Deep Space 9 Superior

[Fan-e-Gate]

Interesting thought. I can't say I ever thought of what might have happened to Garak after the war. Like you suggested, I assumed he went back to Cardassia Prime to help rebuild and maybe even take a position of power with any kind of new Cardassian government. How many times did we hear him lament over the fact that he was not allowed on his own home world. I'm sure Starfleet Intelligence would love to recruit Garak.

While not officially part of Garak's story, I recommend the novel A Stitch in Time by Andrew J. Robinson. (Yes, the actor that played the role) It discusses his past & his time on Cardassia after the war.

[USS Defiant]

Nor the Battle to the Strong

This episode is what "The Ship" should've been. Nor the Battle to the Strong is another analysis of the effects of war but it works just about everywhere that "Ship" did not. "The Ship" happened a situation upon its characters and then played it out. There were attempted negotiations and ultimately the episode's tragic consequences resulted from a mutual lack of trust and understanding. The idea was an intelligent one, but the presentation of the idea, unfortunately, was less than ideal and fell flat on an emotional level - Nor the Battle, on the other hand, captured my feelings much more effectively. Almost too effectively, in fact-this is one of the few episodes of Trek I can remember where I felt the barrier separating the people in the audience and the characters on the screen beginning to dissolve. And that's a good thing. It's one of the primary goals in cinema - to capture the audience and draw them into the situation as if they were there.

Whereas the situation set up in "Ship" was random, the situation in "Battle" is not. When Bashir receives a distress call from a Federation colony requiring additional medical assistance because they're under attack by the Klingons, Jake wants to go. Bashir doesn't want to drag Jake into a potentially disastrous situation, but Jake prods him further, and both are soon on their way to what becomes, well, the front line of some ground combat warfare.

The danger here feels real. Very real. One of the reasons the show proves so involving is because it's shrouded in such a sense of impending doom. For the duration of the episode, the Klingons always seem close, within striking distance of the medical compound Jake and Doctor Bashir are assisting.

What's remarkable here is the way the sense of danger is conveyed. We hardly see any actual Klingons in this episode, yet their presence is evident in every scene. The anxiety and foreboding subtly surfaces through the characters' dialog and the way they talk and perform under pressure. Most characters handle the pressure well, as if it's just another day at the office. But a few characters (Jake in particular) find the situation quite overwhelming.

Much credit deserves to go to Kim Friedman, whose direction over this episode is complex and multifaceted; she builds a stunningly effective sense of danger through Jake's dialog and narration, but more than that--she also knows the guest characters and provides them with confidently drawn attributes other than the obvious sense of fear.

[USS Defiant]

At one point the role of Dax was going ot get the background of Melora but the ability to "fly" was deemed to expensive for an episode by episode basis.

Indeed they were brother jelgate. But judging by the attitude and overall demeanor of the Melora character (she was not very likable), I'm glad they didn't end up using that type of storyline for the Terry Farrell character.

In dramatic terms, several lifetimes of memories and experience is far more interesting and can be mined for far more story material than 'Oh, look! She's floating!"

lolol, well said and I could not agree more brother nx.

[Cold Fuzz]

Indeed they were brother jelgate. But judging by the attitude and overall demeanor of the Melora character (she was not very likable), I'm glad they didn't end up using that type of storyline for the Terry Farrell character.

When I first watched Melora when it first aired, I had a neutral reaction to the episode. I didn't dislike it but I didn't find it particularly appealing either.

Many years later though, this episode became a big allegory for something that was going on in real life. Me and some former friends of mine were acquainted with a blind man. He was a real-life Melora, and far more unpleasant than she could ever be. We all watched this episode and then looked at each other aghast, realizing that our blind adversary was exhibiting the Melora problem point for point, with the exact same reasons.

To make a long story short, we dealt with him. Whether or not he started realizing the error of his ways, I don't know as I've had no contact with him for a long time now...nor do I care to have any contact with him.

I'm sad to say that most people I've met with disabilities seem to fit into this personality profile.

[USS Defiant]

When I first watched Melora when it first aired, I had a neutral reaction to the episode. I didn't dislike it but I didn't find it particularly appealing either.

The same here brother CF. Not only was the Melora character rather unpleasant, the episode really wasn't that good.

Many years later though, this episode became a big allegory for something that was going on in real life. Me and some former friends of mine were acquainted with a blind man. He was a real-life Melora, and far more unpleasant than she could ever be. We all watched this episode and then looked at each other aghast, realizing that our blind adversary was exhibiting the Melora problem point for point, with the exact same reasons.

Interesting - I have befriended a couple of handicapped people over the years and none of them felt any kind of entitlement or especially wanted anyone to feel sorry for them. But they were people that I met in the gym that were there to train there handicapped bodies - so that is probably not the place you are going to find impaired people feeling sorry for themselves.

If I was wheel-chair bound or even worse blind - In all honesty I can't say I would be the happiest camper myself.

