“Sacrifice of Angels” is the sixth an final part of the occupation of DS9 story arc. It is also the best of the sextet. Sisko leads the Federation into what looks to be a hopeless battle to retake DS9 or at least keep Dominion reinforcements from coming through the wormhole. It is an exciting story on both an action and personal level. You cannot go wrong with an episode that features characters reciting The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson when the enemy fleet appears:
Cannon to the right of them,
Cannon to the left of them,
Cannon in front of them,
Volley'd and thunder'd.
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the Jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell...
Rode the six hundred."
Much of the episode involves the battle between the massive armadas. I am not big on such things. I like the more personal touches in science fiction as opposed to showing off the latest technology. That is why the Star Wars prequels failed--too many bells and whistles, not enough humanity. But I will admit, the artistry of what was then relatively new CGI work is still impressive to see thirteen years later. For one thing, it is minimalist. You can follow all the action rather than being overwhelmed by battles and explosions covering every inch of the screen. Take note, George Lucas.
I do prefer the personal moments involved, particularly regarding Dukat. He is a man who is about to be torn apart by two major losses. First, he is going to be beaten by Sisko. Dukat has a conversation with Weyoun early I the episode about what to do with a conquered people. Weyoun says kill as many as are necessary to pacify the entire population. Dukat dissents. When he was the military governor of Bajor, he always saw himself as their protector, not their dictator. He wanted them to love him as astern parent, but they never did. The Bajorans do, however, love Sisko as their Emissary. Sisko has what Dukat never could or will get. He needs to beat Sisko to compensate, but it will not happen.
Second, Dukat loses his daughter, Ziyal, who is killed by Damar because she is a traitor. Perhaps her death reinforces the notion Dukat could never get the love for a stern parent from either Bajor or Ziyal. While the loss of Ziyal sends Dukat over the edge, his subsequent behavior indicates it is the defeat by Sisko that truly burns him.
For the first time, I see them as two sides of the same coin whereas Dukat has previously just a good villain I his own right. His conflict with Kira had been far more interesting. That shifts to the Dukat/Sisko dynamic with this episode.
Ziyal loses her life because she assists Quark in freeing Rom an the other resistance fighters from the brig. Quark takes his first life in the rescue. It is an action that clearly shakes him up. He has neer had to do anything quite like that before. It is a big step in his personal development. He has always had a moral code, albeit a warped one. This is the first time he has madea tough moral choice that did not come across as alien.
Yes, I know I have complained a lot about how Trek applauds aliens only when they adopt human values and now I am praising the attitude. I am just full of contradictions, am I not?
The only controversial element of “Sacrifice of Angels” is the destruction o the Dominion fleet at the hands of the wormhole elements. Many fans felt like it was a deus ex machina to have Sisko convince the wormhole aliens to wipe out what would have been certain destruction for the Alpha Quadrant. I would be more sympathetic to that view if, as I explained above, I were more interested in the shoot ’em up aspects of the show. But I am not. Sisko’s success and the revelation he will ultimately have to sacrifice his life for the cause are key elements of his personal story arc. They make the entire series richer.
Also forever enflame the debate between DS9 and Babylon 5 fans of who ripped off whom first. *Sigh*
“Sacrifice of Angels” feels like season finale, but the sixth season is only a quarter over. All the stops are pulled out. It is going to difficult for the est of the season to hold up in comparison, but for the most part, it does. Fantastic!
Rating: **** (out of 5)
