The Banik are a fictional alien race from the Farscape universe. The only member of this race to be shown on the TV show was the Stykera named Stark.
Little is known of the Banik race, due to the fact that they are dispersed throughout the galaxy, and used primarily as slaves.
The Banik are humanlike in appearance, suggesting that they may be an offshoot of the Sebaceans.
Stykera The most exceptional trait of the Banik is that some of their race are powerful spiritualists called Stykera.
Stykera possess an intense spiritual energy and a deep link with space and time. They can, under certain circumstances, assume a non-corporeal form for a time. In fact, they are incapable of becoming entirely corporeal. A portion of their body, which varies from individual to individual, presents as a radiant golden light. This portion of their body must be kept covered to prevent their energy from spilling out, though when they have spiritually prepared themselves they may temporarily remove the coverings to better use the energy for spiritual purposes.
One such purpose is their ability to "cross over" the souls of dying individuals. During this process the Stykera learns all the soul knows, and they can recall information from past souls they have crossed over. The Stykera actually absorbs a small part of the soul into their own, which can have a positive or negative effect on them depending on the nature of the soul they crossed over.
It is never made completely clear if all Stykera are Baniks, or if non-Banik Stykera exist.
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