The Peacekeeper Wars

Hello and welcome to another installment of reviews by OboeCrazy! It has been a very, VERY long time since I've had the pleasure to sit down and watch a brand new Farscape. This review might be a bit different then the others, simply because you can't talk about a 4 hour mini series the same way you do about a 1 hour episode. Either way, this review does contain HUGE HONKIN' SPOILERS for the Mini, so unless you've seen the show or don't mind finding out what happened, you might want to come read this later.

"Sixty days, any regrets?"
"No, it's going really well!"
-Crichton and Aeryn

After a mammoth campaign, a ton of press, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears from the fans, the producers, the cast and crew, we are gifted with the four hour MiniFarscape. A production that, in most ways, rivals the creative excellence of the TV series and brings to a close this chapter in the lives of our friends on Moya. It's a bitter sweet ending, better than the horrific pulled-plug of season 4 simply because it tells a story with a true beginning, middle and end, and yet it does have a finality to it. The same sense you get after finishing a good book you've become addicted to; after staying up nights hungry to read every word, suddenly you see the last two that say "The End" and wish to go back to the beginning and start over. In the end, it's an effort worthy of the Farscape name, and all the players involved should be proud. And since the ratings showed both nights were excellent nights, and night two actually had MORE viewers then night one, apparently the vast majority of viewing audience agrees.

"Carry their baby, marry them off...what next? Let them move in?"
-Rygel

The story picks up where season four cut off, and does a reasonable job filling in backstory for those who have never watched the television series. It will still be difficult for newbies to follow, not from failure by the Farscape team, but simply due to the sheer depth and size of the ongoing story involved. There is simply no practical way to tell all the backstory without filling up half the Mini with flashbacks and narration, and even then you'd miss out. So, like always, the cast and crew have trusted in the intelligence of their viewers to pay attention to the information given and go along with the ride. However that doesn't mean little tidbits of fun aren't sprinkled all over the Mini for those fans who've watched the show from day one. John announces to the Idelons he's about to launch into his story "for the eighty-ninth time", which just happens to be the number of episodes Farscape has had if you count MiniFarscape as number 89. The nebula outside Moya that John and Aeryn show their baby too looks an awful lot like the one from the end of "Green Eyed Monster" where TalynJohn and Aeryn share a kiss. John even mentions the one star belonging to his wife, as is his custom to name his guiding star Aeryn when making a new star chart. These wonderful morsels will keep fans digging through dialogue for months.

"Wormholes? No. Weapons? No. Killing? No. Crichton? No!"
-Crichton

Some of the larger plot threads left dangling in season four are resolved within minutes. Chiana's blindness is quickly fixed off-screen with some new eyes, and John and Aeryn are reconstituted from the Foldgers crystals they were disintegrated into before the first commercial break. That's not to say these plot points are resolved then ignored. Chiana's new eyes have their own unique version of X-Ray vision, and prove invaluable in the trials ahead. And while John and Aeryn are reconstituted without problem, the child Aeryn had carried ends up transplanted into Rygel in an unfortunate accident caused by his method of carrying the crystals to safety. I wonder how many showers John and Aeryn took before they felt clean again after finding out they'd been eaten and regurgitated by the Hynerian. Yuck...

Once some of the basics are established and our cast of characters introduced it doesn't take long for the dren to hit the fan. War is on between the Scarrans and the Peacekeepers, and both are desperate for the wormhole knowledge in Crichton's head. Despite vowing to do nothing but protect Aeryn and their child from harm by running away at any opportunity, Crichton and friends are quickly drawn into the conflict as they attempt to bring peace to the galaxy before it can be destroyed. Several familiar faces make a return, including the screaming Jool who's become an adult in more ways than one, and D'Argo's estranged son Jothee who not only gets the chance to rescue his Dad but fight along side him once again.

"I'm proud of you, son."
"Yeah, it's all genetics, Father. It's like the Luxan lottery."
-D'Argo and Jothee

Despite numerous battle sequences that make most action movies look like Sesame Street and a tendency to blow things up at every opportunity, the Mini continues to be focused on the characters more than the plot. The battles thrill not just because of the amazing effects and action, but because we truly care about those who are involved. And outside of firefights the few moments these characters can steal between each other are priceless.

Minor beloved characters also get a role to play. Captain Braca shows up again, and though his screen time is small and mostly in battle sequences, it's always fun to see him surviving. Noranti plays tour guide and advisor to the Idelons, the true peacekeepers of the galaxy. Once again Stark becomes plot device central, using his powers to literally save peace from destruction, though he does have a few nice moments in between and we are allowed to see his growth and change due to his experiences. Sikozu is still hanging on Scorpius' side, though except for one introspective moment with Aeryn and a plot twist at the end she's mostly there as a mouthpiece for Scorpius, who has flashes of two emotions we rarely see in the half-breed; desperation and regret. Sitting in John's head is still the neural clone Harvey, who breaks into a few of the more intense scenes to offer us a surreal commentary on what John should be doing. It's absolutely appropriate when he shows up as Albert Einstein to argue with John to hand over the wormhole knowledge to Scorpius, and offers an interesting dichotomy with the real Einstein who not only created the most destructive bomb on the planet but was the most adamant opponent of their use. He also has quite the memorable death scene, replying the ending of 2001 in a wonderful mixture of surreal comedy and quiet farewell.

