2.12 - I Do, I Think
(Look at the Princess: Part 2)

John discovers that not everyone is welcoming him into the royal family and that both the Peacekeepers and the Scarrans have their hands in the local planetary politics, but is more concerned with the fact that his marriage will require him to become a statue for the next 80 cycles. Meanwhile, Zhaan, Pilot and Moya have met the creators of the Leviathans, who are less than pleased that Moya has given birth to a gunship.

Look, Aeryn. All men are stupid, OK? Men. Stupid. If you want them to know something, you've got to tell them. - Chiana

Don't feel bad, it's not you. It's me. I don't like you. - Aeryn Sun

You are most wise, Empress. - Dominar Rygel XVI
And you are most manipulative, Dominar - Empress Novia

You're insane! - Braca
What? You're just figuring that out? I though that was common knowledge! - John Crichton

I'm very proud of you. - Aeryn Sun
Why? - John Crichton
For being Crichton... the Crichton I always knew. - Aeryn Sun
Getting my ass kicked all over the universe? - John Crichton
For putting yourself in a position to get your ass kicked. Fighting... resisting... never giving up. - Aeryn Sun

Hey. I love you. - Chiana
I know. - John Crichton

All right. Enough with the kissing and the cuddling. - Ka D'Argo

The bad news is that you are married and you must endure as a statue for 80 cycles in a strange world. - Ka D'Argo
What's the good news? - John Crichton
Chiana and I are having fantastic sex. - Ka D'Argo

A brief voice-over by Rygel gives us a recap of the previous episode.

John is screaming under the influence of the energy beam when someone suddenly enters the room and attacks the guards. John collapses to the floor and we see it is Jenavian, Clavor's fiancee. She kills several of the guards, the last by using a spike-like blade which extends from her wrist. John manages to take out one of the guards himself.

The guards defeated, Jenavian demands to know what branch John is with. When he does not answer she identifies herself as a "Disrupter" from the Peacekeeper Special Directorate.

John, recovering, tells her he cannot tell her that and she gets angry, saying that they sent in a backup without telling her. John says they did the same to him and asks what her assignment is. She tells him she is supposed to kill Clavor if he becomes emperor and tries to hand control of the empire over to the Scarrans. She also says she admires John's dedication for being willing to become a statue for 80 cycles. When John admits some reluctance she says she will kill him if he endangers the mission. John quickly thanks her and leaves.

John goes to Clavor's rooms and proceeds to slap him around a bit. He tells Clavor that he just wants to leave the planet and get away from Scorpius and that Katralla should be able to marry whoever she wants to. Jenavian is behind a screen, apparently taking a bath, and looks out at one point but does not interfere. John leaves and Clavor starts yelling for his mother.

Somewhat later, John, Chiana and D'Argo are with Councilor Tyno. D'Argo is demanding more protection for John and Tyno is saying he will provide it but that there is no evidence that the attack occurred. John speculates that the bodies were destroyed using the beam that was being used on him. Tyno asks who it was that saved him and John says he did not recognize them. Chiana is impressed that John slapped Clavor but admits his story sounds a bit weird. Tyno continues by saying that he does not believe that Clavor would have attacked John as the royal family abhors violence.

At this point Katralla arrives and slaps John hard. She demands that he follow her and leaves. John looks at the others then follows.

Katralla leads him to another room where she closes the door then slaps him again. She says that he has humiliated her, that she does not think that Clavor would have done such a thing and that her mother is now demanding more medical tests to see if John is stable. John points out that the only reason he is marrying her is to save both of them and she slaps him hard again.
"OK, I did deserve that." he says, rubbing his face.

"Clavor is weak." Katralla tells him. "I cannot believe he would participate in such a heinous act. That means you're lying and, if so, I can't marry you."

