6-17. Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night.

During the Occupation, Kira's mother (Leslie
Hope) catches the eye of Gul Dukat.

THE PLOT

On the birthday of Kira's mother, who died during the Occupation, the major receives a coded message from Gul Dukat. He is also celebrating the birthday - remembering a woman who was his lover until the day she died. He smugly informs Kira that he wants to share with her "the clarity to see beyond the lies, the self-deceptions" in her life.

Kira tries to dismiss this as the lies of an enemy, but she just can't. So she goes to Sisko, not as her captain but as The Emissary, to arrange for her to use the Orb of Time. The Orb sends her back to the time and place in which her mother, Meru (Leslie Hope), was taken from her family to become a "comfort woman" for the Cardassians. Meru catches the eye of then-Prefect Dukat, who rather than simply claiming her as a prize uses all his charm to seduce her into becoming his willing lover.

When it becomes clear that Meru is enjoying her new life, Kira becomes disgusted and labels her a collaborator. But neither life nor people are generally as simple as she would like to believe...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: As a Starfleet officer, his reaction to Kira's request to use the Orb of Time is to fear for possible changes to the timeline. When she appeals to him as the Emissary of the Prophets, however, he gives in almost instantly - which shows just how much his attitude has changed toward his spiritual role on Bajor. After Kira returns, he listens to her. He does note that Kira's mother had good reasons for the choices she made, but does not try to tell Kira what to think about what she saw.

Major Kira: Even though Dukat discloses his past relationship with Kira's mother to hurt her, I think that on some level he does think he's doing her a favor. And honestly, I'm not sure he isn't. Kira has long tended to look at the world in black and white. Looked at through Kira's perspective, what she finds is horrible - Her mother not only not kicking against a relationship with Dukat, but enjoying his company and defending him. Stepping away from Kira's viewpoint, though, it's clear Meru had no better options. Her "collaboration" saves the lives of herself and her family, at the cost of not one single Bajoran life. That's cold comfort to Kira, when she reflects on how many Bajorans were dying during the years that her mother spent with Dukat... but how would joining them in misery and death have helped anyone? The episode's end leaves Kira with all the facts she was seeking but no clue how to feel about them - whether to empathize with her mother or hate her for choosing to survive.

Odo: Notices Kira's foul mood. When she refuses to talk about it, he respects that and doesn't press. However, he does add one piece of advice that sends her on her journey: "Well, if you won't talk about it, perhaps you should consider doing something about it." It's a short scene, and his only scene in the episode. But it captures the Kira/Odo dynamic so perfectly, and is so wonderfully performed by Rene Auberjonois, that it demands a mention.

Gul/Prefect Dukat: We only see the present-day Dukat in one scene, delighting in getting under Kira's skin with the most painful weapon at his disposal: The truth. Past Dukat is very much as he always was. He's all smiles, not only civil but actively charming. And also always performing, as we see when a Cardassian legate whispers to Kira what Dukat is about to say in his seduction of Meru, word for word, because this isn't the first such performance he's witnessed. But Dukat isn't a simple cad. Against our (and Kira's) expectations, he does make good on his word, and her family is better off than it's ever been. Nor is Kira's mother a simple conquest that Dukat throws away when tired of her - We learn at the end that they were together for seven years, right up until she died. I do consider Dukat an evil character... But he's still a complex one, capable of great kindness to those he cares for. We saw it with Ziyal, and we see a glimpse of it again in his relationship with this woman.


THOUGHTS

Star Trek has a habit of reducing complex situations to pat homilies. Writers Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler respect the complexity. We are left, like Kira, with all the facts about her mother's relationship with Dukat, and nothing clearly telegraphing what opinion we should hold. We are left to make up our own minds - Which I consider to be a good thing.

