S04.E01: The Way of the Warrior

[John Potts]

Quote

A sudden change of government on Cardassia causes the Klingons to suspect Changeling involvement: as a result, a Klingon armada arrives at DS9 to replace them. Sisko's intervention causes the Klingons to cancel their peace treaty with the Federation.

This episode marks a big shift in DS9: politics comes into much greater prominence as the Klingons appear on the scene as significant players both on the grand scale (Chancellor Gowron/General Martok) and small (Commander Worf).

Personally, I did like the fact that it shows Garak as a true patriot: despite despising Gul Dukat, he doesn't hesitate to inform him (and presumably others, but he's the one we see) that a Klingon invasion is imminent. And you have to wonder whether the Federation are regretting promoting Sisko: he's been Captain for one episode and already he's ignoring his orders!

[Joe]

I read the novelisation of this before I saw the actual episode. It was really good, and I was disappointed when I actually saw the episode.

[readster]

I felt that the Kligons were too easily manipulated into deciding to turn their back on the Federation thinking the Dominion was using Cardassia. Instead they ended up driving the Cardassians to the Dominion, having Golron look like a moron and even made Bajor come off looking like idiots later that year. I did like the upgrade to the battle power of DS9 and we wouldn't see something that awesome again until the end of season 5. However, while I loved Worf's reintroduction, I did feel like the Kligons took a major step backwards after this and took until the series ended to get back to who they should be. Because remember: "Honor first, and kill the rest." That's the Kligon way, oh please.

[iMonrey]

One thing I never get is why when characters on TV have to shed blood for any reason (in this instance, to prove they aren't shape shifters) they slice the palm of their hands with an enormous dagger. WTF? They wouldn't be able to use their hands for weeks. Even assuming they ran straight to Julian to have their hands repaired, why not just have Julian draw blood with a hypo? I mean, I guess they always do that for dramatic effect but that's the least practical place on your body, just about, to cut yourself just to draw blood.

I never understood why Sisko shaved his head. Apparently Avery Brooks wanted to shave his head from the beginning but the bald head and beard was his look when he was on Spencer for Hire so the producers wanted him to have a different look until he established himself on DS9. 

One thing I didn't remember until this re-watch is how early the Dominion came into play. They were introduced in Season 2 and already started having a major effect on the show in Season 3. With the entire galaxy on alert and worried about an invasion, it's hard to believe anyone would go anywhere near DS9. The whole point of the space station was that ships would want to dock there on their way to the Gamma quadrant, but if everyone's afraid of the Dominion who the hell is going there anymore?

I get more critical of shows the older I get.

[Maverick]

 When the blood testing were first conceived (in "The Adversary") they did use hyposrays to draw blood.  That's how the Changeling was able to switch the vials  and make it look like Eddington was the Changeling.  It was the Klingons who started the slashing the palms with the knife thing.  

 Even after Dominion revealed themselves, ships were still going into the Gamma Quadrant.  The trade agreements the Ferengi setup were still in place and the Federation was still sending ships.  Even the station was still sending runabouts to explore (that's how Bashir and Dax stumbled on that planet in The Quickening).

 Brooks wasn't very energetic in the role early on, especially in the first season.  He didn't really come into his own until he got the Spencer for Hire look.  Maybe it was the reverse Sampson effect.

[iMonrey]

Still, it seems like they have to evacuate DS9 at least once a season for some imminent war or attack. Why the hell would people keep coming back? The place seems to be the number one hot spot in the galaxy for battles. Everyone is afraid of an imminent invasion by the Dominion - who would want to live right on their doorstep?

[blueray]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Still, it seems like they have to evacuate DS9 at least once a season for some imminent war or attack. Why the hell would people keep coming back? The place seems to be the number one hot spot in the galaxy for battles. Everyone is afraid of an imminent invasion by the Dominion - who would want to live right on their doorstep?

As the show went on there were less and less civilians living on DS9, mostly just business owners and starfleet. At one point kaiko even mentions closing the school because the only students left were Jake and Nog who she could just tutor. As for incoming ships there were always people working on freighters that were transporting stuff that needed R&R for their crew or repairs. Then once the war starts transporting troops also brought new people to the station.

[rmontro]

On 5/10/2017 at 12:23 PM, iMonrey said:

One thing I never get is why when characters on TV have to shed blood for any reason (in this instance, to prove they aren't shape shifters) they slice the palm of their hands with an enormous dagger. WTF? They wouldn't be able to use their hands for weeks.

This is the same thing I've been thinking.  Cut yourself in a place that doesn't get flexed so much, it heal that much quicker.  Cutting yourself in the palm seems idiotic.  The only thing I can figure in this case is that slicing your palm makes you look macho in front of the Klingons.  But like you say, this is a common TV practice.

[Maverick]

In the Trek universe they have a "dermal regenerator" to heal cuts.  In TNG, we see Crusher basically erase a scratch on Riker's face after he's attacked by Spot.