Lynch's Summary Review: DS9 Season 7 (part 2 of 3)
Timothy W. Lynch
WARNING: This article has spoilers for the seventh and final season
(and possibly seasons before) of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."
Proceed at your own risk.
[continued from part 1]
"Penumbra"
Written by: Rene Echevarria
Directed by: Steve Posey
Initial rating: 7
Quotables:
"Maybe someday, I'll retire here." "Oh, I can see you now:
sitting in your rocking chair, watching the sun set over the mountains
every night, wondering where you left your teeth." "Just like my
great-great-grandfather: in the glass, next to the chair."
" Do you really think he'd go to Sto'Vo'Kor owing me
money?" "He doesn't even like you." "Exactly! He couldn't enjoy
the afterlife knowing I had something on him."
"Our adversaries don't view their soldiers as expendable.
They're not bred in hatcheries like the Jem'Hadar." "If you have
something to say, Damar, say it."
"She's a Dax. Sometimes they don't think: they just do."
"It's your house." "I want it to be *our* house ... let's get
married."
"Best man, huh? That means I get to plan the bachelor party!"
"What'd you do to spend the time?" "Nothing." "Nothing? I
bet the acoustics in there were pretty good. What'd you sing --
Klingon opera?" "I did *not* sing." "Which one? Che-vagh-to-
gesh?" "No. Ko'vaq'to'va." "Ambitious! Those solos are for a
tenor." "As you said ... the acoustics were favorable."
"Penumbra" was a pretty good indication of what to expect from the
final run of episodes. On the good side, we had the beginnings of
Damar's struggle against oppression (here limited to a sarcastic "no,
of course it doesn't!!"), some reasonably good personal material for
Sisko (along with some of the best Sisko/Kasidy chemistry we've had
in a while), and a more interesting Dukat than we've seen in over a
year. On the bad side, Ezri's romantic situation figures as heavily
here as it does in the rest of the arc (i.e. excessively), Prophet-Sarah is
considerably less interesting than almost any previous Prophet
experience, and there are a few serious logic flaws to let the episode
happen (among other things, everything involving the emergency
beam-out from the runabout). It's not a bad show, but the storm
clouds on the horizon aren't hard to spot.
Final rating: 6.5.
"'Til Death Do Us Part"
Written by: David Weddle & Bradley Thompson
Directed by: Winrich Kolbe
Initial rating: 9
Quotables:
"The Prophets came to me in a vision. They warned me that I
was going to have to face a great trial." ["I'm fairly certain they were
referring to you."]
"The Sisko has faltered."
"Worf, face it. The guard-my-cellmate-is-ill trick didn't work.
Neither did your I'll-make-a-tool-and-short-circuit-the-door idea."
"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 were simpler times."
"If I told my neighbors I was having tea with the *Kai*,
they'd never believe me."
"Do you pray to the Prophets, Anjohl?" "Oh, every day."
"And have they ever answered you -- in a vision, or in your dreams?"
"Oh, there have been times when I've thought I could feel their
presence ... but spoken to me? No. Surely they would reserve such a
blessing for someone like you."
"This is no time for your jokes!" "And this is no time for your
Klingon chest-thumping, either."
"The Prophets may have chosen to speak through him, but ...
he's not really one of *us*, is he?" [Ah, irony...]
"The Emissary didn't suffer through the Occupation. He has
no idea what the Cardassians *did* to us. Those years left many
scars on Bajor's soul. So, how can he help heal what he could never
comprehend?"
"Screw the Prophets; let's get hitched." [Okay, that one's fake
... but you wanted to hear it, right? :-) ]
"You should be honored. You're witnessing an historic
moment: the birth of the alliance between the Dominion and the
Breen. Changes everything, doesn't it?" [Well, not really...]
In six and a half years, we never saw Dukat and Winn interact -- if
this episode was any indication, that's a shame. Although the Dukat
material fell down in later episodes, just about everything between him
and Winn here was absolutely masterful stuff, and the Dukat/Damar
pep talk didn't hurt either. The "will he or won't he wed?" material
was mixed, with Kira's reactions in the plus column and some general
predictability in the minus column. As for Worf and Ezri ... well,
when we get three very similar scenes about relationships that end
with a case of Breenus Interruptus, it doesn't bode well for holding
the viewer's interest. They're a fairly minor blemish on an impressive
show, though.
