Date: September 2, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 21 and 22

Musical Accompaniment:Some beautiful flute music

Interstellar News: I watched a wonderful panel on anthologies today, but I’m sad I’m not heading to Atlanta for Dragon Con this weekend. Normally I would leave Wednesday evening after teaching, sigh. Also, you may have noticed that I’ve temporarily removed the ratings. I’ll rate the eight parter all as one tomorrow, once I’ve seen the conclusion.

So what had happened in “When It Rains…” was…: On the station the Federation and Romulan ships are sidelined because of the Breen weapon, but the Klingons have found a fix. Bashir wants to study Odo’s “goo” to help with organ replacement, but finds that Odo has the same disease as the Founders. He also runs into an issue with Starfleet Medical not giving him information he needs because they don’t want a cure to be found. He later realizes Odo was infected by Starfleet, likely Section 31, back when he visited Earth.

Martok is being inducted into the Order of Kahless by Gowron, who then decides to take over the army himself because he’s threatened by Martok’s popularity. Kira (in a Starfleet uniform), Garak, and Odo go to Damar to teach the Cardassians how to be resistance fighters. Odo starts showing signs of the disease but keeps it from Kira. On Bajor Winn is still playing the role of the Kai and is “concerned” about the “disappearance” of Solbor. Dukat tries to read the Kosst Amojan but is instead blinded by the Pah-wraiths. Winn kicks him out to teach him humility and wants him to earn his sight back from the Pah-wraiths before she’ll see him again.

So what had happened in “Tacking Into the Wind” was…: Kira, Garak, and Odo continue to help the Cardassians and Odo’s condition continues to worsen. The Dominion kills Damar’s wife and son so they decide to steal a ship that has a Breen weapon so the Federation can study it. Odo impersonates a Founder but they have to wait until the weapon is finished being installed. Odo collapses, Rusot holds a gun on Kira, Garak holds a gun on Rusot, Damar aims at both Garak and Rusot and then kills Rusot because he cannot be trusted.

Sisko and Gowron have an argument because Gowron is being a petty, political bitch. Martok’s ship arrives and he’s going to need some time to heal. Worf asks Martok to challenge Gowron and become Chancellor, but Martok won’t do it. Ezri and Worf discuss the situation and she makes some damn good points, so Worf challenges Gowron. WORF KILLS GOWRON and hands leadership over to Martok. Meanwhile, Bashir and O’Brien concoct a plan to lure someone from Section 31 to the station.

Favorite Quotes:

Damar: We’re in no position to turn down help, no matter where it comes from.

Rusot: Taking help from the Federation is bad enough, but having to take it from that Bajoran terrorist.

Damar: Kira Nerys has certain skills she’s willing to teach us. Skills we need if we’re going to defeat the Dominion.

Rusot: I can’t believe what I’m hearing. When we were stationed on Terok Nor, you used spent hours telling me how much you despised her.

Damar: I did hate her. But that’s a luxury I can no longer afford and neither can you. I need your support in this, my friend.

Damar is an absolute pragmatist here and it’s good that he sees the bigger picture. The real enemy is the Dominion.

Ezri: I think that the situation with Gowron is a symptom of a bigger problem. The Klingon Empire is dying. And I think it deserves to die.

Worf: You are right. I do not like it.

Ezri: Don’t get me wrong, I’m very touched that you still consider me to be a member of the House of Martok, but I tend to look at the Empire with a little more skepticism than Curzon or Jadzia did. I see a society that is in deep denial about itself. We’re talking about a warrior culture that prides itself on maintaining centuries old traditions of honor and integrity, but in reality it’s willing to accept corruption at the highest levels.

Worf: You are overstating your case.

Ezri: Am I? Who was the last leader of the High Council that you respected? Has there even been one? And how many times have you had to cover up the crimes of Klingon leaders because you were told it was for the good of the Empire? I know this sounds harsh, but the truth is, you have been willing to accept a government that you know is corrupt. Gowron’s just the latest example. Worf, you are the most honorable and decent man I’ve ever met, and if you’re willing to tolerate men like Gowron, then what hope is there for the Empire?

