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Star Trek DS9 - Season 5 - Episode 26

Star Trek DS9 - 5x26 - Call to Arms

Originally Aired: 1997-6-16

Synopsis:
As another convoy of Jem'Hadar ships emerges from the wormhole toward Cardassia, Sisko and his officers face the grim realization that the Dominion is taking over the Alpha Quadrant. [DVD]

My Rating - 10

Fan Rating Average - 8.05

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Filler Quotient: 0, not filler, do not skip this episode.
- Numerous major long term plot threads are serviced here.

Problems
- So when did the Runabouts leave the station?

Factoids
- This episode is a candidate for my "Best Episode of DS9 Award."

Remarkable Scenes
- Quark: "Any marriage where the female is allowed to speak and wear clothing is doomed to failure."
- Another Jem'Hadar convoy coming through the wormhole.
- Nog discovering that the Romulans signed a non aggression treaty with the Dominion.
- The whole briefing room scene where Sisko decides to mine the wormhole.
- O'Brien, Dax, and Rom discussing how to mine the wormhole. I love how Rom was able to think about his wedding and come up with a genius idea for the mines at the same time.
- Odo and Kira addressing their discomfort with each other.
- Kira: "So for now, all we need to concern ourselves with is deploying the minefield, maintaining station security, and preparing ourselves for a possible invasion." Odo: "Well I don't know about you, but I feel more comfortable already."
- Sisko's confrontation with Weyoun.
- Bashir: "You don't think Starfleet could be persuaded to send us a few more ships, say, fifty?"
- Garak: "I must say, constable, I admire your composure. You're an island of tranquility in a sea of chaos." Odo: "What I am is useless. My entire staff has been evacuated to Bajor."
- The Dominion fleet attacking the station.
- The minefield being deployed.
- Sisko evacuating DS9.
- Jadzia announcing she will marry Worf.
- Sisko's goodbye speech.
- Sisko: "I promise I will not rest until I stand with you again... here, in this place where I belong."
- Kira running Sisko's program to sabotage the station. Kira: "Dukat wanted the station back? He can have it."
- The revelation that Jake is still aboard the station.
- Dax: "We should rendezvous with the Federation task force in 48 hours." Bashir: "And then what?" Nog: "And then we make the Dominion sorry they ever set foot in the Alpha Quadrant." Sisko: "Cadet, you took the words right out of my mouth."
- The scene when Kira, Odo, and Quark welcome aboard Dukat, Damar, Weyoun, and the Jem'Hadar.
- Dukat correctly interpreting the reason why Sisko left the baseball in his office.
- The Rotarran and the Defiant joining the Federation-Klingon task force.
- Rules of Acquisition; 190. Hear all. Trust nothing.
- Morn Appearances; 1. In the crowd when Sisko gives his goodbye speech. 2. In Quark's bar after the Federation personnel evacuate.

My Review
Quite possibly one of the best DS9 episodes ever done. Yes, here is where the Dominion war finally, really begins. Numerous major events and major character developments happen here. For one, Rom marries Leeta. Proving that Rom has come a long way from being Quark's second in command, a B-list Ferengi. Now he's married to a beautiful woman. And his technical genius is put to its best use in this episode by O'Brien and Dax. Speaking of Dax, Jadzia and Worf get engaged in this episode. It's interesting to note that it probably wouldn't have happened so soon without the war. Kira and Odo finally deal with their feelings for each other, at least to a certain extent. And then there's Jake. Jake finally got a job! He's a news reporter for the Federation news service. In accordance with his new job, he decided to remain aboard DS9 to report on the ensuing events. His father, furious, finally has to admit that Jake has become a man and can make these decisions for himself. Sisko's speech as he leaves the station is wonderful. Just when Sisko was finally beginning to like his job as commander of DS9 and his appointment as Emissary of the Prophets, it is all ripped away from him. At the beginning of the show, all Sisko wanted to do was get out of there. Now it greatly pains him to leave. Between the political intrigue, the space battle, and the captivating villains, this episode takes advantage of everything the five seasons of buildup has to offer. Truly spectacular, and with a cool episode name to boot.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

  • From Wes on 2012-04-13 at 1:40pm:
    Agreed. This is the best episode of DS9 thus far. Probably my favorite up to this point, too.

    I noticed something after watching this time. Something about this episode seems really similar to Star Wars. It's like they took the best parts of Star Wars and capitalized on them in this episode. (Of course, I'm not saying that's actually what they did. It just has the things I liked about Star Wars.) I think most of that comes from the great space battle. Other feelings of Star Wars come from all the characters who have some role to play. DS9 makes awesome use of a huge (for Star Trek) cast. This is just an awesome episode. The music was good, too.
  • From Thavash on 2018-12-25 at 12:59pm:
    Why did Starfleet not send any assistance to the most strategic Station in the Alpha Quadrant , which was being attacked by the strongest enemy they had yet faced ? For me a major inconsistency.

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