Season 4, Episode 6:
Natural Election
Moya asks the crew to elect a captain. After dealing with a toxic space plant, the crew votes and the clear winner is D'Argo.
Tropes present in this episode include:
- All of the Other Reindeer: The plant moves without discretion, but it recoils from the presence of Scorpius.Crichton: Seems that Audrey has taste.
- Cannot Keep a Secret: Aeryn tells Chiana about her being pregnant and how Crichton might not be the father. Chiana immediately tells D'Argo, who in turn tells Crichton.
- Continuity Nod: Crichton admits he had previously considered he might not be the father of Aeryn's baby.
- Crazy-Prepared: The Fantasy Contraception makes sense in light of "The Way We Weren't" (specifically how Peacekeepers allows casual sex to fulfill the physical needs).
- Deus Exit Machina: Not here, but a retroactive one. Nebari skin reflects radiation so China is able to work in an area while it's flooded with Wormhole radiation without it effecting her which helps save the day here. But it also means that had she been on Talyn instead of Moya during the split last season she could have easily closed the container leaking radiation without being in any danger instead of the alternate John having to do it and getting killed by it.
- Fantasy Contraception: Aeryn is actually pregnant, but Sebacean females born on Command Carriers are given the means to keep an embryo in stasis for seven years maximum. This is done to ensure pregnancies don't suddenly take female Peacekeepers out of action, and only a surgical procedure can remove the stasis. Additionally, it's possible she was impregnated four years before she even met Crichton.
- Honor Before Reason: D'Argo tells Crichton what Chiana told him about Aeryn's pregnancy. He feels Crichton absolutely deserved to know.
- Irony: Shooting the plant is a disaster, but Crichton notes it's still the first time the crew ever completely agreed on a plan.
- It's All My Fault:
- Rygel blames himself for the crisis because he was officially in command at the time.
- After shooting the plant with his ship backfires, D'Argo blames himself. Crichton reminds him they all agreed to the plan.
- Landslide Election: D'Argo gets four votes out of eight. The editing indicates that D'Argo voted for himself with Chiana, Aeryn and Crichton providing the other three votes. The remaining votes: 1 for Rygel (who also voted for himself), 1 for Aeryn (from Pilot), 1 for Scorpius (from Sikozu), 1 for the Divine Eternal (from Noranti).
- Never My Fault: Aeryn is ticked that Chiana blabbed her secret. Crichton reminds Aeryn that no one made her tell Chiana in the first place.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Shooting the plant with Lo'La. Being under attack causes the plant to eat faster.
- Shout-Out: Crichton calls the plant Audrey.
- Wham Episode: Crichton's wormhole research has evolved to the point where he can accurately predict their openings. Also, D'Argo is elected captain.
