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I've recently started watching Farscape with my son and was trying to explain the nature of Leviathans and the Leviathan-Pilot relationship. It got me to thinking, though, so now I have a few questions about leviathans in the wild:

  • Are there "herds" of wild Leviathans roaming around out in deep space? And if so, do they have Pilots onboard?
  • Has any EU source explained how the symbiotic Leviathan-Pilot relationship came to be, or how the Pilots are matched up to their Leviathans?

I know there's an episode featuring a crazy rogue Leviathan that killed off its own Pilot, but it was never stated if it was a wild one or just an escaped one. Obviously, though, Leviathans can exist and operate without a Pilot.

Also - and this may need to be a separate question - if the DRDs are completely mechanical, how are they made? Especially on a wild Leviathan that has no crew? There were several cases where the Moya crew had to assist by repairing damaged DRDs.

I've looked on the Farscape wiki but couldn't find answers to these questions. I've only watched the show, however - I've never read any of the novels or comics, so I'm hoping someone else might have an answer.

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  • You mention just starting the show with your son. Did you already see the whole show?
    – user1027
    Feb 21, 2014 at 16:53
  • Yes - I've watched the whole thing before and own them all on DVD, including The Peacekeeper Wars. He just turned 13, though, so now I'm introducing him to some of the more mature sci-fi shows I love. He's not quite ready for Game of Thrones or Blade yet, but Farscape's ok (as long as I skip a few episodes lol).
    – Omegacron
    Feb 21, 2014 at 16:54
  • At the age of 13, I'm not sure there's anything naughty Chrighton and D'argo could teach him ;) Or Chiana, for that matter.
    – Chahk
    Feb 21, 2014 at 18:39
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    Oh, I'm sure you're right, but I already got it from my wife when Zhaan flashed her butt in one episode and Rygel called her a "blue-assed b!tch" in another one. Although, personally, that comment from Rygel had me laughing so hard I was crying. My wife's reaction didn't help any.
    – Omegacron
    Feb 21, 2014 at 18:56
  • There's about six questions in this post. You may want to consider trimming down what you've written (in order to get a more definitive answer).
    – Valorum
    Feb 21, 2014 at 19:09

1 Answer 1

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According to the Farscape Wiki,

Leviathans permanently stayed in space where they move with ease. They did not often visit the surface of planets, where the gravity and their own weight made it very hard to escape. ("I, E.T.") A game concocted by young Leviathans, though, involved Leviathans diving towards a planet and seeing how far they could go before they have to pull out.

We can safely assume the young Leviathans would stick together in groups, until such time that they would be separated (harvested by Peacekeepers, for example.)

Their relationship with Pilots is also explained there:

Pilots and Leviathans seem to have co-existed symbiotically from the beginning - for some reason Pilots do not seem to be able (or willing) to travel from their home planet without being bonded to a Leviathan. As such, there is the matter of how Pilots get to the Leviathan. One theory is an intermediary party, such as the Peacekeepers or Relgarians (with whom Pilots and Leviathans both hold a deep respect for).

Leviathans are not born with a Pilot, as we've seen with Talyn. It's quite likely that Pilot's race was enslaved by the Peacekeepers for the specific purpose of acting as an intermediary between the Leviathan and the crew. However, a direct neural link like the one used by Crais could serve a similar function (assuming it was not unique to the hybrid as a result of Peacekeepers' genetic engineering).

DRDs (Diagnostic Repair Drones) are created by the Leviathan itself as it grows, whether or not a crew is present.

The DRDs are extensions of the Leviathans consciousness when the Pilot is not in control of them. Because of this, DRDs can be used by crew members to communicate directly with a Leviathan, should the Pilot be incapacitated. The DRDs perform various functions including ship repairs, searching for lost items, and defensive combat using built-in lasers.

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    If y'all want to learn more about Pilot's people and planet you should check out some of Rockne O'Bannon's official sequel, in comicbook form, to the television series. In Vol 5 of the book series [ RED SKY AT MORNING ] you can visit the Pilot Homeworld and learn some more about him - amazon.com/FARSCAPE-VOL-RED-SKY-MORNING/dp/1608866386 Feb 24, 2014 at 5:19

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