[nx01a]

Nor the Battle to the Strong

Too much Jake. Too many elements that I've seen in too many other 'war' stories. I suppose it's just to show that the human condition really can't change that much, and DS9 is great at showing that. But I genuinely felt nothing except facepalm for Jake. As usual.
In terms of story... The scene where Jake runs arms flailing as the 'bombs' fall was just hokey. And randomly falling into a hole where there happens to be a dying Starfleet drill sargeant type? Tsk.
If I were Sisko, Jake would have been on the next Galaxy class to Earth. Or Risa. That's where the human cattle belong. Hell... It's where I'D be!

[Cold Fuzz]

The same here brother CF. Not only was the Melora character rather unpleasant, the episode really wasn't that good.
Interesting - I have befriended a couple of handicapped people over the years and none of them felt any kind of entitlement or especially wanted anyone to feel sorry for them. But they were people that I met in the gym that were there to train there handicapped bodies - so that is probably not the place you are going to find impaired people feeling sorry for themselves.

If I was wheel-chair bound or even worse blind - In all honesty I can't say I would be the happiest camper myself.

I completely agree with you there. If I lost my sight or I became wheelchair bound, I wouldn't be very happy at all (not that I'm exactly the happiest person to begin with ). However, the blind man we were having to deal with was taking out his frustrations on us and the rest of the world...and he knew it too. That's just plain wrong of course, which is why after 6 months of putting up with his verbally abusive behavior, I let him know very plainly that I wanted nothing to do with him from that moment forward. I guess I was following a page from Bashir's book on that one and confronted him quite directly. Too bad it took me 6 months to do it, while Bashir did it to Melora within a matter of hours & days.

[jelgate]

Indeed they were brother jelgate. But judging by the attitude and overall demeanor of the Melora character (she was not very likable), I'm glad they didn't end up using that type of storyline for the Terry Farrell character.
lolol, well said and I could not agree more brother nx.

I doubt they would have done it the same way if the no gravity person had been a main character. Remember main characters are developed a lot differently then the guest stars.

Too much Jake. Too many elements that I've seen in too many other 'war' stories. I suppose it's just to show that the human condition really can't change that much, and DS9 is great at showing that. But I genuinely felt nothing except facepalm for Jake. As usual.
In terms of story... The scene where Jake runs arms flailing as the 'bombs' fall was just hokey. And randomly falling into a hole where there happens to be a dying Starfleet drill sargeant type? Tsk.
If I were Sisko, Jake would have been on the next Galaxy class to Earth. Or Risa. That's where the human cattle belong. Hell... It's where I'D be!

Wow. I can't believe you just said that.Jake is only human and more importantly he is not battle trained. He is no use to those situation. It seems very short sighted to banish Jake from his father and friends because he was a little cowardly during a battle situation. A situation mind you I bet most of us would have responded simliar to Jake. Those of us who don't the tramua experence that is.

I once had to administer CPR before paramedics arrived and I can understand Jake acting the way he did. Their is a lot of stress and tension when you're in those emergency situation

[nx01a]

I'm not saying that Jake should be exiled because he can't bare teeth and throw himself at Jem'Hadar and Klingons like his father. Being on DS9 or near it was almost a death sentence for the poor boy who obviously can't defend himself or anyone else. That's why he belongs on Earth or Risa: places where the average human can be all idyllic and not have to worry [well, in the Trek universe, you always have to worry] about silly things like rampaging Klingons and whatnot. As strong as the bond between father and son was, the bond ends if the son's gutted with a bat'leth or blasted by a Jem'Hadar. Even Keiko had the sense to go to Earth for a while with Molly, right? If you ever thought [like me] that a Galaxy class was a horrible place to have families, then DS9 post-season 3 was an even more horrible place to have families. Sisko keeping Jake on that station was tantamount to child endangerment.

[knowles2]

I'm not saying that Jake should be exiled because he can't bare teeth and throw himself at Jem'Hadar and Klingons like his father. Being on DS9 or near it was almost a death sentence for the poor boy who obviously can't defend himself or anyone else. That's why he belongs on Earth or Risa: places where the average human can be all idyllic and not have to worry [well, in the Trek universe, you always have to worry] about silly things like rampaging Klingons and whatnot. As strong as the bond between father and son was, the bond ends if the son's gutted with a bat'leth or blasted by a Jem'Hadar. Even Keiko had the sense to go to Earth for a while with Molly, right? If you ever thought [like me] that a Galaxy class was a horrible place to have families, then DS9 post-season 3 was an even more horrible place to have families. Sisko keeping Jake on that station was tantamount to child endangerment.

True, but I always surprise the Bajorans did not have like ten guards guarding each of them round the clock. Always Jake should of found Bajoran girls easy.

[locutes]

I'm wondering, why are Riker and O'Brian 'at war'???

[the Fifth Race]

Nor the Battle to the Strong

There's quite a bit to digest in this installment (themes that accompany the topic of war) - Courage, loyalty, guilt, panic, trust. This is one of the most intelligent (if not the most) and multi-dimensioned war episode ever done on Trek. It's something that definitely needed to be attempted considering how little we've seen in terms of the fallout from the Klingon/Federation treaty disintegration. As a follow-up to the abrupt cease-fire negotiated in "Apocalypse Rising," this episode shows that despite the war being over, the problems are not - the Klingons and Federation have a long way to go before their trust of each other can be repaired.

