I-Yensch, You-Yensch

Ratings
1.3 (US)

David Franklin.............Lt. Braca
Ben Mendelsohn.............Sko
Anthony Hayes..............Wa
Inge Hornstra..............Essk
Salvatore Coco.............Voodi
Thomas Holesgrove..........Naj Gil
Tammy MacIntosh............Jool (uncredited)

Wassup?

"Why so difficult?!?"

Despite their lack of enthusiasm when John first broached the plan, Moya's crew has made it a team effort to stop the Peacekeepers' wormhole research. While Rygel and D'Argo barter an uneasy truce with Scorpius to get John et al safely aboard the Command Carrier, the rest of the gang waits tensely for news -- until Talyn cracks under the strain.

Backstory

Naj Gil not only survived the shoot out in the previous episode, but apparently struck up a friendship with Jool in the process.

There are ship-based medical facilities in the Uncharted Territories. The one Moya encounters is an unarmed vessel, carrying 600 people.

Chiana's precognitive episodes continue, with a pair of incidents: in Command with John, she sees Peacekeepers, and in the docking bay, she sees herself mourning for Jool, whom she knocks out to prevent from leaving Moya's relative safety.

D'Argo and Rygel agreed to meet Scorpius alone and unarmed; they used D'Argo's ship rather than one of Moya's transport pods.

The crew asked for full amnesty and to be returned to their homes as free citizens, in exchange for John helping Scorpius.

Scorpius claims to be aware of the political situation, with regard to the Charrids.

The I-Yensch bracelets work by syncronizing nerve impulses; wearers are linked so that each feels the other's pain. Per Scorpius, if one wearer is killed, the other will die, as well. The bracelets have arming sequences, which prevent their removal unless the proper code is keyed in.

The weapon with which Braca is shot has some sort of heat effect; the wound smokes substancially.

Even in the Uncharted Territories, an insurance industry of some kind evidently exists. Voodi had arranged for arsonists to burn the diner, planning to use the insurance settlement to relocate with Essk.

Peacekeepers sometimes award supply contracts, according to Essk.

Per Pilot, Moya is heartbroken at the crew's plan for dealing with Talyn, even though she agrees it is necessary.

Talyn's irrational behavior seems to be completely dominating his personality -- he fires not only on the Med Ship, but on Moya herself.

The combination to Braca's bracelet: while holding two lights continuously, depress 3-1-4, then release all.

Talyn must have at least three hangar bays, since the transport from Moya docks at Bay 3.

D'Argo's ship only responds to DNA particles and voice ident.

Rygel notes that Scoprius wears no rank insignia.

Scorpius wears body armor; Rygel's cycles of captivity by the Peacekeepers led him to assume that.

Scorpius stashes a single pulse charge weapon (in the form of a silver rod) in his coolant rod chamber.

The bracelets are not specific to an individual; Braca is able to transfer his bracelet to Wa, who then feels the pain of D'Argo banging his head against the floor.

Rygel brings one of the bracelets back to Moya with him, presumably so that the crew can program it prior to giving it to Scorpius to wear.

The diner is burning as D'Argo and Rygel lift off. It is likely that Essk set the fire, at Voodi's final request.

Reactions

Questions

1. At the end of Fractures, only Crais and Aeryn went to stand beside John. The rest of the crew -- as well as Moya and Talyn -- was against contacting the Command Carrier. Exactly when and how did the entire crew (and both Leviathans) agree to the mission?
2. What's with all the snorting? Not just the arsonists, but also the waitress, snorted in the course of a normal conversation.
3. Scorpius says, "Ah, the Luxan...and the Dominar", as he enters the diner. Did he possibly not know which of Moya's crew would be meeting him there?
4. Who sent the Prowler and Marauder to Moya and the Med Ship's location? Was it Scorpius, as Chiana claimed?
5. While Rygel was guessing the truth about the arson plan, where were Scorpius and Sko? They appear to come out of the kitchen a moment later, with Essk and Voodi -- what were they doing in there?
6. Why is Aeryn able to "talk Talyn down" from his paranoia, when Crais is so helpless in the face of it? After so much time with Crais as his captain, why does Talyn still look to Aeryn on issues of trust?
7. Chiana's spiritual side shows again at the end of this episode, as she watches Talyn's shutdown via the viewscreen in Command, chanting what sounds like a prayer. Was it a Nebari ritual, or something she learned from Zhaan?
8. Before the arsonists arrive, Scorpius refuses the deal because he is unwilling to wear one of the bracelets. After the arsonists are killed, he agrees to the deal. What was it about that experience that led him to trust the crew's offer?

