Remembering Rene Auberjonois, Dorothy Fontana, Michael J Pollard. Robert Walker Jr., and Michael Lamper

Within the space of a few weeks, the truth of mortality has hit the Trek family quite hard. On November 21 we lost Michael J. Pollard, who guest starred in the Original Series episode "Miri". Then, on December 2, legendary Trek writer and story-teller Dorothy Fontana (usually known as D.C. Fontana) passed away. December 5 saw the passing of Robert Walker, best known as Charlie X. On December 8, we were hit with a double-whammy. Michael Lamper, husband of TNG star Marina Sirtis passed away the night before. Finally, our beloved Changeling and Constable Odo was lost as Rene Auberjonois lost his battle with lung cancer. As I did a few months ago when we lost three members of the Trek family in one day, I will pay a small tribute to each of those who we have recently lost, but focus on the one who I had the most interactions with. I mourn the loss of all, so this is not meant to lessen or disrespect any. I just have more of a connection with one than the others.

Dorothy Catherine Fontana brought us many classic tales in Star Trek. Among them were "Charlie X", "Journey to Babel", "Encounter at Farpoint", "Dax", and my favorite episode of the animated series, "Yesteryear". Having to hide the fact that she was a woman, she often used either abbreviations of her name (D.C.) or a pseudonym. She had a way of understanding the characters, and while some of her work was edited to the point where she was unhappy, she often took the high road and did not try to be overly critical of others. In the DS9 episode "Far Beyond the Stars" the character of Kay Eaton was created as an homage to Dorothy. In addition to Star Trek, Fontana had written for several television shows, including Babylon 5, the 6 Million Dollar Man, and Earth: Final Conflict. She passed away at the age of 80.

Michael J. Pollard also passed away at the age of 80. He is best known to Trek fans as Jahn, leader of a group of feral children known as the Onlies. He brought a sense of innocence savaged by loss to his character. Pollard had several credits to his acting resume, including an episode of "Lost in Space", as well as roles in films such as "Roxanne", "Scrooged", and "Bonnie and Clyde", for which he earned two Golden Globe nominations and an Oscar nomination. 

Robert Walker Jr. passed away on December 5 at the age of 79. He was born into a family of actors and received a Golden Globe Award in 1963. In Star Trek, he played the troubled young Charlie Evans in the first season episode "Charlie X". Robert, though older than Charlie was supposed to be, found a way to walk a fine balance between youthful innocence and darkness. He brought an intensity to the role that was captivating. He also guest-starred on many notable television series, including "Bonanza", "Murder, She Wrote", "The Six Million Dollar Man", and "Dallas".

Michael Lamper was an accomplished rock musician. He had played with a number of groups and artists, including Quiet Riot and the Allman Brothers. He was a background actor for Star Trek, appearing as an Acamarian gatherer in the 3rd season TNG episode "The Vengence Factor". Most notably, he is remembered for being the husband of Marina Sirtis, TNG's Deanna Troi. In the world of Hollywood where marriage is seen as an often fleeting thing, he and Marina were married for 27 years. I had the chance to meet Marina on a couple occasions, and when asked about her husband, she spoke warmly and affectionately of him. My heart goes out to her on her loss. Michael was 64 years old.

Finally, I am deeply saddened by the passing of Rene Auberjonois at the age of 79 on December 8. He played Ezral on an episode of Enterprise, Colonel West on Star Trek VI, but most importantly he was Odo on all seven seasons of Deep Space Nine. In addition to his roles in Trek, he had starred in the 1970 movie MASH, where he originated the role of Father Mulcahy. Aside from a lengthy list of television and film credits, Rene was a regular on the 80s sitcom "Benson", with Voyager regular Ethan Phillips, and the legal drama "Boston Legal", alongside William Shatner. He was also an accomplished voice actor. My favorite of his was in Disney's "The Little Mermaid" as Chef Louis, the nemesis of Sebastian the crab. He was also one of the many main cast members in Star Trek to direct episodes. He directed eight episodes for DS9, including "Waltz", "Prophet Motive", and "Ferengi Love Songs". Rene leaves behind a wife of over 50 years and two children. 