Final rating: 8.5.
[Note: I still think Sisko could have made a better point to Kasidy:
namely, that the last time he ignored the Prophets' warning, Jadzia
*died*.]
"Strange Bedfellows"
Written by: Ronald D. Moore
Directed by: Rene Echevarria
Initial rating: 7.5
Quotables:
"You expect me to agree to territorial concessions when I
haven't even seen what they *are*?" "Damar, you are missing the
point. We need the Breen to win this war. When it's over, there will
be more than enough territories available to compensate Cardassia for
the loss of a few minor planets." "There are no *minor* planets in the
Cardassian Union."
"The Federation should never have agreed to give away
Cardassian territory without my consent!" "I'm sorry -- I think I
misunderstood you. It sounded as if you were implying that
Cardassia and its territory doesn't belong to the Founders -- surely
that isn't what you meant."
"I've known some of these people for ten years or more, and
suddenly they're asking me for advice about their children, their
wives, their husbands, their spiritual relationship with the
Prophets..." "Welcome to the club!"
"Overconfidence. The hallmark of the Weyouns!"
"They'll just make another copy of him, you know. You
should've killed me -- there's only one Damar." "I will keep that in
mind."
"Well, hello!" "I'm glad to see you find the death of my
predecessor so amusing." "Oh, you misjudge me. I miss him deeply.
Here -- let's drink to Weyoun-7." "When will the prisoners be
executed?" "When the trial is completed. Legal protections must be
observed." "When?" "The execution is scheduled for tomorrow
afternoon, 1400 hours." "Have they agreed to cooperate?" "No.
Maybe you should talk to Worf again." [just seeing Damar lose it in a
hail of laughter is marvelous]
"Leave me!" "Oh, shut up."
"There's nothing to fear." "Of course not; I am the Kai. The
Prophets will make everything clear to me."
"The Prophets have done nothing for you! During the
Occupation they *let* our people suffer!" "Let me go!" "You've
sacrificed everything for them, and how have they rewarded you?
They've appointed an alien Emissary, they've rejected you at every
turn -- even now they won't speak to you!"
"The Pagh Wraiths will give you everything you've ever
dreamt of. The power, the adoration of the people ... in spite of your
protestations of humility, that's what you really want, admit it!" [this
one's Dukat channeling the writers, I think]
"Stop pretending to be something you're not!" [a beautiful
line given the source]
"Go. Crawl back to your Prophets. Beg their forgiveness.
Live the rest of your LIFE in Sisko's shadow!"
"Am I so offensive to your eyes that I don't exist for you any
more?"
"I'll do whatever it takes to make myself worthy in their eyes."
"Everything will change once you step down as Kai. You'll see."
"Step down? I don't understand -- why would I do that? Bajor
*needs* me." "Emissary, being in power is what led you on the
wrong path." "But I've resolved to change! Don't you see -- once I
have regained the Prophets' trust, I'll be better able to serve them if I
remain Kai. If the Prophets wanted me to step down, surely they
would have told me so."
"How many more sacrifices will my people be asked to
make?" "*Your* people, Damar? We are all one with the Dominion -
- Vorta, Cardassian, Jem'Hadar, the Breen -- we all serve the
Founders, and we will all make whatever sacrifices they deem
necessary!"
"Y'know, Worf, I've had just about enough of your little
Klingon aphorisms."
"Do you really think that I would disobey orders and risk my
life just so I could seduce you? I hate to break it to you, Worf, but it
wasn't that good."
"I want you to give a message to the Federation. Tell them
they have an ally on Cardassia." "Why should we trust you?" "You
can either trust me, or you can stay here and be executed." "I vote for
option one."
"The Founder. She wishes to see me. She has to be told
about this." "Oh, I'm sure they'll understand. But if she doesn't, I
look forward to meeting Weyoun-9."
"I will no longer serve gods who give me nothing in return.
I'm ready to walk the path the Pagh Wraiths have laid down for me."
