Tears of The Prophets

DVD, DS9 S6 (Tears of The Prophets) (2)

A season finale on 'DS9' could either be a big thematic cliffhanger, or an ending sowing the seeds for the birth of a new beginning, and it would either be a massive explosion of drama and action, or a more characterful exploration - if you think back to Season 1, it had a finality to it (perhaps in case of non-renewal of the series, so that a certain degree of completeness would have existed), that also promised a new cooperation between the Bajoran forces and Starfleet, most powerfully displayed in their representatives, Kira and Sisko. Season 2 went for all-out bombast with the new threat of the Dominion played out in full, again promising new challenges. Season 3 kept things tighter, but had far-reaching consequences, with Odo's loyalty put into action, then Season 4 continued that strain with him brought to trial by his people. Season 5 had the best, relinquishing the station to enemy forces with the promise of a return. And now we come to Season 6's conclusion and there are parallels with all those that came before: the characters are left in doubt and uncertainty over the future, and most potently, Sisko is forced to abandon his station, only this time he doesn't make that promise to return, symbolised by the absence of the all-important baseball, the series entering a kind of limbo, mirroring the Prophets' own enforced isolation with the implosion of the Wormhole. It's not as epic an ending as some previous finales, with a low-key conclusion (what other series would dare to finish a season with their main character scrubbing spuds in a back alley!), but it packs a lot in, and neither does it shy away from action.

The biggest event has to be the untimely death of our dear Dax, cut down in her prime, only three hundred year's young by a Pah-Wraith-possessed Dukat. Actually the three-hundred-year old part of her survives thanks to the skill of Dr. Bashir (and the necessity for the writers to leave a remnant of the character alive), but that young woman that came to the station to revive an old friendship with the symbiont's former pupil, Ben Sisko, was gone forever, never to return, not even in flashback, one of very few omissions from the series finale at the end of Season 7. What would have happened to Jadzia Dax had she survived the wishes of Terry Farrell who played her, and gone on to star until the end of the series? It wasn't Farrell's desire to see her die, it was just one of those things, the best way they could think of to wrench her from the series she was so firmly embedded into, but die she did. Had she finished the series would we have seen her aboard the Enterprise-E in 'Star Trek Nemesis,' or would she merely have been granted a passing mention? Seeing how much of Worf's past life on DS9 was completely ignored in that film, I wouldn't hazard a guess at the likelihood of her involvement, but if she had it would have been, as the Klingons like to say, glorious!

It was a sad event, but it continued the tradition all the Trek casts had, that at least one among their number would either die, or leave for other reasons. If there was one character I would have chosen to fill this quota that the universe seemingly demanded, it wouldn't have been Dax. I don't know who I could have borne a parting from, as every character was so integral to the series. I suppose Jake would have been the only other main cast member whose death would have caused as big an impact on Sisko, and who could have been lost without harming the overall story, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone. If it had been Jake I can't see Sisko travelling home to Joseph Sisko's restaurant like a young adult returning to the comfort and familiarity of home after a major setback in life, mainly because Joseph wouldn't have been so supportive. At least he has his son and Father to fall back on. Dax' death was in a similar vein to Tasha Yar's on 'TNG' in that it was an unnecessary, short, and brutal fate: killed out of malice by a malevolent entity. It may have been small comfort to Jadzia that Dukat never wished this heinous act upon her, but I think it was a little crumb for viewers. Dukat's always been played as a crooked villain - how can a villain not be crooked, I know, but what I mean is he was twisted around in his own mind with a fascinating and believable rationalisation of his own past and current actions, tempered only by his soldier's code and desires. He was crooked in a sense that he was bent out of shape, not having the standard template of many villainous people, but wanting above power to have it and be loved and adored for it.

It's astonishing to see such a man exist within his own robust fantasy world, and carry it around everywhere with him, but that was all, sadly, stripped away when he went mad. It could be argued that he was always mad, but losing his daughter, the station and seeing all his grand plans crumble before him removed the barriers in his mind where that madness swirled and trickled around, infusing that mind, and taking over. He became a lot less interesting as a result, not to Marc Alaimo's detriment. The fact that he expressed regret at Dax having been killed at his hand while under the evil influence of the Pah-Wraith softens his own evil, or perhaps it's a glimpse of the old Dukat who would kill with one hand and eulogise the loss with the other - he always would do what was necessary in his eyes to get what he wanted (much like Kai Winn, a parallel that would come to the fore in Season 7), and could blind himself with his own perceived generosity and magnanimity. The madness he now exhibits is more alarming than the truthful rage he showed in 'Waltz,' because he's returned to something of the calmness of his devious, self-deluded persona, the clarity of vision all too real for him: destroy Sisko. Did he truly have no control over the inhabitant of his body? He chose to let it in, but also you hear him speak, if distantly and mechanically, so it's uncertain whether he truly had control of himself or was a completely willing vessel, his hatred a vehicle for action for the ever ready mischief of the Pah-Wraiths. But it does at least stop us from hating him for killing off one of our beloved characters, even if his own madness wasn't an excuse - he should be locked up, for his own safety as much as anyone else's.

