7-25 - 7-26. What You Leave Behind.

The Dominion War ends the way wars do -
With leaders gathered around a conference table.

THE PLOT

The stage has been set for the final battle of the Dominion War. The Dominion has pulled back to defensive positions around Cardassia Prime, and Sisko and Martok lead their alliance in an invasion. There is a weak point in the Dominion defenses, and that is where they will strike with full force - And with the aid of Damar's growing Cardassian rebellion.

Even as the Federation and the Dominion put their full strength into the battle, another dark plot advances back on Bajor. Kai Winn has finished studying the Book of the Kosst Amojan. She and Dukat proceed to the Fire Caves to perform the ritual that will unleash the pah-Wraiths on the galaxy.

"Soon, the pah-Wraiths will burn across Bajor, the Celestial Temple, the Alpha Quadrant! Can you picture it? An entire universe in flames, to burn for all eternity!"


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Makes a deal with Martok and Admiral Ross to share a bottle of blood wine once they have won the battle. When the three men meet on Cardassia, however, Sisko looks at the devastation surrounding them and finds he has no stomach for celebrating this carnage. He ends the episode by fulfilling the Prophets' role for him as Emissary, moving on from the station and the relationships he has forged - Though he does promise Kasidy that he'll return. This last was apparently a late addition, insisted on by Avery Brooks - Who was 100% right to do so; Sisko would never willingly abandon his family, particularly with a baby on the way.

Col. Kira: There's a particularly good scene early in the episode. She, Damar, and Garak have just sabotaged the power in the capital, and Weyoun makes a televised announcement in response. Garak and Damar are giddy, waiting to see what Weyoun will say. Kira is far more subdued, her expression growing ever graver as Weyoun speaks. Unlike her two compatriots, she knows all too well what's coming next. During the Occupation, she saw and heard 100 such speeches from Gul Dukat, and knows that reprisals against the innocent are sure to follow. Great nonverbal acting by Nana Visitor, adding an extra layer onto an already good scene.

Odo: Unsuprisingly, Odo is key to the resolution of the Dominion War - Though I'm a bit surprised (and disappointed) that there's no follow-up to his frustration last episode at Starfleet's tolerance of the Dominion plague. Odo does admit his desire to return to his people, and volunteers to effectively act as an ambassador to them, sharing his experiences with "Solids" through the Great Link to change his people's point of view.

Damar: Remains constantly focused on stopping the Dominion. When it appears he is about to be executed, he uses what he believes will be his last moments to speak out in defiance. A terrific scene has Damar, Kira, and Garak sharing a moment of uncontrollable, semi-hysterical laughter when it appears their efforts have been thwarted by something as simple as an impenetrable locked door.

Weyoun/female changeling: Both severely misjudge Cardassia. After Damar's attack disrupts communications, they decide to take reprisals against the civilian population. Instead of quelling rebellion, their harsh actions intensify it, turning the Cardassian military against the Dominion. This is especially ill-timed for the Dominion, as the Cardassian shift turns the tide of a battle Starfleet had been losing.

Garak: Had always dreamed of returning home one day. Now that he finds himself on Cardassia, it's a shell barely recognizable as the powerful world he left behind. His one friend on the planet is brutally murdered by the Dominion, and Weyoun sneers at him about "what's left of" Cardassia. Yet another misjudgment on Weyoun's part, as Garak is far from being an honorable Federation officer bound to behave with mercy toward a prisoner. With the war won, Garak has the toughest job of all - Being left to pick up the pieces of a world that he's been outcast from, but whose culture and society he's always taken pride in. His final scene, opposite Dr. Bashir, is wonderfully written and performed, a suitable place to leave one of the franchise's richest supporting characters.

Kai Winn: Has waited for Gul Dukat to recover from his blindness before completing the ritual, something Dukat takes as sentimentality. Of course, this is Winn we're dealing with, so the real purpose is a bit darker. She continues to harbor resentment at his seduction of her under false pretenses, and tells him that he has no right to refer to her by her first name. "From now on, you will address me as 'Your Eminence.' Is that clear?" She becomes giddy at the anticipation of power when they finally reach the Fire Caves - But once the pah-Wraiths take possession of Dukat as their true intended Emissary, she finally realizes what she has done and assists Sisko in defeating the evil she has unleashed.

Gul Dukat: The most disappointing aspect of this finale is the characterization of Dukat, who is reduced from a wonderfully complex villain to just an evil caricature. I can rationalize away his final scenes as being not really Dukat - Once the pah-wraith takes possession, it makes sense that only his worst aspects would be on display. Even so, his evil cackling and final Villain Speech to Sisko feel unworthy of the character created over the course of the series. It's rare for Dukat to be the weakest element of an episode... But in this instance, he strikes the only sour note of the entire 90 minutes.


"NOT THE CARDASSIA I KNEW": CHANGES AND FAREWELLS

"Some may say that we've gotten exactly what we deserve... Our entire history is one of arrogant aggression. We collaborated with the Dominion, betrayed the Alpha Quadrant - There's no doubt about it, we're guilty as charged... (but) our literature, music, art were second to none. And now, so much of it is lost. So many of our best people, our most gifted minds..."
-Garak, reflecting on the cost of war.

What You Leave Behind is a fine finale to the Dominion War arc and to Deep Space 9 in general. It does the basics of what it needs to do, tying up the major plot and character arcs in ways that make sense for the characters. But it also is a celebration of one of Deep Space 9's greatest strengths: It's ability to be a true ensemble piece.

The episode is appropriately titled, in that every character is leaving something behind. Garak and Damar must leave behind the ideal of the strong Cardassia they remember. As Damar has previously observed, that Cardassia is dead; as Garak laments here, so much of the literature, art, and culture that he has celebrated for the entire run of the series has been destroyed in the fighting. Cardassia will survive, but as a shell of its former self.

