Dukat and Kai Winn are growing closer... until a new vision makes clear to Winn just who Dukat is serving. Damar learns how the Dominion treats its old allies as a new one, the Breen, are brought into the fold. And Worf and Ezri try to escape from their prison on Cardassia Prime.
Three episodes into this "final chapter" of Deep Space Nine, the writers have fully embraced the serialized format; no element of this story originates or concludes within the episode itself. The various subplots run through almost like a soap opera. Even the character behaviors take on soap operatic scale, as they switch allegiances and cross points of no return. Still, it all flows smoothly and makes sense as the episode unfolds.
Behind the scenes, however, this episode was apparently one of the trickiest parts of the arc. Plans originally called for Sisko and Kasidy Yates to marry in this episode, but that had been moved earlier, leaving a gap in this episode to fill. (This was done with the scene of Martok describing marriage as a war -- you win some battles, but your spouse wins the war. Sisko then feels that when Kasidy refuses to play any official role as "The Emissary's Wife.") Complicating the writing process even more: Ronald Moore, the staff writer assigned to this script, went on paternity leave when his new baby arrived a month early, causing the rest of the staff to scramble away from their own episodes to help finish this one.
This is a fantastic episode for Damar. (The first of several.) His rapid disillusionment with the Dominion is well presented, and perfectly entangled with his problem drinking. The literal "I don't like who I see in the mirror" shot is a television trope, to be sure, but it's delivered in quite a distinct way here as his disgusting, syrupy kanar oozes down the glass. He delivers many a zinger along the way too, getting his verbal punches in on Weyoun.
It's a good episode for Worf and Ezri, who finally get to the bottom of just what their relationship will be. After first blaming Ezri for "seducing" him, Worf admits that he was trying to force himself to feel the same way about Ezri that he did about Jadzia. I'm less convinced about the "now the path is clear for Julian" of it all -- I don't quite see what's special between him and Ezri. (And the aborted philosophical introspection he tries at Quark's this episode doesn't move the needle for me.) But Ezri and Worf do reach a point that feels something like a divorced couple that can still be friends.
It's a wild ride of an episode for Kai Winn. As in the previous one, I remain a little disappointed that master manipulator Dukat is driving this "villain team-up" so much -- subtly poisoning her thinking to blame Sisko for all her troubles. And yet Winn does have a nice story arc, revealing much of her nature. Although she is initially horrified to learn that her visions come from the Pah-wraiths, and terrified that the true Prophets refuse to speak to her, she ultimately turns away from gods that would ask her to make any personal sacrifice.
The scene with Kira is rather short, but delicious and illuminating. Fearing for her soul, Winn turns to the most pious person she knows for advice. Kira gives it honestly: it's not too late to turn away from the self-serving choices that have led Winn to this point. But "power corrupts" isn't a saying on Bajor, apparently. The Kai's response isn't angry or indignant. She just literally cannot conceive that giving up power would be the solution, or that there's any reality in which what's good for Bajor would be different than what's good for her. It's a fascinating pathology (and a realistic one, with plenty of politicians serving as real world examples).
Other observations:
- Weyoun has some great moments through this episode, from creepily suggesting Ezri and Worf be imprisoned together so they might "comfort" each other, to taunting Ezri too skeevily and getting his neck snapped by Worf. (Goodbye Weyoun 7, hello Weyoun 8.)
- A few scenes were reportedly cut for time from this episode that would be quite interesting to see some day, making more of a subplot of the scene with Kasidy Yates. Kira got to give more great spiritual advice by revealing to Kasidy that her own father was not a religious man, but attended services for love of his religious wife. Ultimately, Kasidy decides to participate in the Bajoran ceremony as Sisko asked.
I think "Strange Bedfellows" is a compelling continuation of the story elements put into play so far in this final arc. I give it a B+.
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