2.09 - Out of Their Minds

An attack by another ship has an... unusual effect on Moya's crew. Now, they have to defend the ship while learning what it is like to walk in each other's shoes. And pants.

Have we sent the "Don't shoot us, we're pathetic" transmission yet? - John Crichton
It's the first thing we tried but they still targeted us. - Ka D'Argo
What have we done to piss these guys off? - John Crichton
Nothing we're aware of. - Aeryn Sun

If this is some kind of sick experiment, I'm billing them for the therapy. - John Crichton

I have memories of my son, of a wife, but you have seen the galaxies and the birth of stars! - Ka D'Argo
But I have no memories of love or friendship. None. You have the remarkable memories, D'Argo. - Pilot

I'm a guy! Guys dream about this sort of thing! - John Crichton
If I find you've been dreaming anything else to my body, I'll break your legs. Even if they are mine. - Aeryn Sun

Do you know what you're doing, Crichton? - Chiana
No, I have no idea. I'm making it up as I go. - John Crichton

An alarm is sounding though Moya and Aeryn and John are running for Command. Rygel is there and a ship is visible on the main screen. Pilot reports that the other ship is damaged but it has targeted them with its weapons. They have tried to communicate with the other ship but it does not respond.

D'Argo and Chiana are in Pilot's Den and attempting to power up the Zelbinion defense screen but are having problems. They are rearranging cables trying to get enough power.

Zhaan has gone over to the other ship and is exploring when she comes across an injured crewmember, Tak. She tries to talk to him and he explains that their ship was attacked by Talyn and they are afraid that Moya has come to finish them off.

Zhaan tells them that Moya is unarmed and Tak jumps to his feet, revealing himself to be uninjured. He yells for Yoz to attack Moya. Zhaan tries to stop him but Tak knocks her to the ground and repeats the order. Yoz says that they only have enough power to fire once and Tak tells her to go ahead.

On Moya, D'Argo and Chiana manage to activate the defense screen just as the Halosian ship fires. On Command, Aeryn, John and Rygel jerk suddenly and an energy discharge of some kind jumps between them.
"Screw me, this is impossible!" says Aeryn
"What the frell is going on?" says Rygel. "That's my body. I'm Aeryn. Who are you?"
"I'm Crichton." responds Aeryn.
"By the Hynerian Gods," exclaims John. "I'm not me!"

(Note: I will be identifying characters as Aeryn(John) where Aeryn is the body and (John) is the personality inside the body. No, watching it was just as confusing.)

Confusion abounds as Aeryn(John), Rygel(Aeryn) and John(Rygel) try to determine what has happened. John(Rygel) tries to convince himself that it isn't happening until Aeryn(John) hits him. They decide the attack from the other ship must have caused them to switch bodies. They try to call Pilot but he doesn't respond.

In Pilot's Den, Chiana, D'Argo and Pilot have also switched bodies. D'Argo is inside of Pilot, Pilot is in Chiana and Chiana is in D'Argo. Pilot(D'Argo) is receiving all of Moya's impulses but can't control them and Moya is beginning to shake. Chiana(Pilot), on the other hand, is confused by the lack of input and is unable to stand. D'Argo(Chiana) helps Chiana(Pilot) over to the console so she(he) can help Pilot(D'Argo) regain some control of Moya.

On the Halosian ship, Zhaan is handcuffed to a console and is being confronted by Tak. He is demanding to know why Moya has a defense screen if she is an unarmed vessel and Zhaan tries to explain that they salvaged the defense screen from the Zelbinion. Tak also shows her a recording of Talyn attacking their ship and says that everyone else in their crew was killed in the attack.

Yoz says that they will be able to fire again in three arns. Zhaan begs them not to attack again but Tak says he will destroy Moya.

Back on Moya, D'Argo(Chiana) has managed to get Chiana(Pilot) to the console and Chiana(Pilot) starts instructing Pilot(D'Argo) on how to control Moya. She(he) tells him to concentrate on a particular sound, which she(he) sometimes perceives as a dark red. This is Moya's life support and if he concentrates on this the other essential tasks will "hang from it like a rope". Pilot(D'Argo) does so.

