Recap / Farscape S 03 E 15 Infinite Possibilities Icarus Abides

Season 3, Episode 15:

Infinite Possibilities, part 2: Icarus Abides

Harvey seems to have taken control, but it's a last-ditch attempt at revenge by goading the others into killing Crichton: in moments, Harvey "dies" and Crichton is fine. The wormhole knowledge is unlocked and Crichton gradually begins to understand the science and technology behind wormholes as he works with Jack to build the weapon. Meanwhile, in orbit, a Scarran boards Talyn while he and Crais are blinded. Crais and Stark are forced to help the Scarran make Talyn operational.

When Jack's weapon is almost complete, he informs Crichton that it's got no emergency shutdown and once activated, it'll self-destruct within two arns, making it a one-time-use weapon. He asks everyone to leave as he finishes the weapon, because it can give off radiation, but when Jack is alone with Furlow, she shoots him and allows Charrids into the compound, ready to cut a deal. When the Charrids try to double-cross her, she tries to escape with the weapon in a buggy and Crichton pursues, but in the course of the chase the weapon is damaged and activated. In order to repair it in time, Crichton takes a lethal dose of radiation. Onboard Talyn, Crais and Stark use a ploy with the control transponders to pin their Scarran captor in place while Talyn's internal guns destroy it.

Starting to succumb to the radiation, Crichton flies Furlow's module and the weapon into orbit as Aeryn destroys the compound and the rest of the crew return to Talyn. When the Scarran Dreadnought arrives, Crichton activates the weapon, which opens a wormhole whose aperture touches the sun, causing it to release a massive burst of energy that completely destroys the Dreadnought. Later, back aboard Talyn, Crichton says goodbye to Crais, Stark and Rygel and they leave him alone with Aeryn. As he slips away, Crichton tells Aeryn about how grateful he is to have done some good with his life, to have seen the universe, and most importantly, to have been with her.

Crichton: Don't worry about me... I've never felt better.

In Aeryn's arms, he dies.

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Tropes present in this episode include:

• And This Is for...: "Jack, this one's for you."
• Bittersweet Ending: The wormhole knowledge is kept from the Scarrans, but only after Jack and Crichton die.
• Died in Your Arms Tonight: Aeryn is holding Crichton as he succumbs to radiation sickness.
• Face Death with Dignity: Crichton
• Heroic Sacrifice: Crichton knowingly exposes himself to radiation to ultimately defeat the Scarrans.
• It Has Been an Honor: Very much Crais and Crichton's attitude as the latter lies dying.
• He Knows Too Much: Mostly averted as Crichton suggests Jack is going to kill all of them afterwards because the knowledge has been unlocked and they're building a wormhole weapon and Jack says it's unlikely he can seal up the knowledge again afterwards. Jack says that Aeryn is not a threat because she doesn't possess the know how to make use of it and while he's debating killing Furlow because he's not sure if he can trust her he plans to allow John to keep the knowledge and leave without trouble because he trusts his intentions. Jack wouldn't get the chance though and it proves moot in the end.
• Karma Houdini: Furlow escapes in the end. Although her compound and all of her technology has been destroyed, all her techs have been killed, she didn't receive the payment she wanted, and as she herself says, she's too old to start over again, so it's quite the Pyrrhic Victory for her, if that.
• Kick the Dog: During the teaser.
  Harvey!Crichton: And Zhaan gave herself for you. What a waste, wouldn't you say?
• Meaningful Name: To finish the Classical Mythology reference—while both this and the previous episode revolve around the solar flares as a major plot point (right down to the blinding of Crais and Talyn), it's in this one that it comes to full fruition. Not only does Crichton end up literally flying the capsule quite close to the sun via the wormhole he creates, and engulf the Dreadnaught in its fireball, but it's also because he had to expose himself to the weapon's radiation (rather like a sun) that he ends up dying. The difference is that rather than his death being one of hubris and disobedience like Icarus, Crichton makes the choice to expose himself to what he knows will kill him so as to destroy the Scarrans and save the others. This, however, only makes it more tragic.
• The Mole: Furlow has been working with the Scarrans and the Charrids the entire time.
• Not Quite Dead: Rygel, it turns out, after taking a piece of shrapnel to the gut when the gun turret gets blasted.
• Obliviously Superpowered: Crichton's brain has trouble processing the wormhole knowledge, and he initially believes that he doesn't have any ability to actually use it... but then, while Ancient Jack is building the Displacement Engine, Crichton hands him the next component he needs - without even knowing it was the exact one Jack needed.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • Stark gets a report that the atmosphere re-pressurized in a docking bay, but not the one they landed in.
    Crais: Talyn, SEAL ALL HATCHES!
    (Scarran bursts onto the bridge)
  • After witnessing the wormhole weapon destroy the Scarran Dreadnought.
    Stark: I don't have a prayer for that.
• Retirony: With Crichton's wormhole knowledge fully unlocked, Aeryn suggests that they both go to Earth after settling this situation. He agrees and is exposed to severe radiation soon afterwards.
• Taking You with Me: Harvey actually lost the mental fight with Crichton and was dying. He attempted to goad Aeryn into firing so Crichton would die as well.
• Transformation Discretion Shot: After trying and failing to get Aeryn to kill his body, Harvey dies, resulting in John returning to normal in a cut.
• Weapon of Mass Destruction: The wormhole weapon destroys an entire Scarran Dreadnought in one shot.
  Stark: The wormhole is touching the star. It's touching the star.
• Wham Episode: The Crichton on Talyn dies. This is also the first episode to show what a wormhole weapon can do.
• What Measure Is a Mook?: The Charrid commander is content to execute Furlow because too many of his troops have been killed in all of this.