Winn's Rise...

[Farscape One]

Something always nagged at me during early DS9.

The 1st season finale, Winn makes her first appearance. We're told she leads a relatively small order. In the season 2 premiere trilogy, she obviously has gained ground since Minister Jaro seeks her as an ally. Now, I accept this was a power play for both of them.

Then she later ends up winning the bid for Kai. Even with Bareil dropping out, surely there were others that had a lot of sway or influence?

The only thing I can think of is that after Jaro's connection with the Cardassians is discovered, Winn REALLY sinked teeth in and 'lead' that investigation and twisted that to her advantage, giving her much more influence among more Bajorans than ever before.

I love the character... or more accurately, love to hate her... and was played brilliantly by Louise Fletcher, who was a real sweetheart when I met her years ago, and obviously the producers loved her enough to keep her coming back.

I just thought that was one thing that was a missed opportunity, having more than Bareil and Winn during those first couple years as our view into the Bajoran worship structure.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

I just thought that was one thing that was a missed opportunity, having more than Bareil and Winn during those first couple years as our view into the Bajoran worship structure.

It was a tough balancing act to begin with, because a lot of viewers couldn't have cared less about Bajoran religion or Bajoran politics. I was on the fence about both sometimes, but now looking back and rewatching it, I think they did ok with the balance of it. It wasn't too shallow, nor did it take away from additionally worthwhile storylines.

 

[Timo]

As for the in-universe mystery of Winn's sudden success, we could argue that the Kai election would have been heavily divided so that diverse parties would flock in support of the safe choice, that is, Bareil, and extremists would stand out by their extremism and not flock. With Bareil gone, his followers would be at loss of candidates at the very last minute - so there would be a rush in support of the least controversial of the nutheads and weirdos. And there Winn could certainly benefit from her chameleon skin and drop her extremist ideas as easily as her silly little hat.

It is not as if Winn actually exhibits any controversial views in Bajoran religion afterwards, after all. Or beforehand, for that matter. Being the blandest of the extremists would be an automatic winning position, and might well come naturally for Winn, too.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Abi Smith]

We know Winn was ambitious and if Bajoran theocracy is like any number of our own systems today, a nomination is all you need to starting climbing the greasy pole.

 

[Prax]

What about Shakaar? He is mentioned as late as season 6, then ceases to exist. Was he still in charge of Bajor?

And what happened to the treaty they had with the Dominion that Wynn had brokered after DS9 was retaken? Kira is on the Defiant fighting against them throughout the last two seasons. I'm assuming they dropped it and through in with "the allies"?

 

[Timo]

Supposedly so. Although how, at the moment of switching allliances, they managed to avoid the fate of Italy in WWII, we don't learn. Surely there would have been Dominion assets down on Bajor when DS9 was retaken (or, from the Cardassian POV, re-retaken or un-retaken)?

Or did the clever compliance treaty really prompt Weyoun into using velvet gloves and not sending to Bajor those "advisors" and whatnot he threatened Kira with?

Timo Saloniemi