The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From JRPoole on 2009-03-07 at 6:31pm:
  This is one of the best Voyager outings so far just because it's part of the plot arc, something that Voyager desperately needs since 90% of its stand-alone episodes are embarrassing (though not quite as god-awful as the zero below).
  
  Here's my main problem with Voyager, though: the Kazon aren't very interesting. The Mokra, who we saw recently, would have made better villains (maybe they come back; I'm not familiar with Voyager after about this point in the series) and so would have the creepy Ocampa who lived with second Caretaker. Instead we get 2-dimensional nomadic Klingons.
  
  Giving Voyager recurring races is tricky because of their situation. It gets a little problematic with the Kazon. So just how big is Kazon territory? Isn't Voyager pretty much hauling ass across the Delta Quadrant (except, of course to investigate the alien or phenomenon of the week or to make pit stops for food)? Plus, the same Kazon Majes keep showing up. Are they following Voyager? I'm hoping that these problems get answered in future episodes; despite the fact that most of my posts on it are negative, I'm actually enjoying the series.
  
  
  
  
• From Mike on 2017-05-27 at 2:49am:
  I agree that some of Chakotay's later solutions are annoying, but this one seems to fit the situation. What he's saying makes sense: the Maquis form ad hoc alliances out of convenience for short-term gains, which is what Voyager needs to do here with the Kazon. I do like the ending of this one, though, seeing that it all falls apart as Voyager finds itself in the middle of a continuing blood feud between the Trabe and Kazon. Ultimately, Janeway's instincts are reaffirmed.
  
  I don't quite agree with JRPoole that the Kazon are uninteresting. They reflect this region of the galaxy. Whereas the Alpha Quadrant is controlled by several very powerful races vying for control, this region lacks major powers and is controlled by marauders and bandits like the Kazon factions. As for how big Kazon territory is...well, the Enterprises A and D both explored uncharted space in the Alpha Quadrant but still within reasonable travel of the Federation. It stands to reason the Kazon are present in a pretty wide expanse of the Delta Quadrant, and given their "nomadic" ways, may even follow Voyager.
  
  The only thing that bugged me about this episode was that the Trabe go from having a bunch of their people confined to suddenly repossessing lots of warships after escaping with Neeliz and rendezvousing with Voyager. There's a lot of backstory there that gets glossed over.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Dave on 2009-03-10 at 4:23pm:
  Great episode. One nit-pick: is Suder a crewman or an ensign. Hogan (a man with a similraly confused rank - once referred to as a Lieutenant by Kes) calls him Ensign Suder. But when Suder calls the bridge to get help for Tuvok, he says "Crewman Suder to the bridge". Was he demoted? Hardly surprising if he were, of course, but we never see it happen.
• From Technobabble on 2011-06-24 at 6:56pm:
  Interesting point Dave. I wondered that as well, when he's first referred to as Ensign...seems advanced in his years have such a low rank, then again he's ex-Maquis so I believe they assigned him a rank according to his seniority (none) and abilities, which must not have been impressive in engineering, in contrast to Torres. By Chakotay's description of him, he overly-relished personal combat & was effective in a fight, a value the Maquis esteem.
  
  In regards to a murder charge, well I don't believe one is immediately demoted for that, but court-martialed and sentenced to prison. Until then rank status is retained.
• From thaibites on 2013-11-02 at 5:37am:
  I'm surprised nobody here pointed out the similarity (blatant rip-off) between this episode and Silence of the Lambs. It's all there. Hannibal Lecter is Suder, he even looks like a bit like Anthony Hopkins. Plus, Lecter was always trying to get inside Clarice's head and Suder definitely got inside Tuvok's head! Plus, think about the time period - mid-nineties.
  It's still a good episode, even though they "adapted" so much from Silence of the Lambs.
• From alphabeta on 2013-11-29 at 10:25am:
  Suder was a great character, Dourif was really good in the role. It's a real shame that we didnt get to see more of him, he'd have made a great recurring character for the long haul. I wonder if there were rl circumstances that lead to that decision.
  
  As far as similarities to Silence of the Lambs goes, I dont see anything particularly blatant. The whole concept of guard and prisoner changing places, mutually empathizing, goes back much further than that movie.
• From Rick on 2014-01-13 at 4:00pm:
  As to your problem, in one of the earlier episodes the Doctor demonstrates that holographic material can be modulated to pass through things. Or it can be modulated to be solid. I think it was the neelix lung episode.
• From Rob UK on 2014-07-12 at 11:29pm:
  I really like this episode, my main reason is i took great joy in watching Turok throttle Snarf (i mean Nelix, he has always reminded me of that infuriating character from the Thundercats animation, he is the Scrappy doo to Scooby, the Godzuki to Godzilla, god dammit i hate all those characters but none of them more than i despise Nelix), i just wish it had been for real.
  
  Firstly we'd have gotten rid of the most annoying Star Trek character of all time and we could have had an excellent story arc of Turok being driven insane by the meld and Janeway's conflict of what to do with him ala Suder, but sadly it is almost a reset button episode as we barely see Suder again except for the episode when he and the Doctor are the only ones left on the ship and Tuvok is perfectly fine by the next episode with no mention ever again, Tuvok goes back to being a very generic boring Vulcan, nothing like our half human Spok with his wit and humour and occasional humanity surfacing. One problem with this fantasy arc is we then would not get the mighty fine episode Tuvix, a small price to pay to losing one very emotional and touching episode to get rid of Snarf this early on, Snarf Snarf
• From parkbench on 2015-05-08 at 6:56pm:
  A fun episode but disappointed w the execution. They build up to this meld and then literally skip the whole thing! I thought we were revving up for a DS9-style "Section 31" Sloan episode, the final one where they delve into his dying mind. Would've been a great chance to do some character development for Tuvok, show some of his inner demons and explore the Suder character more.
  
  Instead we get a lot of "show don't tell me" moments with Suder explaining both characters' motivations and narrating visible ironies (not trusting the audience) and ultimately there is no dramatic tension because you know halfway through the episode no one is in danger cause Tuvok isolated himself.
  
  Ultimately I'm a very forgiving Star Trek fan and still enjoyed the episode...in fact so far I am surprised to say that for all its infuriating choices I am enjoying the ambiance and world of Voyager quite a bit (first time for me), though I am not partial to the imperialistic naivete of the "Federation" values paraded around throughout, a "corrective" I suppose to DS9s warranted pessimism about the possibility about the benevolence of a giant, teetering neocolonial bureaucracy for the "fan's" sake...though I'm wondering just who these fans are that don't see the inherent flaws in that particular fantasy, or perhaps they are the same ones who do not question such things in the real world either...but I digress.
  
  DS9s tone ITSELF was a corrective but I suppose that era has been lost. In the meantime an enjoyable if deeply flawed episode. /endrant
• From Erik Friend on 2016-02-21 at 4:04am:
  Alienized versions of ordinary stuff mentioned in this episode:
  Rillan Grease
  Cardassian Pinocle
• From Rick on 2017-04-26 at 1:48am:
  "the imperialistic naivete of the "Federation" values paraded around throughout, a "corrective" I suppose to DS9s warranted pessimism"
  
  What? This is Star Trek you know, right? Why would pessimism be warranted for the classical Star Trek view of the future? I guess that is why I refuse to embrace DS9 and people like you seemingly adore it. Fair enough, to each his own, and so forth, but I will stick to Star Trek's classic optimism (which you for some reason call naivete, even though it if far from naive, and in fact a very conscious narrative decision), and you can have your UNwarranted pessimism, at least in so far as it applies to the ideals of Star Trek. Enjoy.
• From Mike on 2017-05-26 at 12:53pm:
  Something about the computer saying, "Try your luck again. Tomorrow you could be a winner!" really cracked me up. Maybe after years of listening to Majel Barrett's voice dispassionately provide information and reports to various crews, it was funny to hear that same, emotionless voice repeat a line you would hear on a Powerball commercial.
  
  Since Tuvok is my favorite VOY character, I enjoyed this one a lot. There were some great exchanges between him and Suder...dialogue that is, not just the mind meld. It was also interesting in how it looked at the Federation's dealings with murder and the idea of a mind meld between two ST species with unique mental abilities: Vulcans and Betazoids.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From rpeh on 2010-08-19 at 2:23pm:
  Touching... but lasts about 10 minutes too long, leading to some rather stretched out scenes. This episode needed a longer B-plot to pad it out instead.
  
