7-10. It's Only a Paper Moon.

Nog takes refuge in Vic's holographic world -
and, like a true Ferengi, fixes his bookkeeping.

THE PLOT

Nog has completed his therapy after losing a leg at AR-558, and has returned to Deep Space 9. He has a new leg, which his medical records show should be working perfectly. He insists the leg hurts constantly, and tells Ezri that after spending two months talking to counselors, he does not want to talk further.

He does spend time listening and re-listening to Vic Fontaine (James Darren)'s rendition of I'll Be Seeing You, the song Bashir played just before the final battle. That leads him to the holosuite of Vic's Las Vegas lounge. After talking with Vic for a while, Nog decides to use Starfleet regulations to perform his therapy at Vic's, moving himself fully into Vic's apartment.

Nog actually makes progress within this holographic world, his Ferengi upbringing allowing him to feel useful by sorting out Vic's books and helping Vic run his business. But as Nog becomes more and more a part of this holographic world, Ezri and his family become concerned about his willingness to return to reality.


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Is eager to welcome Nog back to the station, and is concerned when Nog shuts himself away in his quarters. He complains to Ezri that watching and waiting is "not (his) first choice," but defers to her judgment.

Ezri: When Nog tells her that he's sick of talking to counselors, she doesn't push him - She even admits to Sisko that after all the psychiatric care he's been subjected to, she doesn't blame him for being done with it. She tells Sisko that they should step back and let Nog guide the course of his own treatment, and initially supports the Ferengi's choice of Vic's holo-program. When she sees that Vic has come to rely on Nog as much as the reverse, she uses reverse psychology to make Vic recognize that the Ferengi needs to return to the real world in order to live a full life.

Nog: Aron Eisenberg received praise from veterans for his convincing portrayal, and he is superb in this episode. The early scenes show Nog completely withdrawn, barely showing emotion, but with a haunted expression in his eyes and voice. When he lashes out at Jake in one scene, we first see his discomfort, then emotional pain when Jake's girlfriend refers to him as a hero. He becomes happy in Vic's holographic world, but when he's forced to return to reality he's in tears as the fear comes flooding back to him. Eisenberg plays every note perfectly, with the early withdrawal and anger fully earning the tears at the episode's end.

Vic Fontaine: His ability to read people, a consistent trait from his very first scene last season, is enough for him to see that Nog needs a break from reality. One of his first acts is to give Nog a new cane - one that's more stylish, but also lighter weight, forcing him to put less weight on the cane to enjoy his gift. Vic almost certainly starts fussing about his bookkeeping as a way to draw Nog into feeling useful... But with the program running 24 hours a day, Vic finds himself enjoying getting to live a complete life. Between that and his genuine fondness for Nog, he needs a nudge from Ezri to let Nog go - Though once he gets that nudge, he barely hesitates before shutting down his program to force Nog out into the real world.


THOUGHTS

"The kid's had too much reality lately, if you ask me. He's lost a leg, he's watched good friends die... We shouldn't push it, he needs time to heal."

DS9 deals with PTSD, and does a pretty good job of it. Compare It's Only a Paper Moon with Voyager's Extreme Risk, in which B'Elanna went through emotional turmoil. B'Elanna's issues hadn't even been hinted at in any previous episodes, and were cured by little more than a single conversation with Chakotay. By contrast, Nog's emotional turmoil rises naturally out of the events of The Siege of AR-558, and are examined over the course of the full episode.

Writer Ronald D. Moore lends layers to Nog's pain. He obsessively listens and re-listens to I'll Be Seeing You. He tells Vic, the song "helped me once when I was unhappy." His guilt over Larkin's death is never explicitly stated, but we see Nog flashing back to it. This, and his reaction when Jake's new girlfriend calls him a "hero" show that he still feels responsibility. Finally, there's his fear, which he frankly confesses to Vic:

"I saw a lot of combat. I saw a lot of people get hurt. I saw a lot of people die - But I didn't think anything was going to happen to me! And then suddenly, Doctor Bashir is telling me he has to cut my leg off. I couldn't believe it, I still can't believe it. If I can get shot, if I can lose my leg, anything could happen to me!"

All these different emotions, and the moments in which Nog lashes out with anger at those around him, make his pain tangible. Mix in superb performances by Aron Eisenberg and James Darren, whose Vic has in a very short time become a part of this show's fabric. If you had told me that a Star Trek show would introduce a singing hologram as a recurring character, I'd have branded it a worse idea than Wesley Crusher on the face of it.  It's a mark of just how good DS9 has consistently been at making its recurring characters live and breathe that Vic not only works and not only belongs, it's become an active pleasure to see him.

It should be noted this episode revolves around Nog and Vic, and I never once thought while watching about this being a show about two guest stars. That in itself is a triumph - Not only that my second-favorite episode so far this season (just a hair behind The Siege of AR-558) is about two guest stars, but that those guest stars feel as fully a part of the show as the main cast does.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Covenant
Next Episode: Prodigal Daughter

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7-8. The Siege of AR-558.

Sisko prepares for a vicious assault.

"Let me tell you something about humans, nephew. They're a wonderful, friendly people as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working. But take away their creature comforts; deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers; put their lives in jeopardy over extended periods of time - And those same friendly, intelligent, wonderful people will become as nasty and violent as the most bloodthirsty Klingon."
-Quark once again displays his pinpoint accuracy about human nature.


THE PLOT

The Defiant makes a supply run to AR-558, a planet in the Chin'toka system, which was taken back from the Dominion during Sisko's offensive. AR-558 is home to a communications array, which could be used to intercept enemy communications if they can figure out its workings. That makes this a front-line battleground, constantly under attack by Jem'Hadar under orders to take the array back.

Sisko arrives to a severely depleted force, with less than a third of the original troops still alive. The ones remaining are haunted, angry, and on-edge, left on the front line months past their original rotation date. It's clear they are ready to crumble - And when an unknown number of Jem'Hadar land on the planet, Sisko decides to stay to lead the attackers. His only order is to hold - at any cost!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Clearly recognizes that this unit has been at the front too long, but does not offer any false comfort or reassurance. He's very blunt in telling the acting CO, Lt. Larkin (Annette Helde), that Starfleet's forces are stretched thin and that proper relief may be a while coming. But when the inevitable attack comes, Sisko barely hesitates in announcing his intent to stay. After Nog is injured, Quark bitterly recriminates Sisko for not caring about sending him into harm's way, earning an angry response: "I care about Nog and every soldier under my command. Understood? Every single one!" Quark (wisely) backs off.

Quark: Sent on a fact-finding mission by the Grand Nagus, he provides the perspective of an anti-war outsider. His genuine feelings for his nephew are revealed not by any words, but by his repeated attempts to shield Nog from the battle. When Nog is injured, Quark lashes out at Sisko for sending him into a dangerous situation. He then stays with Nog through the rest of the episode - And finally picks up a weapon and fires on the enemy to protect his injured nephew. Armin Shimerman is superb throughout, and the shift in Quark's attitude - shown through his actions and demeanor, which is much more effective than some "moral of the story" speech - creates one of this episode's multiple compelling through-lines.