The character of Odo truly showcased Rene's talents as an actor. He was able to emote so much through the several layers of latex. He brought warmth and depth to a character that could have easily become two-dimensional. He brought forth emotions that ranged from rage to surliness, from compassion to tenderness. He also brought out the best in costars. In the last few days, many of them have shared how gracious of an actor he was, and how he motivated them to always bring their best efforts to their own performances. 

I have had the privilege of talking to Rene on three different occasions. Each time I was impressed by his warmth and generosity with his time. While I will always look at Odo as his greatest role, there is one that holds a special place in my heart. In 1989 I fell in love with the Disney animated movie "The Little Mermaid". I loved the songs and the humor, and there was one character in particular that stood out for me. Immediately after watching the song "Les Poissons" I hit the rewind button and watched it three more times. I was thrilled by the silliness and glee of the character of Chef Louis, and decided as a boy that if I could ever play any character, it would be him. Several years later, as an adult and a new father, my wish came true. The high school that I teach at was putting on a production of "The Little Mermaid", and I was asked to be a special guest star as Chef Louis. I had a blast!

A year after that, Rene was appearing at a local convention, and we had to go. I had already had an autographed picture of Odo, so we had him sign a picture of Chef Louis for my then two year old daughter. She was so excited to meet a Disney character that she wanted to be ready, so we dressed her in a "Little Mermaid" T-shirt and she brought along her stuffed toy of Sebastian the crab, the chef's nemesis from the film. When Rene saw her, he beamed and went totally into character, claiming how beautiful my daughter looked and how excited he was to see "ze crab" again. He then launched into a rendition of "Les Poissons" just for her. My daughter could not stop smiling the biggest smile I had ever seen. That picture still hangs in her bedroom. A few years later I was at the Las Vegas convention and stopped by his autograph table where he was happily chatting with anyone who wanted to chat. We struck up a conversation and I mentioned the role that we shared. He was so gracious towards me when I thanked him for giving one of my favorite Disney characters a voice. 

In spite of his accomplishments as an actor, that is what I will remember him for the most. He was an excellent actor, but he was more importantly an excellent person. He was kind, patient, giving, and cheerful. He often sponsored a variety of charities. At the 2016 Vegas convention I last saw him at, he was selling memorabilia to support Doctors Without Borders, a charity that he felt connected to through his role in "MASH". He was always ready to laugh and joke with whoever he was around. I saw his performances shine, no matter how bad or great the show or movie was. He was a consummate professional and he knew how to treat the people around him. 

May you find peace in the Great Link, good sir. We are better for having known you, and your contribution to the world was a great and worthy one.

Episode Review - The Begotten (Deep Space Nine, Season 5)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here

Overview – Quark sells Odo what he believes to be a dead Changeling. It turns out that it is actually an infant, albeit sick, Changeling, and Odo begins to nurse it back to health. As Odo begins to raise and teach the infant, he is visited by Doctor Mora Pol, the Bajoran scientist who raised Odo. The two individuals clash and then cooperate in the endeavor, but when the infant takes a turn for the worse, it gives Odo a special gift. Meanwhile, the O’Briens are preparing for the birth of their son, who has been carried by Kira to full term. When her romantic partner Shakar shows up, he and Miles clash over how the birth should be handled.

Score: 8/10 – In one of the most important episodes of the fifth season, we see Odo come to a major turning point. Not only does he get to bond with an infant Changeling, but through the unfortunate passing of it, it restores to Odo his ability to shape shift. For much of the season we wondered whether or not Odo would forever be a solid. In addition to regaining his abilities, he is able to reach a new level of understanding and resolution with his own “father”, Doctor Mora. We also have the birth of the newest member of the O’Brien family, and the end of Kira’s pregnancy that was written in to deal with the real-life pregnancy of actor Nana Visitor. Here is where the story weakens just a little bit. Miles and Shakar arguing with each other gets a bit annoying, and you can’t help but cheer when Kira kicks them both out of the delivery room. It is too bad that this is the last time we see Shakar, and I also think there was a missed moment with Kira here.  In the ending of the episode Kira expresses to Odo some remorse over no longer having the baby in her life. It is a nice moment as each reflects upon the loss of their pseudo-child and the gifts they gave them. It would have been interesting to have followed up on Kira’s missing the baby and wanting to be a bigger part of his life as she had just spent about five months being the surrogate mother. Still, this is quite a moving episode.