  Factoid: The song playing while the doctor and Denara are playing is "My Prayer" by Harry Connick Jr.
• From zook on 2011-08-10 at 11:51pm:
  The doctor brags about a procedure developed by Dr. Leonard McCoy in 2253 ;) Simply heart-warming.
• From Alan on 2012-01-08 at 4:19am:
  The song playing in the Mars date scene is actually 'My prayer" by The Platters not Harry Connick Jr.
  

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From RichD on 2006-06-13 at 11:41pm:
  Fantastic episode. The Klingon advocate was incredible. He very nearly won the case. The way the plot unfolded was quite extraoridinary. I would have never guessed that the Klingons were trying to lure the Federation into giving up Worf while at the same time, keep them from escorting medical convoys. The plan was very romulanesque. I guess that's my only knock. It was unbecoming of the Klingons to behanve in this manner. Being underhanded. We learn later however, the Klingons were not acting on their own valition. The Quark scene was great. That guy kills me. Finally, I just love the way Sisko both lectured and scolded Work while patting him on the shoulder all at once. The mark of a great leader. Something my ol' high school basketball coach use to do. Tear us down, and build us up. I enjoyed this episode.
• From Dave on 2009-05-14 at 9:11am:
  I also love the Klingon lawyer - the actor's guest starred in a few episodes (TNG and Voyager if memory serves). Fine tradition of aggressive Klingon lawyering in Trek - always good to see. And at least Worf wasn't threatened with a spell on Rura Pente :-)
  One thing - why would Chief O'Brien say he would have taken command if Worf had been injured in the battle. Surely Major Kira would have been the ranking officer?
  
• From onlinebroker on 2009-11-05 at 6:40pm:
  I don't like this episode at all and gave it a 2. First of all I find the whole premise doesn't make alot of sense, why would klingons complain about bloodshed, why did the advocate call Worf a coward for killing people, and in the same sentence call the guy who exterminated a whole city a hero.
  Then Sisko was unbearable in this episode. He talks as if this was some sort of poetry contest, makes me really miss Picard.
• From rpeh on 2010-07-31 at 1:45pm:
  A brilliant episode; gripping and suspenseful. The Klingon advocate in particular was superb - I loved the bit when he told Sisko he would defend Worf himself in any subsequent trial.
  
  Just one problem. He asks Worf "Did you weep...", but we know from The Undiscovered Country that Klingons have no tear ducts. It seems unlikely that the advocate would use a human expression in this situation.
• From Bronn on 2011-11-13 at 5:59pm:
  "Klingon history honors conquerors who murder civilians, yet it is illegal for Worf to murder them now? What's the bloody difference? Well, Klingons are very... odd."
  
  That's hardly hypocrisy at all. Think about all the reverence we today might hold for Alexander the Great. Or better yet, Julius Caesar. Caesar's conquest of Gaul involved the burning of hundreds of villages, killing perhaps hundreds of thousdands. In his most famous battle, he refused to allow starving civilians-women, children-to be evacuated from Alesia because he wanted to stretch the Gaul's food supply. He is certainly revered, still today.
  
  "Ah," you might say, "but we don't pretend to be him, running around and killing women." If you think of Holodeck programs, though, as just an evolution in video gaming technology...Worf was just playing "Klingons: Total War." There's plenty of people who enjoy games like Grand Theft Auto who still believe in the wrongness of senseless violence.
• From Martin on 2014-04-03 at 4:15am:
  Good episode.
  One problem though...why does sisko have only 3 dots in his uniform during the trial?
• From AW on 2015-12-17 at 5:57am:
  This is one of the only times I have seen a deus ex machina ending done in a way that was satisfying and didn't come off as a cop out.
  
  I guess it really wasn't a deus ex machina because now that I think about it that awkward bit of dialog (right before the brilliant "the truth must be won" line) where the advocate reveals an ulterior motive makes sense. However, I doubt the advocate would have revealed that bit of information. Unless he didn't know about the ruse. Yeah that is more like it. In fact that explains why he would contradict himself as other commenters pointed out. The Klingon were using an uncharacteristic (non-battle) strategy to accomplish 2 the two different goals.
  
  Excellent complex episode. Best so far in my opinion.
  
  [Ha, I just realized I wrote that comment like I was having a conversation with myself]
• From Armsauce on 2018-07-13 at 1:58am:
  Some great acting from Avery Brooks in this one as well, especially at the end with Worf.
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-10-05 at 10:48pm:
  I had to look up who directed this episode. LeVar Burton! Impressive work. Loved the cuts between the courtroom and the scenes presented by the witnesses.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From MJ on 2011-02-05 at 10:09pm:
  The first time I watched this episode, I realized that TNG hadn't really used the acting talents of Colm Meaney to their full capacity. We got glimpses in TNG: Power Play, but in DS9, O'Brien's character really shows some dimension. He moves beyond the down-and-dirty, blue-collar Irish engineer, and this episode is a big part of that development.
  
  It was an interesting concept for an episode, and it improves with repeated viewing as you can fully absorb the significance of O'Brien's behavior with regard to his Argrathi cellmate. Speaking of the Argrathi, this is one of a couple episodes (see DS9: Whispers) where O'Brien encounters an alien race whose relationship with the Federation isn't entirely clear, but which nonetheless decides to screw with him psychologically and get away with doing so. It's hard for me to believe the Federation's complacent reaction to one of their Starfleet officers being arrested, charged, and essentially tortured (certainly by Federation standards) and do nothing about it. Maybe the protesting is off camera. But while the episode's focus is on O'Brien, this is an inconsistency that takes the episode down just a peg in terms of believability.
  
  The punishment these Argrathi inflict on their prisoners is especially harsh when you consider, as the webmaster's review does, that your family and friends will have barely noticed you're gone. I think that's the point: it's as if they want you to be psychologically scarred and unable to act normal while everyone else acts like it's just been a few hours. Your erratic behavior will then startle your loved ones so much that they will, in theory, restrain you from committing a crime again. Obviously, it doesn't always pan out that way, since we know about how institutionalization takes its toll.
  
  Yet another example of how Star Trek gets you to think about things without being preachy and encouraging you to endorse a particular value. Well done!
• From L on 2013-05-27 at 8:52am:
  A great concept, and a really good character piece.
  
  But once again the Federation lets an alien race seriously abuse, torture and violate one of their members, for just asking questions, and seem to do nothing about it.
  This treatment was an outrage and if they were ever in the federation they should be kicked out. I was thirsting for revenge or at least a shaming speech, Picard style, but no.
  This is politically correct cultural relativity gone too far. This should not be tolerated.
  
  But this was a 'real' science fiction concept, and well done.
• From AW on 2015-12-17 at 6:52am:
  You guys realize that this is a TV show where writers come up with concepts that don't always jive with overall plot. This was a great idea and I thought it was executed well and for that willing to believe that the Federation handled this situation well off camera.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Chris Wright on 2011-11-29 at 3:46am:
  I liked this episode a lot, but it would have been nice if mirror universe Worf had confronted Sisko face to face. I also see this episode showing us how incredibly powerful the Defiant is. If the Federation can make one it can makes thousands and never worry about the Klingons or the Dominion. Loved the Bashir-as-Han Solo-you're all clear kid-moment.
• From L on 2013-05-27 at 10:21am:
  I missed the episode that set all this up due to a scratched library dvd. So in the alternate universe everyone's a jerk and inappropriately sexual? Got it.
• From McCoy on 2017-01-21 at 12:32pm:
  Well, that was a horrible episode. I really like DS9 more than other series (exept TOS - this one is my fav), but all the mirror episodes are just bad. However I like one moment in this episode - Worf: "Make it so!".
• From Armsauce on 2018-07-15 at 7:05pm:
  Mirror Nog is great

No fan commentary yet.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Harrison on 2013-02-18 at 2:51am:
  This fine episode boasts what is probably the signature performance by Andrew J. Robinson, as Garak.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Docfan on 2011-09-07 at 7:32am:
  I can't get enough Doctor stuff, and this episode does a mighty fine job (the actual swarm stuff is pretty much secondary to me... I'll admit I can't give this episode an objective review b/c I'm just too fond of the doc).
  
