2.02 - Vitas Mortis

D'Argo assists in a ceremony with a dying Luxan Orican; a holy woman. The ceremony restores her to youth but the cost may be the death of Moya. D'Argo must choose between the woman he has come to love and his friends and the ship he has come to call home.

Okay. So, you got the barcodes of a General but you aren't one? - John Crichton

Why do I have to wash your clothes? - Chiana
Well, you're cleaning D'Argo's aren't you? - Aeryn Sun
Yeah, but I like D'Argo. - Chiana

She wants you to attend her. What exactly does that mean? - John Crichton
Whatever she wants it to mean. - Ka D'Argo
So, if she wants to rip out your liver and snack on it with a Chianti, she can do that? - John Crichton

I wonder if I've got any grenades left. - Aeryn Sun
She was kidding, right? Tell me that she was kidding. - Chiana
Well, with Aeryn you never know. - John Crichton

How could she possibly help us? - Chiana
She's an Orican. - Ka D'Argo
Oh, OK. I'll repeat the question. - Chiana

You want me to get lost? - John Crichton
Why would I want you to do that? - Ka D'Argo
In case you wanted some time alone. - John Crichton
I do. But not yet. - Ka D'Argo

D'Argo, John and Zhaan are on the surface of a planet and enter a large, medieval looking castle. Inside, they meet a reptilian looking alien and say that they have heard that there is a Luxan here. The alien leaves briefly then returns and allows them to enter.

In the next room, they encounter an elderly Luxan woman which D'Argo recognizes as an Orican or holy woman. Zhaan seems impressed but D'Argo seems to be frightened and tries to get everyone to leave until the Orican tells him to stay.

She identifies herself as Nilaam and tells D'Argo, who she refers to as a general to John's surprise, that she is dying. D'Argo asks if she wants him to attend and she says yes, provided that he is worthy. A light shines from her hand and she pushes it into D'Argo's chest. D'Argo starts to scream and John and Zhaan move to help him but he tells them to stay back.

Nilaam suddenly yells "fraud" and D'Argo is thrown backwards through the door and into the next room. John and Zhaan run after him. John is very concerned about D'Argo but he seems to be unharmed physically.

D'Argo wants to leave but Zhaan tells him that he doesn't want to. John pulls Zhaan aside and tries to convince her that they should leave. She says that an Orican is a holy woman and wouldn't hurt D'Argo.
"And holy women never go bad?" he asks her.

D'Argo interrupts to say that the problem is not with her, it is with him. The tattoos on his chin indicate that he is a general but he really isn't. In his last campaign his general was wounded. D'Argo knew that the general would never survive interrogation if he was captured by the enemy so he took the general's tattoos and allowed himself to be captured instead to protect the real general. His unit was rescued before the enemy saw through the ruse.

John and Zhaan both tell him that his deception served a higher purpose and so should not be seen as a fraud. John is ready to leave but D'Argo returns to confront Nilaam. She starts to reject him but he says that he had always heard that Oricans were interested in the truth and that if she was not interested in the full truth then she is not an Orican.
Nilaam laughs. "I knew you had strength." she tells him. "I needed to know if you had fire!"

Up on Moya, Chiana is in the sluice chamber washing clothes in Moya's "amnexus fluids". Aeryn arrives with some more clothes and Chiana moves to make room for her but Aeryn is not planning on washing her clothes herself and was expecting Chiana to, much to Chiana's annoyance.
"When exactly did I become your servant?" she asks. "Why do I have to wash your clothes?"
"Well, you're cleaning D'Argo's aren't you?" replies Aeryn.
"Yeah." says Chiana. "But I like D'Argo."

Back on the planet, D'Argo is explaining that Nilaam wants him to assist her in the Ritual of Passing. Zhaan explains that this is a spiritual link and that D'Argo will help her pass into the next realm. John is concerned and D'Argo admits that there is a potential for danger. In fact, he could die.

Zhaan says that the person assisting in the Ritual will get a glimpse of the other side and says that she envies D'Argo. John is still unconvinced but D'Argo says he will go through with the Ritual.

