Ouroboros

Damian is derived from the Greek name 

Δαμιανος (Damianos), 

from the Greek word δαμαζω (damazo), 

meaning “to tame” 

or “to master”.

Dave LISTER,

The Last Human—

Occupation : BUM :

[to baby]

For the longest time, you'll think like you were abandoned, but you weren't, man. 

You were put here to create a paradox, 

an unbreakable circle. 

With us going 'round and 'round in time, the human race can never beome extinct.

We're like... a kind of 

'holding pattern'.

LISTER reaches into the box and touches the baby's chin tenderly

LISTER:

 I'll see ya, son.

Quietly, LISTER approaches the pool table and, bending down, gently slides the box underneath. He steps away

The Grail castle is always just down the road and a turn to the left. If anyone is humble enough and of good heart, he can find that interior castle. Parsifal has had the arrogance beaten out of him by twenty years of fruitless searching, and he is now ready for his castle.

  THE SECOND GRAIL CASTLE

  Just down the road, turn left, and cross the drawbridge, which snaps closed ticking the back hooves of your horse. It is always dangerous to make the transition of levels that entry to the Grail castle involves.

Parsifal finds the same ceremonial procession going on; a fair damsel carries the sword that pierced the side of Christ, another damsel carries the paten from which the last supper was served, yet another maiden bears the Grai

itself. The wounded Fisher King lies groaning on his litter, poised between life and death in his suffering.

Now, wonder of wonders, with twenty years of maturity and experience behind him, Parsifal asks the question which is his greatest contribution to mankind: Whom does the Grail serve?

What a strange question! Hardly comprehensible to modern ears! In essence the question is the most profound question one can ask: where is the center of gravity of a human personality; or where is the center of meaning in a human life? Most modern people, asked this question in understandable terms for our time, would reply that I am the center of gravity; I work to improve my life; I am working toward my goals; I am increasing my equity; I am making something of myself—or most common of all—I am searching for happiness, which is to say that I want the Grail to serve me. We ask this great cornucopia of nature, this great feminine outpouring of all the material of the world—the air, the sea, the animals, the oil, the forests, and all the productivity of the world—we ask that it should serve us. But no sooner is the question asked than the answer comes reverberating through the Grail castle halls—the Grail serves the Grail King. Again, a puzzling answer. Translated, this means that life serves what a Christian would call God, Jung calls the Self, or and we call by the many terms we have devised to indicate that which is greater than ourselves.

Another language, less poetic but perhaps easier, is available. Dr. Jung speaks of the life process as being the relocation of the center of gravity of the personality from the ego to the Self. He sees this as the life work of a man and the center of meaning for all human endeavor. When Parsifal learns that he is no longer the center of the universe—not even his own little kingdom—he is free of his alienation and the Grail is no longer barred from him. Though he may come and go from the Grail castle during the rest of his life, now he will never be alien to it again.

Even more astonishing, the wounded Fisher King rises, healed, in triumph and joy. The miracle has happened, and the legend of his healing has been accomplished. In Wagner’s opera, Parsifal, the wounded Fisher King rises at this moment and sings a wondrous song of triumph and power and strength. It is the culmination of the whole tale!

Now who is the Grail King whom we have not heard mentioned before? He is the true king of the realm and he lives in the center of the Grail castle. He lives only on the Host and the Wine of the Grail. He is a thinly disguised figure of God, the earthly representation of the Divine, or in Jungian terms, the Self. It is humbling to learn that we hear of this inner center only when we are ready for it and when we have done our duty of formulating a coherent question.

The object of life is not happiness, but to serve God or the Grail. All of the Grail quests are to serve God. If one understands this and drops his idiotic notion that the meaning of life is personal happiness, then one will find that elusive quality immediately at hand.

This same motif appears in a contemporary myth, The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien; the power must be taken from those who would exploit it. In the Grail myth the source of power is given to the representative of God. In Tolkien’s myth the ring of power is taken from evil hands that would use its power to destroy the world and is put back into the ground from which it came. Earlier myths often spoke of the discovery of power and its emergence from the earth into human hands. Recent myths speak of returning the source of power to the earth or into the Hands of God before we destroy ourselves with it.

