“The Die is Cast,” assuming I continue reviewing Trek all the way through ENT, is the midway point between TOS’ “The Cage” and ENT’s “These Are the Voyages…” that is the least of this episode’s milestones. It marks a turning point in a couple other ways. I also consider it the best of the third season. The season finale nips at its heels, but does not possess the edge.One of those two milestones is Ira Steven Behr’s new position as executive producer. Behr was promoted with the instructions to shake things up because the powers that be were not thrilled with the alleged limited scope of the series thus far. As a result, Behr will eventually add Worf to the cast and have the peace treaty between the Federation and the Klingons unravel. The move will cut some of the tension of the rising Dominion threat, save for a few episodes, I the fourth season. But Behr will successfully lobby togo back on track for the fifth season. The Dominion War, which the powers that be wanted to last a couple episodes like the Klingon Civil War in TNG, will instead become the overarching story for DS9 for the remainder of the series because of him. So hats off to Behr.
The other of those two milestones is updated technology will allow for more elaborate space battles. I confess I am not one of those who thinks tons of explosions enhances a television show or movie. In fact, I am turned off by the George Lucas notion that ten thousand lasers have to be flying in every direction in order to make a scene tense. Actually, that sort of thing is overwhelming instead. But because of low budgets and technological limitations, even battles on TNG were spoken of, but rarely seen. A sense of epic that ought to be there is lost. With few exceptions, DS9 hit a satisfying middle ground starting with the battle in this episode between the Obsidian Order/Tal Shiar fleet ad the Jem Ha’dar. It was the largest battle filmed for Trek up util this point.
In spite of that--and I am not dismissing it at all--”The Die is Cast” is still made by the interaction between Odo and Garak.
Garak is happy to finally be back in his element, but his contentment is short lived when Tain announces he will probably have to kill his housekeeper when he returns. She knows too much. Garak is quite fod of her and tries to convince Tain to reconsider. Tain senses Garak’s wavering, so he assigns him a test--interrogate Odo in order to find out if the Founders have any secret defenses on their homeworld.
Odo told the Federation everything he knew and they shared the intelligence with the Romulans. Tain knows odo cannot tell the anything more, but he needs to see how deep Garak’s loyalty to him goes.
The torture scene is short, subtle, but horrifyingly gruesome in its simplicity. Garak uses a device to prevent Odo from shape shifting. He is stuck in his humanoid form for far longer than he should. His body deteriorates into a husk that reminds me of the Sloth victim from Se7en. Garak begs Odo to tell him something--anything--so he can stop. Odo expresses his desire to be a part of his people. Grak releases Odo from the device’s control and buries his face in his hands. He does not have the stomach for this sort of thing any longer.
Tain is satisfied regardless. Garak proved he has not gone soft as far as he is concerned. The fleet attacks the Founders’ home world, but learn too late it is really an ambush. A massive Jem Ha’Dar armada wipes them out in an impressive battle for television. Garak decides to escape and rescues Odo The Romulan commander is actually a Changeling in disguise. He facilitates their safe departure because no Changeling has ever harmed another.
No one told that to the Jem Ha’Dar, as they fire on the runabout and are about to destroy it when the Defiat comes like the cavalry to the rescue.
I have not talked about the Defiant aspects of the episode because the federation takes such a backseat to everything else going on. Sisko wants to go into the Gamma Quadrant to rescue Odo. An admiral orders him to stay put because Starfleet wants to take a wait and see approach to the attack on the Founders’ home world. This ain’t Roddenberry’s Federation. I the plan works, the founders are killed and the Jem Ha’Dar will soon die off without their supply of tetracil white. That is double genocide which Starfleet quietly hopes is successful.
Sisko defies orders out of a sense of personal loyalty to someone serving under him, as he is wont to do, and takes off with the main crew who have volunteered in spite of the court martial risk. Midway through the trip, the cloaking device is sabotaged by Eddington, who claims he is acting under orders from the admiral to keep Sisko out of the way.
This is Eddington’s second major appearance and the first one to cast develop the red herring plot he is a Changeling in disguise. There is never any indication Eddington was truly acting under orders from Starfleet. The idea he is a traitor will be played up more in the season finale. Eventually, we will find out he is a traitor, but to the Maquis instead.
The whole court martial thing is irrelevant since none of them get into trouble. Even though the plan failed and the Dominion certainly now know the Alpha Quadrant powers area threat, Starfleet appears happy a devastating blow has bee dealth to the Cardassians and Romulans. Go figure.
But back to the main point of the interaction between Garak and Odo, Garak begs Odo’s forgiveness for torturing him. Odo agrees, not because he condones the action, but because he understands the overwhelming desire to go home--even if home is not idyllic. When Garak omits the confession Odo would like to rejoin his people in his report, Odo takes it as a personal favor. The two decide to strengthen their friendship ties. They are, oddly enough, kindred spirits.
Rating: **** (out of 5)