The return to Terok Nor and the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor is a very welcome one. Every episode that has looked at the station's dark past has been excellent, and Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night is no exception. This slice of the Occupation is very different from what we saw in Necessary Evil or Things Past. There is little direct violence on hand - but the threat of it hangs in the air: in the conditions in which Meru's family lives before her capture, in the watchful and sneering gaze of Bajoran collaborator Basso Tromac (David Bowe), and in the meek whimpering of one "comfort woman" who is too afraid to do more than quietly sob when a Cardassian pulls her onto his lap and starts pawing her.

The families in the refugee camp and the women taken to the station are very different from the Resistance fighters we've seen in previous episodes. They are members of what was almost certainly Bajor's majority - beaten and cowed, too afraid to do anything but obey and cooperate. We see only one Resistance member (Tim DeZarn), and he comes across as small and petty - hardly a powerful foe for anyone.

Performances are largely excellent, and Leslie Hope's Meru is just sympathetic enough for the episode to engage without being so sympathetic as to negate the ending's ambiguity. She may weep at being separated from her family, for example - But she is quick to defend Dukat from Kira's ire, and clearly enjoys the good food and comfort of her abduction.

This falls short of full marks, in part because Basso the Collaborator is a cartoon character, a caricature who would be more at home in a Ferengi comedy than in a multilayered piece such as this; and in part because as good as this is, it doesn't ultimately have quite as much weight to it as Necessary Evil or Things Past.

It's still a terrific episode, though, reminding us of Bajor's past as we wait for the next major event to take us into the future.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Change of Heart
Next Episode: Inquisition

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6-3. Sons and Daughters.

Worf gets a surprise reunion with his estranged son.

THE PLOT:

The IKS Rotarran, captained by Martok (J. G. Hertzler) with Worf as first officer, rescues Sisko and his crew from Dominion territory and returns them to Starbase 375. At the same time, the Klingon ship takes on replacement crew members - one of whom is Alexander (Marc Worden), Worf's son. Worf is shocked to see the young man, who had previously rejected the life of a Klingon warrior, enlisting to serve the Empire. He is also displeased to see how poorly-suited Alexander is to a warrior life, unable to even hold his own in a simple brawl. The young man is finding his place; unfortunately, that place, as Worf observes, is "as the ship's fool."

Meanwhile, Kira finds herself dealing with a dilemma of her own. Ziyal (Melanie Smith), Gul Dukat's half-Cardassian, half-Bajoran daughter, has returned to the station to try to have a relationship with her father. Dukat is thrilled to have her back in his life - but that doesn't mean he's above using her to manipulate Kira, who is the closest thing she has had to a mother. With Ziyal genuinely wanting relationships with both of them, Kira finds herself pulled back into the personal orbit of the man she most despises...


CHARACTERS:

Capt. Sisko: Only briefly glimpsed, but it is clear that he and Martok share a strong mutual respect - one warrior to another. I look forward to seeing which of them wins Sisko's bet regarding who will first set foot on Deep Space 9.

Worf: Claims that he accepted Alexander's choice not to become a warrior, and has probably convinced himself that this is true. But we learn in this episode that, shortly after the events of TNG's Firstborn, Worf sent the boy back to his human parents.  He has basically not even seen him in the intervening years - a tidy explanation for why Alexander has barely been mentioned during Worf's DS9 tenure. He has difficulty standing back and allowing his son to fail, or even to take a beating, which actually makes things harder for Alexander in fitting in with the crew. In the end, he is able to make a reconciliation with his son, but to the episode's credit it feels like a fragile one.

Martok: The last episode to focus on Martok as ship's captain was Soldiers of the Empire, in which his time as a prisoner of the Dominion left him a shadow of his former self. He only regained his strength when challenged from within. This episode marks a direct contrast, with the Klingon back at his zenith. He is a strong captain, a man who sees and recognizes the dynamics of his crew. He tries at first to get Worf to accept the situation, pointing out that Alexander is finding his own place. When it becomes clear that Worf's effectiveness as first officer is compromised, though, Martok acts decisively, telling the boy that he will be transferred off the ship. "I need (Worf)," he says flatly, "I do not need you."

