In the first episode of the fourth season of Deep Space Nine, HOW DID ALL OF THIS HAPPEN IN THE FIRST EPISODE. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
GOOD FUCKING GOD, WHAT A START TO THIS SEASON. What is wrong with this show???
The Arrival
I love that the opening of this episode demonstrates just how much everything has changed because of the events in “The Adversary.†The regimen that the security team follows might have seemed absurd long ago, but how else are they to prepare for a Dominion invasion? Thus, the story drops us into a drill to show us that these people must continually practice for the inevitable. But how inevitable is this invasion? That’s the problem that Sisko and the others face. With no real information in their hands, they can only imagine. Speculate. Guess.
So when the Klingons arrive at DS9, that imagination runs out of control. And not just for the people who live and work on the station! What’s so disastrous about this whole affair is that fear and opportunity collide to create the worst possible atmosphere for the Klingons. It’s why they seek out Garak and beat him senselessly. It’s why they go after Kasidy’s freighter and try to search it. And it’s why Martok EXECUTES SOMEONE FOR DEFYING ORDERS. Everything the Klingons do is based on an imagined coup. As far as anyone knows, the change in power in Cardassia happened. THAT’S ALL ANYONE TRULY KNOWS. But it’s not difficult for the Klingons to imagine that this sudden power shift is because of more nefarious reasons: the Founders have taken over Cardassia.
On the one hand, I understand the paranoia. Hell, the opening of the episode is evidence that the Federation takes this threat seriously. But no one is going off to attack other nations! The Klingons are, though, certain that the Dominion has finally entered the Alpha Quadrant. Without real proof of any interpretation of events, the Klingons rely on the Dominion, not just out of cynicism but advantage. It would satisfy some of the more tradition Klingons to expand their empire.
But the Klingons aren’t the coolest arrival on DS9. IT’S WORF. W O R F. NO ONE SPOILED THIS FOR ME. I was so pleased to see him, and HIS STORY HERE IS ALREADY FANTASTIC IN JUST HALF OF HIS GUEST APPEARANCE. In like twenty minutes, he gets character development and angst and multiple fights and how is this show so good.
The Choice
By bringing Worf into the story, the writers present him with another agonizing choice. Prior to figuring out what the Klingons are doing, he confides in Sisko that he’s thinking of leaving Starfleet. Who can blame him? The Enterprise is gone, and the crew he loved and respected has scattered about the quadrant. Worf’s also spent most of his adult life among non-Klingons. Why wouldn’t he want to return to his roots? So the timing of this mission is ironic because it pits his instinct against his duty. His instinct tells him that it’s time to go back to Klingon, yet how can he? When he discovers the invasion of Cardassia, he knows it goes against his own moral and Federation law.
So what can he do??? Y’all, it’s not that I went into this with little faith for Deep Space Nine and it’s writers, nor do I think this show isn’t capable of absolutely fucking bringing it. Yet I’m still blown away by how far this show took this specific story. In just under fifty minutes, the Klingons depart from DS9, begin their attack on the Cardassian empire, and then they WITHDRAW FROM THE KHITOMER ACCORDS. Like, sure, it’s possible that they agree to them in the next episode, but THIS STILL FEELS LIKE A HUGE DEAL. The Klingons are now enemies with the entire Federation! The peace that’s lasted that whole time is just gone in a matter of minutes, and the blow was monumental to me. How the hell does Worf make a decision like this? It doesn’t help that his hand has been forced. Is Gowron just going to take him away to Cardassia???
There are so many excellent scenes here, too, and I know I’m focusing mostly on the plot or Worf’s characterization. But let’s also acknowledge how great it is that Sisko “leaks†information about the attack to Garak. Or Garak’s eerie conversation with Gul Dukat, which hints at the possibility that Garak’s services won’t be needed anymore. (Also, that scene was an outright confirmation that Garak has the means to communicate with Central Command on Cardassia.) AND WHAT OF SISKO AND KASIDY’S ADORABLE DATE NIGHT???
Okay, I desperately need the next episode. OFF I GO, FRIENDS.
The video for “The Way of the Warrior, Part I†can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
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– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be Death Note and Neon Genesis Evangelion. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
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