Here’s the situation at the beginning of “Family Ties.” Our heroes are still hiding in the asteroid field within the stellar system in which Scorpius has his gammak base. Crais’s command carrier is also in the system. They left M’Lee on the botanical asteroid to meet up with the Peacekeepers.
<Scorpius quip clip>
Love that line. It’s delicious, no pun intended.
Things are okay for our heroes; okay relative to their usual predicaments. But as we’ve already learned, there’s no stalemate that Chiana and Rygel can’t frell up. This time, it’s Rygel’s turn.
<talking with Rygel clip>
Oh, so now, Rygel can pilot a transport pod. Maybe they teach that at Dominar School. Anyway, Rygel has piloted himself into the range of Crais.
<Crais: Why would the Hyenrian … clip>
Yes, Rygel is there to sell out his companions. Only now, he’s dealing with Scorpius as well as Crais. At least Rygel has a plan, which is more than the others have.
< Crichton, Aeryn, and D’Argo discuss plans>
Not that Rygel’s plan is going well.
<Scorpius threatens Rygel clip>
Now that is interesting, and I will interrupt here with a Ponderable that I usually reserve for the end. Crais clearly has a history with Hynerians. We saw the severed heads in his quarters in the previous episode. Here we learn that Rygel knows something about Crais’s past history with Hynerians, which Crais confirms. What is Crais’s history? What has he done? Did he participate in the coup that removed Rygel from his throne? Questions to ponder.
Whatever relationship Rygel had with Crais, it’s about to get weirder.
<Rygel’s bath scene>
Crais now has a plan, one that understandably shocks our heroes.
<Crais arrives clip>
Clearly awkward indeed.
<Aeryn and Crais clip>
Yeah, the effects of the aurora chair on Crais were glossed over. From the effects on Crichton that we saw, it doesn’t seem like Crais should have emerged so unscathed, especially given how Aeryn turned the chair up to 11.
Despite this plot hole, Crais is clearly in a difficult position, as Rygel explains.
<Rygel explains clip>
Rygel’s actions are reprehensible, but they change the dynamics among the people in the episode. Their current predicament forces a shared reckoning that begins before Rygel’s return.
“Family Ties” is a pertinent title for this episode, because the family that is becoming a reality is now being threatened and forever altered.
<Zhaan on family>
Aeryn now has a bond with Pilot.
<chaperone clip to “entered my mind “>
We also see our first glimpse of D’Argo’s interest in Chiana.
<don’t tell me how to lie>
Aeryn moves closer to Crichton.
<Aeryn’s conversation with Crichton>
And to D’Argo.
<Aeryn and D’Argo clip>
They are a family now, a team. Found families are the strongest ones, in my opinion. One person conspicuously left out of this love fest is Rygel. He has only himself to blame. He tried to give away his companions, but ended up bringing back Crais, though that is an odd but significant addition to the family.
<Crais confession clip>
It’s a little weird that they accept back Rygel and even weirder that they accept Crais, but they do. Turns out that Crais is actually helpful.
<the plan is hatched>
They all understand—it’s the wormhole knowledge in Crichton’s mind. Crais is now dispensable to Scorpius.
<Braca reports clip>
So, Crais has to find a new purpose.
<they enter the new leviathan>
Meanwhile, Crichton has two revealing conversations.
<with Chiana>
<with Rygel>
Crichton has come into his own. Chiana is a quicker learner than Rygel about paying it forward.
<Chiana’s buffet clip>
So, D’Argo and Crichton depart to set fire to the oil-colored moon.
< D’Argo: Zhaan said … >
<Braca reports the explosives>
Hmm, what language is that?
Anyway, their plan has one serious flaw—it’s beyond fahrbot.
<Zhaan: Aeryn! Go and get them>
Meanwhile.
<Crais board Talyn>
Should have kept your eyes on our boy, Crais.
< Crais! You listen to me now!>
Aeryn can’t get to D’Argo and Crichton; Moya doesn’t want to leave her child. Frelled all around. But did I mention that Crichton has come into his own?
<Crichton speaks to Moya>
There’s your season-ending cliffhanger, expertly executed as we have come to expect from Farscape, the greatest ever science fiction show.