Major Kira: Though the Klingon material is entertaining enough, the "B" plot is far more engrossing. Nana Visitor's splendid performance is part of the reason why, as Kira finds herself torn between her genuine caring for Ziyal and her loathing for Dukat. It's a problem made worse by how easy it is for her to be briefly comfortable around Dukat, who is very calculated in showing his most charming face when they are in front of Ziyal. There's a particularly fine moment when he sends her a dress. For just a second, Kira is overjoyed at the lovely garment and how beautiful she will look in it. Then her face sinks as she realizes that she is allowing herself to be claimed - bought, and not even at any great cost. Almost as good is the follow-up, as she confronts Dukat. She accurately labels him as "opportunistic" and "power-hungry." In the first two seasons, she would have been spitting the words at him. Here, she just states them as fact, with no rancor or even emotion - Which is likely why he doesn't try any counter-move; games are no fun when the other person has lost interest in playing.

Gul Dukat: I believe his pride in Ziyal is genuine. The one genuinely selfless moment we've ever seen from Dukat was when he sacrificed his position to save her (though admittedly, only after intending to kill her). He wants her to do well, and he wants a positive relationship. But he wants that on his own terms, terms that include being seen by her as some sort of heroic white knight. Being Dukat, it's easier and truer to himself to manipulate reality rather than actually live up to such an image. A telling moment comes right after Kira returns the dress, denounces him, and leaves. Ziyal enters a moment later, asking who was there. Dukat's smile never wavers as he announces that it was "a delivery... Do you like it?" His pleasure is in no way diminished by her adoration of both gift and him being based on a lie.


THOUGHTS:

Sons and Daughters is the weakest Dominion War episode thus far... Which, given how good much of it is, speaks more to the quality of this run of episodes than to any great weakness in this particular script. The Kira/Dukat material is wonderful, with both Nana Visitor and Marc Alaimo in fine form. The Klingon material isn't as strong, but neither is it bad. The episode rolls along at a solid pace, with plenty of good scenes and no particularly bad scenes. It's a solid piece of Trek, that really suffers only in comparison to the four episodes preceding it.

Readers of my TNG reviews are doubtless aware of how little I enjoyed the character of Alexander on that show. His return to the franchise is not a welcome one. Marc Worden is easier to take as an (arguably too much) older Alexander than Brian Bonsall was, but the character remains irritatingly whiny and unsympathetic. He brings out the worst traits of Worf's character, showcasing how inflexible and self-defeatingly stubborn he can be in his dealings with his son. This leaves Martok as the only truly likable character in the Klingon plot, though J. G. Hertzler is thankfully up to the task, stealing every scene in which he's present.

The script cleverly bookends the Klingon drama with a minor drama of Worf's. Dax tells him that she intends to refuse to join Martok's House - something Worf fears would be a grave dishonor. She lets him rant for a moment before revealing that she's just teasing him and fully intends to join the Klingon House. Alexander, Worf's son, has no House and insists on being referred to as "Rozhenko." By episode's end, when Worf has reached a reconciliation with him, Alexander joins Martok's House as Worf had done previously.

A problem with the Klingon plot is that it doesn't really reach much of a climax. There's a minor space battle, but however urgently the actors may speak, it doesn't feel particularly significant. The convoy escort doesn't so much close in triumph as simply run out after a single, fairly uninspired action scene. This, coupled with the "A" plot being far less interesting than the "B" plot, keep the episode feeling a bit small, as if things are being padded out before the next important episode.

In short: Entertaining and probably about as good as an Alexander episode can be. But a fair step below the excellent shows that preceded it.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Rocks and Shoals
Next Episode: Behind the Lines

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5-8. Things Past.

Odo is forced to face a secret from his past.

THE PLOT

Sisko, Odo, Garak, and Dax are returning to the station after attending a Bajoran conference devoted to the Cardassian Occupation. Garak drew some attention by ill-advisedly discussing the benefits of the Occupation, but the real star was Odo. His even-handed stewardship of the security of Terok Nor (as Deep Space 9 was then known) earned him the respect of both Cardassians and Bajorans - respect Odo isn't entirely comfortable with.

