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Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Shadows and Symbols

It's supposed to hurt.

This second episode serves as conclusion to the premiere, and a continuance of the show's, and our, mourning for Jadzia Dax. Will Sisko be successful in his search? Only this episode, and the review, will tell.

Worf

Worf, desperate to mourn and let go of Dax, goes on a mission in her honor – a mission of such daring and challenge that Dax will be elevated to Sto-Vo-Kor. Bashir, O'Brien, and Quark join him. The mission takes them to the Monac shipyards, where they shoot a sun until it explodes, killing a bunch of Jem'Hadar ships and barely managing to roar away.

I felt like I got a newer, deeper understanding of Klingons in this episode. Stephen R. Donaldson described a race of giants that mourn by holding themselves in fire until the pain washes grief away. Well, Klingons do exactly the same thing with battle; Michael Dorn does a deft job showing his grief, the need for battle, the struggle with his internal jealousies, and finally with showing how his heart has elevated Jadzia to Sto-Vo-Kor.

Kira

Kira's dealing with yet more politics. She's trying to prevent the Romulans getting weapons on Derna. Against pretty much everyone's advice Kira goes ahead and sets up a blockade off Derna to manage the Romulans and Federation. This makes no sense – how do you do a blockade in space, really? – and Kira's bluffing gets called out quickly. When the wormhole suddenly appears, the Federation convinces the Romulans to back off the Bajoran. Kira is definitely strong – but I wonder if other politics are going to come into play.

Sisko

The Sisko family heads to the desert with Ezri Dax. Ben keeps hearing a page calling a Dr. Wykoff to the isolation ward. When they find the Orb in the desert Ben is transported to another place... where Avery Brooks reprises the role of Mr. Russell, and is being encouraged by Dr. Wykoff to paint over the story of Deep Space Nine. When Benny considers doing it, Ben Sisko nearly buries the Orb... but when Benny throws down the paint, he's able to write the final two words of the story, and Sisko opens the Orb.

This is what causes the wormhole to appear, and what makes... something come out of it. That something turns out to be the Kosst Amojan, and a very important Prophet appears to tell Sisko that his task has completed and the Kosst Amojan has been cast out from the Wormhole; the Prophets are successful. The Prophet also tells Sisko, essentially, that she was somewhat sharing the body when Sisko was conceived. Does that make Sisko part Prophet? I don't think so, but he's always had a special connection to Bajor.

Of the three, it feels like Worf and Sisko's are the most profound storylines; Worf finally moves to a new place with his grief for Jadzia, and Sisko is finally able to return to the station, the wormhole restored. Everything is made whole again, like the end of a Shakespeare play. Or is it? Weyoun is still out there.

Logged & Noted

Can I say I'm really loving Kira's hair and outfit this season? She seemed to be drawing somewhat on Mirror Universe Kira. And the Mike Hammer banter. That was a lot of fun.

The world of Tyree is basically set in Joshua Tree.

I loved seeing Benny Russell again. Brooks always does such a great job that I almost believe it's a different person playing the character.


Sisko's storyline is profound, but in terms of Ezri it basically serves as a pathway back to Deep Space Nine, and I'm not sure of the impact on the other Siskos.

Quark was either hilarious or annoying in this episode. Which goes for Ferengi in general.

The crew's reaction when Ezri appears at the end of the episode was laugh a minute hilarious.

Wykoff: I'm offering you an opportunity few people ever get. You can wipe away all your mistakes.
Benny: You want me to paint over my story?
Wykoff: They're only words. Meaningless words that no one cares about.
Prophet: The Sisko's path is a difficult one.
Sisko: But why me? Why did it have to be me?
Prophet: Because it could be no one else.

Quark: Take me out of the oven, Moogie, I'm cooked.

Overall

A great way to wrap up a cliffhanger, despite some of the weaknesses in the storylines, though not as strong as the previous episode. Three out of four amazing desert outfits.

1 comment:

  1. Lovely review! I agree, Avery Brooks does a great job as Benny Russell, while it's fun to see Casey Biggs without all the Cardassian camouflage. Are the Prophets writing the DS9 story through Benny Russell? Did the writers of DS9 see themselves as Prophets?
    Although I can see that Captain Sisko's father and son would want to come along for support, they didn't actually do much on Tyree, which I always thought was a weakness of this episode. If they had done anything critical, or even said anything useful, that would have helped. At least Ezri Dax tossed the baseball. But all the characters who had actions to take -- Captain Sisko, Worf, and Colonel Kira -- were supported by their friends/family, so maybe that was the point.

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