Day 47: DS9, The Search (Part 2)

Show: Star Trek; Deep Space Nine

Episode Particulars: S3EP2, “The Search, Part 2”

 Summary: After the tense situation the crew was left in at the end of Part 1, things seem to be looking up. Odo has found his people—a race of changelings who mostly live in a giant blob they call the Great Link—and under the guidance of one of them (Salome Jens), he starts to learn more about them and himself. Meanwhile, the rest of the DS9 crew (sans Kira, who is on the planet with Odo) have been rescued and brought back to the station, where there’s good news. Their efforts to reach out to the Founders and explain that they come in peace have worked, and there’s a representative on the Station who’s come to negotiate a peace treaty with Admiral Nechayev (Natalia Nogulich) and the rest of the major powers in the Alpha Quadrant. Well, almost all of them; the Romulans have been inexplicably left out, which could lead to conflict later down the line if the matter isn’t resolved. This turns out to be one of several things that start to rub Sisko and the others the wrong way, though not a lot of people seem to agree with them (except, of course, for Garak, because he’s a little more savvy in the way these things work). Before long, the crew decides that something needs to be done, even if the results aren’t pretty.

Standalone Thoughts: Once again, Part 2 is much stronger than Part 1, for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it allows the audience more time to breathe, juxtaposing the tense situation on DS9 with the more peaceful one on the planet of the changelings. Secondly, pretty much all the main characters get a moment to shine, so there’s bound to be something you’d like in there. Third, there’s a long build-up before we get to an action scene, which I think makes it more satisfying than the constant action we were getting in Part 1. Whatever the reason, though, it’s an enjoyable watch.

Also notable is the acting on display, from both the main and the supporting cast. Sisko gets a scene where he’s justifiably angry, and makes the audience feel indignant on his behalf. Bashir also gets to be angry, sarcastic, and authoritative all at once, so naturally that makes me happy. Admiral Nechayev is the perfect blend of kindly and commanding, and makes you more and more frustrated with her as the episode goes on. And of course, throwing Garak in there insures that you'll get at least one good moment out of him.

The real stars of the show, however, are Odo and Kira. Auberjonois really sells Odo’s joy, confusion, and frustration as he tries to learn all he can about his people and his shapeshifting abilities. Visitor, meanwhile, has to simultaneously be Major Kira, trying to do her duty and find Sisko, and just plain Kira, supporting her friend, which I think she pulls off. There’s a beautiful scene where Odo excitedly talks about an experience, and Kira looks happy for him the whole time. Given the dark material that follows it, it’s a great peaceful moment to let us catch our breath.

I also have to applaud the way the writers handle the Dominion in this episode. Some of the things they say are perfectly reasonable, so much so that we wouldn’t bat an eye at them if they were the good guys. But we can also see how they can easily lead people down a slippery slope, and how things could get ugly before you even realize it. It’s one of many moments in this show where the villains are shown to be fairly complex. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why I liked (and still like) this show so much.

How it Relates to the Whole: The one big thing this episode does for us is reveal who the Founders are, which sets up a whole lot of conflict down the line. You can’t really get much more important than that.

Other: *There’s a very awkward jump cut in the first few minutes of the episode. Odo, standing at the edge of the Great Link, says “You really are just like me, aren’t you?”, which the female changeling responds to affirmatively. Odo looks stunned, walks off…and then suddenly everyone is walking a completely different location that doesn’t look like it’s anywhere close to the Great Link, and Odo is saying “And you’re saying this is where I’m from?” It just feels like we skipped over some material.

*Does something in this picture look familiar?

Yes, that’s the pillar from “The Alternate” that I complained about not serving any real function in the episode. While we still don’t know the reason for its existence, I appreciate the continuity nod. That and the use of the word “changeling” from “Vortex”.

*At one point, Kira contacts the shuttle’s computer via her comm badge to ask it to identify something that, I presume, is quite a distance away from the shuttle itself. This just seems weird to me. I guess it can scan it through the tricorder, but I’ve never really seen that sort of thing happen before. I think we may need a little technobabble to justify this.

*Quark unquestionably apes Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech. It’s a funny moment, but a little distracting if you think about it for too long. Obviously different species could just happen to come up with similar turns of phrase about similar subjects, but something about this just seems off.

*Garak, do you have a band-aid on your thumb?

I can’t decide if this is an intentional touch or not. Garak injuring his thumb while handling a needle and thread is completely believable, but it’s a little distracting when you notice it, especially if it’s not commented on.

*The whole scene where the crew escapes the station is well done. The music is frantic and gets your pulse pounding, the lighting and camera angles fit the situation, and Garak is in stunning form, with three scenes in rapid succession that elicit three different emotions from you. I’d seen this episode before and even I was surprised by his actions, which I think is the highest praise I can give.

*Without spoiling anything, I feel like I need to point out that the Dominion’s plan wasn’t entirely thought out. I’m not fully sure what their goal was, and without that knowledge, it just seems like there was a flaw in their execution. I can think of at least two other, possibly better ways to execute their plan. Their actual strategy seems unnecessarily complicated, and raises a lot more questions than it answers. Credit to the writers for coming up with something that can inspire a lot of discussions among fans.

*Again without spoiling anything, there is a lovely parallel between the beginning and the end of the episode, which speaks volumes about both the situation and the characters involved. Whoever came up with that idea deserves an incredible amount of praise.

Best Line/Exchange: There are several moments I considered for this, but I finally chose this one;

Odo: Being an outsider isn’t so bad. It gives one a unique perspective.

Speaking as an introvert (generally a group considered to be “weird”), I can get behind this philosophy. You not only see the world in a different way thanks to your own nature, but the way other people treat you can have an impact on your perspective as well. Granted, that perspective isn’t always good, but I like Odo’s more positive way of looking at things, especially given when he says it in the episode. Perhaps it’s a philosophy more of us should rally around.