Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — 5x14 — In Purgatory's Shadow

Aired 1997-02-10

SpaceOpera.com rating:8

Average reader rating:7.16

Factoids

Odo reverts into his gelatinous state when he attempts to sleep.
Odo is a solid 18 hours a day according to Kira.
According to Bashir, the Breen have no blood.

Problems

Real Bashir is wearing an old style uniform in this episode. This means he must have been replaced while still wearing the old style uniform. If this is true, why didn't the Changeling Bashir kill Sisko in DS9: Rapture? Or prevent the Changeling from dying in DS9: The Begotten, or prevent it from merging with Odo giving him back his shapeshifting ability? Or kill Kira in DS9: The Begotten? It seems obvious that the writers intended Bashir to have been replaced just before this episode began and were using the two uniforms to help viewers distinguish the two characters. But that's no excuse. The audience shouldn't have to come up with this stuff. For the record, Bashir said he was replaced "over a month ago." Take it how you will...

Synopsis

Worf and Garak are taken prisoner by the Jem'Hadar.

Filler rating: not filler

Numerous major long term plot threads are serviced here.

Remarkable scenes

Worf and Jadzia arguing about Worf not telling her about going into the Gamma Quadrant with Garak.
Dukat attacking Garak.
Worf regarding Garak: "At the first sign of betrayal I will kill him, but I promise to return the body intact." Sisko: "I assume that's a joke." Worf: "We'll see."
Worf: "You want me to sponsor your application to Starfleet Academy?" Garak: "What do you think?" Worf: "I think it is a bad idea." Garak: "Well, I'd write the actual letter myself. I'd just need you to sign it!" Worf: "Find someone else." Garak: "Why? Because I'm a Cardassian? You're a Klingon. Nog is a Ferengi. Starfleet Academy is a very accepting place." Worf: "You are not just a Cardassian. You are a spy, an assassin, and a saboteur." Garak: "I know I've done some unfortunate things in the past and I regret them. That's why I want to join Starfleet, why I need to join Starfleet. I'm looking for a fresh start, a way to make up for all the damage I've done. I need to prove to myself that I can be better than I am. But I need your help. Your support to start me on my way to redemption." Worf: "If that is how you feel, I will consider your request." Garak: "That's all I ask. Frankly, I think I can be quite an asset to Starfleet. With my extensive experience, I could skip the lower ranks entirely and begin my career as a commander! Maybe you should suggest that in your latter. Tell them you'd be honored to serve under me." Worf: "Do not play games with me. You have no desire to join Starfleet, do you?" Garak: "No, I'm afraid I don't." Worf: "Then why all of this deception?" Garak: "Because lying is a skill like any other and if you want to maintain a level of excellence you have to practice constantly." Worf: "Practice on someone else." Garak: "Mr. Worf, you're no fun at all." Worf: "Good."
Garak: "I'd like to get my hands on that fellow Earl Grey and tell him a thing or two about tea leaves." Garak insulting Picard's favorite tea. ;)
The huge fleet of Jem'Hadar ships.
The revelation that Enabran Tain is Garak's father. I like how Garak let Bashir hear this private conversation.
The huge Dominion fleet coming through the wormhole.
Morn Appearances; 1. In the background when Dukat attacks Garak.

Review

A classic DS9 episode, this episode features a plethora of major events and revelations. Bashir is a Changeling, Enabran Tain is Garak's father, Tain dies, and the Dominion invades the Alpha Quadrant. The episode even has a cool name. There is only one thing I don't like about this episode and it's the technical problem I listed in the problems section. That's got to be one of DS9's most annoying technical problems. Overall, a great start to the two parter with a magnificent cliffhanger.

5 reader comments

I don't necessarily see your beef with this episode as that big of a problem. In espionage, sleeper agents often have to ignore smaller opportunities that arise in order to achieve success with their long-term objective. Changeling-Bashir probably didn't want to blow his cover and risk losing the chance to cripple the Federation, Klingons and Romulans all in one fell swoop. That act would achieve a lot more than just killing a single Starfleet Captain and/or Bajoran major.
by siukong | 08/31/2010 at 5:31 am

I actually didn't notice that the real Bashir was wearing a different style uniform (but I am no Sherlock.) I know from reading the other reviews that uniforms are HUGE to the owner of this site. Speaking of uniforms, why is it that in the Star Trek universe, no one is EVER removed of his/her uniform when taken captive? Does that even make sense? I mean, it would have prevent Kirk's escape from the Klingon jail world (moon?) in ST VI. I guess that such questions shouldn't be asked - like when Ben Affleck asked Michael Bay on the set of ARMAGEDDON: "Why is it easier to train oil riggers to be astronauts than to train astronauts to be oil riggers?"
by Christopher Wright | 12/13/2011 at 3:50 am

The staging when Sisko calls for battle stations makes me laugh. And it's not just in this episode. But when he does, Bashir moves forward, out of the picture and Kira moves from one side of the central console to the other. Would there really be that big of a difference in the controls from one side of the central command console to the other?
I mean, I totally see why they do it. It has nothing to do with the function of the consoles. It adds a dramatic, moving element to the shot in what would otherwise be a very boring shot following a command for battle stations (like on the other star ships we're familiar with).
by Wes Thompson | 04/10/2012 at 1:19 pm

I actually like the fact that they use different uniforms for the different Bashirs, and that's not because I am too stupid to realize the difference between them :p
I think it adds to the shocking moment of realizing that one of our main characters has been replaced for such a long time (the uniforms have been changed for quite a while). For that reason I also like that the real Bashir isn't shaved :p
But I think the changelings behaviour seems a bit too suspicious, I mean, he didn't act like that in the episodes before, but here he acts too "evil", almost like in a cartoon for children. I think it would've been much more convincing, if the fake Bashir would've acted just like the normal one, not with the dramatic music and looking around like a suspicious bandit.
But all in all, it's a great two-parter and it's on my list of favourite episodes!
by Lee | 04/10/2012 at 1:31 pm

An almost suicide "reconaissance" mission to find prisoners in the heart of the dominion and they send a petty runabout insted of the Defiant?
by dronkit | 04/21/2014 at 2:23 am