Relevance – 3 points. More than anything, this episode is relevant in that we see Odo regain his shapeshifting abilities as the young Changeling reverts Odo back to his previous self. Whether or not he Founders wanted this, Odo’s sentence from “Broken Link” to live as a solid has finished. Second, the birth of Kirayoshi O’Brien ends the Kira-pregnancy storyline. Finally, we see Doctor Mora Pol for the second and final time, as well as the last appearance of Shakar Edon. We also have mention that Miles missed the birth of Molly (which occurred in the TNG episode “Disaster”).

Continuity – 3 points. Character continuity is a big check. Odo’s journey through parenthood/teacher/mentor sees the Constable face a variety of emotions, and he behaves as one would expect. We also see Miles, Kira, Keiko, and pretty much everyone else involved in the delivery act in their comedic ways as well. Story continuity is a bit of issue here. When people factor in dates and events, it is the Changeling masquerading as Bashir that delivers Kirayoshi and witnesses the death of the infant Changeling. This is has caused some fans to question whether or not Changeling-Bashir would have or should have done more for the Changeling. As I thought about this, I felt that it made sense that things progressed as they did. To keep his cover, Bashir-Changeling was very limited in what he could do. Universe continuity is also good here, so full marks for this section.

Character Development – 3 points. Definitely an important episode for Odo’s development. It is one of his Top 5 episodes for his character. He goes through a roller coaster ride of emotions, experiencing hope, joy, fear, and loss, with his ultimate high point of becoming a Changeling again. I would offer that this journey allows him to reconcile with Mora and he finds himself in a far better place than he has been in for a long time. There is also some for Kira and, to a lesser extent, Miles with the delivery of Kirayoshi. I stated earlier that I wish they would have developed the post-partum separation a little more, but we at least het a glimpse of it at the end of the episode as Odo and Kira share what they have gained in the loss of their “children”. I was quite touched by the parallel that these two characters had with being parents. It brought two close friends even closer.

Social Commentary – 3 points. I have touched on this already but let us examine the idea of losing a child more closely. Both Kira and Odo lost their respective child. Odo’s was due to death, and Kira gave hers up. Yes, Kira was a surrogate mother, but she still formed a unique bond with it. In both instances having the child, no matter how briefly, gave something to each of them. Kira gained an appreciation for the power of motherhood, something she had previously discarded as being something she wanted. Odo, in addition to regaining his shape-shifting abilities, gained something equally if not more valuable. He gained an appreciation and understanding for his own “father”, Doctor Mora. Odo came to understand what Mora experienced raising Odo. It allowed the two of them to repair their relationship. One thing that being a parent does is cause you to fully appreciate your own parents, in spite of their flaws.

Cool Stuff – 2 points. A point is scored for the scene where Odo regains his shape-shifting abilities. In this scene Odo emerges onto the Promenade and takes the form of a hawk, flying through air. There are several things that makes this scene work. One is the fact that he leaves behind his uniform, which not only makes sense from a logic viewpoint but is symbolic on Odo’s leaving behind his solid state once and for all. The music is also essential in making the most out of this scene, and Odo’s expression upon landing conveys so much powerful emotion. It is a credit to actor Rene Auberjonois to be able to express such strong feelings through his prosthetic makeup. I also am going to score a point for the infant Changeling. There is a scene where the infant takes the image of a face, mimicking Odo’s. It is just a neat little scene that forges a strong connection between Odo and the infant. When the scene cuts to a shot from behind the Changeling, it is apparently a puppet designed by assistant director Louis Race. Apparently there was no budget for the effect, so he went ahead and made and performed the puppet. It worked well and shows how using practical effects can be just as good as CGI.