One detail in the story is worth special observation: Parsifal need only ask the question; he does not have to answer it. When one is discouraged and certain he will never have the intelligence to find the answer to insoluble riddles, he can remember that although it is the duty of the ego to ask a well-formulated question, he is not required to answer it. To ask well is virtually to answer.

Rejoicing bursts forth in the Grail castle; the Grail is brought forth, it gives its food to everyone, including the now-healed Fisher King, and there is perfect peace, joy, and wellbeing.

Such a dilemma! If you ask the Grail to give you happiness, that demand precludes happiness. But if you serve the Grail and the Grail King properly, you will find that what happens and happiness are the same thing. A play on words becomes the definition of enlightenment.

An identical theme is found in very different language in the “Ten Oxherding Pictures” from Zen Buddhism. This is a series of ten pictures prescribed for an artist to portray the steps toward enlightenment. In the first the young hero searches for the ox—his inner nature; in the second he sees the footprints of the ox; in the third he sees the ox. The series proceeds to the ninth picture in which the hero tames the ox, forges a peaceful relationship with it, and sits quietly surveying the scene. The question rises at this pointBehold the streams flowing, whither nobody knows; and the flowers vividly red—for whom are they? Author Mokusen Miyuki reflects that these words could be translated literally into “The stream flows on its own accord, and the flower is red on its own accord.” The Chinese term tsu, “of its own accord,” is used as a compound, tsu-jan, in Taoist thought. It can mean “naturalness,” an occurring of the creative spontaneity of nature, within and without. In other words, tsu-jan, can be taken psychologically as the living reality of selfrealization or the creative urge of the Self manifesting itself in nature.

The series of pictures culminates in the tenth when the hero, now perfectly at peace, walks unnoticed through the village streets. There is nothing extraordinary about him now except that all the trees burst into blossom as he passes by.

This questioning of the meaning of the stream or the redness of the rose from such a different source as Zen Buddhism enhances our understanding of this quest.

A Frenchman, Alexis de Tocqueville, came to America more than a century ago and made some astute observations about the American way. He said that we have a misleading idea at the very head of our Constitution: the pursuit of happiness. One can not pursue happiness; if he does he obscures it. If he will proceed with the human task of life, the relocation of the center of gravity of the personality to something greater outside itself, happiness will be the outcome.

In this year of our Lord we are just beginning to ask the Grail question: do we have the right to cut down the trees, impoverish the soil, and kill all the pelicans? The answer is beginning to come clear; the first lisping syllables of the question are audible. If we can hear this old tale of an innocent fool blundering into the Grail castle for the first time and earning his way there a second time, we can find some sage advice for our own modern way.

Excerpt from : 

"He: Understanding Masculine Psychology" 

by Robert A. Johnson.

23 - Int. Gantry within Starbug ---------------------------------------]

[LISTER present]

[Enter KOCHANSKI]

<LISTER holds out the small in-vitro tube> 

LISTER

 This is for you.

 Just pop that in the uterine simulator in your medi-lab and... bingo.

KOCHANSKI

 Wow...

LISTER

 Our child...

KOCHANSKI

 I'll... you know.

LISTER

 I know.

KOCHANSKI

 As soon as it's old enough I'll tell it all about you -

LISTER

 Just make it understand why I'm not there, I don't want it ending up like

me.

KOCHANSKI

 What happenned to you was really rough. 

The pool table, no note, no explanation...

LISTER

 I think that's why I spent most of my early life drifting, y'know? I didn't have anything to look to cos I didn't know Who I Was, Where I Came

From. Just those two names they couldn't decide on calling me; 'Rob' or ‘Ross'.

KOCHANSKI

 Well... I'll look after it. You know I will.

LISTER

 Yeah, I know.

<They move to kiss>

[Enter KRYTEN, interposing himself between them to get to the gantry railing]

KRYTEN

 Excuse me, sir; just doing a spot of dusting here...