Virtually all of the regulars make major life changes, with several leaving the station behind and their former lives in pursuit of new roles. Chief O'Brien leaves Deep Space 9 for a plumb job on Earth, leaving him more time for family but also leaving his friendship with Bashir behind. Quark and Odo leave their rivalry behind in a wonderfully unsentimental, utterly unfriendly farewell scene that leaves Quark beaming with pleasure... almost as much as the reassurance that Kira will keep the same kind of eye on him now that Odo did in the past. Kira and Odo leave their relationship behind, and Sisko leaves for a new role with no certainty as to when he might return. Quark protests at one point that he hates change - But from top to bottom, the lives of the characters are poised to change in big ways as they move on to their next chapters.

Much of this plays out in an extended epilogue, as the characters prepare to move on and pause to relive flashbacks of their time on the station. This plays out as clips of past episodes, representing their memories. Jadzia's absence from the clips representing Worf's farewell sticks out like a sore thumb - It's obvious that Terry Farrell must have declined permission for her footage to be used, but it diminishes Worf's bit as this leaves out the most formative events of his time on the station. But overall, while the clips are unquestionably self-indulgent, the indulgence works. We've become invested in these characters, and looking back on their journeys is effective on many levels.


"YOU LOOK DISAPPOINTED...": WINN, DUKAT, AND THE PAH-WRAITHS

About halfway through the episode, Winn finishes leading Dukat to the Fire Caves. Dukat is visibly underwhelmed, prompting Winn to needle him at his disappointment. Unfortunately, Dukat's reaction to the Fire Caves pretty much sums up my reaction to this entire subplot. "I know this sounds naive, but I was expecting to see fire!"

After several episodes of build-up, the Dukat/Winn strand vanished entirely in recent entries. This was fine - After being prominently featured in four episodes running, it was time to take a break from them, and I felt sure that when we rejoined them the wait would have proved worth it. Instead, their material feels tacked-on and vaguely rushed. Dukat's blindness is cured offscreen, with no struggle at all. They then spend the entire first half on a light hike to a cave and more or less sit around and wait for Sisko to have his end-of-series confrontation with Dukat.

In contrast to the close out of the Dominion arc, none of this material is compelling or even particularly interesting. Louise Fletcher and Marc Alaimo do what they can (which is actually quite a lot), but their strand doesn't really connect to anything else or build to anything in particular. Compared to the incisive character study of the episode-long Sisko/Dukat interaction in Waltz, their confrontation here is just a generic scene pitting an action hero against a sneering villain. Both characters deserve a lot better.


CONCLUSION

Emotionally, I would love to give What You Leave Behind a "10." It's the finale to my favorite Star Trek series, the Dominion wrap-up is superb, and the character endings are emotionally satisfying. But after all the buildup the Dukat/Winn arc was given, it ends up feeling like an afterthought, and one that diminishes Dukat's character in particular. It's not enough of a fault to keep this from being a first-rate episode... But it is enough to cost it full marks.

Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: The Dogs of War

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7-24. The Dogs of War.

Kira, Damar, and Garak watch helplessly as their rebellion dies.

THE PLOT

Kira has rejoined Damar and Garak in time for a rendezvous with resistance fighters on Cardassia Prime. But the meeting is a trap, and the three find themselves beaming down just in time to witness Cardassians being massacred by Jem'Hadar forces. They manage to escape notice, and hide with Mila (Julianna McCarthy), the one-time housekeeper of Garak's Obsidian Order mentor. But trapped on a hostile world, they are helpless to act as they witness broadcasts of the destruction of Damar's entire rebellion.

Back on Deep Space 9, Quark receives a transmission from Zek. The old man has finally decided to step down as Grand Nagus. The communication is filled with static, but one message comes through loud and clear. Zek has settled on his successor - Quark!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Near the end of the episode, Kasidy informs him that she's pregnant. Avery Brooks is wonderful here, shifting through a series of emotions ranging from worry to joy to embarrassment at having forgotten his "injection." As he reassures Kasidy, we can almost see him mentally picturing his future family, much as he painstakingly planned out his future house in Penumbra. Though joy seems to win out with Ben in the scene, I suspect the Prophets' warning is about to hit him hard.

Col. Kira: Another strong performance by Nana Visitor, who conveys Kira's terror of being captured by Cardassians during the opening ambush. There's a note of panic in her voice as she insists they have to get away, which fits perfectly with her background - Kira has seen firsthand what it is to be a prisoner of the Cardassians. Even when they are in hiding, her main thought is to escape from Cardassia, with Garak having to talk reason to her.

Quark: "I won't preside over the demise of Ferengi civilisation, not me! The line has to be drawn here. This far and no further!" Quark stands up for traditional Ferengi values - greed and exploitation - using the same words Picard used to rail against the Borg in First Contact. An inside joke for Trek fans, but it works because it fits perfectly with Quark's character. He has defended Ferengi society throughout the series, from his insistence to Sisko that Ferengi are nothing like humans - "We're better!" - to his disgust at his mother's wearing clothes and running businesses. He's on the wrong side... But there's a certain cockeyed dignity to his final, anti-heroic stand against progress.

Damar: This dour man was always an unlikely choice as a folk hero, and even he seems disconcerted at the divide between who he actually is and the legend building up around his name. Ultimately, the thirst he sees in his own people is what drives him to take up the ill-fitting mantle of rebel leader... And speaking of stirring speeches, Damar's heroic end speech is all the better for the sense that he'd rather not be the one giving it. He would rather be helping the resistance instead of leading it (Being Dukat's second-in-command was almost certainly his happiest time)... But there's no one else, and so he has to act to save his society from its demise.

Odo: In only one scene - But it's a good one, as he expresses his outrage at the Federation's tolerance of Section 31's actions in creating the Changeling disease. He acidly observes that Starfleet publicly deplores such tactics, but is happy enough to reap the benefits. He does promise Sisko that he won't reveal the cure to the Founders of his own accord. Still, the scene - which doesn't connect to any of this episode's story strands - is fairly obviously setting up his role in the finale.

Brunt: The final appearance of Liquidator Brunt (I'm going out on a limb and guessing he won't be featured in the finale). He spends most of the episode shamelessly brown-nosing presumed future Nagus Quark. He doesn't even pretend to deny it: "It's never too early to suck up to the boss." He's also the one who clues Quark into the reforms that have taken place on Ferenginar, including "wage benefits for the poor, retirement benefits for the aged, health care," and - most shocking of all - "the T word... taxes!" Jeffrey Combs is a delight as always, and it's a rare pleasure to get to see him play both of his recurring roles in the same episode (though, regretfully, the series appears set to end without ever putting Weyoun and Brunt in the same scene at the same time).


