LEXX: S03E13: Heaven & Hell

This was a show and a half, it more clearly explained all our unanswered questions from the previous episodes and the story was gripping. It opens with an ecstatic 790 pleased to see Kai board the Moth.

“On a branch there is a fruit,
Plump and ripe for sucking.
On a Moth, there is a Kai,
Dead by ripe for …”

“Give him a break 790” interrupts Xev.

“I can’t” Adds 790 helplessly. He asks for a kiss and Kai obediently responds. He kisses his fingers and delicately slaps the robots head. I’m amazed why he should feel the need to do this. Poor Xev never received any encouragement whatsoever from the dead geezer! Perhaps Kai responds better to worship.

Kai asks Xev if she was able to rescue Stanley. Xev explains what happened and a rather dispassionate Kai asks if the LEXX can now fly (?!). Xev tells him that the big bug can fly “A little way.” She shows Kai the key that Stanley passed over to her and then asks if anything can be done for Stanley.

Kai thinks for a while then explains, “While I was sinking, I saw many shapes underwater. I believe that they are the essences of people who have died. I fell into a light and woke up on Gametown. You will remember that the people here do not speak of being born, only ‘waking up’.”

“So does that mean that you’re alive now?” Xev asks, hopefully.

“No, I am still dead, but I saw the living ‘me’ inside the planet, waiting for his turn to wake up.“

Xev suggests that they rescue him, but Kai explains that he probably wouldn’t have any understanding of his circumstances or memories of his past life (lives).

“What about Stanley?” Asks Xev.
“Water appears to be where the virtuous go after they die. Stanley made many bad choices – I suspect that he is on Fire.”
“Then we are going to Fire.” She says determinedly. She steers the Moth for the Planet Fire.

They arrive at Prince’s city and find that he is waiting for them, arms out in a gesture of greeting. He shouts up to them as they approach for landing, “Come for another kiss, Xev?” Kai points out that she may loose her life if they land, but Prince will probably be her best hope of finding out what happened to Stanley.

“From which of your lives?” Xev answers Prince with a sneer. “Before you died or after you died or when you were Kai?”
“It’s all the same.” Prince laughs.

After they land, Kai comes straight to the point and tells Prince that they know about Fire and Water and that the people of both planets are re-incarnated.

Xev is even more to the point, she demands that Stanley be returned to them. Prince refuses and Kai threatens to kill him (which is a bit pointless after what has happened) “Where is Stanley?” Xev demands.

Prince gestures towards the large well in the center of the room (You may remember that this is the fiery well that we saw Prince resurrected from in the “May” episode). Confidently he says, “Waiting his turn.”

Kai heroically jumps into the fiery well to rescue Stanley.

“It’s impossible to go and get him, the heat would incinerate human flesh within seconds.” Says Prince surprised.
“That wont stop Kai,” adds Xev confidently.
Prince looks on, “This has never happened before….. And now it is time for me to die.” he jumps down the hole after Kai.

Instead of landing in a fire, Kai lands with a thump on what initially looks like the Planet Fire. However, it seems like a less hostile environment and there are even one or two plants growing. Nevertheless it is lonely and desolate and hot.

He is joined by Prince who is now dressed in white. “Where is Stanley Tweedle?” Kai gets straight to the point (erm.. no pun intended).
“Would you like to see him?” Prince asks.
“Yes.” Says Kai, and after such gripping dialogue, the two head out across the desert.

Xev meanwhile is waiting for Kai to return and takes a drink from Prince’s flask when one of Princes solders enters the room. “Where is our Prince?” he demands.

Unruffled, Xev takes her time in answering. “I am your Prince.” Then she pauses, “You can leave now.” she says quietly.