Rank – Admiral (22 points). This episode gives Odo a real turning point and provides us with an important step forward in his overall story. We have the birth of Kirayoshi that brings to an end the pregnant Kira episode. We are treated to a story that is warm, sometimes funny, and deeply touching. A real gem of an episode.

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Episode Review - The Search Part 2 (Deep Space Nine, Season 3)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here

Overview – After the Defiant is defeated in battle, Odo finds himself and Kira among his own kind. As he learns what it means to be a Changeling, he is overcome with emotions over finding his way home. Meanwhile, Sisko and the rest of his senior officers are rescued and brought back to Deep Space Nine, where the Federation is already in peace negotiations with the representatives of the Dominion. As the peace talks progress, however, Commander Sisko becomes concerned over the concessions that Starfleet is willing to make, and soon finds that not everything is going as he had hoped.

Score: 9/10 – Picking up right where Part 1 left off, Part 2 of this season opener (the first DS9 episode to be directed by Johnathon Frakes, incidentally) continues to be full of intrigue, suspense, discovery, and heart. Two storylines are played out, with it appearing that the main focus is on Sisko and the negotiations with the Dominion. As it turns out, the real story is about Odo finding his people, and the two tales are revealed to be far more intertwined than originally believed. Indeed, the big reveal at the end is that everything that Sisko and his officers experienced were simply recreations in an induced setting. Yes, the entire DS9 story occurred on their minds, making this one of only two episodes where the characters are not actually on the station. Jake, Quark, Garak, Admiral Nechayev, and Michael Eddington do not actually appear in this episode as they are only seen in the recreation. This is good for fans of our resident tailor as Garak is killed near the end of the episode. On its initial run through, it really hit the fans hard when Garak was killed. Some may consider the big reveal at the end as a typical deus ex machina cop out, but I think it worked well. It kept us on our toes for an even bigger reveal, that the Changelings are the Founders of the Dominion. In what could have been just a major turning point for Odo’s character turned out to be a mind-blowing development for the character, and the audience is fooled into thinking that Odo was just a nice sub-plot. In essence, with the end of this episode, we see that the Dominion means business, and the stakes are raised higher than we imagined.

Relevance – 3 points. In the episode “Vortex”, the character Croden calls Odo a changeling. In this episode, the spokesperson of the Founders says that the name “changeling” was indeed used by many solids as a term for their kind, and they adopted it as a means of not allowing the solids to have power over them with that given name. When Commander Sisko meets Borath, they make reference to the events of the second season finale “TheJem’Hadar”, and the character of Eris. Finally, the female Changeling, played by Salome Jens, is introduced here. She is a key figure in the Dominion/Odo story and will return many times. Salome Jens will do a remarkable job with this character, and her introduction here is perfect. There is also important details about the Founders that are established here, most notably the creed that no changeling has ever harmed another. We’ll see that idea come back to haunt us at the end of the season.

Continuity – 3 points. I have to give full marks here. Some may have an issue with how the story is resolved, but it works. We are led to believe that the Dominion is making serious inroads into destabilizing the Alpha Quadrant, when in actuality they are simply gaining intelligence on their new foes. This is consistent with how the Dominion does things (universe continuity) and gives us an exciting roller coaster ride without disrupting the story established so far (story continuity). As for character continuity, there is nothing that comes across as going against anyone’s character. Anything odd from Quark and Jake can be explained away with the explanation that it wasn’t really them (although there really wasn’t anything that was off about them in this story). Sisko and his officers are absolutely acting the way we would expect when facing a Dominion take-over. As for Kira and Odo, it makes perfect sense that Kira would be supportive of her friend, while Odo would be at first overjoyed at being reunited with his people, then frustrated that he could not learn the lessons they wanted him to learn with shape-shifting right at the start. When the truth of his people is revealed, Odo stays true to the one principle that has guided him his whole life: justice. He sees the actions of his people for what they truly are, and he wants no part of it.

