Broken Link

DVD, DS9 S4 (Broken Link)

First off, let us deal with the one bad point of this episode and gratefully acknowledge those in charge that stopped if from going any further: I refer to the awful character of Chalan Aroya, owner of the Celestial Cafe, untrustworthy Bajoran show-off who was introduced in this episode. I can only praise the powers that were, that her introduction did not lead to a recurring role and indeed this was her only appearance on the series. There was a degree of humour from the scene in which Garak calls Odo to his shop on the pretence of an emergency, but in reality it's to set him up with Aroya. It may have been a conspiracy as she seems unsurprised to meet Odo, her purring kitten-like 'charm' oozing right at him a soon as he's in the room. Did she ask Garak to summon Odo or was this the Cardassian's idea, furthering the seeds of friendship that had built up between them, weirdly after Odo had been tortured by him? It's a charming moment when we see Garak's intent, but crucially all the good in the scene comes between those two, with Aroya just getting in the way. If she was that 'friendly' to Odo I can't help but suspect she's that friendly to every male that crosses her path and he had a fortunate escape. Jill Jacobson had been a 'TNG' episode called 'The Royale.' No offence to her, but that was not a good episode. I almost wonder what happened to her in the hiatus period between seasons, but then I remember I'm simply glad she never showed up ever again!

Odo has been pretty well served this season, he wasn't one of the most featured characters, but neither was he one of the least; a steady presence throughout, unlike some characters who had an uneven contribution - look at Kira, or to an even greater degree, Dax. Even Jake had more to do than her in terms of vocal support in episodes. Quark doesn't feature much in this episode, but his season had ended, in a way, with the previous episode. He still gets a great scene with Odo when he wishes him well in all but the words he says. This time Odo's going to his people and intending to return, but that would not always be the case, so this is like a dress rehearsal for the last episode of the series. Talking of dress, I couldn't help noticing Quark was wearing the drab brown wardrobe he tended to sport back in Season 1, and at first I questioned why, but then I realised all his finery was taken by Brunt, even the shirt off his back, so he must have passed on these old clothes to Rom who has now returned them to him - generosity can be beneficial after all, he's learnt!

This finale isn't the most action-packed of closures for a season, especially when you think back to the space battle at the end of Season 2 in 'The Jem'Hadar' and the changeling to changeling fight of 'The Adversary' at the end of Season 3 (and especially not compared with the huge endings of Season 5, 6 and 7). It's more like the end of Season 1 which went out quietly, though this has a sting in the tale, and Gowron's last words which close out the season are perhaps the most understated of the series considering where they led the seasons to come: "There will be war." No ifs, no buts, no maybes, it's a definite challenge, and though the turn of events couldn't exactly have been predicted it set the bar of expectation high. Season 5 would not disappoint, being the best and most consistently excellent season of any Trek series, or any TV series, ever. But what of Season 4? I don't think it's quite the massive step up from Season 3 that it's commonly thought to be. It benefited from a jazzing up, a brightening, an overhaul so that it was certainly better looking than before, but it didn't quite live up to the immediate promise set up in the fantastic opening episode. 'The Way of The Warrior' and 'The Visitor' were never equalled in the rest of the season and the Klingons didn't become the serial menace that might have been anticipated.

That's not to say the season didn't go well as there were plenty of great episodes and Worf was very well integrated into the cast, so much so that by this final episode he's telling Sisko, Dax and Kira how Odo thinks and what he would and wouldn't like! That's a long way from the Klingon who was uncertain about his place in the Federation and traded harsh words with Odo or messed up his investigations early in the season. They came to understand each other thanks to their similarity, and Worf's knowledge of Odo is like a marker at the end of the season, showing he's as much a part of the series as anyone else in the cast. But where does 'Broken Link' sit in the quality of the series? I would say towards the higher end, along with the last few episodes and much of the first half of the season. It deals with Odo's crime against the Founders and brings us back at the last minute to the Klingon problem, while providing many great character scenes. It may not be an adrenaline rush to watch, but there are still plenty of moments to savour.

Seeing a fleet of Jem'Hadar ships surround the Defiant has to be one of those moments, as does pretty much anything involving Garak. I always forget his fight with Worf, perhaps because I associate it with his time as part of the crew in Season 6, but it was a surprise I was pleased to discover. Worf is almost as taken aback as we are and for a moment there it looks like he, the hardest Trek character ever, could be bested by the enigma that is Garak. You can argue that Worf didn't expect the tailor to be such an expert of hand to hand combat, and that he wasn't expecting an attack (he's probably used to people just doing what he says), but the fact remains that Garak gave as good as he got. His intensity of purpose means he will keep trying even when faced with Mr. Worf when anyone else would say 'fair cop' and leave it at that, but he uses all his powers of persuasion to try to appeal to the warrior in Worf and only when that fails does he resort to desperate physical tactics.

