Mark Watches ‘Deep Space Nine’: S04E07 – Starship Down

In the seventh episode of the fourth season of Deep Space Nine, EVERYTHING IS MESSED UP. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Deep Space Nine. 

This is such an odd episode, but goddamn, it’s executed so well that I must admire Deep Space Nine for experimenting with their own show. “Starship Down” chronicles a single problem that branches into multiple smaller problem, and the entertainment and emotion comes from watching these characters come to a solution. It’s not like most episodes in the Star Trek canon because there’s not this big story here. A small mission morphs into a need for survival, and that is what the story becomes.

How do these people survive?

Quark

The impetus for this entire episode lies in Hanok, the representative for the Karemma people, who is trying to negotiate better trading costs. Surprise: Quark is the reason they pay so much. Spoiler: No one is surprised that Quark is responsible for this. Here’s the thing: I’m generally uninterested in Ferengi culture at this point because there’s no real nuance to it anymore. Yet I can’t deny that Quark’s philosophy is charming in “Starship Down.” Once he moves away from his irritating dedication to working in the Gamma Quadrant and begins to explain to Hanok why he loves being a risky person, I thought the show managed to find an angle to Quark that was intriguing.

How so? Because Quark’s ridiculous behavior feels so much more understandable when we learn that he is obsessed with the thrill of negotiation. Now he makes more sense to me as a character! And in those scenes with Hanok, he shares that excitement with someone whose entire culture values the safest option. That’s not to say that the Karemma are suddenly going to change their entire system. However, Hanok learned something about himself through the events in “Starship Down.” At the very least, Quark changed his life.

Julian / Jadzia

While their story is the briefest one here, I appreciated that it centered around honesty. Truthfully, Julian has changed a lot since the show began, and I’m glad the writers abandoned his pursuit of Jadzia. Thus, I saw their scenes as a chance for them to talk openly about how they once felt about each other. Not only that, but I think the lift sequence solidified the fact that these two are just going to remain platonic friends.

Worf / O’Brien

Like “Hippocratic Oath,” this episode further demonstrates the difficulty Worf has in adapting to life working for DS9. Hell, even I had to remind myself that there are non-Starfleet characters in this show! (It’s hard when they’re wearing Starfleet uniforms, admittedly.) Worf is used to a more rigid style, so I don’t blame him. As I watched him order the engineers around and demand things of them without any sympathy for the situation, it was easy for me to see him on the Enterprise. Not that Picard had the same style as him! But they’re similar enough that it’s easy to see why Worf held these men to the same standard.

I JUST LOVE WATCHING HIM ADAPT, Y’ALL. IT’S SO SATISFYING.

Kira / Sisko

But this episode’s crowning achievement is the touching set of scenes between Kira and Sisko, which do SO MANY THINGS. So many! First of all, it accomplishes the realization that these two characters really haven’t had much personal time together. Indeed, both of them speak about work at work. And when they’re off-duty. And EVERY SCENE THEY’RE IN. While that’s certainly common for people who work together in this kind of context, the writers expand this to a more emotional story: Kira knows that Sisko is uncomfortable with being the Emissary.

Here’s why I like this so much: there is very little religion in the previous two Star Trek shows, at least not from any of the main characters. Kira’s beliefs matter to her character, though, and the detailed focus on the Bajoran religion has been a strong suit for Deep Space Nine. In this specific episode, though, Kira must admit how awkward it is that she views her captain as a significant religious figure. It’s odd! It’s unprecedented! And it’s not like she got a handbook at the start of her job to help her navigate such a weird arrangement.

Thus, when Sisko suffers a concussion during the Jem’Hadar attack, she finds it bizarre to have to talk to Sisko about something that isn’t work. While they’ve definitely had a number of personal conversations over the years, that’s not the same as what transpires here. And goddamn, it’s so beautiful. I love seeing their friendship blossom even more because of “Starship Down.” I love how raw and vulnerable Kira is in this episode, and it’s even better that Sisko responds with kindness. He doesn’t criticize her for what she did; he appreciates.

I LOVE FRIENDSHIP.

The video for “Starship Down” can be downloaded here for $0.99.

Mark Links Stuff

– I am now on Patreon! There are various levels of support, from $1 up to whatever you want! You’ll get to read a private blog, extra reviews, and other such rewards.
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