LogFAQs > #972857827

Episode 3: Past Prologue

I take the Klingon politics plot arc has migrated here.

Sisko's very amused by Bashir's paranoia. Cooly handles Danar effortlessly. No patience for Kira's arguments. Isn't too surprised she went above his head, but it's still an extra stress. Getting a bit too used to Odo's light fascism. Understandably cold towards Kira, but gives a wonderfully bleak threat. I quite admire his pragmatism. Doesn't even blink at sending Bashir to Garak's.

Odo gives the Klingons a sarcastic greeting. Almost nostalgic for Cardassian rule. Scoffs at Ferengi cuisine. Can tell that Kira's bothered and gives genuinely good advice. Summoning Sisko is a great way of speeding things along. Almost parental in the way he acts.

Bashir could not be more uncomfortable with Garak's prescence. Has difficulty with a potted plant, but remains polite. Very excitable and eager to apparently be in a spy thriller. Gets a bit friendlier on their second meeting. Flustered and fumbling through the actual spy work, but he gives the suit a decent try.

Dax is skeptical of Bashir being all that interesting.

O'Brien responds to Bashir's tracker suggestion with a look of weary pain. Understandably has sympathy for anyone under Cardassian "care".

Kira has reunited with an old friend. Very shouty and resolute in her convictions. A little sweet and almost nurturing to Tahna. Doesn't like the Federation, but understands the need to be pragmatic. Friendliness drops once Tahna spills some of the beans. Retreats into herself a bit as he continues to insult her. Has a mini breakdown in front of Odo. Halfway decent fight scene.

Garak is one of those who is far too friendly to be comfortable with, yet far too seemingly nice to feel justified in backing away from. Hard to tell how sincere he is with his claims of wanting friendship. Little sense of personal space and seems downright flirtatious with Bashir at points. Keen, astute observer, since his clothing talk is clearly just an excuse to point out the Klingons. Doesn't take their threats remotely seriously, but goes through the motions with some wonderful body language. Got jazz hands. I can tell Robinson is going to be a laugh a minute. More serious and sedate when the situation calls for it and has the unenviable task of balancing being subtle and blatant enough for Bashir's benefit. Has a few moments of genuine emotion that betray he's mostly a good individual. At least, that's the reading I got.

Tahna gets points for being somewhat candid. His rampant isolationism is just stupidity when you're incapable of feeding your population without help. Some bite to his shouting, but he's still a complete idiot.

Didn't expect to see the Klingon sisters again, but they're harmless enough.

I'm getting a kick out of this look at Cardassian technology. Even simple things like the design of the lift are delightful. Nice overhead view of the bar. Actually it's nice seeing the general hustle and bustle of what's basically a space city. Guessed right on Odo being the rat, but it was basically a gimme. Very Terminator esque, his shape-shifting. Clothing shop is nice. Going after the wormhole instead is a decent twist and of course its still as beautiful as ever.

The Kohn Ma were almost certainly necessary during the actual occupation, but they are obviously no longer fit for purpose and the inevitable endgame for Tahna's plan is starvation and extinction for his people. Considering the appearance of the wormhole is basically the fulfillment of a 10,000 year old prophecy that is near and dear to the Bajoran's heart, an overly zealous nationalist being willing to blow it up has more than a whiff of that stuff I was talking about in the first episode: how faith is often coopted and polluted by stagnant vitriol, if its not disregard entirely and how true beliefs allow for personal evolution. The image I had was of how a fundamentalist right winger would be anong the first to despise Jesus if he ever actually met the man. And this inability to change is the real conflict between Kira and Tahna. Kira has, in fact, adapted to meet the new world she's in. Terrorism had its day, but more peaceful methods are the most prudent course now. And Tahna sees her growth as an invitation for derision. It's like reuniting with an old school friend and discovering that, while you've been trying to grow and live your best life, they've remained an adolescent throughout that time and, worse yet, they mock and resent you for your maturity. Since there's still mutual affection between them, Kira having a crisis of faith in who she's become makes perfect sense. Its like a much darker version of what Picard went through with alienating his friends in Tapestry. Leave to Odo, our man alone, to remind her that conviction in the self is of prime importance.

Another pretty good episode. Odo, Kira, i wonder who our next focus is.

Guess I'll be babbling about Babel.