Observations

1. Despite her annoying traits, Jool is evidently someone Chiana has come to value -- she's willing to knock Jool unconscious in the docking bay, in order to save her life.
2. Excellent physical work by both David Franklin and Anthony Simcoe in this episode, with regard to their timing, and matching each other's reactions. Their reaction when Rygel headbutts Braca was perfect. D'Argo hitting Braca to keep him awake, and feeling the blow himself, was also well done. They also each did great work on their own. The expression of pain on Braca's face after he's shot is perfect. And, D'Argo continuing to bang his head on the floor was excellent slapstick.
3. Rygel and Scorpius with helium voices -- hysterical.
4. Moya is apparently listening closely to the crew, as they discuss what to do about Talyn. It's not that often that she appears to "listen in" so directly on their conversations.
5. Rygel shows somewhat atypical noble tendencies, first attempting to get water for Braca, then offering Sko currency if he'll spare Essk's life. He also displays his skill at reading people and situations: he recognizes that Scorpius would kill Braca if it suited his purposes (a revelation which seems to have come as somewhat of a surprise to Braca), he figures out the arson plan, and he knows how to employ Scorpius as an ally to resolve the situation.

Bloopers

1. The lack of blue makeup around Sko's eyes was distracting; it wasn't nearly so noticable on Wa.

Annotations

The title (directly referring to the "I-Yensch" bracelets) is probably a play on the children's chant (spoken by Crichton in "Crackers Don't Matter"), "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream."

The overall plot is loosely based on Sidney Lumet's 1975 film DOG DAY AFTERNOON, in which two would-be crooks -- played by Al Pacino and John Cazale -- attempt to rob a bank. What starts out as a simple crime snowballs into a rather absurd hostage situation.

There's also an homage to another Pacino film, Michael Mann's HEAT from 1995. The meeting between the enemy sides -- Scorpius & Braca, and Rygel & D'Argo -- in a diner, recalls the similar scene in HEAT in which Detective Hanna (Pacino) and his nemesis McCauley (Robert DeNiro) meet in a diner to discuss their conflict.

(see also www.crichtonisms.com)

Translator Microbe Report

Quotables

"Not afraid of death?"
"Oh, just let me finish these. And please don't miss. Aim for the head, hmm?"
- Scorpius, Rygel

"I knew it. I knew Peacekeepers would come. C'mon. C'mon."
"What, did you see that too? Is there anything you don't see?"
"Nice."
- Chiana, Jool

"You bitch, I could be gone! I could be on that Med Ship! But no, you had to see things! And then you punched me!"
- Jool

"We have almost closed the deal. Put it on."
"That's easy for you to say."
- Rygel, D'Argo

"A liar! Peacekeeper officer can't even stiv without his troops."
"I can stiv [on] my own, thank you very much."
- Sko, Scorpius

"Talyn is in shock. He has expressed absolute remorse for his mistake."
"Six hundred dead. That's a little more than a mistake, Crais."
- Bialar Crais, Jool

"When he comes back, will he still be Talyn?"
"No. He will be...uh...different. Brand new. But something has to be done. Moya must know that. Six hundred innocents have just lost their lives."
- Aeryn Sun, Bialar Crais

"This, uh, robbery doesn't seem to be turning out like you planned...if you had a plan, which (don't get upset!) doesn't seem to be the case."
"We're doing fine."
"This is fine? I'd hate to see when you do badly."
- Rygel, Wa

"What do you think we should do?"
"You asking me?"
"Yes. We can still work together, John. We always did that well."
- Aeryn Sun, John Crichton

"Talyn has been our home, and on more than one occasion, he has saved our lives. I personally have shared with him some of the best, and also some of the worst, times. You must know that I would never harm him."
- Aeryn Sun

