If anyone asked me to name a TNG episode I would like to see DS9 do a sequel to, “Contagion” would be far down the list of suggestions. Nevertheless, “To the Death” is a worthy successor when taking into account the mission to destroy another Iconian gateway takes a backseat to the Jem Ha’dar character study.We finally get back to Dominion doings as a group of Jem Ha’dar attack DS9 and steal pieces of engineering equipment. The command staff, sans Kira, take the Defiant into the Gamma Quadrant in pursuit. They soon encounter a disabled Jem Ha’Dar ship carrying seven soldiers and Weyoun, who makes his first appearance.
Weyoun reveals they were attacked by a rogue group of Jem Ha’dar who have discovered an Iconian gateway on a remote planet and plan to use its power of immediate transportation across solar systems ability to take over the Dominion and Federation by teleporting occupation forces onto key planets in the blink of an eye. Both sides are wary of one another and tensions run high, but the crew decides to team with the Jem Ha’Dar to defeat the rogue group’s plan.
It should be noted here that O’Brien has bee vindicated for not allowing Bashir to cure the em Ha’dar’s tetracil-white addiction in “Hippocratic Oath.” He claimed they would go wild without the Dominion’s short leash of drug addiction. He was right. Even drug addicted Jem Ha’dar are ready to take power for themselves if the opportunity arises.
The bulk of the episode is thecrew and by default, us, getting to know the Jem Ha’dar. The more we find out, the scarier they are. They have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Completely obsessed with dying in battle, they have no interest in the spoils of war. Any disciplinary infraction results in death. Great bunch of guys, no?
The attack on the rogue facility is as brutal as the Klingon invasion in “The Way of the Warrior.” Word has it some scenes were heavily edited. Considering some brutal blade chops to the throat made it on screen, one wonders what wound up edited out. The Iconian gateway is destroyed and all parties part ways promisig to be eemies in their next encounter.
“To the Death” is an illuminating look into the psyche of the Jem Ha’dar. A dark mindset it is, too. Not shallow necessarily, but brutal. Certainly more interesting and complex than the Daleks, who I would most compare philosophies. We also meet Jeffrey Combs‘ character of Weyoun for the first time. Smarmy and two faced, he left such an impression, the writers cooked up the story of cloning Vorta in order to make him a recurring character from here on out. I am glad they did.
Rating: *** (out of 5)
