Day 127: DS9, Favor the Bold

Show: Star Trek; Deep Space Nine

Episode Particulars: S6EP5, “Favor the Bold”

 Summary: Sisko is formulating a plan to take back Deep Space Nine, and not a moment too soon; Quark has just learned that the Dominion plan to remove the minefield and allow Dominion troops through the wormhole has gone into effect and will take a week to complete. With Rom in prison after the events of yesterday’s episode and Odo distracted by the female changeling, Kira and Quark are going to have to come up with a plan, and fast. They aren’t having a lot of success, but things aren’t necessarily going smoothly for the bad guys either. Ziyal is beginning to see her father for what he really is, and Dukat’s getting slightly distracted by that. Whether or not that’s going to make a difference remains to be seen…

Standalone Thoughts: The key phrase for this episode is “rising tension”. Sisko and the others are preparing to retake the station, the minefield is getting even closer to being neutralized, Odo’s loyalties are getting more and more muddled, Dukat and Ziyal’s relationship is starting to fray…even if you haven’t seen it before, you just know the next episode is going to feel huge to pay off all this tension. As a result, I’d probably call this the second best episode of the arc so far (third if you count “Call to Arms”, with “Rocks and Shoals” taking first or second place).

In keeping with the “rising tension” theme, the episode gets better the further you get into it. It helps that it’s hard to tell what direction things are going in; for every setback, there’s a small victory, so we’re kept slightly off-balance. For example, despite numerous efforts to help Rom, no one’s able to get him released, but this is counterbalanced by the resistance finally being able to get a message from Starfleet. In a less positive direction, every time it looks like Odo’s remembering his duties to the station, the female changeling starts warping his perspective again. The various conflicts pile up on each other, but instead of feeling like there’s too much going on, it adds to the momentum, and makes us eager for the conclusion.

One other thing worth noting; nearly all the major supporting characters we’ve seen over the years make an appearance in this episode. Garak, Dukat, Weyoun, Damar, Ziyal, Nog, Rom, Leeta, Martok, the female changeling…with the exception of Kai Winn, the major Ferengi supporting characters (though the Grand Nagus is mentioned), and the alternate characters from the Mirror Universe, the gang’s all here. It’s a subtle thing, but I think having them all show up was a way to let the audience know that things are serious and will be having an impact on everybody we’ve come to care about. Plus, it gives said supporting characters more love, and I am always in favor of that.

How it Relates to the Whole: Clearly, most of this episode is a setup for tomorrow’s episode, where everything’s going to come to a head. I’m not sure if there’s anything that leads to longer term consequences, except perhaps a strained relationship between Kira and Odo. We’ll find out soon enough, though.

Other: *I don’t really like the trick the episode pulls in the opening scene. We see the Defiant dead in space, and the crew seems tense as they read out the damage, stating that the shields are at thirty percent and that their weapons are offline. Then two Jem’Hadar ships approach, one gets taken out by a cloaked Klingon ship, and then the Defiant reveals that it was faking the whole time so they could surprise the enemy. It’s a fine maneuver, but faking out the audience as well as the Jem’Hadar feels like a cheap suspense tactic. If they’d wanted to do something like this, far better to use language that sounds like they’re worried about their damaged condition but actually means they’re worried that the plan won’t work. At least that would have been clever.

*The artwork in Starbase 375 baffles me. There’s an African mask of some sort on the walls in one room that looks like it’s part of Sisko’s collection, which may have been unintentional but just makes me think Sisko somehow managed to find the time to pack all of his sculptures into the Defiant before fleeing the station. Then there’s another painting/sculpture thing that appears to have been made out of metal scraps that is ugly as all get out. I guess it’s meant to help liven up the room, but I’d think that particular piece would be more demoralizing than anything. Apparently artists of the 24^th century are just as bad as the fashion designers. Speaking of which…

*Weyoun tells Kira that “My people lack a sense of aesthetics”. My immediate response? “That explains that jacket.” Harsh, perhaps, but appropriate.

*As I vaguely suspected, the cut on Dukat’s forehead that I noticed in “Sons and Daughters” was missing today. Chalk it up to uneven makeup, I guess.

*After years of being in the background or at best being involved in a short gag, Morn winds up being essential to moving one part of the plot forward (and he still hasn’t spoken a word). I think that’s wonderful, and another reminder of how much love DS9 had for its supporting cast.

Best Line/Exchange: Once again, the dialogue in this episode was good but with very few standouts. Fortunately, there was one moment that was a big exception;

Nog: Chief! I was just coming to see you! Can you believe it? They made me an Ensign.

(O’Brien smiles)

O’Brien: I hadn’t realized things were going so bad.

(The two of them start walking towards the bridge)

Nog: Scary, isn’t it? If my classmates at the Academy could only see me now.

O’Brien: They’d be surprised, would they?
Nog: Amazed is more like it.

O’Brien: What do they know?

Nog: Anyway, I just want to say thanks for all your help.

O’Brien: My help?
Nog: I’ve learned a lot from you, and not just about engineering. You’ve shown me what it takes to be a good soldier.

O’Brien: Don’t let that uniform go to your head. You’ve a lot to learn yet…and you will. Congratulations, Ensign. Wear it with pride.

Nog: I intend to, Chief.

This is a lovely moment, for several reasons. It continues Nog’s character arc, has some great banter (both funny and sweet) between O’Brien and Nog, and says a lot about Nog’s character. Unlike most Ferengi, he’s humble; that “Scary, isn’t it?” is both a joke and somewhat self-deprecating. But because of that humbleness, you’re happy that he’s now an official member of Starfleet, because it feels like he’s earned it. And as you’ll see as we continue, he’s going to do more and more to prove himself.