Odo and Garak area natural duo. Odo, with his deep sense of justice, would naturally be suspicious of Garek, the dishonest, amoral former spy who always knows more about the shady goings on than he ever lets on. They would certainly have a distaste for one another in stark contrast to the love/hate relationship Odo shares with quark. It is interesting it has taken until the cusp of the fourth season to deal with it. Perhaps that is evidence of Odo’s internal conflict. He has always had a certain appreciation for the way Cardassians maintain order. The attitude was part of his mystery earlyt on--you know, the idea he might be a more sinister character than he turned out to be. Yet Cardassian methods do often conflict with his personal moral code. He never exposed Kira as a member of the resistance, even when he had the chance. I suppose with Garak’s fuzzy status--is he a traitor to Cardassia or a spy?--it was best for odo to stay out of it for fear of having to take a stand I the matter. Odo is more an observer of humanoid folly than an active player. In some ways, he relishes his roleas an outsider.
Garak does as well. That is why the two make such cool, yet reluctant partners starting with ’Improbable Cause.” they are so much in tune with each other, Garak knows exactly which buttons to push in order to keep the constable’s interest while odo figures out his game once the first solid clue surfaces.
Someone tries to assassinate Garak by blowing up his tailor shop. Odo investigates, but garak’s obtuse nature makes it mearly impossible. Nevertheless, Odo tracks down a Flaxian suspect who is killed by the Romulans before he can be arrested. Romulan involvement leads Odo to make contact with an asset I the Cardassian government who tells him five other former Obsidian Order operatives died under “natural’ causes the previous day. He is not certain why the Romulans would be behind such a thing, but cloaked Warbirds have been massing in a remote part of the Cardassian Union.
Odo confronts Garak with the list of names and the realization he blewup his own shop. The Flaxian intended to poison him instead. Garak is more concerned that the dead Cardassians wereall part of a small group operating directly under spymaster tain yearsago and he may be next.
Garak undertakes a mission to rescue Tain on which Odo insists upon going along. Odo suspects Tain is Garak’s mentor. Thus brings about the only drawbac to the episode. Why not go ahead and reveal that Tain is Garak’s father? This would have been the perfect story, but it gets dragged out for another two seasons to the point the reveal becomes anticlimactic. The reveal would have made Garak’s attitude--Tain is the only thing Garak ever appears to care about--have more impact ow.
As it stands, I did like that Garak turned Odo’s inquisition back unto himself by questioning how Odo would know anything about love or loyalty since he does not care about anyone else, either. I suspect, Garak being as observant as he is, knows Odo has feelings for Kira. That is probably why she is the first suspect he named to Odo when speculating who might want to kill him.
The two are captured and brought aboard a Romulan Warbird that is serving as the flagship of a joint Tal Shiar/ Obsidian mission to eliminate the Founders. Tain represents the order. He had his former operatives murdered in order to wipe the slate clean for his return to power. He offers Garak the chance to join him in the operation since he had come hopig to save Tain in the first place. Garak accepts, een though the man just tried to have him killed…
Oso and Garak are two of y favorite characters. They play well off each other here. Frankly, it is also about time we got to some action as far as the Dominion is concerned. I think it is inspired the Federation is not even in the picture. Letting others, even the traditional villains, come to the forefront of the action is the most inspired part of DS9.
Rating: *** (out of 5)