Ezri: Bonds with engineer Kellin (Bill Mumy), whom she assists thanks to being able to draw on the engineering expertise of former hosts Tobin and Jadzia. She worries about how she'll fare in battle. She remembers combat from the memories of Jadzia and Curzon, but has never directly experienced it. After she and Kellin are able to uncloak some hidden Dominion mines, she expresses doubts about the morality of turning these weapons against the Dominion, something Sisko brushes aside by pointing out that the fewer Jem'Hadar reach their base alive, the more likely they are to survive.

Nog: Is clearly embarrassed at Quark's presence, all but visibly cringing at his uncle's every act or utterance. He reacts with scorn to Quark's warnings against getting too close to the battle-hardened troops. He's impressed by Reese (Patrick Kilpatrick), who has created a necklace of Ketracel-white tubes taken from dead Jem'Hadar, and generally wants to be accepted by the soldiers. He is almost eager to volunteer for a dangerous scouting mission, and the veterans acknowledge that he "did all right" when he is returned badly injured, but having gathered vital information. He insists to Sisko that he'll be fine, but his face and tone of voice indicate otherwise - Something that I'm very certain will be followed up in later episodes.


THOUGHTS

The Siege of AR-558 is possibly the darkest Star Trek episode I've seen. The tone is grim, with even Quark's scenes providing not comedy relief, but rather dramatic tension in his unwelcome shielding of his nephew and his clashes with Sisko. It's dark in visual terms, as well, with dim lighting on a planet that appears to live in perpetual night, and the battle scenes are illuminated mainly by the firing of the weapons as the Jem'Hadar attack.

This is the series' big battle episode, and has on more than one occasion been compared to Saving Private Ryan. For all of that, a relatively small percentage of the episode is combat. Most of the running time sees the characters waiting for an attack they know is coming. The battle is inevitable, and many of the soldiers will die even if they win the fight. Nog's dangerous scouting mission gathers intelligence about the Jem'Hadar numbers. Ezri and Kellin make it possible to lay a trap to winnow down the enemy numbers. But the fight is coming, and nothing is going to stop it.

A particularly strong dramatic beat comes just before the final battle. The soldiers are waiting, under whatever cover they can find, guns trained where the enemy has to approach. Kellin flicks the sight of his gun repeatedly open and closed, open and closed, creating a metronome-like tap that could be measuring the seconds or the beats of the soldiers' hearts. This is allowed to linger a moment, before Sisko finally gives the man a look.

The performances are superb all-around, with guest actors such as Mumy, KIlpatrick, Helde, and Raymond Cruz making tangible the psychological situation for the soldiers. Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler deliver yet another outstanding script, with some memorable dialogue for every character, all of whom behave in ways that are entirely convincing. Finally, mention must be made of Paul Baillargeon's outstanding score, which sustains the atmosphere of the episode superbly.

Remarkably effective on all levels, The Siege of AR-558 ranks among Deep Space 9's finest hours. Fantastic television - Far from just for science fiction fans, I would rank this as a "must see" for anyone who enjoys well-crafted, emotionally effective drama.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Once More Unto the Breach
Next Episode: Covenant

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7-6. Treachery, Faith and the Great River.

Weyoun surrenders to Odo.

THE PLOT

Odo receives a message from Gul Russol, a former contact whom he had assumed assassinated when the Dominion took control of Cardassia. He travels to the rendezvous point, in a cave on a deserted moon. But it's not Gul Russol who is waiting for him - It's Weyoun, claiming that he wants to defect!

They have only begun the trip back to Deep Space 9 when they receive a transmission from Damar, and from his Dominion handler - Weyoun! It turns out that the Weyoun Odo knew and despised died in a suspicious "transporter accident," and the Weyoun defecting (Weyoun 6) was a replacement who was judged "defective." Weyoun 7 and Damar demand Weyoun 6's surrender or death, insisting they will not allow the runabout to reach Deep Space 9.

Weyoun 6 is certain that no member of the Dominion would fire on a ship carrying a Founder. But Damar sees no reason to tell the Jem'Hadar that a Founder is on board. The target is the runabout, and if the Jem'Hadar are ordered to ignore transmissions then they will do so. One changeling who doesn't consider himself a Founder versus the fate of the entire war?

Even the fervently devoted Weyoun 7 can do that math, and reluctantly authorizes Odo's destruction...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Sisko may just be my favorite of the various Star Trek captains. But in this episode... Sisko is an ass. The comedy "B" plot starts because Sisko gives O'Brien a ridiculous timetable for replacing a part on the Defiant. O'Brien explains that it's impossible to get the part in three days, let alone install it, and Sisko's response is to make it O'Brien's problem. After that impossible deadline is miraculously met, Sisko responds by giving the engineer yet another impossible deadline to install it. Since there's no sense of this being an emergency, I'm left thinking that it would serve Sisko right if he took the Defiant out only for every system on the ship to crash, thanks to Engineering not having proper time to install and test all systems.

Col. Kira: She and Odo both acknowledge that the message from Russol is a trap, but she does not argue with his insistence that he owes it to his contact to make the rendezvous. At the end of the episode, she lends some perspective on the actions of Weyoun 6, equating his faith in the Founders with her own in the Prophets. At the same time, she doesn't hesitate to remind Odo that his people are the enemy, and that what they learn in this episode makes them even more dangerous than they were already.

Odo: At the start, Odo is as he usually is with Weyoun: Utterly dismissive of the awe the other man feels for him, wary of traps, and callous of emotion. When it's revealed that "Weyoun 6" is a clone who has been labeled defective for not believing in the war effort, Odo becomes considerably more sympathetic, and from that moment the two work effectively as allies. Odo reveals just how much he does care about his people, even as he fights them, which prompts Weyoun to make one more revelation, one with heavy implications for the future of Odo and of the Dominion itself.

O'Brien/Nog: The "B" plot sees Nog using his Ferengi expertise to secure an elusive part for O'Brien. The comedy shenanigans that follow, in which Nog trades away Martok's blood wine and Sisko's desk, are great fun - not least because they never take up enough screen time to come at the expense of the main plot. Colm Meaney and Aron Eisenberg make an enjoyable comedy duo, with No's enthusiastic assurances that all these deals will work out in the end a perfect contrast for O'Brien's weary resignation as the situation spirals ever more out of control.

Damar: His dislike of the Dominion, and particularly of Weyoun, has reached the stage of active sabotage. It's obvious that Weyoun 5's "accident" was arranged by Damar, and it's also obvious that both of the current Weyouns know it. He's likely still alive because: (a) They can't prove it; and (b) He's useful, and more malleable than Gul Dukat had been. Damar may drink to excess, but he is clear-headed about strategy, and he is able to persuade Weyoun 7 to sacrifice Odo to protect the war effort. It isn't even a particularly hard sell.