Despite being one of the most quotable shows of the season (as
evidenced above, and as is common for Moore scripts), this one still
leaves me fairly conflicted. The Worf/Ezri stuff is still
inconsequential, but is easily the best material they get. Damar's
journey towards the light is an unqualified success here, with Weyoun
managing to say and do just the wrong things at the wrong times to
drive Damar to rebellion. Winn's journey is right on the edge. I can
buy her going over to the Pagh Wraiths eventually, but cramming all
of this into a single episode just doesn't wash, even after seeing a lot
of good arguments. Winn's ego and belief in herself is a definite
Achilles' heel, to be sure -- but I don't see her turning her back on the
Prophets overnight, and that's what we're asked to believe here. (The
Winn/Kira conversation is easily the best part of her sequence this
episode, though.) A mixed bag, but you won't be bored.
Final rating: still 7.5.
"The Changing Face of Evil"
Written by: Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
Directed by: Mike Vejar
Initial rating: 9
Quotables:
"By the way, in case Weyoun forgot to mention it -- the
Dominion once sang Cardassia's praises as well."
"What are you doing? You don't cook!" "I know! I was just
... making sure."
"Nobody touches my peppers."
"Doesn't seem right -- all this plotting and secrecy. What are
we, Romulans?"
"I am but a moon made warm by the light of your sun." "I
hope you're a better farmer than you are a poet."
"There's something different about you today, Damar. I can't
quite put my finger on it -- it's as if you're only half dressed." "What
are you talking about?" "You don't have a bottle in your hand!"
"Captain?" "She's a fine ship." "No one would argue with
that -- but like you say, it's time to go."
"Eminence: that man is not Anjohl Tenon." "What are you
talking about?" "Anjohl Tenon died nine years ago in the labor camp
at Bac'ta. I warned you not to trust him."
"Don't listen to him! *Look at him! Don't you recognize the
face of your enemy? It's Gul Dukat." [The rest of the scene is pretty
good, too.]
"And so, two years ago, our government signed a treaty with
the Dominion. In it, the Dominion promised to extend Cardassia's
influence throughout the Alpha Quadrant. In exchange, we pledged
ourselves to join the war against the Federation and its allies.
Cardassians have never been afraid of war -- a fact we've proven time
and again over these past two years. Seven million of our brave
soldiers have given their lives to fulfill our part of the agreement. And
what has the Dominion done in return? Nothing. We've gained no
new territories -- in fact, our influence throughout the quadrant has
*diminished*. And to make matters worse, we are no longer masters
in our own home. Travel anywhere in Cardassia, and what do you
find? Jem'Hadar, Vorta -- and now Breen. Instead of the invaders,
we have become the invaded. Our allies have conquered us without
firing a single shot. Well ... no longer."
"I call upon Cardassians everywhere: Resist. Resist today.
Resist tomorrow. Resist until the last Dominion soldier has been
driven from our soil!"
"Our cloning facility on Rondak Three has been destroyed. I
could be the last Weyoun ... that's why he picked that target."
As with "Strange Bedfellows," "The Changing Face of Evil" is a
frustrating mix of very good material and a lot of fluff you wish could
have been avoided. The good stuff, fortunately, is the main material:
Damar's continued presence is a big plus, and the Dukat/Winn
material (including great work from James Otis as Solbor) makes
Winn a bit more conflicted than the end of "Strange Bedfellows"
would have suggested. On the bad side, the artificial Sisko/Kasidy
fight is a waste of time (particularly since it doesn't even have the
excuse of foreshadowing much of anything), some of the Dukat/Winn
material early on is a rehash, the Kosst Amojan's magical powers are
annoying pretty much from the moment they appear, and several red
herrings about the Breen surface on this show. The destruction of the
Defiant, while dramatic for the time (accompanied by nice music from
Jay Chattaway), is made extremely hollow by later events.
Final rating: 8.5.
[Note: It's still amusing to note that Mike Vejar has been responsible
for destroying both of the Defiant-class ships we've ever seen croak.]
"When It Rains..."
