Pilot and Free Will

[Judith]

It seems to me that Pilot, for a character who claims that he and Moya feel best when serving others, takes the idea of free will to an excess.

Spoiler space for Suns and Lovers

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When D'argo goes out to remove the cables that Moya is entangled in, Pilot seems to realize before D'argo is fully outside of the ship, that D'argo does not intend to come back. However, when John asks him why he let D'argo go out, when it was clear that D'argo intended to commit suicide, Pilot responds something to the effect of "he didn't need my permission". It seems odd to not attempt to save a friend who is contemplating suicude. Furthermore, there are times when other crew members do things that are counterproductive to the safety of the rest of them, Pilot and Moya included. Often these are actions Pilot could have stopped (for example, taking a transport pod), and not only does he not stop them, he also avoids telling the rest of the crew until it is too late for any of them to stop the offending person.

Any insight or contradictory evidence would be appreciated.

[JrMissToughChick]

he doesn't want people mad at him... No that doesn't work I think that the people he "protects" always end up dead or gone....Maybe its cultural... Maybe he thinks it's no ones businness if Dargo(SaL)(TGIFA), Aeryn(The Locket)(TFS)(DWTB), Linfer(incubator), Chiana(TTS), or Rygel(FT), Leave the ship. Even if they are going to die or kill themself.

~JrMTC~

I doubt it was very insightfull but thats my post

PS: Okay DWTB doesn't realy count but she left!

[SueDonym]

Just imagine if you lived on a ship where those responsible for your welfare thought they knew better about how your life should run than you did yourself...and had the power to back up those opinions by say, withholding life support, forcing you to stay on the ship, etc.

It would be monsterous if Moya and Pilot tried to dictate to the crew how they should run their lives, up to and including suicide.

There may be a cultural difference on how suicide is viewed. More to the point, stopping D'Argo from leaving the ship doesn't guarantee that he wouldn't try it somewhere and someplace else. Would you want Pilot to lock D'Argo in his room until he "felt better"? Is that likely to happen if D'Argo made a prisoner? [NOT advocating suicide, please make a note.] It *is* D'Argo's decision and he is allowed to make bad ones. Nobody should have to ask Pilot and Moya's permission to do anything that doesn't concern Pilot or Moya. And none of this said that Pilot didn't try to talk to D'Argo before he left, just the choice D'Argo made was separate from Pilot's ability to control. (Something to remember with potential suicides.)

More to the point, wasn't D'Argo in that episode actually making a noble sacrifice to save the rest of the crew and fix a threat to the ship and their welfare? He NEEDED to go out there, although it wasn't a situation where they could ask for volunteers because it was dangerous. It was at the time a heroic choice. It only became suicide afterwards when he surprisingly escaped unharmed and still didn't feel like coming back inside. Yeah, he was certainly operating on a death wish, but only John thought it was suicide from the start.

But this is besides the point.
Neither Pilot nor Moya should play god with the crew, and their position is powerful enough in actuality that they could.

It's a scary thought, and I for one think that their humility in the face of this power is the most moral choice they could make.

[Perfect_Tommy]

Also Pilot is a busy busy man. Much of the time it could be a time when he's doing a lot of things and then he looks over and sees something. "What the hell? Someone's leaving the ship?? It's Rygel? Where is he going?" boom, he's gone and off to betray the crew. "Hey guys... yea.... funny thing. Rygel done did run off.... yea.... not sure why and he's not answering me."

Not always the case I'm sure, but I think if you look at a lot of times that Pilot lets stuff happen, he's usually very busy. But seriously, when is Pilot not busy. ;)

[darius]

Watch Taking the Stone, not the best ep, but it deals with the exact same situation. Essentially Aeryn says that Chiana has to work through her problems on her own, regardless of the outcome. Same thing could apply for D'argo, I guess.