THOUGHTS

The Dogs of War is Avery Brooks' final episode as director, and it's a consequential one. The "A" plot, following Kira and Garak as they nudge Damar into a new kind of resistance, is terrific. The script, by Rene Echevarria and Ronald D. Moore, carries all the strengths of both writers, with sharp characterizations fusing with good dialogue and meaningful plot turns. We see the trio move from shock, to despair, to finally fighting back, and everything the characters do arises naturally from who they are. Brooks' greatest strength as a director has always been his ability to work with actors, and he gets great work from all of the cast.

That last is true of the "B" plot as well - Heck, even Ishka and Zek aren't annoying (in part thanks to being used sparingly). As someone who has often criticized the Ferengi episodes, I will admit to finding some enjoyment. The script offers some genuinely funny moments and even allows Quark a perverse dignity in his defiant stand for unbridled greed. There's just one problem: It belongs in a different episode!

There is a decent attempt to draw a parallel between Damar and Quark, two men standing defiant against changes that they see destroying their respective societies. But even so, the Cardassia plot and the Ferengi plot don't truly fit in the same show. And with the Ferengi plot occupying most of the screen time in the middle, it throws off the sense of jeopardy that should pervade Kira and Damar's story. I've said this about other episodes in the final ten, but I strongly feel that these two stories should have been seprated out into their own episodes.

The addition of a "C" plot, apparently to clear the decks of the Bashir/Ezri romance subplot, further interferes with momentum. Also, by cutting between two main plots and one subplot, the episode can't help but feel a bit choppy.

Still, most of the individual parts are good, with the Cardassia plot particularly strong, and the episode ends leaving the pieces in place for the final conflict. This leaves it as an overall good episode - Even if it is a bit too "busy" to be as good as it should be.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Extreme Measures
Next Episode: What You Leave Behind

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7-20. The Changing Face of Evil.

Kai Winn studies a forbidden text. This won't end well.

THE PLOT

Worf and Ezri have returned to Deep Space 9, but nothing is back to normal. The Breen have launched a surprise attack on Earth. Most of the attack force was destroyed - but not before doing severe damage and inflicting enormous casualties. General Martok, even as he admires the boldness of the attack, reassures Sisko that "every species has its weakness - They're no exception." But as Sisko notes, they had better uncover that weakness soon.

As Weyoun exults in this success, Damar moves forward with his plans to rebel against Dominion rule. He plants a seed of doubt in the mind of Gor, the Breen general, observing that all the praise the Dominion now showers on the Breen had been directed at Cardassia just a year earlier. He meets with Cardassian military allies to plot, and waits for the right moment to strike. Meanwhile, the Breen and the Dominion prepare their own strike - to retake the Chin'toka system from the Federation - a battle in which Sisko and the Federation forces very quickly find themselves outmatched.

Back on Bajor, Dukat and Winn begin studying the Book of the Kosst Amojan, the forbidden text that holds the secrets to releasing the Pah-wraiths from their ancient captivity, plotting to literally unleash hell on Bajor!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Learns the hard way that he should not interfere in his wife's career, not even "for her own good." When he tries to keep Kasidy on the station until the current crisis has passed, she reacts as if betrayed. Doubtless, in addition to his normal protective nature, he is also thinking of the Prophets' warning. To his credit, he quickly apologizes and turns his focus to the battle with the Breen - though his calm leadership is not enough to avert disaster.

Bashir/O'Brien: Basically pull comic relief duty, lightening up this otherwise dark entry. They have become obsessed with their holosuite program about the Alamo, with O'Brien creating a scale model, complete with figures for all the people, to try to figure out a way to win an unwinnable fight. The parallel with the Dominion War is obvious, but doesn't get in the way of some choice humor - particularly when O'Brien becomes upset at Bashir losing the Col. Travis figure. Worf watches their interactions with bemusement, noting to Ezri that they "play with toys" (though that doesn't stop him from showing active interest in the tactics of the Alamo).

Damar/Weyoun: Damar's choice of the previous episode has led to a new confidence. He's stopped drinking, and is planning and preparing with a decisiveness we've rarely seen before. Weyoun misreads this vigor as a response to the alliance with the Breen - As ever, he simply cannot understand that his Alpha Quadrant allies do not, and never will, view the Founders in the religious terms that he does. Weyoun has been given all the clues to Damar's turn - But his inability to grasp that his worldview isn't the only one leads him to miss what is in front of his face.

Dukat/Winn: The previous two episodes saw Dukat firmly driving this relationship, manipulating Winn with effortless glee. This episode temporarily shifts that balance. When the book appears to contain nothing but blank pages, he is nonplussed, immediately certain that this is the wrong book.  Winn knows better, and with absolute confidence insists, "The words are here. They're just hidden, that's all. It's up to us to find them." She dismisses Dukat, telling him basically to get out of her way and let her focus on the kind of studies that are her area of expertise and not his. Fittingly, Winn is the one who finds the answer - Though not remotely in the way she expected...


THOUGHTS

He who opens this book should first be armed with a chainsaw hand...

(Sorry, a recent re-watch of the Evil Dead trilogy left me unable to resist...)

Putting Winn in control of the Dukat/Winn strand is a great choice, one that creates a different dynamic than the previous two episodes and allows Louise Fletcher to show her considerable screen presence. Winn stops agonizing and starts focusing, making her Dukat's equal (for the moment at least)... And the way in which those hidden words are finally revealed has a cataclysmic quality that perfectly complements the events of the episode's other major threads.

I complained in my review of 'Til Death Do Us Part that we were told how formidable the Breen without truly seeing it - Indeed, their most significant previous appearance had a large group of Breen defeated fairly easily by Dukat and Kira, which seemed to limit them as a threat. Well, this episode's climax finally shows them as a threat, rather than simply insisting that they are one.

