4.1&2 — “The Way of the Warrior”

4.1&2 — “The Way of the Warrior”

Plot: As DS9 prepares to detect and repel potential infiltration by Changelings, the senior staff are surprised by the arrival of a fleet of Klingon warships, ordered by Chancellor Gowron to protect the sector from invasion by the Dominion. When Sisko develops reasons to suspect that Gowron has a hidden motive, he calls in help from the Federation… in the form of Lieutenant Commander Worf.

Thoughts: When Trek is at its best, it’s because of the writing, not the spectacle and special effects. Yet isn’t it stirring to see all those Klingon warships coming out of cloak together, and then engaging in pitched battle at the end of the episode? This spectacle, advanced for television in 1995, is I suppose quaint by the standards of modern special effects, yet in context I still find it amazing, thinking about how far things have advanced since the 1960s.

And yes, there is some good writing too! Take Quark and Garak’s exchange at the bar that starts as a disquisition about war, moves to Quark’s choice of becoming a publican instead of an arms dealer, and settles on root beer and what its cloying sweetness says about soul of the Federation. This is the moment (reportedly added for time) that sells the episode for me. Does Quark really regret not being an arms dealer? Should we regard his choice of profession as a sign of character? Is there so little money in running Quark’s? The grass is always greener (the profit is always larger?) with the Ferengi.

Hello, Mr. Worf! I don’t know if we need him on DS9, but here he his, and I hope he fits in. Michael Dorn looks like he hasn’t fully relaxed into the idea himself. I wonder if the talk about wanting to retire from Starfleet and having two minds about getting pulled back in has a double meaning reflecting ambivalence on the part of the actor?

He has a great voice, though, doesn’t he? I enjoy the many callbacks to franchise continuity: the destruction of the Enterprise 1701-D in Generations, the mentions of Picard and Alexander (back with his human grandparents!), and all the previous Klingon stories.

For a double-length episode, though, it’s a lot of action, action, action over story. Attack on DS9! Repel boarders! For a big space battle, there’s a lot of punching. Granted, that’s probably safer than firing energy weapons inside a spacecraft, but they don’t talk about it, and it makes the space battle look like a saloon fight.

The paranoia over shapeshifter infiltration introduced in last season’s finale is still paying off. Is Cassidy Yates a Changeling? I’m suspicious, they know I’m suspicious, and we may have to wait a long time to find out one way or another.

Gowron still has crazy eyes. You crazy-eyed man!

So… 4 out of 5 (I guess? Or three and a half?) Klingon armadas.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Way_of_the_Warrior