Meanwhile, on Moya, Pilot is reporting that the energy being has entered Moya. It travels to the maintenance bay and materializes before Zhaan as a semi-corporeal humanoid. Zhaan starts to pray but the figure interrupts her and says it is Moya's god, not hers. It identifies itself as Kahaynu and says that his people were those who created the Leviathans and gave them souls. He also says that he has examined Moya and found her in good health and that she has given birth but that he also knows that her offspring was a gunship. Pilot starts to explain but Kahaynu cuts him off by turning off the viewer.

"We created these beasts as emissaries of peace." he tells Zhaan
"Then you have succeeded, Kahaynu." she replies. "Moya is a gentle soul."
"That is able to reproduce ships that can dispense carnage." he says, ominously. "I am here to decommission Moya. To end her existence."

Back on the planet, Aeryn and Chiana are talking by the lake. Chiana tells Aeryn that she needs to talk to John and tell him how she feels. Aeryn says that John knows all he needs to know but Chiana tells her that John can't know what she won't tell him.

Dregon shows up again and, telling Aeryn that he can tell she is unhappy because John is marrying the princess, offers himself as a diversion to her and gives her one of the compatibility vials. Aeryn throws it into the lake and tells Dregon that she doesn't like him.

John and Katralla are continuing their argument. Katralla asks where the missing guard is and John says he is in heaven, gesturing upwards to emphasize his point. As he does so, he looks up and sees a spherical object floating near the ceiling. He asks Katralla if she knows what it is and she denies it. She tries calling the guards but finds that the door to the room they are in is locked. The sphere starts emitting some sort of gas and, after failing to break a window, John and Katralla collapse to the floor. They are saved at the last moment by ro-NA, who appears out of the gas, eyes glowing. Ro-NA leads them to safety and all three collapse in the hallway. Katralla, between coughs, says that she now believes John and that she will marry him.

Some time later, Rygel and Empress Novia are arguing. Rygel is questioning if she can protect John while she is disagreeing with a suggestion he has made. She says they do not recognize the device used against Katralla and John and Rygel says it is probably Scarran and probably planted by Clavor. Novia gets angry and tells him not to accuse her son of anything.

Rygel suggests that John be sent into hiding without telling anyone. Novia suggests he be sent to a freighter sent by the Jackench; ro-NA's people. She will have her own paladins protect him and ro-NA, who she says she trusts completely, will make the arrangements.
"You are most wise, Empress." compliments Rygel.
"And you are most manipulative, Dominar." responds Novia.

Elsewhere, ro-NA is watching in surprise as a Peacekeeper technician removes a red rod from a device inserted into Scorpius' head and replaces it with a blue rod. The device spins and retracts into Scorpius' head.

Ro-Na comments that she has been given a lot of money and Scorpius says she will get more after everything is complete. He hands her something which she identifies as a transequence ident wafer and asks if she knows what to do with it. When she says she does he pulls her so she is sitting in his lap and tells her she will soon be the wealthiest Jackench in the galaxy. She hops up and leaves. Scorpius then tells the technician to contact Lt. Braca and to tell him that there are to be no surviving witnesses.

Later, John is getting into the transport pod with ro-NA and two guards. Ro-NA gives him the ident wafer and tells him to insert it. John at first refuses, saying that he has already altered their transponder codes, but ro-NA says that this is the code Tyno will be looking for and he eventually switches out the ident wafers. He then chases her from the pilot's seat and the pod departs.

Meanwhile on Moya, Zhaan is distraught since Moya is shutting her systems down and Pilot is unable to do anything about it. She is angry at Kahaynu but he insists that Moya is acting on her own. She does not believe him and Moya herself speaks to Zhaan, her voice echoing through the corridors, saying that she is willingly shutting herself down. Zhaan is still angry.
"This is an abomination." she yells in frustration. "I am so filled with... uncharitable rage."

