4.22–”For the Cause”
Plot: Sisko is taken aback when evidence emerges that Kasidy Yates may be breaking Federation law by smuggling for the Maquis. Meanwhile, Garak becomes acquainted with Ziyal, Dukat’s half-Bajoran daughter, fearing that she may want to revenge herself against him for his role in capturing and killing her grandfather.
Thoughts: This is an episode to pick up old plot strands. We catch up with Cassidy Yates, last seen moving in to DS9 in episode 4.5, “Indiscretion,” which was coincidentally(?) the same episode that introduced Gul Dukat’s daughter Toral Ziyal to the series, who was last seen moving in to the station in episode 4.14, “Return to Grace.” And we learn interesting things about the recurring character Commander Eddington, who last seen in episode 4.10, “Our Man Bashir.” Fear not, the spoilerific Memory Alpha assures me that all three of these characters will return in future episodes (not necessarily together).
Am I the only one who thinks Kasidy (Penny Johnson) is miscast as a pirate queen? She seems more boardroom executive than smuggler captain. Maybe I am used to see her as First Lady of the United States, a role she played in the first three seasons of 24 (2001-2014).
There are enough twists here to make for effective soap opera drama, and I enjoyed the episode. What is Sisko thinking when he all-but tips off Kasidy that they are on to her and gives her the out of a trip to Risa? What self-respecting smuggler who realizes that they have been made fails to abort and drop cargo? Han Solo would have been so outta there!
I spent some time recently, however, reading old discussion threads on this community from TOS Season One, and I can’t help lamenting the loss of the literary quality Trek once had, in episodes like “The Corbomite Maneuver” and “The Enemy Within.”
What are probably the most notable or durable ideas in “For the Cause” are those presented by Eddington in his tirade against the Federation: it is insidious, it flattens cultures by assimilating them without them knowing it, its velvet handcuffs make it impossible to leave paradise. An explicit comparison between the Maquis and Milton’s Satan–I’m not sure I buy it, but sign me up, I want to see where it goes.
3 out of 5 holographic steam baths. Look: if the hot rocks aren’t real, how are they heating the room? Wouldn’t it be more efficient to use real rocks than holographic ones? Holosuites must have some limitations, riiiiiight?
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