Still snowing. Streets still not plowed. The snow is just over half as tall as my car. And I've heard of power outages around my area. But I'm still going. So, kicking off...
"Apocalypse Rising"
The fifth season wastes no time getting off the ground. Sisko and Dax went to Starfleet Command for a briefing in a Runabout. Everyone on the station is worried they'll get shot down by the Klingons. And the current chain of command is made crystal clear in a scene with some tension where Worf says that Kira may command the station, but he commands the Defiant. Kira makes it clear they still have to follow Sisko's orders regardless, to not take the Defiant away from the station, then the situation is rendered moot when Sisko returns and tells them about their mission.
I love what the mission is. It reminds me of something you'd see in
Mission: Impossible: Sisko, Odo, Worf, and O'Brien going to a heavily fortified Klingon Headquarters to use special devices that have to be set up in a formation and activated to expose Gowron as a Changeling.
One of my favorite scenes in the episode is when Sisko is revealed in his Klingon get-up for the first time and says, "What's wrong, Dukat? Haven't you ever seen a Klingon before?" That was priceless. In fact, it even gave me an idea. I was a Klingon that Halloween. And the next one. I would've gone trick-or-treating, but I was 17. Instead, I just handed out candy to kids as a Klingon.
I got a kick out of Dukat's reaction when he found out that Kira's pregnant with O'Brien's child! That must've been a mindfuck for him. On that subject, very nudge-nudge wink-wink was the scene between Kira and Bashir where Kira jokingly tells Bashir she blames him for the pregnancy. This works both between the characters and between the actors.
Another favorite scene of mine is on Dukat's Bird-of-Prey when Worf is trying to teach Sisko, Odo, and O'Brien how to act like Klingons. "It is not enough to look like a Klingon; one must act like one!" Worf has a point. Sisko can make for a convincing Klingon. But Odo and O'Brien? They make terrible Klingons! When Sisko is giving a heart-to-heart to Odo, who's still down about being a solid, it looks so weird seeing people who look like Klingons talk or act like that. Up to this point, the TOS Movies, TNG, and DS9 have all given me an idea of how a Klingon "should" be (if that makes sense), and seeing the contrast with Odo, O'Brien, and sometimes Sisko shows just how much the Klingons had truly been developed over the years.
When Dukat tells Sisko he won't be returning after he drops them off, it really ups the stakes. There's no room for failure. Either Sisko and the others survive
or they die.
Once deep inside the Klingon Headquarters, the Klingons have to drink, eat, act wild, and still be awake to receive a medal from Gowron in the morning. Drink, eat, and do crazy stupid stuff? Sounds like any overnight party I went to in my 20s and 30s. I'm too old for that now, and I was too old for it towards the end... but the point is: the way the Klingons were celebrating, that was Pretty Fucking Tame! Come on! I've seen worse IRL. I expect something wilder and heartier from the Klingons! They
really should've just gone all out! But, whatever, I won't hold it against the episode.
Still some great moments in there. Like Odo telling O'Brien that Klingon Blood Wine isn't that bad,
except for the taste! That's how I feel whenever someone gives me a beer. Can't stand the taste of it at all. I won't say "no" if someone offers, but not my thing. Wine, vodka, rum? Now we're talking. But I've never met a wine I didn't like the taste of. Dry Wine's better than Sweet Wine, and I imagine blood is somewhere in-between, but... back to the episode!
Odo's been off his game all episode long. First at Quark's when he talks about how much he's grown to like eating and drinking. Then on the Bird-of-Prey when he wasn't putting his heart into throwing himself into the role of a Klingon. And now, at the Klingon Headquarters, of course he's the one who can't put plant his device in the right spot, and Worf has to bail him out. For a split second, it made me think they wouldn't be able to pull it off.
Another spot where I didn't think they'd be able to pull it off is when "Martok" tells O'Brien there's something very familiar about his face. I wouldn't expect
any Klingon to remember O'Brien after one random appearance in a hypothetical battle. But a Changeling? Completely different story. That was the first clue to me that Martok was really the Changeling. Not on first viewing in 1996, but now on the re-watch where I was actively looking for early signs.
Speaking of the risk of being recognized: how the Hell could
no one recognize Worf before Gowron showed up?! Seriously.
What the fuck is that?!! Come on! That's one of two weak spots in the episode. All through the previous season, it was painted as if Worf was this pariah who was now infamous as a "traitor". I'd be surprised if his face wasn't blasted all over Klingon news media to be shunned. But here he is at this Ceremony and no one recognizes him.
Yeah, right!
But then Gowron showed up and I tensed up, just like the first time I watched, hoping they wouldn't get caught... even though I already knew how it goes! That's how you know something holds up to repeat viewing. Then Sisko and the others are caught.
I like the misdirection where you're led to believe that "Martok" might be an ally against Gowron. Then it's revealed that it's Martok who's been replaced by a Changeling. That leads to the second weak point of the episode. This entire time, for over a year, "Martok" has covered his tracks so no one would suspect him, then -- right in front of everyone! -- he does a Changeling move as he tries to grab Odo.
Way to foolishly blow your cover! Then everyone blasts at him. This reeks of, "Have to end this episode somehow!"
The fight between Worf and Gowron right before that was fun to watch. An episode like this basically demands for an all-out fight between two Klingons, and you can't do better than Worf and Gowron, because of all their history. As it turns out, that's just a warm-up act for much later, but that's getting ahead of myself.
It makes sense that Gowron wouldn't be able to easy end the war even after the truth is revealed, but least he's willing to try to push through a ceasefire. At least now they're all aware that they're being played by the Dominion.
Overall, I enjoyed this episode, despite some flaws, but it's not the best season opener. The not being able to recognize Worf pushes suspension of disbelief. But still a lot of fun. I liked what we got, even though I think it could've been even wilder.
I give it an 8.
Had they gone
totally nuts with it and also tried a
little bit harder to disguise Worf, I would've gone higher.
"Talk all you want, but don't get between ME and the Blood Wine!!!"
I'll pick up where I left off with
Babylon 5 sometime tonight. Unlike last time we had a Blizzard, I'm not doing four reviews in one day. That's just too much!
