Deep Space Nine 4.03, 4.04
“The Visitor” is Deep Space Nine’s “The Inner Light”. I don’t think it’s quite as perfect as the TNG tearjerker, but that’s like saying a waterfall isn’t quite as perfect as a redwood forest. They’re both glorious.
I really like the storytelling device of Old Man Jake. It frames the story very well but also fits for Jake Sisko, the Writer. I even like the eager young fan. She reminds me of the Bajoran girl that got killed on that top secret Enterprise mission during “Lower Decks”. Anyway, as much as I appreciated that everyone believed Miles when he was traveling a couple of hours into the future, I also liked that it took a while for anyone to take Jake seriously about his dad. And even when they were able to see Ben for themselves and know what was happening, they still gave up the search for a fix.
This is also an interesting alternate future because of the lack of the Dominion. And yet some things are advanced, like Nog’s career in Starfleet. And it’s definitely bittersweet to see Jadzia Dax in old age make-up, sparring with Julian on the museum-worthy Defiant, knowing she’ll never reach that age in the normal timeline. I love the touch of Jake having a Bajoran wife - he sure does like those Bajoran girls! I was impressed with how serene Benjamin was with his fate; he just wanted to have grandbabies, even if he couldn’t spend time with them. In the end, he totally remembered. You can see it in his eyes when he hugs his young-again son. And that’s when my tears start flowing freely.
For some reason I could only remember Worf’s B story in “Hippocratic Oath”, and not Bashir’s A story. I’m not sure what that says. Especially because I rather like the Julian part. I think it’s an interesting way to teach the audience more about the Jem’Hadar in general and Ketracel White in particular. I like that in the end, there is no environmental reason for Goran-Agar to have broken his addiction. It was simply a genetic fluke. And while Goran-Agar accepted that, Julian refused. He would have stayed if it hadn’t been for Miles. Goran-Agar knew that O’Brien was the warrior, not Bashir.
Worf’s story is an important bit of growth for his character. He needs to leave his security past behind. And trust someone else. That second bit is the hard part for him. I love that it’s not distrust of Changelings that leads him to go behind Odo’s back, but rather his distrust of Ferengis, and especially Quark. Poor Worf, screwing up the undercover operation. He should move to the Defiant.
I really like the storytelling device of Old Man Jake. It frames the story very well but also fits for Jake Sisko, the Writer. I even like the eager young fan. She reminds me of the Bajoran girl that got killed on that top secret Enterprise mission during “Lower Decks”. Anyway, as much as I appreciated that everyone believed Miles when he was traveling a couple of hours into the future, I also liked that it took a while for anyone to take Jake seriously about his dad. And even when they were able to see Ben for themselves and know what was happening, they still gave up the search for a fix.
This is also an interesting alternate future because of the lack of the Dominion. And yet some things are advanced, like Nog’s career in Starfleet. And it’s definitely bittersweet to see Jadzia Dax in old age make-up, sparring with Julian on the museum-worthy Defiant, knowing she’ll never reach that age in the normal timeline. I love the touch of Jake having a Bajoran wife - he sure does like those Bajoran girls! I was impressed with how serene Benjamin was with his fate; he just wanted to have grandbabies, even if he couldn’t spend time with them. In the end, he totally remembered. You can see it in his eyes when he hugs his young-again son. And that’s when my tears start flowing freely.
For some reason I could only remember Worf’s B story in “Hippocratic Oath”, and not Bashir’s A story. I’m not sure what that says. Especially because I rather like the Julian part. I think it’s an interesting way to teach the audience more about the Jem’Hadar in general and Ketracel White in particular. I like that in the end, there is no environmental reason for Goran-Agar to have broken his addiction. It was simply a genetic fluke. And while Goran-Agar accepted that, Julian refused. He would have stayed if it hadn’t been for Miles. Goran-Agar knew that O’Brien was the warrior, not Bashir.
Worf’s story is an important bit of growth for his character. He needs to leave his security past behind. And trust someone else. That second bit is the hard part for him. I love that it’s not distrust of Changelings that leads him to go behind Odo’s back, but rather his distrust of Ferengis, and especially Quark. Poor Worf, screwing up the undercover operation. He should move to the Defiant.