Weyoun: A spotlight episode for Jeffrey Combs' Weyoun, seen in two different incarnations - neither of which is the one we've been watching for most of the series! It's a clever use of the "clone" aspect of the Vorta. Both Weyouns have fundamentally the same personality. Both fervently believe in the Founders, though Weyoun 6 believes this war is against the Dominion's best interests. Combs is fantastic throughout, and it's a credit to him that there's just enough difference in the performances of the two Weyouns that they become distinct individuals, and that the interactions of Weyoun 7 and Damar are almost as interesting to watch as those between Weyoun 6 and Odo.


THOUGHTS

"There are millions upon millions of worlds in the universe, each one filled with too much of one thing and not enough of another. And the Great Continuum flows through them all like a mighty river, from have to want and back again. And if we navigate the Continuum with skill and grace, our ship will be filled with everything our hearts desire."
-Nog, persuading O'Brien that his multiple deals will work out in the end.

Treachery, Faith, and the Great River is one of several Deep Space 9 episodes tying a serious "A" plot and a comedy "B" plot together. To their credit, writers David Weddle and Bradley Thompson strike an effective balance between these seemingly incompatible strands. The O'Brien/Nog subplot gets enough screen time to work, but is never allowed to take up too much time. And by anchoring that plot to Nog's religious beliefs as a Ferengi, it is able to fit thematically with the main story.

Previous episodes have made Weyoun's devotion to the Founders apparent. Here, we get some sense of the depth of his feeling, and the ways in which he can reconcile his faith and his reason. For instance, when Odo points out that the Founders have surely coded the Vorta's worship of them into their genome, Weyoun isn't bothered in the slightest. He says of course the Founders have done so - "That's what gods do. After all, why be a god if there's no one to worship you?"

Odo's discomfort with Weyoun's worship of him never changes, but it does evolve over the course of the episode. He stops treating Weyoun's devotion as a joke during their time together. Odo spends a fair bit of the middle of the episode seriously debating questions of faith and the Founders with Weyoun, who tells Odo the story of how the Vorta were uplifted. By the end, Odo is willing to give Weyoun 6 his blessing, even though he still hates the thought of being anyone's god.

In addition to the closer examination of Weyoun's faith, and what that means to Odo, this episode also pushes events forward. In the course of the episode, we see the Female Changeling (Salome Jens) appear unwell, something Damar picks up on even as Weyoun 7 denies even the possibility. By the end of the episode, Weyoun 6 has confirmed this to Odo. This leaves Odo, Kira, and presumably Starfleet as a whole aware of the Founders' weakened condition... and leaves Kira warning that their desperation will now make them even more dangerous.

Overall, this is a very strong episode, one that entertains on its own merits even as it teases more developments to come.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Chrysalis
Next Episode: Once More Unto the Breach

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6-23. Profit and Lace.

Quark as a Ferengi female. Some things you just can't unsee.

THE PLOT

Quark is surprised at the arrival to the station of his mother, Ishka (Cecily Adams) and the Grand Nagus, Zek (Wallace Shawn). He's even more surprised when they tell him Zek has been deposed. At Ishka's prodding, he decided to revoke the Ferengi ban on women wearing clothing, thus allowing them full access to Ferengi society. The response was panic throughout the Ferengi Alliance, which has turned for deliverance to Zek's rival, the loathsome Brunt (Jeffrey Combs).

Zek and Ishka have a plan. They will contact every member of the Ferengi Commerce Authority, counting on gratitude for past aid to make them throw their support behind Zek. There's only one flaw: Ferengi society isn't built around gratitude, and most of the dignitaries hang up as soon as Zek's name is mentioned.

One influential member does agree to come meet with them, however: Nilva (Henry Gibson), founder of Sluggo Cola. His voice and profit margin are such that his support alone will be enough to return Zek to the throne. They are certain that a meeting with Ishka will convince Nilva of the wisdom of letting females into society. But before Nilva can arrive, Ishka gets into an argument with Quark - which ends in a heart attack, leaving her alive but in no fit state to meet anyone.

Which leads them to Plan B: If they don't have a brilliant Ferengi female to meet with Nilva, they will make one... Out of Quark!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Just one episode ago, we saw Sisko trying to enlist Zek's help against the Dominion, yet here he doesn't even appear to notice that both Zek and his rival have arrived on the station. One can imagine an alternative, smarter version of the episode in which Sisko makes the pragmatic choice to try to win the support of Brunt, the apparent new Nagus, forced to ally with this loathsome toad in his scheming against Quark and Zek - Sort of a comedy counterpoint to In the Pale Moonlight. As it stands, Sisko is limited to a single scene in which he does nothing of interest.

Quark: As with all Quark-centric episodes, Armin Shimerman's performance is the greatest asset. The moment in which he stands up to the gloating Brunt, kicking him out of his bar with the only effective repetition of the episode's "acting Nagus" gag, sees him genuinely heroic... Just before he disappears into his quarters to lie in the fetal position. He trades venomous barbs with his mother, whose feminism he blames for Zek's downfall and his likely impending ruin - but when she collapses under the weight of his anger, he is horrified (though equally eager to hide his own culpability).

Brunt: Jeffrey Combs is deliciously malignant as Brunt, and one of the few genuinely good things about Profit and Lace is that it returns Brunt to his former status as a proper adversary. Watching Brunt swan around with the Nagus' stick in hand, gloating to his enemies as he plots their future ruin, it's obvious that the worst possible man has been put in charge of Ferengi society.

Grand Nagus: At least Zek isn't quite as pathetic here as he was in Ferengi Love Songs. Ishka may be the centerpiece of the plot to restore his position, but he's an active part of the plotting and scheming, rather than just a muddle-brained figurehead. I could have lived without the scenes of him leering at Leeta and, later, at Quark-as-a-woman, and anything that ever worked about this character has long since drained away... But he's easier to take here than in his last appearance.


THOUGHTS

As can probably be seen by this point, I do not in any way agree that Profit and Lace is the "worst episode ever" of Deep Space 9. It's not good, and more gags miss than hit. But it does offer a couple good performances, particularly by Shimerman and Combs, and at least reps an improvement over the previous Zek/Ishka horror, Ferengi Love Songs.

If that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement... Well, it isn't. But I've only liked a couple of episodes featuring Zek, and I haven't like any in which Ishka had more than a cameo. So when I say I found this episode to be reasonably watchable... Well, let's say that was enough in itself to exceed my expectations.

The show does open on a particularly bad note. The teaser sees Quark sexually harass a pretty young employee, threatening to fire her if she does not perform Oo-Moxx on him. The scene has nothing to do with the plot, its only payoff an extremely feeble joke at the very end. It's there only to make Quark unlikable enough so that we'll want to see him humiliated - And since this isn't Quark's normal behavior, it feels as wrong for the character as it is uncomfortable to watch.

