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Pilot
Moya's Pilot
First appearance 1.01 Premiere
Last appearance Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Details
Gender Male
Species Pilot
Affiliation Moya
Vehicle of Choice Moya
Weapon of Choice DRDs
Portrayed by Lani Tupu and a team of puppeteers
Gigi Edgley ("Out of Their Minds")
Anthony Simcoe ("Out of Their Minds")
This article is about the Pilot aboard Moya. For other uses of the term see Pilot.

Pilot is a member of a race known simply as "Pilots," who bond with the organic Leviathan spacecraft and become their navigator, companion, and liaison to passengers. Once bonded Pilots can survive only a brief period of time of separation from their Leviathans, and only when traveling in something made of a Leviathan's components (as in a transport pod). Moya's pilot is only known by his species' name, which also doubles as a description of his role on the ship. His real name, if he has one, is unknown.

Pilot is at least the second Pilot that Moya has had. The previous pilot was removed by the Peacekeeper scientist Tam Velorek, who seduced Pilot with the promise of being bonded despite the fact that the Elders had denied Pilot already. Pilot was initially artificially bonded, which caused him great pain until, three cycles later, the crew's discovery of his predecessor's death prompted Pilot to deliberately separate himself from Moya out of grief for his involvement in the death of the first Pilot. After Crichton and Aeryn helped him come to terms with it by convincing him that he had changed since those days and had impacted all of their lives, Pilot and Moya began a long and difficult natural bonding process. ("The Way We Weren't")

Pilot's gentle nature and immobility have at times brought him suffering. In one of the most shocking scenes in the series ("DNA Mad Scientist"), fellow crew members Ka D'Argo, Rygel XVI, and Zhaan cut off one of his arms in exchange for a way to return home (though it would eventually regenerate).

Season 1[]

Pilot had a somewhat tense relationship with Moya's long time passengers in the early days following the crew's escape from Peacekeeper captivity. This was tempered, however, by his species' philosophy of serving those aboard the ship above all other things besides the well being of the ship itself. Because of this, Pilot's relationship with many of Moya's crew strengthened. This was especially true with Officer Aeryn Sun. Following the aforementioned loss of his arm to his colleagues, Aeryn was injected with some of Pilot's own DNA which slowly began transforming her into a Pilot/Sebacean hybrid. Even after this was reversed, Pilot and Aeryn shared a bond and friendship, even giving Aeryn some knowledge on how to operate Pilot's console ("Through the Looking Glass"). Their friendship deepened over time to the point where Moya even offered Aeryn the chance to name her unborn child. When the baby Leviathan was finally born, Aeryn named it Talyn after her late father.

Season 2[]

Pilot's bond with Aeryn was tested later when Aeryn's involvement in the death of Moya's first Pilot was revealed. Pilot went as far as trying to strangle Aeryn in revenge and ordered her off of the ship. It was later brought to light that Pilot was really hiding his own shame in his role that led to the first Pilot's death. Following this shared tragedy, the bond between Pilot and Aeryn had been deepened even more. The rest of the crew also expressed their respect for Pilot during this time, with Ka D'argo assuring Pilot that the crew were willing to accept Pilot's more limited control over Moya as he re-established the bond so that he could have the connection with Moya that he deserved.

In an encounter with the Halosians, Pilot's mind was thrown from his own body into Chiana's. This experience was very distressing with Pilot, who seemed to be more negatively affected by it than the rest of Moya's crew. At one point, Pilot's mind even seemed to reject Chiana's body. Fortunately, after a quick jump to D'Argo's body, Pilot's mind was switched back to his body before any permanent damage could be done.

During a visit to the Royal Planet of the Breakaway Colonies, Pilot and Zhaan chose to flee when a Peacekeeper command carrier arrived in orbit, hoping to lure the Peacekeepers away from their friends on the planet's surface. Though Pilot tried to bring them back, Moya flew off on her own, following a signal being emitted from her creators the Builders. Making contact, a Builder named Kahaynu told Moya and Zhaan that because Moya had birthed a child that could cause violence, Moya would have to be shut down and Pilot with her. Though Moya accepted their fate, Zhaan and to some extent, Pilot resisted and eventually discovered that it had all been a test for Zhaan to see if she was worthy of being Moya's guardian, a test she had passed.

Season 3[]

With the rest of Moya's crew, Pilot would suffer through the death and resurrection of Aeryn as well as the death of Zhaan following a series of events that had almost led to his and Moya's own demise. After the rediscovery and forced separation from Talyn, Pilot was possessed by a being known as an energy rider which was searching for a fellow rider it claimed was a criminal (later, the same rider himself committed the same crimes).

It was around this time that the constant stress, life-threatening situations, and bickering between the crew had begun getting to Pilot. He grew snarkier and even took pleasure in ridding the galaxy of a troublesome Borlik. At one point, he and Moya banished Crichton and D'Argo from the ship for ten days to give them a reprieve form the duo's constant arguing.

