The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From djb on 2009-11-15 at 8:39am:
  A DS9 version of TNG: Disaster! Awesome. It was a little disappointing to see the Defiant practically incapacitated so easily, but they made up for it. Always nice to see Jem'Hadar ships destroyed too.
• From Krs321 on 2011-03-28 at 12:26pm:
  I was really hoping for a sonar ping sound while running the 'active scan'.
• From Jeff Browning on 2011-11-02 at 2:07am:
  Although it was difficult to tell with all that makeup, the Karemma representative, Hanok, was played by James Cromwell, a very well known star from many films and TV shows. It would be hard to identify a single work that Cromwell is most known for, he has been in so many. He plays the farmer in the movies "Babe" and "Babe in the City". He is a major character in the movie The Green Mile. Also a major character in the movie Star Trek: First Contact (where he plays Zefram Cochrane). Also a major character in the Movie I Robot. He also appears in TNG: The Birthright Parts 1 and 2 as Jaglom Shrek and TNG: The Hunted as Prime Minister Nayrok. A very, very well known actor in other words. Here, it is pretty hard to recognize him, but his voice is quite unmistakable.
• From Gul Ranek on 2012-12-28 at 8:30pm:
  As the review says, a Star Trek submarine episode. I also liked it a lot (season 4 so far has been more or less perfect as far as storytelling goes).
  
  The only thing that slightly annoyed me was when Bashir "absolutely had to" close the door on Deck 2 because it was so crucial for the ship, and ran out to get Dax, drag her into the turbolift, taking his time to shut the door, which took more than 30-40 seconds, while nothing of consequence happened to the ship. He could have easily grabbed her and dragged her back with everyone else, but the writers obviously needed to get him and Jadzia to be alone...

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From RichD on 2006-06-08 at 1:32am:
  Armin Shimerman is one of the most underappreciated actors in all of Star Trek. He was the first actor on DS9 to develop his character. By the middle of the 1st season, quark was fully realized. He is one of my favorite characters. He makes poignant observations when you least expect it that really do strike a chord. I loved his comment and reaction when he was told that humans would smoke tobacco for recreaton...."you mean they poison their bodies on purpose?" Then, he has to ruin it by being Quark, "if they buy poison, they'll buy anything." This episode was hilarious from beginning to end. I also like the univeral translator malfunction. Little subtle things like that make this episode a charmer. One last thing. By making Nog appreciate humans more than ever, it gives him an added incentive to become a starfleet officer. Nice touch.
• From JRPoole on 2009-03-23 at 4:16pm:
  Does this episode estabish that the univeral translator is a device worn in the ear? I can't remember it ever being referred to this way, but it makes sense. It's still problematic, though: How would it broadcast in different languages?
  
  I know, I know...I need to just accept the UT as a plot device and let it be. But I do like episodes that at least acknowledge its existence, even if they do confuse the issue even more.
  
  This is a real winner all the way through. DS9 does humor episodes better than any other Trek series, probably because the Ferengi--usually the center of humor episodes--are all acted so well on DS9.
• From MJ on 2011-01-14 at 5:26pm:
  I agree with the webmaster's review, and with RichD. This episode is pure genius: writing, acting, everything.
  
  The setting was remarkably well done, with the classic dual human response to visiting aliens: the suspicious general who sees them as a military threat, and the "egghead" professor who sees them as peaceful and wants to communicate. The detail of the people's uniforms, the lighting...all of it set the perfect mood for 1940's Earth.
  
  The interactions were, of course, hilarious and fitting. Armin Shimmerman's performance in this episode was superb. He's always great as Quark, but this was award worthy. But Rom, Nog, and the guest cast of Americans all did outstanding, too. They all made this work brilliantly and played their characters perfectly.
  
  I was a little curious as to what would be the fate of the professor and the nurse since they helped the aliens escape quite possibly ruining their happy future, but it's possible this was overlooked in the overall secrecy of the Roswell incident. Speaking of that, I couldn't help but think Star Trek seems to be paying homage here: the Roswell incident is one of the things that contributed to the popularity of science fiction and human imagination about aliens.
  
