If any sole character can be described as the heart ofFarscape, it would have to be Aeryn Sun. Ben Browder’s John Crichton character may have been the leading man, but Aeryn Sun, played by Claudia Black, was the show’s centerpiece. Her redemption arc ranks among the best in the sci-fi genre, proving to be a constant anchor for stories throughout the franchise.
Aeryn’s character arc is officially completed inFarscape#24 by Rockne O’Bannon, Keith R.A. DeCandido, and Will Sliney.Farscape’sabrupt cancelation in 2003 put a roadblock to the development that Aeryn and the rest of the cast were going through, forcing the creators to settle on wrapping the series in thePeacekeeper Warsminiseries. Thankfully, BOOM! Studios swooped in for a canonical continuation, ending with this issue.
Aeryn appears again in BOOM! Studios’more recentFarscape: 25th Anniversary Specialin 2024, but as far as her arc goes, the comics bring Sun’s story full circle in ways the show could not,giving her the perfect final words: “I have faith that we can,“referring to her ultimate goal of peace.
How Do theFarscapeComics Complete Aeryn’s Story?
Farscape#24 by Rockne O’Bannon, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Will Sliney, Zac Atkinson, and Johnny Lowe
At this point in theFarscapefranchise, the Kkore have invaded the Uncharted Territories, successfully conquering most of their nations.The Moya crew join forceswith the survivors from across the Uncharteds to fight back against the Kkore - including Rolin, a mercenary hired to kill John Crichton and Aeryn Sun’s son. Against all odds, they use their resources and fleeting forces todestroy the Kkore and their support ships. However, even that victory may not be enough in the long run.
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The issue ends with John and Aeryn (with their child, Deke, in their arms) gazing out into the galaxy as they come to the realization that the alliance won’t hold beyond this victory. The government has been totaled, the economy is non-existent, and, among other problems, Scorpius has returned. John worries about what lies ahead, especially with their child in tow,but Aeryn reminds him to keep faith, because if they have nothing else in this universe, they have each other.
Why This Moment Is a Significant Turn for Aeryn’s Character in theFarscapeFranchise
She Began the Story in a Far Different Place
When Aeryn Sun first debuted onFarscape, she was one of the villainous Peacekeepers. Even when she broke away from them, she was still an incredibly callous, cynical person who needed to unlearn both her behavior and attitude toward life. Her romance with John and having his child were big steps for her unlearning process, and this issue shows the person she ultimately turned into. Aeryn at the start ofFarscapewould’ve never come to such an optimistic conclusion, so ending with her having true faith that peace is possible wraps up her journey nicely.
Farscape
Cast
Farscape is a sci-fi television series that initially premiered in 2004 and was created by Rockne S. O’Bannon. Astronaut John Crichton is sucked into a wormhole across the universe after an experimental flight goes haywire, setting him onboard a ship with a crew of several different alien races. Stuck in space and on the run from a nefarious organization known as the Peacekeepers, John and company work together to make it day-by-day while trying to maintain peace throughout the universe - as much as possible