D'Argo and Zhaan return to Moya but John remains on the planet and goes to talk to Nilaam. It is obvious that he is concerned for D'Argo and says as much. Nilaam says it is out of his hands and admits that she cannot guarantee anything but will do her best to make sure that no harm comes to him.

John sits on the side of the bed with her and asks how important the ritual is. She tells him that she cannot make the journey home and has not seen another Luxan for over nine cycles.
"Have you any idea what it's like to be separated from your own kind?" she asks him. John laughs and admits that he does.
"Then you can't begrudge me this one last wish." she tells him.

D'Argo goes to his cabin and starts packing his Luxan objects. Rygel arrives and offers to help him sell them to Nilaam at a profit but D'Argo becomes angry. Chiana arrives and asks what is happening and he tells her there is no danger and to keep Rygel from eating his food. He leaves but it appears that neither Chiana or Rygel believe him.

D'Argo returns to the planet and goes into the inner room with Nilaam. John waits in the outer room, obviously nervous and upset. D'Argo and Nilaam face each other and start chanting. Nilaam takes D'Argo's Qualta Blade and balances it on its tip between them. They both cut their hands on the blade, causing dark colored blood to run and the blade to rise into the air.

John continues to pace worriedly outside. On Moya, Chiana, who has resumed washing clothes, looks up as if she hears something.

Nilaam suddenly says that D'Argo has great strength and that she must try something. She changes her chant and D'Argo starts to scream in agony. John tries to enter the inner room and, finding the door locked, starts bashing it with his shoulder to try to open it. D'Argo continues to scream and John runs at the door, bursting through it just as the Qualta Blade falls from the air and both D'Argo and Nilaam collapse on the floor.

Nilaam yells that the ritual isn't finished. John tells her that it is and pulls his pulse pistol. Nilaam gestures and the pistol flies from John's hand, smoke rising from his glove. Nilaam stands up and John runs to D'Argo, who's cut is now running clear.

D'Argo asks what happened and Nilaam turns to them, revealing that she is now a young woman.

Up on Moya, Chiana begins calling for help. Aeryn arrives and finds that the amnexus fluid has solidified around her, trapping her legs. Aeryn starts to laugh at her predicament and asks what she did. Chiana insists that she didn't do anything and asks Aeryn to help her.
"When did I become your servant?" Aeryn asks with a smirk.
"Don't frell around." sighs Chiana. "Just... just get me out of here, okay?"

Zhaan arrives, to Chiana's relief but she only asks what Chiana did, to Chiana's annoyance. Aeryn laughs and shrugs and Chiana continues to insist that she didn't do anything. Zhaan asks Pilot if he knows what is happening and Pilot tells them that Moya's hydric system is failing for some unknown reason.

On the planet, Nilaam tells John that D'Argo is the most powerful Luxan she has ever met. When she realized his strength, she decided to try the Ritual of Renewal. The Ritual worked and she is now young again.

She apologies for causing D'Argo pain and says she will make it up to him. She goes up to D'Argo and starts to play with his tentas then pulls his robe to one side and starts to lick his chest. John, suddenly uncomfortable, says he will return to Moya and D'Argo distractedly acknowledges him. John leaves and Nilaam lies back in the bed.
"You gave me this." she says seductively. "I think it's only fair that you enjoy it with me."

Back on Moya, Aeryn is trying to chip the solidified amnexus fluid away with a tool while a DRD tries cutting it with a laser. Neither of them have any success, nor does Zhaan who is trying to dissolve it with an acid. Pilot interrupts them to say that Moya's outer skin is deteriorating as well. Zhaan tells him to contact D'Argo and John.

John is in the outer room and Zhaan asks if he and D'Argo can return to Moya. John says that he will but that D'Argo may be a while. The sound of loud Luxan sex can be heard through the doors.

Inside, Nilaam is straddling D'Argo. He says that he is temporarily out of strength and she laughs but lies down beside him. He asks what she will do now and she says that she will return home and start a new life. She also says that she can guide the others home and even make D'Argo a real general. D'Argo says that he wants to find his son and she says that together they will find him.