Ezri who makes a damn good point about the U.S. government… ahem, I mean Klingon High Council

Part 5 – “I don’t need to be reminded of who my enemies are.”: Every time Winn takes one step forward, she takes two steps back. To her credit she won’t let Dukat touch her now that she knows who he really is, she can’t forgive what he’s done, but then she’s no better than he is. She’ll be wiping out Bajorans who aren’t worthy of the Pah-wraiths, which is likely every other person since the Prophets are the dominant religion on Bajor. How does that make any sense? Her hands will be just as stained and it’s against her own people! She also enjoyed kicking Dukat out a little too much, but I don’t feel sorry – she did warn him.

I don’t understand why Bashir doesn’t have his own comparison file on Odo, but maybe they ran some different tests that he just didn’t have the equipment for. Bashir and O’Brien also make the jump that Section 31 has the cure, but just because you create a virus doesn’t mean you’re going to create the cure. If a cure exists, someone might find it. If they did create one, wouldn’t they be trying to use it as a bargaining chip to end the war sooner? I mean if it’s intended to only effect changelings, it likely won’t mutate to effect solids. I also loved that Quark brought them coffee to help them help Odo, just as long as Odo doesn’t ever find out about it. There’s also a bit about Ezri trying to tell Bashir something important, which made me think of all the times Crusher tried to tell Picard.

Rusot is an idiot and Damar isn’t really seeing the whole picture, though he sees most of it. If you choose places with Cardassian troops you can get them to be on your side and turn on the Dominion or at least maybe give them a chance to not get in your way. Rusot argues with Kira at every turn and is just a pompous ass, while Damar actually listens and shows true leadership by doing what he thinks is best for Cardassia, not just himself. Speaking of true leaders, Martok is totally trying to do what he does best… serve the Empire. I mean even Admiral Ross bleeds for the Klingon Empire, sheesh. Gowron, as usual, turns it into a political thing. Someone needs to give Gowron a Gibbs Head Slap.

Part 6 – “Yeah, Damar, what kind of people give those orders?”: Welp, there’s A LOT to unpack here… and it’s virtually all good. Odo tries to hid his condition from Kira, but she already knows and lets him pretend because she loves him so much. He also impersonates a person for the very first time, even if it’s another shapeshifter who’s falling apart. Garak tries to be a good friend and sides with Kira on more than one occasion, lurking in the hall with a phaser and telling her about Odo being at least two. Kira shows Rusot just how much of a bad ass she is and I think she also proves to Damar that she knows damn well what she’s doing, she makes a damn fine terrorist. The Mexican standoff at the end is a wonderful display of how far the Bajoran and Cardassians have come since Season 1.

O’Brien and Bashir have a bit of an argument, as they do, but in the end they both agree that they’ll do a lot to help Odo. There’s not much of an advancement on the Section 31 stuff, but it’s the beginning of a plan that is likely to end in spectacular failure or triumph, I’m sure I’ll find out tomorrow or Friday. The Klingon plot, however, is fantastic in every way. Gowron is being a punk, though I will say he’s still better than Duras, he’s purposefully selling out his own people and resources because he wants to stay in charge. Ezri, who finally does something counselor-worthy, does some fine psychoanalysis of the Klingon political system. She has the wisdom of Curzon and Jadzia, who totally drank the Klingon Kool Aid, but also her own training as a psychologist and the other six or so lifetimes. All of this allows her to help Worf understand how lost his people have become and how he could fix things that have been wrong since TNG. The bat’leth fight scene was fantastic and I was completely fucking shocked that Gowron died. Not that I didn’t think Worf would do it, or that Worf would lose, but I didn’t except him to get double knifed in the stomach. I was not shocked that Worf gave the Chancellorship to Martok, however, because the people would have never accepted Worf as their leader. Truly an outstanding episode.

TA Out!

Date: September 1, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 19 and 20

Musical Accompaniment: Ambient Worlds presents Outlander Music

Interstellar News: Today was a strange day.

So what had happened in “Strange Bedfellows” was…: Thot Gor of the Breen has replaced Damar as the right hand of the Dominion and Damar is super pissed at how much this alliance has really cost Cardassia. Weyoun 7 is killed by Worf and replaced by #8. Ezri and Worf make amends with each other and prepare for their execution, but Damar helps them to escape so they can tell the Federation he’s on their side. On DS9 Yates is now “Mrs. Sisko” and the wife of the Emissary while Quark and Bashir pine for Ezri. Winn and Dukat are totally doing it and Winn has another vision, but this time they tell her they are the Pah-wraiths. She consults an Orb but it is quiet and Dukat tells her that he was sent by the Pah-wraiths. To her credit she kicks him out and calls Kira to her room. Kira tries to explain the Prophets are telling her to step down as Kai, but Winn won’t hear another word and calls Dukat back because the Prophets have never given her anything.

