Is "Field of Fire" DS9's "Silence of the Lambs?"

[Rush Limborg]

Think about it: Ezri is investigating a series of deaths on DS9. She knows she's a little out of her league, so she calls up Joran Dax--a charming psycopath, who is, in this ep at least, something of a psycologist--to assist her. Joran, of course, seems more interested in playing mind games with Ezri than solving the crime.

So...is this a take on The Silence of the Lambs, with Ezri as Agent Clarice Starling and Joran as Dr. Hannibal Lector?

Consider these exchanges from the film:

Dr. Lecter: Why do you think he removes their skins, Agent Starling? Enthrall me with your acumen.
Clarice: It excites him. Most serial killers keep some sort of trophies from their victims.
Dr. Lecter: I didn't.

Dr. Lecter: First principles, Clarice. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing, ask: What is it in itself? What is its nature? What does he do, this man you seek?
Clarice: He kills women.
Dr. Lecter: No, that is incidental. What is the first and principal thing he does, what needs does he serve by killing?
Clarice: Anger, social resentment, sexual frustration …
Dr. Lecter: No, he covets. That's his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer, now.
Clarice: No. We just …
Dr. Lecter: No. We begin by coveting what we see every day.

And from "Field of Fire":

Ezri: Now...let's get to work. We have a killer to catch
Joran: ...If you want to catch a killer, Ezri...you have to learn to think like one.

Joran: You're holding back, Ezri. You refuse to see with his eyes--feel with his hands--think...with his mind.

Joran: A killer who hates laughter...who hates emotion....
Ezri: A Vulcan.
Joran: All Vulcans distrust emotions, but they don't go around killing people for smiling....
Ezri: ...This one does. Something happened to him--something so emotionally painful it's making him lose control.... When he looks through the targeting sensor and sees those pictures, the laughter seems to mock him.
Joran: You're thinking like he thinks. Good, Ezri.

Hmm...

 

[Anthony Sabre]

Could very well be. There were other episodes that were takes on movies. Our Man Bashir an obvious take on the Bond flicks. Badda Bing a take on the original Ocean's Eleven, I think. Honor Among Thieves a take on under cover movies in general.

What turned me off about Joran is that all we ever learn about him is he's a serial killer musician. Aside from Jadzia and Ezri, he was the only other host whom was repeatedly featured, and that's all we get out of him. One story in The Lives of Dax did more for his character than three episodes.

 

[Rush Limborg]

^Well, in FoF he comes across as something of a psycologist--again, shades of Hannibal Lecter.

There's a bit of complexity there.

But then...as Ducaird said in Batman Begins (and Bruce Wayne, in The Dark Knight), "Criminals aren't complicated...."

 

[Anthony Sabre]

True. But there had to be something more to him. He passed the tests and was selected for the joining after all. It just seemed like all the writers were interested in playing up was the serial killer aspect.

 

[Rush Limborg]

1. He's a master musician--a creater of conciertos (like the one Jadzia remembered)

2. He seems to be an expert on the criminal mind. Who knows? Maybe he was a consultant for Trill's police force....

 

[Anthony Sabre]

2. He seems to be an expert on the criminal mind. Who knows? Maybe he was a consultant for Trill's police force....

Funny you mentioned this one. In The Lives of Dax we meet a joined member of Trill's police force investigating some murders.

What I found interesting is the concept of this voice or person instructing them to kill. This same thing is featured in Dexter and also Mr. Brooks but both of those came after, at least on the screen they did. Dexter refers to his as his "dark passenger", though I don't think it's dispalyed as a separate person.

 

[RobertScorpio]

1. He's a master musician--a creater of conciertos (like the one Jadzia remembered)

2. He seems to be an expert on the criminal mind. Who knows? Maybe he was a consultant for Trill's police force....

And I must add, I thought Deboer did a great job in this episode. A lot of fans dont seem to care for her. But, I thought, in the one year we had her I really liked her..I connected more with her than I did with Jadzia, who seemed to ordered to me.

Ezri was aloof, and not perfect; and I liked that aspect of her...

Rob
Scorpio

 

[Rush Limborg]

^Same here. She's funny, enthusuastic, and charming, with a child-like innocence and spirit which Jadzia rarely, if ever, displayed.

And THIS episode proves she can be bad- when she has to be....

 

[Anthony Sabre]

I never had a problem with deBoer. My problem was with Ezri. Just didn't like the character.

 

[Jono]

2. He seems to be an expert on the criminal mind. Who knows? Maybe he was a consultant for Trill's police force....

It is possible that Joran has deriving his "expertise" off Ezri, a (poorly) trained counsellor and/or Dax's other hosts.

True. But there had to be something more to him. He passed the tests and was selected for the joining after all. It just seemed like all the writers were interested in playing up was the serial killer aspect.

Apparently Torias before him had seen many battles. Those experiences coupled with a fairly violent death which even Ezri could vividly recall might have just been too much for Joran the gentle musician to handle.

 

[Myasishchev]

What's the deal with punishment in Trill society, anyway? Apparently the slug didn't face execution or imprisonment.

 

[RobertScorpio]

What's the deal with punishment in Trill society, anyway? Apparently the slug didn't face execution or imprisonment.

Jerry Brown is the president I think..

Rob

 

[Rush Limborg]

What's the deal with punishment in Trill society, anyway? Apparently the slug didn't face execution or imprisonment.

Remember, "Rejoined" established that Joran was always hot-tempered and unstabe--even before he had the symbiont. The Dax symbiont was not responsible for Joran's murders.