It was also around this time that Pilot and Moya were nearly given a life-changing opportunity. Linfer, a Relgarian Peacekeeper defector, found Moya and offered information on wormholes for sole ownership of Moya. Given the Relgarians' reputation as peaceful explorers, Pilot was eager to accept the offer and live his dream. Tragically, before a decision could be made, Linfer discovered that she had not unlocked the secret of safe wormhole travel after all and that she was suffering effects that would lead to her death. To spare her pain, Pilot allowed her to depart in her Prowler and self-destruct it.

Months later, Pilot was saddened by the departure of several of his longtime companions and friends, as D'Argo, Chiana, Rygel, and Aeryn all left Moya for various destinations. He was also separated from Crichton when a wormhole suddenly opened near the sacred Leviathan burial space, pulling Moya in. The wormhole had been opened by the Ancients in an attempt to find Crichton. They examined and questioned the beings still aboard Moya, including Pilot who noted that wormholes were Crichton's obsession. Though Pilot would later recall some of this encounter, the details were blocked from his memory.

Season 4[]

In the following months, some time after dropping Jool and Noranti off on Arnessk, Pilot slowly reunited with his former crewmates. First was the arrival of Aeryn with an unexpected companion: Scorpius. Moya would later meet with Lo'La, which carried many of his friends as well as Sikozu. Pilot did not get a good impression from Sikozu, who believed that he was a young, incompetent member of his species. With the crew back, Pilot and Moya decided that they needed a single voice to issue the orders they were always receiving. And election was held and this sole voice became Ka D'Argo.

With everyone returned, Pilot was again subjected to the dangers of the galaxy, including a very unpleasant encounter with an interstellar plant, captivity to a group of bounty hunters, entry into Tormented Space, and a visit to Earth.

After the annihilation of the Scarran base at Katratzi, Pilot played a vital role in the destruction of the wormhole linking Tormented Space to Earth. To do this, Pilot had to be separated from Moya for a short time, something that was rather distressing for both. Pilot offered to do this as he was the only one capable of doing the job, due to his ability to see the wormhole opening and his heightened reflexes allowing him to strike the wormhole 'bubble' at the right moment, but it was painful and hard for him. After the collapse of the wormhole, Pilot was rejoined to Moya and had his bonds slowly healed by the nutrients in the sea of the water planet Qujaga. Because of this, he was not aware for the crystallization of Crichton and Aeryn.

The Peacekeeper Wars[]

Pilot was again at his friends' service during the Peacekeeper/Scarran War. Because of their naturally pacifist nature, he and Moya were deemed trustworthy enough to transport the Eidolons from Arnessk. This pacifism was also why he could not initially agree with Crichton's eventual belief that a wormhole superweapon was necessary to end the war and refused to let the DRDs build such a device. Aeryn managed to persuade him that they were out of options, so the DRDs proceeded to build the weapon. It was ready by the time Moya picked up the crew and Peacekeeper and Eidelon survivors from the surface of Qujaga. Overhearing Chiana talking about the death of Ka D'Argo, Pilot exhibited genuine shock. Pilot witnessed the unleashing of the wormhole weapon and tried to stabilize Moya as best as he could, though like everyone else Moya was unable to escape the gravity well until Crichton closed it.

After the end of the war, Pilot and Moya continued on, now with a new passenger aboard.

Quotes[]

  • Our species are not informed of the gestation cycle of Leviathans.
  • Claw onto something everyone!
  • I strongly suggest you don't touch any of his other... protuberances.
  • When one of my species is bonded to a Leviathan, we give our lives to the service of others. Ship first - than those who travel aboard her.
  • If he should ask for it, what body part are you willing to offer, Your Eminence?
  • So sorry. I appear to have hit the wrong comm.
  • (To John): I'm only judging on my experience with you, but I've never seen such a deficient species.
  • I just wanted so desperately to see the stars.
  • I would shut up and stop wasting time, Commander.
  • I suspect the dirty little secret is that YOU SPENT ALL YOUR CURRENCY...
  • I don't get out much, so I read.

Alternate Versions[]

Unrealized Pilot[]

Episode: "Unrealized Reality"

  • A version of Pilot existed in one of the unrealized realities that Crichton saw while being shown the dangers of wormhole travel by the Ancient "Einstein". Unlike Crichton's other companions, Pilot appeared as he did in Crichton's true reality. However, he was considerably more aggressive and short-tempered than his gentle counterpart aboard the true version of Moya.

Trivia[]

  • Pilot is one of nine characters to appear in all four seasons of Farscape as well as The Peacekeeper Wars. The others are Crichton, Aeryn, D'Argo, Rygel, Chiana, Scorpius, Stark and Braca.

Appearances[]

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