By the time their runabout arrives at the station, the four are in a comatose state, and Dr. Bashir's attempts to revive them prove futile. He observes that their neural activity indicates that they are actually conscious...

...And so they are, but not of Deep Space 9's Medlab. They awake on Terok Nor, under the Cardassian Occupation. They are dressed as Bajorans, and despite being members of various races they are perceived as Bajorans. Dax catches the eye of station commander Gul Dukat, who has her brought to him to relieve his "loneliness." Meanwhile, Sisko, Garak, and Odo discover the identities of the Bajorans whose place they have taken.

They have assumed the identities of three men whose names Odo knows all too well. They were three Bajorans who were executed for a crime they didn't commit: Attempting to assassinate Gul Dukat. And the day of the attempted assassination? This very day...


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: As soon as he realizes where and when they are, he focuses on the immediate priority of not attracting any Cardassian attention. Once out of sight, he allows the others to discuss what could be occurring - but again moves them on once Dukat makes his appearance. It doesn't take long for him to recognize that Odo is agitated, but he doesn't press him until late in the episode because there is always a more immediate priority. When he does confront the constable, however, he does so with such fire that Odo is actually grateful when the Cardassian security chief, Thrax (Kurtwood Smith) comes for him.

Odo: Uncomfortable with the degree of respect he is given for his role during the Occupation. "I tried to bring order to a chaotic situation, that's all," he protests, bringing to mind what we already know about the Changeling predisposition to maintaining order above all. It's an early hint of the revelation to come, one that Odo tries very hard to keep his friends from learning and that he seems to even be trying to deny to himself. Rene Auberjonois is excellent as usual, and his pleas with Thrax to conduct a more thorough investigation (pleas he knows are doomed before he makes them) are particularly effective.

Dax: As far back as season One, I've been impressed by how good a nonverbal performer Terry Farrell is. She shows this very strongly in her scene with Dukat. She is "selected" by Cardassian guards and brought to him. She doesn't know what is about to happen - Cardassian interrogation, sexual assault, possibly both - and is visibly frightened. When Dukat presents himself pleasantly, even offering her a drink, her hand shakes as she is thrown by the incongruity of his demeanor. Then she sees that he wants her as a companion, wants her trust, and she smiles slightly, as she realizes how she can use his neediness to her advantage.

Garak: This is Garak's first Season Five appearance (presumably, after some time in the brig for his deeds in Broken Link), and both the character and actor Andrew J. Robinson are on terrific form. On the surface, Garak almost appears to be comedy relief, commenting sardonically on their situation and sniffing at his recollections of the Occupation being "tidier." But he never stops thinking. When Dax is "selected," he steps forward to attempt to bribe the guard out of taking her. That fails, and he earns a punch in the nose for his trouble... But being Garak, he takes advantage of the situation to pick the man's pocket for some gear that allows him to figure out a key piece of the puzzle. Also being Garak, he spends the time awaiting execution thinking up and evaluating excuses that might save his own skin.

Gul Dukat: It's a treat to see Dukat back when he was in power. As in Season Two's Necessary Evil, there are indications that he at least wanted to be a benevolent dictator to the Bajorans - likely for his benefit, however. His interactions with Dax show that he craves approval, not just of his men but of his subjects. He relishes holding the power of life and death over the Bajorans, but he also wants to be beloved by them. An unrealistic expectation, to put it mildly, but then he did go on to amorously pursue Kira, so it's not like he's ever been realistic in his self-image.


THOUGHTS

Things Past acts very much as a companion piece to the outstanding Season Two episode, Necessary Evil. That episode flashed back to the start of Odo's career on Terok Nor, the name for the Cardassian-run Deep Space 9 during the Occupation of Bajor. It also showed the start of his friendship with Kira, and revealed a secret about Kira's past.

