuff, but we're in deep guano here, bro. We need your help." D'Argo's unimpressed: "You need me, Macton?" (The number of PKs on my shit list is rather large, I grant you, but that name actually just caused me to make a fist when he said it.) "D'Argo, I'm not Macton. What was that name you called Zhaan? Was it Lo'Laan? Who is Lo'Laan?" D'Argo's insulted: "You may despise your sister for marrying me, Macton, but do not mock her by feigning to forget her name." John realizes D'Argo's talking about real people: "You were married?" D'Argo calls John "Crichton," having been shocked back to reality by the question. John nods. "It's me, and you're here on Moya." He tries to get more info about the blast, and D'Argo remembers only a "Peacekeeper shield...holding something back." Before John can get deeper on this, D'Argo backflips again to the dream, and attacks John. "Macton, you dare deny your own sister's name? You dare to dishonor her, even though she is dead!" He tosses John around like a ragdoll.