Written by: Rene Echevarria (teleplay);
Echevarria & Spike Steingasser (story)
Directed by: Michael Dorn
Initial rating: 6.5
Quotables:
"Well, gentlemen, it seems as if the Klingon fleet is the only
thing that stands between us and the Dominion." "What *have* we
come to?"
"You want me to go behind the lines and teach a bunch of
*Cardassians* how to be resistance fighters?" "I'm aware of the
irony."
"Remember your place, Dukat." "I thought my place was in
your bed."
"I fail to see why you're so determined to cure a disease that
affects our *enemy*. We're at war, Doctor."
"Maybe the attack on Starfleet Headquarters has him spooked.
Y'know, guys like Hilliard are used to sitting behind their desks, not
under 'em."
"You expect us to attack our own people?" "If necessary,
yes."
"This looks like the scan [Dr. Mora] did when he first found
Odo." "Are you sure? That's a lotta numbers." "I saw it with my
own eyes not seven years ago." "You really are genetically enhanced,
aren't you?"
"The Pagh Wraiths have taken your sight in punishment for
your arrogance. Only they can give it back to you."
"...you need a lesson in humility, and I'm going to see that
you get it." "By putting me out on the street?" "You'll find the
Bajoran people are very kind. A blind beggar will elicit their
sympathies, I'm certain -- and with any luck, you'll earn enough to
eat, and perhaps even enough for shelter each night." [Note to self:
never get on Winn's bad side.]
"When It Rains..." puts the last major pieces of the arc in place. The
turmoil Gowron starts among the Klingons, Bashir's discovery that
Section 31 is behind the Founders' illness, Odo's infection, Kira's
journey to help Damar ... it's all here. Unfortunately, a lot of it is
crammed in tightly enough to leave a bit of a mess. The Klingon
material works better than it did initially, but the parallels between
Bajor and Cardassia are treated as far more exact than they should be
(i.e. making Kira the expert on all kinds of resistance movements
rather than a strictly planet-based one), any history between Damar
and Garak isn't even acknowledged enough to be swept under the
rug, Bashir's discovery is a bit too fortuitous, and the Dukat/Winn
material ends on a note which is never resumed. Some elements of
"When It Rains..." work all right, primarily Damar's leadership and
Dukat's arrogance, but this one's too cluttered to really work well.
Final rating: 5.5.
[Note: If you want a true resistance movement used to fighting on a
multi-planetary level, it's a pity there aren't any Maquis around.
Imagine bringing in Kira *and*, say, Eddington. That could've been
an awful lot of fun...]
"Tacking Into the Wind"
Written by: Ronald D. Moore
Directed by: Mike Vejar
Initial rating: 9
Quotables:
"Odo, I hope you know how much I --" "If I don't want pity
from the woman I love, why would I want it from you?"
"Julian, it's time to face facts. You're not gonna pull a rabbit
out of your medkit."
"No more cloak-and-dagger games. Science is the answer
here. Every problem has a solution, every disease a cure -- it's just a
matter of finding it. Now, if you'll kindly get the *hell* out of here, I
have work to do."
"Our priority should be to free Cardassia from the Dominion,
not do Starfleet's dirty work."
"He wants to put up a brave front and protect me from the
truth -- well, fine. If that's what makes this easier for him, if that
gives him one last shred of dignity to hold onto, then I'll go on
ignoring what's happening to him until the bitter end. Anything else?"
"You do whatever it takes, Mr. Worf. Those Klingon ships
out there are the only thing between us and the Breen. Gowron is
risking the safety of the entire Alpha Quadrant, and he has to *stop*."
[dangerously close to ordering an assassination there, Benny my
boy...]
"They weren't a part of this rebellion. The Dominion knew
that, the Founder knew that, *Weyoun* knew that. But to kill her and
my son -- the casual brutality of it -- a waste of life. What kind of
state tolerates the murder of innocent women and children? What kind
of people give those orders?" "Yeah, Damar -- what kind of people
give those orders?"
"I think that the situation with Gowron is a symptom of a
bigger problem. The Klingon Empire is dying -- and I think it
deserves to die."
