Farscape: Scorpius

Farscape: Scorpius is an eight-part Farscape comic miniseries published by BOOM! Studios in 2010. The miniseries is split into two parts: "Let Seeping Dogs Lie" (#0-#3) and "Glorious Basterds" (#4-#7). Centered around Scorpius, the storyline runs concurrently with the monthly mainline series that began with Tangled Roots.

Each issue is written by Farscape creator Rockne S. O'Bannon (story) and David Alan Mack (script), with art by Mike Ruiz ("Let Sleeping Dogs Lie") and Gordon Purcell ("Glorious Basterds").

Several issues of the series intersperse the present plot with flashbacks of Scorpius' past.

Issue #0: Fire and Ice

Release Date: April 14, 2010

Scorpius, having been banished from Hyneria by Rygel in "Hynerian Rhapsody," drifts through space before crash-landing on a snowy planet. He settles into a cave and adopts a reptilian, lizard-like creature who he names "John" (after John Crichton).

Scorpius witnesses the arrival of a Grennij fleet to the planet. He is able to deduce who is in command and captures a Grennij captain named Grrior.

Credits

• Colorist: Nolan Woodard
• Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
• Editor: Ian Brill

Covers

Cover A
artist: Chad Hardin

Cover B
artist: Nick Runge

Cover C
artist: Chad Hardin

C2E2
artist: Nick Runge

Issue #1: Grim Intimations

Release Date: May 12, 2010

Sensing an opportunity, Scorpius proclaims his willingness to serve Grrior. Grrior calls his men towards him but tells them not to provoke Scorpius, as he is standing on top of a bomb, and Scorpius is holding the detonator.

Scorpius calls Corporal Tromm into his cave, but Tromm becomes trapped with Grrior. Scorpius makes the two fight to the death, but just as Tromm is about to kill his commanding officer, Scorpius stabs him in the back and saves Grrior.

Scorpius informs Grrior about the Peacekeepers and notes that the Grennij will be powerless against their weapons. Grrior tells Scorpius that as long as he keeps providing useful intelligence, he will be allowed to serve the Grennij.

As it turns out, Grrior feigned ignorance of the Peacekeepers and tells Scorpius to provide new information. Scorpius does as he's told, and when Grrior is called to the bridge, Scorpius accesses Grrior's computer and discovers the Grennij are preparing the Uncharted Territories to be conquered by the Kkore. After Grrior comes back and finds Scorpius snooping, Scorpius snaps Grrior's neck.

Credits

• Colorist: Nolan Woodard
• Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
• Editor: Ian Brill

Covers

Cover A
artists: Joe Benitez and Blond

Cover B
artist: Chad Hardin

Cover C
artist: Chad Hardin

Issue #2: Violent Delights

Release Date: June 9, 2010

Scorpius convinces the Grennij that Grrior left him in charge. He also exaggerates the dangerousness of an incoming Sheyang fleet and gets the Grennij to destroy their ships despite their retreat. Scorpius expands his deception by claiming that he was brought on board by the Kkore to lead the Grennij fleet to their true destination, and he sets course for the planet Odre'el Prime, against the true orders of the Kkore.

Furthermore, Scorpius initiates the re-training of the Grenijj, advocating for sacrificial methods of combat and emphasizing their expendability. On the way to Odre'el Prime, Scorpius finds out more about the Kkore, learning their invasion of the Uncharted Territories has likely begun and that the Grennij possess a Kkore cannon.

When they arrive at Odre'el Prime, they find another Grennij fleet taking heavy fire from the natives. Scorpius orders the Grennij ships to crash into the natives' defenses, followed by a ground assault. The attack results in the successful surrender of Odre'el Prime, although the Grennij fleet suffered 92% fatalities.

General Ba personally invites Scorpius to the Kkore flagship after witnessing Scorpius' bold actions. Scorpius then pledges his allegiance to Ba and the Kkore.

Credits

• Colorist: Nolan Woodard
• Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
• Editor: Ian Brill

Covers

Cover A
artist: Chad Hardin

Cover B
artist: Nick Runge

Issue #3: The Devil's Right Hand

Release Date: July 14, 2010

Although Ba doubts Scorpius' truthfulness regarding how he came to command a Grennij fleet, when Scorpius offers first-hand knowledge of the Peacekeepers, a race the Kkore have yet to conquer, Ba is inclined to consider him.

In the meantime, Scorpius takes a self-guided tour of the Kkore ship and command center on Odre'el Prime's surface. He finds the technology to be hundreds of years more advanced than anything the Peacekeepers have. It is also extremely efficient; the Grennij set up the fully-functioning command center in only a few hours, and it is already producing weaponry and armor.

Scorpius' free time is cut short, however, as he is snatched by the Grennij and placed into the Mnemos Device, an interrogation apparatus not unlike Scorpius' Aurora Chair. Scorpius is able to block the Mnemos Device from accessing certain memories. Ba is impressed, but he throws him into a jail cell when Scorpius demands to meet the Kkore leader in exchange for willingly giving up those memories.

After an uncertain amount of time in solitary, Scorpius is lead to Ddan-Myr, supreme ruler of the Kkore. She makes it clear that while she won't be deceived like Grrior or manipulated like Ba, she does have a place for him, but only once he fully submits himself to the Mnemos Device.