Character Development – 3 points. There is a fair amount of insight into the Starfleet officers as they react to the Dominion situation that seems to get worse every minute. While Sisko seems to be the main focus of this, we do see it followed up with Dax, Bashir, and O’Brien. They would do whatever it takes to protect the Alpha Quadrant and the Federation, even if it even if it means turning against them. The real character development comes with Odo. For two seasons we have wondered what his origins are, who his people are, and where he came from. We get the answers sure enough, but they instead turn everything on its head. Odo, much like Worf did in TNG, had to choose between his friends and his people. Justice has always been Odo’s guiding light, and he stayed true to it here. Of course, this sets him up for all kinds of trouble in the years to come, but that is the joy of his character.

Social Commentary – 3 points. Unlike the previous episode, this one has a much stronger sense of social commentary. At what point to you turn your back on that which you held dear to do what is right? For Sisko and the others, it became a question as to whether or not they would turn their backs on Starfleet in order to save the Alpha Quadrant. For Odo, it was turning his back on his people. Sometimes the concept of loyalty is expected to overrule one’s sense of integrity, but that is never the right choice. Indeed, sometimes we have to take the more dangerous and difficult path away from those we think we owe our loyalty to and do the right thing. It is hard, but worth it.

Cool Stuff – 2 points. Scoring a point for the whole virtual reality scenario that allowed the writers to really take the gloves off and hit is with a “What the heck is happening?” story. It’s not often that we get to see a beloved recurring character killed, only to find out that it was all in someone’s head. A second point is scored for the twist that reveals that Odo’s people are the Founders and biggest threat to the Federation since the Borg. This changes everything in a big way, especially for Odo.

Rank – Admiral (23 points). What a way to wrap up the season opener. Odo learns that the people he has been looking for are his friend’s greatest threat. We have a wild story of Sisko rebelling against the Federation that turns out to be a big surprise in the end. Overall, an excellent conclusion to a strong season opener.

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If you would like to read an episode review from any of the Trek series, click the following link to get to the series catalog. If the episode you want reviewed has not been done yet, then feel free to request it in the comments and I will see what I can do.

Episode Review - The Search, Part 1 (Deep Space Nine, Season 3)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here

Overview – The crew of DS9 are discussing the threat of the Dominion when a ship decloaks at the station. They are shocked to see that it is commanded by Commander Sisko, and it is a new Federation battleship, the USS Defiant. With the help of a Romulan cloaking device, the Defiant and Sisko’s crew are assigned to make contact with the Founders in an attempt to establish diplomatic relations as well as show the Dominion that they have the ability to defend themselves. With a new Starfleet security chief on the station, Odo is feeling on the outs in his role as head of security on the station, and contemplates resigning. At the request of Kira, he agrees to join the mission. As the crew, with the help of Quark, establish contact with the Karemma, Odo is drawn to a particular region of space on a map, the Omarion Nebula. Dax and O’Brien are captured on a Dominion relay station, and the Defiant continues on its mission. The Defiant comes under attack from Dominion ships, and Odo manages to escape with an unconscious Kira on a shuttle, where he makes his way to the Omarian Nebula, where he makes a startling discovery.

Score: 9/10 – Season 3 sure starts off with a bang in this episode. Many plot points that began in Seasons 1 and 2 are moved ahead here, and there is a lot going on. We get the best action we have seen in a while, and some important elements of DS9’s mythos are established. Most notably we see the USS Defiant, which will become the show’s signature ship. There is great humor and suspense, plus some touching moments. We are given some great character development, especially for fan-favourite Odo. The Dominion is still somewhat of a mystery, and the mystery deepens throughout this episode. Being a two-part episode, we are left on edge with the fate of several characters. What happened to Dax and O’Brien? What is the fate of the Defiant and the crew? And, most importantly, has Odo truly found his people? The only better slot for this episode as a season opener would have been as a season finale.

