The pay off is so good in this episode. Having set Sisko up as the one behind the attempted coup on Earth makes it that much more impactful when he figures it out and stops the whole thing. It is never really clear what role the Changelings actually played in the whole plan, but it kinda seems like they were behind parts of it at least. Also using red squad to be the pawns used to start the coup has a very hitler youth kind of feel to it. Also it is really nice to see the captain of the Lakota try for peace rather than just blindly follow orders and kill a bunch of Starfleet officers.
We begin right where the last episode left off with security officers beaming down around earth. Sisko and Odo are investigating but aren't liking what they are finding. It isn't clear how the Changelings actually carried out the power outage and it appears Red Squad was beaming back to the academy right when everybody else was heading out to deal with the crisis only to be deployed soon after. Sisko goes to the head of the academy with the information and isn't really surprised when he gets ordered to destroy the record he found. Back at the restaurant Ben and his father are discussing the situation when Nog arrives. Ben talks to him about Red Squad and is surprised to learn its membership is secret. He orders Nog to tell him the name of some members though and drags them into the investigation.
Sisko questions one of the leaders of Red Squad and learns they were the ones who carried out the sabotage. He contacts Kira and starts an investigation on DS9. They go to the president with the information but he is unwilling to help. Admiral Leyton talks with Sisko and pretty much admits to what he is doing but that he is doing it for the right reasons. Sisko also has a talk with a Founder in the form of Miles who tells him that there are only four Changelings on earth. Sisko keeps gathering evidence and orders Kira to execute the plan. Sisko shows up at the presidents office and is given a blood test which falsely shows he is a Changeling so he is arrested.
Odo rescues Sisko from the holding cell and Sisko goes the confront Leyton. Despite the evidence that he has at that point Leyton isn't willing to give up and tells him he has ordered the Lakota to stop the Defiant by force since its crew are all Changelings. Worf is forced to fight the Lakota but when things get bad the captain contacts Leyton and he tells her to destroy the Defiant but Sisko tells her not to and she listens to him. When the Lakota drops its shields and powers down weapons Leyton takes off his rank pips resigning from Starfleet, but warning Sisko that he better hope he is right.
Review: While they made the bad guys in this episode just evil enough so there isn't a lot of moral ambiguity, they also raise the question that they might actually be right. Freedom versus security is a struggle our country found itself in the middle of 5 years after this episode which makes it feel even better upon reflection.
8 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment