Image In The Sand

DVD, DS9 S7 (Image In The Sand)

This is the perfect example of the kind of juggling act the writers had to perform in the latter seasons of the series. There were so many characters, so many recurring characters and so many plot threads that keeping track of it all, while giving each character something memorable was a work of magnitude! And they take the time to introduce at least one new recurring character in Cretak. Dukat is about the only important character missing, and if a criticism can be levelled, it's at the lack of good villain scenes - there's just enough exposure to touch base with Weyoun and Damar, and then it's mostly on the station's busy life and Sisko's detective work.

It's obviously brilliant to be back at Joseph Sisko's restaurant, as seen in Season Four, and very briefly at the end of last season, but we really get a good view of it. Knowing the story, I kept expecting the Pah-wraith follower to appear at any moment, and the attack is still ruthless and shocking. It injects some physical tension into what had been, up to that point, fairly laidback scenes, although they had a different kind of tension to them. When Sisko shakes his Dad it reminded me of when Joseph refused the blood test in Season Four - Brock Peters could do a great worried look!

There's something timeless about the restaurant and seeing three generations of a family there together is part of the special feeling this episode has. That's helped by the short moment when the new Dax is introduced, although the actual surprise was blown in the title sequence, for the few people that hadn't heard. The joy at having an old friend return, if in different guise, ends the episode and begins the season on a high.

It wasn't perfect however, there are so many plots carrying on that none are really satisfyingly brought to a conclusion. It feels like the opening to last season, where the wares are laid out, but we don't get a proper feel for the shape of things to come. Even so, there are many great scenes, and the dialogue, reintroduction of characters, and fill-in for the time that's passed, is carried off admirably! Vic gets to sing, Worf to emote, O'Brien reminisces about the glory days on the Enterprise, and Barclay's mishaps. Quark lends an unsympathetic ear, Kira is settling into her new rank of Colonel and new position as leader of the station. Religious divide has swept bajor, bringing the Pah-wraith cult to the mainstream, while battle is turning to the Dominion's advantage. And the firstfruits of the Prophets begin to come to light in the wake of a discovery as old as Benjamin Sisko himself.

There is much discussion and little actual plot, and this is not a traditional Trek story, but it brings the elements of DS9 together in the only way possible in a forty-five minute segment, and definitely leaves you wanting more! Immediately!

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