Relevance – 3 points. There is so much that is relevant in this episode, far more than necessary for the three points given. There is the introduction of the Defiant, which was a much needed ship for the station that was supposed to be the major line of defense for the quadrant. There is also the introduction for future Maquis leader Eddington, starting out as the Starfleet security officer that once again ruffles Odo’s feathers. Sisko shows that his feelings for Bajor have changed, showing us the love that he has for the planet is growing. He is beginning to feel that this is home. We see the follow-up from the episode “Rules of Acquisition” where Quark is sent by the Grand Nagus to establishing trade relations with the Dominion. It is the reason needed to have a place for Quark on the mission. We meet the Karemma for the first time, and we definitely pick up where Season 2 left off. All of this makes the relevance of “The Search” very high.

Continuity – 3 points. Story continuity gets a pass here. They came up with a great explanation about how the Federation was allowed to use a cloaking device in one of their ships. Having the Romulans involved was necessary to get around the treaty between the Romulans and Federation, and having T’Rul on board was a nice feature. Sadly, we do not see this character again (outside of Part II, at least), though it is good that the actress, Martha Hackett, goes on to play Seska in Voyager. Character continuity is also good here. Odo, in particular, is his typical grumpy self when a new security officer from Starfleet is given a larger role is security. His threat of resignation in light of these changes is nothing new. His own frustration is in full force here, with Kira remaining fiercely loyal to him and Sisko being caught in between his respect for the constable and following the wishes of Starfleet. Universe wise, all works here as well.

Character Development – 3 points. Odo surprisingly becomes the central focus of the story, although this is a slow and gradual build. It initially seems that Sisko would receive the bulk of development, and for the first half there is some truth to that. Dax comments that she has never seen Sisko so passionate about anything since the death of his wife, Jennifer. We see that Sisko has come a long way since the first episode, and his growth is refreshing. Odo, however, comes in from the periphery to be given a central focus. His mutual frustration with Starfleet continues to be a thorn in his side, and he again is contemplating resigning. His friendship with Kira is shown again as she goes out of her way to include him. It is when they reach the Gamma Quadrant that Odo’s story starts picking up some steam. When he first sees the Omarian nebula he becomes inexplicably drawn to it. His desire to return home overrules his rational thinking, and the end moments when he is face-to-face with his own people is a large moment for his character.

Social Commentary – 1 point. Odo continues to be the outcast, and at the beginning of this episode he is once again at odds with Starfleet expectations. Those that work with him, especially Commander Sisko, know him, understand him, and value him. It’s the upper bureaucrats that don’t get it, and this causes tension between Sisko and Odo. We ourselves can find that the way we do things seem to work, but others who do not know us may not approve of our actions. This seems to be the theme for Odo in this episode (at the beginning). There is also a theme of the mission that Sisko undertakes: find the Founders, negotiate for peace, and show them that they are not going to be pushed around. The theme is, in essence, “speak softly and carry a big stick”.  Still, the themes within the context of this episode does little to convey any great meaning to the audience, so I really could only score it one point here.

Cool Stuff – 1 point. I have to score a point for the Defiant. When it is in battle we see what this little ship can do. I remember thinking how cool the ship was when it obliterated the first Jem’Hadar vessel. I also like that the Federation now has a cloaking device. While there were many good parts to this episode, there is little else that I can say was really cool.

Rank – Captain (20 points). Season 3 is largely seen as a defining season for DS9, marking a transition from more lacklustre stories (such as the political situation on Bajor) into more tense action with the Dominion. While things really pick up in Season 4, the third season is very important, and the season premier does not disappoint. Both parts of “The Search” are excellent, with Part 1 giving us the Defiant and setting us up for an intriguing part 2.

If you would like to read other reviews from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, please click the following link.

If you would like to read an episode review from any of the Trek series, click the following link to get to the series catalog. If the episode you want reviewed has not been done yet, then feel free to request it in the comments and I will see what I can do.