  Absolutely love the role reversal where the Doctor becomes the anxious patient, and Torres becomes the insensitive "doctor-engineer."
  
  Seeing the Zimmerman program in action is interesting stuff as well - a holographic program of the original creator of the holographic program. Kind of neat and a bit amusing. "Relationships with the crew?! Relationships with...women? Do they find you attractive?"
  
  The Doc getting an acute version of Alzheimer's is also interesting... simultaneously entertaining and sad. "He's a sick man. This is where sick people come." Great to watch Kes' concern for and attachment to the Doc.
  
  I also love the ending. A bit of an ambiguity about whether or not he's just lost the bulk of his memories. Roll credits. Run doc's operatic singing alpha one.
  
  
  
  
• From Docfan on 2011-09-09 at 4:05am:
  I forgot to mention something else:
  
  In a really neat twist, this episode puts in question the value and even the virtue, the moral status of what has so far gone absolutely unquestioned: the doctor's growth as a kind of proto-person, or "honorary human."
  
  Many of us cheered for the Doc when he stepped outside of the confines of his programming and began to think of himself as a sentient entity, as a lifeform. This was a very compelling development to observe, both for the audience and for the Voyager crew, who were mostly supportive (for instance, Paris and Kes coached him in the matters of love in "Voyager: Life signs.")
  
  All of this is turned on its head in a single moment, when the diagnostic program proclaims its diagnosis: "on too long and doing too much." Evidently, the Doctor was meant to be off during his off hours, and sticking to medicine during his on hours. The result of his becoming a "person," so to speak, is that he can no longer be an emergency medical hologram, which is downright irresponsible, and endangers the entire crew.
  
  This is a really great twist to the doctor's existential dilemmas, and puts his entire history on Voyager (thus far) in a different perspective.
  
  One thing I just thought of: at one point Kes argued that his personal activities and explorations made him a better doctor. That is probably true. What's more, his functions on the ship have occasionally gone beyond medical, i.e. the counter-insurgent/military psychologist role he played in "Voyager: Basics." If he didn't have all that previous life experience, it's questionable whether he would've been motivated, willing, or able to help save the ship, either through his own acts or by guiding and encouraging Suder.
  
  So, it's interesting to see all of this put in a zero sum, either/or perspective for a moment, but it is equally relieving to see this problem go away, at least temporarily, as the Doc receives a successful "neural net graft" from his lookalike diagnostic program.
  
  Here is one "reset switch" I'm more than happy to see.
• From TheAnt on 2013-10-31 at 6:49pm:
  Trilobytes and fragmented terabytes
  
  I give this one a '6' since it leaves a number of loose ends and half made starts in various directions that are left high and dry on the beach.
  One example is why the warp drive were on the blink. And how the heck did they fail to note the attached trilobite ship when they were close enough to transport one of the crew out and to sickbay?
  Else from that I like Kes rescuing the Doc, and have his matrix - or "fragmented hard drive disk" - de-fragmented and restored.
  
  but the two sets of storylines do not mix well.
  In fact it is hard to say which one is the subplot in this episode.
  
  However it is not just one of the trilobite ships that gets blown up, but all that have attached themselves to Voyagers hull.
  So when Kethinov say 'one' I guess it might be a case of seeing the episode quite some time before writing the review. Or that he suffers the same condition as the Doc! =)
  
  As I understood it, Cpt Janeway's description of the aliens were correct. The swarm were bullies, and not used to meeting the kind of organised resistance which the crew of Voyager met them with. (And it might have been most of their boarding crew that got shot and transported out.)
  So with the risk of growing Tuvok ears I'd say that with that perspective the withdrawal of the swarm of trilobite ships were logical.
• From Rick on 2017-04-28 at 3:36pm:
  So much for holographic rights. To save their friend the crew murders another hologram that has the same matrix and capabilities as the doctor. Kes is quite the hypocrite.
• From Mike on 2017-07-26 at 1:01am:
  I heard Robert Picardo in an interview or convention panel or something, talking about the dying alien on the bed in sickbay in this episode. The alien's white facepaint combined with the green bags under his eyes and his red hair gave him a Bozo-the-Clown-like appearance. The shots of him and the Doctor were composed in such a way that the audience wouldn't look at the alien too long and think, "that's Bozo the Clown!" in the midst of this dramatic moment.
  
  The episode overall was a pretty good one. The Swarm were an interesting concept for an alien species, something that ST:VOY generally did a good job with whatever people think of the series. They were defeated a little too easily considering they were introduced as this very ominous species.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From JRPoole on 2009-06-09 at 6:54pm:
  Good episode. I don't have much of a comment except to say that O'brien makes one ugly Klingon.
  
• From Jaap on 2010-09-21 at 7:27pm:
  There is a problem: how come Gowron and a lot of other Klingons did not recognise Worf?
• From Christopher Wright on 2011-12-05 at 5:35pm:
  So if Odo is a solid now, does that mean a Changling can harm and kill him? I guess it does because Odo would have killed had the Changling attacking him not been killed. If Odo isn't considered a Changling anymore then why did the fake general hold him back and let the others in the room (other than it being a plot device)?
  Overall, a great episode, and I love the new Dukat with his Bird of Prey. The consistency of writing in the characters so far has been amazing, considering all the different writers and directors. By the way, I am just now, in late 2011, seeing DS9 for the first time via Netflix.
• From Selador on 2013-04-24 at 8:10pm:
  This is not a good episode - it's full of problems, is completely unrealistic and the actual story is lame. One problem was that the Klingons didn't seem to notice that the DS9 crew didn't speak Klingon (except for Worf but he didn't say much). I undertand that the Universal Translator would translate their English into Klingon but doesn't answer the problem for two reason: 1. They would still know that they're speaking a different language because of mouth shapes ect. 2. They actually say some Klingon words... then switch to English.
  
  Another problem was how easy the crew got into the Kingon base. If their intelligence and epionage skills are that good then how did they not know of the Klingon plot to attack Romulus and the countless other things that they don't know?
  
  Also the whole Odo being down thing is getting really old. It's about the fifth time he's told Sisko that he's not up to the job for various reasons.
  
  A really annoying episode and it didn't even include Major Kira.
• From L on 2013-07-25 at 11:24am:
  The exposition in the opening scene was really forced and obvious.
  But when this happened,
  - "Tough assignment. Who are they sending?"
  - "Me."
  all was forgiven.
  
  They really over-did Jake's teeth.
  Must have been an in-joke among the crew or something.
  
  
  
• From L on 2013-07-25 at 12:03pm:
  (whoops, wrong Sisko. *Benjamin's* teeth.)

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Keefaz on 2017-08-05 at 9:15pm:
  I can't believe the high votes these eps have received. The concept is awful and nonsensical. The acting is dreadful. The dialogue makes me want to stab chopsticks into my ears.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From adam on 2010-09-23 at 10:24am:
  Nice little homage to characterization and visual style of Dune. Probably the best 'possession' episode in Trek, but that's not saying much...
• From Mike on 2017-07-09 at 1:36pm:
  I think TNG: Power Play was pretty good too, with solid acting by Meaney, Sirtis and Spiner. But this one was very exciting and Lien was surprisingly awesome. I say surprisingly only because no other Kes focused episode came close to giving Lien the chance to act like this, so it was cool to see.
  
  The only problem area I saw was that in the end, you have an infiltration assault on the palace involving Janeway, Chakotay, Neelix, and the alien prince. But no Starfleet security personnel? I doubt the ship's two senior leaders would charge in without at least a couple of other officers especially since they were outnumbered 2:1.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From MJ on 2011-02-19 at 7:33pm:
  Overall, a great episode.
  
  I was a bit bothered that Odo could simply take Quark into custody and bring him to a Grand Jury without telling him why. It seems the Federation justice system would require that; however, given the fact that it involves the Orion syndicate, the secrecy may have been necessary (although, as it turns out, unsuccessful).
  
  The first time I saw this one, the subplot involving Jake and Nog was uninteresting, but after seeing the whole series and the many turns their friendship takes, this was actually a very nice addition. Jake and Nog are interesting characters as it is. Jake, one of the few Human characters in Star Trek not to be in Starfleet, and Nog, the first Ferengi to do so, make for a fun pair. I enjoy the Huckleberry Finn/Tom Sawyer nature of their friendship.
  
