Farscape Forum

Re: Interspecies reproduction

Jim Henson's Farscape

: Greetings!

: Now that Aeryn and Crichton have opened the door to having a relationship the board seems to be speculating about a possible child in the future. Farscape has already broached the subject about different species being able to procreate(D'Argo and his Peacekeeper wife)but the idea has always bothered me. In reality you would stand a better chance of mating with a pine tree and creating viable offspring then you would with a life form that originated on another planet. Part of the definition of "different species" is that they can not breed with one another.

: Any comments?

: Tina

Well, one thing that springs to mind is the unusual similarity between Human and Sebacean physiology. Now, in a universe this vast, I'm sure that the possibility that there is at least one more human-like species is not all that remote. However, the possibility that Crichton would just HAPPEN to come across the ONE place in the universe where there ARE lifeforms similar to humans bars belief. However, this is science fiction, and I'm sure that the producers expect us to treat this possibility with an open mind.

But...and this is a very BIG but...in the beginning of the premiere, when Crichton is trying to convince Zhaan that he is not a Sebacean, she responds by stating that they had already come to that conclusion due to the discovery of SOME UNUSUAL BACTERIA in his system. Now, she made absolutely NO mention of any differences in physiology, and they got a good look at Crichton, so I'm sure they would have noticed anything different. So, my guess is that Humans and Sebaceans are either REMARKABLY similar, and therefore compatible genetically, or that the wormhole not only displaced Crichton through space, but through time as well. Perhaps Sebaceans are either future Humans, or the distant ancestors of same? We never heard a Sebacean speak without benefit of hearing it through the translator microbes, did we? We have no idea what language they speak, or if there is any similarity to any Human tongues. Wouldn't it be interesting for a Sebacean with no translator microbes to have a completely understandable conversation with Crichton? That might be an interesting, and subtle, story bit.

Anyhoo, the premiere episode dialogue evidence is compelling, in that there was no mention of any significant physiological difference between Humans and Sebaceans. The odds against this through simple evolution makes this impossible, so another explanation must be true. I'm sure this makes Aeryn and Crichton capable of producing offspring, but the REAL question isn't IF, but WHY?

For your consideration...in The FarScape Zone.