Prince takes Kai to the base of what looks like a big red swirly thing in the sky. It contains the essences of those waiting in limbo for their return to the Fire Planet (and eternal pain at the hands of the evil one). “There they are and there they wait. At one time there was no need to queue but recently – with so many people making bad choices – things have become rather crowded around here and so they have to wait their turn to suffer. For them, though, time does not pass. Stan’s punishment is Level 9 – that means that he will man the bellows in my city until his arms and legs give out and his head comes off.” He hands Kai a telescope and the dead dude notices the dead Stanley’s essence floating aimlessly in the red vortex.
“I have come to rescue Stanley.” Kai admits.
“Go ahead.” says Prince dismissively.

Kai aims his handy wrist gadget at the vortex in the rough vicinity of Stanley. Then he lowers his arm gradually. Stanley is either too far away, or more likely, Kai realizes that Stanley’s essence is just that, an essence without substance.

Kai is confused, “How can I do that?” He asks.
“You can’t.” says Prince.
“Can you?”
“No.“

I guess Kai decides that his efforts will be best spent in returning to help Xev, but the Prince tells Kai that they are both stranded.

“You can return.” Kai suggests.
“Of course, I am Prince. That is how I can also be up there with Xev. But you will keep my company down here forever.“

(Hmmm. Not quite sure how he can be in two places at once, but hey, the episode is traveling along at one helluva rate – so who cares…)

In Prince’s city, Xev waits patiently When the newly ‘woken’ Prince enters. “There,” he says quietly, “Now that we’re rid of the dead man we can start to solve the problem.” He summons a soldier. “Now let me think…Stanley is dead, Kai is gone and there is only one Key to the LEXX. Now where could it be?”
“What’s the deal?” Xev inquires, wanting him to get to the point.
“I will be King, you will be my Queen.“

Xev accepts, but she points out that she is part Cluster Lizard and Cluster Lizards don’t have human concerns or values. “I will accept your deal…” she says, looking the dark dude straight in the eyes, “Under the right conditions.“

The other Prince (White (but still evil) Prince) and Kai continue their discussion. “I cannot release Stanley Tweedle, but I can move him to the head of the line. I do have some influence here.” Says Prince helpfully.

With that, Stanley is ‘woken’ in the bellows room on Fire and strapped to a bellows bicycle. As you will remember form the first episode (“Fire and Water”), Stanley must keep peddling if he is to stop a weight from falling and releasing a guillotine. If he stops peddling, his head will be chopped off and he will be returned back to limbo awaiting return to the bellows chamber. (what a horrible way to die, die, die, die, die…)

Kai and Prince discuss Stanley’s plight further “He is suffering. Level 9 is reserved for the worst cases.” Says Prince.
“If I am a machine“, Kai asks, “What are you?”
“I do not know.” Prince responds.

This is an honest answer. Prince it seems, knows that he is bad, and that he is the entity that is more bad than anyone else. It is he who controls the punishment for people destined for an existence on the planet Fire (I wonder who is the equivalent on the planet Water?)

“Do you think our arrival on this planets has been a good thing?” Kai asks.
“The matter is not yet resolved.” Replies Prince.
“But, if I am trapped here and Stan is dead, what is not resolved?” Kai responds.
“Xev. Xev holds the future of Fire and Water.“

But Xev’s acceptance of Prince’s terms (for marriage) is being put to the test. Prince asks her to strangle one of his soldiers who obediently kneels before Xev. After holding the poor soldiers neck *but nothing more) it becomes apparent that the lovely Xev cannot cold-bloodedly kill someone and a disappointed Prince orders her to be killed. Xev however, quickly turns into a Cluster Lizard and rolls out of the room towards the waiting Moth. She clambers aboard and flies off. Prince, runs after her and manages to jump onto the Moth as it takes off.

As he holds onto the moth leg with one hand, he uses a knife to cut a hole in the base and speak to Xev.
790 sees him and shouts “Where is Kai?“.
As if he has nothing better to do Prince replies, “He is inside the planet Fire.“

“Then blow up Fire!” 790 shouts intelligently. Prince (in an important statement) tells Xev that if she does, she will risk “upsetting the balance.” Xev flies the Moth wildly in the hope of shaking the dark dude from his grip and in the end, she resorts to a powerful kick in the face to dislodge Prince. She flies back to the LEXX.