  But this is obviously about Odo and Quark, and it doesn't disappoint. I really love when DS9 stretches Quark's character a bit. So often he provides comic relief, but in episodes like this (and Siege of AAR-558) his more serious nature kicks in, and it's very nicely written and acted.
  
  And (spoiler alert), this episode is further proof in my mind that the writers completely fumbled the parting between Odo and Quark in the finale.
• From Krs321 on 2011-07-14 at 4:20pm:
  I just watched this last night and I'm about 90% sure Quark asks Odo if he wants to play "Fisbin", Kirk's fictional card came from "A Piece of the Action".

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From christopher wright on 2011-12-10 at 5:48am:
  Did anyone else find Silaran similar to Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs? I half expected him to say, "It places the lotion in the basket."
• From Selador on 2013-06-03 at 2:10pm:
  As usual, we disagree...
  
  I kept wishing throughout the episode that Major Kira was played by a different actress. Nina Visitor is incredibly annoying. A very average episode as well, and the 'evil' Cardiassian character was such a cliche. If only he'd succeded though...

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Inga on 2013-09-15 at 10:31am:
  I like how B'Elana was fighting for her own 'hand', instead of having been a hopeless observer of two men fighting over her. That's one of my most hated stereotypes in TV shows/movies, so I find Voyager's take on it very refreshing.
• From L on 2013-12-21 at 3:14am:
  Totally ridiculous that they would allow anyone to be a crew-member when they are guaranteed at some point to become a severe and dangerous liability and may compromise the ship's survival.
  Why are Vulcan's allowed to serve and still keep this condition a cultural secret so it can't be planned for or mitigated medically?
  If they want to serve then they should have to be candid about this condition.
  
  Exactly what is the status of holograms as sex-relief devices? It seems that is an accepted and known use, so it's a bit strange that the Doctor's brain-wave is any kind of breakthrough solution - it should have been the obvious one.
  
  This episode made me dis-like Torres more.
  
  
  And was that Gul-Dukat in the caves?
  
  
• From thaibites on 2014-03-30 at 8:38am:
  I agree with L's comments. Torres is normally an extremely unlikable person, but in this episode she's completely out of control.
  I'm sick of her ranting and raving. I'm sick of the actress hopping around like a bunny rabbit every time she's supposed to show that the character is upset. And, I'm sick of the crew always ENABLING (remember that politically correct word?) her to act like an emotionally out of control lunatic whenever the poor, spoiled child gets frustrated.
  Please kill Torres. Please.
• From Dstyle on 2015-05-01 at 2:23pm:
  Oh my goodness, this is some sci-fi writer's greatest sexual fantasy come to life! This girl I'm hot for is literally throwing herself at me, but I'm going to be a perfect gentleman and insist that she keep her lady parts under wraps. Whoa, she threw herself at me again? No, you're not in your right mind right now! Oh, wait, if we don't get naked and squishy she's going to die? Oooh-kaaaay, I GUESS I'll do it, but only because it's the only right thing to do!
  
  I bet I would've loved this episode when I was 13.
• From Jadzia Guinan Smith on 2015-06-02 at 12:15am:
  @Dstyle --LOL. You're so right. This is SOOO a piece of fan service for 13-year-old boys. I think sometimes "romance" and sex are also thrown in as a misguided attempt to lure female viewers. Just as they want to hook the teenage boy viewership with gratuitous sex, they want to hook women with the underlying "romance" (e.g., Tom being turned on, but still refusing to take advantage of his love object). But I can tell you, as a woman, it's exactly this kind of overemphasis on relationships and degenerating into a soap opera in space that made me like Voyager (as a series) a LOT less than I would have, otherwise. I have to say, though, given the contrived script, the actors did a phenomenal job of keeping the urgency of the scenes quite natural. Paris and Torres have incredible on-screen chemistry and they managed to give a mature performance out of a silly, fans-ervice type script.
  
• From peterwolf on 2015-07-07 at 9:19pm:
  A rather silly episode, which could have been much better. The fight between Torre and the Vulcan is ridiculous. I simply cannot believe that this tender woman/klingon could knock out a Vulcan. The whole Vulcan/Klingon/human strenth issue is rubbish. The well trained James Kirk was equal to the "super-human" Spock (of course only half Vulcan!) in hand to hand combat. So I think the whole issue is not well integrate d in Star Trek and badly executed.
• From Mike on 2017-05-27 at 10:58pm:
  Disagree that this is some kind of sci-fi sex fantasy for 13-year-old boys. First of all, I refer you to Counselor Troi's wardrobe in ST:TNG. There is no more flagrant example of selling sex to the young male fan base in the entire franchise and one scene where Paris and Torres get a little steamy isn't even close to that. Also, other episodes in other ST series have dealt with these kind of issues (interspecies mating and sex themes) before. Admittedly this one is a bit more focused on the primal urges and a couple lines are rather cheesy, but I don't think they got as carried away with it as the above reviews claim. I laughed at Janeway's reaction to the Doctor's thoughts on Torres' prescription.
  
  Also, it's true that Vulcan mating rituals are odd but I thought of it more as a culture which has embraced logic and dispassion struggling to deal with a remnant of its more extreme evolutionary past. What's more, I don't see Pon Farr as conflicting with male Vulcan service aboard starships any more than the unique challenges other species face. You have races that embrace ritual suicide, races that require special breathing apparatus, and races that have special sensitivities to heat and cold, all of which are potentially more problematic than having to mate every seven years.
  
  All that being said about the overreaction to the mating aspect of this episode, I also enjoyed the subplot involving the Sakari. Another ominous reference to a species that was nearly wiped out by the Borg, all the more imminent of a threat given that this is the Delta Quadrant. We pretty much knew Voyager would encounter them eventually, it was just a matter of when.
• From Dstyle on 2017-10-02 at 6:30pm:
  Mike: just because Troi's plunging neckline exists doesn't make this any less of a 13-year old geek fanboy fantasy. Just because it happened before doesn't mean it can't happen again: it's not a zero-sum game here. Speaking as someone who was once a shy, nerdy 13-year old sci-fi fanboy, I can assure you that this ABSOLUTELY meets that criteria.
• From Axel on 2018-06-11 at 11:50pm:
  Yeah Star Trek went off the rails a little bit with pon farr. I have a hard time believing that a benevolent philosophy based on logic could stick in a society where half the population goes through this every seven years. They should've had pon farr be an Orion thing, not Vulcan. Or, hell, make it a Klingon mating ritual....although pon farr may already be mild flirting by Klingon standards.
  
  The absurdity of all of this, combined with the Doctor's legitimate and unrefuted criticisms of pon farr, almost makes this episode a Star Trek self-parody, but I doubt that was the intent. And while I agree this doesn't exactly help Torres character development, I doubt it was the writers who wanted this to look like a masturbatory fantasy; historically with Star Trek, sex appeal has been the network or producers. Remember, this is the show that kept Garrett Wang purely because he made a list of TV's sexiest people, and is also the show that put Jeri Ryan in a tight "skin-regenerating" suit. Granted, keeping Wang and hiring Ryan both worked out, I feel, for story purposes, but both actions were taken for the sake of the show's sex appeal.
  
  Anyway, trivia time: Alexander Enberg, who played Vorik in this episode, also played a Vulcan named Taurik on TNG: Lower Decks. Thankfully, Taurik did not go through pon farr in that episode, but the fact that the same actor played both characters has led some to speculate that, within the Star Trek universe, the two were twin bros :)
  
  And yes, the Sakari subplot was a chilling reminder and preview of the crew's coming encounter with the Borg!

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Pete Miller on 2006-07-09 at 3:55am:
  Weyoun is a very entertaining character. I enjoyed his scenes immensely. However, Kira's emotional problems really brought this episode down. Reminded me of those Troi suffering episodes on TNG. After awhile it's like "We get that you are fucked up about your daddy's death. Get OVER it and stop being a bitch." The Legate was only a foot soldier on that battle and she acts like he was the mastermind behind it. I absolutely can't stand her when her Bajoran bitchiness kicks in and she starts whining.
• From rpeh on 2010-08-02 at 12:01am:
  I cannot believe this terrible, boring, overblown and over-sentimental pile of rubbish gained a 7 here.
  