It is sad that Dukat became a much more two-dimensional enemy for the series, having been so complex throughout, but it was a precursor to the through-line of the main arc: that of Sisko's relationship to the Prophets. It became simple, as the fight between ultimate Good and ultimate Evil is: Good must triumph, will triumph inevitably, but Evil has its time of freedom and will do as much as it can regardless of the futility. The Prophets and Pah-Wraiths were destined to battle, (or had been destined, or would be), the Prophets at least living outside of time, and seeing all at once, yet also able to plan, as seen in Sisko's life. This episode marks an interesting microcosm of the series as a whole in Weyoun and Damar's interactions with Dukat. They, or at least Weyoun, scorn Dukat's petty motive of revenge against one man while war rages against them all across the quadrant. It seems so insignificant, and the Dominion takes a decided bashing thanks to the religiously minded Dukat's meddling, even though he's pleased with the result. It doesn't seem as if much damage has been done against the forces of Good, but for the Prophets and Bajor it has. It appears that even giving this madman a hearing and allowing him to come and go as he please instead of locking him up, has caused the greatest calamity to the Dominion's future in the Alpha Quadrant, yet his actions are actually at the heart of the series' story: he's right that focusing on Sisko and the Prophets is the key to victory, but not the passing empire of the Dominion or the young upstart of the Federation - in a wholly ancient feud of non-corporeal beings. Dukat's thrown himself into a power struggle that has nothing to do with territory or subjugation, but annihilation, and it took an insane man to do it.

He's no fool, either, keeping well away from Weyoun's wrath after the Wormhole's collapsed, when the other times he personally visited, this time communicating via viewscreen! I liked that Damar was willing to hear out his former mentor when he first appeared, and it's good that we got to see the first meeting of these three since the evacuation of the station (though both of them had been on Dukat's mind ever since, and we'd seen various false versions of them throughout the season). Damar had already succeeded his master, taking on the prestige and responsibility of being Cardassia's leader, and he was about to succeed Dukat in becoming a more interesting character, too, the prestige fading and the responsibility growing and weighing heavily while Dukat played his silly cult games, fooling around with powerful forces - like the Nazi's in World War 2 delving into occult practices, he jumps into the tapping of some otherworldly source. A telling exchange comes between Weyoun and Damar when the former ridicules all this Bajoran superstitious nonsense, and the latter points to the Vorta's own belief in the Founders' godhood - that's different, Weyoun hotly contests! Dukat's descent was important thematically for the series, only this completely irrational being could task Sisko to destruction in the same manner that Khan was Kirk's nemesis, a personal, vengeful, evil, all-engulfing hatred that had grown from respect and perhaps even a degree of idle admiration. Sisko's biggest crime was never respecting Dukat in return, and now the Cardassian completely blames Sisko for his daughter's death, even though Damar did the deed, Sisko having 'forced his hand' in Dukat's eyes.

A mood of seriousness pervades the episode, many scenes in rooms of atmospherically low lighting, whether at Weyoun's headquarters, and the blackness that surrounds Dukat, or the Ward Room filled with opposing allies, and even the Defiant with it's warning lights up and the impression of submariner warfare as they head for battle. Jake's determined to go, but Sisko feels strongly he shouldn't, and ever since his vision of the Prophets telling him he is 'of Bajor' and must not 'leave the path,' it's given him concern. But Admiral Ross, a rational man whom he respects has finally given him an ultimatum: either be a Starfleet officer or the Bajoran Emissary, not both! It's a conflict that's always been there, though Starfleet were careful not to offend the Bajorans, always hoping they'd take their rightful place as part of the Federation, but this is war, and Ross is a practical man who wants Ben to focus wholly on the task at hand - it was his own recommendation to strike, after all, and it's brought the Romulans a little further into the fold, despite the ritual sneering and rivalry between them and the Klingons that must be endured before the serious business of actual cooperation can occur. Of course Martok's just the man to be riled up by the precise, thrusting insults of the Romulan, Letant, quite apart from the fact his proud warrior's heart sees no need for Romulan assistance, he's optimistic, prophesying Sisko, Ross and he will stand victorious on Cardassian soil by this time next year. But also, he and his forces would welcome death in glorious failed battle, whereas Starfleet are more realistic, there to fight for freedom, not hope for destruction, however grand the gesture.