The hapless Stanley Tweedle is just about exhausted. He desperately tries to maintain the counterbalance that stops his guillotine from descending onto his neck but alas, he fails and with a swift slice, Stanley is returned to limbo to wait for another chance.

In the desert, Prince tells Kai, “He’s back already?”
“I think…that you enjoy your job.” Accuses Kai
Prince simply smiles. “I’m good with pain.“

On the LEXX, Xev realizes that the only way to return Kai and possibly rescue Stanley, is to blow up the planet Fire. She considers the possibilities and is fraught with indecision. She wants to rescue Kai and Stan, but is haunted by the resultant death and destruction this will cause and also Prince’s last words to her (she will risk “upsetting the balance.“) Then a new resolve takes over – Xev gives a whopping Cluster Lizard screem {143Kb MP2 file} and then shouts, “LEXX! Blow up the planet Fire!“

And this he does. Wadda bang! Kai and Prince watch the wave of destruction wash over them as the big bug reduces the Fire planet to rubble. Then, through the destruction, we see the souls of the damned, the amber remains of the dead of Fire float en-mass around the LEXX. Some of them circle the ship and enter the bridge, dancing and weaving as they do so. Xev is unsettled by this and jumps out of the way (as you do). Then, as swiftly as they appeared, they fly off towards the sun.

“OK, LEXX, now find Kai!” Xev commands LEXX. But there is no response. Instead, an apparition of Prince appears on the view-screen.

“Thank you for releasing me!” He says.

“LEXX!” Repeats Xev. “Find Kai!“

“I have something I have to do first.” Prince says with his usual quiet confidence.

“LEXX?” Implores Xev.
“Not LEXX, Prince. You upset the balance and I’m resetting it.” Says Prince

With the Dark Prince in control, the LEXX turns and fires at the planet Water. It blows up with a colossal explosion and, as with Fire, lots of souls fly out towards the LEXX.

This time they are white and as they pass through the LEXX, one in particular stops to look at Xev. It looks very much like Bunny. Then the white apparitions fly off towards the sun.

Xev calls out to the LEXX and it responds as normal. The LEXX does not remember being controlled by Prince and Xev, LEXX and 790 resume their search for Kai amongst the rubble of the two planets.

Kai is found and Xev retrieves him. Then they go to the Cryo-Chamber to see if

 Stanley’s soul has returned. Apparently it has. Stanley is revived and cannot remember anything after the ordeal of paddling helplessly in the Water.

Back on the bridge, LEXX is seen eating his way through the remains of the planets but of course, he still requires organic material. Behind the sun however, they notice a small blue green planet with one moon. It looks as though it might sustain enough life for the LEXX to replenish itself. Xev orders the LEXX to head for the planet – hopefully there will be enough organic material.

As the LEXX approaches we get a better look at the planet, we see a glimpse of one of the land masses. We see the Eastern Edge of Canada and the USA. Just as we reel from the shock, Prince seemingly drops from space, heading straight for the surface. “No pain or joy no pain or joy no pain or joy no pain or joy..” He says as he falls (?!?!?)

And there the show and the third series ends. And Waddan Ending! I rather like the idea of Earth being in the Dark Universe (seems quite natural) and the conclusion that we must draw, is that Earth’s Heaven and Hell could have been the Water and Fire planets (though the absence of a God or any form of religious reference seems to contradict this). We can also assume that the souls that escaped the destruction of Fire and Water headed not for the sun, but for Earth (as did Prince).

So what will happen in Season 4? Will it be present day earth or just a planet that looks like Earth. I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to see the characters in a pub (or bar) and I wonder if the bio analogies would be accurate.

This conclusion to the Season was just terrific and this SadGeezer can’t wait for the next.

I’d rate this a death defying 44,610 out of 10. What did you think?

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This episode review is © 1999-2019 Tony Fawl.
Not for reproduction without the authors express permission

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