Back on Moya, Aeryn is still chipping away at the solidified fluid as John looks on. The ship lurches and Pilot reports that there has been an outer hull breach but that the inner hull is still intact. Chiana says that she cannot feel her feet. Giving up on chipping away with her tool, Aeryn leaves to look for some grenades, much to Chiana's discomfort.

Rygel arrives and John tells him that they want him to take his thronesled into the between hull spaces to check for weak spots. Rygel complains that hull breaches are unheard of on Leviathans.

Moya lurches again and Pilot yells that an inner hull breach has occurred in the Sluice Chamber. A hole appears in the wall and air starts rushing out of the chamber. Chiana grabs John and John grabs Rygel's thronesled but Rygel cannot hold on and is sucked off the sled and towards the hole.

Rygel hits the hole but is too big to be pulled through and his body plugs the opening. Rygel is upset by this turn of events but Chiana and John are both relieved and amused.

Aeryn goes outside and returns with a piece of Moya's hull which came off in her hand. She shows it to John then leaves to give it to Zhaan.

D'Argo arrives with Nilaam, who offers to help. She tries a healing incantation but Moya starts to shake again and Pilot reports that the deterioration is getting worse. She stops in confusion and asks D'Argo if there is a place where she can meditate. He leads her away.

She goes to D'Argo's cabin but he does not leave her. Instead, he asks if they were somehow responsible for what is happening to Moya. She admits that they are. She did not realize that the ship they arrived on was a bio-mechanoid and, during the Ritual of Renewal, the strength she sensed was Moya's, not D'Argo's. What is worse, she is continuing to drain energy from Moya. She touches a wall and the area around her hand dies.

She asks that D'Argo take her back to the planet so that she can consult her scrolls. D'Argo is reluctant to abandon Moya but she tells him that putting distance between them could slow down the degeneration. He reluctantly agrees.

Meanwhile, Aeryn is talking with Zhaan. Aeryn points out that the degeneration in Moya started at the same time that Nilaam became young but Zhaan insists that there may not be a connection. She also says that if Nilaam was involved then she will also be able to find a cure, to which Aeryn replies that she may not want to find a cure. Their argument is interrupted by Pilot who asks Aeryn to come to his Den.

There, Aeryn finds that Pilot is in as bad of shape as Moya. He tells her that the symptoms they are seeing are those of old age in a Leviathan but that Moya is still young and so that makes no sense. Aeryn responds that it makes too much sense and asks where Nilaam is. Pilot is having trouble but is able to determine that D'Argo and Nilaam are heading for the hanger bay. Aeryn swears to Pilot that she will make sure Nilaam gives back the energy she has taken and leaves.

John encounters Aeryn on her way to the hanger bay. She has her pulse rifle and John tries to stop her but she continues on her way with him following.

They catch up with D'Argo and Nilaam in the hanger bay. Aeryn fires on Nilaam but she does something and the pulse blast splits in two, bypassing her and D'Argo. She gestures again and both Aeryn and John are trapped inside a crystalline shield. Nilaam runs off and D'Argo, after a moment, follows her.

A DRD uses its laser to free Aeryn and John and Pilot tells them that D'Argo and Nilaam have returned to the planet. John follows them.

On the planet, D'Argo is becoming angry with Nilaam. She has tried several things but none of them are working. She suggests using the transport pod to get further away from Moya in the hopes of slowing down the deterioration further but D'Argo does not believe that it will work and that Moya may still die. Nilaam tells him that Moya is just a ship causing D'Argo to become more angry. He asks how an Orican can justify taking a life and she suggests that the life of a Leviathan is not worth the life of an Orican. She threatens him, asking if he knows what she can do.
"I have not forgotten what you cannot do, which is restore Moya's life!" he yells at her. "Does that suggest to you that you have taken something that you really should not have?"

