Visionary

DVD, DS9 S3 (Visionary)

You sometimes get a Romulan episode, and more often a Klingon episode, but rarely a Romulan and Klingon episode. The Klingons only existed as a blind to keep us guessing longer as to the cause of the trouble rather than being proper characters in their own right. The series had occasionally utilised Klingons, but apart from some exceptions hadn't begun the process of integrating them into the fabric of the series. At this point, like most other Trek series' they were merely guest heavies. The Romulans didn't even have that distinction since one of their number didn't show up until this season. To make up for it Season 3 became one of the heavier Romulan seasons and this episode is one of their starring roles. The Romulan Warbird even makes its belated debut on the series. I wonder if the shot on the viewscreen as it swoops to attack is a reuse of 'TNG' stock footage? Ruwon is typical of his people, he's shrewd - he sees through Quark's lies and suspects the Founders of believing Odo was attached to Kira, and retains a Vulcan-like reserve and business-like equanimity at all times. Jack Shearer had been the Bolian Ambassador Vadosia in Season 1 (amid other roles in other Trek) and brought the same brisk, rotund confidence to this character.

The agreement between the Romulans and the Federation, as seen in 'The Search' was a real rarity between the powers (a bit like the Russians and the Allies in World War II) and disappointing that the Romulans decided to break their side of it by attacking the station. Who knows what further cooperation might have occurred. It isn't clear whether this ends the agreement, but the Romulans are hardly in a position to ask for their cloaking device back. It leaves the viewer wondering what will happen between the two powers now as such an attack would be seen as an act of war. Of course it never actually happened (except in the future) so there must be less animosity than otherwise would have been, and the Romulans have been embarrassed rather than wounded.

I wonder if the Tal-Shiar knew about the plot to destroy the Wormhole? They had their own plan to attack the Founders, something that must have been prepared for a good while, which would be thwarted if there was no way to get there. The impact of the Dominion begins to make itself felt in the Alpha Quadrant - Romulans go to the trouble of plotting to destroy the Wormhole just to prevent an incursion. The Founders have already begun to spread discord among the powers of the Alpha Quadrant, fear and distrust being their most powerful weapons. No major disturbance has yet been accomplished but the seeds have been sown and the powers are beginning to turn their attention to the Wormhole in a negative way, reflecting badly on the 'owners' the Federation and Bajor. It may be a Pandora's Box of possibility, but it's also the home of the Prophets and so it's not as simple as destroying it. The poor Romulans must be really confused - how did the Federation work out our plan?

Relations with the Romulans may have taken a knock, but the Klingons probably aren't too happy about the Federation making deals with such an enemy in the first place. This is their reason for being on the station - they're suspicious of anything happening behind their backs or that doesn't include them. The spies were quite intelligent as proved by their transporter know-how (Odo has a convoluted line explaining how he worked this out, similar to one in the previous episode (my contact talked to so-and-so who talked to... etc). They seemed on the surface to be stereotypical of their race, but this appears to be cover for their operation. That's how a Klingon would spy, not making a secret of their presence, but being fully visible and loud. If they were quiet and sneaky then you'd be really suspicious!

Why couldn't anyone catch O'Brien whenever he fell over - he probably sustained more damage impacting the floor than all those radiation doses! Meaney doesn't often do stunts but in this he performs a fall to the floor, seen in one shot, which must be applauded for someone of his girth and age. He has a pretty tough time of it (the old 'torture O'Brien' strand crops up again), dying three times in the episode - was it a case of Spock in 'Star Trek II'? There were rumours that Meaney might be leaving so the writers could have been playing on that. At least something good came of it all - he now has two dressing gowns as he was wearing one when he came from the future! I'm not sure why he didn't know the station was going to explode when he was woken up by himself (must have been dazed) because he'd already experienced a jump beyond that point to the attack so the O'Brien three hours in the future should know about it, shouldn't he? I hate temporal mechanics (actually that's not true, I love 'em!).

They like having doubles. Whether it's Kirk or Picard or Riker or Janeway having two always works well. 'Voyager' later did a similar thing with Harry Kim who also dies then an alternate version appears to take his own place. The best ideas bear repeating - take time travel as an example. Everyone loves it, but it doesn't have to be travel by decades or centuries, there's as much fun and mystery to be had with a few hours or minutes. It can provide views of things we wouldn't normally experience, such as the spectacular station explosion that you wouldn't expect to see except perhaps in the last episode. Somewhere there exists a longer, more elaborate cut of that moment which they should have included on the DVD as an extra (just as in 'Way of The Warrior' there's a cut which has a torpedo snaking through the battle, but we don't get to see it!). One small thing we do see for maybe the only time is a view of the inside of the Runabout pad from the cockpit windows.

The Romulans may have put two and two together, but it only proves uncomfortable for Odo when Kira comes to him outraged at Ruwon's insinuation that she was protected on the Founder's homeworld because he was 'interested' in her and serves to remind us of recent events with the Female Changeling. Only Odo and she know this is true - as early as this there's a secret connection between the two shapeshifters whether the Constable would admit it or not, as she's the only person besides himself (and Lwaxana, who guessed) that knows, giving them a common bond which would be the genesis of much more in the future since his counterpart shows her care for him by not revealing the information to others. On the plus side for Odo his loyalties are firmly underscored again when Sisko and Kira stand up for him to the Romulans.

This is perhaps the episode I've seen the most out of the whole series as it was my first 'DS9' video buy. It doesn't quite maintain the awesomeness I experienced on seeing it the first few times, but remains a clever tale that is one of the better of the season. Plus a Pakled waddles across the screen and the Terellians are spoken about again. You'd think there was some sort of internal consistency to this Star Trek lark wouldn't you!

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