LogFAQs > #972945192

Episode 10: The Nagus

Investors' meeting.

I repeat myself a lot, but Sisko truly is a fantastic dad. Knows full well he hasn't got a prayer of disrupting a friendship. Gives a foreboding warning to O'Brien about children. Even if he doesn't like Nog, he gives a solid talk to his son about different values. Has quite a bit of anti Ferengi bigotry in him. Angrily plays catch with himself. Quite a look of guilt when he sees what his boy is really doing.

Odo watches the Ferengi. Treats their culture with all the respect it deserves. Gets a bit of gloating.

Dax cracks a joke about Quark. I'm convinced her deliberately poor parenting advice was just a pretext to steal the Siskos' dinner.

Jake is a clumsy, forgetful sort. What kind of fucking alien is he that he'd rather skulk in a cargo bay than go on that kind of holiday? I get that he's lying to disguise Nog's revision sessions, but he's far too intelligent and natural sounding for it to be a shit lie, so, I can only assume that it's a plausible interest of his. Plus, Nog can probably survive a few days without him. His lying is much more dreadful with regards to Nog's excuses, though the Ferengi boy didn't exactly help himself. These kids are apparently 14 (or the equivalent in Ferengi years), yet they act half that age. Sweet kid, though, to help his mate out.

O'Brien continues to be a great husband and proves himself more competent than most substitute teachers I've ever had. Might love his wife, but can't be arsed to grill Nog over a clearly see through lie. Gave his own substitute teachers grief, which is only correct when you're that age.

Quark rebukes his brother's honesty. Suffers through the pain of a poor audience for his jokes and shows due respect for the Nagus. Dials up the charm and effortlessly weaves through any potential offence. Straight up nasty to his brother. Survives his meetings with an understated, exasperated sarcasm. Would rather be anywhere else, until he feels an immense rush at being the new Nagus. Then, he's near paralysed with fear at knowing there's a target on his back. Too prideful to accept help. Treats sycophants with all the respect they deserve. Understands that compassion is a sound strategy for popularity. Some real fear when he's in the airlock. Different value systems, I know, but I wouldn't forgive Rom for that.

Kira makes a joke about the silverware.

Rom is an honest man (when beauty is involved), an easily bullied coward and a tremendously shit father. Being willing to kill his brother places him firmly in the irredeemable pile for me.

Nog is a bad liar, which doesn't seem right for a Ferengi. His ethics joke isnt half bad. Takes out his anger on Jake, which is fine for a teenager, but the specific way its expressed is still something id expect from kids half that age.

Zek is a dirty old man with a spectacularly creepy laugh. Must have been one hell of a sesh if he needed some juice after. He's quite a disgusting individual, but surprisingly likable. Risa was clearly the correct choice. Quite a cunning individual.

Nice looking scepter. I'm not sure why the Nagus has to be hooded. His species is hardly a surprise. Ferengi fodder isn't quite as appetising as Klingon cuisine, but I'd probably give it a go. Zek's silent servant has some impressive makeup. Nice shot of Odo looking down on the visitors. I quite like the insight into Ferengi culture and the variety of individuals we see at the table. Like a CEO calling a meeting. Not bad, seeing the drone in the background before it tries to fly into Quark. They go all out in making Quark look like an emperor, shooting him from behind and slightly below. I could probably have done without the brief bit of Jake and Nog breaking and then repairing their friendship.

It's our big reintroduction to Ferengi culture and their basically the same as their first appearance, albeit with a little more nuance and a lot more dignity. Similar to Klingons, they are allowed to have individuals with different perspectives on this culture. Quark is good at business, but a little too moral, Rom is a bitter tryhard and little more than a laughing stock, Nog is exploring other cultures entirely and even Krax is too obvious and violent to actually be fully effective. With the new culture comes a lot of xenophobia and mistrust, as most of the rest of the main characters aren't shy about their distaste for Ferengis and Sisko isn't confident in his own son until towards the end, nor is Jake all that willing to talk to him. Quark, meanwhile, finds himself in some intrigue and gets betrayed by his own brother. Finally, parents play a big role, with Sisko being quite obvious (and spending a fair amount of time talking with O'Brien and Dax), Rom taking out his anger on Nog and Zek all but disowning his son after he fails. It allows for a clear and somewhat, but not wholly, sympathetic look into an alternate culture.

Well made, reasonably deep and long overdue dive into and pseudo redemption of one of the more mocked races in this franchise.

Looking into the Vortex, next.