  It's not interesting in any way. The plot is obvious within a few minutes and the acting is absolutely bloody awful. This episode is the only one where I used the DVD controls to skip ahead to see if there was something more interesting about to happen. I didn't even do that with TOS The Empath!
• From John on 2011-09-23 at 3:38am:
  I have to agree with the other commenters, this episode deserves well below a 7. For me it's 2, 2.5 tops, and both of those points are for Weyoun.
• From Selador on 2013-06-18 at 12:32am:
  I agree with the other comments. Kira is awful, Weyoun is brilliant. It's also completely unrealistic that Gul Dukat and Weyoun would be allowed to freely roam DS9 - the Federation and the Dominion are in a state of war for god's sake. Very dull episode on the whole. It was worth watching solely for the scene in Quark's bar where Weyoun drinks the poison. Classic.
• From Tarondor on 2018-09-06 at 11:21pm:
  I found it to be very moving and understood Kira’s ambivalence well. It was more to do with how she failed her father than anything Ghemore had done. And her anguish at how Ghemore struggled in death rang very true to me. Icon ur with the 7 rating.
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-11-20 at 1:54pm:
  I think the complaints about Kira "overreacting" to Ghemor's participation in that attack are unfounded, and I'm frankly not sure if we watched the same episode.
  
  Just as Kira looked for an excuse to leave her own father's deathbed, she wanted to get away from Ghemor's. Dukat gave her a reason, and she hates that it was *him* that did what she wanted. It's her guilt that is eating her, guilt over her lack of presence at her father's death and the guilt she knows she will feel if she avoids Ghemor's. In the end, she makes the right decision and is able to take some peace from it, burying Ghemor next to her own father on a hill that was once barren but is now verdant.
  
  This episode speaks to any child who has lost a parent or a parental figure. Those questions of "did I do enough?" never go away. Fantastic entry.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From hugo on 2012-10-09 at 3:15pm:
  One could see what would happen to Eddington from miles away: predictable! One gripe I have with that character is that he spent all that time undercover, being just a boring quiet person. Now he is an adventurous romantic that loves to hear his own voice, and he is also the Maquis leader...
• From Gul Ranek on 2013-01-08 at 4:22pm:
  I agree, Eddington was very underused and not developed in a decent way.I guess the writers must have had some basic ideas about the character when they introduced him in the third season, but never got around to implement them and decided to get rid of him by making him a member of the Maquis.
  An example of this is his conflict with Odo about who would be taking care of station security - they made a big deal of it, but Eddington barely appeared in subsequent episodes.
• From Bronn on 2013-07-18 at 2:48am:
  I loved the scenes involving Sisko bantering with Eddington. That was the main fun of this episode for me-Eddington was boring as a security officer, but he's really charming as a renegade leader. I loved the way he was portrayed in this, and in his previous appearance. Agreed, he was underused, but that was not really a problem with this episode, which was extremely enjoyable.
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-11-20 at 11:07pm:
  Fantastic sendoff for Eddington. Ken Marshall did an especially great job in these last three appearances as the character (For the Cause, For the Uniform, and then Blaze of Glory). Really a good foil to Sisko. Both are decidedly "good" and are willing to do what it takes to see their goals carried out.
  
  Additionally, a great payoff for the Maquis subplot that's been going on since TNG and obviously was heavily present in Voyager. Wish more could have been done with it on *that* show but as far as DS9 goes... no complaints.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From L on 2013-12-23 at 8:48am:
  Is this the first Star Trek to use a 'floating stranded in space with limited oxygen' plot device?
  Was cool to see.
  Torres is still incredibly unpleasant and angsty.
  I love how Seven of Nine cannot be manipulated by her attempted guilt trips.
• From thaibites on 2014-05-27 at 12:56pm:
  Well, after three great episodes, it's back to crap. What a bummer! I knew we were in store for a "Seven needs to integrate into and be accepted by the crew" episode, but I was hoping it wouldn't be right away.
  Actually, what I hated the most was this week's soap opera in space (literally) with Paris and the miserable one. I just can't stomach this relationship. To me, it's a slap in the face to any intelligent viewer. We're supposed to accept that the ship's pretty-boy is attracted to a miserable, bitchy, HOSTILE, hideous jerk? Kes, I could believe, but this relationship is worse than when TNG had Riker in love with a hermaphrodite! The whole crew needs to get together, hold her down, and have Tuvok use a cheese grater on those skull ridges.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From MJ on 2011-01-23 at 10:09pm:
  Not a bad episode. For the first time, we get a glimpse of the truly arrogant nature of the Changelings and their apparent lack of concern for the ruinous policies of their Dominion. They simply don't want to be bothered by the solids, and so they are content to dwell in their ocean community and allow genetically engineered soldiers and brainwashed diplomats wreak havoc on the rest of the galaxy, intervening only to ensure their overall plans succeed. They clearly consider themselves a superior life form, and in the Great Link, all the troubles of the galaxy are trivial. It might be easier for the viewer to understand the Changelings if we had some more background on this "persecution" they once experienced at the hands of solids. But for now, they seem even worse than the Borg. At least the Borg were consistent: their collective nature and desire to assimilate explained their indifference to the suffering they caused. Changeling indifference is a bit harder to grasp because it's all so intangible, a big mystery that one could only understand if one is in the Great Link.
  
  Anyway, a good "continuity" episode, continuing to show life on the station and with the Defiant and Federation. This is certainly not the episode you want to watch if you're checking out DS9 for the first time, or else nothing will make sense.
  
  I will say this for the writers of DS9: they incorporate humor, wit, and sharp comedy into their scripts better than any other series of Trek. One-liners like the one O'Brien gave to Nog about nobody being left to call him captain are typical of this series. Then you have characters like Quark and Garak, whose sole purpose at times seems to be to deliver comic relief in tense situations. It's a hallmark of DS9, and it's one I thoroughly enjoy. This series probably has the best "quotations" list of any.
• From L on 2013-08-04 at 6:07am:
  Damn Odo, you'll have to do something pretty big to redeem yourself from this massive lapse in reliability, now that you're a Great Link junkie.
  Slap him Kira. Slap him hard.
• From AW on 2015-12-29 at 6:14am:
  Not showing the mission is good character development. Overall this show has always been presented from Sisko's perspective. Star Trek has almost exclusively presented envy themes in hokey, usually filler, episodes. Conflict between members of Star Fleet rarely surfaces in such a naturally personal level.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Tony on 2008-09-05 at 2:39am:
  Janeway: "I never realized you thought of me as reckless, Tuvok."
  Tuvok: "A poor choice of words. It was clearly an understatement."
  Tuvok is right, reckless is one thing, but flying into a binary pulsar is just stupid. It's better to have a few more deaths than risk killing everyone (and I don't think it was very likely that they would make it through, although they managed to do so). One could say that her headace and sleeplesness may have made her more reckless than her usual recklessness.
• From Dan on 2009-08-05 at 12:43pm:
  I disagree with the above comment.
  
  The needs of the few, outweigh the needs of the many...
• From lumzi on 2017-07-07 at 6:26pm:
  *spoiler*
  
  
  
  
  When the camera pans over to the Doctor's drawing in DaVinci's room I broke out in laughter.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Remco on 2009-06-26 at 8:24pm:
  I liked how Dukat's rationalizations in this episode echoed some of the Iraq war rationalizations. As the western world was going to bring a superior but bloody democracy to Iraq, Dukat was going to give Cardassian superiority to the Bajorans.
  
  The Iraqis, like the Bajorans, did not quite accept that superiority.
  
  Of course, then Dukat pulls a Hitler, and starts terrorizing the population, which is where the comparison ends.
• From Christopher Wright on 2011-12-21 at 1:04am:
  Musically speaking a waltz has three beats per measure which lines up with the three voices in Dukat's head. Sisko's arm cast thingy reminded me of C-3PO. Brilliant performances by both main actors in this one.
• From Zorak on 2016-06-23 at 3:04am:
  I have to agree. That was a fantastic performance by the actor who plays Dukat. I think he might be my favorite Star Trek villain in the entire franchise.
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-11-27 at 9:13pm:
  Dukat is the anti-Sisko, this episode is a phenomenal insight into the post-Ziyal Dukat... but he shows that there has always been shades of his depravity from the very beginning. Fantastic acting, fantastic character. Easiest 10 I have given.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From MJ on 2011-02-02 at 4:59pm:
  This episode is one of the things that sets DS9, and Star Trek in general, apart from other TV series. The powerful social message and creativity of this episode is so rarely seen on TV these days. This episode also convinced me that Star Trek has found some of the most talented actors in the business. In this case, Avery Brooks!
  