"Who was the last leader of the High Council that you
respected? Has there even been one? And how many times have you
had to cover up the crimes of Klingon leaders because you were told it
was 'for the good of the Empire?' I know this sounds harsh, but the
truth is, you have been willing to accept a government that you know
is corrupt. Gowron is just the latest example. Worf -- you are the
most honorable and decent man that I've ever met, and if you're
willing to tolerate men like Gowron, then what hope is there for the
Empire?" [probably Ezri's single best speech *ever*]
"Worf -- I do not seek leadership." "Kahless said, 'Great
minds do not seek power; they have power thrust upon them.' Hail
Martok! Leader of the Empire! Leader ... of destiny."
"He was my friend -- but his Cardassia is dead, and it won't
be coming back."
Yow. The problems in this one are awfully tiny -- a rerun of Kira's
Resistance 101 lecture, some questionable Dominion tactics regarding
the Cardassians, Damar's questionable choice of coming along on the
mission in the first place, and so on. Compared to the episode's
strengths, though, those are small potatoes. Damar's leadership role
has been a strong part of the arc for six episodes at this point, but
"Tacking Into the Wind" lets him really come into his own. The
Klingon stuff takes center stage here, though, and after this one I'd
just as soon not see Klingon tales for a very long time: the implication
is that Worf may have finally helped cleanse the Empire in bringing
Martok to power, and I for one would like to leave it there. Ezri has a
rare chance to develop her own character (that speech of hers is one
Jadzia couldn't have given), Odo's pain is keenly felt, Sisko's hard-
assed instructions to Worf ring true... it all clicks. This one's a major
winner -- and the last one of the series.
Final rating: 9.5.
"Extreme Measures"
Written by: Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
Directed by: Steve Posey
Initial rating: 4
Quotables:
"I want you to leave." "Why?" "You watched Bareil die in
this very room. I know how that's haunted you. I don't want your
last memory of me to be witnessing my death." "Isn't that my
choice?" "Maybe it is, and maybe I'm being selfish telling you all the
things I want -- but I don't want the last thing I see to be pain in your
eyes."
"I've got so much to say ... I don't know where to begin."
"Just say you love me. That's all I've ever cared about."
"I take it I'm supposed to feel shocked and humbled by your
ingenuity." "Frankly, I don't care how you feel."
"You came here because you thought I'd discovered a cure,
and you wanted to destroy it. But first, you'd have to find it in my
lab, and in order to do that you'd have to know exactly what it was
you were looking for." "You call that reasoning?" ["No -- I call it
writer fiat. Aren't you glad it worked?"]
"I wish I knew how long we'd been in here." "23 minutes
and 11 seconds." "Show-off."
"This is older than I am." "What? I'm drinking with a
*child*."
From what I've read, I gather that "Extreme Measures" was intended
in part to give Bashir and O'Brien one last adventure as a duo. If this
was it -- no, thanks. The Odo material in the opening scene was
poignant, emotionally solid stuff: what followed afterwards was
riddled with problems. We had plot idiocies on every level, ranging
from Miles MacGyvering together a gigantic device in a matter of
minutes to Sloan coming to the station himself to Sloan not
kidnapping Bashir. Then we got a surreal environment without
enough grounding to make the viewer care, the standard "we're still
inside!" fake ending, an odd male-bonding scene that doesn't quite
seem to make sense, and too much else to count. Odo's worth a
couple of points, and some aspects of Bashir's obsession with Section
31 rang true -- but this was just crap.
Final rating: 3.
[Note: Bashir figured out he was still inside Sloan's head because of
the repeated text in _A Tale of Two Cities_. Isn't he lucky Sloan
hadn't read it?]
[Note #2: Nadion bursts are mentioned here as therapy for Odo.
Earlier in the season, they were mentioned as a way to accelerate
Koval's disease in "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges." Gotta love those
versatile energy bursts.]
"The Dogs of War"
Written by: Rene Echevarria & Ronald D. Moore (teleplay);
Peter Allan Fields (story)
Directed by: Avery Brooks
Initial rating: 6
Quotables:
"The reality is, the Federation set out to *destroy* my people."