  The beginning, too, was great. Nog's selling of his childhood possessions, especially the Ferengi tooth sharpener to Worf, added to the overall comedy of the episode. In fact, we get quite a nice dose of Ferengi culture here including the Ferengi language which was interesting to hear. I really cracked up when Quark was asking Nurse Garland for oomox.
  
  Outstanding stuff!
• From Jons on 2014-02-02 at 9:17pm:
  I really enjoyed that episode, but excuse-me, how is it NOT 100% filler??
  
  Nothing that happens here has any incidence on anything in the series. Nog gets to Earth, but you don't need to see that episode to know that...
• From Rob UK on 2023-12-01 at 9:59pm:
  I love this episode but we definitely have a problem, Odo can't shape shift into making good human hair (it is mentioned several times throughout the show run), but here he can make himself into a very convincing hairy German Shepheard style dog

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From coldfire on 2011-08-21 at 5:23am:
  I thought this was a fairly good episode, although it's not without its drawbacks.
  
  The arc about Kes discovering her advanced mental abilities was developed quite well. Kes is in an interesting position on Voyager - she is physically tiny, literally 2 years old, had to be rescued by Neelix like a damsel in distress, and now fulfills fairly minor crew functions. It's quite compelling to watch her discover unknown abilities and strengths, and disarm a serious threat in the end.
  
  Both Tuvak's and Tanis' tutelage was interesting to watch, and quite believable. "Focus on the goal, not the task," - I could how that might be useful advice in these kinds of endeavors. Much better than the trite, cheesy advice Wesley got from "The Traveler" in "TNG: Remember Me." The scenes with the wildlife blooming, and then burning up were quite fitting and powerful.
  
  Finally, Kes almost killing Tuvak was an absolute shock. I had a feeling something was going to go wrong, but I didn't expect that. I kept thinking she was going to wake up from a nightmare, but instead Tuvak woke up in sickbay.
  
  Here's where we come to a wrinkle in the episode: how the heck did everyone just walk away from that near death experience? The only reaction that was believable was the Vulcan's. I don't understand how neither Kes nor Janeway nor anyone else was very concerned.
  
  What I suspect was the problem here was simply a lack of time to really explore these kind of things. I think this episode should've been a two-parter.
  
  That would also solve the main drawback, which is the rushed, less than satisfying ending.
  
  So, in short, a good episode with some interesting, compelling development of Kes' character, and the Ocampa race more generally, all with a bit of an abbreviated conclusion.
• From peterwolf on 2015-06-17 at 10:21pm:
  Janeways capability in combat seems rather bad. Reacting with "Hail them" and stay on your course when fire has been opened against Voyager is just stupid or extremely arrogant. Either you make the evasive maneuver or/and fire back immediately. Both actions are significantly belated. I think the script is just ridiculous in this particular moment at the beginning. There could have been a better approach for the little Kazon ship sneaking under the shield, like in a more surprising ambush.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Jal Viewer on 2011-08-23 at 1:17am:
  There were a few seriously problematic things that really needed to be addressed.
  
  1) What ever happened to that stolen transporter module that started the whole thing? We see Chakotay in the shuttle, trying to target it with the anti-proton generator, then in the next moment we hear that the generator's been disabled. Chakotay is flustered, sends out his "I've succeeded, I'm dead, don't come here" message anyway, and there's no further mention of it! So... what's up here? Did the Voyager just accept defeat on this one? It would've been nice if that was mentioned...
  
  Janeway later calls Chakotay's mission "commendable," which suggests that maybe he actually succeeded... if so, it would've been nice if it was mentioned or explained on screen. Kind of a weird "what the" moment, if you're paying attention.
  
  2) How did the transporter render the Kazon weapons inoperable? I just don't really follow, and there's no explanation for it at all. I mean, I'm not saying it's totally unbelievable, but it would've been nice if it was explained on screen.
  
  3) Speaking of transporting, why didn't they go after Seska? If they somehow got a lock on the 4 highest ranking Kazon amidst all the other Kazon (?), it seems like small potatoes to target the only Cardassian on board. The motivation was certainly there, or should've been. She's responsible for the whole mess, and is incredibly dangerous. I can't believe they didn't try to get her...
  
  If she blocked Chakotay's signal with some kind of dampening field, maybe she blocked her own as well, but Torres explicitly states the dampening field's localized to 2 meters around Chakotay...
  
