Our heroes have learned that Gowron, the leader of the Klingon Empire, has been replaced with a changeling imposter. To expose him, they plan some infiltration of their own: Sisko, O'Brien, and Odo disguise themselves as Klingons and -- with Worf as their cultural guide -- go undercover at a military base. But there's a familiar face at Gowron's side, General Martok. If he sees through the Klingon alterations and recognizes them, the plan will be ruined.
This episode went through some major changes in development, though mostly for the better. Nervous about upsetting fans of The Next Generation, and feeling the story needed a twist, staff writer Ronald Moore suggested they make Martok be the changeling when they really had planned it to be Gowron, as they'd set up in the season four finale. Not only does this make for a fun reversal, it gives Odo a strong character moment: in figuring out the scheme, he learns that his instincts are what makes him a good "cop," not the shapeshifting abilities he's lost.
This episode was apparently also planned at first as a two-parter. Even condensed into one episode, there are some moments where the pacing feels off. The idea of Hitchcockian suspense, of everyone overcoming obstacles to plant their Macguffin devices to expose Gowron, seems great. The gags are fun too: O'Brien (who has been the worst in "act like a Klingon" school) is the one Martok almost recognizes; Odo drops his device and Worf has to cover for him; Sisko gets called onto stage to receive a medal. But it all feels slow as it unfolds, and there's no explanation for why they don't just turn on the devices the instant they're positioned.
There are also aspects of this plan that simply don't make sense. Why isn't Worf being disguised as well? His face is probably one of the most recognized in the Klingon Empire -- and is surely recognizable by Gowron and any number of other Klingons they can expect to encounter during their infiltration. (Basically, why is the concern that Sisko, O'Brien, and Odo might be recognized when Worf just looks like Worf?) Why not send in Dax, who already has extensive knowledge of Klingon customs?
If you can shove questions like this from your mind, there are a lot of fun scenes to enjoy. The drunken revelries of the Klingon soldiers are entertaining, complete with sloshing wine and giant "turkey" legs -- it's like a Renaissance festival with head butting. As Gowron, Robert O'Reilly gets to act even larger than normal; this episode is popular with Trek fans for his delivery of "Glory to you... (big eyes) and your hoooouuuse." And the spectacular, multiple disruptor death of the changeling is just great.
Worf's lessons on being Klingon are fun too, and something of a real life proxy for Michael Dorn -- who had to wear this makeup every day -- watching his castmates squirm. (Colm Meaney reportedly complained the entire time, while Rene Auberjonois said it was actually more comfortable than his regular Odo makeup, and easier to act with since it left more of his real face visible.)
Another fun blending of reality with the fiction is a scene between Kira and Bashir where she says her pregnancy is his "fault." (Nana Visitor and Alexander Siddig had gone public with their relationship by this point.) There's more playfulness when Kira stuns Dukat by revealing that Chief O'Brien, not Shakaar, is the father of her baby.
Other observations:
- There's a fun shot composition of Odo staring into his bubbling beer. In the same scene, we get a brief glimpse of the bottle and its Bajoran label. Odo's drinking locally.
- Dukat is always about appearances, here donning a Klingon sash as an affectation. He's also shading back toward villainy -- and honesty -- in only offering our heroes a one-way trip to the Klingon headquarters.
- The unseen Pran gets another mention, piling on more alien characteristics they know they'll never have to actually show.
- Jake doesn't always get much to do in a season premiere or finale, but there's a nice scene here where he notes the increasing tension on the station, and Bashir gives him a pep talk while his father is away on the mission.
- After the mission, Bashir offers to give Odo a more human face. But the writers didn't want to strip his appearance along with his shapeshifting powers.
- Not wanting to kill off Gowron, a late change made Martok the changeling instead. Then, as show runner Ira Steven Behr put it: "we saw J.G. Hertzler again and said, 'He's really great. We've got to find a way to use this character and actor again.'" And indeed, they would.
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