"The moment you comm them, you're dead, and you won't even see them coming. Why risk it, when you have a far greater prize here, and you don't even know it? Behold Rygel XVI, sovereign of Hyneria, heir to all its wealth and fabled star planets -- he, you should ransom."
- Scorpius

"You're the only one we care about, little slime toad."
- Sko

"Why don't they stick their leearvink up their fekick? No, no...no, why don't we put a frelling sign out the front, huh? Huh? Yeah? 'Leearvink Not Done Here.'"
- Voodi

"We only have a limited window before they discover no one will pay a kretmar for you."
"That's your fault -- you told them to ransom me."
- Scorpius, Rygel

"Give us a hand here, Princess."
"I can't believe Talyn blew up Moya."
"I'm sure it was an accident -- bet he was really aiming for you."
[grrrs]
- Chiana, Jool

"Why so difficult?!?"
- Sko

"Burn this place down in my honor."
- Voodi

"Slime finger, what are you doing?"
"Helping keep this man alive."
"Oh, no, you're not. Now back away!"
- Sko, Rygel

"Talyn, you listen to me. You destroyed a ship with many innocent people onboard. You shot your own mother. You would never do that unless you were sick and frightened. When Moya told you what we had to do, you panicked and struck out. I don't think you really meant to hurt Moya. You could have destroyed her if you wanted to but you didn't -- just as I'm hoping you don't really want to hurt us, because we don't want to hurt you. Talyn, you know you're sick. You let us board. Now, I don't want you to be frightened. You're not going to die. You'll be reborn. It's a fresh start. Please, Talyn. Let us take away your pain."
- Aeryn Sun

"Stay awake. Stay awake. [hits Braca] Ow!!! Stay awake..."
- D'Argo

"Dominar--"
"Butcher!"
"You said this one was more valuable."
"That was a microt ago."
- Scorpius, Rygel, Sko

"You okay?"
"Fine."
"Listen, Crais and I can wrap it up from here."
"I can finish the job."
"I know. But if you want to go back to Moya..."
"I don't. But, thank you."
- John Crichton, Aeryn Sun

"Yes, Talyn. I promise you that I will do everything I can, and Crichton and Aeryn will as well. We are all here with you. You have not disappointed me. I don't hold you responsible. Neither does Moya."
[burble]
"No, no -- on the contrary, Talyn. You are very brave."
- Bialar Crais, Talyn

"He's gone."
- Bialar Crais

"Where are you going?"
"Need a kill souvenir. Want to help?"
"Ahh, sick toad."
- Sko, Rygel

"Sorry I had to shoot you, but...you know how it goes."
- Rygel

"Hynerian!"
"Almost done! His ears are tougher than I thought."
- Sko, Rygel

"Why so difficult?!?!"
"Because you didn't think it through, fekkik. You didn't have a plan."
- Sko, Rygel

"D'Argo? D'Argo!"
"Wha--?"
"Are you... all right?"
"Ah, I'm fine...I've got a, uh...I've got a hard...skull...I just think that I'll, uh..."
- Rygel, D'Argo

"What happened to you guys? Why...why didn't you call in?"
"Well, the restaurant, it, uh, sort of burned down -- I don't want to talk about it, it's a long story."
- Chiana, D'Argo

"I have a bad feeling, about the Command Carrier."
"Do you think we shouldn't go?"
"I don't think we have a choice. If Scorpius masters wormholes, then..."
"Yeah, some things...you die for."
"I just can't...watch that happen...again. It was perfect...we were so...perfect...and you're just like him, I mean, you are him."
"No, I'm me. I was here. I missed that dance. Aeryn...don't come with us."
"No, we started this together, Crichton. That's how we'll end it."
- Aeryn Sun, John Crichton

Comments from Cast & Crew

Farscape Wrap Day Extravaganza, July 26, 2001

• Moderator: <PhantomComputer> to <Moderator>: Ricky, What are the titles of the last 4 eps?

  FrooniumRicky: 319, 320, 321, 322
  FrooniumRicky: truthfully, we haven't even locked titles down for half of 'me
  FrooniumRicky: 'em, rather