Corralling these three styles and world-views, Sisko has to keep it all together, and that's not easy when he has his own doubts to contend with. It's fortunate that his right hand woman, Kira, was there to take the reins when he's struck down by a loss of 'the Force' after the Wormhole collapses and all connection with the Prophets evaporates - she jumps up and takes command, reassuring Sisko that the job will be done. Usually it would be Worf who took the position, but Kira's in a particularly spiky mood this episode, perhaps feeling responsible now that her Emissary stands bewildered and lost. Earlier we see an argument between her and Odo over station regulations, forcing the Constable to confront the idea that he may have to bend the rules now and again, now that he's let this new force into his personal life, and things have suddenly become murky and uncertain, even if they might be more exciting. His sense of order was going to suffer, but he's always believed more in justice than rules, although I was with him on this one, and as First Officer of the station, Kira should have been careful to uphold the station's rules to the letter - perhaps she was particularly angry because she gave the Vedek permission to fundraise without a licence, or forgot about the details, or maybe she just got out of bed on the wrong side? Whatever the reason, she's the one in charge and should remain detached from personal concerns. Everyone seems to come round to her way of thinking eventually: Sisko accepted himself as the Emissary, now Odo and the rulebook, and even Dax begins to have belief in the Prophets.

It's a slim belief borne out of good news - easy to have faith when things are positive for you (Kira could teach her a thing or two about belief during adversity!), and it is a little flippant, but she does genuinely seem thankful and starts to admit there might be something in this after all. In that respect she'd come full circle from the pilot episode when her connection to the Bajoran Orbs (the titular tears), was purely scientific and academic, testing, examining, impressed by the strangeness that occurred in the Wormhole, but always detached and cool. Now she's exuberant, overflowing with happiness and gratitude at the chance to have a baby with Worf. I'm glad that they gave her a death scene with Worf, and then Sisko with the coffin, she wasn't just blown away like Tasha with no thought for the future (although even Yar had that lovely memorial service). Worf's howl for the dead goes all the way back to the first season of 'TNG' when we first learned about it. His grief is almost intruded upon by Sisko, I felt, who was equally as close to Jadzia, but who can only reach a hand through that barrier to touch her cheek. There's a great parallel to be had between the two men, Sisko talking of how he failed as the Emissary and failed as a Starfleet officer (he didn't really, the mission was a success, but I suppose it's the guilt of Dax' death that he's referring to), and in 'Time's Orphan' Worf felt he had failed himself, Dax, and the O'Brien's when Kirayoshi bumped his head. The two events are poles apart in terms of importance, but it shows how seriously they both take their own actions.

Maybe Sisko should have stood up to Ross and told him he'd stay. Maybe if Kai Winn hadn't stopped the events of 'The Reckoning' from taking place the Pah-Wraiths would all have been destroyed… Maybe Jake would have been the one who died? Maybe Sisko would have been booted out of Starfleet? So many maybes, but bad things always happen, as well as good, and there's no point second-guessing everything hoping for the perfect outcome (or you'd become like Annorax in 'Year of Hell'). I don't think Sisko would have been dropped from the service, he was too important to plans in that sector, to the Bajorans, and a combat officer of great experience, but certainly any standing he had with Ross and Starfleet would have expired. They never like Captains to be too independent, they want the chain of command to be respected, but at the same time Sisko was almost indispensable. Perhaps he would have been ordered to take a leave of absence as he does at the end of the episode, anyway? It's almost cruel the way Sisko's built up at the beginning of the episode, little children inspired by him, Starfleet honouring him (with a nice touch to refer back to the very beginning of Trek history by awarding him the Christopher Pike Medal of Valour), and his advice taken for a major strike on Dominion territory. Then it's all stripped away, left desolate and uncertain, the rug pulled from under him.

At least he had good taste in ships, and wise, too - I've noticed that the best ship to take into these huge melee combat scenarios is a small one, and the Defiant is a tough little ship. The bigger vessels got the pounding and drew the Jem'Hadar kamikaze runs, and the bigger the surface area, the more damage you're going to sustain from all the flying torpedoes and phaser bursts, so take the smallest, most robust ship you can! As ever, the fleet battles were highly impressive, though not as much as the attacks on the station had been or when fleets met fleets, but good to have a different slant with mobile weapons platforms the main adversary. Chief O'Brien once again shows that brain masters brawn, and the quality of a Starfleet Engineer's mind with his ingenious solution to imprint a Federation signature onto the power source for the platforms, thus forcing them to fire on their own engine, as it were. And wireless power, that's the system of the future! It's always powerful to see Romulan Warbirds decloaking as allies and all pulling together to take out Dominion forces, it never wears off to see these powerful former foes, often at odds with each other, banding together in common purpose - I'd love to see a series based around that premise of a Klingon, Federation and Romulan alliance. It was also fun to see what almost looked like the Enterprise NX-01 in battle, though it was actually the Akira-class of vessel first seen in 'Star Trek: First Contact,' and upon which the NX-01 was based (or the other way around in in-universe terms!).