[-- 24 - Int. Starbug cargo bay -------------------------------------------]

[Enter LISTER, KOCHANSKI, KRYTEN]

KOCHANSKI

 Look, this is probably a long shot but if we can hit the right settings it may be possible to communicate trans-dimensionally.

<She hands LISTER a palm-size device, similar to a portable phone>

LISTER

 See ya...

KOCHANSKI

 Bye.

[Exit KOCHANSKI]

[Enter CAT, struggling with a large box. LISTER takes one of the handles

 and they hold it between them]

LISTER

 What's this?

CAT

 Supplies from Bud-Babe's ship.

LISTER

 No, *this*

<LISTER indicates a marking on the top of a box>

KRYTEN

 Well, it's the symbol for 'infinity', sir. The snake, eating it's own tail and thus completing the everlasting circle of life that has no

beginning or end.

LISTER

 What's it doing on 'ere?

KRYTEN

The crate used to contain batteries, sir. 

Ouroboros batteries — Everlasting.

LISTER

 Ourobo-what??

<LISTER takes the box from CAT and places it down, looking at it intently>

KRYTEN

 Ouroboros, sir - it's the name of the symbol.

<LISTER rubs his hand along the top of the box, revealing the "Ouroboros Batteries" legend stencilled on it>

CAT

 What is it, bud?

LISTER

 Ouroboros... It wasn't 'Our Rob or Ross', it was Ouroboros..!

CAT

 What was?

LISTER

 The message that was written on the side of my box!

CAT

 You came in a box? That explains everything.

LISTER

 I know who my parents are... I know who I am... I understand, now!

KRYTEN

 Explain, sir!?

LISTER

 The in-vitro tube, the one that Kochanski's got. The frozen embryo - it's me! 

At some point after the baby's born, we must go back in time and leave me under the pool table at the Aigburth Arms. 

We wrote Ouroboros on the box to explain! 

I'm me own father...! And Krissy is my ex-girlfriend and me Mum!

CAT

 You should write a letter to Playboy, bud. 

I bet you anything it'd get printed!

LISTER

 I've gotta get that test tube back.

[LISTER sprints out after KOCHANSKI, CAT and KRYTEN following]

[-- 25 - Int. The Way ----------------------------------------------------]

[P.LISTER, P.KRYTEN, KOCHANSKI, P.CAT present]

[Enter LISTER, running to catch up]

LISTER <shouts>

 Mum! Wait!

<The Parallel crew turn around>

KOCHANSKI

 What?

LISTER

 I need the in-vitro tube! It's me!

[The Parallel crew are too far away to hear properly]

KOCHANSKI

 It's what??

[Enter KRYTEN, CAT]

<Without warning, sparks burst from the roof of the Linkway>

KRYTEN

 The Gelfs are back!

<Cutting out into non-space, we see a companion Gelf ship has tracked down

 the Dwarfers and is doing all in its power to break the trans-dimensional

 connection. It fires a second shot and the tortured Linkway shudders and

 tears apart, again stranding the unfortunate Kochanski in the wrong

 Dimension. This time, she isn't going to put up with it. Setting her

 sights on the ragged ledge of the linkway that floats temptingly just feet

 away, she shrugs off her jacket and unclips her heavy belt>

LISTER

 What are you doing?

KOCHANSKI

 I'm gonna jump!

<With that, KOCHANSKI springs forward and sprints for the tear>

CAT

 You'll never make it!

LISTER

 Chris, no!!

<KOCHANSKI takes a wild leap, fingers stretching for the lip of the linkway.

 Spread almost flat, she falls short by mere centimeters and plummets into

 the blackness of non-space>

P.LISTER

 Christine!!

KRYTEN

 We've lost her, sir.

LISTER

 No.

 No!

P.LISTER

 Christine!!

<LISTER's communicator suddenly emits a bleep. He fumbles it out>

LISTER

 Yeah?

KOCHANSKI [Mic.]

 Hi, it's me.

LISTER

 Hi -

KOCHANSKI [Mic.]

 I've decided to stay; just, one proviso -

LISTER

 Yeah?