The climactic battle is a stunning set piece, not because of its scale and complexity, but because it's over so quickly. The point of this scene is to make the audience feel the "Oh crap" the introduction of the Breen so utterly failed to deliver, by making the formidable Defiant and the Federation fleet all but helpless. We see several Breen ships destroyed in the initial moments of the battle, underlining that they are not invincible... But before the fight is even truly underway, the Breen are disabling their enemies with a weapon unlike anything they've previously seen.

The episode ends with every status quo upended. Damar is leading an open revolt against the Dominion on Cardassia; Winn and Dukat are about to unleash the Pah- wraiths on Bajor, with no one even aware of their plans and so no real hope of stopping them; and the Federation is on the brink of losing the war if they can't find a countermeasure for the Breen weapon.

All of which make this the most momentous episode since Sacrifice of Angels. Indispensible viewing.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Strange Bedfellows
Next Episode: When It Rains...

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7-18. 'Til Death Do Us Part.

Dukat, in disguise, manipulates Kai Winn.

THE PLOT

Kai Winn comes to the station to congratulate Sisko on his upcoming marriage... Even as Sisko struggles with the Prophets' message that marrying Kasidy will bring him "nothing but sorrow." Sisko admits to Winn that the Prophets have set a challenge in front of him, one he doesn't feel certain he is up to.

That's when the Kai experiences a vision of her own - A vision that seems to be from the Prophets, and that tells her exactly what she wants to hear: That Sisko has faltered, and that only she can save Bajor by following the instructions of a guide who will have "the wisdom of the land." That night, she receives a visitor - a man calling himself Anjohl Tennan, a self-described "man of the land." A visitor who is actually Gul Dukat, surgically altered to appear Bajoran.

Meanwhile, Worf and Ezri are now prisoners of the Breen, who are about to reveal themselves as major new players in the Dominion War...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: In earlier seasons, he would have just ignored the Prophets' warning and moved ahead with his marriage. But over the course of the series, he has become absolute in his belief in the Prophets. He also has to be very conscious that the last time he ignored their advice, it ended very badly. Even so, he's fighting with himself the entire length of the episode, his religious belief battling with every fiber of his personality.

Worf/Ezri: Now that he and Ezri have slept together, Worf assumes they will be a couple from this point on. But it's not that simple. Ezri's feelings for Worf are all bound up in carrying Jadzia's memories; but the look on her face when he announces that the two of them "will have many years together" announces loud and clear that she doesn't want a romantic relationship with him. When Worf discovers this truth, he reacts as if he's been betrayed - Which is not fair on his part, but is definitely in character.

Kasidy Yates: Though her role is small, Penny Johnson's performance remains outstanding. Look at the scene in which Sisko discusses his dilemma with her. As he moves back and forth between declaring how much he loves her and despairing that he cannot go against the Prophets, Kasidy's face shows the entire world disappearing out from under her. Her expression flashes from anger to nausea to despair, often without saying a word. It's a great performance, every bit as good as (maybe better than) Avery Brooks' also excellent work.

Gul Dukat: There's a terrific scene early in the episode, in which Dukat confronts Damar about his drinking and despair. "What happened to that brave officer I served with? The one who stood at my side while we fought the entire Klingon Empire with a single ship? ...Those days might be gone, but the man I served with isn't. He's still within you. Reach in and grab hold of him, Damar. Cardassia needs a leader!" There's no gain for Dukat in this, no angle that he's playing. He's simply responding to a friend and loyal former officer who is clearly in trouble, and instinctively finding the right words to reach him. Yet again, we see that the tragedy of Dukat is that while he may have ended up a villain, with just a few different choices at key moments, he might actually have been the great man he thirsts to be.

Kai Winn: None of which stops him from being a villain, and his manipulations of Winn are classic Dukat. With just a slight push from the pah-wraiths, he is able to play on her ego and her jealousy and resentment of Sisko. Becoming her confidante is effortless, because Winn is so eager to listen to his reflections of her own prejudices. To its credit, the episode does pause to remind us that she isn't a black-and-white villain either - One bit of her past Dukat uses is her own activities during the Occupation, when she bribed Cardassian guards to reroute Bajorans scheduled for execution to labor camps, where they would at least have a chance to survive.


THOUGHTS

'Til Death Do Us Part is largely a transitional episode, connecting Penumbra and the earlier parts of Season Seven to the big events yet to come. It's not at all bad on that basis: It's well-acted, with some excellent character material and fine individual scenes. But it's far from compelling, and feels a bit padded out.

There are three stands: Sisko's dilemma with Kasidy, Worf and Ezri's captivity by the Breen, and Dukat's manipulations of Winn. All three strands are more set up for future episodes than storylines in themselves, and all three feel like they take at least one more scene than is actually needed to reach the episode's end point... Which highlights this installment's biggest problem, that it feels like 30 minutes worth of material has been stretched to fill 45 minutes.

On the plus side, writers David Weddle and Bradley Thompson have a firm grasp on the characters. Everyone is well-written, with the Dukat/Winn material particularly strong. We see the bits of genuine good in both of these villains: Dukat's genuine concern for Damar, Winn's devout faith. And we see very clearly how Dukat manipulates Winn, feeding her pride even as he preys on her faith. This is a strand that seems destined to go to very interesting places, and I only hope that the handful of episodes that remain will allow it to be done justice.

Overall, this is an episode that plays better as a piece of DS9's final arc than it does on its own. Judged as an episode in its own right, it's good enough - But it's stretched too thin, leaving it less effective than some of its counterparts.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Penumbra
Next Episode: Strange Bedfellows

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7-17. Penumbra.

Sisko plans for retirement on Bajor.

THE PLOT

Sisko finally proposes to Kasidy Yates. He's hoping for a quiet wedding - and then, after the war, a retirement to Bajor. He's even designing a house for them.

But the war isn't cooperating with his dreams of a simple life. Worf's ship, the Koraga, has been destroyed by the Dominion near the Badlands, a region of space marked by plasma storms. Several escape pods have been recovered, but none with Worf on board. With Dominion ships approaching the area, Sisko is forced to call off the search, effectively giving him up for dead.