Things Past returns us to Terok Nor through the magic of Technobabble, only this time it is Odo who has the guilty secret. The Terok Nor setting remains terrific, and director Levar Burton doesn't hesitate to go for broke with the grittiness of the setting. Everything is dark, varying shades of shadow punctuated by harsh shafts of light. Colors are subdued to the point of being a step removed from monochrome, and the Cardassian guards (usually seen overhead) are a near-constant presence. The atmosphere is superb, almost as strong as it was in the earlier episode.

Michael Taylor's script is a good one. The opening scene seems light-hearted, but it introduces the major idea of the episode: Odo's attempts to bring order to the station during the Occupation, and his discomfort, even guilt at the praise he receives. We get just enough scenes with Worf and Bashir to establish that the four are only mentally in the past but that damage inflicted there can affect them physically. But we only get those scenes, restricted to the episode's first half, with no other cutaways to dilute the tension. What humor there is is of the darkly sardonic variety. As even temporary victories, such as Dax knocking out Dukat and rescuing the others, are snatched away, the situation becomes ever more hopeless - and the visual style becomes ever more enclosed and claustrophobic.

Though Kira only barely appears in the episode, her one scene is a superb one, in a tag that mirrors the ending of Necessary Evil. In that episode, Odo confronted Kira with the truth. This time, it's Kira's turn to confront Odo with his shameful secret. There's even an oblique reference to the earlier episode, as she acknowledges that she's far from perfect and that "anyone who lived through the Occupation had to get a little dirty."

The episode ends perfectly, with the two on opposite sides of the room. Each has now had his or her worst secret revealed to the other, and each has now taken a turn disappointing the other. And it's on this note that we cut to the station exterior and the credits.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Let He Who Is Without Sin...
Next Episode: The Ascent

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4-20. Shattered Mirror.

Mirror Garak ingratiates himself with Regent Worf.

THE PLOT

Sisko receives an extremely welcome visitor from the Mirror Universe: Jennifer (Felecia M. Bell), that universe's version of his late wife. Jennifer fills him in on a recent victory the Terrans scored over the Alliance of Klingons, Bajorans, and Cardassians. The humans have taken control of Terok Nor, their equivalent to Deep Space 9. But this isn't purely a social call, and when Sisko is called away for a meeting, Jennifer takes Jake to her universe - leaving a transport device behind as an invitation to Sisko.

The captain accepts, grimly determined to recover his son. Jennifer and "Smiley" O'Brien greet him with a deal: His help in exchange for Jake. O'Brien downloaded the schematics for the Defiant during his brief visit to Sisko's universe, but he can't quite make the ship work. The very problem Sisko overcame with the ship's power being too much for her hull is presenting itself here. They need Sisko to solve this problem within four days.

If he can't get the ship online by then, Regent Worf will arrive with his Alliance battle fleet to retake the station. And if that happens, the Terrans promise, then Sisko and Jake will be taken right along with the rest of them!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Sisko: Fiercely devoted to his son's welfare, and looks ready to tear "Smiley O'Brien" and Jennifer apart with his bare hands when he arrives at Terok Nor. But he is quickly talked down when shown that Jake is well and, in fact, enjoying himself. He is up to the challenge of getting the Defiant into shape, and he is not as immune to Jennifer's appearance as he pretends to be. He surprises himself when he insists on commanding Defiant in the final combat, something which was not part of the arrangement. Avery Brooks is on fine form, and he and "Smiley" make as engaging a team here as they did in Through the Looking Glass.

Kira, The Intendant: Nana Visitor's silky, sexually predatory Intendant remains hypnotic any time she's on screen. This episode plays her almost as a Hannibal Lecter figure. Captured by the rebels, she shows no hint of being cowed by them. She laughs at them as if they were a collective joke. She barters with Sisko for information that will help in the coming battle - All the while plotting to further her own agenda. This is the most powerless we've seen her to date, and yet she is still the most formidable of the villains here. By some distance.

