I am so glad Kai Winn doesn't get to make medical decisions for me. Or Kira actually. I am not even saying that Vedek Bareil didn't want the same thing, but it isn't like Bashir isn't down to cross some lines to try and save a life, but when he says something is a terrible idea you should probably listen. I wasn't super into the B story about Nog and Jake, but the resolution in a cell behind Odo's office continues to trend of trying to show that while the Ferengi appear repulsive to us, that is really just cultural bias, they think we are super gross too.
The episode opens with the B story, Jake runs into a girl he has been interested in for a while but she was always dating someone else. They set up a date for a the next night. Jake gets pushed aside as Odo and Starfleet security officers run through the promenade. They meet O'Brien and Bashir at an airlock, there has been an accident on a Bajoran transport vessel. Kai Winn is first out, but she expresses worry for the health of the Vedek, in this case Vedek Bareil has been badly injured. In the infirmary O'Brien is telling them all about what happened and before he can finish Winn interrupts to ask if it could have been sabotage. In private with Sisko she explains Bareil has been negotiating with the Cardassians to settle terms on a final peace treaty between the two peoples. Despite has best efforts Bareil seems to be dead, but just as he is telling Kira he is gone a monitor starts detecting neuron activity. After some extreme measures Julian manages to save his life, but there are complications.
Jake tells Nog that they are going to have to miss their dom-jot game since he has a date which Nog turns into a double date in no time. With Bareil back from the dead Winn starts consulting with him immediately about the terms of the deal. She gets the Cardassian representative to come to the station to continue talks over Bashirs objections. But it is clear Bareil wants to do everything he can to finish the negotiations. He demands that Bashir give him a risky drug that gets him through for a few days but massive parts of his brain die. Jake and Nog's date is a disaster, Nog keeps telling the girls to stop talking and telling them to cut up his food for him. Bashir meanwhile has to try and convince Winn it isn't a good idea to replace parts of Bareil's brain with implants to get him a little further, but she and Kira both insist.
Bareil is back, but he is only a shell of the man he used to be. He can barely remember Kira, but he can remember the negotiations so with his help a peace treaty is signed. Jake gets him and Nog arrested so they can talk about their differences and agree to no more double dates, but that they want to stay friends. At the treaty party Bashir is called to the infirmary for a medical emergency and Kai Winn comes along as well. Bareil is dying and the only option is to replace his whole brain with a computer which for some reason Kira thinks is a good idea. I suppose she is under extreme stress so I should cut her a bit of slack, but still. Bareil is allowed to die finally and Kira says good bye tearfully.
Review: Bareil was always a strange character for the show. We only ever saw him as a benevolent religious figure or as Kira's romantic interest which is a lot shallower than any of the other characters. I wonder if the writers decided Kira needed to move on.
6 out of 10
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