That scene aside, the first half is passable. The scene in which Quark, Rom, and Nog try to get members of the Ferengi Commerce Authority to come to the station, only to have every contact insult them and hang up, is briskly-edited and quite amusing. Brunt is presented at his most obnoxious, putting us firmly on Zek's side by default, and each scene manages to stack the odds just a little bit higher against Quark & company.

The second half is genuinely awful. I'm not sure there was much comic mileage out of "Quark in a dress" to start with, and there's not one fresh or original moment. Between Zek hitting on Quark and Nilva chasing Quark around a table in a way that was tired in silent comedies, it becomes borderline embarrassing.

So, yes: I'm definitely giving Profit and Lace a below average rating. Still, given its extraordinarily poor reputation, I was pleasantly surprised to find it watchable. As an hour of Deep Space 9, it's mediocre at best - and "mediocre" is generous. But it isn't torture to watch, and it is very far from the series' worst.


Overall Rating: 3/10.

Previous Episode: Valiant
Next Episode: Time's Orphan

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6-22. Valiant.

Jake and Nog find themselves on a ship crewed entirely by cadets.

THE PLOT

Jake and Nog are heading to Feringinar on a runabout - Nog to officially represent Starfleet in asking for the Grand Nagus' aid with the war effort, Jake in hopes of getting an interview with the Nagus. Their journey is cut short, however, when they stumble right in the middle of a squadron of Jem'Hadar. Hopelessly outmatched, the two youths appear moments from death. Then the Valiant appears. A Defiant-class ship sent on a mission behind enemy lines, it effortlessly destroys the runabout's pursuers and beams Jake and Nog to safety.

To their surprise, the ship's crew is made up of cadets. Members of Red Squad, Starfleet Academy's elite cadet unit, they were on a training mission when they came under Dominion attack. The experienced Captain Ramirez was killed in the battle. Tim Watters (Paul Popowich), the senior cadet, assumed command, and has been continuing to fight ever since.

Watters insists on fulfilling a mission intended for Capt. Ramirez, to scan and analyze a new Dominion warship. The Valiant has been unable to complete the mission, because of the same engine problems that initially plagued the Defiant. Nog's familiarity with this problem allows him to get the engines up to speed - allowing them to catch up with and scan the warship without incident.

Then Watters decides to take his mission one step further. Instead of returning to Starfleet with the data, he decides they will exploit the weak spot they've identified and destroy the ship themselves - A plan that Jake feels is certain death...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Present only at the very end, when the Defiant receives a Starfleet distress call from an escape pod behind enemy lines. Sisko listens to the caution that this may be a Dominion trap, and acknowledges the possibility - But he also knows it might not be a trap, and decides they have to answer the distress call. His quiet confidence is a stark contrast against Waters' vehemence. Sisko doesn't have to insist he's in command, because unlike Waters, it's very obvious that he truly is a captain.

Jake: While Nog is quickly accepted into this crew of elite cadets, particularly after he proves himself by solving the warp problem, Jake is very much an outsider. When he steps into the mess hall, conversations stop around him. His unease is mostly just a feeling, which could be put down to being the outsider of the group... Until Watters upbraids him for having a simple conversation with a young woman who misses her home. From this point on, Jake is convinced that something is very wrong on this ship. He attempts to convince others after Watters decides on his suicide mission, but he's like Cassandra - He can clearly see the disaster to come, but no one will listen to him.

Nog: Is uneasy when Watters admits that the orders he's following were meant for Capt. Ramirez. But Watters offers him everything he's always wanted: A purpose, a place to belong, a position of responsibility. Rank, without having to go through years of grunt work to get it. He's even made a member of Red Squad, the elite group of cadets he was so desperate to join back at the Academy. And he believes Watters' insistence that the Valiant can complete this mission and can make a real difference to the war. Which makes his disillusionment all the sharper when Watters fails so completely. Aron Eisenberg is superb throughout, keeping our sympathies with Nog even when he becomes a fanatical Red Squad devotee and turns on Jake.

Capt. Watters: I'll give Watters this much credit: After the ship's captain died, he held the crew together and kept Valiant in one piece on the wrong side of enemy lines. Sure, it was reckless of him to accept orders meant for Capt. Ramirez when he clearly should have headed for home (as Ramirez certainly intended him to do)... But he does manage to complete the mission; and if he'd stopped there, returning vital data to Starfleet, declaring him a "hero" would have been fully justified.

However, he's also young and inexperienced, and not up to the responsibility he's assumed. He takes stimulants to keep himself alert, which means he's constantly sleep-deprived. He is controlling to the point of confronting Jake over having a conversation with one of his crew members. Then he insists on attacking the Dominion warship - something Valiant has not been ordered to do, and which in fact jeopardizes the very information the ship was meant to collect and return to Starfleet! When Jake rightly points out that this plan is idiotic, Watters responds by chanting Red Squad propaganda as if he was back at the Academy, using the chant to block out any dissent or even thought. As Nog sums up: "He may have been a hero. He may even have been a great man. But in the end he was a bad captain."


THOUGHTS

I expected Valiant to be terrible. An episode about a starship under the command of a bunch of kids? It sounded like a nightmarish early TNG scenario.

But Michael Vejar's direction lends energy and urgency to what occurs on-screen. Writer Ronald D. Moore's script is carefully structured, with the cracks in the apparently tightly-run Valiant only gradually revealed over the first half of the episode. First comes Watters' admission that Starfleet's orders were actually meant for Ramirez, and that nobody back home realizes that this is a ship of cadets. Then Jake is reprimanded for having a conversation with a crew member. Finally, we see the captain's pill-popping... at which point, we recognize that this crew is on the verge of imploding.

Then Watters comes up with his plan: To charge in and exploit a single weakness that will miraculously cause the Dominion ship to blow up like a firework! It's basically the Death Star run. But it turns out that blowing up that one weak point doesn't actually make the entire enemy ship go "Boom!" Imagine Luke Skywalker going through that trench run and hitting the vent perfectly... Only to discover that all it accomplished was knocking out the Death Star's air conditioning.

To cut a long review short: Good writing and good directing transforms a premise that had every reason to be terrible into a surprisingly pretty good episode.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: The Reckoning
Next Episode: Profit and Lace

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6-10. The Magnificent Ferengi.

Quark takes on the Dominion. Or as Rom puts it: "We'll all die!"

THE PLOT

Quark receives a message from the Grand Nagus: His mother, Ishka (Cecily Adams), has been captured by the Dominion. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Nagus has given Quark a directive - To personally rescue her.

Rom sensibly recommends they hire Naussican mercenaries to take on the task. But Quark is feeling slighted. The deeds of Starfleet officers get all the attention, while Quark's efforts on the station's behalf are all but ignored. That stokes his Ferengi pride, and he declares a course that strikes Rom as suicidal: To mount an all-Ferengi rescue mission.

Starfleet-trained Nog makes a valiant effort to make commandos out of a band of Ferengi outcasts, but it's clear that this group will never be able to get through Jem'Hadar soldiers. That's when Quark realizes that they must play to the strengths of the Ferengi. He needs to forget a military assault, and instead open a negotiation, using one of the few bargaining chips the station has to offer: The cowardly but slippery Keevan (Christopher Shea), the Vorta captured by Sisko months earlier.