The B-story of the episode would have to be about Dax' potential for having a baby. I thought she was actually pregnant which made her death even more bitter, but it was clearly still being worked out, Julian having a hand in it, which I'm sure pleased him, even though he and Quark had reverted one last time to their early series personas, mourning the loss of Dax to marriage, even though it was long past, and setting them up to mourn her for real. It's fun to see Bashir and Quark paired up for scenes, both in the same boat in their resignation at Dax' unavailability, giving the episode an excuse to bring Vic Fontaine back for a song. As I said, there's a lot packed in, but it never takes away from the thrust of the story, although the observance of the Gratitude Festival (first seen in 'Fascination' back in Season 3, now with less Lwaxana Troi!), was almost an afterthought, just one more string in Sisko's bow in his rise to one of the greatest days of his life. As well as reminding us of the way things used to be through Bashir and Quark's eyes, we also go back and close the circle on the beginning of the season, as once again we have most of the crew off on a ship together, joined by Nog (taking Dax' usual position at conn), and Garak, all on a mission against the Dominion, nicely dovetailing the beginning and end of one of the best Trek seasons ever. Nog and Garak were only there for the sake of being there, not with strong narrative purpose or great dialogue, but I was glad they were, and it was better than the alternative of their absence.

Should Dax have gone out in a blaze of glory? I don't know, I think it would have been grand for her to deal in great personal sacrifice, instead of underestimating the threat Dukat posed and unwisely drawing a phaser as she stepped forward, but she wasn't to know his dark plans. I can imagine her going out on a ship, stopping the Defiant from being destroyed somehow, or saving Worf personally, but it might have been difficult to have the final tender scene of her ebbing life. It reminds me a little of Kirk's death, which so many derided for being meaningless, but I found a lot of meaning in it, and felt it was just the right pitch for such a legend. Dax wasn't as much a legend, and I could have done with a slightly more meaningful death for her, but then again, if that had happened Worf wouldn't have had to carry out a daring accomplishment in order to get her to Sto-Vo-Kor, so even as things played out they were able to mine new ground. The saddest moment for me is actually when she sees Worf off on the Defiant, knowing this is the last moment of happiness between the pair, and when she speaks to each of her friends, and you know it's the last time. Dax was a great character, though oddly for 'DS9' perhaps one that could still have done with more development, to have learned more about her past hosts and Trill as a species. But other things, like the war, took over, and I could see why Farrell might be dissatisfied. It wasn't anywhere near the level of 'Enterprise' where characters were all but relegated to background roles, but because this series was so strong in character it can feel as if she wasn't used to full potential.

I was puzzled exactly why the Dominion had never managed to get reinforcements through the Wormhole up to this point, as the minefield was destroyed, which was why Sisko relied on the Prophets to vanish away the approaching fleet in 'Sacrifice of Angels.' Maybe the Dominion was frightened to risk travel through there after that, or Starfleet had bulked up its defences in the region? I also wondered how Dukat knew where the idol was that would contain a Pah-Wraith. He said he'd read up on Bajoran religion, and it was an object confiscated during the Occupation, but I felt more detail was necessary. It was also strange to me that one of the Starfleet officers in the background during the Ward Room talks was wearing an old 'TNG' uniform! Had he just returned from a years-long mission and hadn't had time to change into the new style, or was it that he was a celebrated officer and had been given special dispensation to wear it? I'm sure it had nothing to do with budgeting for background extras… Once again we see the limitations of the (notwithstanding), excellent makeup, as the inside of Dukat's mouth is clearly pink, not grey - we get a good look in his kanar-hole when the Pah-Wraith exits his body!

I have to say that Season 6 on the whole continued to improve the series, and probably was the peak season, for as much as I enjoy the seventh, it doesn't quite come up to this or Season 5's level. Six has all the characters, some incredible continuation of themes and story arcs, adding new characters to the growing roster and checking in with almost all that we'd seen before. The darker uniforms, an addition from the previous season fit the style of this war and mood, and every character have meaningful contributions. But I did see patterns and suggestive moments that point to the wrapping up of the series and how and where people would end up, the narrative inclining ever more strongly to what had been only touched upon in the preceding years. I'm just so glad we got to see these things play out over another season, and that the series was afforded the right amount of time to wrap itself up.

****