  His mental breakdown as Benny Russell is breathtaking in its intensity. Had I been on the stage during the filming of that scene, I probably would've neglected my job because of being drawn into his performance. Sometimes Brooks overdoes the emotion just a tad, but in this episode it was stunningly real. It reminded me of "The Ship" when he contemplates his dead comrades at the end.
  
  The concept of the episode is well executed. I share the webmaster's dislike for "it was all a dream" episodes. In TNG's "The Inner Light" for example, I couldn't believe how the Kataan aliens could reconcile abducting a person, making him live his entire life in their world having doubted his sanity, only to reawaken him back on his ship to once again doubt his sanity. But in that episode, Patrick Stewart's performance helped overcome this glaring problem. In this episode, the performance of Brooks and all the others does the same. And the ending is a nice twist in the sense that DS9 is sort of getting in touch with its roots. Gene Roddenberry lived in a time of social upheaval, and dreamt of a future where all humanity is united regardless of petty differences. Benny Russell shares that same dream.
  
  This episode reminds us that Star Trek is more than just another TV series. It's a form of social commentary. It forces us to look at ourselves in new ways and keep our imaginations going. This episode is a gem for sure.
• From djb on 2011-04-15 at 8:11am:
  This episode was painful to watch, but very powerful, and still enjoyable. Viewers in the 90s, especially younger ones, can easily take for granted that a popular show could depict a "negro captain." Just 50 years previous, this was unthinkable, and it is good to be intimately reminded of how hard it is to be an oppressed minority. Sisko, a 24th century man in the Trek universe, most likely has no direct experience of racism, and probably doesn't appreciate what his ancestors were up against. The experience probably gave him some good perspective.
  
  It was great to see all the actors without their makeup! It was also a pleasure to see them playing different characters. I'll bet it was refreshing for all of them. I liked how each character had some similarity to their corresponding DS9 character, but was also markedly different. Michael Dorn's character was very different from Worf, but like Worf, was very good at a physical skill and competed in it. Marc Alaimo and Jeffery Combs still played villains, but their villainy was much more overt. Shimmerman's character may have been annoying, like Quark, but he was also very idealistic and principled, very unlike Quark.
  
  A unique and fascinating episode.
• From Jay on 2013-02-26 at 6:36am:
  I had half a mind to stop watching the series after this episode, because after Sisko said, "I'm a human being" I knew the series couldn't possibly get any better. Honestly, maybe the best acted anything I've ever seen. Definitely a performance deserving of an Emmy.
• From L on 2013-08-06 at 7:48am:
  I couldn't work out if the pulp artist was an un made-up regular or not, he looked familiar but I couldn't place him.
  
  The rocket model on the table in the writer's office seems to be inspired by the Tintin on the moon books, which came out in the early 50's.
  
  I loved Jake's character, he played it well. The two cops were really disturbing.
  
  'You are the dreamer, and the dream.'
  Powerful episode.
• From Dstyle on 2013-12-02 at 12:53pm:
  L, the pulp artist was Martok. I admit, I had to check IMDB, but he was so familiar and it was driving me crazy!
• From Zorak on 2016-06-23 at 9:38pm:
  I both like and dislike this episode. On the upside, the acting was great, the sets were well done and it was definitely powerful and expertly written and directed. On the downside, there's just something about them doing an episode like this that just doesn't seem right. Focusing on Sisko being black feels very out of place to me. I can't quite articulate why this felt cheap, but it did. That being said I still really enjoyed the episode.
• From McCoy on 2017-02-26 at 8:37pm:
  11/10 and a winner of my personal Best Trek Episode Ever. It's not only a story about racism. It's a story about how other people and ideology can destroy you (but not your idea). I've experienced something similar in my life, so I'm taking it probably more emotional.
  One more thing - it's not "it was all a dream". It's more meta-level. Similar to Dick's "The Man in the High Castle". A character, who suspect, he's fictional.
  Masterpiece!
• From Jadzia Guinan Smith on 2017-09-08 at 7:11pm:
  I was wondering about the pulp artist too, I thought either Garak or Morn. I hadn't thought it could be Martok?! I have to watch it again. Oh, twist my arm :-)
  
  I also liked seeing Michael Dorn without klingon make up. Such a good-looking guy forever covered up with THAT make up! sigh... (he looked even better when he was a few years younger, in TNG: Homeward, where worf was surgically "altered" to look human for a mission. Hah!)
  
  I usually don't like "it was all a dream" episodes either, as a concept. But I agree with the other reviewers that this one had so much going for it, that it really makes up for the cop-out device. Also, it's not absolutely clear that it was JUST a dream. It could be the wormhole aliens sending him visions.... although as I hear myself say it, I don't think that makes it better at all :-(
  
  But really great episode thought provoking in a serious, deeply star-trek way, but also super funny. A solid 8 from me.
• From J B on 2020-11-20 at 6:39am:
  This is a fun episode, but it is just too heavy-handed and over-the-top for me to understand why so many people love it so much.
  
  The main storyline (in Sisko's dream) contains no moral ambiguity, something which regularly adds interest to this series. Instead, it comes off as straightforward and excessively melodramatic. There is no resolution either--it ends abruptly during Benny's breakdown which makes for an unsatisfying, incomplete story. It feels like the director is trying for some emotional impact here, but the whole thing is so overdone that it almost comes across as camp.
  
  The fun part is seeing the whole regular cast in their new roles in the dream.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From packman_jon on 2012-05-15 at 1:57am:
  Watching this episode made me think about how lucky Miles is having him live in the 24th Century versus late 19th or early 20th century. Having him go undercover in a gang/mob/crime syndicate indirectly lets him experience what life might have been like for someone of his heritage - mostly if he would have grown up poor as an Irish-American - would have had to do to make ends meet. Another good DS9 episode!
• From hugo on 2012-12-31 at 11:39pm:
  So is this classified as an "O'Brien must suffer" episode? I liked the setup and the setting, but I felt the ending was a bit dull. And everything was a bit cliche too. I don't think the emotional trust/connection between Bilby and O'Brien came out really in the buildup to the end.
  
  @packmanjohn - don't exaggerate, you make it sound like most poor irish-americans (one of the biggest immigrant groups!) were mobsters...
  
  
• From L on 2013-08-07 at 7:55am:
  A genre episode that didn't quiet work.
  They laid on the male-bonding/betrayal of trust dilemma so thick that it was hard to tell if it was a spoof or a homage to the trope. It was just a bit much.
  The Vorta being so 'evil mobster'-like seemed really out of character for what they were supposedly cloned to be.
  
  The most interesting thing was the remote hacking via implant.
  Still, I like O'Brian episodes.
  
  
• From Dave on 2016-04-18 at 2:28am:
  This episode is basically Donnie Brasco in space. Very strange.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From David in California on 2007-11-09 at 6:31pm:
  This two-parter was very enjoyable. I had vague memories of it from when it was originally aired--in particular the surreal image from the end of Part I of the damage from the holo-explosion exposing parts of the ship.
  
  As a fan of "space fantasy" like Dr. Who, Farscape and the like, I especially enjoy Star Trek episodes that find a plausible "hard SF" way of achieving the same kind of general esthetic, such as the juxtapositioning of the WWII setting and the space/future setting in this episode. It struck me as similar in feel to one of the new Dr. Who episodes featuring a spaceship filled with time portals to 17th Century France, but of course using the holodeck technology established in Star Trek to make it less "fantasy".
  
  So my favorable memories of watching the episode 10 years ago were confirmed from this rewatching. Good stuff, IMO. I rated it 8/10.
• From adam on 2010-11-12 at 9:04am:
  Are you kidding me? Klingons going into battle against the Nazis was one of the all-time funniest moments in all of Trek! I thought the guns would be problematic, but I underestimated the Klingon gifts of agility, determination, and the element of surprise!
• From gategod on 2011-07-06 at 5:16am:
  Don't you think Naomi Wildman probably died 7 times during this episode... >.>
• From Bronn on 2013-08-30 at 9:49pm:
  It's nice to see Neelix actually accomplish something useful. So many times he's an active obstacle the rest of the crew has to overcome in order to achieve their missions-like when he fell down while spelunking, or when he stupidly ignored orders and had his lungs stolen. Getting the Klingons to attack the Nazis, that's amusing.
  