Ezri cannot live with that decision. She steals a runabout and makes for the Badlands, determined to find him and bring him home. She does find Worf alive, but the trip home is cut short by Jem'Hadar fighters. Worf and Ezri barely manage to beam to the safety of a planet before the runabout is destroyed - leaving them alive, but marooned with no way of contacting the station for rescue...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Is embarking on two big life changes. He has purchased some land on Bajor to build a home, and is actively thinking of retiring after the war. He also proposes to Kasidy. One gets the sense that as soon as the war ends, he's ready to be done with Starfleet, wormholes, and all of it - If only the Prophets and Dominion could stop interfering. This doesn't stop him from being a leader willing to make tough decisions, however.  When it becomes clear that Worf is unlikely to be recovered, he calls off the search - Though he doesn't stop Ezri from taking a runabout to conduct a search of her own.

Ezri: After Sisko calls off the search for survivors, she uses her override codes to enter the quarters Jadzia shared with Worf. As she walks from one part of the room to another, audio clips of highlights of the Jadzia/Worf relationship are played, making us aware of the specific memories Ezri is re-living while stoking our own memories at the same time. This is important, because it makes the emotion behind Ezri's decision to go after Worf real to us - And puts us back in the mindset of that relationship for the episode's second half.

Worf: We've seen throughout the season that Worf is conflicted about having another Dax around, from his warnings to Bashir and Quark about pursuing Ezri to his concerns for her safety. That conflict comes to its head here. Ever the stoic, he barely thanks Ezri for rescuing him and is soon gruffly avoiding all conversation with her. He tries to bar any mention of Jadzia, only to later respond to her barbs about hunting by saying, "Jadzia would have understood."

Kasidy Yates: Largely just a support for Sisko in this episode, but I'm struck once again by how convincing the relationship between these two is. There is an entirely unforced chemistry between Avery Brooks and Penny Johnson, and by this point in the series there is never a moment at which I fail to believe in them as a couple. The question is less why Ben proposes to her in this episode, and more why it took him so long to do it.

Damar: His loathing for Weyoun matched only by his disgust at himself for acting as the Vorta's lackey. He continues to drown his sorrows in women and alcohol, and is all too eager to assist Dukat when he shows up asking for a favor. His loyalty to Dukat remains strong, and he keeps his former superior's presence a secret from Weyoun and arranges the requested favor with no questions asked, even when his disapproval of Dukat's faith in the pah-wraiths is clear.


THOUGHTS

Deep Space 9 begins its march to the series finale. The script is by Rene Echevarria, arguably the series' strongest character writer, so it's appropriate that the story is heavily character-based. The main plot, about Ezri's rescue of Worf and their attempts to return to the station, is a thin clothesline, with the real focus on the relationships between Sisko and Kasidy and Worf and Ezri - which plays to Echevarria's strengths.

There's real authenticity to the scenes of Sisko mulling over the exact layout of his house, and I love the little moment where he and Kasidy debate over whether the kitchen should be separated from the dining room or open. Sisko, the son of a chef, protests Kasidy's preference for an open kitchen, arguing that he doesn't want visitors wandering in to sample the food before it's ready.

Other good character bits abound. When Ezri rescues Worf from the escape pod, she prods him to find out which Klingon opera he was singing inside the pod. He readily admits to having done exactly that, adding that the acoustics were good. The Ezri/Worf interactions continue to ring true as Ezri keeps trying to draw him into conversation while he tries to avoid it. I'm not sure I fully buy into them sleeping together near the end of the episode - Though that's more because Nicole de Boer just doesn't fit with Michael Dorn the way Terry Farrell did, as story-wise it makes sense as a development building through their interactions and non-interactions throughout the season.

For all that this is a character-based episode, the script also is busy planting lots of plot seeds. The disease plaguing the Founders gets some more attention, and Weyoun's visit to the female changeling reveals that she is deteriorating rapidly. Meanwhile, the Breen are re-introduced, with their presence an oddity Worf and Ezri comment on; and Dukat continues to be a wild card, with a plan of his own that has yet to be defined but is certain to be very dangerous to all parties.

Penumbra moves at a brisk pace throughout, and manages the tricky job of being a good episode in its own right while also effectively kick-starting the series' final arc. A promising "beginning of the end," and a thoroughly enjoyable 45 minutes.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Next Episode: 'Til Death Do Us Part

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7-15. Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang.

The Ops crew plan a Vegas casino heist...

THE PLOT

Vic Fontaine's nightclub has been taken over.

Back when Vic's holosuite program was created, a "jack-in-the-box" subroutine was buried deep in the code, intended to keep things from becoming stale. Gangster Frankie Eyes (Robert Miano), financed by a mafia godfather, has purchased the hotel and casino. His first act? Firing Vic and replacing him with scantily-clad dancers. Frankie also has Vic roughed up to try to force him to leave town.

The only way to return the club to normal is to defeat Frankie within the program, using means and methods that would have been available in 1962. And so the DS9 command crew decides to use Frankie's mafia connections against him. Mobster Carl Zeemo (Marc Lawrence) will be coming to pick up his monthly payment from Frankie. So all they have to do is steal that money from the safe in the casino's count room. A classic heist.

But planning a robbery is one thing - Actually pulling it off is something else entirely...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Alone of the Ops crew, he has resisted going to Vic's. Kasidy gets him to reveal why: The real 1962 was not a good time for black people, who wouldn't even have been allowed in a place like Vic's unless they were janitors or performers. This idealized version of the past, one that ignores the very real struggles endured, offends him. With a push from Kasidy, he does end up joining in the plan to help Vic, and even enjoys a moment on stage at the end... But his best and most interesting scenes come in the first half, when he resists any contact with the holosuite.

Col. Kira: Gets close to Frankie by pretending to be the stereotypical gangster's moll, flirting constantly while pretending to be impressed by his money. Showing off, Frankie lets her visit the count room - allowing her to report back on the room's layout, its security, and the location of the safe. During the actual robbery, her role is to keep Frankie distracted so that he doesn't notice what the others are doing.