Everyone meets in Pilot's Den and Aeryn(John) has the DRDs take pictures of everyone, which they then hang around everyone's necks so that you can see which personality is in which body. John(Rygel) wants to know why this is necessary and Aeryn(John) says that she(he) doesn't want to have to take the time in a crisis to remember who she(he) is talking to. John(Rygel) shrugs and starts picking his nose, to Aeryn(John)'s disgust.

Pilot(D'Argo) is starting to gain some control and is trying to get communications working so they can try to contact Zhaan. No one knows why they have switched bodies but Chiana(Pilot) says that she(he) will help Pilot(D'Argo) run an analysis once minimal functions return.

She(he) also says that right before they switched bodies she(he) detected damage to the defense screen and that it was only at 62% of capacity when the Halosian attack hit. She(he) thinks that if the screen can be returned to full function then it will protect them. Aeryn(John) and Rygel(Aeryn) go to the neural clusters to try to work on the screen. Rygel(Aeryn) knows all of Moya's quadrants but can't do anything while in Rygel so Aeryn(John) will have to help him(her).

On the Halosian ship, Zhaan has managed to convince Tak that they are unarmed. He says he will go over to Moya and, if they really have no weapons, he will let them leave.

Pilot(D'Argo) has started to gain more control of Moya but is finding it to be a severe strain. Chiana(Pilot) is starting to feel sick also. A call comes in from Zhaan telling them that Tak is coming over to inspect Moya and also tells them that it was Talyn who attacked the Halosian ship. She notices that Pilot is acting a bit odd but does not know that the crew has changed bodies and they do not mention it to her. Just as Pilot(D'Argo) ends the communication Chiana(Pilot) has a seizure and collapses. Pilot(D'Argo) calls for John and Aeryn.

Everyone goes to Pilot's Den where Chiana(Pilot) is now lying on the floor and being held by D'Argo(Chiana). D'Argo(Chiana) is afraid that Pilot is rejecting her body. Chiana(Pilot) wants to keep trying to access Moya's memory banks so they can try to determine what has happened to them but Pilot(D'Argo) says he is unable to do so. However, he does detect the Halosian shuttle approaching so Aeryn(John), D'Argo(Chiana), John(Rygel) and Rygel(Aeryn) go to the hanger bay to meet it.

There, they are waiting on the shuttle to land when John(Rygel) suddenly gets a strange look on his face and appears uncomfortable. Aeryn(John) is worried that something is happening to his body but John(Rygel) sticks his hand down the front of his pants.
"I have to pee." he whispers.
"Now?" asks Aeryn(John)
"Yes. Right now." is John(Rygel)'s reply.

Rygel(Aeryn) tells him to try to hold it but John(Rygel) tells him(her) that he doesn't know the body and so doesn't know how to. Aeryn(John) tells him to just go and John(Rygel) hurries off. However, he calls a few seconds later to ask what to do and Aeryn(John) has to go provide instruction.
"Unzip." she(he) tells him, then "Pull it out, point it like a gun, and shoot."
"Aimed the right way?" John(Rygel) asks?
"Yes." Aeryn(John) replies in frustration. "That's fine."

They are interrupted by the arrival of Tak, who asks where John is. Aeryn(John) tells D'Argo(Chiana) to search him. John(Rygel) returns and is zipping his pants up when he suddenly yells in pain. Aeryn(John) winces and tells him to "Put it away and be careful".

Back in Pilot's Den, Pilot(D'Argo) says that it is starting to become easier for him to control Moya and says that the glimpses he is getting of what Pilot sees makes his life seem insignificant. Chiana(Pilot) disagrees, saying that D'Argo has memories of love and friendship, which is something he has never had.

Over on the Halosian ship, Zhaan is praying when Yoz approaches and shows her more of the recording of Talyn attacking. In it, Crais is telling the Halosians that he simply wants to pass through the area in peace when the Halosian ship suddenly attacks. Talyn only fired to defend himself.