So what had happened in “The Changing Face of Evil” was…: Ezri and Worf make it back to DS9 but the Breen have attacked Earth. Sisko tries to protect Yates but he himself has to take the Defiant out right away to protect the Chin’toka System. The Breen use energy dissipators which disables the Defiant and ultimately it and several other ships are destroyed, causing the Federation to fall back. Damar warns Thot Gor of the Dominion’s easily changed loyalty and starts to contact other Cardassiants to start the resistance. They destroy the cloning facility and put out a communication that they are defecting from the Dominion. On Bajor, Winn and Dukat are going to release the Pah-wraiths so they have to consult the Kosst Amojan – but the pages are blank. After weeks of study and getting no where, Solbor figures out who Dukat really is and tells Winn. Winn panics, stabs Solobor, and the blood from the knife brings the pages to life.

Favorite Quotes:

Worf: We must get back to the station and warn Starfleet about the Breen.

Ezri: You’re right. There’s just a few problems. We’re on a Jem’Hadar ship heading in the wrong direction, hanging upside down and…

Worf: And what?

Ezri: I think I’m getting spacesick.

Ezri is more playful in her humor than Jadzia was, but she’s also much younger so there’s that.

Sisko: What are you doing? You don’t cook.

Yates: I know. I was just making sure.

Yates delivers her lines wonderfully.

Part 3 – “There is no honor in self pity”: I can’t believe how long it took me to put together that the Breen and Dominion were getting together. These seemingly unrelated trips, Weyoun telling Damar to pack it up we’re going on a road trip and then the Breen taking on two Starfleet captives, become so obvious once the encounter it made. “Thot”, by the way, is not a nice word and I went wide eyed when it was uttered. That certainty did not age well. You can tell how defeated Damar feels and how he feels he failed his people, but he also sees just how easily he can be discarded by the whims of the Founders. Damar, just as Dukat, has always been a proud Cardassian and he’s finally realizing that the Dominion doesn’t care about the individuality. I was glad to see he helped Ezri and Worf.

On the station I loved how everyone responded to Sisko getting married. Martok reminisces, Quark taunts Odo, and Bashir pines away for losing Dax twice now. I also thought it was a nice touch that Yates expresses how she married the man, not the Emissary, and she’s got to draw the line somewhere. The Winn/Dukat bit was promising until she drank the damn Pah-wraith Kool Aid and also turned Evil with a capital ‘E’. I mean I get that she’s fed up with being ignored but Kira makes good sense… if the Prophets haven’t shared with you it’s likely because they don’t like who you are, so maybe if you show them you can be better they’ll talk to you. Kira says herself, she’s not a vedek, and honestly that’s who Kai Winn should talk to… the damn vedek assembly. I was really hoping Winn was going to finally, finally turn around, and I was really disappointed in the ending.

Part 4 – “He plays with toys.”: When Earth is attacked Yates tries so hard to cheer up Sisko by cooking and then she remembers she can’t. I love the conversation she and Sisko have about their jobs. We always want to keep out loved ones safe but we also have to keep their wishes in mind. As with all newly married couples there are some adjustments to be made, but Sisko and Yates are also adultier adults who can talk about their problems. O’Brien and Bashir try to distract themselves from their problems by diving in deep with their Alamo strategy, while Ezri and Worf take their newfound friendship time to discuss if she really loves Bashir or not. I was shocked and saddened by the passing of the Defiant, it was a tough little ship but she went the way of the other 137 roundabouts on this show. Seriously, how many runabouts have they gone through since the first season?

I sympathize with Damar because he was not the one who made the decision to align with the Dominion (that was Dukat) but he winds up stuck their puppet with no real power. He likely did terrible things during the occupation of Bajor, but we don’t really know his backstory so he’s not as terrible as Dukat. You can’t judge a Cardassian because of their race, but he likely drinks to forget all of the terrible things he’s done in the name of Cardassia. I also loved that they targeted the cloning facility and Weyoun gulps because he might be the last of his line.

Again I am wicked pissed at Winn. When confronted with the truth SHE STILL WON’T ADMIT HER MISTAKE. She has been sleeping with Gul Dukat, he’s clearly been using her to free the Pah-wraiths, and she kills her most loyal aid. I can’t with her any more. There is no redemption for Dukat or Winn, unless one of them sacrifices themselves for the good of Bajor or something.

