Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — 5x15 — By Inferno's Light

Aired 1997-02-17

SpaceOpera.com rating:9

Average reader rating:7.53

Factoids

When Garak is talking to himself, he mentions, "This isn't like Tsenketh." This means Garak might have once been on the Tsenkethi home world as an Obsidian Order agent.
Worf is shot during transport in this episode but it seems the transporter beam was able to protect him.
Jadzia in this episode establishes that going to warp inside a planetary system is infrequently done because it's too dangerous.
According to Bashir's and O'Brien's conversation, Changeling Bashir had been operating aboard the station for four weeks.

Problems

Exactly why did the Dominion leave that Runabout in orbit so Bashir, Worf, Martok, Garak, et al could escape? This problem is later resolved in DS9: Inquisition. Bashir says the Dominion didn't think they'd be able to contact the Runabout. Nevertheless, that was pretty damn sloppy of them, huh?

Synopsis

The real Bashir, Worf and Garak try to stay alive in the hostile world of a Dominion Internment Center.

Filler rating: not filler

Numerous major long term plot threads are serviced here.

Remarkable scenes

Dukat joining the Dominion fleet.
Worf fighting the Jem'Hadar matches.
Gowron resigning the Khitomer Accords.
Dukat threatening to take back Deep Space Nine.
Martok: "There is no greater enemy than one's own fears." Worf: "It takes a brave man to face them."
O'Brien: "We're facing a major inter-stellar war and you're thinking about darts?"
Quark: "The Jem'Hadar don't eat, don't drink, and they don't have sex. And if that wasn't bad enough, the Founders don't eat, don't drink, and don't have sex either. Which between you and me makes my financial future less than promising." Ziyal: "It might not be so bad. For all we know, the Vorta could be gluttonous, alcoholic, sex maniacs."
The Romulans joining the Federation and Klingon task force.
The Breen firing at a Jem'Hadar while the Jem'Hadar fires at him. They vaporize each other! Awesome.
Romulan: "My people have a saying: 'Never turn your back on a Breen.'"
Worf refusing to yield.
Jem'Hadar: "I cannot defeat this Klingon. All I can do is kill him. And that no longer holds my interest."
The Defiant going to warp within the Bajoran system, destroying Changeling Bashir's Runabout bomb.

Review

More major events. The Dominion hasn't in fact invaded. Cardassia has joined the Dominion. So the Dominion is legally moving in. Dukat's betrayal isn't particularly unexpected. But I'm with Kira. The next time she sees Dukat, should kill him. :) More episode name coolness, though even more than the cool name I like the cool connection between this episode and the previous one. Rather than Episode Name, Part I and Episode Name, Part II, we have In Purgatory's Shadow and By Inferno's Light. The two episode names are kind of opposites of each other. Very clever. There are some annoying things though, keeping the episode from being worth a perfect score. Firstly, another very annoying technical problem. Why did the Dominion leave the Runabout in orbit so everyone in the prison camp could escape so easily? Secondly, it was rather convenient that the Yukon had nothing but redshirts on it so no important characters had to be placed in jeopardy. rolls eyes One final note, I found it interesting that the Romulans joined the Federation and Klingon task force in this episode. It's very consistent with their behavior. We already knew they didn't particularly like the Dominion when they gave a cloaking device to the Federation for the Defiant. Now they finally show their teeth to the Dominion!

5 reader comments

"If the Dominion come through the wormhole, the first battle will be fought here. And I intend to be ready for them."
That's what Sisko said at the end of season two, and just when I thought we'd finally get the big battle we were promised… they turn and head towards Cardassia. Sigh. Still a terrific episode, though, amoung DS9's best.
by Sean Freeburn | 07/07/2010 at 7:11 am

An episode with many unexpected turns. After Cardassia joined the Dominion one of the best (quite surprising) moments was the Romulans joining a new alliance with Klingons and the Federation against the Dominion. They should have done this earlier. The Bashir-changeling with female voice is rather eerie. His determination to wipe out the solar system of Bajor is nearly too much. At least they would wipe out Odo too, although the founders may not consider him as part of the changelings any more. Another strong part was Worf not giving up against the 20th or so Jem Hadar warrior in hand-to-hand combat and made them "yield", because they could not gain victory against him. In parallel, Garak had to overcome his claustrophobia and inner fears to save the prisoners of the federation. The short scene in the runabout when Worf and Garak show some mutual respect is very well done.
by peterwolf | 12/13/2013 at 11:21 pm

The continuity with "Rapture" is notewrthy too. The "flock of locusts" skips Bajor and flies right away to Cardassia because Bajor is not Federation, thanks to Sisko's visions.
by dronkit | 04/21/2014 at 4:44 am

This is also a fantastic Garak episode. We get another little glimpse at his background and he saves the day for those imprisoned by the Jem'Hadar.
Is there any question that Andy Robinson is the best actor in DS9? Not in my mind.
by Dubhan | 10/01/2014 at 4:44 am

When Dukat announced to Kira that the Cardassians joined the Dominion, Kira's response was to say to Dax "Lock phasers and fire". This was when the huge Dominion fleet was starting to move away. When a huge hostile force is leaving, you don't shoot at them!
I want to believe that Dax was lying when she said Dukat was out of range; she was just stopping Kira from going through with something that could have needlessly cost hundreds of lives.
by tigertooth | 12/03/2016 at 5:08 am