Why did Odo send Laas to the Great Link?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' started by cannicks, Jun 26, 2013.

  1. cannicks

    cannicks Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    Wouldn't that have been the more ethical choice, since it was his own people too?

    Simply transport Laas via a runabout to the Gamma Quadrant and send an open message towards Dominion space that he is on a peaceful mission and is returning a Changeling.

    You think the Founders won't pay attention to that, or destory Odo and their new long lost son? lol..:lol:
     
  2. R. Star

    R. Star Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    It was season 7. The Founders had closed the wormhole by that point and no one was risking using it after the 2800 Jem'Hadar ships disappeared.
     
  3. cannicks

    cannicks Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    Sisko could pwrsuaded the prophwrs to let it rhrough. Also rhe fleet was destroyed due tp a potential threat to Bajor . If odo stood for justice then he should have allowed Laas to join their people. Its. where he truly belongs
     
  4. Captain Clark Terrell

    Captain Clark Terrell Commodore Commodore

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    It's been awhile since I've seen this episode, but did Laas ever say that he wanted to join the Great Link? How is it justice if Odo makes that decision for him and takes him somewhere that he doesn't want to be?

    --Sran
     
  5. R. Star

    R. Star Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Not to mention there's the small fact that the Link is infected and that joining with them would be deliberately infecting himself. Laas and Odo both didnt know that Odo had already infected Laas with the illness.
     
  6. YJAGG

    YJAGG Captain Captain

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    so Laas most likely died soon anyway
     
  7. Captain Clark Terrell

    Captain Clark Terrell Commodore Commodore

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    No way to know either way.

    --Sran
     
  8. cannicks

    cannicks Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    Its his home. Did he ever say he didnt want to join?
     
  9. Captain Clark Terrell

    Captain Clark Terrell Commodore Commodore

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    Seems to me that he had no home and wanted to find the other Changelings the Dominion sent to explore the galaxy. Why would he return to the Great Link if that's what he intended to do?

    --Sran
     
  10. cannicks

    cannicks Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    Its his people.
     
  11. Captain Clark Terrell

    Captain Clark Terrell Commodore Commodore

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    That he shares biochemical characteristics with the Founders doesn't make them his people. Family isn't about DNA sequences or physical traits. It's about finding individuals with whom one can identify. You've provided absolutely no evidence that Laas actually empathizes with or accepts the Great Link in even the smallest degree.

    --Sran
     
  12. R. Star

    R. Star Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Not to mention by that logic Odo would've stayed with the Link in the Search.
     
  13. Captain Clark Terrell

    Captain Clark Terrell Commodore Commodore

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    Correct. And we know from various things Odo said that he did want to return to his people but elected not to do so until after the war was over. Why would Lass, someone with no prior relationship with the Founders, make a decision like that? It makes no sense at all.

    --Sran
     
  14. cannicks

    cannicks Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    Who is to say that Laas wouldn't have stayed at the Link? Since he too despised solids, it was more of a better fit than Odo who obviously welcomed them. this was essentially the reason why he rejected the Founders, not really because he was good and the Founders were evil, but he loved Kira and wanted to be with her. I'd imagine had Kira died prior, then he'd have little else to live for amongst solids and go back to the Link. Also, Laas only knew of the Link after he met Odo. Up until then, he had not means to know other Changelings even existed. One cannot catergorically state that as Laas was greeted at the Link and told "Welcome home" he'd respond "You're my people? Nah, not interested". It's likely he may share his people's hatred of the solids, and do what he could to subdue/exterminate them. Remember, he killed a Klingon and showed no remorse since he was a solid.

    It's likely then as he was told "Welcome home" he would respond "It's good to be back after all these years. Let's go kill solids together! ":lol:

    It's that as the Founders were Laas' people too, why should he be denied the opportunity to meet them? It was his home and origin, and if he chose to go, fine. They let Odo go, and all Founders seemingly have equal standing/choice (I see no evidence there are Founder leaders). Odo essentially was a hypocrite, since he denied one of his own species the opportunity to do something he wanted all of his life.

    Just seems that if Odo lived his life in the pursuit of justice, then he should have at least shown Laas what the Great Link was. Why deny somebody their own origin? As for DNA ties, well I'd say a priori most species do have such a thing. Of course this is not absolute, but despite PC people disagreeing, most species do share utmost allegiance with conspecifics.
     
  15. Captain Clark Terrell

    Captain Clark Terrell Commodore Commodore

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    Laas indicated several times that he was much more interested in finding the other Changelings who were sent out into the galaxy than he was in joining the Great Link.

    Laas himself said that he had no interest in conquering solids as the Dominion was attempting and that he preferred to avoid them altogether. Your "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" argument is baseless.

    What are you talking about? Odo didn't deny Laas anything. He chose not to accompany him on his journey, but he allowed him to leave without interference. How is Odo a hypocrite for something he didn't even do? If you're going to present an argument like this, you need to provide facts to support your assertions. You've yet to do so.

    It wasn't Odo's responsibility to take Laas to the Great Link. Laas was an individual and could have made that decision for himself. He didn't need Odo's help to find the Founders. And Odo was under no obligation to leave his life on DS9 behind to help someone he barely knew. I'll say it again: genetics don't determine one's family. Family is about making deep and meaningful connections with people whom one has many things in common with. Odo had no such connection to Laas despite their common origin, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that he would choose to stay with someone he loved.

    As to your final point, you're presuming that all members of given species or ethnic group are alike, which is perhaps the most ignorant POV I've seen expressed in quite some time. Most Changelings may prefer to associate with other Changelings, but one cannot assume that this would be case for everyone.

    --Sran
     
  16. cannicks

    cannicks Lieutenant Junior Grade

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    Also laas never said he wanted to be alone.
     
  17. Captain Clark Terrell

    Captain Clark Terrell Commodore Commodore

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    Nor did I suggest that he did. As I've already explained to you, his objective was to find the other Changelings who were sent to explore the galaxy. Clearly, he had no intention of being alone if he meant to find others like himself. That doesn't mean, however, that he intended to join the Great Link. You've yet to provide a single a piece of evidence that supports your assertion that he did.

    --Sran
     
  18. Timelord Victorious

    Timelord Victorious Vice Admiral Admiral

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    For what it's worth Star Trek Online made it a plot point about what happened to Laas:

    Lass apparently found a bunch of other changelings and lead them to a colony where he established a new great Link and planned to build an Alpha quadrant Version of the Dominion with war remnants of Jem Hadar.
    When the player captain discovers this, the other changelings abandon him because they had enough of the bloodshed and let the Player deal with Lass.