Show: Star Trek; Deep Space Nine
Episode
Particulars: S7EP25, “What You Leave Behind”
A reminder: This episode technically counts as two
episodes, but since it’s shown as one episode on the DVD set, I think of it as
one episode.
Standalone
Thoughts: There’s a lot that shouldn’t
work about this episode. Certain plot developments come out of nowhere,
others get resolved by coincidence or with very little explanation, and we rush
through some things and linger on others when maybe it should be the other way
around. Yet for all that, I think the episode succeeds. The action scenes are
exciting (one key moment is somewhat cliché yet immensely satisfying), the
characters all bounce off each other well, and the momentum carries you forward
and keeps you excited. It’s only after the fact, or on a rewatch, when the
flaws become a bit more apparent. But even if you notice them immediately, it
may not matter too much, because the writers distract you with a brilliant
finishing move.
SFDebris made a comment at the end of his review of
“Endgame”, the last Voyager episode,
that perhaps the reason that ending was so abrupt was because DS9 had had so much epilogue that there
wasn’t anything left for Voyager. And
I can kind of see what he means; there’s a solid twenty minutes of wrap-up for
the characters that may drag for some people. Certainly it doesn’t feel like
it’s part of the same universe as the fighting and drama that we got in the
majority of the episode. But for me, at least, it’s a really good ending. It
leaves us feeling more relaxed instead of jittery, and it shows that the crew
loved the characters so much that they wanted to give everyone a sendoff. The
combination of the flashbacks to events over the course of the show and the
music, which mixes the DS9 theme with
“The Way You Look Tonight”, is perfect. It reminds you of all the reasons you
loved the show, and makes you sad that there won’t be anymore. Others may think
it’s too indulgent, but for my part, I was smiling when I finished the episode,
my chest aching a little. I think that’s what the writers wanted, and I’m glad
it turned out that way. It means the rewatch was worth it.
How it Relates to
the Whole: Being the last episode of the series, the show ties up most of
its loose ends (although I’m a little disappointed they never really did
anything more with Kai Opaka, despite leaving open that possibility at the end
of “Battle Lines” and leaves other things open ended, like what will happen
with Section 31 or what excursions to the Gamma Quadrant are going to be like
now. It’s a fairly fitting conclusion, with a little attention given to all the
characters and plenty of shades of grey/ambiguity floating around. If there was
one thing the show needed to get right, it was this, and I’m glad they
succeeded.
Other: *The
female changeling and Weyoun have a quiet discussion where the changeling
admits that she would promise the Breen anything if it would help win the war. That’s
not too much of a surprise—it’s not a surprising tactic for villains—but I do
think they probably shouldn’t have been talking about it while the Breen are
standing only a few feet away from them. Hey, you can’t see their faces; who’s
to say they don’t have huge Ferengi-like ears that can pick up on everything
you’re saying?
*As I found out yesterday, the twist of Dukat becoming
blind was written in to serve as a sort of hiatus for the characters. Today, he
returns to Kai Winn, totally fine, and we never hear about it or any of the
difficulties he had while blind again. It just feels arbitrary and is one of
those things that don’t work upon reflection. Now, if he’d remained blind
through the majority of the episode, only getting his sight back in the Fire
Caves, then we might have had
something.
*During one of the battle scenes, a shot from “Tacking Into
the Wind” of a Cardassian running away from an explosion shows up during the
Federation battle. It’s fast enough that most people won’t notice it, but those
who do notice it will be either
confused (thinking they’re cross-cutting between the space battle and the
battle on the ground) or a little surprised and irritated that the show had to
reuse footage that didn’t quite fit. I will, however, try to just chalk this up
to budget constraints. Sometimes you have to make do with what you’ve got.
*I kind of like the fact that Winn and Dukat seem so
happy and excited when they see the “glory” of the Fire Caves. It may seem out
of place, given that it feels more like a “This is so cool!” happiness then a “Muahaha,
our evil plans are coming to fruition!” happiness, but there’s something
charming about their enthusiasm. I’d use the word “innocent”, but I think we
can agree these two are anything but.