Zhaan is pleased that Crais is being honorable and not using Talyn for battle but wonders why Tak attacked him. Yoz says that in order to "evolve" Halosians must register as many hostile kills as possible.

John(Rygel) and Rygel(Aeryn) are showing Tak around Moya. John(Rygel) is talking a bit too much and Rygel(Aeryn) tries to get him to be quiet but he doesn't listen and asks Tak if he can switch him back. Tak tells him everything will be taken care of. John(Rygel) tells Rygel(Aeryn) to leave so he can talk more with Tak. Rygel(Aeryn) thinks he is up to something but leaves anyway.

Aeryn(John) has finished making the new connections for the defense screen and asks Pilot(D'Argo) to check them. She(he) glances downward and seems to suddenly notice her(his) breasts for the first time. She(he) unzips her(his) vest and begins to examine them more closely, shaking them several times and giggling before reaching inside her(his) vest and feeling around.

Unnoticed by her(him), D'Argo(Chiana) and Rygel(Aeryn) enter and see what she(he) is doing. Rygel(Aeryn) calls out to her(him) and she(he) spins around in surprise.
"What are you doing?" asks D'Argo(Chiana)
"Oh come on, man!" Aeryn(John) tells him(her). "They're here! They're right here! They've been here for a couple of arns and I just had to..."
Rygel(Aeryn) interrupts her(him). "You are mentally damaged."
"No." she(he) replies, trying to explain. "I'm a guy! A guy! Guys dream about this sort of thing!"
"I'll tell you one thing, Crichton." says Rygel(Aeryn). "If I find that you've been dreaming anything else to my body, I'll break your legs. Even if they are mine."

D'Argo(Chiana) says that he(she) has finished reconnecting the defense screen in Command and wanted her(him) to check on it, but asks if she(he) needed some more "private time" first. Rygel(Aeryn) tells them both that John(Rygel) is leading Tak through the area and that they need to clear out.

John(Rygel) has managed to convince Tak that Moya has no weapons. He tries to get Tak to join him for a meal but Tak says he is feeling sick and throws up. Tak seems embarrassed but John(Rygel) tells him that it is not a problem and that he just peed in the maintenance bay himself. He asks again if Tak can switch their bodies back and, as they walk away, Tak assures him that he can.

Behind them, the substance that Tak threw up begins moving up into Moya's circuitry, which begins to short out. Pilot(D'Argo) notices and tells Aeryn(John) and Rygel(Aeryn). They realize that Tak must have brought something on board that Chiana did not find when she searched him. They go to find John(Rygel) to see where he took Tak.

Tak returns to the Halosian ship and asks Zhaan what John(Rygel) meant by "switching back". Zhaan says she doesn't know and Tak tells her it doesn't matter since he will destroy Moya anyway. He asks Yoz if they are ready to fire and, when she says they are, he tells her to do so.

Zhaan begs Yoz not to fire and Yoz is surprised that Zhaan is worried about the others. Zhaan asks her if she can replace Tak since he failed and if that would let her evolve faster. Yoz says she will, but only if Tak fails again.

Back on Moya, D'Argo(Chiana) finds John(Rygel) and tells him that he(she) wants to leave and wants John(Rygel) to come with him(her). John(Rygel) doesn't think much of the idea but D'Argo(Chiana) moves closer and begins to rub John(Rygel)'s groin, who seems to be surprised at the sensation. D'Argo(Chiana) says that it gets lonely and he(she) wants someone to go with him(her) and tries to drag John(Rygel) off.

John(Rygel) stops him(her) and says he needs to get his own body back. He wants to reclaim his throne from his cousin and only a Royal Hynerian can claim the throne. Only the hope of getting his throne back has kept him alive and he cannot reclaim it in John's body.

