Star Trek DS9 - Season 5 - Episode 11
Star Trek DS9 - 5x11 - The Darkness and the Light
Originally Aired: 1997-1-6
Synopsis:
Kira is shocked and saddened when Latha Mabrin, a fellow member of the Shakaar Resistance Cell-turned Vedek, is murdered. [DVD]
Filler Quotient:
2, filler, but an enjoyable episode nevertheless. You can skip this one, but you'd miss out on some fun.
- There's no essential plot or exposition in this episode that renders it unskippable, but it's a decent episode, even though it could have been better.
Problems
None
Factoids
- Randy Oglesby, who plays Silaran in this episode, played the twins in DS9: Vortex as well as one of Riva's chorus in TNG: Loud as a Whisper.
Remarkable Scenes
- Worf gently making fun of Jadzia for losing at Tongo.
- Odo: "All you all right?" Kira: "No I'm not all right! I haven't slept in three days, someone is killing my friends, and my back--! Sorry..."
- Lupaza and Furel showing up at Kira's quarters then O'Brien walking into a surprise in his quarters.
- Nog and Jadzia deciphering the messages.
- Kira stealing Odo's list and a Runabout.
- Prin's introduction and his argument with Kira.
- Kira killing Prin.
- Rules of Acquisition; 111. Treat people in your debt like family. Exploit them.
My Review
A fantastic episode for Kira. It's a roller coaster ride of emotions for Kira as someone is killing her friends throughout the episode. Eventually Kira snaps and steals a Runabout, locates the assassin, and confronts him only to be captured by him. The twisted old man attempts to force her to give birth prematurely so that he can kill Kira, but not the baby. The herbs Kira's been taking protect her from his sedative though, and Kira kills her would-be assassin. Nana Visitor has always been a fine actress, but this episode is one of the ones where she really shines. It's easy to get caught up in the drama of it all; a very moving episode.
The following are comments submitted by my readers.
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."
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...