  None of this is addressed at all... somehow they just totally blank and forget that they can transport Seska...
  
  4) Speaking of Seska... How the heck did she impregnate herself with a sample of DNA from Chakotay's neck? Can you imagine the kind of advanced medical equipment it would require to create an embryo from a mixture of two different DNA sources? (And then successfully implant it?) On a Kazon ship? That doesn't even have a food replicator?
  
  It would've been a little more believable if she used simpler methods and stuck that needle somewhere else - of course, in that case much of the audience would've simultaneously winced and reached for the remote.
  
  5) Finally, all that beaming around with the shields up, as the review mentioned... I didn't even think of that...
  
  So, this episode has a few remarkable scenes for sure, and it was interesting to see the Voyager so vulnerable... A "knife stuck in its belly," Janeway having to chew out Tuvak about the security protocols, etc... Other types of good scenes as already mentioned, especially Torres defending Chakotay.
  
  But there are numerous annoying problems that stretch credibility, and are entirely skipped over, relying on the viewer to fill in the pieces.
  
  It could've been a 7, but it was more like a 5/6 b/c of problems.
• From Inga on 2013-07-30 at 10:32am:
  About problem number one - didn't Chakotay destroy it with his phaser when he was on board the Kazon ship, right before he was detained?

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From John on 2011-01-12 at 4:28am:
  I have to agree that this episode starts out really well, but descends into childish bickering by the 25-minute mark. By 30 minutes you're just tired of seeing it. I find this rather distasteful, given that Worf has, until now, been the hallmark of honor in the Star Trek franchise. I don't like seeing him scheming or plotting "like a Ferengi", as he would say.
  
  I give it a 5, only because the beginning was so good.
• From Laroquod on 2012-06-12 at 12:35pm:
  The DS9 producers apparently chose this episode as their first to focus on Worf in order to demonstrate that they completely fail to understand him as a character. They brought on this character to try to win over fans of Worf from TNG and then immediately pissed all over his honourable image treasured most by exactly the fans they were trying to court. I found it extremely insulting at the time, but now it's just one of the many signals that the producers of DS9 did not really understand much about Star Trek or its fans.
• From Axel on 2015-05-31 at 4:46pm:
  For a while there, it seemed like the sword had been forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in Mt. Doom. It was having the same effect on people as the one ring :)
  
  Anyway, I do buy the bickering between Worf and Kor although they dragged it on way too long and screwed up by making it the story. Worf, as honorable as he is, has never been confronted with the opportunity for this kind of power, and it can make good people go a bit nutty. It did for Kor as well. But it would've been a lot more interesting to explore the impact of Federation officers helping to retrieve the most prized artifact in Klingon history.
• From lumzi23 on 2016-12-27 at 7:44am:
  What an amazingly bad episode. It starts off well then takes a left right into crazy town. A virus that changes people into loonies would have been preferable than both of them just suddenly losing their mind. TBH I have not really watched much of TNG but it seems to me that the DS9 people/makers really did the famous Worf a disservice here.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From rpeh on 2010-07-30 at 8:12pm:
  I *want* to hate this episode but I can't. It's a totally pointless James Bond parody, but it's done so well that you have to love it.
  
  There are so many references to real Bond movies you can't count them all: the basic plot is Moonraker; the gem identification scene is a rework of the fish identification scene from The Spy Who Loved Me; Doctor Noah -> Doctor No; the music could come from almost any 60's or 70's film; "You should have killed me while you had the chance"... and so on.
  
  This could have been such a dreadful failure that I cringed when I realised what was going on, but as it played out I got more and more engrossed. It's a perfect melding of Trek and Bond, and the actors get into their roles so well, and I'm such a fan of both series... that it gets a 9.
• From Mike on 2011-06-06 at 7:53am:
  If it takes the entire station memory to store the neural patterns of the crew, how did Scotty manage to keep his pattern in electronic stasis for 50 years?
• From Hugo on 2012-04-18 at 7:32pm:
  Loved it! What a great show, especially Kira, Sisko and O'Brien - and Bashir of course. Garak is one of my fave characters, but he was mostly whining in this episode. Interesting that Eddington (what a dull character...) got to play a bigger role this time.
• From L on 2013-05-24 at 8:28am:
  The emergency scenario was just an excuse for them to have some fun, and it was.
  Being they were in a scenario based on Bond-logic, Bashir and Garak were never in any real danger as Bond's ability to get out of certain-death scenarios would be part of the program, but it's fitting that Garak was overly-concerned about coming to harm, as never having seen any Bond films he wouldn't know this.
  It was funny the way they had to outwit the cliches to keep everyone alive, especially to ensure Kira and Dax would both survive - one of the two women always dies and he ends up with the other one, but it's never certain which.
  Sisko's normal over-stated acting style made him perfect to play the villain.
  Love Rom's patchwork fixes for the holosuite.
  "Where's the core memory interface?"
  "It's... right behind the spatula."