Back on the planet, Aeryn, Chiana, D'Argo and Rygel all confront Tyno. The transport pod carrying John disappeared as it left the atmosphere. Everyone is angry at Rygel at first since he did not tell them that John was leaving. Tyno does not know what happened to the pod but does not think it crashed or exploded. D'Argo thinks Scorpius is responsible and stalks off to look for him. Aeryn starts to leave to look for Cargn but Chiana reminds her of what happened the last time they met and goes off instead. Rygel goes to meet with the Empress and gets slapped by Aeryn as he leaves. Aeryn and Tyno are left in the room.
"I'm sorry." he tells her. "I know the worst is being left behind."

He departs as well, leaving Aeryn standing alone.

On the transport pod, John is unaware of the problem. He is asking ro-NA about the ship and she says it is an automated transport carrying wedding gifts. John tells her she can have some of them since he will be a statue for the next 80 cycles and she is surprised, saying that her people disapprove of acquisitions. He tells her she can have them anyway and, with a gleam in her eyes, she excitedly says she always wondered what she would do if she had wealth.

Below, on the planet, Katralla and Jenavian are apparently in the ladies room, adjusting their hair and makeup before a mirror. Jenavian nastily tells Katralla that she heard that John ran off rather than marry her and Katralla responds that it was because Jenavian's fiancee tried to kill him.
"What does that say about you?" she asks.
"Honestly?" says Jenavian. "That I pick winners."

They are interrupted from further conversation by the arrival of Aeryn who grabs both of them and slams their faces against the mirror. She tells them that she does not know what is going on but that if John is hurt, in any way, she will take it out on both of them. She leaves and Katralla and Jenavian return to their primping while trying to regain their composure.

Clavor is with Cargn and complaining about John's attack on him earlier in the day. Cargn tries to dismiss it and compliments Clavor on his gas attack against John and Katralla. Clavor is surprised and says he thought that Cargn was responsible for the gas attack.

They are then interrupted by the arrival of Chiana. She identifies herself as a Nebari but neither Clavor or Cargn react, so she points out that the Nebari can defeat command carriers and also have mind cleansing. Still neither seem impressed. More uncertainly, she says that if anything happens to John they can expect retribution then, embarrassed, quickly leaves.
"What the hezmana was that all about?" asks Clavor in confusion.
"They don't know where he is either." says Cargn, smugly. "You are going to rule!"

John, ro-NA and the two guards arrive at the Jackench freighter. Just as ro-NA turns on the lights both guards are killed by a pulse weapon. John tries to grab one of their weapons but is intercepted by Braca carrying a pulse pistol. Braca forces John to sit and tells ro-NA to contact Scorpius. She hurries to the communications panel. She also tells Braca that she has released the transport pod so the Marauder will be able to dock in its place.
"You do not get the toaster!" John tells her, annoyed.

Scorpius appears as a hologram and tells John that he is glad he captured him. John asks why and Scorpius tells him that the wormhole knowledge in his head makes him unique in all the galaxy. He then tells Braca to make sure ro-NA gets her payment, to her delight, and to be sure to give her something "extra" from him. He signs off as John continues to repeat the word "unique" under his breath.

John stands up and starts flipping switches at random. Braca threatens him with the pistol but John points out that he is "unique" and that Scorpius would be very unhappy with him if he killed "unique". Braca threatens to simply shoot him in the arm but John points out that humans are different from Sebaceans and that he would bleed to death if he did.

John suddenly leaps up, grabs the barrel of Braca's pistol and presses it against his own forehead, yelling for Braca to shoot. Braca, still gripping the pistol, looks on in horror. John moves the gun around, continuing to implore Braca to shoot. Finally, he shoves the gun away and starts flipping switches again. Ro-NA attempts to stop him and John points a finger at his own neck, threatening himself. Ro-NA falls back in confusion.

He continues to flip switches until he powers up the freighter's weapon systems. The automated defense satellites activate and begin firing on the freighter. Braca and ro-NA begin to panic while John runs around the cabin shouting and leaping maniacally. Ro-NA charges John but he easily grabs her and throws her to the deck. She charges him again and this time he flips her against the wall where she lands in a tangle of exposed electrical wiring. She is electrocuted and slumps to the floor, dead.

