{"id":5263,"date":"2017-04-06T03:59:24","date_gmt":"2017-04-06T03:59:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/213-Armageddon-Game"},"modified":"2017-04-06T03:59:24","modified_gmt":"2017-04-06T03:59:24","slug":"213-armageddon-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relivethemajesty.com\/index.php\/2017\/04\/06\/213-armageddon-game\/","title":{"rendered":"2.13 — \u201cArmageddon Game\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n

2.13 — \u201cArmageddon Game\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Plot:<\/strong> Bashir and O\u2019Brien are on assignment helping the T’Lani and the Kelleruns eliminate a stockpile of biological weapons left over from their centuries-long war. The success of their peace mission is interrupted by shocking violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thoughts:<\/strong> This is a dark, wicked little episode! I started noticing and writing down clever lines. This must be because the story is written, and teleplay co-written, by the talented Morgan Gendel, who also co-wrote \u201cThe Inner Light\u201d and two other Trek episodes. \u201cThey were good customers.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s very important for a dancer to have good arches.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m not giving up–I\u2019m dying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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No joke, I was affected by the execution scene, or should I call it the massacre. This level of violence is unusual in Trek. I work in a public government building, and it reminds me of the videos they show during \u201cactive shooter\u201d training. This episode first aired in January 1994, more than five years before Columbine. That observation may be melodramatic, but it\u2019s where my mind went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When they are willing to depict a scene like that, it makes you worried about what else might happen in the story. I thought the biological weapon might escape and perpetrate genocide (and how will they resolve that<\/em> in 45 minutes?). Surprise, that particular plot point turns out to be a MacGuffin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In keeping with the theme of keeping it real, we have an unprecedented amount of real talk about the sacrifices inherent in becoming a Starfleet Officer, and the tradeoff of family for career. I guess all of life’s problems aren’t solved yet. O’Brien seems to be making good choices, but we are reminded that yes, this duty could make your wife into a widow. And that Starfleet is worth choosing over marriage and family. Great job Keiko in this episode. It’s nice to see DS9 has enough faith in its recurring guest stars to write scenes like these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We never get a strong sense of what life is like in the future for citizens of the Federation who are not in Starfleet. I will be happy if we get more of this awareness of vocation and mission in this DS9 crew. The TNG cast seems to have been born on the Enterprise<\/em>, and never thought of leaving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lurking behind O’Brien and Bashir’s dialogue is the sense that Starfleet admissions are intensely competitive, so every member of the crew must be extraordinary in some way. I remember when Wesley couldn’t get into the Academy, but that episode was so ridiculous it didn’t register then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I feel like the premise of “Armageddon Game” could have supported a more epic story. As it stands, the episode comes strong out of the gate, but wimps out and becomes fairly conventional in its second half. Still, I continue to be impressed and pleased with DS9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4 out of 5 fatally radioactive pulses.<\/p>\n\n\n

http:\/\/memory-alpha.wikia.com\/wiki\/Armageddon_Game<\/a>