Name That Episode: Bajor Tells Vagabond Space Farmers, We Would Feel Compelled to Help You

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' started by Strangerhand, Nov 16, 2017.

  1. Strangerhand

    Strangerhand Ensign Red Shirt

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    There's a particular Deep Space Nine episode that I saw when perhaps first aired like 20 or so years ago maybe and I've been wanting to see it again ever since, but I don't remember the name of it or what season or episode it might be.

    [ * * * SPOILERS MY FOLLOW, SO WATCH OUT! * * * ]
    I seem to remember it was about some alien race that perhaps some enemy had like destroyed their homeworld so they come to the station, petitioning the Bajoran planetary government for an unused small island of land for them to live on and thereby support themselves and thus return to their previous autonomous existence, claiming a little island was all and exactly just what they really, really needed. But the Bajoran Heads of State refused, breaking the deal, instead offering that if an island were given to vagabond alien race at all, they would also have to get whatever the Bajorans like wanted to believe they needed with the line something very similar to We would feel compelled to help you.*

    Of course the alien agriculturists passed on that whatwith otherwise having some bunch of crap mandated upon them all the while still going without the modest bit that they really, really needed. So no deal, meeting adjourned, and as they depart the station to still continue searching the stars for a new homeworld, they tell Kira Nerys something like We know your planet [Bajor] suffers from famine. We're farmers. We could've solved your little famine problem, ya know, and left Kira silent, staring blankly at their backs as they walk through the exit-port doors, they still vagabond with no homeworld upon which to live and till, and Bajor still starving from a famine problem they are unable to resolve. THE END of the episode.

    Wow, what a great story, and what a great Star Trek story! Sure wish Deep Space Nine had a lot more great and profound stories like that throughout its seven-season television run! But what the hell episode is it? ??? Please help! And much, much thanks in advance!

    ---
    *On a side note: Incidentally, this story/scenario makes me think of a bit of ancient wisdom: "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?" (Terran Christian Holy Bible, New Testament, Book of Luke, chapter 11, verses 11 & 12, c. 35 A.D.) I think the point is that if you truly mean to help someone, give them just what they need instead of something else as a jackassed and narcissistic pretense to "helping", adding, as another old adage says, Insult--or more Injury--to Injury, especially if the one(s) in need are good enough to actually be able to tell you exactly what they need, no more, no less. Oh wow, thanks for a whole lotta nothin', Bajoran Heads of State, you big dummies! Next Bajoran election, I'm totally voting Bajoran Right-Space-Wing hehehehehe
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2018
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  2. Armus

    Armus Commodore Commodore

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    Sanctuary, from season 2, I just rewatched it. ☺
     
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  3. Triskelion

    Triskelion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Watch this:
    Name that episode where the big eared little guy uses a bat'leth to...
     
  4. kkt

    kkt Commodore Commodore

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    Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places
     
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  5. Triskelion

    Triskelion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Yup. That's the one! :D
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2017
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  6. Leviathan

    Leviathan Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Got it in one Mr Garibaldi....
     
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  7. Strangerhand

    Strangerhand Ensign Red Shirt

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    Thank you, Sir! The episode is "Santuary", S2E10 { http://www.startrek.com/database_article/sanctuary } and I just watched it too.

    One of the things that struck me about it that I didn't remember from my previous viewing more than twenty years ago was how much the Bajoran leaders were in some ways a lot like their arch-enemies the Cardassians, the most evilly Orwellian among us in the galactic quadrant. Wow, the double-dumbasses! Although of course profoundly fascinating as good Star Trek typically is, aside from that all I can think about them at the moment is
    OR "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

    "Sanctuary" is a top-notch episode of Star Trek lore. Thanks much, Sir, for helping me find it again, Fleet Capt. Armus. You Rock N' Rule, man! hehehehe
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2018
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  8. Bad Thoughts

    Bad Thoughts Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I'm curious to know what draws you to this episode. I've called it one of DS9's greatest misfires: an idea that looks good on paper, but which was poorly executed. (For what it's worth, I don't think they did enough to connect the Skreea to the Bajorans, and the decision to deny settlement was never depicted on camera).

    There are two episodes that I think come close to what Sanctuary was doing: Progress and Shakar. Both of them were Bajoran politics on the ground.
     
  9. Agony_Boothb

    Agony_Boothb Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Was this done so we didn't confused and think the quotation was from Martian King Blorzlblorp edition of the Holy bible? :rolleyes:
     
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  10. Strangerhand

    Strangerhand Ensign Red Shirt

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    Of course. For example, the aforementioned Terran sacred text says that an omnipotent and omnipresent God created the Universe in six days, but we know that in fact the Universe was sneezed out of the nose of a being known as the Great Green Arkleseisure, and dread the Coming of the Great White Handkerchief.
    Hm, though I've not been much of Deep Space Nine-viewer (I've long been an avid fan of the original series and The Next Generation), I might give those episodes a watch, per your suggestion, thanks!
    And by the way, I love that Commodore 64 too--best computer EVER! :beer: hehehehehe
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2018
  11. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

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    The thing about Sanctuary is that they intentionally made the Skreeans kind of unpleasant to symbolize the perspective of humans' attitude toward foreign refugees. And they did a little too literal a job of it, with the flaky skin and the constant fighting, and it made the episode kind of unpleasant.
     