Keevan is less than thrilled about being traded back to the Dominion. Vorta are supposed to commit suicide rather than allowing themselves to be taken prisoner - Meaning that the only welcome he can expect is a long and agonizing death...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: After Kira directly voices her support for Quark, Sisko grants permission for the Ferengi to use Keevan as a bargaining chip. Both Kira's recommendation and Sisko's agreement to give up a valuable prisoner demonstrate just how much their view of Quark has changed in light of his actions during the recent occupation.

Quark: Has always had an enormous sense of pride in being a Ferengi, which makes it believable that he wants to show that his people are capable of acts of heroism. Whatever else Quark may be, he is a natural leader. He doesn't come up with the specific ideas for the rescue. It is Rom who recognizes that they need to act like Ferengi to succeed, and it is Nog who comes up with the idea of fooling Yelgren (Iggy Pop), the Vorta in charge of trading Ishka for Keevan. But Quark is the one who keeps the group moving forward at every turn, and is the one who deals directly with Yelgren. He is the definite leader of this band of miscreants, and fully deserves it when his mother and brother express pride in him at the end.

Rom: Continues to follow his brother's lead, almost by default. He is able to steer Quark in the right direction - encouraging him to barter with the Dominion rather than try to fight, for example. But for the most part, he is there to support Quark in gathering his Magnificent Ferengi and in completing the mission. Rom can't lie to save his life, though, and almost destroys the entire exchange by letting slip that the reward promised by the Nagus is much larger than Quark is letting on.

Nog: Continually tries to execute the mission in the manner of a Starfleet military operation. He barks out orders, much to the scorn of the other Ferengi, and is taken aback when Quark gets his band to move "on the double" by promising latinum. Rom expresses pride in him, exclaiming, "My son, the soldier!" Quark is simply disgusted: "They've ruined him."

Brunt: No longer Liquidator, in the wake of his failed attempt to unseat the Grand Nagus, Brunt is now powerless enough to actually turn to Quark. Not surprisingly, Quark's first inclination is to tell his one-time nemesis where to shove it, but Brunt has something the rest of them do not: A ship. It's thin justification for adding Brunt to the mix; I find it hard to believe Quark couldn't lay his hands on a ship on very short notice, and he certainly could do so once Sisko gave the mission his blessing. But Jeffrey Combs is so much fun, I can't regret it. I'm just sorry that Weyoun couldn't have been in the episode as well, so that we could have had a double-dose of his two great DS9 villains.

Keevan: The memorably despicable Vorta from Rocks and Shoals reappears here. He's still driven by a desire to save his own skin, which now means resisting the attempts to trade him back to the Dominion. He tries to talk the Ferengi out of completing the trade, noting that Yelgren will certainly kill them all either before or after the hostage exchange. When that doesn't work, he attempts to flee - an attempt thwarted only by Quark's foresight in having Rom disengage key ship functions. Keevan's final words of the episode are a perfectly disgusted and, in context, hilarious sigh of: "I hate Ferengi!"


THOUGHTS

Readers of my reviews know that I have a rocky relationship with Ferengi episodes. I've enjoyed some individual pieces, such as Prophet Motive and Bar Association, but have found many others (such as anything involving Quark's mother) to be tedious and unfunny.

Even so, I found myself looking forward to The Magnificent Ferengi. It's an episode with a good reputation, scripted by the reliable Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler. Besides, the notion of almost all of the series' recurring Ferengi banding together for a mission against the Dominion is irresistible.

Fortunately, the episode easily lives up to its reputation. It is fast-paced, clever, and very funny. While the recurring Ferengi supporting characters only get enough time to establish themselves as "types," each does get a chance to amuse. I particularly enjoyed Leck (Hamilton Camp), a Ferengi psycopath who acts as an "Eliminator," who appalls Quark and Rom - not because he kills, but because he cares more for the challenge of the kill than for the money he is paid to do it. Brunt and Gaila (Josh Pais), Quark's gunrunning cousin, return, and both have suffered for their past encounters with Quark in ways that make them fit into this episode, but that are also entirely consistent with where we last saw them. Rom and Nog both get plenty of fun moments, while Quark makes as engaging an anti-hero as ever.

The snappy pace is a big key to this show's success. Unlike Ferengi Love Songs or Family Business, this script zips along, piling one complication on top of another. There's a constant forward momentum, with no wasted scenes and no chance for the action to drag. The gags are worked seamlessly into a tight, expertly-structured narrative; and while some have found the final gag involving Keevan and a bulkhead to be in bad taste, I have to admit to laughing uproariously at this final indignity visited on a man who is, after all, one of the most despicable recurring characters in Trek history.

I could carp about Iggy Pop's casting, as he gives one of the weakest performances on this show in recent memory... but even there, his low voice and bemused attitude somehow "fit." And what can be said against an episode where even Ishka didn't annoy me?

All in all, while this doesn't quite live up to the greatest Quark episodes, such as The House of Quark and Little Green Men, this episode remains a sprightly delight. Highly recommended.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Statistical Probabilities
Next Episode: Waltz

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5-25. In the Cards.

Jake plans to buy the perfect gift for his father...

THE PLOT

As Starfleet ships begin "disappearing" near the Cardassian (read: Dominion) border, the mood on the station grows grim. The clouds of war are closing in, and Sisko sees no way out. His mood is not helped by a visit from Kai Winn, visiting the station to meet with Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) to discuss a non-aggression pact between the Dominon and Bajor - a move that would effectively isolate Bajor from the Federation.

Meanwhile, Jake decides he needs to cheer his father up. When he learns that Quark is hosting an auction that includes a rare Willie Mays baseball card, he enlists Nog to help him buy the card. But Dr. Elias Giger (Brian Markinson) outbids them for the lot that includes the card. Giger does agree to let them have their prize... but only if they assist him with his experiments, involving the use of a "Cellular Regeneration and Entertainment Chamber," designed to keep the body's cells from becoming bored, thus granting immortality!

It is blatantly obvious that Giger is a lunatic, but he appears to be a harmless one. So Jake and Nog agree, and their efforts to secure a list of needed supplies for Giger leave them performing errands for practically every member of the command crew. Once they've gathered all the supplies, they return to Giger's quarters... only to discover that the man has vanished!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: In a foul mood, and with good reason. The background situation is bad enough, even before Kai Winn announces her visit. He has to acknowledge to Winn that in the event of a Dominion attack, he could not guarantee Bajor's defense - not if core Federation worlds were targeted at the same time. The best advice he can give Winn is to stall for time, in hopes that a solution will present itself before the moment of crisis arrives. It's not much of a solution, and both he and Winn know it.