They are interrupted by the arrival of Aeryn(John) and Rygel(Aeryn). Aeryn(John) asks about Tak and John(Rygel) tells him about Tak throwing up. Aeryn(John) asks John(Rygel) to show her(him) where it happened, to John(Rygel)'s surprise. He leads them to the spot and they find the "vomit" continuing to move through Moya's circuits, burning them out.

Aeryn(John) realizes that the circuits that are burning out are the ones that power the defense screen and suggests that they try to reconnect it to another circuit. D'Argo(Chiana) goes to ask Pilot where they can connect the cables and Rygel(Aeryn) goes to find something they can use to neutralize the acid in the "vomit".

D'Argo(Chiana) arrives in Pilot's Den and Pilot(D'Argo) tells him(her) that the Halosian ship has targeted them again.

Rygel(Aeryn) returns with some chemical to neutralize the acid. Pilot(D'Argo) powers down the defense screen, Aeryn(John) reconnects the cable and John(Rygel) dumps the chemical on the acid.

Tak detects the defense screen go down and fires, even as Zhaan yells for him to stop. Aeryn(John) and D'Argo(Chiana) finish reconnecting the screen. Aeryn(John), John(Rygel) and Rygel(Aeryn) rush back to Command and Pilot(D'Argo) reactivates the screen just as the Halosian ship fires. Once again, everyone jerks and the energy discharge jumps between them.
"Oh no! I'm Aeryn!." says John(Aeryn). "Who's Crichton?"
"Bzzzt." says Rygel(John). "I am."
"Yotz!" says Aeryn(Rygel).

Everyone swaps pictures and Rygel(John) says that despite being in Rygel's body things are looking better. John(Aeryn) asks what he means and he points out that they switched again which means they can switch back to their original bodies.

They are interrupted by Pilot(Chiana). The three in Pilot's Den have switched again also. Chiana(D'Argo) tells them that Pilot has apparently switched into D'Argo's body. D'Argo(Pilot) is unconscious and seems to be dying.

On the Halosian ship, Tak is angry that his attack failed again and starts to try to ram Moya. Zhaan begs him to stop then yells to Yoz that Tak failed and that she should replace him. Yoz agrees and kills Tak, announcing that now she will evolve.

Everyone has returned to Pilot's Den. Pilot(Chiana) is having problems controlling Moya and Moya is beginning to shake again. Chiana(D'Argo) says that just before she(he) switched out of Pilot's body she(he) detected the Halosian's attack and thinks it was really trying to destroy Moya, not cause them to switch bodies.

Rygel(John) gets an idea and asks what the defense screen power level was and Pilot(Chiana) tells him it was at 62%. Rygel(John) speculates that the screen blocked part of the shot and that the part that gets through the screen is the part that makes them switch bodies. He suggests that if they get in the same positions they were in before and get the Halosians to shoot them again then they may be able to switch back. Chiana(D'Argo) thinks this is a good idea and tells them to go to Command while she(he) will try to get D'Argo(Pilot) back into the same position he was in previously.

Pilot(Chiana) suddenly tells them that the Halosian ship is trying to ram them. Moya is scared and wants to starburst away. John(Aeryn) tells him(her) that if Moya does then they will never get their bodies back and tells him(her) to try evasive maneuvers. Pilot(Chiana) says he(she) doesn't know how and Chiana(D'Argo) says she(he) will help. She(he) tells the others to return to Command.

On the Halosian ship, Zhaan is now begging Yoz to not destroy Moya. Yoz says she will aim her ship at Moya then escape in Zhaan's transport pod. Zhaan chants and her hand shrivels, allowing her to free herself from the handcuffs. She goes to Yoz and knocks her out.

The Halosian ship rushes at Moya but at the last second both ships veer away from each other. Pilot(Chiana) says that Moya turned away on her on.

Zhaan calls and asks if everyone is all right. Aeryn(Rygel) says that that depends on her definition of "all right" and Rygel(John) says it would take too long to explain and asks if she can fire at Moya again. Zhaan is confused, she asks what he is talking about and why he is wearing a picture of John then asks to speak to John.

