Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — 7x03 — Afterimage

Aired 1998-10-14

SpaceOpera.com rating:8

Average reader rating:3.17

Synopsis

In addition to coping with the memories of her "past lives," Ezri Dax must deal with the range of reactions her presence generates on Deep Space Nine.

Filler rating: not filler

Numerous major long term plot threads are serviced here.

Remarkable scenes

Ezri: "It's a strange sensation, dying. No matter how many times it happens to you, you never get used to it."
Quark: "You're a therapist?" Ezri: "Why does everyone sound so surprised when they hear that?"
O'Brien and Bashir discussing plans for their battle of the Alamo holosuite program. Odo is going to be General Santa Anna. How fitting. :)
Sisko to Dax: "What are you gonna learn in the next 3 months that you haven't already learned in the last 300 years?"
Quark declaring to Julian that he will win over Ezri first.
Ezri's "misplaced guilt" conversation with Garak.
Ezri revealing to Sisko that he intimidates Worf.
Ezri to Bashir: "If Worf hadn't come along, it would have been you."
Worf freaking out at Bashir and Quark.
Garak's insults toward Ezri... ouch! Garak: "Now get out of here... before I say something unkind."
O'Brien visits Worf with a bottle of blood wine. Worf's reaction: "Oh no, not again."
Ezri discovering the root of Garak's distress.
Jake: "She is cute..." I would tend to agree.
Morn Appearances; 1. First scene, Ezri talks to him. 2. Is present at Ezri's promotional ceremony.

Review

Is this the "let's pick on the new girl" episode? Holy crap. Worf tells Ezri he doesn't want anything to do with her, Sisko lectures her and is generally hard on her, and Garak is downright cruel. Granted everything's resolved in the end, I can certainly see why she was so eager to leave the station. What an emotional roller coaster. The episode presents a convincing story for not only Ezri, but Garak as well, whose claustrophobia makes a welcome cameo. I was pleased that the writers let his part of the story develop beyond the surface. I much enjoyed the revelation that the root of his distress was the fact that by working for Starfleet, Garak has been causing the deaths of countless Cardassian soldiers. Aside from this, the relationship between Worf and Dax as well as the one between Quark / Bashir and Dax is handled nicely; the writers had to make an episode dealing with all these things and they excelled. And I'll be honest with you. I think Dax 2.0 is a significant upgrade. ;)

3 reader comments

There have been quite a few DS9 episodes that took on too much, and had to suddenly tie up an otherwise good episode. This one did very nicely, though. I didn't think anything was resolved too quickly between Ezri and any of the others. Interesting that Garak was the one chosen to be her first serious counseling effort aboard DS9, and his problem is a big one. His breakdown as he realizes what is truly bothering him is wonderfully acted, as only Andrew Robinson could.
I thought the reconciliation between Ezri and Worf was handled perfectly. It involved few words, and Worf right to the point with expressing his feelings, but without being too vulnerable, which is exactly how you'd expect him to do something like that. You can understand his pain, too. It's confusing for him: in his culture, the custom is to honor a loved one who is dead, and Dax doesn't quite fit in to the typical situation.
All of this explains the deeply cutting remarks to Ezri made by both Garak and Worf. That, combined with Sisko's "tough love" would certainly push a person.
I know that when DS9 was on the air and in the years since, there have been mixed fan feelings about Ezri Dax. Many people became attached to Terry Farrell and Jadzia, understandable after six seasons. But I really like the introduction of Ezri Dax. The character gives the show a chance to explore another side of Trill society: what it's like when a host isn't prepared for the symbiont, and is flooded with centuries of memories…not to mention having to face many of the people one of the previous hosts knew. And fresh-faced, perky but humorously befuddled Ezri is a good choice for this new host.
by MJ | 02/12/2011 at 9:16 am

I also think that Ezri is a more interesting character than Jadzia.
by krs321 | 09/22/2011 at 12:49 pm

Personally i've always struggled with both Jadzia and Ezri Dax, even back in the 70's we all knew what a Mary Sue was (if you don't belive me go and watch Police Academy 1 and pay attention to the name of the new mayor), never mind in the 90's when this was produced.
The Trill symbiote makes an almost plausable excuse for why any female who gets one can take on any modern man of any race both physically and mentally at the drop of a hat no practice needed by channelling the very convenient multi talented previous hosts (they become like Cartman trying to play Ronin and end up with all the powers). This even applies in direct hand to hand combat against multiple mighty klingon warriors trying to gut her, where actually Klingon warriors are dying all around her but these weaklings have no chance for she has the powereth of previous male hosts inside her.
Am i just too old and jaded now hahahahahaha
by Rob UK | 12/08/2023 at 10:57 am