Two more good episodes that move the plot along… but I want to know what happens!

TA Out!

Date: August 31, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 17 and 18

Musical Accompaniment: Some “relaxing” music, according to YouTube

Interstellar News: I finished three loads of laundry today and got a ton of other stuff done around the house. It’s been raining since 4 pm and we’ve had three alerts go off from the Emergency Broadcast System through our phones and my poor dog wants to go out but is scared of the rain.

So what had happened in “Penumbra” was…: Sisko purchases land on Bajor and asks Yates to marry him. She says “yes” and he has a vision from his Prophet mother telling him Yates is not part of his path and he’ll only know sorrow. Worf is lost in battle but Ezri is determined to find him, so she steals a runabout when the Defiant has to end their search for survivors. She finds Worf in the Badlands but their runabout is attacked and they must abandon ship. On the planet they fight, kiss, sleep together, and are captured by the Breen. Weyoun has Damar install a communications unit in the female changeling’s quarters and she asks Weyoun how the Vorta are coming along with a cure for their illness. Dukat comes to see Damar and asks for his help in securing a surgeon to make him appear Bajoran.

So what had happened in “Till Death Do Us Part” was…:Kai Winn arrives at DS9 to “assist” with the wedding when she finally has a vision she thinks is from the Prophets but I know is from the Pah-wraiths, telling her to bring about “The Restoration”. Sisko comes clean with Yates about the Prophet’s warning so she takes off her ring, leaves it, and walks out. Quark brings a beautiful ring to Sisko, so Sisko decides “fuck what the Prophets say” and marries Yates right then in the wardroom with Ross presiding and Jake as the best man. His mother tries to interfere again but he chooses Yates over happiness. Worf and Ezri are separately interrogated by the Breen and then presented as gifts to Weyoun as the Breen have joined with the Dominion. Dukat takes on the alias of Anjohl Tennan and arrives on DS9 to meet with Kai Winn. She admits to being racist against Sisko, they have a lot in common, and then they kiss.

Favorite Quote:

Sisko: Did you know there’s a running stream on the property, and the soil is perfect for growing kava. I could make my own springwine.

Yates: The Emissary’s Special Reserve. Could be a big seller.

I love how playful they are together.

Part 1 – “I killed it and now I am going to eat it.”: I love how Sisko’s approach to a problem is to build it out. When he wanted to tackle the Bajoran space vessel, or find B’hala, he either built it outright or used the holosuite. He’s really an engineer at heart who need to see it before he can act. I’m the same way and, unfortunately, I also completely relate to wanting one thing but feeling destined for another. I also enjoyed how Sisko and Yates wanted a small wedding and then he all of a sudden remembered he was the Emissary. Ezri imitating static was absolutely adorable. When she and Worf were arguing on Goralis and then they kissed I screamed “Bad Worf, Bad Ezri, NO COOKIE!” and my husband just laughed at me.

Part 2 – “The Prophets didn’t say that I can’t, they just said that I shouldn’t.”: Winn is the worst and she continues to get worse each time I see her. She had one redeeming moment when she sassed Weyoun and everything else has shown nothing but her racism, ruthless ambition, and power-hungry ways. I am a Slytherin, I’m all about that ambitious life, but not when it gets in the way of what’s truly important. She inserts herself into Sisko’s wedding but, because she hates him and has never trusted him because he isn’t Bajoran, also opens herself up as a perfect vessel for the Pah-wraiths. She wanted to believe Sisko had faltered and she could be the one to save her people.

Worf and Ezri’s capture allows them time to snipe at each other, talk, and also hear things that the other would not have said if they were in their right mind. Ezri realizes she may have feelings for Bashir and Worf is starting to come to terms with his feelings for Ezri or the bits of Jadzia that are still alive in her. We also get to see bits of the Breen and how they don’t care much for the wellbeing of their prisoners.

In Sisko’s story we get to see his free will at work and how much faith he really has. Kira is a true believer so she sulks when Sisko makes a decision she believes to be against the Prophets. Yates loves the man, not the position, and she doesn’t care for much aside from her job and loving him. Sisko makes the real, hard, soul-searching choice, though. He first decides to go along with the Prophets, they haven’t steered him wrong yet. The more he thinks about it the more he realizes they don’t experience linear time as he does and they don’t understand what it is like to be human, and he realizes that he wants Yates in his life no matter how much sorrow it will bring him. He decides to choose love and the way Yates makes him feel no matter his obligations to Bajor. This decision also leads to the super small wedding they wanted with, mostly, everyone there as opposed to having to do a gigantic wedding ceremony with all of Bajor and taking up most of the budget.

