Season
7 Imperfect, but A Fine Deep Space Nine Finale
By
Kristin Battestella
At
last, we have come to the concluding 7th Season of Deep Space Nine. Despite a few character
changes, questions left unanswered, and some uneasy answers given, this exit
will please long time fans of this second Star
Trek spin-off.
Benjamin
Sisko (Avery Brooks) mourns the loss of Jadzia Dax on Earth with his son Jake
(Cirroc Lofton) and questions his very personal relationship with the Bajoran
Prophets. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) also cannot accept his wife’s death and
develops a difficult friendship with the Dax symbiont’s new Trill host Ezri
(Nicole de Bauer). Ezri, however, is growing closer to Doctor Julian Bashir
(Alexander Siddig). Colonel Kira (Nana Visitor) and the Changeling Constable
Odo (Rene Auberjonois) struggle with their own romance amid the Dominion War
and the shifting loyalties of the Breen, Romulans, and Cardassians as Dukat
(Marc Alaimo) makes an ominous pact with the Pah-wraiths.
“Imagine in the Sand” and “Shadows and Symbols”
open this final year nicely with a continuation of the storylines from Season 6
and a touch towards the more mystical and faith-based leading up to the
glorious ten-hour outgoing story arc- “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges” thru “What
You Leave Behind.” I’m actually not so sure Gene Roddenberry would have been
pleased with the very religious tone in this dénouement- though the references
to ministers and gods and good and evil all combine to see Bajor, Cardassia,
the Alpha Quadrant and Gamma relations unite in peace and the return to the
paradise of Trek as we knew it. The
spiritual aspects are not so overt to put off a non-interested viewer, but for
those looking for such deepness, Deep
Space Nine certainly provides it. “The Siege of AR 558” is also wonderful in
summation of DS9’s dark Star Trek brand and what the Dominion
War has done. There’s just enough un-Trek amid what we expect, people losing
limbs and dying for what is a supposedly strategic cause, which of course,
doesn’t mean very much at all. It’s a
beautiful sentiment accented with lovely touches of James Darren as Vic
Fontaine in “Badda Bing, Badda-Bang”- this idea of a not so swanky past’s
reflection of hope in this bleak future, as opposed to our Trek, which is often the other way around. “Covenant” also brings Dukat full circle and
turns the ideologies of the Prophets and Pah-Wraiths on their ear. Religion can
indeed be done in Star Trek when it’s
handled properly. Who knew?
This
epic exit is DS9 as it should have always
been. Everyone has a lovely final moment amid the great battle action, but there’s
still room for humor thanks to “Take Me Out to the Holosuite.” Ferengi
resolutions and mirror twists have their hour in “The Emperor’s New Cloak” as
well- although the Kira and Ezri kiss teases and Chase Masterson as Leeta
innuendo are a bit dumb amid the serious alternate universe conclusions. Colonel Kira’s new duds and ‘do may take some
getting used to, as does seeing Kira and Odo together, but both are on form
throughout “Chimera” and “Tacking into the Wind.” “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges” also has more
Section 31 iffy getting in the way, but it’s too late in the day for that
tangent to matter, and ultimately, the unchanged Bashir hampers its overall
impact anyway. Sisko may also be wrapped
up too quick and easy amid all the other lingering goodbyes, and of course, the
absence of Terry Farrell as Jadzia Dax in flashback scenes and memory montages
is apparent. Weird parallels and old references reused from early years also come
back in confusing ways in the Inception
–esque “Extreme Measures.” Fortunately, “It’s
Only a Paper Moon” does far more in its wonderful moment for Aron Eisenberg as
Nog. Beautiful period atmosphere and
family elements with Max Grodenchik reflect against the seemingly so gung ho
Kirk idea of Starfleet and the reality of war. Individual episodes such as
“Treachery, Faith, and the Great River” no longer feel like filler or tossed
away scripts, and “Once More Unto the Breach” ties up all the Klingon loose ends
thanks to J.G Hertzler as Martok and John Colicos as Kor. The complete ensemble
is represented with well-balanced plots and storylines. Deep Space Nine isn’t fighting to find its footing amid multiple
arcs and a full episode order here, and now it’s frickin’ time to go!