The freighter is beginning to break apart from the weapons fire and Braca runs for the airlock. John intercepts him and they fight but Braca gets away with the only space suit, leaving John screaming in frustration. He rushes to the communications panel but it shorts out before he is able to contact anyone. The freighter continues to shake and John steps away from the console in defeat.

Suddenly, he hears Scorpius' voice.
"Focus, John. Panic is unacceptable. You will survive." The voice seems to come from nowhere. "You've come too far to die."

John stands for a moment then, stopping only to pick up a pulse rifle from one of the fallen guards, walks to the airlock and steps inside. He stands there for a moment, taking deep, rapid breaths.
"Never get off the boat." he says, quietly. "Never get off the boat, man!"
With a final breath, he hits the controls and is sucked out into space.

John drifts away from the freighter, floating unprotected in the vacuum. The automated satellites continue to fire on the freighter and we see the transport pod drifting nearby. John, tumbling in space, repeatedly fires the pulse rifle and uses it to push himself towards the pod. He reaches it as the freighter explodes, showering him and the pod with debris. He manages to crawl into the hatch and close it behind him. As air rushes into the cabin he collapses onto the floor, blood leaking from his eyes and nose, and howls in agony.

Meanwhile, Zhaan wanders through a darkened Moya shouting for Kahaynu. He appears and she angrily points out to him that Pilot will die when Moya does and asks him to transfer Pilot to another Leviathan. Kahaynu refuses and Zhaan says she will not allow this to continue.

Back on the royal planet, John is lying in bed with what appears to be some type of medical device on his face. D'Argo is talking to him saying that the Empress is not going to do anything. John is surprised and points out that he has nearly been killed three times that day but D'Argo says that the empire can't afford to compromise its neutrality by kicking out someone at coronation time. John says he sounds like a history professor and D'Argo admits that Rygel has been teaching them politics. He also says that he will support John in whatever he decides to do.

Aeryn appears and D'Argo leaves. Aeryn tells John she is proud of him for the way he has continued to fight but he asks her if she has found a way for him to get off the planet and away from Scorpius. He says that maybe his staying there is for the best. Aeryn is stunned but he says he can't go on any longer.
"I'm tired." he tells her. "What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do when there's no fight left?"
"You run away." she replies.
He reaches out and strokes her hair. "With you?"
"With all of us." she says. "Together."

John pauses for a moment then takes his hand away from her and lies back on the bed. Aeryn stares at him for a moment, then stands up.
"You're no longer the Crichton I knew!" she says angrily and stalks from the room.

John continues to lie in the bed and stare at the ceiling.

Elsewhere in the palace, Aeryn is walking quickly but stops when she comes next to Dregon.
"I'm exploring the barren lands." she says without looking at him. "If you think you can keep up."
She leaves and, after a stunned moment, Dregon leaps up and runs after her.

John is lying curled up in bed. He stands and takes a step towards the door as if he is going to follow Aeryn. Then, he stops and sits down again, lowering his head to his hands.

Meanwhile, on Moya, Zhaan is sitting with Pilot who tells her that Moya is gone and that he will soon follow. Zhaan sadly strokes his cheek.
"I am ready now." says Pilot, quietly. "I have seen the stars."

Some time later, John arrives at the crowded chamber where the wedding will take place. Clavor scowls at him but Jenavian wishes him luck. Scorpius appears and tells him that he is making a mistake but John says he has asked that Scorpius be banned from the planet forever. Scorpius seems taken aback by this. John goes to stand beside the Empress as Katralla is led in by her father.

Everyone, enemy and ally, is at the wedding with the exception of Aeryn. Cargn snarls in anger but does nothing to interfere. In a simple ceremony, John and Katralla are married and Empress Novia presents them as the next rulers of the empire.

