What an intense episode! If the combined Tal Shiar and Obsidian Order fleets can't stop the Dominion, can anyone? Also we learn that other Changelings are capable of appearing as perfect replicas of other species, not just the soft eared solids like Odo. I also really appreciate that Sisko is reprimanded for taking the Defiant out after Odo defying a direct order but that like the saboteur on his ship, Sisko himself is forgiven since it all turned out already in the end. Also it seems strange, but it is pretty much in line for both characters that the thing that gets Odo and Garak to finally start talking is Garak torturing Odo, but then not giving away what he found to the Federation.
The episode opens with Bashir having lunch with O'Brien who is clearly no replacement to Garak as a conversation partner. In Ops they are startled when Romulan, then Cardassian ships start decloaking and going through the wormhole. Starfleet contacts, them, they intercepted a transmission from Tain to the Cardassia telling them the plan. Thinking there might be a chance they will succeed Starfleet orders Sisko to stay where he is and not pursue Odo into the gamma quadrant. On the Romulan flagship Tain orders Garak to extract any information Odo may have on the founders from him. Garak is resistant but agrees when he learned that Tain has developed a device that might actually do the job and offers it to the Romulans. We see the device getting set up but then cut to the Defiant. They are in the gamma quadrant headed at near top speed to intercept the Romulan-Cardassian fleet when suddenly the cloak fails. Security Chief Eddington admits he did it on a direct order from the Admiral to stop Sisko from losing the Defiant. Sisko orders O'Brien to fix the damage, but keeps Eddington at tactical for being honest about what happened.
Garak's device keeps Odo from changing shape which becomes torture as he nears the time where he needs to become liquid to regenerate. Odo starts falling apart and is clearly in a lot of pain. Finally he admits to Garak that he drawn to join the great link more strongly than he has admitted to anyone and Garak realizes this is all the information he is going to get out of Odo and turns off the device. Garak lies to Tain and the Romulans and tells them Odo never broke. They have arrived at the founders world and prepare to attack. The Defiant is up and running again and Sisko sets out at maximum warp. The bombardment of the planet begins and seems to be going well, but they notice no change in the lifeform count. Something is wrong, and it becomes more wrong when hundreds of Jem'Hadar ships decloak and start attacking. The fleet is overwhelmed and Garak flees to rescue Odo and get out of there. They are stopped by the Romulan Colonel in charge who gives them what they need to escape and Garak asks why. Tovok admits to being a Changeling and then beams out. Garak tries to rescue Tain, but he refuses to leave the bridge. Odo knocks Garak out with a punch and takes him to the runabout. The two are about to be destroyed when the Defiant appears and rescues them before fleeing back to the alpha quadrant. Sisko debriefs the admiral in charge who tells him he is forgiven for now, but do it again and he will either get court marshaled or promoted. Odo stops by Garak's shop and thanks him for not telling the Federation his secret and they both agree to let go of what happened and meet for breakfast some time.
Review: What a crazy episode, things are starting to accelerate in pace, too bad it all slows down with Worf joins the show next season. A solid episode with lots of action and character moments to really be above average.
8 out of 10
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