Episode Review - The Adversary (Deep Space Nine, Season 3)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here

Overview – Newly promoted Captain Sisko takes his crew on a mission to determine if the Tzenkethi, a race that Sisko had fought against in a brutal war, are causing trouble again. As they take the Defiant towards Tzenkethi territory, Chief O’Brien discovers signs of sabotage, and it soon becomes apparent that it is one of the crew. When the saboteur is discovered to be a Changeling, the stakes are raised, and Sisko’s first mission as captain might be his last.

Score: 8/10 – The second season ended with the Dominion making a big entrance. The opener for Season 3 gave us the Defiant and entrenched the Dominion as being the enemy. Throughout the season the Dominion would rear their heads now and then. In an almost perfect season-ender, we see them take their actions to the next level and really give Sisko a run for his money. The pace in this episode is quite good, never giving us much down time, but not rushing things either. We might have been able to build the suspense a little better at the beginning with O’Brien hearing something in engineering, but there was enough guessing that kept us on our toes. I liked how the changeling was discovered about midway through the episode, and then it became about how paranoid the crew became. It showed just how devious they could be. The writers brought in enough characters (Ambassador Krajensky, Eddington, the Bolian security officer) to give us some false leads to follow, and at times the changeling could have been any of them. It made the episode exciting to watch. Most importantly, this episode drives home the idea that the Dominion mean business. They are not here to mess around. A very successful and effective outing to round out a really good season.

Relevance – 3 points. Sisko finally gets the long overdue promotion and becomes a captain. That is worth a point here. This episode also serves as a turning point for the Dominion storyline. While the Dominion have been a problem since the end of season 2, they were mostly just doing some basic meddling, mostly focused on gathering intelligence and trying to get Odo back. There is also the fact that when Odo accidentally kills the other changeling, he sets in motion a series of events that will culminate in the final episode of Season 4. There is also the use of blood tests to determine if someone is a changeling, and naturally the changeling finds a way around it. This is a very important episode for DS9’s overall story.

Continuity – 3 points. Character continuity is very well done here. In addition to how the crew react to a changeling being any one of them, there are a couple finer detail moments in the promotion party at the start of the episode that I would like to point out. First, I thought it was excellent that they had Jake put Sisko’s fourth rank pip on his uniform. I always appreciated how they used Jake sparingly in the show and had him appear in realistic ways and not just be shoe-horned in. This is a good example of that. Second, when they are singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”, watch Odo. He is taken a bit off guard and is looking to others to see what he should do. A perfect response. Story line, everything works well. It is a great mystery story that is told well. Universe continuity is also kept intact here. Once again we are given the “No changeling has ever harmed another” line, and when Odo accidentally kills his kinsman, he is devastated.

Character Development – 3 points. This episode starts as a Sisko tale. We see his promotion (and the last of his full head of hair), learn about his experiences in the Tzenkethi war, and see him being willing to destroy the Defiant to prevent another war. However, halfway through the story, the Changeling is revealed, and in the last several minutes of the episode we see Odo become a key player. As mentioned, the consequences of his actions will severely affect his character, and we see the beginning of it here.

Social Commentary – 2 points. In this episode the crew must think on the fly to find the changeling. This de-evolves into paranoia as suspicion runs rampant with the notion that anyone could be the saboteur. This can be a parallel for ourselves as well. As bad things happen and stress builds, we must work together to be victorious. When we start suspecting each other and distrust is common, success starts to slip away.

Cool Stuff – 2 points. One point for featuring the death of a changeling. Unlike what happened to Odo’s mirror-universe counterpart, here we see the changeling collapse into black powder. I am giving a second point for the effects of the changeling during the chase sequences. They really go a long way to build the story as well as the capabilities of a changeling.

Rank- Admiral (21 points). Since the Dominion is an integral part of DS9’s story, this episode needed to be strong, and strong it is. While it does not reach the level of energy and excitement of future episodes, it takes the right step from what has come before. A well done episode and a worthy end to a worthy season.

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