"Magnificent." whispers Rygel in satisfaction. "I smell power again."

Katralla kisses John then embraces him and whispers encouragement. She then moves into the crowd and begins to thank the wedding guests. John goes to Chiana and D'Argo and asks where Aeryn was but D'Argo says he will have to forget about her. John says he has recorded messages for Aeryn, Zhaan and Pilot and gives them to Chiana.
"I love you." she tells him.
"I know." he replies.

Katralla steps up to a device at the end of the room.
"I will stand beside you for 80 cycles with love in my heart," she tells John happily, "and long for the day when we may revive."
The machine activates and, in a flare of light, Katralla is converted into a statue. John stares in disbelief as polite applause is heard from the crowd.

Then, it is John's turn. He slowly steps up to the machine and is met by Tyno who tells him that the machine is only calibrated for Sebaceans.
"Endure the pain, and rule wisely." he says.

John turns to D'Argo who says it is time to say goodbye. He also says that he has good news and bad news for John. John asks for the bad news first.
"The bad news is that you are married and you must endure as a statue for 80 cycles in a strange world." says D'Argo. John looks at him in disbelief.
"What's the good news?" he asks.
D'Argo gives him a serious look. "Chiana and I are having fantastic sex." he says, in a perfect dead-pan voice.

John smiles and D'Argo begins to laugh. John steps up to the device and, laughing, throws up both hands in a V-for-victory salute as the device activates. He immediately screams and falls backwards onto one hand, the other thrown above his head, and is frozen in that position as he becomes a statue. The crowd applauds and D'Argo's laughter fades to a look of sadness.

This is, of course, the second part of the story which began in Look at the Princess: Part 1 - A Kiss is But a Kiss.

Scorpius has been chasing John since he escaped from him in The Hidden Memory. This is also the episode in which Moya gave birth to the Leviathan gunship Talyn.

Moya's pregnancy occurred in They've Got a Secret. It was revealed that the pregnancy was the result of a Peacekeeper breeding program in The Way We Weren't.

Pilot mentions that his biggest desire was to see the stars in The Way We Weren't.

We learn about the Nebari, how they can defeat command carriers and about mind cleansing, in Durka Returns.

There are lots of pop culture references from John this time around, many when he is his manic phase on the Jackench freighter. The schitck where he points a finger at his own neck and ends with "You people are so dumb" is from Blazing Saddles while his final line "Never get off the boat, man" is from Apocolypse Now. Later, just before he is turned into a statue, Chiana says "I love you" and John replies "I know." This same exchange occurs between Princess Leia and Han Solo just before he is encased in carbonite in Star Wars V - The Empire Strikes Back. Another Star Wars reference occurs earlier when he first sees the gas sphere and says it is similar to one Obi Wan had.

Both Clavor and Cargn thought the other responsible for the gas attack on John and Katralla; apparently it was the work of Scorpius but this is never stated explicitly. Was Scorpius also responsible for the attack on John at the end of the previous episode and the start of this one?

How did Jenavian know about the attack on John? Did Clavor and Cargn plan it and she learn of it that way or did she just happen to come by at the right time?

Jenavian is a Peacekeeper operative. Does she know of the situation between John and Scorpius? She revealed herself to John as she thinks he is another operative. Did she also report to Scorpius? After all, he is arguably the ranking Peacekeeper official here. Also, why has Cargn not discovered her true nature with his mind probe? He did use it on her in the previous episode.

How did Jenavian get from John's quarters after the attack and to the bath in her and Clavor's quarters so quickly? It seems as if John went straight to Clavor and he left her behind to dispose of the bodies. How did she get there before him without Clavor seeing her? For that matter, was she the one who disposed of the bodies or did someone else take care of them? If someone else, who?

Why did John hear Scorpius' voice telling him to get off the freighter as it was being destroyed?

