Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — 6x18 — Inquisition
Synopsis
Dr. Bashir is interrogated by a member of Section 31, a branch of Starfleet Intelligence that answers to no one.
Filler rating: not filler
Numerous major long term plot threads are serviced here.
Remarkable scenes
- O'Brien injured from kayaking... again...
- Bashir: "I'm going to a medical conference, not on vacation!" Not exact, but I'll count it. Count 23 for "I'm a doctor, not a (blah)" style lines, which McCoy was famous for.
- Bashir being served Worf's gagh.
- Sloan regarding the events of DS9: In Purgatory's Shadow and DS9: By Inferno's Light: "Why would the Dominion leave your Runabout orbiting the camp unattended?" Bashir: "They didn't think we'd be able to contact it."
- Sloan drilling Bashir.
- Weyoun beaming Bashir off of DS9.
- Bashir realizing that he's in a simulation.
- Bashir: "You function as judge, jury, and executioner. And I think that's too much power for anyone to have."
- Morn Appearances; 1. Watches as Bashir is arrested.
Review
Introducing Section 31: an autonomous branch of Starfleet that answers to no one, established 200 years ago when the Federation was founded, sanctioned by the Federation charter. It is the equivalent to the Romulan Tal'Shiar or the Cardassian Obsidian Order. Bashir has been "recruited" into it by Sloan, who is seemingly their leader. The episode ends with this; it's obviously meant to be the start of a longer term arc. While the ending is somewhat unremarkable, the ride taking us there is a decent amount of fun to watch. I was worried this would turn into another TNG: The Drumhead, but fortunately Sloan wasn't a crazed madman but in fact had an ulterior motive, and quite the ulterior motive at that. In the end, the episode is a pretty balanced mix of annoying and cool. It all kind of averages out. In the end though, I just plain don't like misdirection plots, which I ranted about in Voy: Waking Moments. The writers shouldn't have to create layers of deception and revelation to hold an audience.