Kasidy Yates: When Sisko talks about the reason Vic's holosuite offends him, she does hear him out and doesn't belittle his reasons. But she does argue against him, framing helping Vic as helping a friend in need. She also insists that the colorblind nature of the holosuite program doesn't insult the harsh realities of history. "Going to Vic's isn't going to make us forget who we are or where we came from. What it does is it reminds us that we're no longer bound by any limitations, except the ones we impose on ourselves."

Vic Fontaine: The most obvious solution to this problem would be to simply reset the program. But doing so would be unthinkable, because it would wipe Vic's memory and all of his experiences. Previous episodes have established Vic as fully self-aware, and It's Only a Paper Moon ended with his program being allowed to run 24 hours a day, giving him the semblance of a "real life." Within the confines of his holosuite, he's as real as any of them; a solution has to be found that maintains his individuality. James Darren remains terrific in the role, retaining Vic's dignity even when the character is thrust into the role of victim.


THOUGHTS

A refreshing holodeck episode, in that it doesn't revolve around any kind of malfunction. The program is doing exactly what it was designed to do; it's the nature of the "jack in the box" that prompts the plot, rather than something external going wrong. This allows the episode to have fun with the period caper plot, rather than getting sidetracked with Technobabble to justify that plot.

This is, effectively, Deep Space 9 meets Ocean's Eleven, and the episode embraces that. Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler's script has great fun with the structure of a caper story, and plays fair with the audience throughout. The always-reliable Mike Vejar is in the director's chair, providing a visual flair that enhances the fun (including a slow-motion walk by the command crew to the holosuite when they prepare to put their plan into effect).

The episode is often funny, but it isn't a parody. This is largely a straight-up casino heist story, with both humor and drama arising naturally from the situation. Only a handful of scenes take place outside the holosuite - The brief but necessary explanation as to where "Frankie" came from, and the genuinely very good character moment when Sisko explains why he's so hostile toward this particular program. Outside of that, the episode sticks to the period setting, and both actors and show seem to have a great time taking a break from space opera to do a heist caper.

A thoroughly enjoyable bit of fluff, this probably represents Deep Space 9's last chance to relax and have fun before the heavy lifting of wrapping up the many ongoing plot threads. A success on that basis - And in my opinion, a good episode by any reasonable measure.

Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Chimera
Next Episode: Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges


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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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7-4. Take Me Out to the Holosuite.

A friendly game of baseball...

THE PLOT

Capt. Solok (Gregory Wagrowski), a Vulcan Sisko knew at the Academy, visits the station for repairs and takes the opportunity to revive an old rivalry with Sisko. He sniffs at the inefficiency of the human repair schedule, diminishes Sisko's accomplishment at being awarded the Christopher Pike Medal of Valor, and ends the meeting by challenging Sisko to a "contest of teamwork, courage, and sacrifice" - a game of baseball.

Sisko accepts even before presenting the challenge to his senior staff, all of whom agree to go along with playing this completely unfamiliar, antiquated game of which their captain is so fond. But as they train, it becomes clear that Sisko doesn't regard this merely as a game. There is something deeply personal in this contest, leaving the captain regarding his upcoming game with Solok with the same ferocity as the Dominion War itself!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Becomes extremely short-tempered toward the very people trying to help him, and temporarily loses the support of his crew when he kicks (an admittedly hopeless) Rom off the team. In a private moment, he fills Kasidy in on the background between him and Solok: The Vulcan not only defeated him in a wrestling match, he then used that match for years after as a way to show Vulcan superiority over humans. Now he has picked baseball - a game that has deep personal meaning to Sisko - determined to rub Sisko's nose in it by using his own game against him.

Odo: Sisko convinces him to act as umpire, prevailing on his ability to enforce rules impartially. Odo agrees reluctantly, but then throws throws himself into the role. A charming moment has Kira observe him practicing calling people either safe or out, as well as rehearsing ejecting people from the game. He gets to use that last against none other than Sisko himself, when Sisko touches his chest while arguing a call. This cues the Third Act Crisis, as the team is left with a losing game and no leader. But it's a fun scene, not least because Sisko's behavior has demanded a comeuppance all episode long. It also sets up a very funny moment later on.

Kasidy Yates: She goes along with the game, seeing that it's important to Sisko. But as it becomes clear that it's a little too important, she pushes him to reveal the truth about his rivalry with Solok. He makes her promise not to tell the others, which she does with utter sincerity in her voice - And the episode then cuts immediately to her revealing all so that the others understand why their captain is acting like a maniac.

Rom: Volunteers for the team in order to connect with Nog, having spent far too little time with his son since the boy joined Starfleet. He is hopeless at baseball, unable to grasp any of the rules and unable to do anything with even the slightest competence, no matter how hard he tries. Sisko cuts him from the team with clear anger in his voice and face, leading to almost all of the others offering to quit if Rom isn't reinstated. Rom begs them not to do so, telling Nog and the others how badly he wants to see them play. Max Grodenchik is terrific, managing to be funny, sympathetic, and even dignified in his ineptitude, and Rom's subplot lends the episode a bit more emotional heft than Sisko's personal rivalry would otherwise have sustained.


THOUGHTS

In the middle of the Dominion War, our heroes - and the series - take an episode out to play a game of baseball on the holodeck. It's fair to say that Take Me Out to the Holosuite could have been truly dire.

Thankfully, character comedy has proved to be something Deep Space 9 does rather well. Take Me Out to the Holosuite doesn't climb the same heights as such past delights as The House of Quark or In the Cards, but it's still a charming little episode, with the characters well-captured, the regulars all giving committed performances, and the script providing enough small gems to keep a smile on my face through most of the run of the show.

Particular points to writer Ronald D. Moore and actor Gregory Wagrowski for making Solok so instantly punchable. The viewer wants to wipe away his ever-present smirk just as badly as Sisko does. Given that Sisko is far from on his best behavior for most of the episode, Solok being so hateable goes a long way toward making sure we're invested in the game's outcome.

While most of the episode tries for amiable comedy (and, more often than not, succeeds), it shifts gears effectively into drama for the scene in which Sisko recalls his past with Solok. The scene is critical to making us understand Sisko's motives. Avery Brooks sells the emotion... and then the cut from Kasidy promising to keep it secret to her spilling all to the team restores the comedy in time for the game.

