DS9: “Sons of Mogh” and “Bar Association”

Date: July 19, 2020

Season 4, Episodes 14 and 15

Musical Accompaniment: Finishing Blues Spoken Here (I started it yesterday) and then I moved on to other things on my iTunes.

Interstellar News: The backyard and front yard look SO MUCH NICER. Just ignore the side yard and everything will be okay. Also, I completed four loads of laundry today.

Favorite Quote from “Sons of Mogh”:

Kira: They’re getting close to violating Bajoran space but they’re never crossing the line.

O’Brien: I’ve never known Klingons to be this fastidious when it comes to respecting borders.

Kira: Especially when they’re cloaked. Something’s wrong here.

O’Brien making use of his vocabulary and Kira agreeing with him.

So what had happened in “Sons of Mogh” was…: Kurn shows up, super drunk, and demands Worf perform Mauk-to’Vor because Kurn has lost everything because of Worf’s actions. Dax figures out what’s happening just as Worf plunges the dagger so she beams Kurn to the Infirmary and Odo brings Worf to Sisko. Sisko tears Worf a new one, he’ll only go so far to appease cultural differences, and Worf helps Kurn become a Bajoran security officer.

Kira and O’Brien are returning on a runabout when there’s an explosion, but Klingons dismiss her and they return to DS9 with suspicions but no proof. They take the Defiant and realize the Klingons are setting up cloaked mines in unclaimed space on the way to DS9, they can’t be detected and can be armed at any time. Kurn and Worf steal information from a Klingon ship that’s undergoing repairs so they can steal the codes and detonate the minefield. Kurn gets shot because he has no will and he’s also a true Klingon so Worf decides to use the Federation version of WITSEC by having Bashir wipe Kurn’s memory, alter his genetic code, and give him a new life as Rodek, son of Noggra.

“I have no family.”: So the thing I don’t get is who actually is a part of the “House of Mogh”? Worf and Kurn aren’t married and never talk about cousins or other extended family. Putting that aside this episode confuses me. When Worf accepted his discommendation it was for the Empire and against his personal honor, but then when Gowron wants him to join the Empire Worf cites he cannot because of Starfleet and his personal honor. WHICH ONE IS IT WORF? At this this time there’s a real world consequence for an action and it was one Worf probably didn’t really think through. I am glad, however, that this happened for Worf because he finally realizes he’s been around humans for too long and he could never really go back “home”, too much has happened. It’s also nice that O’Brien and Kira’s side mission also has Klingons so Kurn and Worf can work together. 7 quails a-flying for Work and Kurn.

Favorite Quote from “Bar Association”:

O’Brien: You’re going to live on the Defiant?

Worf: I have already discussed it with Captain Sisko.

O’Brien: And he said yes?

Worf: As long as it doesn’t interfere with my duties.

O’Brien: But you’ll be living out there all by yourself.

Worf: I know.

Worf says that last line so blissfully, or as blissful as a Klingon can get.

So what had happened in “Bar Association” was…: Rom passes out because of a nasty ear infection and Quark’s is empty because of a Bajoran abstention holiday, so he decides to make pay cuts. This becomes the straw that broke the camel’s back for Rom who forms a (shhhh dirty word ahead) union with the other workers. The FCA (read: Brunt) intervenes, beats up Quark, and Quark eventually gives in as long as Rom promises to drop the union. Rom agrees but also quits as a waiter to join the station’s repair crew as a technician. Elsewhere on the station, Worf is having trouble adjusting and decides to move his quarters to the Defiant.

“Now get me my snail juice, brother.“: Let me start with the Worf plot because it’s actually quite awesome. Worf says, at least twice, “it was never like this on the Enterprise” and Odo actually calls his bullshit and begins to read the litany of security breaches that occurred during Worf’s tenure as Security Chief. I wonder how long Odo had that waiting for Worf, it was beautiful. O’Brien, as the enlisted man, offers a different side because as a transporter chief not too much went wrong as he was bored, he’s finally seeing the upside of the station. Dax and Worf’s relationship is adorable and I’m glad that Dax can make Worf stumble over his words, though it shows Worf has a type… women who are of two worlds (K’Ehleyr, Ba’el, Troi, and Dax). It makes sense as he is a child of two worlds, even if he is genetically a full Klingon.

Quark’s story shows just how much of a true Ferengi Quark is, all he’s worried about is profit. There are times where he shows he cares for Rom in his own way, but it’s certainly not the way us hu-mans would agree to. This is a great episode that highlights Rom’s aptitude for all things non-Ferengi as he’s a wonderful engineer type person as well as a good union leader. The bits about a union were great, from Bashir’s advice to O’Brien’s ancestor, to Brunt trying to use every trick in the book to get Rom to back down. What I don’t understand is why the non-Ferengi’s were even bothered by the FCA and why Brunt wasn’t horrified that Leeta was wearing clothes. This is also yet another episode where Sisko gets to yell and dress down someone, though the way he dispenses with Quark is awesome. Five years of back rent, repair bills, and power use… ouch, I’m surprised Quark didn’t faint. 8 holographic waiters for Quark, of Quark, and by Quark.

TA Out!