Aeryn(Rygel) points this out as proof that no one listens to him and John(Aeryn) seems surprised that Zhaan wants to talk to him(her). Rygel(John) tells him(her) that Zhaan wants to hear it from him(her).

John(Aeryn) tells Zhaan to fire on them again. Zhaan is still confused but he(she) assures her that they will have the defense screen up and will be all right. Aeryn(Rygel) yells for her to fire and John(Aeryn) hits him. Aeryn(Rygel) continues to grumble.

Everyone on Command manages to get into the same positions as before but Chiana(D'Argo) is having trouble getting D'Argo(Pilot) into position since he is still unconscious. She(he) tries to wake him and yells for Pilot(Chiana) to contact Zhaan and tell her to hold fire, but he(she) is unable to contact her.

Zhaan fires, just as Chiana(D'Argo) gets D'Argo(Pilot) into position. Once more everyone jerks as the energy discharge leaps from one body to another. On Command, Aeryn falls back against a console as John falls to the floor.

John says something about crawling off to his royal bedchamber then, in response to Aeryn's horrified expression, quickly says it was a joke. She sits on his chest and he grabs her and the two wrestle with each other briefly, laughing. John asks if everyone else is OK and Pilot responds that everyone is back where they belong. Chiana laughs and John and Aeryn hug. Rygel sits off to one side looking morose.
"Oh yes, I'm back too." he says dejectedly. "Thanks for asking. Back to being me. Back to being ignored."

Later, Zhaan is telling everyone about Talyn and Crais. Pilot says that he is now hopeful that Crais will not use Talyn as a weapon then says that he has to leave so he can tell Moya about everything he experienced when he was away from her. He signs off.

Zhaan stands and winces in pain, leading Rygel to ask about her hand. She says that she will have to heal it slowly so full function will return and the two of them leave as well.

Chiana asks D'Argo why he is looking at her so oddly and he says that his tankas are sore and was wondering what she had been doing with them while she was in his body. Chiana claims innocence and tries to change the subject by asking if he had talked to John.
"No," he tells her, then continues nervously, "but... um... I, uh... I did want to say to you that I... I really enjoyed being inside your body. Um... What I mean by that is... Uh..."
"I know what you mean." she tells him with a smile.
"I really like your body." D'Argo tells her.
"You like my body?" she asks, somewhat in surprise.

Chiana smiles at him then walks off, turning to look at him. D'Argo smiles and hurries after her, passing John and Aeryn who are sitting on the floor. They watch them go and Aeryn comments that they seem to be getting along well. John comments that "you have to walk a mile in someone's shoes to understand them."

Aeryn smirks at him. "I certainly know what you were doing when you were in my shoes, Crichton."
John looks embarrassed. "Give me a break." he says.
"It's OK." she says, laughing. "You were in my shoes. I was in your pants."
"Excuse me?" he says, in sudden surprise. She continues to grin at him.

"You...!" John begins and lunges at her. She laughs and jumps up then runs off down the corridor. Laughing, John runs after her.

The crew acquired the defense screen from the lost Peacekeeper ship Zelbinion in PK Tech Girl. It was damaged by Talyn in Mind the Baby

Talyn, the Peacekeeper/Leviathan hybrid, is Moya's son and was born in The Hidden Memory.

Crais gained control of Talyn in Mind the Baby.

What have Crais and Talyn been doing all this time?

Why are D'Argo's tankas sore?

Oh. My. God.

Out of Their Minds is, without a doubt, the absolute funniest episode of Farscape you will ever see and is probably one of the funniest things ever shown on television. If this episode does not reduce you to hysterical laughter on more than one occasion then you seriously need to have your sense of humor examined. While I do my best with these synopses it would be impossible for any synopsis to capture this episode. No matter how funny this episode sounds based on this write-up I must assure you that the actual episode itself is far funnier.

Now, body swapping has been done in science fiction before. The original Star Trek even had an episode or two. But, it has never been done quite like this as Farscape once again takes off into the Uncharted Territories of television. (This episode earned itself an "S" rating for sexual situations when it aired in the US.)