Garak gets some cracking stuff that shows him as both a friend to Odo and valuable in his assistance of keeping the Constable's mind active. We get another confirmation that he was a gardener, though I'm not sure we'd ever heard he was stationed on Romulus before. He goes along on the mission ostensibly to learn of survivors from the Cardassian task force that decimated the Founder's previous homeworld, but in reality it's to learn about the fate of Tain, his mentor. Did he conceive of a plan to take out the Founders before he went aboard? It would be hard to believe the idea hadn't crossed his mind, but no doubt many plots circle that deep and devious mind of his, it's just a question of whether those thoughts solidify. Once the Female Changeling had sentenced his entire race to death he wasn't going to hesitate.

It takes a lot to shock Garak, but when she tells him he and his race are all dead, in an uncharacteristically venomous (though still matter of fact), way, it's like he's been dealt a physical blow and almost staggers back. It takes superhuman effort for him to retake control and smile a poisonously polite smile. The Founders rarely give out their plans, even in a general way so it shows how contemptuous she is of the Cardassians that she takes time out to let him know his people's doom. She always planned to carry it out, even when the events of Season 5 gave the Cardassians a stay of execution, she and the Founders would never forget they'd left their home because of them - notice the Founders never rush things. They kept that hate for the Cardassians all through the series, and their sentence on Odo was a process of long thought and discussion. Equally they didn't send Jem'Hadar pouring through the Wormhole at the first opportunity, but stepped back and let the Alpha Quadrant destabilise itself.

Odo's illness (supposedly passed to him by the Vorta Weyoun, a few episodes ago, but never confirmed), suffers in quite the opposite way to his torture by Garak (or the later virus he'd carry) - in those cases he was dried out and desiccating, whereas this is a more natural disease forcing him to melt, unable to retain his shape. I know Kira was only being a good friend when she gave him the criminal activity report to read, but hadn't she and the others just agreed not to disturb Odo? So she goes right along and visits him! Of course she didn't know he'd be stupid enough to try and take on some criminals. He really should have contacted his deputies, but it's a matter of pride with Odo. At least we had one last chance to see the Boslic Captain, she of the purple hair. No doubt the reason she never came back to DS9 was because she thought she might be held accountable for Odo's 'death' as he melted right in front of her and her crew's eyes, a gooey arm pitifully reaching out.

Once again the Starfleet crew head into the Gamma Quadrant and it's a far cry from the nervousness in Season 3 - they've been happy to go off into that quadrant throughout the season. Maybe it's a case of when you feel pain in another part of your body you forget the pain of your first injury? With Klingons on the rampage (albeit in a polite, political way, as seen in 'Rules of Engagement'), the Dominion seemed a less immediate problem, but even so, other expeditions included planetary surveys and tasks which didn't seem all that essential. This time they've got a good reason to venture into Dominion space: their loyalty to Odo and the knowledge that only his own people can help him. The Female Changeling even admits that Odo's crime may be his people's fault for sending him out as an infant. The psychology of the Founders (all that 'bullied becomes bully,' crossed with a desire to seek out new information by casting out their babies), could fill a volume, but through it all you can tell she cares for Odo. He's one of them, and for the first time, perhaps, he realises that, and that's why he submits to their judgement.

The two most powerful results of that judgement are that he is made human (while retaining his recognisable face - a wise move by the writers because the explanation that it was to remind him of his loss worked 'in world' and the real reason would be that it would change his character too much if he had a new face), the other is that Gowron is revealed to be a changeling, explaining his actions over this season. On the first subject there's no point wondering how shapeshifters could make one of their people human. Magic, who knows? It makes me wonder if Odo's insides are all formed by a changeling spy - even his blood could be a changeling coursing though him, learning everything that happens. That's not the case, but it could have been an option. You never know with these shapeshifters - just look at their planet. The new world is practically all an ocean of goo, with only the odd bit of rock for humanoid visitors to perch on. The Vorta probably visit occasionally for instructions, but you can tell the changelings have become purer, intent on their Great Link. I only hope Sisko and Bashir brought some rations down with them as the 'hearing' may have taken several days. At least they wouldn't need water - a cup of shapeshifter goop is very nutritious, I hear…

They weren't afraid to make major and far-reaching changes to characters and this season was full of just such changes: Worf's brother's mind wiped, Kira pregnant and looking out for Gul Dukat's daughter, O'Brien's family returning, Rom leaving the bar, Quark losing his place in Ferengi society and a host of others. I especially love the way Gowron is 'revealed' as a changeling. On paper it's a bit of a limp way to finish a season, with three people talking abut what the Klingon leader's saying, but the way the camera creeps in to Odo's face, and his voice rises with each sentence, to a crescendo of revelation, then cuts out. Excellent directing, acting and writing, and that about sums up the season as a whole.

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