Jake: Between this episode and Nor the Battle to the Strong, Cirroc Lofton has gotten some very strong material this season, despite being absent for a lot of it. The earlier episode focused on Jake's shame over his own, very human fear in the face of brutal combat. That episode ended with his father comforting him and expressing pride in him. This one sees Jake determined to do something to help his father, who has been there for him every time he's needed him. The ending to the earlier episode and the entirety of The Visitor give credibility to Jake's actions, even as they become ever more obsessive. Lofton overplays some of the comedy moments, but remains a likable performer throughout.

Nog: In the broadest scenes, though, it is very obvious that Aron Eisenberg's comedy instincts are much sharper than Cirroc Lofton's. Eisenberg never goes over-the-top, even when reacting to a mad scientist's plans to entertain his cells into immortality. Nog comes across very well, too. He argues with Jake every step of the way, particularly when his friend's obsession starts to look ever so slightly like its own form of lunacy. But at every critical juncture, he supports Jake, even when his support leads to three uncomfortable encounters with three people you don't want to have mad at you: Winn, Sisko, and Weyoun.

Weyoun: This is only Weyoun's third appearance, and he's already made his mark as yet another of the wonderfully rich recurring characters this show has created. His affable, even gregarious, interactions with others are fun in themselves, but the way actor Jeffrey Combs manages to never let Weyoun's smile reach his eyes really sells the character. He is amusing, but also menacing. When Sisko meets him at the airlock, he gives Weyoun the full force of his blunt disapproval: "I don't like the Dominion; I don't like what it stands for; and I don't like you!" Most would wilt under the force of Sisko's glare. Weyoun simply feigns hurt and says that he's sorry to hear that, since he expects they will be seeing much more of each other. Weyoun comes off the clear winner in the exchange, making him all the more formidable going into negotiations with Winn.

Kai Winn: You know things are bad when Kai Winn is one of the more sympathetic characters! She is out of her depth with Weyoun and the Dominion, and she knows it. For once, she is completely honest with Sisko. She doesn't know what to do about Weyoun's offer, and she doesn't know whether war or peaceful subjugation to the Dominion would be worse for Bajor. She actually turns to him for advice, and accepts what little advice he can give. When Weyoun compliments her on how much they have in common, Winn touches his ear to measure his pagh, and is chilled by what she sees in him. Her voice is calm, but she is clearly shaken as she replies: "No. We are nothing alike."


THOUGHTS

In the Cards has every reason to not work. It has an "A" plot and a "B" plot that are radically different in tone: Jake and Nog's comic antics trying to get their hands on a baseball card, and Sisko's attempts to advise Kai Winn regarding negotiations with the Dominion as the clouds of war close in on them. Though it's the best of the Star Trek shows, Deep Space 9 has often struggled with "A" and "B" plots that differ in tone, and this episode offers two story strands that could not be more different.

With Ronald D. Moore scripting at the top of his game and Michael Dorn showing startling confidence as director, the episode is another gem in a season that has been a veritable treasure trove. The plots are balanced in such a way that not only do they not intrude on each other, each story is able to enhance the other. The material with Sisko, Winn, and Weyoun feels all the more doom-laden contrasted with Jake and Nog's bumbling. The comedy is all the funnier unfolding against a potentially apocalyptic backdrop.

A lot of what makes this work so well is how perfectly judged the cuts from one story to the other are. Both stories begin in the opening scene. We see the station command staff at their most depressed, with Sisko struggling to find anything to talk about other than the Dominion, and Odo revealing that the station's population is the most panicked it has been since the end of the Cardassian Occupation. Jake and Nog observe this behavior, and Jake determines to do something to cheer his father up. Two plots spring from the same seed.

For the first half, the two stories have no plot connection, supporting each other mainly through contrast. The insane Dr. Giger babbles about "soulless minions of Orthodoxy," then we cut to the arrival of Weyoun and the Dominion. Jake and Nog are reduced to stealing back Dr. Bashir's teddy bear from his ex-girlfriend, at the same time that Sisko and Kai Winn discuss the very bad options Bajor has been left with. The silliest moments move right into the darkest moments.

If the whole episode had gone like that, it would have worked just fine. But then the script ups the ante by actually connecting the two stories. At first, it's minor: Weyoun becomes suspicous of Dr. Giger's experiments, fearing some unspecified threat; after Giger disappears, Jake and Nog suspect Winn of having a hand in it. Then the stories truly intersect, in a way that's ridiculous yet entirely satisfying. It's all tied together by a charming epilogue that leaves me ready to move immediately to the season finale - Exactly as its makers intended, no doubt.

In the end, I would sum up my thoughts about In the Cards with two statements: First, that when the final fade-out came, I actually applauded the episode; and second, that it has been too long since a Star Trek episode gave me the level of pleasure I received watching this.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Empok Nor
Next Episode: Call to Arms

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5-24. Empok Nor.

Garak menaces Chief O'Brien's engineering crew!

THE PLOT

The station's plasma conduits are breaking down, leaving the staff in a bind. With Cardassia having joined the Dominion, there is no source for replacement parts, and no ability to replicate those parts. The only reasonable possibility is Empok Nor, a Cardassian space station that was abandoned a year earlier, during the Klingon/Cardassian conflict. Chief O'Brien assembles a team to scavenge the station. Knowing the Cardassians' tendency to leave booby traps, Sisko orders one addition to the team, someone with extensive experience with Cardassian sabotage: Elim Garak!

Garak proves his usefulness almost immediately, disarming a device that would have turned Empok Nor's airlock into a deathtrap. Once aboard, the engineers begin searching for the needed parts. But Garak makes two disturbing discoveries: a bio-gel that he finds only when he makes skin contact with it, and two empty stasis tubes that housed members of the Cardassian First Order, a group that is violently xenophobic even by Cardassian standards. Their statis tubes were apparently set to wake them as soon as the station was breached.

Now they are hunting the Starfleet intruders. Garak's skills as a spy and assassin seem to offer the best hope for combating them... but Garak is sliding ever further into xenophobia himself, turning gradually against the very people he was sent to protect!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: When O'Brien suggests scavenging parts from Empok Nor, Sisko barely hesitates. He does take a moment to verify that the salvage team won't be likely to run afoul of the Dominion, however, and he bribes Garak into going along to help protect the engineers, both of which show a level of caution not always typical of Sisko.

O'Brien: The strongest character material of the episode is when Garak brings up O'Brien's military service during the Federation's war with Cardassia. Garak remarks on O'Brien's audacity at the Battle of Setlik III. This battle was first brought up in the TNG episode The Wounded (the show that introduced the Cardassians), and we saw there how uncomfortable O'Brien was with the things he had to do to survive the conflict. He is similarly uncomfortable here, insisting that he is no longer a soldier but an engineer. But as his men begin to die around him, O'Brien steadily returns to the soldier role, particularly when he is pushed into a battle of wits with Garak... a battle the engineer ends up winning.

Nog: Remains highly enthusiastic about his Starfleet career, to the point that his eagerness to volunteer for every duty available can become slightly annoying at times. His respect for O'Brien is entirely genuine, both from his own observations of the man's hard work and from hearing his father talk about how the chief can fix anything.

