4.6 — “Rejoined”
Plot: A scientific delegation from Trill reunites Jadzia Dax with Lenara Khan, the current host of a Trill who was the Dax symbiont’s wife years ago, when they were Torias Dax and Nilani Khan.The reunion is emotional for both parties, but Trill custom forbids reassociation between former lovers after the symbionts have been rehosted, on pain of exile and eventual death of the symbiont for lack of a new host.
Thoughts: Ah! This is a famous episode. Best of all, it’s a joy. What a great guest star! Susanna Thompson, who plays Khan, had previous guest roles in two of my favorite TNG episodes, 5.24 “The Next Phase” and 6.21 “Frame of Mind.” She will return later in the recurring role of the Borg Queen in future episodes of Voyager. She acts the stuffing out of this part, bringing more heat to her character’s relationship with Jadzia than I can remember seeing in any episodes since TOS.
The Trill ban on reassociation feels like a real science fiction concept that Kira and Bashir can have passionate disagreements about and both be right from their points of view. It provides fuel for Sisko and Jadzia to have an epic disagreement, and create an indelible moment in the friendship of these characters. I get the need for this ban, and I understand the unfair sacrifice required.
Although it’s a great scene, it’s funny listening to Sisko warn Dax about the perils of breaking rules. Like he’s ever followed any.
Wikipedia is useful for so many things. It tells me that “Rejoined” contains the fifth lesbian kiss in network television history, broadcast in October 1995. The first was seen in February 1991 during an episode of L.A. Law. You might argue this is not really a lesbian scene, since the characters’ prior relationship was heterosexual. Which raises the question, are the symbiotes non-binary?
It’s lovely that they treat Dax and Khan’s love as a normal attraction (apart from the violoation of the norm against reassociation), with dignity and without overt comment on gender. Star Trek in this era did not in other instances cover itself in glory in its treatment of homosexuality. The first same-sex male kiss in Star Trek would come 22 years later, in Discovery.*
4.5 out of 5 artificial wormholes.
*Reportedly a same-sex kiss was filmed between John Cho’s Sulu and the character’s husband in Star Trek Beyond (2016), but was cut from the finished film. Beyond depicts Sulu briefly reuniting with his husband and family in a starport, but without the public intimacy.
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