'Til Death Do Us Part

DVD, DS9 S7 ('Til Death Do Us Part)

To be honest, aside from the Winn/Dukat plot, nothing has changed since the last episode. Sisko and Kasidy wanted to get married, the Prophets opposed it. Worf and Ezri were held prisoner by the Breen. Dukat has a harebrained scheme. Damar regrets his position. And now? Sisko and Kasidy get married. The Prophets oppose it. Worf and Ezri are still held captive by the Breen. Dukat begins his dastardly plan. Damar still regrets his position. The ins and outs are still entertaining, but already there's a sense that the multiple threads are bogging down the narrative a little. This happened in some of the six-parter, it's an inevitable trade-off for the larger canvas a multi-parter allows.

Even so, there are lots of little things we learn: Danielle is Kasidy's middle name, Adami is Winn's first. Quark mention the Terellians (one of the many TNG 'T' aliens). We already guess the Breen are in alliance with the Dominion, and the Founders are ill, but the shadows of intrigue become more defined. It's not explained why the Breen joining the enemy's side should be such a turning point as Weyoun seems to think, as the Breen have hardly been mentioned - I did like the speculations on Breen physiology by Ezri. Furry, hmm...

I like less the soap aspects - Ezri and Worf, getting a bit uptight with each other over dreams (but I loved the shaky camera work as the Breen enter the cell), the wedding was very nice, and a complete surprise after the intimation there would be an all-singing Bajoran wedding, but as Kira sees, Sisko has chosen to oppose the Prophets will on this one point, and nothing good can come of it. Odo seems incredibly insensitive when he jokingly hopes the Prophets will forgive Sisko  because he didn't go for a Bajoran wedding. Perhaps he's become too casual with the Colonel, and forgets how important her faith is to her. I'm sure in the past he would never have dared say such a thing!

Sisko's decision seems a bit odd. After the events of the last time he went against the Prophets directives, Jadzia died, the Wormhole collapsed, and he went into depression. You'd think he'd have learned to trust the Prophets after all that! But then where would the story be, where would the conflict be? I can tell where Kasidy would be: gone for good. If he wanted her to stay he had to make that choice, I get that. Dukat's blinding of Winn (metaphorically speaking) seems far too easy, and she seems incredibly gullible. Did she not think to check up on this guy's story? Check the farm out, prove his existence. Again, there's a fair explanation - she believes she's been spoken to by the Prophets at last, and it's this that makes her want to believe everything the slimy, self-deprecating Bajoran farmer she sees before her, says.

I like Solbor's automatic scepticism and obvious disdain for Dukat's guise. He reminds me of an old-fashioned butler, stiffly going about his duties, despite personal reservations. A shame he hadn't been introduced as a recurring character in previous seasons. I did wonder what Ross' berth is. Does he operate out of DS9 or have a ship. If he's on DS9 when Sisko organises a spur of the moment ceremony for the Admiral to officiate at, then he must be close by. If he works at the station why doesn't Sisko give up the commanding officer's office? Whether all parts of the tale are pleasing or not, the end rumbles closer and the characters continue on to their fates.

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