"Section 31 aren't part of the Federation -- they're a rogue organiza-"
"Don't split hairs with me, Doctor! They used me as an instrument to
try to commit *genocide*. Now we may be at war with the Founders,
but that's no excuse." "I completely agree."
"Odo -- I wish I didn't have to say this, but I need to know
you're not going to take matters into your own hands." "You have
my word." "That's all I needed to hear." "Interesting, isn't it? The
Federation claims to abhor Section 31's tactics, but when they need
the dirty work done they look the other way. It's a tidy little
arrangement, wouldn't you say?"
"He's not Nagus yet." "It's never too early to suck up to the
boss!"
"Blessed Exchequer, forgive us. Your children have gone
astray."
"You should hear the stories! Damar's alive! My cousin saw
him on Kelvas Prime! He faked his own death! He's plotting a new
offensive from his secret mountain hideaway!" ["He's living with
Amelia Earha -- oh. Sorry."]
"You never told me you had a secret mountain hideaway." "I
was going to surprise you."
"Surrender yourself or die." "I choose neither."
"Citizens of Cardassia, hear me! The Dominion told you that
the rebellion has been crushed! What you have seen here today
proves that this is yet another lie!"
"If you want me to be Nagus, you're going to have to let me
do things my way!" "Who wants you to be Nagus?" "Out of the
way, Quark..."
"As far as I'm concerned, the Ferenginar that I knew doesn't
*exist* any more. No ... I take that back. It *will* exist, right here
in this bar. This establishment will be the last outpost of what made
Ferengi great: the unrelenting lust for profit! Broik -- water the
drinks! Imtella -- rig the Dabo tables! Rom -- I wanna buy back the
bar." "That's all right, brother -- I'll give it to you." "I suppose
you're gonna let me keep the five thousand bars of latinum, too."
"You're my brother." "And you're an idiot! But I love you."
As the finish line looms, "The Dogs of War" remains, like much of
the rest of the arc, a mixed bag. As usual, the goings-on on Cardassia
are the main highlight, with Damar turning from rebel to legend in the
surprisingly believable blink of an eye. Odo's reaction to hearing
about Section 31 would have been the highlight, but considering that
this is all that we get it rings a bit hollow. The Ferengi material is a bit
better than usual -- it's just tiresome rather than actively grating -- but
devoting this much time to a situation that didn't need resolving seems
a bit much. I liked various moments in the non-Cardassia material
(Quark's "last outpost" in-joke, the direction of the final Ezri/Bashir
clinch in the 'lift, Rom's final tenderness, etc.), but in the face of so
many chess pieces moving around that's all they were: moments.
Final rating: 5.5, mainly for Cardassia.
[Note: Given the stardates of this and "Extreme Measures," it looks
as though weeks have passed since Odo was cured. Why on Earth is
he only being released and told *now*? For that matter, "Extreme
Measures" has Bashir filling in the "fake" Odo on the situation -- why
wouldn't he tell Odo about Section 31 while he's still abed?]
"What You Leave Behind"
Written by: Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
Directed by: Allan Kroeker
Initial rating: 7
Quotables:
"You know, I've never been into battle with someone I've
slept with before." ["Usually I sleep with them later."]
"How's Kas?" "Reports of my death have been exaggerated
... but not by much."
"Ensign, I believe you know the way to Cardassia." "If I get
lost, I'll just follow the ship in front of me."
"I was under the mistaken impression that all Federation
territory would fall under my jurisdiction, including Earth." "And so
they shall." "But -- you promised the Breen --" "I would promise the
Breen the entire Alpha Quadrant if I thought it would help win this
war."
"Oh, when you were a small boy I was worried about you.
Always getting into trouble -- so secretive, so full of deceit. Who
would have thought those disgraceful characteristics would be turned
to virtues?"
"The Emissary's task is nearing completion." ["Hey, I
thought I was done! You said so before! Mommmm!"]
"Benjamin Sisko will be dealt with by me." "Assuming he
survives the occupation of Cardassia." "Oh, he'll survive -- but I
promise you, he'll wish he hadn't..."
"The hospitality industry isn't for the faint-hearted."
"I thought you said a bartender's life is a lonely one." "It is --
but I'm not a bartender."