Have I mentioned how much I love the Look at the Princess trilogy? This episode has everything; action, intrigue, politics, surprises, romance, treason, betrayal and that overall quirkiness that makes Farscape what it is. There was a lot going on in this episode so lets see if we can pick it apart.

Let's start with how much John has to put up with in this episode. He gets energy beamed by some guards, slapped by the princess, gassed by the sphere, attacked by ro-NA and Braca, takes a spacewalk in his street clothes and finally gets turned into a statue. And Aeryn is surprised that he's giving up? I'm amazed that he's still moving. Aeryn says that one of the things she admires about John is the fact that he never gives up and is angry with him when does. But John has been through a lot in a very short time. It's no wonder that he finally gives in.

Actually, it doesn't seem as if any of these are what finally get him though. When Aeryn is trying to get him to leave and run away, John asks "With you?" "With all of us." is her reply. Watch John's body language in this scene. He has been playing with her hair but when she gives her reply he takes his hand away and lies back in the bed. He has given Aeryn another chance to express her feelings and it is only when she doesn't that he gives up. It seems clear that if she had answered that question "Yes" that he would have left with her. Then, a few minutes later, he acts as if he is planning on following her then stops. He feels he has lost her or even that he never had her in the first place.

Aeryn, of course, is unaware of this. Even though Chiana clearly told her that John wouldn't know how she felt unless she told him Aeryn continues to feel as if John should know. What she doesn't realize is that she is giving him the opposite message.

It is obvious to us what her feelings are. If nothing else her threat to both Katralla and Jenavian shows that. However, for all the reasons I discussed last time she is unable to express them to him, even when she may be running out of time.

Compare this to Chiana. Here, in this episode, she tells him directly "I love you." "I know." is his reply. While she has never really openly professed her feelings for John she has never really kept them a secret either. And she certainly hasn't been giving John the mixed messages Aeryn has. Of course, she is involved with D'Argo and John is married to Katralla before she tells him. But she did tell him.

Aeryn doesn't. She doesn't even stay around to see the wedding. She can't tell John how she feels yet she can't stay and see him married to someone else. So, she takes off with Dregon, who she has been avoiding all this time, hoping to somehow take her mind off of John. She probably doesn't even know why she is doing this herself. It will be interesting to see what happens.

John is of course hurt by the fact that Aeryn doesn't show up at the wedding. He had hoped she would be there, if only as a friend. By not showing up she has hurt John more than she could realize.

We also get a good idea of the friendship between D'Argo and John in this episode. D'Argo gives John his complete support unconditionally, no matter what John decides. Later, John is happy for D'Argo and his relationship with Chiana, even though his own situation is deteriorating fast. The two have become extremely close friends and it shows.

Rygel also gets an opportunity to shine in this episode. While he tends to be ignored and looked down upon on Moya and always seems to be out for himself here we get to see the Rygel that was the ruler of 600 billion subjects. Empress Novia seems to treat him as an equal and even D'Argo acknowledges that his knowledge of politics is sound. Rygel may not get many chances to show what he is capable of but he does here.

I will only mention in passing that things are going badly for Zhaan and Pilot on Moya. I continue to think that the Moya subplot is somewhat weak and feel that it detracts from the main story.

A few casting notes of interest this time around. Kahaynu is played by Jonathan Hardy, who also provides the voice of Rygel. And ro-NA is played by Francesca Buller who is married to Ben Browder, our very own John Crichton. While everyone involved in Farscape are excellent actors it has to be strange to shoot a scene in which you fight and kill your own wife. (Francesca Buller also played M'Lee in the first season episode Bone to be Wild.)

Finally, about the scene where John leaps unprotected through a vacuum from the freighter back to the pod. This scene is actually not as unrealistic as many people may think. Despite what you may expect, it is possible to survive for a brief time unprotected in a vacuum. This scene also echoes a similar scene in 2002: A Space Odyssey where astronaut David Bowman has to leap from a pod and into his ship the Discovery without his helmet.

I Do, I Think is another excellent episode and one well worth watching.