Deep Space 9 Superior

[Spimman]

The longer I hang out in this thread with you guys, the more entire series rewatches I want to do...not a bad thing...just time consuming!

[Cold Fuzz]

Brother Spimman, that's an outstanding avatar. I believe that's Ikat'ika from By Inferno's Light?

[Spimman]

Brother Spimman, that's an outstanding avatar. I believe that's Ikat'ika from By Inferno's Light?

Not sure, I found it from a search. I'm still looking around for a shot of the smiling Jem'Hadar we first meet at the end of Season 2.

[Cold Fuzz]

Not sure, I found it from a search. I'm still looking around for a shot of the smiling Jem'Hadar we first meet at the end of Season 2.

I know exactly the scene you're talking about with Talak'talan. I think I should be able to give you a good capture tonight or tomorrow.

[USS Defiant]

Season 3 - "Destiny" - The major thing I took away from this episode, which is really important, is that Sisko is starting to believe he is the Emissary for the first time. I really enjoyed the interplay between the Cardassian's and watching them try ti interpret the prophecy as it unfolds, we also finally see Kira admit she believes Sisko is the Emissary (which was big). In the end Sisko is finally asking questions and wanting to learn more about who the Emissary is.

This episode is a pure Trek classic! The DS9 writers deserve a ton of credit - despite the literally hundreds of stories on TNG, DS9, VOY & ENT that have aired over the years, they can still come up with compelling, original ideas. "Destiny" is such a story, with a very clever script and very interesting dialogue, exhibiting some effective philosophical content alongside the best of "In the Hands of the Prophets."

The episode's story structure is quite effective. As the narrative unfolds, every act culminates with some sort of unexpected surprise that makes the prophecy seem that much closer to coming true.

[Spimman]

I know exactly the scene you're talking about with Talak'talan. I think I should be able to give you a good capture tonight or tomorrow.

Cool. I have one screen shot of him when he first showed up, but the lighting from the campfire makes for a pretty poor screen shot.

[Spimman]

Season 3 - "Distant Voices"

When Julian first wakes up in the coma (unknown at the time) you're almost hopeful it will be like one of those great TNG episodes where weird, dark, mysterious things are going on...Schism I think is a good one, but I'm not good with episode names. Once you get into it though I didn't feel it really delivered to that extent. It was fun, but not very multi-dimensional and maybe a little obvious at times.


Season 3 - "Through the Looking Glass"

While these alternate dimension stories are far from my favorite, this was a good one in that context. Rom being a double agent of sorts was good, Sisko's escape was genius and just seeing Sisko and Jeniffer was a little touching. Cool stuff.

[USS Defiant]

Sacrifice of Angels

The station-side plot unfolds on relatively simple terms, consisting of a jailbreak, a chase scene, and a race to disable the station before the minefield can be destroyed. There are some good dialog scenes along the way, especially between Weyoun and Dukat as they discuss the policy of ruling their conquered territories. Dukat's attitude that a conquered enemy should admit their being wrong for opposing their conquerors in the first place is particularly appropriate for him.

Quark and Ziyal break their allies out of jail in a scene that strains credulity but is entertaining nonetheless. I liked Quark's clever way of rendering the Cardassian guard unconscious; and I liked even better when he phasered the two Jem'Hadar guards, and especially his silent, stunned reaction to his own action. Scenes like this are good; I've always liked the serious side of Quark, and Armin Shimerman is always interesting to watch in these sorts of binds.

Odo's role in the game takes an expected turn, and if there's one significant weak link in this episode (and thus the whole war arc in retrospect) it's the extreme oversimplification of Odo's betrayal and subsequent redemption. While it's a good thing that "Favor the Bold" made it clear Odo was not so completely won over by the Female Founder as "Behind the Lines" had initially indicated, the way events unfold here only serve to make Odo's betrayal feel that much more short-term, contrived, and shallow.

Sure, it's certainly reasonable that Odo being so initially overwhelmed by the Link in "Behind the Lines" could've greatly affected his personality on a "merely temporary" basis. It's not really all that implausible. But to so quickly reverse his direction in life (from following the Link and instead deciding once again to remain with "solids") with a single act of redemption - coming to Kira's rescue in her desperate hour of need--possibly also reverses all the consequences that should have come with his initial betrayal. Kira should not so easily forgive Odo for what he did; it should take some real time. Unfortunately, by supplying Odo with one, big redeeming action it seems the writers are trying to do just that - which very much strikes me as the Easy Way Out. This is Reset Button Mentality. Frankly, I expected this sort of redemption from the onset of Odo's betrayal.

Still, the actors and director did a good job with what they had. There's a striking moment where it seems the Female Founder knows that her mission to bring Odo into the fold has failed. Salome Jens and Rene Auberjonois work wonders with nonverbal subtexts; when she asks Odo if he's sure he wants to remain in his quarters and Odo responds that yes, he's sure, there's something about each character's mannerisms which shows that much more is being asked and answered than what is spoken in dialog. And David Bell's score during this scene is incredibly sinister-sounding.

[USS Defiant]

Season 3 - "Visionary" - This was a cool episode. O'Brien stopped his death on two occasions and the show ended in a classic Romulan show down where now that we know their plan they can't do it, in some ways they are similar to the Cardassians, just less fun to watch.

The idea that the quantum singularity is really a cloaked Romulan ship makes a lot of sense. The fact is consistent with the establishment of Romulan power supplies given in TNG's "Timescape." That makes "Visionary" a mystery with a genuine audience-supplied clue.

The closing scene, where Sisko confronts the Romulans over their intentions of destroying the station and the wormhole because of their paranoia of Dominion invasion, is a satisfying jewel. I always like it when Sisko sports the no-nonsense attitude.