Both parts set things up well and I am looking forward to the next six parts plus the two-part finale.

TA Out!

Date: August 30, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 15 and 16

Musical Accompaniment: No music today but instead, a movie. After watching The Karate Kid this morning, I’m now onto Part II. That will be followed by Part III and then Cobra Kai. Then there’s the Bill & Ted trilogy and the Back to the Future trilogy… right, with all my free time.

Interstellar News: I did some yard work today and also listened to a wonderful rendition of Who’s On First? If only this damn pandemic was over, though, I really need my people.

So what had happened in “Badda-Bing Badda-Bang” was…: O’Brien and Bashir ask Vic to join their Alamo program when suddenly the program changes to a sleazy jazz club and “Frankie Eyes” has bought the hotel. Felix apparently programmed a “jack-in-the-box” to shake up the program and the crew decides to help Vic oust Frankie. Vic gets beat up by Frankie and his goons and the crew decides to do Ocean’s 8 and rob the casino so Zeemo can’t get his cut. Kira gets in good with Frankie, Yates flirts with the guard, Ezri becomes a cocktail waitress, Odo gets in good with Frankie’s goons, Nog goes undercover as a janitor, and O’Brien and Bashir gamble as Vic tries to make amends.

Yates asks Sisko why he hasn’t been at Vic’s before, but she convinces him it’s nothing like the real 1962, so they make it Fontaine’s 9 when Sisko finally joins. They walk through the plan, practice the plan, and then enact the plan… to the bewilderment of Morn and Quark. The plan has some kinks and Zeemo shows up, so Sisko improvises and throws money in the air giving Nog the extra time for him and Odo to steal the money. Frankie is escorted out of the casino while everyone looks on at the bar and it goes back to Vic’s place and he and Sisko duet.

Favorite Quotes:

Cicci: Then I drive him out to the woods. Badda bing badda bang. Three in back of the head, that’s the end of little Paulie. So what do you think Frankie says when I report back in? Little Paulie? Nah, I told you to pop Big Paulie! That’s the problem with our business, too many guys named Paulie.

I use this as one of my favorite quote because my dad’s name is Paul and all of his cousin’s call him “Paulie” hahahaha.

Sisko: You want to know? You really want to know what my problem is? I’ll tell you. Las Vegas 1962, that’s my problem. In 1962, black people weren’t very welcome there. Oh, sure they could be performers or janitors, but customers? Never.

Yates: Maybe that’s the way it was in the real Vegas, but that is not the way it is at Vic’s. I have never felt uncomfortable there and neither has Jake.

Sisko: But don’t you see, that’s the lie. In 1962, the Civil Rights movement was still in its infancy. It wasn’t an easy time for our people and I’m not going to pretend that it was.

Yates: Baby, I know that Vic’s isn’t a totally accurate representation of the way things were, but it isn’t meant to be. It shows us the way things could have been. The way they should’ve been.

Sisko: We cannot ignore the truth about the past.

Yates: Going to Vic’s isn’t going to make us forget who we are or where we came from. What it does is it reminds us that we’re no longer bound by any limitations, except the ones we impose on ourselves.

A wonderful conversation between Sisko and Yates about race, that is unfortunately still needed here in 2020.

“That’s in Jersey, right?”: I absolutely loved this episode. I’ve never watched the original, but the Ocean’s 11 trilogy plus the might Ocean’s 8 addition were all wonderful and I loved them for what they were, double and triple fakes and nothing is ever as it seems. With the war going on for so fucking long it was wonderful to see everyone escape for just a bit. When they all participated with Sisko against the Vulcan team, it was the crew doing something for Sisko. This time it was the whole gang helping out someone they all came to care for, Vic. Vic helped Bashir get a date, O’Brien get over Keiko traveling, Odo and Kira get together, Jake and Yates to blow off some steam, and Nog get past some of his psychological trauma.