John calls to D'Argo from the outer chamber and D'Argo goes to meet him. John tells him that Moya's hull is deteriorating fast and there is nothing else they can do. D'Argo tries to defend Nilaam, saying that she isn't evil and didn't mean for what happened to happen. He says she is trying to help Moya but John says it is murder.
D'Argo looks at him. "Moya, Pilot, Aeryn... they will never forgive her." he says. "They may never even forgive me... but you... you must understand."
John is unmoved. "I understand. What she's doing is killing Moya."

D'Argo throws the Qualta Blade across the room. "Don't you think I know what has to be done!" he shouts. He collapses on the table in tears while John picks up the Blade and returns it to him. They are both silent for a moment, then D'Argo takes the Blade from him.
"I came here... to end this." he says. "And I will." He stands and walks back into the inner chamber.

Nilaam is waiting for him and says that she knows what must be done. She also tells D'Argo that she has treasured the time they have had together and D'Argo tells her he feels the same way.

The two of them again start the Ritual of Passing. This time, at the height of the Ritual, Nilaam takes the Qualta Blade and, with D'Argo's help, shoves the blade through her chest. D'Argo pulls it out and black blood drips from the blade and turns into a crystal which shatters upon the floor. D'Argo catches her body, now old once again, and holds her to him. He kisses her once and holds her as he cries.

Outside, sitting on the table, John is crying as well.

Up on Moya, everything is returning to normal. Chiana is free and prancing around the Sluice Chamber talking about how much she enjoys her feet. Zhaan is rubbing Rygel's feet and he is complaining about how he has no feeling in them until Zhaan hits a ticklish spot. All three of them laugh.

Aeryn is sitting on the console beside Pilot, who is also returning to normal. He thanks her, both from himself and from Moya. Aeryn asks him what a normal Leviathan life span is and he says that many of them live over 300 cycles. He also tells her that his species lives over 1000 cycles but when bonded to a Leviathan they live no longer than they do.
Aeryn is suddenly concerned. "So... when Moya eventually does die..." she begins.
Pilot nods in agreement and completes her thought. "...I will go as well."

Aeryn seems upset and Pilot places one of his claws on her leg.
"I would not have it any other way."
She smiles and places her hand on his claw.

Back on the planet, John walks into the inner chamber. He sees Nilaam's body lying on the bed and D'Argo sitting in a chair, still holding the Qualta Blade.
"You want me to get lost?" he asks.
"Why would I want you to do that?" asks D'Argo in return.
John shrugs. "In case you wanted some time alone."
"I do." D'Argo tells him. "But not yet."

There are few direct references to earlier episodes in this one. D'Argo previously stated that he had been imprisoned for killing a superior officer in Premiere but finally revealed in They've Got a Secret that he had really been (falsely) arrested for the murder of his wife. There are also some minor echoes here of events in Back and Back and Back to the Future.

Chiana indicates that she likes D'Argo in this episode. D'Argo has previously stated that he has some attraction to Chiana in Family Ties.

The friendship between Aeryn and Pilot has previously been shown in Exodus From Genesis, Throne For a Loss and DNA Mad Scientist.

Nilaam was able to see enough within D'Argo to know that he had the tattoos of a General without being one and initially rejects him as being a fraud. If she can see that much, why couldn't she see why he had the tattoos? Or, did she know the truth and her initial reaction was part of a test of D'Argo's character? Of course, if she knew why he had the tattoos then that should have told her a great deal about his character right there.

How did Nilaam confuse Moya's life energy with D'Argo's? That seems like a pretty big mistake to make. Why did it happen anyway? Is there some sort of connection between D'Argo and Moya? Why did she not draw energy from either John or Chiana, either of whom could arguably be said to be closer to D'Argo than he is to Moya?

When Nilaam started the ritual with D'Argo, Chiana seemed to sense something. Did she sense some change in Moya or did she somehow pick up something from D'Argo?

What was Nilaam doing out here in the Uncharted Territories anyway? And, how did she get here? Does she have any convenient navigation charts lying around showing how to get back to Luxan space?

Who was the reptilian alien who first greeted everyone when they entered Nilaam's home? What happened to him after he let them in?

Well, after the fairly heavy going for the past five or six episodes it is almost a relief to get back to a "normal" episode. Unfortunately, what we get is slightly sub-par for Farscape, especially after the arc we have just completed.