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Nicholas Donaghy on 2008-02-26 at 5:27am:
  I'm surprised you only briefly refer to the acting in this episode. I found the plot quite "meager", as you suggest, but the performance of Joel Grey was simply stunning. It's a great coup for Voyager to get an Academy Award winner, and his performance was heartbreaking.
• From plus on 2011-08-25 at 8:09pm:
  I agree with the other commentator, the excellent acting, including the touching moment at the end, give this episode extra points. Plus the plot really isn't that bad... nothing terribly original, I admit, but decent, believable... This really belongs in 5/6 territory.
• From thaibites on 2013-10-27 at 11:59pm:
  A rating of 2? Brother, you have no heart. Joel Grey was this whole episode, and you didn't even mention him! Methinks you're a bit too wrapped up in your little ST universe...

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Pete Miller on 2006-06-25 at 9:40pm:
  I love how they don't allow those nasty DS9 uniforms on Earth. Cool people wear the TNG uniforms, and that includes everyone on Earth.
• From EKH on 2007-05-11 at 9:03pm:
  I was surprised to see such a low score for this one. Personally, I find this to be the best two-parter so far on DS9. I love seeing how, despite the near-perfection of the Federation, humans still have some basic flaws. They are unavoidable, since most of them can be good qualities in many situations. The story strikes me as credible and well-executed, and I like seeing some internal Federation politics, which we don't get much of.
• From JRPoole on 2009-03-25 at 8:54pm:
  It's pretty rare that I seriously disagree with our host here, but this is one of those times. I think this is one of the best DS9 episodes in existence.
  
  I love seeing Earth. I love Sisko's dad. I love the paranoia about changelings. I even like Nog's struggles at the Academy. I think the tension between the President and the Federation's ideals and Star Fleet's insistence on raising security. It's rare that Trek makes uncomfortable decisions, and it works well here. I haven't seen the conclusion yet (not since the original run, anyway) so I'm hoping this is building up to something special.
• From Tallifer on 2011-03-30 at 12:18am:
  People who complain about the mixture of uniforms clearly do not understand that every historical military has had a mixture of uniforms even within the same branch. For example, at some points in Star Trek there appear to be uniforms for stationary assignment and others for naval assignment. For a campaign and for the home front. For Monday and for Tuesday.
• From Gul Ranek on 2012-12-30 at 11:31pm:
  The thing I can never get my head around when I watch this episode is Joseph Sisko's restaurant - if, as Picard put it in First Contact, there is no money on Earth, what's the point of having a restaurant? Okay, maybe it would be fun for Sisko's dad to have a restaurant and provide free food to people just because he's a nice guy and likes to cook, but why the hell would someone be a busboy or chop onions in the kitchen the entire day without getting paid?
  
  Or maybe he charges latinum...
• From Mike D on 2017-04-06 at 5:21am:
  This story line just doesn't quite work for me. We keep hearing this is happening all over the planet, but we don't SEE it. The action is just contained to a few small sets. The scope of this story is too big for the show. They should have set this on maybe another space station, or on DS9, but not the entire planet Earth.
• From Axel on 2020-04-10 at 1:15am:
  Admiral Leyton: “What I’d like to know is, why was (the Changeling) imitating me?”
  Commander Benteen: “Well, sir, you live on a very nice bayfront property with an amazing view. You have a vacation home in the Riviera. You own one of the biggest luxury shuttlecraft in the city, and the rumors are that your wife is excellent in bed.”
  
  SERIOUSLY, Leyton? You’re an admiral in Starfleet Security and you can’t deduce why a Changeling would want to impersonate you?
  