  12. V'lorothTheVulcan

    V'lorothTheVulcan Cadet Newbie

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    They seriously reminded me of home-bums, or the kind of traveler kids that appear in your town during the warm season who stand on the corner and play banjos and ukes, trying to busk enough money to make it to the next music festival.
     
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  13. Strangerhand

    Strangerhand Ensign Red Shirt

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    Satisfactory, don't you think, Mr. Vulcan?
     
  14. Tenacity

    Tenacity Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Thought it was below average, but not rock bottom.
    The Bajorans were barely able to take care of their own population, a few years after this episode (iirc) there is a famine on Bajor. The decision to send the Skrreeans to another planet was the correct one, Draylon 2 was described as a good world.
    There was no deal in the first place to break, you're mis-remembering.
    You can extend charity to another and would be praised for it. But no one (or group) can require it from you.

    Sanctuary can be requested, but never demanded. it is a gift, not a right.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2018
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  15. STEPhon IT

    STEPhon IT Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Deep Space Nine working on all cylinders, just a phenomenal episode, and creates a moment for the Bajorans and another facet for Kira. It was an eye opening episode. These were the kinds of isolated stories a writer could tell on DS9; it was an open door to a new universe to explore than limiting the premise with less exploration and more War centrist stuff.
     
  16. Roundabout

    Roundabout Commander Red Shirt

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    This was one of the better DS9 episodes. It had a fantastic story and, for the most part, was done well.

    And the story had relevance to the real world. I remember seeing this episode about the time of the huge migration of people from the middle east into Europe (in the real world) a few years ago. It just made the story that much more compelling.

    Btw, Walter Koenig's son, Andrew, played the son of the Skrreean leader. On a sad note, Andrew Koenig passed away several years ago.
     
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  17. Kor

    Kor Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I found "Sanctuary" to have an unsatisfying narrative.

    Kor
     
  18. Nakita Akita

    Nakita Akita Commodore Commodore

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    I don't recall a mass "migration" of people from the Middle East into Europe in the early 1990's.

    I like aspects of the episode. I liked that the universal translators didn't work at first.
    I liked that the civilization was seeking a new planet, I just find that an interesting concept.
    But I didn't like that the searchers wanted to move to a planet of their choosing which was already occupied. I would have liked to have seen them try that on Kronos. Well, I guess it was okay that they Wanted to move there, but they behaved like spoiled children when they were told "no".
    Plus, the Federation, or whoever, found them a planet. It's not like they just said "no" and started using their ships for target practice.
    I was disappointed with the ending of the show when their Leader acted like a hormonal teenager.
     
  19. Roundabout

    Roundabout Commander Red Shirt

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    I should have been more clear. I wasn't referring to the first time that I saw the episode.

    When I saw this episode as a rerun on H&I a few years ago, it was about the time of the mass migration of refugees, mostly Syrians, from the middle east to Europe. That was the big news of the day. The real world migration story was on my mind as I was watching the episode at that time. :)

    -----

    I, too, liked the part of the story involving the universal translator. We got a bit of insight into how the universal translator operated. That was interesting.

    I could understand why the Skrreean leader was upset. Many of the Bajorans, like Kira and that prominent musician, made a point of expressing sympathy to the Skrreeans about their plight. One of the Bajorans said he empathized with the Skrreeans being a displaced people, because a lot of the Bajoran population were themselves displaced by the occupation.

    I think the point of the Skrreean leader was that talk was cheap. The Bajorans didn't walk the talk, so to speak. Instead of seeing the Skrreeans as an opportunity to revive that part of Bajor, the Bajorans got into a fortress mentality. The Skrreean leader saw cynicism, among other things, on the part of Bajorans.

    I thought the decision that was made was the right one.

    Nevertheless, I think the story might have been more effective if there were no Draylon 2 option, and if the Skrreeans were shown as being in a more dire situation. Suppose if the only two alternatives were settlement on Bajor or the continued adrift in space by the rag tag Skrreean fleet desperately searching for sanctuary.

    It was what it was. Oh well.
     
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  20. STEPhon IT

    STEPhon IT Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    What I loved about the episode was the solution was right there in everyone's faces and one simply didn't want it. There could've been some cookie cutter Starfleet save the day by giving a pampered conclusion, but the point was to show how different the Bajorans were from UFP. It's a missed opportunity for Bajor, but a satisfying episode to me.
     
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