Hard Time

[Kobayshi Maru]

If O'Brien lost twenty years of his total lifespan, this would not make him concerned until, oh, about twenty years before his statistically probable age of death. Humans are immortal until they die...

Also, the prison experience would not have "weakened" or "hurt" O'Brien as such - it would merely have made him 20 years older, in the middle of his prime where such things barely show to the surface. More significantly, it would only have made his brain older, as his muscles and bones were not involved much in the pseudo-activity that in fact only lasted for a couple of hours or so. Something like that would simply not be observable to the outside, or even to the inside; Bashir might notice something amiss, but O'Brien himself would not.

Timo Saloniemi

But we already know that the simulation didn't affect O'Brien physically at all, the experience was one hundred percent psychological. What I meant was that even the psychological aspect has been taken care of and that O'Brien doesn't show any sign of having been affected long-term-ly by it at all. No new phobias or weaknesses. He even talks about his past with Kira in that Par March thingy and never alludes to the twenty years gap between now and say the beginning of DS9. The episode doesn't have any long term impact on O'Brien's life. I've watched the series many times and if there was anything, even a subtle reference, I would know about it.

 

[Timo]

But we already know that the simulation didn't affect O'Brien physically at all, the experience was one hundred percent psychological.

And that's my only real point of contest: anything "psychological" is also automatically physical, as the brain must process the information and burn sugar doing so, adding to the mileage and hence reducing the miles remaining.

I agree O'Brien didn't demonstrate much change as the result, although I also think I notice the "slightly decreasing joviality" alluded to above in the episodes following this one. But anything could have done that, including continuing and continual exposure to Julian Bashir...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Admiral Bear]

although I also think I notice the "slightly decreasing joviality" alluded to above in the episodes following this one. But anything could have done that, including continuing and continual exposure to Julian Bashir...

I was thinking more Keiko. That crap she served him up for dinner in The Wounded had decree nisi written all over it.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

If O'Brien lost twenty years of his total lifespan, this would not make him concerned until, oh, about twenty years before his statistically probable age of death. Humans are immortal until they die...

Also, the prison experience would not have "weakened" or "hurt" O'Brien as such - it would merely have made him 20 years older, in the middle of his prime where such things barely show to the surface. More significantly, it would only have made his brain older, as his muscles and bones were not involved much in the pseudo-activity that in fact only lasted for a couple of hours or so. Something like that would simply not be observable to the outside, or even to the inside; Bashir might notice something amiss, but O'Brien himself would not.

Timo Saloniemi

If that were true it would only affect causes of death that were directly related to brain function. And all signs point to them having basically cured Alzheimers and vascular dementia.

It is true we don't have an 100% confirmed death of Sito Jaxa. Cardassia could have easily captured her trying to escape, extracted the information about the intended rendezvous and faked it. That would have been cool to run into her in a Cardassian prison.

 

[RainKing]

The scariest aspect of the simulated prison sentence, for me, would be the simulation itself. There could be a glitch...

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Anyone see the Black Mirror Christmas special? The end with the "I think I'll bump it up to 1000 years a minute and leave it on over the weekend..." <shudder>

Longer than you think, Dad! It's longer than you think!

 

[tomalak301]

Hard Time is a great episode, and I'd like to think this would have been what came after The Inner Light had TNG allowed it. Maybe not taking it to the extreme, but the whole living in confinement for 20 years (As with Inner Light, living a lifetime) in a matter of minutes lent itself to a great episode. That near suicide scene gets me all the time.