  That boneheaded line aside, Leyton’s an excellent idea for an antagonist. When I saw this two-parter, I didn’t expect they would take the direction it did. The Changelings foment just enough chaos on Earth to plunge the planet into fear which lets paranoid, reckless people like Leyton do the rest for them. It’s as insidious as it was effective, and made for a great story.
  
  For Gul Ranek, there’s a lot out there on the economics of Star Trek. I can’t repeat it all here, but basically Earth and the Federation have a post-scarcity economy. All resources, energy, and necessities of life are either replicated or efficiently mass-produced. In this world, people no longer have to pursue something because they need to make money, they can do what they enjoy. The Picard vineyard isn’t necessary, but is something the family wants to do to give the authentic French wine experience. The Sisko restaurant is similar, offering real Cajun and Creole food as part of New Orleans life. It’s the same desire for personal fulfillment and social betterment that is the basis for Starfleet itself, just a different version. As for the currency, who knows? Maybe it’s an advanced barter system. It just isn’t for profit. I do agree it’s unlikely that in such a world, lowly jobs like busboy or prep cook wouldn’t be appealing…we can only assume “Nathan” works there out of some sense of family loyalty or is compensated in some way.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Pete Miller on 2006-06-25 at 10:44pm:
  I still don't understand why you found the drumhead "offensive". It was a great episode, and this one continues in its spirit.
• From Pemmer Harge on 2009-11-29 at 9:28pm:
  I agree that Paradise Lost is better than Homefront. However, for me, this two-parter will always live in the shadow of Babylon 5's Messages From Earth-Point of No Return-Severed Dreams arc, which dealt with similar subject matter but did it a lot better.
• From L on 2013-05-25 at 6:25am:
  The captain of the Lakota was played by Susan Gibney, the same actress who was the designer of the new Enterpise and Geordie's unrequited true love in TNG, Dr Leah Brahms.
  
  I don't know if this Starfleet takeover plot has further consequences or developments or not. If it doesn't come up again then that's a bit disappointing - but if it is a standalone two-parter this is still pretty good. Mankind still has to be vigilant against its own corruptible nature.
• From peterwolf on 2013-11-27 at 11:11pm:
  Most Star Trek episodes set on Earth add some more realism to the whole series. Since I have visited some of the locations myself (e.g. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris), there is a certain connection of the present age with the Star Trek future, whatever unlikely it will seem. So I like these episodes very much and give at least 8 points to the two parts, regardless of nasty uniforms and recurring power hungry admirals, which are just like in real life. A remarkable scene in "Paradise Lost" is Odo doing the Vulcan nerve pinch on the female Starfleet guard. Did he ever use it on other occasions?
• From bodner on 2014-02-28 at 10:42am:
  so how did they fake the bloodtest? And how come they kept using them later...
• From Rob UK on 2015-02-27 at 3:56am:
  The blood test is easily faked by a changeling, simply kill a solid and store some of their blood inside your changeling body and move that pocket of solid blood to the surface wherever someone is taking the blood sample from you, be that with a hypo Starfleet style or cutting your palm with a blade Klingon style
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-10-02 at 6:04pm:
  This episode feels oddly prescient. Had it been released during the run of Enterprise, it would read as a 9/11-allegory. Blood tests and martial law for increased airport security and the PATRIOT Act. Fake-O'Brien's speech to Sisko "only four of us... in the end, it's your fear that will destroy you."
  
  Episode sits among the best of Trek, as social commentary... even before the events it speaks most directly to. Cutting to the core of our failings as a society, and yet there is hope; our hero Sisko triumphs in the end over the coup d'etat.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From David in California on 2007-08-03 at 5:26pm:
  Just saw this episode for the first time last night and I liked it very much. I read in one of your BSG articles that you think Dr. Who is "silly". (I think it's enjoyable whimsical space fantasy--I don't like all my sci-fi to have the same tone. I still respect and enjoy your more "hard SF" reviews here, however. :) ) But I just want to note that it's so clear this episode was inspired by the widely noted "classic" 1976 episode "Robots of Death". The look, voice, and manner of the robots, the way they seem "innocent" and gradually are revealed to be homicidal, their relationship to their "builder", etc. are too similar to be coincidental, IMO. You mention similarity to the Cylons, but see this acclaimed Dr. Who episode and you'll quickly see what I mean.
  
