Classics: Farscape 3:11 - Incubator

Overall: 9.2

And here's another outstanding character piece! I love the third season.

Plot Synopsis:

Scorpy's "home movies" are discussed in detail at the Farscape Wiki.

The Skinny:

Of course, Scorpius is not the most reliable narrator ever. For all we know, the story he shares with Head!John could be just that: a story. It could all be a self-serving fabrication designed to inspire Head!John's sympathy. (As I discovered at a convention in 2004, that is the reading that Wayne Pygram favors.) However, I'm going to run with the assumption that everything we see here is all true because that's just more interesting. It's more interesting to imagine that Scorpius is the way he is because he is the product of a non-consensual sexual union -- and that he is the way he is because he was physically and emotionally tortured by his adoptive Scarran mother. It's more interesting to imagine that Scorpius is obsessed with wormhole technology because he wants revenge, not absolute power. And a Big Bad like Scorpius is certainly more entertaining when his writers provide viewers like me the occasional opportunity to admire their villain in some perverse way. I mean, you have to respect Scorpius' survival instincts if nothing else.

At the same time, I'm glad that Head!John ultimately refuses to give Scorpius everything he wants. That's the only resolution that's even remotely in character. And however understandable Scorpius' motives might be, vengeance is still vengeance -- and not something to be encouraged no matter how wicked its target. (And the Scarrans are wicked. Make no mistake about that.) Plus, is Scorpius really trustworthy enough to be handed the keys to control of the entire galaxy? Hell no! He's still evil when you get right down to it -- and as such, wormhole technology should be kept far beyond his reach.

Writing: 9.5

Best. Scorpius story. Ever.

Acting: 9.0

I guess now's the perfect time to note that I think Wayne Pygram is pretty awesome. He's scary as hell sometimes, but awesome just the same.

Message: 9.0

The theme - that an overpowering rage can lead a man to do some very heinous things - is implicit here, but that doesn't make it any less worthy of praise.