The Darkness and the Light

[Pemmer Harge]

Does anyone else think this is one of DS9's most interesting episodes?

The most memorable moment of the show for me was Kira's confrontation with Prin where she utters the following lines:

"None of you belonged on Bajor. It wasn't your world. For fifty years you raped our planet, and you killed our people. You lived on our land and you took the food out of our mouths, and I don't care whether you held a phaser in your hand or you ironed shirts for a living. You were all guilty and you were all legitimate targets!"

This is a genuinely controversial point of view and I think it was a bold decision to give Kira such views rather than try to sanitise her. For me this was one of the definitive DS9 moments.

 

[Jono]

Kira has never been apologetic about her crimes. She was a murdered without restraint (mass murderer?) and was/is a terrorist. I am amazed that they never did a Kira up for war crimes or terrorism or whatever it would be in the Cardassian legal system. Would have been way better then the throw away O'Brien in Cardassian court episode. How would the crew defend her? I guess they couldn't so she would be executed/imprisoned for life...which does hamper a main character. Okay, I answered my own question.

I am a fan of this episode. We saw a lot of "woe is Bajor" but did not see much of the other side of the coin.

 

[Navaros]

It is interesting only insomuch as it shows that Kira is a totally irresponsible mother (putting her unborn baby's like in jeopardy!) and very bitter woman who doesn't like to take responsibility for her own evil actions but yet is quick to condemn others as evil. However, since that is not what the writers intended to convey, it is not interesting when read according to the writers' intentions.

For me, this episode is also ruined by Visitor's horrible acting when she has to flip out and/or cry, similar to how her likewise bad acting in such situations also ruins episodes like Starship Down, Heart of Stone etc. etc.

 

[Pemmer Harge]

It is interesting only insomuch as it shows that Kira is a totally irresponsible mother (putting her unborn baby's like in jeopardy!)

This never bothered me.

and very bitter woman who doesn't like to take responsibility for her own evil actions but yet is quick to condemn others as evil.

The thing is, I don't think Kira shares your/our moral values and that's what makes it interesting to me.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

For once, I am in 100% agreement with Navaros!

I totally agree that Kira is irresponsible to risk the life of not HER child, but the O'Briens! That she thought she could make that decision for the O'Briens was just reprehensible. Risking her own child would've been bad enough, but risking another's baby? I don't think so.

I would like to think that Starfleet has made SOME allowances for pregnancy, but personally I like to imagine that in peacetime, both the mother AND father would come off of away-team duty at a certain time to ensure that the child will have both parents. Kira should not have been out in the field. (For that matter, if we go the way I had in mind, O'Brien should go on light/restricted duty at the same time, to ensure that he is also present for his child's birth.)

That she would place the life of ANOTHER's child below her need for revenge is disgusting and in a weird way, proves Prin right. Now, Prin was really messed up as well, and needed help--but honestly, I think they BOTH came off as equally insane.

 

[Kinggodzillak]

But if Kira hadn't gone out after Silarin...the alternative would be just sitting around on the station waiting for him to bump her off, surely? She knew she had to be his next target, baby or no baby, and she obviously wasn't going to be safe on DS9 or Bajor until she'd dealt with him...

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

But if Kira hadn't gone out after Silarin...the alternative would be just sitting around on the station waiting for him to bump her off, surely? She knew she had to be his next target, baby or no baby, and she obviously wasn't going to be safe on DS9 or Bajor until she'd dealt with him...

Someone else could have gone after Prin--there is zero reason why it had to be her. I'm sure there are enough Bajorans who would jump at the chance for that kind of mission, both out of personal loyalty to Kira and loyalty to the memory of the Resistance.