• From plus on 2011-08-25 at 10:09pm:
  This was an absolutely charming episode. After the cool, slightly creepy teaser, the rest of the episode runs a little like a fairy tale or fable,
  but it works remarkably well. The robotic species here is almost like a placeholder, a symbol for artificial, sentient life more generally. This is
  evident even in their lack of definite features, and their generic "tin man" appearance.
  
  When I first saw/heard them, I braced myself for a painful, unbelievable episode, but my fears were quickly dissipated. It immediately became clear that this episode takes a different tone, a decidedly "non-hard-sci-fi" tone, in order to do something very important: to directly address the
  ethical issues around artificial life.
  
  I completely agree with the other commentator and with the show's producers - there's nothing wrong with that at all, especially if it's done as
  elegantly as in this episode.
  
  As the reviewer describes, the nature of the robots is revealed slowly, piecemeal, leading the viewer to develop a sympathetic understanding of
  their condition. This sympathy is then challenged with the revelation that they killed their creators, and are now engaged in endless conflict with each other.
  
  I would argue that this does not mean that they're "genocidal megalomaniacs." What it does mean, is that creating sentient artificial
  life is a deadly serious business, with huge ethical implications.
  
  Early in the episode Janeway asks Torres, "Who are we to swoop in, play god, and then continue on our way without the slightest consideration of
  the long term effects of our actions?" At the end of the episode we are led to pose the same question to the now deceased builders.
  
  Are the robots really to blame for what happened? They were created, programmed to fight and defend themselves, given sentience, and then once their purpose was up, threatened with decommission, extinction, death. Was it not sensible for the sentient "service units" to defend themselves?
  
  It would seem it was the builders who first "played God" without fully appreciating the consequences of their actions. Consequences which led to their own destruction, and decades later to a renewed ethical dilemma for Torres, and a serious threat for Voyager.
  
  A well conceived episode, and very well executed.
  
  Interesting tidbit: The robot asks Torres about artificial lifeforms on her society. Torres responds that "there is only one sentient artificial lifeform," referring to Data. Somehow the Doctor isn't considered in this category! Is that because he is finally being accepted as a full-fledged "honorary human" member of the crew? Or because his condition is as bad as ever, and he is simply not considered... at all? It's probably the former, or perhaps a total slip by the writers of this episode.
• From onlinebroker on 2012-03-12 at 7:13pm:
  I don't see how the prime directive applies here at all and found the discussion about it totally misplaced.
  This is a warp capable species making a request.The federation helps those all the time to get new members!
• From TheAnt on 2013-09-20 at 6:53pm:
  This if the (in)famous 'Pulp' episode of ST Voyager.
  
  It have all the pulp mag elements.
  Including the fact that the robot do look pretty much like any film about robot invasion or flying saucers of the 1950-1960 period.
  
  The stage for what is to come is found already in the teaser which is in black and white, with signal noise pretty much like an old TV set in the period.
  
  So what make this pulp?
  Robot who kidnap a female, and carry her in it's arms. Robots who have killed their creators.
  And in one of the final scenes. Torres exclaiming 'My god what have I done' in an oft repeated Frankensteinian manner and then she stabs the prototype to death.
  
  It is amusing as a concept, but it does not work entirely well IMO.
  
  

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From JRPoole on 2009-03-07 at 6:31pm:
  This is one of the best Voyager outings so far just because it's part of the plot arc, something that Voyager desperately needs since 90% of its stand-alone episodes are embarrassing (though not quite as god-awful as the zero below).
  
  Here's my main problem with Voyager, though: the Kazon aren't very interesting. The Mokra, who we saw recently, would have made better villains (maybe they come back; I'm not familiar with Voyager after about this point in the series) and so would have the creepy Ocampa who lived with second Caretaker. Instead we get 2-dimensional nomadic Klingons.
  
  Giving Voyager recurring races is tricky because of their situation. It gets a little problematic with the Kazon. So just how big is Kazon territory? Isn't Voyager pretty much hauling ass across the Delta Quadrant (except, of course to investigate the alien or phenomenon of the week or to make pit stops for food)? Plus, the same Kazon Majes keep showing up. Are they following Voyager? I'm hoping that these problems get answered in future episodes; despite the fact that most of my posts on it are negative, I'm actually enjoying the series.
  
