Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — 2x26 — The Jem'Hadar

Aired 1994-06-12

SpaceOpera.com rating:9

Average reader rating:6.61

Synopsis

During a trip to the Gamma Quadrant with Jake and Nog, Sisko and Quark are imprisoned by soldiers working for a mysterious power known as the Dominion.

Filler rating: not filler

Numerous major long term plot threads are serviced here.

Remarkable scenes

Quark asking Odo to let him use the station's monitors to run commercials for Quark's bar. Hilarious.
Quark pleading with Sisko about his advertisement plans.
Sisko and Quark captured by the Jem'Hadar.
The Jem'Hadar soldier discussing his extensive knowledge of the Alpha Quadrant. I like his preoccupation with the Klingons, and wanting to meet a Klingon. A warrior race vs. a warrior race.
Jake and Nog on the runabout.
The first sighting of a Jem'Hadar ship.
The Jem'Hadar soldier beaming through the station's shields and walking through the station's forcefields then telling Kira to her face that the Dominion has annihilated the colony of New Bajor.
Sisko: "Quark, maybe you'd better take a look at this." Quark: "Sure! Quark be quiet. Quark stand watch. Quark pick a lock! All you ever do is order me around! You know, commander I think I've figured out why hew-mons don't like Ferengi." Sisko: "Not now Quark." Quark: "The way I see it, hew-mons used to be a lot like Ferengi. Greedy, acquisitive, interested only in profit. We're a constant reminder of a part of your past you'd like to forget." Sisko: "Quark, we don't have time for this." Quark: "But you're overlooking something. Hew-mons used to be a lot worse than the Ferengi. Slavery, concentration camps, inter-stellar wars. We have nothing in our past that approaches that kind of barbarism. You see? We're nothing like you. We're better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lock to pick."
Kira and Odo discussing Quark fondly. Odo: "I'd rather see him in jail than in the hands of the Dominion."
I love seeing another galaxy class starship! The battle with the Jem'Hadar ships was awesome.
The destruction of the Odyssey.
Sisko confronting Eris. Eris: "You have no idea what's begun here."
Rules of Acquisition; 102. Nature decays but latinum lasts forever.
Morn appearances; 1. Quark offers to counsel him, then cuts him off just as he's about to speak, forgetting about his offer.

Review

After a bit of foreshadowing, we now get a closer look at the mysteriously ominous Gamma Quadrant power known as the Dominion. And it looks like they're not terribly happy with all the wormhole traffic. The Dominion destroyed the new Bajoran colony and demonstrated its ability to beam across long distances and through shields! The battle with the Jem'Hadar in this episode was fantastic. The destruction of the USS Odyssey was downright shocking; to see a galaxy class starship taken down so easily! A great finale.

10 reader comments

This is the beginning of the "real" DS9, and it's a good introduction. Thankfully, the writers didn't have Jake and Nog pull some sort of daring rescue of Sisko and Quark. The only (slight) problems I have with this episode are very minor:
--It seems a little unlikely that the Jem'hadar could overlook Jake and Nog, especially when there's a shuttle orbiting the planet, but I guess that stands to reason because Sisko and Quark were meant to escape all along.
-Just where is Eris beaming to at the end? How sophisticated is Dominion transporter technology?
by JRPoole | 01/02/2009 at 10:21 pm

The biggest problem I have with this episode, and in fact most star trek battle scenes, is how puny and frail Federation ships always seem to be during engagements like this. Seriously, watch the battle in this episode. The Jem'Hadar make one pass, firing a couple of shots at the Odyssey, then it cuts to the bridge and it's absolute chaos up there, exploding consoles and everything.
The reverse case hardly ever happens. Which I think sucks. I mean, this is a Galaxy class ship right? And if they could take it out so easily, why not pick off the runabouts first?
by BlueLabel | 06/10/2010 at 7:43 am

I have to gladly agree with JRPoole that this marks the beginning of the rest of DS9. Again, I agree that the rest of DS9 is GREAT! There are those episodes here and there that have their own little, self-contained stories. I like a lot of them for the way the writers examine humanity and morals. However, my favorite part of DS9 is the Dominion story. I greatly enjoy the ongoing story. For me, the ongoing saga of episodes and seasons is what makes DS9 better than TNG. Don't get me wrong; there are many great stand-alone and two-part TNG episodes. But DS9 has a much better overall story and drama. This comes from someone who grew up loving TNG and almost detesting DS9 for trying to copy what TNG had done so well. After watching DS9, I have to say that I look forward to rewatching the episodes often.
by Wes Thompson | 01/14/2011 at 7:56 pm

