In the fourth episode of the sixth season of Deep Space Nine, Sisko adjusts to a promotion; Kira struggles with changes in Odo. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.Â
Trigger Warning: For emotional manipulatuion.
I AM SO MESSED UP, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS SHOW.
Sisko
There’s a deliberate contrast between the intensity of what happens to Sisko and to Kira, yet that doesn’t diminish the importance of their stories. Both of them have to deal with rapidly changing dynamics in their lives! Yet in Sisko’s case, his promotion to running an entire tactical wing for Starfleet leaves him feeling restless. That’s not to say that his new job is less significant than his old one. However, it feels weird, doesn’t it? I admit that I’ve gotten so used to Sisko commanding missions that I was unnerved by the very idea of him staying behind.
But this is life behind the lines for him. He plots these battles, and then he waits. It’s not like Sisko to do so, and thus, the show manages to inject a new form of anxiety into this narrative regarding war. How many times is Sisko going to have to painfully wait for the Defiant to return from battle? Given that the Federation is losing the war, it’s not exactly a stretch to imagine him worrying that his friends won’t return home from a mission. Sisko’s not a waiter, either. He acts, and I’m curious how this will affect him in the future.
The Link
It’s not that I think that Sisko’s role here isn’t as good or satisfying as what happens on Terok Nor, but there’s just so much depth to the story told on the station that I’m gonna spend more time on it. In short, though: I’m fucked up. I am in awe of what René Echevarria is able to create and execute in such a small span of time. I am HEARTBROKEN.
Because that Changeling absolutely manipulated Odo. It is clear as day to me that she did everything she could to bring Odo to a point of disinterest in anything that wasn’t the Great Link because it would remove him from any possible resistance force. And perhaps she never knew that Odo was part of the resistance! That still doesn’t negate how calculated and chilling this manipulation was. Namely, she preyed on Odo’s desire to know more, something that was innocent and pure, and she corrupted him. Look, it’s hard for me to see this any other way, and that’s why Kira’s role here hurts so much. She tried so hard to get Odo to see that the Changeling leader was trying to use him.
Of course, that’s precisely why Kira was bound to lose. Odo has existed separate from his people for most of his life, and even if the Founders are currently at war with the Federation, that doesn’t negate his curiosities about himself and his species. He truly believed that he could Link with this changeling and keep his sense of self intact. He thought that he could stay part of the resistance and take this journey, too. But he was bound to lose, too, wasn’t he? That Founder knew exactly what would happen once Odo accessed the Link. She knew that he would develop a disinterest in everything else in the world. (There’s also another option: she made Odo feel this way through the Link, which is a billion times more terrifying.)
My heart breaks because Odo can’t seem to see the ramifications of his actions. He can’t fathom what he’s done to Rom, who was caught when Odo didn’t disable the alarm, nor can he fathom how many other people may die because he doesn’t care. There is no neutrality in war; inactivity and a lack of interest puts you on the side of the aggressor, and in this case, Odo is helping the Dominion win.
I’M SO FUCKED UP.
The video for “Behind the Lines” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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