Also, being a Jersey girl this episode reminds me a bit of home and the many times I have visited Atlantic City. There are also bits of Casino and other movies in that vein, but with so much humor and fun. I couldn’t help but smile this episode. Yates gives such excellent face, I really love her. I also love how they run through the plan by enacting it for us, and it’s of course perfect, and so many unplanned things happen that had to cause everyone to improvise. Bashir was quick by stealing two drinks, Ezri made great use of her psychological training, and Sisko remembers that holosuite money isn’t real and he can just cause a distraction. I’m sure this will be the last fun episode of the season and I’m glad to see they got the gang all together for this one. I’m rating this one a 9 paired with a King and a 2 to make Blackjack!

So what had happened in “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges” was…: The Romulans have invited the Federation to a conference and Garak and Sloan both think it’s a wonderful opportunity to get some intel on their new allies. Sloan is there under the name as “Wendell Greer” and Bashir gives a lecture about the virus from “The Quickening” that Koval is interested in. Bashir thinks Sloan is going to kill Koval and make it look like an accident, so he checks in with Ross who thinks there’s a Romulan on the inside. Ross has an aneurysm so Bashir turns to Senator Cretak for help, though Koval takes Bashir in for interrogation. Bashir winds up in front of the Romulan Continuing Committee because Cretak was caught trying to help him and although he and Cretak tell the same story, Koval brings in Sloan and says Section 31 is all bullshit and Sloan isn’t playing with a full deck of cards. Bashir, however, figures out that Ross was in on it (and I figured it out too) and Koval was the Romulan working for Starfleet. Just as the episode began with Bashir waking up with Sloan in his room, the episode closes the same way.

Favorite Quote:

Garak: The eternal optimist.

Bashir: Guilty as charged.

Garak: How sad. I must tell you I’m disappointed hearing you mouthing the usual platitudes of peace and friendship regarding an implacable foe like the Romulans. But, I live in hope that one day you’ll come to see this universe for what it truly is, rather than what you’d wish it to be.

Bashir: Well, I shall endeavor to become more cynical with each passing day, look gift horses squarely in the mouth and find clouds in every silver lining.

Garak: If only you meant it.

Garak and Bashir always have such wonderful conversations.

“That’s the spirit, sir. Never say die.”: I’ll start off with two things. Ross is absolutely adorable when he’s trying Romulan ale for the first time, I mean it was illegal after all… hahahaha. Also, this episode was great up until the double fake and after that it was total bullshit. Right from when Ross and Bashir were talking, I knew something was up and the “aneurysm” just sold it for me that either Sloan was a really bad guy or Ross was in on the jig. Once Koval said Sloan had made Section 31 up and then “killed” Sloan I was ready for the reveal that he wasn’t really dead. I mean it was a twist I didn’t see coming but I knew it wasn’t a real twist and so it didn’t work. I really liked this Cretak and was sad to see she was thrown under the bus. The dialogue was great and it was so much fun until Sloan and Koval’s melodrama, made this not such a great episode for me. 6 shots of Romulan Ale for the most pretentious and super long Latin title of this episode!

Tomorrow, I start the 10 Part Season and Series finale… wish me luck!

TA Out!

Date: August 29, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 13 and 14

Musical Accompaniment: I’m at the tail end of songs that start with ‘T’ and starting on those with ‘U’. Fun fact, I have at least five different “Untitled” tracks.

Interstellar News: I made two batches of homemade hot pepper jelly tonight. Also, just 70 hours to go for “Lucky Devils and Witchy Ways“.

So what had happened in “Field of Fire” was…: The crew of the Defiant toasts young and new Lieutenant Ilario for a job well done. Bashir and O’Brien head to the holosuite, Kira and Ezri get drunk with Ilario and the latter escorts him home, and the next morning Ilario is found dead, shot by an abandoned prototype Starfleet weapon. Another officer is murdered the next day and Ezri is called in to deliver a psychological profile. After talking to Worf, she decides to bring in Joran to help her in a similar but quite different ceremony than we’ve seen before. O’Brien shows Odo and Ezri how the killer is killing, a la Gallagher (who I met once and is a total creep). Joran helps Ezri think like a killer and it’s very Silence of the Lambs creeptastic, but all it seems to do is cause Ezri to be paranoid and almost kill people. Ezri finally figures out that it’s got to be a Vulcan who’s mad that people have pictures displaying happiness in their quarters and then racial profiles the first Vulcan that crosses her path, who happens to be the killer and she shoots him in the shoulder then calls security to apprehend him as she puts Joran back.

Favorite Quote:

Ilario: You know something, Lieutenant? You’re very beautiful.