"And stop calling me Adami. That privilege is no longer
yours." "How should I address you, then?" "From now on, you will
address me as 'Eminence.' Is that clear?" "Perfectly ...
*Eminence.*"
"Ironic, isn't it -- the savior of Cardassia a former Bajoran
terrorist."
(Weyoun's entire speech announcing the destruction of
Lakarian City is good, too, but there's no particular sound bite.)
"I should have killed that Vorta jackal when I had the chance!"
"You want another one?"
"You've hardly touched your meal! No wonder you're not
looking well." "I'm not *looking* well because I live in a cellar."
"Sit still, or you'll end up with one arm shorter than the
other." "You'd do anything to beat me at darts."
"You may kill us, but Cardassia will never --" "Final words
are not permitted!" "How disappointing."
"I want the Cardassians exterminated." "Which ones?" "All
of them. The entire population." "That ... may take some time."
"Then I suggest that you begin at once."
"I never thought I'd say this, but thank God for the
Cardassians!"
"What's the matter, Dukat? You look disappointed." "Well,
this may sound naive, but I *was* expecting to see fire! They are
called the Fire Caves."
"All during the years of my exile, I imagined what it would be
like to come home. I even thought of living in this house again, with
Mila. But now she's dead, and this house is about to be reduced to a
pile of rubble. My Cardassia's gone." "Then fight for a new
Cardassia." "I have an even better reason, Commander: revenge."
"That works, too."
"Founder -- what's wrong?" "I'm dying. That's what's
wrong."
"Tell me, where's my old friend Damar?" "Damar's dead."
"What a pity." "He died trying to free Cardassia." "What's *left* of
it." <zap>
"I wish you hadn't done that. That was Weyoun's last clone."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
"Before you waste too many tears, remember -- these are
Cardassians lying dead at your feet. Bajorans would call this poetic
justice." "That doesn't mean I have to drink a toast over their bodies."
"Some might say that we've gotten just what we deserved.
After all, we're not entirely innocent, are we? And I'm not just
speaking of the Bajoran Occupation -- no, our whole history is one of
arrogant aggression. We've collaborated with the Dominion, betrayed
the entire Alpha Quadrant ... oh, there's no doubt about it: we're
guilty as charged."
"Of course it'll survive -- but not as the Cardassia *I* knew!
We had a rich and ancient culture -- our literature, music, art was
second to *none*. Now? So much of it is lost ... so many of our
best people, our most gifted minds..."
"I'm going to miss our lunches together." "Oh, I'm sure we'll
see each other again." "I'd like to think so -- but one can never say.
We live in uncertain times." [Not a bad last line for our Mr. Garak,
that...]
"We've been discussing your plans for the future." "I was not
aware I had any plans."
"Nerys, you know my feelings for you will never change --
but I have to do this. My people need me -- they need to know what I
know, to learn what I've learned from living among solids. It's the
only way they'll ever learn to trust you."
"There's just one thing." "Anything." "I'd like to take you
back to your homeworld." "I'd like that. I'd like that very much."
"Any idea where you're gonna live?" "No. Keiko and I are
still mulling over a few possibilities." "Have you ever considered
Minsk?"
"Earth's nothing more than a rotating ball of boredom."
"To the best crew any captain ever had. This may be the last
time we're all together -- but no matter what the future holds, no
matter how far we travel, a part of us ... a very important part ... will
always remain here, on Deep Space Nine."
"You are pathetic!" "Then why are you the one on your
knees?"
"Your time of trial is ended. You need to rest now." "I intend
do, just as soon as I get back to Deep Space Nine." "That won't be
necessary. You're with *us* now."
"If they don't know how I feel about them now, a few parting
words won't make the difference."
"A-HA! I knew it! When I saw the two of you slip out, I said
to myself, 'That no-good, misanthropic, cantankerous Changeling is
trying to sneak off the station without anyone noticing." "That was
the idea." Well, it's not going to happen, is it?" "Apparently *not.*"
"So, now that I'm here, is there something you want to say to
me?" "Such as?" "Such as 'goodbye. You certainly were a worthy
adversary.' Or maybe something with the words 'mutual respect' in
it." "No." "No? What do you mean, no?" "I mean no. I have
nothing I want to say to you." "You're telling me that after all these
years, after all we've been through, you're not even going to say
goodbye to me?" "That's right."