  I really like this episode, but I nearly have an aneurysm every time I watch Seven making that grenade. "This explosive will be harmless to organic tissue but will disrupt all holographic activity within twenty meters." WHAT!? It's a FRAGMENTATION grenade, Seven. How are you going to make that thing detonate without shooting shrapnel everywhere? I mean, I get that's she some sort of super genius with Borg technology, but fragmentation grenades are cannisters filled with TNT and black powder detonators-she's just as likely to get her shoes to emit a "photonic burst" as she is that grenade. And when we see it go of...it doesn't disrupt all holographic activity. It just makes a few holographic people disappear, but the buildings and the ground remain the same.
  
  I'm so thrilled that this thing didn't end up saving the day because it's so ridiculous. It's actually kind of a nice subversion of typical expectations for Voyager that she spends almost half the episode working on this nonsense tech solution, and it end ups backfiring on them. It's probably why this ends up being a good episode in the end-they can't just spin some magic science nonsense to fix everything, they had to suffer and fight to finally agree to a truce.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From spock on 2007-01-07 at 11:51am:
  Entertaining, but unnecessary. I don't think we needed an entire episode devoted to showing how evil Kai Winn is. The ghostbusters style showdown was truely the worst piece of writing since "profit and lace"
• From Curtis on 2009-11-29 at 3:53am:
  I thought this one was pretty awful. That "battle" was pure baloney and, again, we didn't need a whole episode to show that Kai Winn was evil. This one just seemed to heavy-handed to me.
• From L on 2013-08-13 at 3:23am:
  This is where my mild dislike of the spiritual/religious theme in DS9 turns to outright contempt and DS9 really loses me. (though I'll finish the last season before starting on Voyager)
  
  Sisko is willing to let his son be killed for the sake of a ridiculous light and dark battle of some sanctimonious and patronising energy aliens (who don't even exist in linear space and time or understand cause and effect, so how would that even work?), because 'it's the will of the prophets'? Screw that.
  
  The willingness to subjugate one's will and self to a mysterious force simply because it's bigger than you has no place in Star Trek or any supposedly enlightened future. How many times has something god-like turned out to just be a fallible energy alien that lives on a different scale to us?
  
  Any sympathy I had for Bajoran culture is gone as all I can see is a superstitious people's brain-washed chanting.
  
  It is true that our tendency to repeatedly fall for this nonsense and find something to worship so as to ease our tiny little frightened minds is the human condition, and so it is perhaps where the traditional idealism of Star Trek really ends and maybe the writers wanted to take it in a more realistic direction. It can be excused on that level if it's being presented as a common tendency of all sentient beings alone in the universe, but it seems to be presented here as a noble quality with all the talk of 'faith' and so on.
  
  I thought at least Dax was the one hold-out with her "They'll always just be 'wormhole aliens' to me" line, but even she prays to them in the last episode.
  
  Maybe the final season exposes and properly condemns this fetishising of the abandonment of rational questioning in the name of 'spirituality' and payment for the granting of favour. I certainly hope so.
• From Alex on 2021-03-18 at 11:31pm:
  The initial conflict of Sisko taking away the stone tablet was so artificial. Why did they need to take it with them at all? Energy readings (of which there was none) could've been examined at first with the tricorder, and since the inscriptions were the focus of attention, couldn't they basically work with a photo? When the need to return it becomes pressing enough, apparently Dax can work just fine with a holographic projection of the tablet. Why not just work with that from the beginning?
  Yeah, he had to shatter it. But he just as well could've beamed down to the cave with a sledgehammer, or something.
  An annoying episode. Sometimes there's slow episodes, silly episodes, or ran-out-of-material episodes. This one is more "characters ignore basic logic and fumble cluelessly for half an hour before something anticlimactic happens". For me it's 4, at most.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Abigail on 2008-12-26 at 3:58am:
  Maybe time travel isn't really supposed to make sense, but I never got a good explanation out of this episode for how the 8-year-old Molly and the 18-year-old Molly could end up in the portal simultaneously. If it was just because the 18-year-old was sent back a few moments after the 8-year-old arrived, that's not really a good enough explanation. If they had sent her back four years later, would she have found 12-year-old Molly?
  
  Also, it disturbed me that Keiko and Miles were even willing to send the 18-year-old back. I didn't see that as the best option. However, since she ended up finding her younger self, it was still a satisfactory ending (minus the fact that I'm a little confused about how she found her younger self ...)
• From Damien Bradley on 2013-02-18 at 7:56am:
  Bah! Reset button episode. The whole time I was thinking, "they had better not get the 8 year old Molly back." ... but they did. That kind of ruined it for me. I thought it would be really cool to see how this new, 18 year old "feral" Molly would progress and re-integrate herself into society, but no, they of course found a way to magically get the original Molly back. I'm surprised you liked this episode, Eric; you mention reset buttons all the time and how annoying they can be.
• From OmicronThetaDeltaPhi on 2014-06-30 at 2:14am:
  It was an interesting episode. It was a moving episode. But one thing deeply bothers me about it: The outrageous attitude of the Federation Magistrate towards Molly.
  
  He wants to take a frightened girl away from her parents by force, and lock her up in a "special care center". Without even seeing her. Without consulting her parents. Without even having a hearing.
  
  What's the deal with that??!! Is this Star Trek, or "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"?
  
  Fans usually target episodes like "For the Uniform" and "In the Pale Moonlight" as being anti-Roddenberry. But to me, it is episodes like this one which put the biggest stain on the utopian future that Star Trek is supposed to be.
  
  
  
• From ChristopherA on 2021-04-05 at 7:55pm:
  @OmicronThetaDeltaPhi: I don’t remember it that way. The dialog is set up in such a way to make the protagonists sympathetic and the Federation official seem heartless. But actually, she is in jail for knifing someone, presumably she had a hearing but it is irrelevant since we know she is guilty, they don’t need her parents’ permission to detain her, in fact it would be inappropriate to just ignore the crime and release her to her parents. Moving her to a detention facility where she can actually get psychiatric help is actually far more helpful than just a normal prison.
  
  The works into one of Abigail’s points, that even though the narrative is designed to support the O’Brians’ belief that the only solution is to return her through the time portal, that is pretty questionable. Sure, her parents tried to help her and failed, but maybe, just maybe, a staff of experienced psychiatric expert actually COULD help her acclimate where her layman parents could not. Humans are social animals, they could at least give it a try before they commit various crimes and muck around with time travel equipment they don’t understand in order to condemn her to a life of eternal solitude.
  
  I thought the concept of the episode was worthwhile and interesting to think about, but it was kind of boring to actually watch, definitely not my favorite.
  

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From mnp on 2011-11-12 at 12:41am:
  After Tom gets out of solitary, B'Elanna calls him on the comm and says she's heard he's "free for dinner", which she then schedules for "0700".
  
  In regards to what is a download or an upload, that's a matter of perspective. If they logged into the gravity core and started the copy from there, it would technically be an upload:
  
  KIM: Looks like the reactor's controlled by a core computer. I'll try to upload the database and get some answers.
  PARIS: Initiate the interface.
  
  ... could go either way.
• From pbench on 2015-09-13 at 12:00pm:
  amazing episode. for once i truly didn't know which direction it was going to go either way, down to the moment that both crews yelled "fire!". all the characters were allowed to play on their strengths--tom's strongheadedness and hidden idealism beneath the cynical exterior (though surprised that b'elanna didn't mention the maquis when he said 'i'm not one for causes'), janeway's liberality but ultimately stern hand as a ship captain...
  
  so many great moments in this episode--dealing with themes of cultural conflict, political impotence, environmentalism, and even the unintended consequences of poorly-thought out projects...was great. loved the scene of the monean ambassador staring down paris in that moment of cultural chauvinism, even though he's probably a snake on his planet, like climate deniers on our own.
  
  all in all was very impressed with this episode. here's how you do a TRUE moral dilemma, each choice really truly mixed, with great directing and subtlety; loved the novelty of it being recounted backwards. kudos voyager!!!
• From tigertooth on 2016-11-21 at 5:14pm:
  Kind of jarring that Janeway sentences him to 30 days solitary confinement when it's well documented that solitary confinement of even a few weeks is psychologically damaging and is widely considered to be torture. Maybe they have figured out ways to make it less damaging by that time.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From carsonist on 2010-01-19 at 10:22pm:
  This plot would have worked much better if there had been any chemistry at all between Janeway and Kashyk. I could see they were implying a relationship when they were working together, but there was no spark whatsoever. When they kissed, I was surprised because it simply made no sense.
• From Lennier on 2010-06-14 at 4:26am:
  Doesn't Kashyk's organization massively resemble the Psi Corps from Babylon 5?
  
