It is no secret one of the main reasons I like DS9 over the other Trek offerings is because it is willing to take radically different turns. Most of trek has a vampire to garlic relationship with any concept of religion. But in Ds9, the conflict between secular and religious interpretation is done without judging either side. It is a refreshing change for television in general.With so much of Trek pursuing an anti-religion bent, it is not a surprise many fans prefer it that way. The DS9 episode dealing with the Baoran religion and Sisko’s status as a religious icon are not generally popular. I suspect that is why “The Reckoning” takes a more horror movie turn in dealing with the subject by dealing with a doomsday prophecy predicting a ’final” duel between good and evil.
I would not dismiss such a conflict out of hand. The final conflict between Jack and DarkLocke on Lost, for instance, made sense because the division between Jack’s skepticism and Locke’s faith had not only been at odds from nearly the beginning, but a dramatic twist in jack’s philosophy made the final battle more interesting. I can appreciate that. Turning the good v. evil conflict in DS9 into the climax of a Warlock film is something of which I am not fond.
When an archeological expedition finds an ancient tablet which refers to the Emissary, Sisko takes possession of it for further translation. This sets off diplomatic tensions and Winn arrives on DS9 in order to have the tablet sent back. Sisko drags his feet because a vision from the Prophets has convinced him they are ready to call in the favor he owes them for destroying the Dominion fleet in ’Sacrifice of Angels.” The favor appears ominous, as the tablet translation foretells something called The Reckoning. It isan event which will destroy the Gateway to the Prophets--DS9.
The tablet sets up a confrontation between a prophet possessing Kira and a Pah‘Wraith --think demon--possessing Jake. The two square off, but the battle ends with the Pah‘Wraith destroyed by Winn with some back up plan to flood DS9 with radiation. It is a plan that had been suggested by Dax, who insists on considering the Prophets as aliens, but nixed by Sisko, who maintains the integrity of the religious belief.
Winn is motivated by jealousy for Sisko’s connection with the Prophets. Mark this as the beginning of the dark path she is goin to take during the final season when she becomes less interested in the political aspects of her job and instead is consumed with the idea of real, spiritual power.
I find Winn too annoyin to bean enjoyable villain. She lacks the charm of Dukat or the interesting inner conflict of Damar. She is a lot like Weyoun, with a thin veiled contempt being passed off as graciousness, but I still prefer him over her. Nevertheless, I appreciate the effort to turn her into a major villain by having her side, regardless of her rationale, with the skeptics rather than the religious.
I also appreciated the Abraham and Isaac allegory of Sisko’s willingness to sacrifice hisson if need be in order to destroy the Pah’Wraith. It was not doneas ham fisted as one might have suspected. Indeed, without some familiarity with Christian theology, one might have missed the allegory entirely. Many do not see the parallels between the sacrifices Abraham/Isaac in the Old Testament and God/Jesus in the New. Just sayin’.
Those elements are enough to earn “The Reckoning” a decent rating in spite of some silly horror film elements in the final battle between Kira and Jake. Why ayone thought that was necessary was beyond me, but the melodrama seems terribly out of place for DS9. Leave it to Julian Sands and a load of folks from central casting next time.
I cannot ed the review without noting the romantic relationship between Odo and kira is every bit as bad as hinted at in “His Way.” Literally, it is:
“I et I love you more than you love me!”
“No way! I ove you more than you could possibly love me!”
“I love you acazillion times more!”
‘I love you a gazillion and one!”
You can tell how pained the actors are at having to play out the romance they both think is a bad idea.
I do like how Odo rbs some salt in Worf’s wounds about compromising his mission by saving Dax in “Change of Heart” by saying he loves Kira enough to honor her wish to be used as a vessel for the Prophets even though it may cost her life. Then Sisko is willing to sacrifice his son to kill the Pah’Wraith. Trek just cannot resist doging worf for his decisions.
Rating: *** (out of 5)