Garak: "Lately I've noticed that everyone seems to trust me. It's quite unnerving." It's good to see that Garak - and the writers - are aware that he has become too "safe" as an ally. Part of what makes Garak such a satisfying character is that you can never fully trust him, and that edge has diminished a bit over time. This episode might have served as a reminder that he remains dangerous and unreliable... Except, of course, that Garak does exactly what he was sent to do, right up until the bio-gel makes him "turn bad." And by turn bad, I mean turn into a stock psycho who is vastly less interesting (and less fun) than normal Garak is. Before that turn, we do get some good moments between him and O'Brien, a previously unused character pairing. The scene in which Garak needles O'Brien about his war service is a particularly strong one, leaving me wondering how much better this episode might have been had he gone to the station with a secret agenda that would put him at odds with O'Brien, with no evil bio-gel required.


THOUGHTS

Empok Nor is a story of two halves. The first half, in which the engineering team goes to the abandoned station and eventually finds itself being picked apart by Cardassian commandos, is very good: Tense, well-acted, with good character material and meticulous direction by the ever-reliable Michael Vejar. The second half, in which Garak goes crazy and Andrew J. Robinson recreates his "Gemini Killer" persona from Dirty Harry, is rather weak and silly, derailing an episode that had been on track to become a fine, spooky piece.

The performances by Colm Meaney and Andrew Robinson are terrific, as expected. The guest cast is undistinguished but perfectly adequate. What keeps this episode from hitting the mark is the script, which never quite finds a proper focus. The subplot with the Cardassian First Order never receives an adequate payoff; this strand is simply and conveniently cut off at the exact moment Garak becomes homicidal. Nor does the "evil Garak" material particularly work. Unlike Garak's nastiest moments in The Wire, his behavior in this episode doesn't seem to stem from his own personality - It's forced upon him, effectively turning him into a different character. The two halves don't really gel, and there's no sense that the events of this story will have any repercussions whatever.

I would also like to raise the question: Why didn't the DS9 crew make sure to have backup supplies of Cardassian equipment? There was a lengthy period, from the end of Season Three through to the first part of Season Five, in which the Federation appeared to be on good terms with the Cardassians. Surely using that opportunity to stock up on parts that could not be obtained from other sources would have been a simple matter of common sense? Had this been addressed with even a throwaway line ("Dukat sabotaged our spares right before leaving the station to join the Dominion), then I'd be fine by it. Instead, it appears to be a situation that exists solely because the plot requires it.

I will say that this is a quite watchable episode, with some good moments. The O'Brien/Garak pairing works extremely well, with the series' most straightforward character forced to interact with the series' least straightforward one, to amusing effect. The scene near the beginning, in which Garak prods O'Brien about his military background, is excellent character material. Also very good is the closing scene, with O'Brien's admission that he was actively trying to kill Garak all the more effective for being underplayed. It's just a shame that these moments and performances are stuffed into an episode that's otherwise unworthy of them.


Overall Rating: 5/10.

Previous Episode: Blaze of Glory
Next Episode: In the Cards

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5-23. Blaze of Glory.

Sisko and Eddington: Keep your friends close...

THE PLOT

Gen. Martok informs Sisko that he has intercepted a Maquis message, clearly directed to captured Maquis leader Michael Eddington (Kenneth Marshall), stating that a missile launch is imminent. Martok reveals that the Klingons provided the Maquis with cloaking technology during the conflict with Cardassia. If the missiles are cloaked, they will be impossible to detect; and if they strike Cardassia, then it will be the start of the very war that they have all been trying so hard to avoid.

There is one hope. If they can locate the launch site, then someone who knows the abort codes will be able to deactivate the missiles remotely. Sisko offers Eddington a full pardon for his cooperation. The Maquis leader is bitter about the destruction of his people by the Dominion. He blames Starfleet in general, and Sisko in particular, for allowing it to happen. He does eventually agree to help - but he warns that once this mission is over, he intends to kill Sisko!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: He may be willing to deal with Eddington, but it's clear that he has not forgiven the man his betrayal. Though Sisko talks about how Eddington broke his oath to Starfleet, and how Cal Hudson did so before him, Eddington is right when he says that isn't the captain's real problem. Hudson was a personal friend, Eddington a trusted officer. In Sisko's mind, both men did something worse than betray Starfleet - They betrayed him. Sisko sums it up himself, when he realizes exactly what this entire mission has really been about. "I don't like being lied to!" he snarls, punctuating the statement with a punch.

Eddington: When Sisko says that the Maquis should have been pushing for a negotiated peace with the Cardassians, rather than continuing to wage war, Eddington snaps back: "The Maquis won its greatest victories under my leadership... We had the Cardassians on the run!" As Sisko observes, the Cardassians ran to the Dominion, with predictable results for the Maquis. Those words appear to finally resonate when Eddington stands in the midst of corpses of Maquis who were massacred by the Jem'Hadar. Eddington spends the first part of the episode pretending to have a death wish, a ruse Sisko sees through immediately. After he sees the end result of his private war, what had been an act becomes a reality. Kenneth Marshall's performance here is easily his best of the series, and the many sharp exchanges between Eddington and Sisko form this episode's very strong center.

Nog: Gets the episode's "B" plot. His rotation as cadet now having put him with Security, Nog is finding difficulty dealing with Martok and his Klingons. He complains that they don't even acknowledge his presence, just looking over his head when he tries to talk to them about violations of station regulations. After Sisko tells him to stand up to them, to earn their respect by refusing to be intimidated, Nog spends most of the rest of his subplot spoiling for a fight - though when his chance finally comes, his voice quavers with fear even as he forces the confrontation.


THOUGHTS

Blaze of Glory brings the Eddington arc to a close, and to all appearances closes out the DS9 Maquis arc as well. Following up on Gul Dukat's vow to cleanse Cardassian space of the Maquis, this episode reveals that the Jem'Hadar have destroyed them. Which makes sense: The Jem'Hadar were established in their very first appearance as ruthless.  There's no reason they would have wasted any time in removing an enemy from space settled by treaty as Cardassian space... which is now Dominion space.

For Eddington, this means that the cause he fought for, and the people for whom he sacrificed his freedom, have been all but eradicated. And it happened while he was in prison, helpless to do anything except hear about it through news reports. Again, it makes perfect sense that this has engendered massive resentment against Sisko, who made his capture into a personal crusade. Had Sisko simply left him alone, he would have been able to at least try to save his people from the Jem'Hadar, even if all that would have resulted in was him dying alongside them.

Both men have valid points, but both exaggerate their claims. The Maquis may have become more aggressive under Eddington, but the real damage to Cardassia was wrought by the Dominion's eradication of the Obsidian Order and by the Klingon conflict. Sisko, in turn, did make his pursuit of Eddington personal - but Eddington was launching biogenic attacks against entire planets, clearly raising the stakes past what Starfleet was willing to accept. Our knowledge of the backstory lets us see that neither man is entirely wrong, but neither is entirely right.

