I'll definitely have to watch this one again. I did enjoy the first watch, but it had just been built up so much.
It's been particularly interesting to read the interviews with Tawny and Cirroc about how Avery read multiple drafts of the script and signed off on everything. While watching, I kept thinking that it was a beautiful story about keeping someone with you even after they've died, but it didn't feel at all consistent with Sisko's promise to Kasidy. Yet I couldn't picture Cirroc doing it if Avery wasn't on board. And just thinking about that whole aspect was taking me out of it. So I'm eager to rewatch and just let it flow over me more.
But I suspect I'm still going to wish that the door was left more open to believe he came back in some way. I thought we were building towards the reveal that he came back and lived secretly with the family, which SAM would discover but also keep secret for the sake of protecting his stature amidst the Bajorans.
I mean, you could still technically believe that (it's only SAM's imagining of Jake that truly confirms he didn't come back, the child with Kasidy is left off the family tree specifically because they did end up all living in secret together, etc), but it takes a lot of heavy duty fanwanking to make it all fit. I'd just prefer an easier lift!
The stuff at the bar was FABULOUS and gave me way too many college flashbacks.
The Kelric story was the worst material on SFA to date, but I guess you're not honoring the story of Sisko's sacrifice in the fire caves if you're not including an awkward and poorly paced subplot that detracts from the strong A story.
But hey, I can squint and pretend Winn & Dukat in the fire caves is good enough, so I can do the same with Kelric on rewatch of this, hopefully.
Also, Tawny's prosthetics were terrible! I haven't seen that much obvious latex since Admiral Jameson.