  So the episode has some originality regarding the music choices but also some striking unoriginality there.
  
  "Black uniforms, jack boots, giving orders... Some days, they scare the hell out of me." - Michael Garibaldi
• From Kenobie on 2011-04-10 at 9:01am:
  There seemed to be 2 glaring mistakes on this episode. #1: when they found out about the location of the worm hole in the solar system, it was said that it was 8 Light years away, the enemy commander said that there was a problem with the solar system, as it has a sensor array that would pick them up. It had a sensor range of 10 Light years. Would that not mean they are already in range?
  
  #2: At the end when the telepaths leave in the 2 shuttles.the commander, gives the ship back to Jane-way, as the telepaths are gone and the failure would look bad. Where are the Vulcan Tovok and the engineer. surly they did no leave too!
• From plus on 2011-11-01 at 7:29am:
  Holy crappoly... this just ranked itself into my short list of favorite voyager episodes. It has an almost magical elegance to it. Everything flows smoothly, one scene to the next - unlike some episodes which seem jerky and abbreviated, like a movie trailer.
  
  I love the complexity of the relationship between Janeway and her counterpoint, Kashyk.
  
  Mahler and Tchaikovsky make for a great soundtrack as well.
  
  I could probably say more but the point is, this is a very well written and well directed episode.
• From Rick on 2013-01-08 at 6:46am:
  I agree with an above poster: where the hell were Tuvok and the other vulcan at the end of the episode? I guess held in transporter suspension in a different part of the ship?
  
  And on a separate note, relating to the entire series: is voyager the slowest ship in the quadrant? because it sure doesnt seem like they can ever outrun anyone. It wouldnt matter too much if you were outgunned by 10 warships if you could just outrun them, but obviously that wouldnt make fore very good episodes.
• From TheAnt on 2013-10-12 at 10:13pm:
  "The Sting" episode.
  
  The story is excellent, and told with a good flow without interruptions this time. Almost like one actual movie.
  Professor Torat made for one very good alien, and not just another humanoid with nothing more than a funny bump on the forehead, and good acting there as well.
  
  @carsonist: I hope you read this and go see the episode again, the attraction between Janeway and Kashyk is so strong I expected they would jump each other any second. Even though it turned uot it were faked by Kashyk, it rather did show good acting and quite a sign that his character were supposed to have one heck of an ability of manipulation.
  
  But yes there's one inconsistency, the whereabouts of Tuvok and the Vulcan from engineering named Vorik is unaccounted for.
  
  Also I have to chime in with a tumbs up on the selection of music, good choice and very nice to have one departure on the variations of Gustav Holst "The planets" which we hear so many times on Voyager.
  
  So why do I call this episode 'The Sting' well like in that film the viewers are kept in the dark on several details - first the whereabouts of 2 crewmembers and the fact that Voyager hold refugees. But also in the conclusion, that Janeway and the crew created a what appeared to be a wormhole in the predicted location - which were false, and that the telepaths already were on their way to escape in another location in space.
  A solid 10.
• From Dstyle on 2015-06-24 at 5:02pm:
  So Kashyk let Voyager go because... wait, why did Kashyk let Voyager go? As far as I'm concerned this is the end of the series. Voyager is impounded by the gestapo aliens and the crew is sent to a detention camp, where they languish and die. Kashyk's "Let's just pretend this whole failure never happened" thing is ridiculous. And then Voyager, I guess, just leaves their space, which isn't apparently all that large, at least not compared to species like the Kazon or the Malon who seem to control vast reaches of the Delta quadrant.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Jeff Browning on 2011-09-07 at 12:52am:
  You missed some huge technical problems. The premise is that there is a ship-wide conspiracy to hide facts from the Doctor. If so, why does Harry Kim make things worse by denying knowledge of his surgery? Wouldn't he instead come up with a plausible alternative explanation? His response did nothing but increase the Doctor's curiosity. Likewise, why did Seven restore the Doctor's missing holoprojector files? She also simply makes things worse. Either they were not in on the cover-up (and how could Harry not be?) or they were incredibly inept. And the most inept is Capt. Janeway. Not a likely scenario. Altogether a very flawed and illogical episode.
• From thaibites on 2014-11-30 at 9:43am:
  What was the point of this episode? The ending was flat and kind of a let down. It seems like they're saying it's a new beginning for the doctor, but if watch the next episode, he's still the same condescending, egotistical, smarmy, know-it-all jerk that he usually is.
  So............I repeat, "What's the point of this episode?" The doctor hasn't changed or grown for his experiences here, so why should we care? This whole episode is just pointless.
• From Dstyle on 2015-07-07 at 2:42pm:
  I love the scene where the Doctor tells Janeway about his discovery that he performed surgery on Harry. They're both so casual about it!
  
  This episode unfolded in a really spectacular fashion. Very well written!
• From Martin on 2016-04-16 at 8:29pm:
  IMO one has to view these type of series with an opened eye. There's a part of this episode which is simply art. And what art is all about is making you feel something. Despite all the technicalities and flaws in this episode, the important part to consider is that, for the first time, the doctor made and irracional decision, and has to confront all the feelings that decision holds for him.
  In this episode we see the doctor, a hologram, dealing with really hard feelings, attempting to make sense of some new part of his existance which just doesn't make sense. The irracionality of the human emotions.
  Reminds me a little of data feeling like sh*t for not being able to save geordi in First Contact.
  This one has art written all over it. I give this episode a 9, wonderful.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Jem Hadar on 2010-04-06 at 12:04am:
  "Jason Alexander does a wonderful job as Kurros, showing us the same deceitful and conniving personality she showed us as George on Seinfeld."
  
  Typo, or funny diss? ;)
  
  I thought this was a very good episode with an interesting story.
• From QuasiGiani on 2017-08-27 at 10:14am:
  Problem(s)?
  
  Okay, no we have a very problematic and frankly, therefore, boring episode:
  
  Why would such a powerful "Think Tank" ever need to bargain with anyone? For anything? They wouldn't.
  
  But let's ignore that hugely, unavoidably ridiculous mess for just a mind-numbing minute...
  
  Howzabout:
  
  Why would they ever stop monitoring Voyager and allow that silly collusion and planning session to catch-them-up-and-out? They, of course, wouldn't.
  
  Howzabout:
  
  Why would they need to have Janeway allow them access to the "databank" as Kurros requested just before or after he told Janeway he'd just then and there tapped into it? They, of course, wouldn't.
  
  Howzabout:
  
  Why would these geniuses, who apparently did just huddle-up while the plans were being attached back on Voyager, _all_ fall to utterly moronic pieces the moment they lost their ability to communicate with each other? They wouldn't.
  
  Dopey episode. Glaring.
• From Axel on 2018-06-09 at 3:13pm:
  I don't quite understand a couple of QuasiGiani's complaints. Why does this think tank bargain? Well, because they aren't some kind of non-profit research institute. Their whole purpose is to market their problem-solving services in exchange for resources, new technology, knowledge that advances them or can be used to bargain with later, and even new members. Such a group would only ever need to bargain. I think they were desperate to get Seven on board because her collective knowledge would be worth the risks they might have to take.
  
  As for what happens at the end, I guess there's a key fact to remember about think tanks: despite their genius, sometimes they get things wrong. This particular group also obviously had a lot of hubris and had also become used to working as a group; their collapse at the end didn't seem all that far-fetched to me.
  
  To me, the main drawback of this episode was that the issue of getting Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant never comes up. Once Janeway leaves the decision up to Seven, it would've been fitting if either of them had raised the possibility with the think tank about somehow getting help so Voyager makes it home sooner.
  
  Overall, though, I liked this one. It was an interesting premise and had some nice twists even if they made the think tank a little too obviously sinister.