The plot ticks along at a swift pace, buoyed by some of the most beautiful effects the series has yet offered in the Badlands scenes. The sequence in which Eddington and Sisko desperately evade two Jem'Hadar warships is particularly well-done, outstanding effects edited tautly with the live action to create a truly nail-biting moment. The planet-bound action of the last third is also effective, the stock Trek set given atmosphere by the dim lighting, by the smoke hanging in the air, and by the Maquis corpses that surround both men even as they battle through Jem'Hadar to reach their goal.

All of this makes Blaze of Glory a good episode, but there is a slightly mechanical quality to it that keeps me from rating it as a great one. Part of this is that the Maquis strand, while far better-handled by DS9 than by Voyager, never felt completely a part of the series. Once or twice a season, DS9 would remember the Maquis were there and do an episode involving them. Folding Eddington into the arc upped the stakes a bit (and did something interesting with a previously bland character)... but in the full season that separated Eddington's betrayal from this resolution, there was only one other Maquis episode and a handful of isolated mentions.

All of which leaves the sense that this episode was mainly designed to cut out an inconvenient thread so that it wouldn't distract from the building Dominion conflict. Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe are among the show's best writers, and they do a fine job of making the Maquis resolution fit with what's come before. But with only scattered build-up of that arc prior to this point, the ending just doesn't have the power that it should have had.

It's still good, though, and significant within the fabric of the series. It's just a pity that the Maquis were never truly exploited to their full potential.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Children of Time
Next Episode: Empok Nor

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5-9. The Ascent.

Quark and Odo must rely on each other to survive.

THE PLOT

For Jake, the day has finally arrived, a day he has doubtless dreamt of: He is moving out. Nog's return to the station as a cadet means Jake can move in with his best friend, sharing quarters with the young Ferengi while enjoying space away from his father. However, time at the Academy has changed Nog, who has responded all too eagerly to Starfleet discipline. Nog essentially treats Jake like a junior cadet, insisting on a regular exercise schedule and a strict curfew for "lights out." The biggest sticking point, however, is cleanliness: Jake has lapsed into some very slovenly habits, while Nog has become a stickler for perfect order. 

Meanwhile, for Odo the day has definitely arrived, a day he has spent ten years waiting for: He has been ordered to place Quark in custody! Odo bundles the Ferengi into a runabout to take him before a Federation grand jury on Inferna Prime, a flight of about eight days. They are about halfway there when Quark notices a buzzing sound inside a maintenance hatch. He opens up the hatch and discovers a bomb - planted by the Orion Syndicate to kill Quark before he can testify!

Odo beams the explosive into space, but not fast enough to avoid triggering the device and crippling the runabout. Odo is able to get it to a nearby planet, but hopes of rescue are dimmed when they discover their communications equipment was damaged in the crash. Then Quark has an idea: Take the undamaged tranceiver array up a mountain on foot. If they get it high enough, atmospheric interference will be diminished to allow them to send a distress signal. But with Odo a mere man without his shapeshifting abilities, and with Quark being... well, Quark, the climb itself may prove too much for either man to endure!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: He recalls that when they first came to the station, he didn't want Jake having anything to do with Nog, and now he's actually happy at the thought of Nog being his son's roommate. When Jake and Nog argue and Nog moves out, Sisko could be the protective parent and use the opportunity to make his son move back home - Which is probably tempting, as he visibly struggles with the idea of Jake leaving in the opening scene. Instead, he agrees with Rom that the two young men could learn a lot from each other and orders them back together. "I'm your captain, and I'm your father. And what I say goes!"

Odo: Quark observes that the Founders gave Odo exactly what he wanted when they made him a solid. "I used to see you coming into the bar, watching Morn eat, eyeing my customers as they gambled and flirted with the dabo girls, wishing you were one of them." Odo protests, but not very convincingly. Odo's unspoken concern for Quark remains consistent. When Quark falls during the climb, Odo calls out in worry. It's only when he sees that Quark is uninjured that he shifts tone to snap about avoiding damage to the tranceiver.

Quark: Just as Quark sizes up Odo, so does Odo with Quark. Odo observes that Quark isn't a member of the Orion Syndicate only because he couldn't afford the entry fee after the Ferengi Commerce Authority stripped him of all possessions. Then he recognizes the full extent of the truth: That even before that, Quark couldn't afford it. "All those years of scheming and lying and cheating and you're still too small-time for the Orions." It hits home, but Quark is phased for only a second before getting his own back: "Which means you've spent the last ten years of your life trying to catch a nobody. With little success." Any doubts as to the strength of Quark's will should be put to rest by the ending, in which he pushes all the way to the top of the mountain alone, unwilling to die and leave his bar to his guileless brother and his nephew to full "corruption" by Starfleet.

Jake/Nog: These two dominate the episode's "B" plot. While the Odd Couple of Odo and Quark must work together to survive, Jake and Nog move in together and discover that their time apart has made them very different people. Jake has become slovenly, refusing to tear himself away from his writing (or his time waiting for the muse to strike) to so much as put a dirty plate back in the replicator. Nog has become a martinet, so attached to the military discipline of Starfleet Academy that he applies that to every facet of his existence. Unfortunately, though attempts are made to thematically link Jake and Nog learning to live together with Quark and Odo having to work together, this entire strand mostly comes across to me like a distraction, and I think the episode as a whole would be stronger without it.


THOUGHTS

The rivalry and unstated friendship between Quark and Odo has been a highlight of the series from the beginning. In The Ascent, writers Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe shove them together in a survival situation, allowing opportunities to mine that rich vein of character ore. The trading of insults and cutting observations is wonderfully scripted, and Rene Auberjonois and Armin Shimerman are terrific throughout.

What keeps this episode from being the outright success it should be is the Jake/Nog subplot. There's nothing terribly original about it, and there's little sense of organic development of the two characters. Jake has never previously been portrayed as a slob. It might have been worthwhile to have indicated that this is a recent change following the traumatic events of Nor the Battle to the Strong, but that isn't what the script tells us. Instead, we're meant to believe this is simply who Jake is, despite never having seen this before. 

Nog's drill sergeant routine seems even less in-character. We have seen Cadet Nog before, in last season's Homefront/Paradise Lost two-parter - and though he seemed significantly more confident in himself, there was no indication of him becoming the character we see here. 

In short, the two characters are forced into a comedy situation that does not arise naturally from who they have previously been shown to be. Jake's a slob and Nog's a militaristic neat freak because the writers hope that will "be funny." If I thought it was funny, I'd let it pass - but I'm afraid I didn't laugh once during these scenes, and simply suffered through them waiting to get back to the good stuff with Quark and Odo.

The success of the "A" plot easily overshadows the failure of the "B" plot, leaving this still a pretty solid episode. But there's no question in my mind that this would be a stronger piece had the strained comedy antics of Jake and Nog been jettisoned.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Things Past
Next Episode: Rapture


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