And then suddenly in the middle of season five the Dominion war got started in earnest. As a kid this was a super significant episode because I was starting to get really frustrated with the endless build up to war without much delivery on the promise. But having seen it I can vouch for what is to come so this seemed more like a startling transition from the fairly straightforward character driven show into a political/war thriller with solidly built characters to use to tell the story. I had completely forgotten that Bashir got replaced by a changeling at some point. Also it actually seems kinda silly to keep all those you replace in a secret prison camp together to plan an escape. Especially a talented general and the long serving head of a powerful intelligence agency.
The episode opens with Odo settling back into his quarters as a changeling and being awkward around Kira as per usual. But quickly we transition the detection of a Cardassian transmission from the Gamma quadrant. Sisko recruits Garak to help decode it but he tells them it is nothing but a planetary survey report. He tells this to Bashir and Ziyal in the replimat before scurrying off to a runabout which he plans to steal. But it is a little surprised to find Bashir in the pilots seat with a phaser. They go to Sisko and Garak tells them it is a coded message from Enabran Tain who is supposed to be dead from the failed invasion of the Dominion. Sisko agrees to let Garak go but insists Worf go with him. Dax tries to convince Worf to not throw away his life on the mission and he gets going. But before they can leave Dukat catches Garak flirting with Ziyal and threatens his life, but ultimately lets Garak go only to go yell and Kira and blame her for not keeping the two of them apart.
Garak and Worf's journey is uneventful until they come to an area claimed by the Dominion and Worf says they have to go back but Garak convinces him to fly through a nebula. They encounter a huge Dominion fleet massing and try to flee but are captured. They are taken to a prison on an asteroid with no atmosphere run by the Jem'Hadar. They encounter General Martok who was replaced with a changeling two years earlier and finally Tain who has nothing but disdain for Garak for only showing up with one Klingon. Back on the station Kira returns with the Defiant and bad news from the Gamma quadrant. They decide the only option is to seal the wormhole but not damage it. They get to work on an elaborate plan.
Back in the prison Martok introduces Worf and Garak to the most interesting prisoner, Dr. Bashir. A blood test proves he is no changeling which is bad news for DS9. And speaking of fake Bashir shows up with sandwiches for O'Brien and Dax who are installing the wormhole sealing tech. Back in the prison Garak finally gets to have his goodbye to Tain who after much begging acknowledges Garak as his son and even says he is proud of him for being so persistent. Back on the station the wormhole seal fails and a Dominion fleet flies through the wormhole.
Review: This episode finally concludes the long running Garak/Tain saga and moves us directly into the series biggest saga of all, the Dominion war. If I recall correctly it will be a while before there is much good news for the alpha quadrant.
7 out of 10
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