Thursday, May 15, 2014

Worst of Star Trek DS9---Change of Heart

Or a more appropriate title would be "Change in Characterization."

Worf and Dax are assigned to take a runabout on a mission to meet up with a Cardassian operative who has information about the Dominion's tactical strategy and the whereabouts of hundreds of Changling spies. He informs Worf and Dax via subspace transmission that Vorta commanders are becoming suspicious and they agree to meet a rendezvous point on a nearby planet.

Once they land, several hundred meters from the meeting place to avoid detection, they head out on foot. But they are spotted by Jem'Hadar soldiers. One of them critically injures Dax with an anti-coagulant. After a while, Worf is forced to leave Dax behind because she's too weak to continue and their journey only furthers her bleeding.

He arrives at the meetup spot to await the arrival of the operative, only to go back and get Dax to the space station for treatment. He saves her life. But at great cost to the operative who is killed by the Dominion, taking with him all the vital information that could have helped the Federation.



The episodes redeeming feature is the side story involving O'Brien's new found obsession with defeating Quark at the Tongo wheel. He enlists the help of the genius doctor Bashir. However, both men underestimated Quark's talent for distraction.

The banter between Worf and Dax is amusing as well, but doesn't really save the episode from the dramatic left turn Worf takes in his duty to Star Fleet. In the past (TNG) Worf wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice a major player to preserve the survival of the Federation, let alone the Enterprise. Failure of a mission, particularly one of such magnate, would have brought about disgrace to the proud Klingon. Would saving one individual, even a mate and putting ones personal feelings above the call of duty, be an acceptable alternative to a Klingon--a species who prides itself in knowing that the highest achievement is to die in battle?

I'm calling BS on this one.



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