Now
then, about ‘The Sisko’! Though it is completely fitting for Avery Brooks’
character, I’m not so sure if I want Sisko to have shades of the divine. The
brief Benny Russell visions and speculations in “Shadows and Symbols,” however,
have wonderful possibilities. Benny, writing on the wall in a fifties cell despite
the objections of the Pah-Wraiths on Bajor. It sounds confusing I know, but
those familiar with the behind the scenes of Deep Space Nine have perhaps heard of the writers’ thoughts on
using the Benny plots and “Far Beyond the Stars” to conclude the series. I, for
one, kind of wish they had. I realize some extreme Star Trek fans may have objected to this type of St. Elsewhere Tommy Westphall finale,
but the idea that an oppressed minority has created the fantastical society of
hope and peace that we know and love to me is totally in the spirit of Star Trek. Is this not what the very
genre of science fiction is about? Folks in our technologically obsessed
society say we live in such a high tech age that there is nothing left to
event. Is this not Star Trek’s goal,
to teach us to continue to use our mind, body, and soul in the quest for the
highest aspirations? I could go on in great detail, but I don’t want to give
too many spoilers! Suffice to say, this timeless, cultural crossing, and racial
barrier breaking SF notion indirectly implied by Deep Space Nine is what stands out the most for me in the
series. Well, that and these dang
displeasing, barely there, almost background appearances of Jake Sisko. What
gives with his whole mishandling? Seriously, there are some situations where he
should be much more significant and is absent. So, needless to say, the return
to his and Penny Johnson as Kasidy Yates’ familial focus in “What You Leave
Behind” seems a little hollow to me in comparison to the over-reaching Benny
possibilities.
Lastly,
let me share a few thoughts on the big Dax cast change. Ironically, Jadzia’s
death in Year 6 has actually made some character developments better in Deep Space Nine’s final season. Her
absence has lingered over the cast and strengthened other characters and
relationships. Had the powers that be had an inkling about Ezri Dax sooner, I
would have killed Jadzia off a long time ago.
It’s weird how all the men loved Jadzia as if there was no other female
interests available, but Ezri is cute and flawed. “Afterimage” and “Prodigal
Daughter” are nice in showing a Trill who isn’t happy and has problems with the
Symbiont situation. This confusion and us getting to know Ezri as she gets to
know herself is refreshing, for we learn more about Ezri than we ever knew
about Jadzia. How can Ezri counsel
someone when she is the one in need? Is this a second chance for one couple or
a bad romance for the wrong one? Such interesting questions were never brought
up by the Jadzia ho hum, but unfortunately, this promise is in a somewhat blasé
contrast to all the finality and wrapping up of Year 7. There’s simply too much
focus and featuring of Ezri in different relationship dynamics and
opportunities in the first half of the season- stunted developments between her
and Jake, for example. I like Ezri lots,
but we are winding down with a cast that, in some ways thanks to the uneven
early seasons, we hardly knew. So if this cast change couldn’t have happened sooner,
it shouldn’t have happened at all. Like the way I have this paragraph at the
end of my review, Ezri just seems tacked on at DS9’s last minute. Did we really need her for Deep Space Nine’s ten-part epic conclusion? The sad answer is, no.
Long
time fans of Deep Space Nine probably
feel this Season 7 is the height of Trekdom,
and in many ways, it is. The meaning of Star
Trek has been torn apart this series only to build it back up again
mightier than before. While there are still a few character inconsistencies and
unrealized developments that put a dent in the overall vision, this is most
definitely the series’ finest hour.
Unfortunately for newer Star Trek fans
or casual science fiction audiences, this Year 7 cannot be taken in by itself.
There have been times I wanted to pull my hair out over this show’s uneven
handling and often poor approach, and it’s tough to tell audiences you must
watch a lot of crap to get to its goods. Can’t they just release DVD sets of
only the quality episodes of Deep Space Nine?
And yet, is it worth putting up with
some of the filler and annoyances of Seasons 4, 5, and 6 to get to this
splendor of Deep Space Nine’s finale?
Yes. Yes it %^&# is!
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