"Goodbye, John. Thanks for your memories."
-Harvey

Most of the development belongs to the five principals who have been with us since season one. Each in their own way has a chance to shine, grow, change, laugh, and break our hearts. Rygel's paternal (or would it be maternal?) side is shown for the first time. Despite grumbling over his unwanted roll as surrogate parent, he takes on the task of protecting Aeryn and John's child with seriousness, and even after the baby is born we're graced with touches of a gentle Rygel. D'Argo and Chiana have settled into a more comfortable relationship again, something even former lover and son Jothee is happy to see. And John and Aeryn have completely moved past the insecurities in the last two seasons and embraced each other as husband and wife. The struggle now turns internal, as Aeryn frets over her ambiguous feelings about having a child and John tortures himself trying to decide what course of action is best for his new family and friends.

"I'm pregnant, not incapacitated."
-Aeryn

Claudia Black is given a chance to shine as both warrior woman and mother, and she and Ben Browder share two gloriously joyful moments towards the end of the Mini.In a show where happiness is measured in minutes and it's never a real happy ending, Aeryn and John are allowed the healthy birth of their child and the sweet serenity of naming him in peace. Watching the smiles light their faces are enough to erase episodes of pain and anguish, and are genuine gifts from the actors.

"Do you love each other?"
"Yes!!"
"Enough to be married forever?"
"YES!!"
"Then you are! Congratulations!"
-Stark, Crichton and Aeryn

Four hours of twists and turns lead to a climax in the last thirty minutes that literally had me engrossed and sobbing the entire time. We loose several characters along the journey to the end, and none are more missed than Ka D'Argo. In an act of sacrifice that breaks the heart, D'Argo remains behind when mortally wounded to cover the escape of his friends. There's been a lot of discussion online about if he really is dead, and plot twists that allow him to return in some form have been offered. I'm going to make what might be a very unpopular statement and say I hope none of the theories are true and D'Argo really is dead. Not that I wish his character to be dead! On the contrary, the Luxan warrior is as beloved a character as any and has shown some of the most remarkable development on the series. I would have loved nothing more than to have him survive so he and Chiana could have the same happy ending John and Aeryn were given. However that scene gave an emotional impact that would be weakened and diluted if we were to find out in the future it was all a trick and he'd survived.

"You're the closest friend I have."
"You could have done better."
"Nowhere in the universe."
-Crichton and D'Argo

We've been given a tremendous gift as fans. We've fallen in love with characters who aren't even real, grown to care for people who don't exist except on a small screen in our homes, and have been touched by their lives.  Our gut reactions to deny their deaths, to insist on something else, is testament to the power they had in our hearts.  It shows the remarkable skill, dedication, and love the actors put into them...making them not characters who aren't real or people who don't exist outside of a TV, but friends who we deeply mourn their passing. How many other fictional characters have done that to you?  How many other times have you cried for the death of a make believe person?

That moment, in all it's horrific sadness, is a beautiful moment.  Watch Crichton as he struggles to do what needs to be done as he must watch his best friend die.  The look on his face alone when he grips back tears to tell D'Argo how much he'll miss him is enough to break your heart. Watch Chiana as she collapses into the grief of a woman loosing her lover.  Here's a strong, independent woman, a drifter and a tralk, gripped by grief so strong she must be dragged away. And watch D'Argo, ever the practical warrior, say goodbye to two of the people who've meant the most to him in the last four cycles and set himself with grim determination to do whatever it takes to protect them. It's a moment that deserves every award out there, and truly a tour de force for Ben Browder, Gigi Edgly, and Anthony Simcoe.

D'Argo, Chiana, and Crichton deserve that moment.  D'Argo deserves that amazing, noble, brave, loving end.  And I would rather embrace that moment for all it's beauty and say goodbye to Ka D'Argo, Luxan father, warrior, friend, captain, and lover, then change it at all even if it would bring him back to life. Because his death is just as much a part of his life, and who could ask for a better ending to a glorious life then that?

"Your father and I want you to have a name that means courage and strength. So we have chosen D'Argo Sun Crichton."
-Aeryn

And in a way that's what Peacekeeper Wars is all about. An amazing ending to a glorious life. Sure there are faults and problems. But they are small compared to the overall experience. Many in the cast and crew have talked about this Mini as the end of a book, but not necessarily the last book in the series. Since this show is character driven it can never really end. There will always be loose threads to tie up; Chiana's brother in the Nebari resistance and that war is waiting to be explored, Rygel's quest to retake his throne is mentioned but not acted on yet, and who knows what life will be like for John, Aeryn, and little baby D'Argo out in the universe. Like real life this is the end of an era but not the end.

"Crichton, whenever we cross paths I leave the encounter transformed. And no more so than on this occasion. Thanks to you I found my own internal peace.Remember me, John, till we meet again."
-Stark

Will there be more? Who knows. Can there be more? If anything I think the possibilities are even more open now then before. With the cancellation after season four, any new Farscape project had to be tied to the cliffhanger. Peacekeeper Wars did an excellent job creating an individual project that still completed an ongoing story. Now we are given a fresh start.T he possibilities for a feature film are greater with the freedom to create a truly stand alone story, or continue with a new miniseries that goes off in any direction the creators choose. I absolutely hope this is not the last review of Farscape I write, but I will admit to being satisfied with the outcome and content knowing the last chapter of my favorite book wasn't ripped out. The book is whole once again, and the journey my favorite characters have taken has reached an end.

Until the next book comes out, I'll just have to go back to page one and read it all over again...
Lauren (OboeCrazy)