Season 4, Episode 5:
Promises
The crew of Lo'La reunite with Moya and discover that Aeryn is already aboard — with Scorpius. She's suffering from Sebacean heat delirium and Scorpius has saved her by offering her use of one of his cooling suits and bringing her back to Moya, but in exchange, he wants asylum with the crew.
Tropes present in this episode include:
- Armor-Piercing Response: At the end of the episode.Aeryn: Is there a problem?
Crichton: Any other oaths of silence I should know about? [Aeryn shakes her head] So, you could tell me if you were pregnant. - Asshole Victim: According to Aeryn, the Prime Hokothian killed countless people and was someone who deserved what he got.
- Bad Boss: After the crew evades the anti-Leviathan missile, Grayza tells Ponara to "take a seat" in the ship's Aurora Chair.
- Benevolent Boss: Braca is very conciliatory and pragmatic, much to Grayza's annoyance.
- The Bus Came Back: The real Aeryn (as opposed to Crichton's visions in the season premiere), Moya and Pilot (who had a voiceover in the last episode) all appear in person after last being seen in "Dog With Two Bones".
- Continuity Nod:
- D'Argo recalls Durka's final fate.
- When asking about Moya being sucked down a wormhole, Crichton asks if it was Neeyala's Pathfinder buddies.
- Aeryn says she knows from experience that death is nothing to fear.
- Faking the Dead: To trick the missile into hitting the phony Leviathan, Moya has to endure a biologic shutdown. It's permanent, though, if not reversed within 800 microts.
- Foreshadowing:
- Crichton invoking the Pathfinders is a subtle hint to why Moya was pulled down a wormhole.
- Pilot says he and Moya want one voice to follow. The crew holds a vote to make someone captain in the next episode.
- Hologram: The Hokothians are big on them, going as far as to use the technology to make their ship and crew appear larger.
- I Choose to Stay: Aeryn at the end of the episode.
- I Gave My Word: Aeryn makes Crichton promise to not kill Scorpius, which he begrudgingly honors.
- I Owe You My Life: A mutual example for Aeryn and Scorpius. He saved her life after she was infected, so she prevents Crichton and the others from killing him on sight.
- Imagine Spot: Crichton has a couple. One is of Aeryn being tortured by Scorpius about his whereabouts. Another involves an Aeryn version of Scorpius talking to him.
- Interrupted Suicide: Aeryn intended to kill herself in order to get this week's villains to leave the crew alone. Rygel stops her at the last moment.
- It's All My Fault: Crichton blames himself for what's happened to Aeryn.
- Killed Off for Real: Harvey, but the end of the season subverts this.
- Lampshade Hanging: After learning Scorpius has requested asylum on Moya:Crichton: What is it with Peacekeepers? First they hunt us, then they wanna move in? What are we, a bed and breakfast; we gotta sign outside that says "Free HBO"?
- Little "No": Crichton when he sees Scorpius alive and on Moya.
- Meaningful Echo: "Without hesitation."
- The Mole: Scorpius has a spy on the Command Carrier feeding him information. It's later revealed to be Braca.
- Chiana accuses Sikozu of this since she had claimed Scorpius was dead on Arnessk.
- Noodle Incident: The assassination that Aeryn and her cohorts carried out.
- Not Quite Dead: Scorpius has gone from being shot and buried on Arnesk to beating the others to Moya.Crichton: Kryptonite. Silver bullet. Buffy. What's it gonna take to keep you in the grave?
D'Argo: Maybe we should just take your head off. Worked for Durka. - Predator Turned Protector: Scorpius intends to protect Crichton in order to prevent his wormhole knowledge from falling into the wrong hands.
- Projected Man: Ullom (the lead alien) pulls this trick to protect himself from attacks.
- Race Against the Clock: Ponara's anti-Leviathan missile, which could follow Moya in starburst.
- Red Herring:
- Several hints imply that the Peacekeeper pilot is Scorpius' spy.
- Sikozu is blamed early on by the crew for Scorpius being alive and turning up on Moya, though her later scene with Scorpy demonstrates she really had nothing to do with it.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Crichton gets this during an Imagine Spot.Aeryn!Scorpius: Why won't you just let her go? She's not yours.
Aeryn: Point of fact I never was. Never will be.
Aeryn!Scorpius: But you'll never be lonely. Whether I'm here [taps Crichton's forehead], or here [tap her own temple], or in a grave on Arnessk, or in a cell on Moya, you'll never be rid of me. - Secret-Keeper: Scorpius tells Crichton he purged all records of Earth's location, so the information exists only in his own mind.
- Underestimating Badassery:Sikozu: You do realize that this is a damaged Leviathan, with a fraudulent Pilot and a crew of idiots, do you not? They need help.
Scorpius: They are more resourceful than you realize. - Unexplained Recovery: Invoked. When last seen, Scorpius was shot through the chest and buried. He's deliberately vague on how he survived—only telling Sikozu that he made use of what was available.note
- Visual Pun: The episode's red herrings are wearing red in some way.
- Wham Line:Crichton: [to Aeryn] Who saved your life? Who?
Scorpius: [entering] I did. - Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Harvey advises Crichton to simply kill Scorpius immediately rather than be affected by his mind games later.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Crichton is certain that Scorpius had something to do with Aeryn being infected.
