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| PERFORMER | Anthony Simcoe |
| DEBUT | 1999 |
Lo'Laan and Jothee
Ka D'Argo is a Luxan warrior. Originally imprisoned for the murder of his wife Lo'Laan, D'Argo is one of several prisoners who escapes with Moya at the beginning of Farscape. Over the course of the series, he develops a close friendship with John Crichton and a romantic relationship with Chiana.
With Lo'Laan, he had a son named Jothee. D'Argo was framed for Lo'Laan's murder by her brother, Macton, who believed that marriage between a Luxan and Sebacean was unnatural and that Jothee was an abomination.
From 2009-2010, he was the subject of three Farscape comic miniseries: D'Argo's Lament, D'Argo's Trial, and D'Argo's Quest, each of which ran for four issues.
Pre-Farscape[]
As soon as D'Argo became of age, he joined the Luxan army. Following training, he was assigned to the S'Kdar Regiment, under command of General Fin Sterikk. During his second campaign, his regiment's ship crash-landed on a Scorvian-controlled planet. Sterikk was gravely injured and sure to be captured and tortured by the Scorvians.
In order to save Sterikk's life, D'Argo had the marks of a general tattooed on his tenkas (the tentacle-like appendages a Luxan has) and posed as Sterikk. The plan worked, and D'Argo was captured and tortured by the Scorvians instead of Sterikk. D'Argo was eventually rescued when the Luxans took control of the planet. D'Argo and Sterikk were taken to a Diagnosan's enclave to be treated for their injuries. Sterikk noted that D'Argo's actions were un-warrior-like, as impersonating a general is a crime, but he also stated they were also the actions of a loyal soldier. D'Argo ultimately resigned from the Luxan army, avoiding the embarrassment of an inquiry into his actions.
It was at the enclave that D'Argo met his future wife Lo'Laan Tal, a Sebacean woman who was studying exobiology. She helped him recover from his injuries sustained from Scorvian capture. The two grew close, and after D'Argo was discharged from the enclave, Lo'Laan took him to her home planet of Havenik, a pastoral world. There, he bought a piece of land and began growing crops, and eventually Lo'Laan moved in with him, much to the disdain of Lo'Laan's brother, Macton.
With the help of Dr. Yklem, D'Argo and Lo'Laan were able to conceive a child, who they named Ka Jothee. D'Argo frequently faced discrimination on Havenik, and after several incidents in which D'Argo publicly lashed out, D'Argo and Lo'Laan decided to move to a planet on the outskirts of the Uncharted Territories, far from the influence of the Peacekeepers.
They lived in peace for several years, until one day, Macton arrived. Macton stabbed Lo'Laan and blamed her murder on D'Argo, telling his fellow Peacekeepers that D'Argo was known to hit Lo'Laan and that D'Argo killed her in a fit of hyper-rage. Before D'Argo was arrested, he was able to send Jothee off-world.
D'Argo was put on trial for his crimes before a Peacekeeper tribunal, consisting of Admiral Josbek, Captain Lovrak, and Captain Crais. Although Crais didn't believe D'Argo was guilty, he was outvoted, and D'Argo was sentenced to life imprisonment. For eight years, he was transferred between various prison ships before finding himself on Moya, a Leviathan used by the Peacekeepers as a prison transport and for scientific experimentation.
Life on Moya[]
D'Argo escapes Peacekeeper custody at the beginning of the show with several others onboard Moya, including the Delvian Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan, Dominar Rygel XVI, former PK Aeryn Sun, and human astronaut John Crichton.
In the "Liars, Guns and Money" three-parter, D'Argo reunites with Jothee, who was set to be sold into slavery until Scorpius bought him to lure in Moya crew. The crew rescues Jothee, and he joins D'Argo on board Moya for several episodes before leaving in "Suns and Lovers" when Jothee has sex with Chiana.
At the beginning of season three, D'Argo finds an ancient Luxan warship drifting outside a commerce planet. He names it Lo'la after his late wife. In the fourth season episode "Natural Election," D'Argo is elected captain of Moya.
After many years, D'Argo finally faces Macton at a mental arts training camp in "Mental As Anything." Macton convinces D'Argo that Lo'Laan was driven to suicide, but during their confrontation near the end of the episode, D'Argo finally learns the full truth about his wife's death. Instead of killing Macton, D'Argo leaves Macton to be imprisoned in the virtual training arena, forced to relive how he beat his sister's dead body in order to frame D'Argo.
During Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars, D'Argo makes his last stand on Qujaga. In his memory, Crichton and Aeryn name their son after him — D'Argo Sun-Crichton.
Personality[]
D'Argo enters Luxan hyper-rage
D'Argo is initially defined by his aggressive, warrior-like nature. While these traits remain for the duration of this series, they are toned down as he becomes more trusting and fond of his fellow crewmates. D'Argo's anger was a particularly defining trait in the first season; his hyper-rage sets off the events of "Thank God It's Friday. Again."
A loyal friend, he put his life at risk numerous times for the Moya crew, and in the end, gives his life to save them. His ultimate goal is a peaceful fatherhood, demonstrated with his desire to settle down with Chiana and Jothee, and more jokingly with his recurring catchphrase, "I'm your daddy!"
D'Argo's weapon of choice is his trusty Qualta Blade, a traditional Luxan weapon that acts as both a sword and gun. He also makes use of the Luxan tongue sting, a natural Luxan defense mechanism that quickly incapacitates victims with their long, prehensile tongue coated in neurotoxins.
Relationships[]
D'Argo embraces Chiana in The Peacekeeper Wars
Aside from Lo'Laan, D'Argo was in a number of romantic and sexual relationships during the series. D'Argo's actor, Anthony Simcoe, stated that he believed D'Argo would visit planets just to sleep with women, calling him a "planet slut."[1] While trapped on the planet Sykar in "Thank God It's Friday. Again.," D'Argo has a girlfriend, played by Selina Muller.
However, D'Argo's most prominent relationship onboard Moya is with Chiana. Their relationship begins in season two, and in "Suns and Lovers," he plans to propose to her. However, Chiana, feeling cornered into marriage, cheats on D'Argo with his son Jothee out of retaliation. It isn't until the end of the fourth season that the two get back together.
Between the third and fourth seasons, D'Argo and Jool form a relationship on Arnessk. When Jool departs the Moya crew at the end of "Resurrection," the two break up, but not before giving each other one last kiss.
Behind the scenes[]
concept art[2]
Actors who auditioned for the role of D'Argo included Hugh Keays-Byrne[3] and Lani Tupu.[4]
D'Argo underwent a design change in the second season, getting a darker skin tone. Creature Shop supervisor Dave Elsey stated, "We wanted to colour him better for the camera," and suggested that, following the events of "Family Ties," D'Argo developed a "Luxan space tan. Maybe the pressure of being in space had forced the blood to the surface."[5]
Sources[]
- ↑ Farscape: The Illustrated Season 2 Companion, p. 98
- ↑ Facebook post by Farscape, October 4, 2013
- ↑ Farscape: The Illustrated Season 2 Companion, p. 81
- ↑ Farscape: The Illustrated Season 4 Companion, p. 83
- ↑ Farscape: The Illustrated Season 2 Companion, p. 130-131