Credits

• Colorist: Nolan Woodard
• Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
• Editor: Ian Brill

Covers

Cover A
artist: Chad Hardin

Cover B
artist: Nick Runge

Issue #4: Knives at a Gunfight

Release Date: August 11, 2010

United by a common enemy, Ddan-Myr assigns Scorpius his own mission: secure the surrender of the Scarrans by any means necessary. On his way to the Scarran homeworld, Scorpius reflects on the fact that he has yet to uncover any vulnerability within the Kkore empire.

Scorpius arrives at the Scarran homeworld and demands to speak with Emperor Staleek. As he relays his message to the Scarran war minister, he discovers everyone aboard every ship in his fleet were holograms, with every vessel fully self-automated and lacking weaponry. The Kkore's challenge to Scorpius is get the Scarran Imperium to surrender without using weapons.

Ba tells Scorpius, "Anyone can succeed if they are given every advantage. Only the truly superior can transform weakness into strength and turn defeat into victory."

Credits

• Colorist: Nolan Woodard
• Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
• Editor: Ian Brill
• Cover Artist: Chad Hardin

Issue #5: Speak in Thunder

Release Date: September 9, 2010

Scorpius is successful in gaining an audience with Staleek. He travels down to the planet alone, a factor that convinced Staleek to meet with Scorpius, and is greeted by War Minister Thuzik.

Thuzik accompanies Scorpius to the Scarran throne where Scorpius delivers his ultimatum: "You can join with the Kkore and be rewarded beyond measure, or you can oppose them, and instigate your own destruction." Scorpius goes on to describe the horrors the Kkore have brought upon the galaxy.

Staleek fights back against Scorpius' claims, but he is restrained by the other Scarrans, persuaded that Scorpius' death means the extinction of the Scarran race, when he tries to attack Scorpius. Staleek ultimately surrenders and gives Scorpius the Imperial Sceptre.

Scorpius departs the Scarran homeworld with the Scarrans on their knees, bowing to Scorpius. He gets back on his ship and reports to Ddan-Myr. She tells him that he has earned a place right by her side.

Credits

• Colorist: Nolan Woodard
• Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
• Editor: Ian Brill
• Cover Artist: Nick Runge

Issue #6: Between the Wheels

Release Date: October 13, 2010

On the planet Traska, the Grennij burn down a village and kill all its inhabitants. Back at the edge of the Uncharted Territories, Scorpius presents Ddan-Myr with the Imperial Sceptre, but she discards it and calls it "pathetic."

Several days later, General Ba consults with Scorpius regarding specific actions the Kkore should take. While the Kkore's strategies have been centered around large-scale, long-term objectives, they have learned not to underestimate local allies. Scorpius then gives advice on how to deal with such species as the Luxans and Nebari.

Scorpius confesses to his pet lizard John that there are still critical bits of information he is holding out from the Kkore, hoping that when the time is right, he can barter that information to aid his own survival. However, he realizes that it might be better to confess his sins and beg for forgiveness, because if the Kkore found out about his omissions, they would kill him.

As Scorpius is about to enter Ddan-Myr's throne room, he overhears her talking with the Grennij colonel Ttangh. Scorpius learns that the Grennij are buying up all the reserves of Peacekeeper chakan oil. In addition, the Peacekeepers are scattered, and Commandant Grayza has little command over them.

Ddan-Myr catches Scorpius eavesdropping. She tells him that although the Kkore only let him believe he was hiding something, the facts in his brain are useless without knowing how to use them, and she keeps him onboard as the Kkore's advisor against Grayza.

Credits

• Colorist: Nolan Woodard
• Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
• Editor: Ian Brill
• Cover Artist: Chad Hardin

Issue #7: The Unexpected Inevitable

Release Date: October 13, 2010

At the recommendation of Scorpius, the Kkore are destroying the Peacekeepers' relay transmitters and are intercepting their command carriers' relay signals, effectively disabling their communication network. News soon breaks of Ttangh's death and the destruction of the chakan oil cache. Ddan-Myr, however, says it was expected, and the oil cache was purposefully left minimally-guarded. The Kkore have no use for it, and the cache only served to set the Peackeeepers back.

Scorpius discuses his rise to power with General Ba. Ba claims to have no ill-will towards Scorpius, telling him his position beside Ddan-Myr is only beneficial. In fact, Ba requested Scorpius be his fleet commander for future campaigns. The War for the Uncharted Territories is not the Kkore's only offensive, and they are in the various stages of hundreds of other wars in multiple galaxies and dimensions.

When Scorpius finds out that Aeryn Sun has been appointed commandant, he reconsiders his position among the Kkore. The Peacekeepers are likely in need of seasoned leaders, and if Scorpius deserts the Kkore, he is possibly in a good position to take Aeryn's power. On the other hand, it is unclear if the Peacekeepers can emerge victorious against the Kkore. Wanting to choose caution over ambition for the first time in his life, Scorpius would rather be on the winning side.

He notes that the tide of war has changed due to single unpredictable moments, and that "there is no more unpredictable element in the universe than John Crichton."

Credits

• Colorist: Nolan Woodard
• Letterer: Johnny Lowe
• Editor: Ian Brill
• Cover Artist: Chad Hardin