Farscape is filled with a surprising number of love stories, but there’s one romantic connection that I’m still convinced will end in heartbreak – even if it didn’t happen before the show ended in 2004. Many of Farscape‘s best characters have love interests throughout Rockne S. O’Bannon’s space opera, and some even have more than one. It’s a big part of what makes it one of the most underappreciated sci-fi shows of its era. Although Farscape was canceled over two decades ago, I still find myself wondering where Moya and her crew are now.

The will-they/won’t-they between Commander John Crichton (Ben Browder) and Officer Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black) is one of Farscape‘s most central themes. Although Crichton’s interest in Aeryn is obvious pretty much from the start, Black’s character is instinctively evasive of emotional connection due to her Peacekeeper upbringing. As such, it takes a while for them to become an item. Although they eventually make their relationship official, there are two main reasons why I think it won’t end well.

As A Sebacean, Farscape’s Aeryn Sun Has A Far Longer Lifespan Than John Crichton

Aeryn’s species has an upsetting advantage over Crichton’s

Although they look very much like they could belong to the same species, Crichton and Aeryn have vastly different origins. Browder’s character is a human from Earth, whereas Black’s is a member of an alien race called the Sebaceans. Although Sebaceans have the disadvantage of being unable to withstand H๏τter climates for too long, they also have the benefit of living longer than humans. Farscape never solidly confirms just how long a Sebacean can live, but it’s strongly implied that they are capable of routinely surpᴀssing their 100th birthday.

Humans have an average lifespan of roughly 80 years. Although, as with Sebaceans, this doesn’t necessarily mean humans won’t fall short of or exceed that projected figure. Either way, it’s possible that Crichton and Aeryn have been afforded the opportunity to grow old together since Farscape ended. If so, even though they appear to be of a similar age during the show, it’s unlikely that Crichton would be able to live as long as Aeryn, and Black’s character would be without him for the last twenty years of her life, or perhaps longer.

Aeryn’s Roots As A Peacekeeper Soldier Make Her Likely To Die In Battle

Black’s character has violent instincts that have dulled, but not vanished

Of course, it may never be an option for Crichton and Aeryn to live out their lives in peace. Black’s character began as a Peacekeeper soldier, so she has been indoctrinated with certain behaviors and traits that she’s never been able to fully abandon. Her time spent away from the Peacekeepers and with Moya’s crew has resulted in her becoming a more well-rounded person who doesn’t live to fight. However, she hasn’t managed to completely purge herself of those instincts.

Whenever something threatens Aeryn’s loved ones, she is almost always drawn to immediate violence in what she perceives as the perfect solution. Of course, there have been countless times that Crichton has marched into battle at her side, but he’s rarely the instigator in those encounters. Plus, there have been occasions when Aeryn has taken matters into her own hands and tried to fix things alone. It’s those latter instances that could mean she’s killed in action and prevented from growing old with Crichton.

Crichton & Aeryn’s Farscape Relationship Beating All The Odds So Far Is What Makes Them So Great

The human & the former Peacekeeper are destined to be together, but also doomed from the start

Writing a compelling sci-fi love story isn’t easy. They can often get lost among the cinematic starship battles and vast array of alien lifeforms. Love stories exist in pretty much every genre, but sci-fi has a habit of pulling focus toward things that are either more visually spectacular or mentally stimulating. So, it takes a talented writer, or team of writers, to make a sci-fi love story stand out as one of its best elements. It can be tempting to focus on the flashier tropes, but doubling down on a well-crafted and unexpected love story can elevate the saga.

Farscape managed to do that, and it did so by making it seem increasingly unlikely that Crichton and Aeryn could have a happy ending. Not only does it seem like a one-in-a-million sH๏τ that they ever met at all, but their relationship timeline and respective backstories are littered with reasons that they should never have worked as a couple or pulled through their various struggles to stay alive and together. In short, it’s what’s pushing them so constantly apart throughout Farscape that makes their journey so rewarding.