Jake: Is captivated by Jennifer, marveling at just how much she is like the mother he remembers. His absolute love and faith may well push Jennifer to be more and better than she would have been in other circumstances. Mostly, Jake acts as an observer, the one person here who has not seen the Mirror Universe before. He is overjoyed to see not only his mother again, but also Nog - though in the latter case, he's in for a rude awakening as to how starkly different Mirror Nog is from his much-missed best friend.

Worf: Mirror universe Worf actually has much of what our Worf always wanted. He is a pure Klingon, commanding his own ship and his own Klingon crew. He not only keeps Garak prisoner for his failure to defend Terok Nor, he actually keeps him on a chain leash, yanking the leash any time Garak says something that displeases him. He has all the Klingon bloodlust, with none of our Worf's restraint. He commands with an iron fist, and even barks out, "Make it so!" in a fun TNG reference. Michael Dorn seems to be having a grand time playing a near-operatic villain, even if Mirror Worf isn't even close to being as formidable as the Intendant.

Hot Parallel Space Babe of the Week: Felecia Bell returns as Jennifer Sisko... and has apparently taken some acting lessons. She's still noticeably weaker than Avery Brooks or Colm Meaney (or even Cirroc Lofton, for that matter), but she does acquit herself with a reasonable performance that's on par with what you'd expect of a Trek guest actress. It goes without saying that she bonds completely with Jake, and in an effective emotional scene she tells Sisko how hard it is for her to be with the boy. "My Ben Sisko is dead. I look at Jake and all I see is the son that I'll never have."

Garak: Mirror Garak has, in previous episodes, been portrayed as a purely ruthless and dangerous opponent. This episode brings his characterization more into line with the normal Garak - which is a good thing, since his silver tongue and healthy sense of self-preservation are far more entertaining to watch. One of Deep Space 9's strengths is its willingness to create new character pairs. This episode pairs Garak and Worf, to enormously good effect. Their scenes together are darkly hilarious, and I hope to see them revisited in future Mirror Universe installments.


THOUGHTS

Deep Space 9 makes its annual visit to the mirror universe, and delivers another hugely enjoyable piece. Shattered Mirror is a direct sequel to Through the Looking Glass, and it's a good one. It carries that episode's plot forward, moving the Terran/Alliance conflict forward. The sense of momentum is raised even higher than it was in last year's episode, with a rousing battle scene at the climax.

This is a Sisko-heavy episode, and Avery Brooks delivers as expected. Still, reflecting the strengths of the core series, it is also an excellent ensemble piece. There's something here for all of our regulars. Mirror Julian, who was a one-dimensional sneer in Through the Looking Glass, is developed into an effective action man - which is achieved without compromising on the unpleasantness we saw in the previous episode. He's still belligerent and possibly a sadist, but he is also clever and courageous, justifying his (possibly self-bestowed) rank of "captain." He clearly enjoys the loyalty of Mirror Dax, who insists on accompanying him on a possible suicide mission and threatens Sisko with a knife if he ever dares touch her again.

The episode has virtually no dead space, and its 45 minutes breeze by so quickly that it's actually disappointing to see the end credits arrive. The annual Mirror-verse episode had the potential to become a tiresome gimmick, but Deep Space 9 has applied the same sensibilities to the parallel universe that it applies to the core universe. Each episode has stood alone, with its own strong narrative. At the same time, each episode has moved the mirror universe forward.

What Deep Space 9 has done with its mirror episodes is to create an entertaining, even compelling arc. It's impressive stuff, and I look forward to the next mirror episode advancing that even further.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Hard Time
Next Episode: The Muse

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2-8. Necessary Evil

Odo begins his first investigation.

THE PLOT

Quark is called upon by Pallra (Katherine Moffat), an old Bajoran associate. Pallra's husband was murdered in his chemist's shop on the station during the Occupation, and she now wants Quark to retrieve something that was hidden inside the shop's walls. Quark does so.  But when he makes the mistake of looking at the goods, a list of eight Bajoran names, an assassin hired by Pallra steps out of the shadows and shoots him.