*Speaking of the Fire Caves, there’s a shot near the end
of that sequence which looks uncannily like a shot in Lord of the Rings; Return of the King. Maybe we should add Peter
Jackson to the list of people who may have cribbed from Deep Space Nine.
*During Worf’s flashback to the good times, he remembers
his involvement in “Our Man Bashir”. Since he and the other participants didn’t
seem to have any memory of what had been going on at the end of that episode,
that seems an odd choice. Then again, O’Brien kept playing the role of Falcon
for awhile, so maybe it eventually came back to them.
*End of season wrap-up: After an initially strong
two-parter, the season kind of meandered for most of its run. There were three
fantastic episodes (“Take Me Out to the Holosuite”, “The Emperor’s New Cloak”,
and “Badda-Bing Badda-Bang”) and two really good ones (“The Siege of AR-558”
and the followup “It’s Only a Paper Moon”), but the rest were either pointless,
felt pointless, or were ok but
nothing special. The large arc that closes out the show also has its problems,
but it generally gets better as it goes along, and the finale, while hardly
perfect as you’ve seen, leaves you with a lot of goodwill towards the season
and the series. No wonder I remember the season as being better than it was;
the ending made me remember the good over the bad.
(For the final record; if I had to rank the seasons, I
would probably say it went Six, Four, Three, Seven, Five, Two, and One. While
Seasons Seven and Five have more consistent quality than the earlier seasons,
Five is ultimately kind of mediocre across the board, and while Seven has some excellent
episodes, there’s way more unnecessary material than I expected. The overall
results are good, but looking at them in a semi-vacuum reveals the cracks.)
*End of show wrap-up: Let me begin by saying that my
memory of the show was somewhat faulty. I thought the writers had an idea of
where they were going at the end of Season Two, when they introduced the
Jem’Hadar. From that point on, they were gradually pulling all the plot threads
together, interspersed with one-off episodes to give us a break from the
serious stuff. Instead, the main plots were delivered in a more piecemeal
fashion, and thanks to reading the Deep
Space Nine Companion, I learned that the writers didn’t always know where
things were going right up until the end of the show. Yet for all the faults
I’ve found, in this episode and in the show in general, I still love it. Some
of the characters were just as good as I remembered them being (Garak), and I
gained a new appreciation for nearly all the other major players as well (most
notably Kira, Quark, and Odo). The visuals mostly hold up, the dialogue was
often wonderful, and the ideas were interesting, even if they weren’t always
explored as well as they could have been. I will continue to praise and
recommend this show to people, though I may have a few choice words about which
episodes to avoid. Then again, that’s what this blog is for.
Best
Line/Exchange: One more meta moment for the road;
(During the
celebration/goodbye party at Vic’s, O’Brien is talking about his plans when he moves
back to Earth when Quark approaches)
Quark: I don’t
see how great it’ll be. Earth’s nothing more than a rotating ball of water. If
you ask me, you’d be better off staying here. (to Odo) And that goes for you and Worf as well!
Kira: Don’t
tell me you’re getting sentimental, Quark!
Quark: Me? Not
a chance. I just don’t like change.
Sisko: You’d
better get used to it, things are going to be pretty different around here now.
(lifts his glass) To the best crew
any captain ever had. This may be the last time we’re all together. But no
matter what the future holds, no matter how far we travel, a part of us—a very
important part—will always remain here on Deep Space Nine.
(Everyone murmurs
agreement and clinks glasses. In the background, the audience applauds Vic and
the music starts up again)
Vic: Ladies and
gentlemen, tonight is a very special night for some friends of mine. They’ve
been together a long time, but like the man said, ‘Nothing lasts forever’. So,
gang, this one’s from the heart.
(And he begins to
sing “The Way You Look Tonight”)
Yes, this is the most obvious thing I could have chosen, because
this was meant to be a goodbye to the
show. But just because it’s obvious doesn’t mean it’s not true. Deep Space Nine is always going to be a
part of me. I’ve mentioned before that it’s influenced my writing, and I’m sure
it’s changed me in other ways too, both when I watched it the first time and
rewatching it now. So this one’s from the heart too; thanks to all the writers,
actors, directors, and various crew who made this possible. And thank you to
all the readers who have been sticking with me and this project. I appreciate
getting to gush about the things I love.