The ending is also well-judged, allowing our characters a victory of a sort without straining credibility. The real win isn't the outcome of the game, it's Sisko remembering that the game is meant to be fun. The enjoyment he's able to take in the end of the game, and the unpredictability of the key point scored, remind him of all the reasons he loves the sport, allowing him a pleasure Solok - playing simply to spite Sisko - cannot appreciate. The final shot, of the baseball signed by every member of the team, ends it on a perfect note.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

\Previous Episode: Afterimage
Next Episode: Chrysalis

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7-3. Afterimage.

Ezri has a difficult time adjusting to her new life.

THE PLOT

"I knew Jadzia. She was vital, alive. She owned herself. And you? You don’t even know who you are!"

Ezri is having a hard time adjusting to life on Deep Space 9. She has all of Jadzia's memories, so she knows all of Dax's old friends - but to them, she's a stranger. Except for Sisko (and, oddly, Quark), they are all uncomfortable around her. Worf goes so far as to actively avoid her, even leaving Quark's bar when he notices Ezri is there.

She plans to transfer back to the Destiny, her ship before she became joined. Sisko has other plans. He tells her that he will support her decision, but he clearly wants his old friend to remain and offers her a position as counselor on the station. "The station could use a good counselor," he observes.

His offer comes exactly when the station does need a counselor. Garak, who has been decoding intercepted Cardassian messages for Starfleet, suffers an anxiety attack caused by claustrophobia. Ezri agrees to talk to Garak, to try to help him so that he can continue his intelligence work. Garak pretends their talk helps - but shortly after, he enters an airlock and tries to open the outer door to get out of the enclosed station. When Ezri tries to help again, he denounces her "insipid psychobabble" and tells her that she's unworthy to carry the name "Dax" - leaving Ezri not just doubting staying on Deep Space 9, but doubting her very ability to continue as a Starfleet officer!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: He already went through the process of adjusting to a very different Dax with Jadzia, which I suspect is why he's so instantly accepting of Ezri. She's as different from her predecessor as Jadzia was from Curzon, but he knows that the friend he has so relied upon is there underneath the quirks. For all that he wants to be supportive, a good leader knows when someone needs handholding and when someone needs a hard kick. When Ezri responds to Garak's tongue-lashing by wallowing in her own insecurities, Sisko doesn't hesitate to deliver that kick, as harsh in his way as Garak: "Dax... had eight amazing lives. So what if the ninth was a waste? ...Dismissed!"

Ezri: A little scene that I particularly like sees her hovering in front of a replicator, uncertain what to order. The favorite foods of her past lives keep popping to the top of her head, to the point where she can't remember what she herself actually enjoys. It underscores the difficulty of her transition. Imagine not being able to remember whether you prefer coffee or tea, or pancakes or waffles, or whether you like your steak rare or medium well, or whether you're actually a vegetarian! She probably really does need a good counselor, or at least time in a low-stress environment - Luxuries the current war situation simply will not allow to the young woman carrying the Dax symbiote.

Worf: "You are not Jadzia... I do not know you, nor do I wish to know you!" Worf is not just brusque, but downright rude to Ezri, making it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Then, after she has a friendly (if not unflirtatious) chat with Dr. Bashir, he responds like... Well, like a jealous husband, loudly declaring that Ezri is absolutely off-limits. His behavior is inexcusable... But in fairness, he is also facing a difficult situation. His role in the opening two-parter was all about securing a place for Jadzia in the Klingon afterlife, allowing him to begin the process of coming to terms with her death. Then he barely sets foot on the station before being confronted with a new Dax, carrying all of Jadzia's memories. His wife is dead, but she also still lives - So in a way, Ezri takes away by her very presence the significance of what he has just done for Jadzia's soul and memory. I hope it's a long time (if ever) before these two become comfortable around each other, because this is not something Worf should just get over in a handful of episodes.

Garak: The moment in which Garak turns his venomous scalpel against Ezri is the episode's highlight, his tearing down of her more than a little reminiscent of his tirade against Bashir in The Wire. Writer Rene Echevarria builds carefully to this moment. The first Garak/Ezri scene sees Ezri displaying all of her emotional fragility - Something that might earn sympathy from Jake or Bashir, but which can only garner contempt from someone like Garak. After his second attack, Ezri uses Quark's holosuite to simulate a wide-open space while promising to do all she can to help him. Garak initially responds with gratitude - But once he's had a chance to recover himself, the thought of being so weak as to require the aid of someone he regards as pathetic has to ignite all of his self-loathing, which he directs right back at Ezri. At the heart of it all is his fear that he has become a traitor to his own people, condemning the Cardassian Empire to annihilation by deciphering their codes for Starfleet. Which is a distinct possibility, because Garak's not wrong when he says that the Dominion won't let the Cardassians simply surrender.


THOUGHTS

After the introduction of Ezri in the opening two-parter, it was the right choice to devote the next episode to her finding her place on the station. The characters' reactions to her are designed to anticipate the audience's - Sisko and Quark accept her pretty much right away, as a small but distinct segment of viewers could be counted on to do. Most of the others show varying levels of resistance, though most seem inclined to at least give her a chance - Which would be the case with the majority of viewers. Meanwhile, the distinct subset of viewers who could be counted on to resist the change with righteous fury are represented by Worf, openly resentful as if Ezri's existance cheapens Jadzia's memory; and by Garak, who tells her that she isn't worthy to carry the name "Dax."

The goal is clearly to make it easier for the audience to accept her by putting her through an emotional hell as she overcomes the very type of resistance in the regulars that the viewers will have. I find it successful in this, but I already find Ezri quite likable. She doesn't have Jadzia's confidence and humor, and I could never picture her in command of anything - But she is likable, and her reaction to her situation feels emotionally believable so far.

