Episode Guide > Season Three > I-Yensch, You-Yensch

US OAD: April 5, 2002

Written by: Matt Ford

Directed by: Peter Andrikidis

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Summary:

At the end of Fractures, Crichton announced to the Crew that he would stop Scorpius from developing wormhole technology. Moya's crew didn't seem very enthusiastic for heroics, but they apparently had a change of heart. Crichton's plan, the details not yet revealed to the viewer, requires a little trip to Scorpius' command carrier. Not a fool, Crichton needs assurances for his safety and sends Rygel and D'Argo as his representatives to negotiate with Scorpius.

D'Argo, Rygel, Scorpius and Lt. Braca meet in a dingy diner on a dump of a planet to work out details acceptable to all. Rygel explains to Scorpius that Crichton would rather help Peacekeepers acquire wormhole technology than watch Scarrans develop it first. Scorpius is agreeable to the idea of Crichton's assistance, but Rygel wants assurances beyond words that all will be safe. Scorpius has the answer.

Lt. Braca presents two Yensch bracelets that Crichton and he will wear. The devices, when worn by two people, allow each to feel the other's pain. If one gets hurt, they both get hurt; if one dies, they both die. Rygel is satisfied with the technology, but insists that Scorpius, not Lt. Braca be the one sharing the bracelets with Crichton. Scorpius refuses the suggestion and it seems the negotiations will end at an impasse.

Just as the negotiations break down, two blue bandits burst into the diner and immediately point their weapons at the negotiating party. Unarmed and without a way to communicate with the outside world, D'Argo, Rygel, Scorpius and Braca are at the mercy of the two would-be robbers. Now hostages for ransom, and with D'Argo and Braca immobilized by the Yensch bracelets, it's up to Scorpy and Rygel to grudgingly combine their talents before they are all killed.

Back on Moya, Naj Gil, the Scarran prisoner from Fractures, is leaving Moya for safe passage aboard a hospital ship. Fearful of making enemies with Peacekeepers and wanting to return home, Jool decides to leave Moya and join the Scarran. However, before she gets the chance to join Naj Gil, something terrible happens.

While waiting for word from Rygel and D'Argo, Moya and Talyn sense Peacekeeper warships approaching fast. Just as Moya is about to be attacked, Talyn destroys the Peacekeeper ships, much to everyone's relief. However, still highly agitated and upset, Talyn turns his guns on the unarmed hospital ship and destroys it, killing Naj Gil and hundreds of innocent people in the process. Distraught, Talyn shuts himself down and is unwilling to communicate with anyone, including Crais.

Finally acknowledging that there is something terribly wrong with Talyn, Crais discusses with Moya and her crew the possibility of shutting down Talyn's higher brain functions and taking him somewhere safe for rehabilitation. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on one's perspective, Talyn will emerge from rehabilitation a different Leviathan. Everything he is and has learned will be lost. All are devastated by Talyn's situation, not the least of whom his mother, Moya. The decision is made to proceed with shutting Talyn down, but doing so will require the Leviathan gunship's cooperation.

Analysis:

I-Yensch, You-Yensch not bad by any means, but it suffers from a perplexing plot hole and two very annoying villains.

The plot hole: I thought Scorpius can sense when someone is being deceitful. Scorpy sensed Crichton wasn't the Peacekeeper Larraq in Nerve, was able to tell when Rygel was being untruthful in Family Ties, and he explained his abilities in detail during Incubator. Yet, he needed the ruse of a false execution to make sure D'Argo and Rygel were truly alone. One would think Scorpy would be able to see through Rygel and D'Argo's deceit, but for the moment, Scorpy seems to have lost that ability. How convenient for Crichton.

Then there are our two blue villains. From time to time, Farscape features really annoying bad guys. If I could choose only one word to describe these two characters it would be Pendejo, pronounced Pen-de-ho. Not sure of the exact English translation, but it's Texan/Mexican for babbling idiot. These guy are so incompetent, I'm not sure if they are meant as some kind of twisted comic relief or simply the result of some unfortunate writing. Whatever...

On a bright note, watching Rygel and Scorpius combine their talents to save their skins was fun to watch.

The situation involving Talyn is very hard to watch. Since his birth during The Hidden Memory, we have watched the yound Leviathan slip ever deeper into maddness. It was like he was doomed from the very start and I'm not sure Crais is entirely to blame for Talyn's behavior. Truly believe Crais tried his hardest to steer the young Leviatan away from violence, but it wasn't enough.

Overall, an okay, but far from great episode. In fact, compared to its S1 and S2 counterparts (Nerve and Liars, Guns, and Money part 1) Yensch seems small and forgetable. This episode is a set-up for what promises to be an eventful final three episodes of the season.

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