The fun starts when everyone first swaps around but things don't really kick into high gear until the scene in the hanger bay where Rygel, in John's body, suddenly needs to go to the bathroom. Things only get worse by the time you reach the scene where Chiana (in D'Argo's body) is trying to seduce Rygel (in John's body) and when you reach the point where John (in Aeryn's body) suddenly feels the need to check her "assets" you will realize that they haven't missed a thing. Yes, body swapping has been done before. But, never like this.

Now, if you stop to think about this one too long you will realize that there are plot holes in it big enough to fly a Leviathan through, but who cares? This episode was obviously done for humor. Of course, Farscape has far more than it's share of humorous moments but here we get them almost non-stop for the entire episode.

Special mention has to be made here of the actors on the show. All of them are obviously extremely talented and this episode gives all of them a chance to show off. Anthony Simcoe, who plays D'Argo, does a wonderful job playing Chiana-as-D'Argo, perfectly capturing her mannerisms (such as her little head twitch) and vocal inflections. Gigi Edgley, who plays Chiana, also does an excellent job playing Pilot-as-Chiana; especially when you consider that "Pilot" is really a Muppet!

But the acting prize here has to go to Ben Browder (John Crichton) and Claudia Black (Aeryn Sun). Ben does a perfect job playing first Rygel (especially during the "I have to go" scene) and then later Aeryn, capturing both character's mannerisms and inflections perfectly. Claudia also deserves credit, especially for the "check out the assets" scene. She does an excellent job of playing Ben, even getting his American accent (with the exception of Ben the entire cast is Australian) and his mannerisms such as his chewing on his thumb. Both deserve great credit.

Finally, credit must be given to Ben Browder and Anthony Simcoe for getting through the "seduction" scene with a straight face.

While primarily humor, there were a few serious scenes in this episode which also bear mentioning. The first is the brief scene between D'Argo-as-Pilot and Pilot-as-Chiana. D'Argo mentions the wonderful sights that Pilot has seen and Pilot responds that he has never experienced love or friendship and that D'Argo is the one with the truly wonderful memories.

It is interesting to hear Pilot say this but in a way it makes sense. Pilot is trapped in his Den. The others sometimes come to see him from time to time (and it seems as if both Aeryn and John make an effort to do so) but most of the time he is alone. Several of the crew even attacked him and cut his arm off at one time. True, he is always with Moya but that is a different type of relationship. In Through the Looking Glass Pilot mentions that he and Moya like having the others around. Pilot is a lonely individual; something that is easy to forget. He doesn't let them show much, but he has feelings too.

Another person who we suddenly learn has feelings is Rygel. We have almost always seen Rygel as selfish and unconcerned about others but he gains a crack in his facade this time out too. His comment at the end about "back to being me, back to being ignored" shows this. He wanted his own body back as that is the only way he will ever get his throne back. But, he may have actually enjoyed being "someone else" for a while.

The best place to see this is when he, in John's body, is showing Tak around the ship. Instead of being the ignored person he is suddenly the important one, the one who gets to show the visitor around. And, he apparently made the most of it too; someone comments that he took Tak everywhere on the ship.

It is at the end that he suddenly is reminded again that no one respects him, when Zhaan won't listen to John-in-Rygel and Aeryn-in-John has to tell her to fire. Maybe, for just a moment, he wished he had left with Chiana.

Of course, he also remembers being Dominar of the Hynerian Empire where he had over 600 billion loyal subjects. Here, he doesn't even have the respect of his fellow shipmates.

One other observation of note is that Rygel is the only one who asks Zhaan about her hand. The "selfish" one is the only one who asks about the person who ultimately saved their lives.

There is definitely more to Rygel than we usually see.

As for everyone else, well, it seems that Chiana and D'Argo are ready to take their relationship to the next level and things look like they are moving forward for Aeryn and John as well. Of course, this being Farscape we know that this happy state of affairs can't last long.

All in all, this is an absolutely excellent episode and one of the best of the season. Definitely see this one if you get the chance.