Trouble follows when Vedek Winn, figurehead of an orthodox faction in the Bajoran clergy, visits Deep Space Nine. She takes issue with Keiko O'Brien's secular teachings about the wormhole, driving a wedge between Starfleet personnel and the Bajorans they've been working with for months. But Winn is sowing discord for a deeper purpose, hoping to lure a political rival to the station where he can be assassinated.
I couldn't find out if, at the time this episode was being written, the staff knew whether Deep Space Nine was getting a season two. It feels like the fate of the series was uncertain, as this episode not only doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it has a strong "leave it all on the field" vibe about it. The story seems to come full circle to the pilot, demonstrating that the Federation really has gained ground in its relationship with Bajor. "Series finale" or no, the echo was deliberate by series runner Michael Piller, after executive producer Rick Berman nixed the original idea to conclude the season with a Next Generation crossover centered on an all-out Cardassian invasion.
There are sophisticated ideas throughout this episode, and the real-world comparisons are quite direct, with little or no sci-fi veneer. Church walks right into school and demands that "intelligent design" be taught as part of the curriculum. A shop owner refuses to sell to someone on religious grounds. Children are put at potential risk when a school is targeted for violence. A suicidal attacker is promised salvation in heaven for her actions. It all feels ripped from the headlines, in 2018 as much as (if not more so than) 1993, when it originally aired.
Not only are these issues raised, but characters are given different perspectives on them. Kira is initially supportive of Winn and the idea that Bajoran religion should be taught in school, arguing that Bajoran and Federation interests aren't always the same. When Jake spouts off about the foolishness of religion, his father is quick to point out how faith helped the Bajorans survive occupation; Benjamin also notes that since the Wormhole Aliens can see outside linear time, they're hardly the craziest thing one might regard as godly.
Some great character development is put into Vedeks Winn and Bareil. Decades before we'd know who Pope Benedict and Pope Francis were, Deep Space Nine dramatized a reasonable proxy for both, struggling for the soul of a fictitious church. On the one hand, a strict authoritarian who sees the interests of herself, her people, and her religion as one and the same -- a character for whom the ends absolutely justifies the means. On the other hand, a progressive hippie type looking to pierce the pompous rituals of the establishment, appealing but perhaps naive.
How these two roles were cast is another display of that "leave it all on the field" mentality I mentioned. Philip Anglim was a noted Broadway actor who originated the role of the Elephant Man. Louise Fletcher was a bona fide Oscar winner who found a science fiction role meaty enough to keep coming back to play again and again. What's more, Fletcher was cast to play basically the very archetype she won for -- a smiling villain, mannered but vicious.
It isn't just the guest stars who get great character moments to play. Sisko goes out on a limb with the belief that the relationships forged with Bajorans over the past few months are strong enough to trump hate. Kira has a particularly great arc in the episode: first she identifies with (and envies) Winn's strong faith, then she's tested in her support of Sisko, and finally she instantly surmises Winn's role in the assassination attempt. (With her history in the resistance, she'd be one to recognize guerilla tactics.)
There are a few missteps in the episode, or at least they seem so on the heels of an episode as exceptional as "Duet." One is the transparent twist that O'Brien's new assistant Neela is the assassin. The writers had reportedly planned to hide this reveal by featuring her in multiple episodes leading up, but the original performer cast "didn't work out," and so Neela only appeared (briefly) in one episode before this. Another disappointing note to me is the banter between Keiko and Miles; her chiding him for his relationship with his female assistant doesn't feel as playful to me as probably intended.
Other observations:
- When Odo is told by a Bajoran radical to "seek the Prophets," his retort to "seek them yourself" is just perfect. There are a lot of people in this episode claiming virtue without demonstrating it.
- Even while on duty, Dax calls Sisko "Benjamin."
- Why does password breaking on television always look like it does here -- like an electronic game of Mastermind where correctly-guessed digits are helpfully confirmed by the computer being hacked?
- The Bajoran treat known behind the scenes as "glop-on-a-stick" receives the official name "jumja."
As I noted in a recent episode review, Deep Space Nine may not have been as good in this first season as The Next Generation was at the time, but it was miles better than Next Gen's own first season. My picks for the Top 5 episodes of year one: "Duet," "In the Hands of the Prophets," "The Nagus," "Emissary," and "Battle Lines."
On to season two!
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