Episodes centered around Odo or Kira are generally my favorites. “Heart of Stone” features the two of them together--well, more or less, considering the twist ending. The execution is rather meh, but there is a personal touch that knocks me right between the eyes. I suspect I may be oe of the few who really likes this one.The title is from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, but the story is inspired largely by the novel Sometimes a Great Notion, in which a logger has to free his leg from under a fallen tree over a river before it forces him below the water. There is also a generous amount of teenage angst that is a dime a dozen.
Odo and Kira are headed back from a Bajoran planet near the Cardassian border where they have been advising on security measures. There is tension between the two because Kira turned down an invitation for the both of them to dine with the governor without consulting Odo. He does not eat, nor does he like socializing, but he takes kira’s ignoring him asa sign she does not care about what he wants. This in spite of the fact she knows he does not eat or feel comfortable in social situations. She was, in fact, looking out for his wants intuitively like an intimate associate would. But Odo is showing signs of what a romantic relationship with her would be like and cannot hide his disappointment reality does not even hint at the possibility.
Kira catches no hint of what odo is really thinking. Her oblivious attitude is another example of why I thought her relationship with Bareil was so implausible. He was not a straightforward, aggressive guy at al. He was quite the beat, actually. I cannot see how the two of them ever hit it off.
The awkwardness is cut short when they detect and follow a Maquis ship to a small moon. They have to land and search on foot because of atmospheric interference. The moon is seismically unstable as well, so they logically enter deep into caves, risking getting buried alive instead of allowing their Maquis quarry to do that to himself instead. The two split up, but within a minute or two, Kira calls for help.
She has gotten her foot stuck between two rocks--or so she thinks. It is actually one rock surrounding her ankle. Odo cannot break it open, shoot it with a phaser, or beam Kira free. They arealso too far away from DS9 for help to conveniently arrive. The rock continues to grow, covering Kira’s body and threatening to engulf her entirely.
As Odo tries desperately to find a way to shatter the rock, the two have intimate discussions about him. They talk of his new friendship with O’Brien, how he got the name Odo (It means ’nothing” in Cardassian), and finally, a deep confession--he will not abandon kira even in this seemingly hopeless situation because he is in love with her.
When she professes her love for him, too, the jig is up. Odo had been gathering clues for a while now this is not the real Kira. Her profession of love sealed the deal. He is right. Kira reveals herself to be the Female Changeling making good on her promise to visit him. She twists the knife by assuring him that no matter how much he loves Kira, she will never love him back, because he is so different.
Odo rescues the real Kira from a hidden stasis chamber and they escape back to DS9. He explains to her he discovered the imposter when she said something he knew Kira would never say to him. When asked what it was, Odo replies it was a simple slip of the tongue. Oblivious Kira…
The B-story involves Nog impressing Sisko enough to give him a recommendation to take the entrance exam to Starfleet Academy because he has no ear for business and fears he will not make much of a Ferengi. Nog was illiterate two seasons ago, but will thrive in the Academy. It is best not to think much about that.
“Heart of Stone” has issues. We never find out how the Female Changeling made it through the wormhole undetected. No one is bothered that she did or that, if shestowedaway, she was probably on DS9 for a time. There is no explanation how she faked the Maquis ship. Worst of all, that growing rock is horribly fake. It looks like a hot fudge sundae with Kira’s head as the cherry. Appropriate, I guess, considering she is a redhead.
But I am going to overlook most of that because the story hit close to home. “Heart of Stone” is one of those episodes I appreciate more now than in the past because of intervening experience. Disabilities or not, I still felt twinges of romance a couple times over the years. It took a lot of courage to act o them even though, like Odo, my physical nature was forever a separating wall and the girls’ attitude were as oblivious as kira’s. reality constantly kept fantasy from roaming on even the shortest of leashes. Very bittersweet.
That is all I care to say about it.
Rating: **** (out of 5)
