Armageddon Game

DVD, DS9 S2 (Armageddon Game)

This holds a special place in my warp core, for it was the first exposure I had to Deep Space Nine, back at the end of my first year at secondary school, in one of the last lessons of the school year. Watching it now I can see what attracted my younger self to this variation on the already familiar 'Star Trek': the bright colours of the Harvesters and the alien control panels, the exciting storyline, with twists and turns, aliens that seemed alien, with fantastic hair, coupled with characters that seemed to care, and importantly, cool space ships! It's interesting that my first view of the station was in the credits as the teaser is entirely set away from DS9.

Now, fifteen years later I see even more in the episode, with the characters well-known to me, their unfolding sagas enriching and enriched by episodes such as this. Often we don't see windows, because of the extra cost of having to put in opticals, but here they have a great view of the planet, and the early excitement of the attack, reminding us that O'Brien used to be a soldier. His comment early on that "another day won't kill me" when he's ordered to stay for the celebration, makes us wonder if they would actually kill a main character. It's happened before, after all. All the way through you're seeing this irascible Irishman slowly dying, with the chattering Bashir his only comfort. Could this be called the first of the 'torture O'Brien' episodes? Probably not, and in any case you'd have to count last season's 'The Storyteller' if this was eligible. The next episode is most likely to garner that award. But it does play an important role in the unfolding of Bashir and O'Brien as two characters that were like chalk and cheese at first.

The Chief, in particular, has come a long way from being a man that could barely stand to be in the same room as the idealistic, over-eager doctor, but he's learned to tolerate him, and even, perhaps, to like him, if only a little. I love the fact that Bashir answers O'Brien's comment that it was an honour serving with him, as they're about to die, with a simple thanks you, and that it's only after the danger has passed that he takes the time to return the compliment. This wittily laughs a bit at the Chief's traditional way of accepting death, that he would only say such a thing at that point, embarrassing him in front of Keiko, but at the same time shows how much Bashir really means it. He's not under duress, and he takes pleasure from giving it.

The episode works so well because of the characterisations, and the way they are allowed time. It could easily have concentrated on the two Starfleet officers jeopardy, and the alien's attempt to find them, without returning to the station, but we actually get to see what the deaths of two close officers would have on their crewmates. Sisko shows a great burden on him, as soon as he hears the news of their apparent death, knowing he'll have to tell Keiko. Dax heroically offers to come with him, showing their great friendship. Kira is angry at those who didn't prevent the accident, even Quark toasts them! If it's true what Bashir says about a bond forming between two who've faced death together, it must work even more for those that face grief together, and is a catalyst in the closeness of the DS9 crew.

In other news: the good old Ganges, one of the original three Runabouts, saves the lives of her crew by becoming a decoy in a fine twist at the end, and for once the aliens are the ones to be left wondering. Alien hairstyles that are too wacky can be annoying, I cite the Skreeans of 'Sanctuary', but these two aliens, so different in appearance, are great. The T'Lani wear more shapely, earthier coloured garb, with curly, but severe hair shapes, and seem younger, some even elf-like. The Kelleruns have smarter, more military uniforms and hairdos, with Sharat a craggy older man. The contrast is strong, and assists in keeping the truth of the attack from becoming obvious.

This episode proves that some episodes can work equally well in different ways, whether you watch an episode with no knowledge of the ongoing series, or with the basckstory at the front of your mind, something that some of these early stories have done very well at. My History and Geography teacher chose the right one to show us. So if you're out there Mrs. Wallace, thanks a lot!

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