Another very effective element of this story is its fresh perspective. The events unfold completely from Jake's point of view. As the episode opens and Jake displays a sort of superficial journalist's interest in the battle unfolding, we know that war is something he has never truly faced and something he has no real understanding of. But as the bodies start rolling into the medical compound and the death and suffering begins to sink into reality, Jake realizes that he is not prepared to face war's very real horrors. He assists Bashir and the rest of the medical staff as an elected orderly, and although he's willing to help and performs adequately, he's very stressed inside. As his narration indicates, the danger here seems much more "real" than on the station.

The great thing about the way the episode progresses is that every scene has a significant point that helps Jake learn. Take, for example, the soldier who is brought into the compound with a badly injured foot. He had been hit by phaser fire. But guilt causes him to confess: he shot himself in the foot to avoid more combat. He'll probably face a court-martial as a result. It's funny, he muses, how well he did in those battle simulations back in the academy days. Yet when the real explosions were going off around him, all he could think about was getting away. Jake can relate, whereas the rest of the medical staff looks at him with an angry eye.

And then there's scene where the other medical staff discusses how close the Klingons are getting to the compound--and they joke about the best way to die. Jake is not amused. He blows off some steam, voicing his thoughts of how pointless war is and how, ten years from now, no one will remember anything that happened in this little skirmish. While he may have some valid points, there's a simpler reason why war makes no sense to him: because he's completely inexperienced when it comes to it.

The beauty of Jake's character is that it's the one most people in the audience will identify with. I'm willing to presume that a majority of the people watching Deep Space Nine are not combat veterans, and I think that most people will understand Jake's problem and could see themselves acting similarly if they were in his shoes. The entire arc for Jake is wonderfully realized, exploring courage, duty, loyalty, and guilt. Lofton's performance, while not always perfect, is good enough to get the job done very nicely, and considering the depth of the material I'm sure he had his work cut out for him. This is easily the heaviest show he's had to carry.

[jelgate]

I'm not saying that Jake should be exiled because he can't bare teeth and throw himself at Jem'Hadar and Klingons like his father. Being on DS9 or near it was almost a death sentence for the poor boy who obviously can't defend himself or anyone else. That's why he belongs on Earth or Risa: places where the average human can be all idyllic and not have to worry [well, in the Trek universe, you always have to worry] about silly things like rampaging Klingons and whatnot. As strong as the bond between father and son was, the bond ends if the son's gutted with a bat'leth or blasted by a Jem'Hadar. Even Keiko had the sense to go to Earth for a while with Molly, right? If you ever thought [like me] that a Galaxy class was a horrible place to have families, then DS9 post-season 3 was an even more horrible place to have families. Sisko keeping Jake on that station was tantamount to child endangerment.

You can't just run and hide because DS9 is dangerous. All of space is dangerous including DS9 and many other places. You can't just exile Jake because he did something a lot of us are also gulity. Being a coward. If you start with Jake you might as well go with every civillian on DS9 and then the place isn't DS9 anymore. You can't just start exilling people because of danger. Wherever you go thier is danger. Its part of life

[Spimman]

Great experience for a young journalist if you ask me!

[Starbase]

Nor the Battle to the Strong

The episode's climax, in which the Klingons do indeed reach and storm the medical compound--opening fire on Jake and the medical personnel is quite riveting. The reason it's so riveting, though, is because we've become so connected to Jake. When the character we've been following and exploring for an hour is suddenly right there in the line of fire, we wince. Why? Because we fear for his safety, perhaps that we fear for our own safety (at which point the aforementioned "barrier" comes crashing down). This is all accomplished by building the story and making it real, and that is quite an awesome feat.

Nor the Battle to the Strong has a good ending. It does exactly what it's supposed to (it refuses to cheat). Jake's fear is not miraculously rectified by the end of the show. When he picks up a phaser to defend himself from the Klingons, he does so because he has to. He's not trying to be a hero, he's just trying to stay alive. This is a big part of the show's point - the basic survival response of "fight or flight" and how it gets the best of Jake. Jake isn't really a coward (which is demonstrated by his willingness to share his tale with his father and Bashir after the rescue), he's simply naive to the horrors of war, and, hopefully, this experience has given him some insights.

The B-story exploring Sisko's parental distress that his son is in danger where he decides to take the Defiant to assist the colony -- This subplot isn't really fresh like the main plot is, but it is a necessary part of the story and it works just the same. It's also very true-to-life. Just because Jake is 18 doesn't mean his father is going to stop worrying about him. It's every parent's duty to worry about their children, and every one of Sisko's actions in this episode is to be expected.

Overall Nor the Battle to the Strong is a fine episode. It provides a meaty role for a typically underutilized regular character. The presentation is genuine in nearly every aspect. Some nice montages and shots make a difference, too. (I really liked, for example, the brief, subtle shot of Bashir reading Jake's story and reflecting upon it.) The show has a variety of interesting and intelligently realized themes, plus a general statement that war is hell. Here lies an episode among DS9's best.