Overall, the story is good and we get to see some more background on D'Argo and learn a bit more about Luxans in general. We learn quite a bit about D'Argo's sense of honor here. His facial tattoos are those of a General but the reason he got them was for a valid purpose. His unit expected to be captured and their real General would not be able to survive interrogation. D'Argo had the tattoos applied so that when they were captured he would be able to take the real General's place. Apparently the ruse at least partially worked but D'Argo is never clear as to if his real General survived or not. This may be the source of D'Argo's original story of why he was imprisoned; that he had killed his superior officer.

The story does start well with the introduction of Nilaam and the reactions of D'Argo, John and Zhaan to her, as well as the interaction between Aeryn and Chiana. There are also some good scenes showing the friendship between D'Argo and John here. Also, the buildup to the Ritual of Passing is done well.

Unfortunately, things don't go so well with the Ritual. Of course, this being Farscape, should we have expected anything different? Still, after this point things don't go so well, in more ways than one.

The main thrust of the latter half of the episode is the question of what happened to Moya and how can they save her. Of course, what happened and the course of action is obvious to everyone watching so we cannot help but feel a bit frustrated as the crew struggles to decide what to do.

The problem (for me, anyway) is that the whole thing seemed too contrived. It doesn't seem right that Nilaam would mistake Moya's strength for D'Argo's. Why is there a connection between D'Argo and Moya anyway? D'Argo has never shown any connection to Moya as anything other than a transport. Also, Nilaam is good enough to know that D'Argo wasn't really a general but she didn't know that Moya was a Leviathan? And, she call pull energy from her even from orbit? Without knowing she was doing it? Or where the energy was coming from?

The reactions on Moya were odd too. The solidifying of the amnexus fluid in the Sluice Chamber traps Chiana but why the fluid should suddenly solidify makes no sense. It is blamed on the sudden aging of Moya but comes across more as just another contrived plot gimmick. Of course, everything is instantly better once the (inevitable) conclusion arrives.

The end scenes with John, D'Argo and Nilaam should have been good but, unfortunately, by this point most everyone watching is so frustrated that it took them this long to reach their conclusions that the scenes lose most of their impact. The Ritual of Passing is more of a mercy killing for the episode.

It didn't help that half the cast had nothing to do. Rygel and Zhaan barely had anything to do this time around (though I do have to acknowledge that the writers come up with the most creative ways to explain why we only see part of Rygel, giving the puppeteers a place to work). Chiana has some nice interplay with Aeryn but spends most of the episode stuck in one place. Aeryn has a few nice scenes with Chiana and with Pilot but the episode really belongs to D'Argo and John.

D'Argo's behavior is worth looking at this time around. Although he is initally frightened of being with Nilaam he quickly comes to support her almost unconditionally. In fact, it almost seems as if he is willing to accept that no one on the crew will forgive him if he lets Moya die. It is only when he realizes that John will not forgive him either that he finally decides to do what must be done.

Is Luxan society matriarchal? In Back and Back and Back to the Future D'Argo quickly comes under the control of Matala who is of a race related to the Luxans. Here, he quickly comes under the control of Nilaam. In both cases it could be that he is simply attracted to a member of his species of the opposite sex but his subservient attitude in both cases may also indicate that Luxan males traditionally take a subservient position to females. It will be interesting to see how D'Argo reacts the next time we meet a Luxan.

The title of this episode is interesting. Mortis is simply Latin for "Death". Vitas is more complex; it is an inflected form and can be derived from either of two words. The first, Vita means "Life". The other, Vito is a verb meaning "to shun, seek to escape, avoid, or evade". So, the title of this episode can either translate as "Life Death" or "To Seek to Escape Death". Interestingly, both titles fit the events of this episode. (Thanks to Tufts University for helping refresh my fading high school Latin memories.)

Overall there are a few nice bits in this episode, some good background on D'Argo and some good interactions between some of the crew, but overall the whole episode just seemed too contrived and the ending too obvious. I'd recommend it for completist only.