All in all, this is a great technobabble episode. Technobabble can never really be a story, but when it's used correctly and backed up with real storytelling, an episode like "Visionary" can be born. Sure, the concept is implausible. Sure, O'Brien's time jumps are admittedly way too convenient, placing him in the right place at precisely the right time. But the episode is, after all, called "Visionary."

[Jeff O'Connor]

Was anyone ever able to confirm Alan Wake's passing? If so, that's a serious bummer. I liked that guy...

I hardly feel like posting this now after that shock, but I've finally started my rewatch and I've been posting reviews on TrekBBS. They're sometimes a little on the long side and I'm only up to 1x12 right now, but I'll copy them over to here sometime soon and start pasting them here on a regular basis.

[Spimman]

Was anyone ever able to confirm Alan Wake's passing? If so, that's a serious bummer. I liked that guy...

I hardly feel like posting this now after that shock, but I've finally started my rewatch and I've been posting reviews on TrekBBS. They're sometimes a little on the long side and I'm only up to 1x12 right now, but I'll copy them over to here sometime soon and start pasting them here on a regular basis.

Not that I've heard, Skydiver asked anyone to PM her if they had information that would allow her to independently confirm the news for the rest of us and as of a day ago that hadn't happened yet. Unfortunately there is a 50/50 chance it is a bad joke, as of yet we have no way to know for sure.


As for your rewatch, welcome to the club! I'm just finishing season 3 myself and it is a lot of fun! Post your reviews in this thread and join into the discussion here. I know for me this thread and some friends I've made has really added to my DS9 rewatch experience and the insight from some of the more seasoned Trek fans has been helpful as well. We don;t care if they're long either!

[Saquist]

Sacrifice of Angels

No more than Four Episodes after leaving the station Ben Sisko leads the largest Federation Fleet assembled into Cardassian Territory to retake Deep Space Nine.

The story is straight forward and almost predictable to the end. The resistance in the form of Quark, Kira, and Ziyal free Rom to finish the sabotage of the station to prevent it from destroying the mind field. Odo joins, getting over his addiction to the Link to help. They fail and Sisko arrives in time to see the Mine Field collapse.

But there is an Ace in the hole.
Sisko petitions the Prophets, AKA The "angles" to stop the Dominion. As a result the Dominion reinforcements vanish and the Federation reoccupies the station. Dukat is locked up a pathetic shell of his former self and out of his mind and his daughter is killed by Damar.

-----------------

My Review

This is a very odd time for this sort of climax as far as seasons go. While we waited 3 months for the thrilling conclusion to Call to Arms we are rather deflated to learn that the Federation is loosing the war and DS9 is the furthest thing from their minds (Federation planning). Now in Sacrifice of Angles(4 episodes later) is a rather "Ho-Hum" conclusion to the Dominion occupation of Deep Space Nine and their are few real repercussions to the occupation.

By all rights, Kira, Quark and Rom should be dead. I rather thought it was odd that Damar killing Ziyal had no effect on Dukat who proclaimed so much love for her. Is he insane now because of his ambitions to RULE THE GALAXY have fallen to pieces or is it Ziyal? It's probably not Ziyal. He displays only sorrow, no rage at Damar for her death...the death of his daughter, but that's the mystery of Dukat. Ziyal is more than just the story's tragedy, she's the escape goat of the plot. I believe that the plot had SO few consequences that killing Ziyal was almost mandatory.

The Federation Fleet is missing half of it's forces to retake the station. Even though the Klingon's show up later it's only 1/2 of the forces that are missing. Not to mention that since Jem'hadar and Call to Arms it's clear that the Dominion out gun the Federation in a big way. In other words the Federation Fleet should have been decimated.

Curiously the Dominion chooses to abandon the station without a fight and even leave it completely intact. Even with the Klingons the Dominion still greatly out numbered and out gunned the Allies. Why the Dominion chose to abandon a station of great tactical value is purely the making of plot.

So with the Federation back in control after a four episode layoff, the Federation shrugging off a massive offensive with apparently few causalities and all our regulars, Jake, Quark and Kira and our happy secondaries all safe and sound, Ziyal was chosen as the plots senseless sacrificial lamb.

It's rather disappointing, especially considering what the two episodes could have been, but then this is the budget and it's classic Star Trek Escapism...the neat happy little ending.

...and now the war goes into the background.
-----

[Jeff O'Connor]

Not that I've heard, Skydiver asked anyone to PM her if they had information that would allow her to independently confirm the news for the rest of us and as of a day ago that hadn't happened yet. Unfortunately there is a 50/50 chance it is a bad joke, as of yet we have no way to know for sure.

Ugh, jokes of that kind never, ever get a laugh from me.

As for your rewatch, welcome to the club! I'm just finishing season 3 myself and it is a lot of fun! Post your reviews in this thread and join into the discussion here. I know for me this thread and some friends I've made has really added to my DS9 rewatch experience and the insight from some of the more seasoned Trek fans has been helpful as well. We don;t care if they're long either!

Why thank you! I'll start copy/pasting them once my girlfriend is done with the laptop. I'm having a blast doing them over there and reading stuff over here!

[nx01a]

I've always wondered how people online would know if someone died in the real world.
I hope he's fine.

[Cold Fuzz]

Cool. I have one screen shot of him when he first showed up, but the lighting from the campfire makes for a pretty poor screen shot.

The poor lighting from the campfire can be mitigated somewhat with the right graphics program. There are a couple of other very good shots of Talak'talan in that episode that are very worthy of an avatar.