Rene Echevarria is regularly top-notch at characterization, and it's no surprise that not just Ezri, but all of the characters feel right for who they are. Sisko and Quark accepting her immediately feels right, because Sisko's been through this once and because Quark is just the sort who will accept that this is his friend Dax even if it's not Jadzia - He isn't going to sentimentalize when his friend/unrequited crush is standing right in front of him, just in a different form. Kira's discomfort, particularly when standing at the very Bajoran shrine where Jadzia was shot, is well-realized, and I appreciate that we don't see everyone completely losing their discomfort by episode's end.

I retain some apprehension about introducing this new character this late in the series, but I'm happy that I find myself liking this nervous, neurotic young woman. I just hope that the writers are able to balance properly developing her against the needs of the many ongoing plot threads that need tied up over the next 23 episodes.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode; Shadows and Symbols
Next Episode: Take Me Out to the Holosuite

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7-2. Shadows and Symbols.

Sisko's pilgrimage.

THE PLOT

Sisko travels to Tyree to locate the Orb of the Emissary, which he is convinced will put him back in contact with the Prophets. Jake and his father accompany him, along with a surprise new arrival: Ezri (Nicole de Boer), the newest host for the Dax symbiote. Dax is exactly who Sisko needs right now - A strong-willed friend who can help break him out of his obsessive behavior. Unfortunately, the very young Ezri lacks Jadzia's confidence, and in the wake of the joining doesn't seem to even know herself anymore.

Worf and Martok have guests of their own on their mission to destroy a critical Dominion shipyard and win Jadzia passage into Sto-vo-kor. Bashir and Quark have insisted on joining, wanting to pay their final respects to Jadzia. O'Brien has also come along, mainly to keep an eye on Bashir. Martok seems to welcome the extra help, but Worf regards them as unwelcome intruders.

Back on the station, Admiral Ross (Barry Jenner) informs Kira that Starfleet is unwilling to intervene over the Romulans' arming of a Bajoran moon. The alliance with the Romulans is critical to the war effort, and Bajor simply isn't as important right now. Kira refuses to back down, however, leading a small group of Bajoran ships in creating a blockade around the moon. It's nothing the Romulans couldn't easily swat aside, if they want to escalate into a shooting conflict - But Kira believes that the Romulans will stop short of opening fire - a bet she's willing to stake her life on...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Sisko's journey is even more explicitly a religious pilgrimage than it was in Part One, with his trek across the desert mirroring images from Biblical art (and Hollywood Biblical epics). At one point he is on hands and knees, reaching out for something he has not yet found, as if begging the heavens to please deliver on his vision. Ezri, Jake, and his father are left to follow him like disciples - Though Ezri (or, more accurately, the Dax part of her) finally has enough of Sisko's non-communication and calls him on it... Which ends up being the very thing that reveals his goal!

Colonel Kira: The unmovable object awaiting the unstoppable force, she doesn't even consider backing down when Starfleet refuses to intervene. She knows that a handful of outdated Bajoran freighters are no real obstacle to the Romulans, but insists on creating the blockade anyway. Cretak is sure this is a bluff, that Kira is counting on the need to avoid an actual shooting conflict. But viewers who have been watching the series for six seasons know that Kira will engage with her hopeless blockade if she has to, and she and odo approach the confrontation with a sort of resigned fatalism.

Ezri: I'm still not 100% sold on Ezri having been a good idea... But in her first proper episode, I'll admit that I like her. We learn that Ezri was not actually trained to be a joined Trill - She was a Starfleet ensign who happened to be the only Trill aboard when the Dax symbiote's condition started to fail. As such, she was completely unprepared for the reality of being joined, and is struggling with maintaining her own identity around the several lifetimes of memories she's suddenly absorbed. This, and a tendency toward insecure babbling, makes her refreshingly different than Jadzia, while still allowing enough of a relationship with Sisko to shake him out of his fanatical visions when he reaches his lowest point.

Jake: Continues to follow his father, even as he becomes uncertain about the journey. His best scenes in the episode come opposite Ezri, however. A comparable age to the insecure Trill, he makes a good sounding board for her self doubts. He's clearly a bit taken with her, and the two actors play well enough opposite each other that I wouldn't object to an eventual relationship - Which could create some amusing complications, given Dax's long-standing friendship across multiple lifetimes with Sisko.

Worf: Resents the presence of O'Brien, Bashir, and particularly Quark on what he believes should be his mission. He denounces what he sees as their interference: "You are not here to help Jadzia get into Sto-vo-kor. You are here because you wish to convince yourselves that you were worthy of her. But the truth is, none of you could ever hope to be worthy of her or even understand the kind of woman she was!" Martok is altogether more sympathetic, and gives Worf a push to apologize to them. After the mission, having now begun to come to terms with Jadzia's death, he returns to the station... and finds a new Dax waiting for him, something that leaves him visibly shaken.


THOUGHTS

Shadows and Symbols concludes the parallel narratives of the previous episode, bringing all three stories artfully to their respective high points. This deserves praise in itself, as the three stories are only thinly connected. And yet the three strands never feel like they're interrupting each other, and they never feel disconnected. These are three separate narratives, yet they absolutely belong together in this episode.

The way in which the episode cuts from one strand to the next is perfectly-judged, allowing each story's tone to complement the other two. Humor and action come from the Worf plot, while the grim strategy of Kira's confrontation with the Romulans delivers a completely different yet sharper suspense. Meanwhile, the religious symbolism woven throughout Sisko's story gives the entire piece an additional resonance, even as the introduction of Ezri puts a coda on Worf's mission. From death to rebirth, like the mythological phoenix. Jadzia Dax is laid to rest in fire, and Ezri Dax is born. The plots have virtually nothing to do with each other - and yet they work together to create a greater whole.

Also worth noting is the return, in a vision, of Benny Russell. Benny is still writing his Sisko stories, now scribbling on the walls of his asylum cell. His current story is Sisko's current story. When he is stopped in his writing, Sisko stops. When Ezri prevents Sisko from burying the Orb of the Prophets in sand, Benny breaks through the resistance around him to continue writing - and once he continues, Sisko's story continues as well, with a jump that seems to eliminate there having been any interruption at all.

It's a breathtaking episode, one that builds on the previous installment and delivers on every promise Image in the Sand gave. An outstanding conclusion to an excellent arc.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Image in the Sand
Next Episode: Afterimage 

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