After the Fact Update: The last scene in Vic’s is loaded with various
supporting cast and crew members, including the writers, as a final goodbye,
which I think is wonderful. Keep an eye out for Jeffrey Combs and Casey Biggs
trying to get in the background of every shot possible.
A Farewell to
Sleeves: Let’s boggle at the poor fashion sense of the 24th
century one last time, shall we?
(Image in the Sand)
Kira’s jumpsuit has always been red and orange, but the
two-toned nature of this particular jumpsuit is glaring and weird. It’s only
noticeable in certain lights, but when you see it, it can sometimes be
difficult to focus on anything else. Couldn’t the red part at least have come
down to her bellybutton?
(Shadows and Symbols)
Having different, lighter uniforms for hot climates
(complete with head coverings) makes a lot of sense…but was it really necessary
to have the colored stripes that designate position, at least on the coats
themselves? It just feels like an arbitrary status ranking at that point.
(Afterimage)
Garak continues to keep surprising me with new outfits.
And this one is…not great. Even with the awkward lighting in this shot, I can
tell the sleeves look too bulky and the various lines around the sleeves and
chest just look awkward. Plus, purple and brown doesn’t seem like that great a
color combination, at least in large amounts. Garak’s lack of taste strikes
again, it seems.
(Take Me Out to the Holosuite)
I feel compelled to venture a rare opinion on Quark’s
outfit, but only because that is blatantly some sort of animal print, and
probably based on one of the big cats (though it’s not quite leopard print). Since
Quark’s a Ferengi, I have no idea why he’s wearing Earth animal print. About
the only thing that makes sense is that it’s absurdly purple. That being
said…being a human who knows what leopards actually are, I’d probably wear that
shirt. Only on select occasions, though.
(Chrysalis)
I like Lauren’s dress (although the color might not be
right for her skin tone and I could do without the matching blue leggings she
has on underneath), and while Serena’s dress doesn’t do much for me personally,
at least it’s a normal color, pattern, and cut. Since Lauren picked out that
dress, perhaps my theory that only one in four genetically engineered people
has taste was right after all.
(Covenant)
Given the reptilian nature of Cardassians, Dukat having a
vest that looks like snakeskin is very appropriate. However, the actual design
of his entire outfit is bizarre, because it makes him look like his shoulders
and chest are too big for his waist and legs. I guess it’s a way to accentuate
the muscles, but it’s definitely overkill in this case.
(It's Only a Paper Moon)
Leeta’s outfit isn’t too bad as a semi-formal dress…but I
hate both the asymmetrical skirt and the fact that one strap is thicker than
the other. Weird as it sounds, I’d wear Rom’s jacket before I wore that dress,
which probably says it all.
(Prodigal Daughter)
Something about the necklines on these two shirts
fascinates me. The cuts are strange on their own and make the shoulders look
wider and pointier than they actually are, but the one on Ezri’s mom looks
flattering, but kind of ridiculous on Norvo. Neither of them are good looks, but I can safely say that
one of them is slightly better than the other.
(The Emperor's New Cloak)
Honestly, there’s nothing too odd about this outfit; it’s
standard Biker chic. Though the silver buttons on the jacket are at different levels, so we’ve still
got a bit of 24th century weirdness going on.
(The Emperor's New Cloak)
It’s sad that this is the most normal outfit we’ve ever
seen a Ferengi wear. Lose the belt and all the accessories, and I probably
wouldn’t bat an eye if I saw someone wearing that here in the 21st
century.
(The Emperor's New Cloak, color corrected)
Aaand we’re back to the crazy outfits. Odd patterns,
sleeves of two separate colors, an absurdly low cut…outfits like this was what
the fashion roundups were made for.
(Field of Fire, contrast brightened to show off the outfit)
What we have here appears to be a smock with a triangular
cut and sleeves from an entirely different outfit oddly attached. Leigh
McCloskey pulls the look off, especially when he’s moving, but when you see it
in full, you realize how weird it really is.