Why doesn't Eris pause or at least say something about or to Odo? I guess they were already aware that a shapeshifter was on DS9 and it wasn't a big deal…?
by krs321 | 02/01/2011 at 8:19 pm

As others have said, this episode marks the start of bad ass DS9. The transition to bad ass DS9 is completed by the start of season four when all the boxes are ticked. Sisko with bald head and goatee - check DS9 has it's own warship armed to the teeth - check Worf has arrived - check
The episode is very introductory and so I don't think it can be hailed as a masterpiece. It does a great job introducing the Jem'Hader and the idea that the Dominion is going to be a nasty adversary. The plot involving Sisko, Jake, Nog and Quark is a nice little addition that plays out through the episode with Quark needling Sisko but then they need to work together and appreciate each other a bit more by the end giving the episode a much needed character arc. The two play off each other very nicely, as do Nog and Jake but then we know they do from many, many other episodes.
I'd give this a 7 or maybe 8 depending on my mood.
by Bernard | 11/13/2011 at 11:54 am

Nice episode. I love the Quark character but he was just too insufferable on the camping trip/during captivity - I know thats the obvious intention but I found it a little aggravating.
I also wanted to comment on the battle with the Odyssey. In Kethinov's review he comments: "The destruction of the USS Odyssey was downright shocking; to see a galaxy class starship taken down so easily!" But with regards to this, I felt the same way as BlueLabel…the Federation starships always seem sorely underpowered to me. The space battles often seem very one sided…either the Enterprise (in TNG) can easily take out their adversaries, or else its the whole "two hits and sparks are flying everywhere and people are flying all over the place". It gets a little aggravating for me when the protagonist faction's firepower is so impotent.
by Spencer Miller | 04/10/2012 at 9:09 pm

Usually I either get aggravated or make a running gag out of how Federation ships shields are down after taking 2 hits, but in this particular episode it made sense to me. The Odyssey was being attacked by Phased Polaron beams which I doubt the Federation has ever really dealt with, and since Polaron beams are designed to penetrate shields the sparks flying right away is mostly justified. Now it did take quite a few hits and was still able to attempt a retreat with the final blow being a suicide run, so at the very least she was able to handle an incredible pounding before finally kicking it. It was indeed shocking and really showed off how this is Star Trek with consequences. Apart from the technobabble about starships I loved this episode, it indeed is the beginning of the best arc ever in Star Trek history.
by Troy Coutu | 01/27/2013 at 8:55 am

Problems -As the Odyssey and the runabouts are retreating, the Jem'Hadar fighter makes a suicide run at the Odyssey, but when it moves to another shot, the fighter comes in at a different angle and the Odyssey is not moving, plus there is no sign of the runabouts.
Remarkable scenes -- Quark asking Odo to let him use the station's monitors to run commercials for Quark's bar -The whole camping trip scene -The Odyssey vs the jem'hadar [could have been longer] -The suicide run -The Odyssey getting blown to hell.
"…a galaxy class starship taken down easily", no surprise there lol.
by Captain Keogh | 03/24/2013 at 2:05 pm

The captain of the Odyssey seemed like a really cool character. It's too bad he made such a short appearance.
by Zorak | 05/14/2016 at 5:01 pm

@BlueLabel: There were numerous times in TNG when it was obvious that the Enterprise outmatched whoever they were dealing with, but since the Federation is typically not aggressive, they usually don't get in fights with anyone they can beat easily. ("Conundrum" comes to mind.) Thus we often them battle with ships as powerful or more powerful than theirs, who started the confrontation.
@Krs321 I wonder if Eris even knew who Odo was. She may have known that the Founders sent several of their own out into the galaxy, but she wouldn't know what shape they would take. Odo is not immediately obvious as a shapeshifter. When we see Founders later, they've taken on similar features to Odo, seemingly out of convenience, consistency, or affection for him.
by Azalea Jane | 11/21/2021 at 4:21 am