Wanderlust

4.4 — “Hippocratic Oath”

4.4 — “Hippocratic Oath”

Plot: O’Brien and Bashir crash land on a planet in the Gamma Quadrant and are captured by a rogue band of Jem’Hadar attempting to free themselves of addiction to ketracel-white. Meanwhile, Worf butts heads on DS9 with the Constable over the proper handling of security concerns.

Thoughts: This is a good one! Bashir and O’Brien have legitimately different perspectives about their captivity, honestly come by, although I think Bashir could have explained to O’Brien the strategic value to the war effort that could be obtained by disrupting the Vorta’s control mechanism over the Jem’Hadar. If I were in Bashir’s place, I would not take it well if O’Brien disobeyed my orders the way he does, by destroying Bashir’s work with a phaser.

An essential part of the story, however, is how Bashir has to move forward and through his conflict with O’Brien, without falling into the trap of righteous absolutism. This conflict is reflected in Worf’s struggle to assimilate to the gray areas of DS9, and the Jem’Hadar captain’s constant struggle against the paradigm of his people and expectations of his soldiers. This is DS9, on the frontier. People with different opinions, who make mistakes, need to learn to work together and respect each other. These are good things to think about. I think Bashir handled it pretty well, and that I might not have.

Goran’Agar, the lead Jem’Hadar, is played by Scott MacDonald, the same actor who played Tosk in DS9 1.5, “Captive Pursuit.” I thought he seemed familiar!

With Worf and O’Brien, we now have two prominent characters who are absentee fathers. Would it be so bad to include Keiko in the show more often? I sometimes think they mention her every so often only to remind us that she and O’Brien still fight constantly. Maybe they should mention Molly as well? I look forward to their next visit.

3.5 out of 5 sly transporter tricks.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath_(episode)

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4 responses to “4.4 — “Hippocratic Oath””

  1. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Yes… I know people who would take O’Brien’s stance, but to me Bashir is so very obviously correct and O’Brien is so very obviously wrong. If there is a decent chance Bashir could accomplish the research in time, it’s worth risking his life over. As you point out, it could permanently change the balance of power in the Quadrant, in addition to being an act of incredible healing power for an entire race.

    I looked up the Hippocratic Oath in order to decide if I think it’s actually a good title for this episode. I know that as an MD I should know what it is but I don’t! I had no idea that it had an anti-abortion clause… so interesting. I thought it said “first do no harm” but apparently that is not in it either.

    Anyway, I do think this is a fantastic and incredibly sad episode, but Bashir could have done a way better job of explaining to O’Brien the ridiculous double standard he is following and the harm his attitude can potentially cause. A commander needs to die with his men but a doctor can’t risk death in order to potentially save an entire race from slavery? I understand wanting to save your friend, but soldiers have to follow orders at the expense of their own lives sometimes when they are in war zones, and their friends’ lives too. I don’t like how the ending privileges O’Brien’s viewpoint.

    When O’Brien offers that Bashir can have him court martialled, I think Bashir could ask O’Brien why he thinks Bashir was so dead set on staying on and what he thinks the potential positive outcome could have been if the research was a success. Of all the problems with what O’Brien did, not following orders from a superior officer was the least of them.

    Does Dr. Bashir have a child??? I must have forgotten that?

    Why would Bashir not ask for a blood sample before Goran’Agar leaves on the suicide mission? He can work on it later and maybe find some way to deliver the cure if he finds it. I’d love to see this thread continue through the series. Of the Jem’Hadar’s behavior, how much is choice and how much is addiction? An interesting question that our current society wrestles with.

    Great episode… lots to think about.

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  2. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    The absentee fathers are Worf and O’Brien. I was thinking of that because they cut away from Worf right to the scene about O’Brien moving a workshop into their bedroom.

    Sometimes a workshop is just a workshop, but, idk, that seems pretty passive aggressive to me.

    Very good points about how Bashir could have handled this situation differently, especially afterwards when the pressure was lifted. It does seem that if Bashir was so close to a breakthrough, he could continue those researches on the station. Surely they still have some Jem’Hadar blood on file? Although maybe he would need to know what was different about Goran’Agar.

    I agree the Hippocratic Oath is super interesting! There must have been elective classes to explore the history….?

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  3. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Oh, got it!

    We also have Sisko, so not all fathers are absentee at least. Rom too.

    I guess, re: the workshop, I would just be grateful no velvet sheets or mirrored ceiling, myself. I tend to like Bashir’s explanation also.

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  4. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Yes, I think Goran’Agar’s blood would probably be necessary. Bashir could have tried harder to salvage the research.

    I don’t think med school offered such classes. I would have loved a class on the history of medicine though. Lots of weirdness there… like the 19th century when mds treated hysteria with orgasms so vibrators were advertised in medical magazines. I wonder what we are doing today that will look weird 100 years from now.

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