As Dr. Bashir works to try to save the Ferengi, Odo investigates the shooting. When Rom shows him the shop he and Quark had broken into, he realizes that this is all linked to his very first case as an investigator, long ago. This prompts him to remember that case, in which he first met Gul Dukat, Quark, and Kira, and in which he became the constable of Deep Space 9.  Or as it was known under the Cardassians, Terok Nor...


CHARACTERS

Commander Sisko: Plays "good cop" to Odo's "bad cop" to get Rom to divulge the truth about the list he and Quark stole from the chemist's shop. Beyond that, this is Odo's show, with Sisko barely present.

Major Kira: In flashback, we see a younger Kira pushing Odo to choose sides, insisting that he cannot remain neutral in the Bajoran/Cardassian conflict. She was the first person ever to refer to Odo as "Constable," a nickname which apparently stuck, when she thanked Odo for calling her a bad liar. In the present, Odo's friendship has come to be something Kira values greatly. She is with him in his investigation throughout, offering several key pieces of information to him.

Odo: In the past, he insisted to Kira that he would never take sides. His neutrality was among his defining characteristics, and that does not appear to have changed in the present. He did let Kira go, rather than divulge her membership in the Bajoran Underground. But he justified that by saying, quite honestly, to Gul Dukat that he was convinced of her innocence in the murder of the Bajoran merchant. Gul Dukat picked him for this job for reasons that Odo only finally understands in the present, when the discovery of the nature of the list sees all the pieces finally falling into place - even ones Odo would probably as soon have seen left out of place.

Gul Dukat: That Dukat ultimately retained Odo in the position of constable, despite Odo failing to close the case, raises an interesting question: Why? There's no real sense in the flasbacks that Dukat actually needed an outside constable. As Kira pointed out, the Cardassians had ways of getting information from Bajorans. Was Dukat actively attempting to limit casualties, by enlisting a neutral but fair-minded outsider to get information he would otherwise have obtained through torture and executions? Dukat has never struck me as anything other than a rather one-note baddie up to this point. With this episode, I'm now actively interested in learning a bit more about some of his motivations, both in the present and the past.

Quark: Gets quite a bit of character material packed into the first 10 minutes. There is something very charming about Quark's interactions with Pallra in the teaser. He may be a weasel, but he's no simple coward. When the Bajoran assassin steps out of the shadows to kill him, he faces the man down calmly, with a certain dignity. In flashback, we see how he got off on the wrong foot with Odo - but also how he developed an interest in the constable, and in finding something, anything to tempt him.


THOUGHTS

Necessary Evil is an excellent episode all-around, the best single-part episode the series has offered since Duet. Peter Allen Fields' script is effective in moving between two time periods.  The story gives us greater insight into Odo in particular, but also allows us to see some hints about Kira's background and even Quark's. It's quite interesting to have a look at the station under Cardassian rule. I wouldn't mind more episodes flashing back to the Occupation, rather than simply referencing it. I'm sure Odo, Kira, and Quark all have some interesting stories from that period - not to mention recurring characters such as Winn, Dukat, and Garak.

This is a particularly well-made episode. The starker lighting differentiates the flashbacks from the current story, and some simple but well-judged production design decisions make the station in the flashbacks look like a colder, harsher place to be. More might have been made of some of the transitions - for instance, more direct cuts of Odo/Kira in one setting to them in the exact same setting, five years earlier. But it's still well-done, and visually the contrast between the station now and the station during the Occupation is highly evident.

A lot of an episode or movie's strength lies in the final impression it leaves in the audience.  This episode soars with one of the best endings of the series to date. I like that Kira's final question goes unanswered by Odo.  Rene Auberjonois and Nana Visitor are superb in every scene, as has become expected by this point.


Overall Rating: 10/10.

Previous Episode: Rules of Acquisition

Next Episode: Second Sight

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