Episode Report Card Sobell: A | 2 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT "Can I Get A 'Hell, Yeah'?"
By Sobell | Season 3 | Episode 1 | Aired on 2001.03.16
While some operatic hussy trills in the background, Zhaan walks toward Aeryn with a bemused, maternal smile. The music swells, Aeryn slowly lifts her head -- she's still strapped to the chair that held her as she sank -- and the wind conveniently blows her hair back so we can all remember that damn, Claudia Black has some of the loveliest facial planes in the sci-fi actress realm. Aeryn opens her eyes. Not surprisingly, there's no serenity there -- just a wary challenge. Zhaan's smile grows, and she asks, "Do you know who I am?" Aeryn only stares at her; the furrow in her brow provides the answer. Zhaan continues, "Do you know who you are?" Aeryn answers, "Officer Aeryn Sun, special Peacekeeper commando, Icarian unit, Pleisar regiment." This must be the cosmic equivalent of the Geneva Convention's "name, rank and serial number" routine. Good thing Alberto Gonzales hasn't extended the Executive Branch's reach to the afterlife yet! Zhaan is looking at Aeryn with affectionate amusement. Aeryn's voice, still echoing as if coming from a great distance, asks, "Have you come to reassign me?" Zhaan is echo-y now too; she says, "I have come to take you back." Then she walks over and takes the warrior's hands in hers. Then the two enter unity.
We get a brilliant flash of light. When it dies down, we see the two women doing an uncanny imitation of Janus, the two-faced god. Aeryn seems to have returned to more of the self she's choosing to be, remembering Zhaan and asking what they're doing. Zhaan explains, "Unity, Aeryn. The sharing of minds and souls. As our thoughts merge, you will understand." "I understand that you shouldn't be here," Aeryn replies. Then the two women are face to face -- Zhaan has just told Aeryn she shouldn't be in that cool blue void either, and Aeryn responds, "Why are you doing this?" Zhaan answers, "Because I love you. More importantly, Crichton loves you. You must take this gift not for my sake, but for his."
Then we abruptly jerk from the dreamy, transitory ether to grimy real life for a moment. Zhaan's shaking. Back in the cosmic waiting room, a dismayed Aeryn says, "I can't. I know your thoughts and I know what this will cost you." Zhaan begs Aeryn to stop resisting, but Aeryn says no, and we go back to the real world, where Zhaan's just been flung back from the sarcophagus. She wails, "No! Aeryn!" Unfortunately, her bad day's about to get worse; the Peacekeepers have arrived and they're packing heat.