"Don't take it hard, Quark." "Hard? Are you kidding? That
man *loves* me. Couldn't you see? It was written all over his back."
"It's like I said -- the more things change, the more they stay
the same."
And so it ends. I haven't seen an episode in a long time that had this
many things that caused controversy. For what it's worth, I still think
the montages were fine -- perhaps not exactly what I'd have done, but
suitably moving. (The scene in Vic's, on the other hand, I could have
done without -- at least the song.) The episode was a success in some
ways: it brought many sagas to a close, while still keeping a "life
goes on" atmosphere around in the final minutes. A fair amount of
what happened on Cardassian soil was also solid -- while I think
Damar's death was still something of a waste, the horrors of
Cardassia's fate were made pretty clear, and Garak's bittersweet
farewell to Bashir alone was worth most of the act it was in. Odo's
fate worked just about perfectly -- one might disagree with the choices
he makes, but it's difficult not to feel that he's doing what he thinks he
must, and to be moved by his faith in what's to come.
On the other hand, the multi-fleet battle didn't do all that much for me,
though seeing the Cardassian ships save the day was neat. The
Sisko/Winn/Dukat material utterly failed to live up to its previous
promise, hitting bottom with a resounding <splort> during the
confrontation in the fire-caves. (A few moments in the caves were
good, particularly the look in Dukat's face as he watches Winn spill
her drink.) The Dominion still acts like idiots a bit too much, the
chronology within the episode doesn't seem to make much of any
sense (unless Winn stands there chanting over Dukat for days
straight), the Prophets are turned about as uninteresting as they were
originally interesting, and there's a sense that a lot of important things
(a final Sisko/Kira conversation, Jake's fate, Garak's fate, Bajor's
entry into the Federation, and so on) were left unsaid or completely
unfinished.
I still don't think it's a *bad* episode per se -- too much of it works to
be that. It is, however, unsatisfying when you dig deep, and that's a
shame.
Final rating: 6.
[Note: It takes an awfully long time for the Jem'Hadar to drag Broca
outside to kill him, doesn't it? Look at how many scenes are scattered
in there.]
[Note #2: Odo's Link with the Founder seems less annoying in
retrospect. I still think a line or two of dialogue might have helped
clarify things, but I'm willing to accept that Odo told her he'd cure her
people if she surrendered.]
[Note #3: We're told that even if the Dominion is bottled up on
Cardassia Prime, they could rebuild their forces quickly. How? The
shipyards are on other worlds, aren't they?]
Whew. If you're still around, congratulations. For those interested in
some numbers, here are the stats (counting the finale as two votes,
since it's double-length):
Mean +/- Standard Deviation Median
Season 1 7.1 +/- 2.3 7.5
Season 2 7.5 +/- 2.1 7.75
Season 3 6.3 +/- 2.4 6.5
Season 4 6.8 +/- 2.1 7
Season 5 7.3 +/- 2.4 7
Season 6 6.1 +/- 2.5 6.5
SEASON 7 6.5 +/- 2.2 7
Season 7 is tied for season 6 with the least number of episodes
scoring 9+, though there are enough 8's to put it in the middle in
terms of 8+'s. It's just behind seasons 3 and 6 for the most low-
scoring episodes, with 5 earning less than a 5.
Numerically, the season looks as though it's a bit of an upturn from
season 6 ... but emotionally, it doesn't feel that way. Why not? For
that, we turn to...
II. DS9 Season 7 -- General Commentary |
-----------------------------------------+
[concluded in part 3]
Tim Lynch (Harvard-Westlake School, Science Dept.)
tly...@alumni.caltech.edu <*>
"Oh, I'm sure we'll see each other again."
"I'd like to think so -- but one can never say. We live in uncertain
times."
-- Bashir and Garak
--
Copyright 1999, Timothy W. Lynch. All rights reserved, but feel free to ask...
This article is explicitly prohibited from being used in any off-net
compilation without due attribution and *express written consent of the
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