Ezri: And you’re very drunk.

Ilario: True enough. But in the morning, I’ll be sober and you’ll still be beautiful.

Ilario putting the moves on Ezri who is super flattered and way to old for him by about 300 years.

“Try not to look so disappointed.”: What a fucking mess of an episode. This episode is DS9 tries to do Criminal Minds, but unfortunately it was not in a way I enjoyed. Bashir and Ezri talk about her experience as Joran, his need to and experience with murder, but for some reason does not discuss her experience as Jadzia, as a person who was murdered. Ezri’s such a hot mess and she never reaches out to Sisko or anyone else for help. She jumps to Joran who she thinks is the only one who can help, why on Earth does she think he’ll go back willingly? He didn’t last time. I also hated that she not only racial profiled, but it turned out to be the bad guy and I still have no idea why it took three months for the Vulcan to break and how would he know they had happy pictures, and why he would choose a gun?

I will say there are some things I like about this episode. I loved that they made us care about Ilario in such a short time, that Bashir and O’Brien seemed sincere in their regret for not taking him to the holosuite, that O’Brien followed lab safety protocols when showing Odo and Ezri how the killer was shooting people, and it was a great use of Odo’s experience with crime novels. The actual procedure of getting behind the mind of a killer was well done, but Ezri doesn’t sell it for me. I wanted a psychological thriller more like Frailty and I got this nonsense that had small redeeming bits. 4 watermelons set to be sledgehammered for this episode.

So what had happened in “Chimera” was…: O’Brien and Odo are returning from a conference when a strange ship comes along, disappears, and then they are boarded by the “ship” which is actually a changeling named Laas. Laas is one of the 100 changeling infants sent into the world to learn from other cultures but he’s has about 200 years more experience than Odo and has never heard of the Founders. They link and Laas is shocked that Odo only stays for Kira, he wants Odo to join him in a search for the other lost changelings and has no use for humanoids. Odo convinces Laas to stay for a bit longer but when Laas becomes fog on the Promenade there’s an altercation with two Klingons and Laas kills one. The Klingons demand Laas to be extradited to them but Kira lets Laas escape and tells Odo to go be with his brother. Odo leaves but only to tell Laas goodbye. He returns to DS9 to embrace Kira and she asks him to be who he really is around her.

Favorite Quote:

Bashir: What’s he doing?

Odo: Being fog, what’s it look like?

O’Brien: Can’t he be fog somewhere else?

Bashir: Or at night, when no one’s around?

Odo: He’s not hurting anyone.

Clearly Bashir and O’Brien did not go through Starfleet sensitivity training on other cultures.

“Love conquers all, is that it?”: I really loved and hated this episode for a lot of the same reasons. It was wonderful for Laas and Odo to meet, they learn a lot from each other. Laas learns where he is from and Odo learns the things he might be able to do. Laas, unfortunately, is like most long lived creatures who feel like they know it all. Laas acts like Odo’s older brother, which he kind of is, but in a way that is demeaning as opposed to “hey I’ll let you make your own mistakes”. Laas is cold to the crew on DS9 but the crew doesn’t shine too well either. I mean O’Brien is just like he used to be about Cardassians when he says he only trusts Odo, he and others are judging a whole race of people based on their parents and that’s just wrong on so many levels. I also love that the same guy who plays Martok also plays Laas, his voice is so fantastic and he really sells his sincerity at his finding of Odo, another of his kind.

Odo is finally accepting who he is and he’s still fighting for the solids in his life to accept him for who he is. Sure he’s great when he changes shape to catch a thief or to help them do recon on the Founders, but it’s not okay when there’s another of his kind. They’re supposed to be above this shit in the 14th century and I’m over the prejudice… there’s no place for it ever. The biggest thing that continues to kill me is the sacrifice both Odo and Kira make. Kira understands Odo’s true nature and she knows she’ll never be enough for him. She’s willing to give him up, give up her own happiness and love, in order for him to be his true self. Odo denies himself the one thing he wants most in the world because of his love for Kira, and he ultimately chooses her… but at what cost? Will he eventually resent her for the choice he made? Is he looking at the long game here, choosing to have as much time with her as possible because he can always join the link later when she’s dead? When two people want such different things, how do they come to a consensus that doesn’t hurt anyone? I enjoyed this episode and rate it 7 goats, maaaaaaaaaa.

TA Out!