KOCHANSKI [Mic.]

 Save my life, okay?

[-- 26 - Int. Starbug cargo bay -------------------------------------------]

[Enter LISTER, CAT, KRYTEN, running to the cargo stores and tearing lids

 off containers as quickly as possible]

LISTER <into Communicator>

 Cargo bay; looking now!

LISTER <pulling a weapon of some kind out of a box: to KRYTEN>

 What's this??

KRYTEN

 It's mountaineering equipment from Miss Kochanski's ship, sir.

LISTER

 A crossbow?

KRYTEN

 I thought it might come in handy next time we run into your wife.

KOCHANSKI [Mic.]

 You've got about 20 seconds before I'm out of reach!

<Behind them, CAT pulls out several lengths of rope from another box>

CAT

 Rope?

<LISTER grabs the crossbow and rope>

LISTER

 Yes! Yes! Yes!

[LISTER sprints OOV]

[-- 27 - Int. The Way -----------------------------------------------------]

KOCHANSKI [Mic.]

 I'm getting a *mite* panicky, here..!

[Enter LISTER, CAT, KRYTEN]

<LISTER runs to the lip of the Way, attaches the rope to a crossbow bolt and takes careful aim through the telescopic sight. Sweat beading on his brow, his finger tenses; he knows that a stray shot will end the life of the only woman he has ever truly loved - in more ways than one.

 He pulls the trigger, and the bolt hurls itself into the abyss. The pile of rope uncoiles with dizzying speed as the the bolt arcs through the blackness - until it embeds itself solidly, clear through Kochanski's right

 thigh>

 

KOCHANSKI

 Aaarg!

<She gasps in agony and stares at the bolt protruding redly through both sides of her leg>

KOCHANSKI

 Bastard!

<As LISTER and CAT struggle with the rope, LISTER's communicator bleeps, and

 KRYTEN takes it from his pocket. KRYTEN listens, his eyes widening>

KRYTEN

 It's an obscene phone call, sir. I think it's for you.

<He holds the device up to LISTER, who cringes>

[-- 28 - Int. Starbug medi-bay --------------------------------------------]

[KRYTEN, KOCHANSKI present]

KRYTEN

 I've brought you a drink, but don't think for one minute it means I've gone all mushy on you.

 

KOCHANSKI

 I'm gonna get up, and work out a way of re establishing that linkway.

KRYTEN

 It's too late ma'am, the rift's self-repaired...

[His voice again becomes tearful and high-pitched]

KRYTEN

 We're *stuck* with you!

KOCHANSKI

 I'm gonna try, *anyway*.

<KOCHANSKI slides off the bed awkwardly, and pads over to the door.

 Standing, KRYTEN sees that the back of her gown has got fastened in the

 waistband of her undershorts>

KRYTEN

 Oh, ma'am -

KOCHANSKI

 Yes, Kryten?

<KRYTEN hestitates>

KRYTEN

 Welcome aboard...

<KOCHANSKI smiles gratefully>

KOCHANSKI

 Thanks, Kryten.

<KRYTEN turns away and grins>

[-- 29 - Int. An empty pub ------------------------------------------------]

[The scene is an old, circa 22nd century English pub, in the foreground is

 a zero-g pool table. A flash of red lighting arcs down to the floor and

 LISTER appears, holding a cardboard box in which is a baby, wrapped in

 blankets. A single word written in black marker pen adorns the side of the

 box, and reads: 'Ouroboros']

[A caption appears on screen and reads: "EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER"]

Dave LISTER,

The Last Human —

Occupation : BUM :

[to baby]

For the longest time, you'll think like you were abandoned, but you weren't, man. 

You were put here to create a paradox, 

an unbreakable circle. 

With us going 'round and 'round in time, the human race can never beome extinct.

We're like... a kind of 'holding pattern'.

<LISTER reaches into the box and touches the baby's chin tenderly>

LISTER:

 I'll see ya, son.

<Quietly, LISTER approaches the pool table and, bending down, gently slides the box underneath. He steps away>