(Badda-Bing Badda-Bang)
Yes, this is 1960’s wear, but I’m including it here because
Kira looks fantastic. That dress is gorgeous and classy, and I like her hair
here much better than her normal
Season Seven look. If she’d just keep that hairstyle for the rest of the show,
I’d have no complaints.
(Badda-Bing Badda-Bang, last image brightened)
Ok, I hate the neckline, but the shirt itself isn’t
awful. It certainly hangs off Siddig in all the right ways. And while I’m
normally not the sort of person who notices these things, I have to admit the
costuming department found a pair of pants that fit him very, very well. Excuse me while I save some
of these to my personal ogle file…
(Badda-Bing Badda-Bang, image brightened slightly to show off the dress)
This outfit, on the other hand, belongs on this list
because I am baffled by the little wings over the breasts. The dress is nice
without them, but with them…they’d be right at home in the 24th
century.
(Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges)
I love pinstripes, but the combination of them, a
turtleneck, the asymmetrical cut, and that weird patterned undershirt just
doesn’t work here. One more reason to dislike Section 31: they clearly support
the 24th century’s awful fashion choices, no doubt for a sinister
purpose.
(Inter Arma Enim
Silent Leges)
I think these outfits made their debut in Star Trek: Insurrection the previous
year, but this is the first time we see them on DS9, so they’re worth talking about. Yes, the fact that the tails
are in the front of the jacket rather than the back are a bit weird, but the
white and gold look is striking, and I do like the gold stripes running down
the pants. Of course, it helps that Siddig wears the outfit well, so perhaps
I’m biased on this front.
(I’ve seen other DS9
fans say he looks like a Disney prince in this outfit. I am slightly
inclined to agree. Then again, given that he’s also been called a Disney princess, perhaps it just means everybody really wants to see him in a Disney
movie.)
(Penumbra)
Let’s see, we’ve got three layers of clothing, two very
odd rectangular necklines, an odd pattern for the second shirt, and a jacket
who’s contours make no sense whatsoever and would be a nightmare to zip up if
there was a zipper involved. Yep, sounds like 24th century fashion
to me.
(Penumbra)
I don’t know if it’s just the lighting in this scene or
if the dress actually shines like that, but I actually kind of like the color
and the effect of this one. It’s simple, but pretty.
('Til Death do Us Part)
I wouldn’t necessarily use this as a wedding dress, but
it’s not too bad. I’d like it more if it were longer, but the color, sheer top,
and accessories are nice, and there’s nothing glaringly asymmetrical about it.
Count this as a win in my books.
(Strange Bedfellows)
Most of the other Breen outfits are very dirty and bulky,
but I like the colors and look of their leader’s suit. I wouldn’t wear this
exact outfit, but I’d wear a shirt with a similar color and design. Probably
not what the costume designers were intending, but I’d hope they’d see it as a
compliment nevertheless.
(Extreme Measures, contrast brightened to prove my point)
Mismatched lines, different colors, slightly
baggy…classic 24th century design. Sloan, are you sure this is one aspect of the Federation you
want to protect?
(What You Leave Behind)
We are graced with one more Garak outfit, this one of a
reasonable color but of a cut and fabric quality that makes me think Garak was
wearing pajamas for the whole last battle. Well, I guess you want to feel
comfortable when you’re possibly going off to your untimely death.
(What You Leave Behind)
I actually like the color of Dukat’s vest here, and the
pattern isn’t too bad, but once again, the asymmetrical cut drives me nuts. But
I’m used to that sensation by now.
(What You Leave Behind)
We never see this dress in full, so I don’t know how long
it is, but the top (and neckline) reminds me of a ballgown I own, and so I kind
of like it for that reason. However, looking more closely at the fabric in a
later shot…
…it’s this weird ruffled thing that looks off. So close,
and yet so far.
Conclusion: The fashions in the last year of the show
constantly mixed decent elements with not so decent ones. I think that’s
actually a reasonable summary of the majority of the season before the finale.
However, since I refuse to end my Deep Space Nine reviews with ugly fashion, please enjoy these
pictures of Julian Bashir that I saved for that aforementioned ogle file as I
gear up for the second show planned for this project, which coincidentally also involves a man known for his grey
matter. Or should I say grey cells…?
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