  
  
  
• From Mike on 2017-05-27 at 2:49am:
  I agree that some of Chakotay's later solutions are annoying, but this one seems to fit the situation. What he's saying makes sense: the Maquis form ad hoc alliances out of convenience for short-term gains, which is what Voyager needs to do here with the Kazon. I do like the ending of this one, though, seeing that it all falls apart as Voyager finds itself in the middle of a continuing blood feud between the Trabe and Kazon. Ultimately, Janeway's instincts are reaffirmed.
  
  I don't quite agree with JRPoole that the Kazon are uninteresting. They reflect this region of the galaxy. Whereas the Alpha Quadrant is controlled by several very powerful races vying for control, this region lacks major powers and is controlled by marauders and bandits like the Kazon factions. As for how big Kazon territory is...well, the Enterprises A and D both explored uncharted space in the Alpha Quadrant but still within reasonable travel of the Federation. It stands to reason the Kazon are present in a pretty wide expanse of the Delta Quadrant, and given their "nomadic" ways, may even follow Voyager.
  
  The only thing that bugged me about this episode was that the Trabe go from having a bunch of their people confined to suddenly repossessing lots of warships after escaping with Neeliz and rendezvousing with Voyager. There's a lot of backstory there that gets glossed over.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Pete Miller on 2006-08-04 at 11:18pm:
  YES! Everything I was going to come in here and rant about was covered in your problems section. This is a zero epsiode if I've ever seen one. You hit the asymptote thing right on the head. That's EXACTLY what warp 10 is. You can never reach it. The evolution thing is also EXACTLY right. They obviously don't know what the fuck evolution is. AND humans will probably evolve in thousands of different ways in the Star Trek future, assuming they will spread to different parts of the galaxy and encounter different environments. So to say that there is one 'universal' evolution for humans is extremely absurd. Oh and is the universal evolution some kind of being with advanced brain capacity and lots of adaptations? No. It's some sort of a lizard that probably could have been found on Earth 2 billion years ago. What an absurd episode.
  
  It doesn't only suffer from technical problems though. It also has lots of cheap cliches. The Deux Ex Machina antiproton beam at the end was a cheap way to end the manufactured danger of Tom and Janeaway's 'evolution'. Now we know that the Voyager writers aren't credible when they want us to think someone is in mortal danger. Also, this episode was another "Voyager might get back home in season 2". Gay.
  
  I was hoping for this episode to be a really interesting way of explaining the impossibility of reaching warp 10 after the opening scene. Boy was I wrong. Apparently you can reach warp 10 by making a duranium shuttle and putting some really badass dilithium in the warp engines. HA! Sometimes I wonder why they don't just go to a convention and find someone to be their Star Trek continuity expert, and have that person watch their asses to make sure thy don't make a ridiculous episode like this.
• From Remco on 2009-01-26 at 3:52pm:
  I like the id number of this page. "404 - this horrendous episode cannot be found."
• From Colleen on 2009-05-23 at 11:36pm:
  I just want to mention something else that I've noticed about this whole warp 10 nonsense. In an episode of the original series, something about a babel conference or something, an enemy ship was flying at then and eventually self-destructed. They said it was flying at warp 10. And while it was very fast it was not infinity speed. So, this episode not only illogical it didn't adhere to former canon.
• From Kethinov on 2009-05-24 at 7:36am:
  Colleen, that is not a continuity error. Post TOS Star Trek uses an entirely different warp scale. In TOS, warp factors are multiples of the speed of light. In post TOS, warp factors are points on an asymptotical graph where warp 10 as is described in this episode is in fact infinite speed. The problem with that as stated in my review is infinite speed is impossible as it's merely an asymptote on the warp scale, not an actual achievable speed.
• From Psycroptic on 2012-08-10 at 1:21am:
  When I saw that this one got a zero I didn't think it could be that bad, boy was I wrong.
• From Soli on 2013-05-24 at 10:50am:
  I don't think anyone is truly a Trekkie unless they can launch into a long rant about how awful this episode is on a moment's notice.
• From thaibites on 2013-10-31 at 1:06am:
  You guys are missing the whole point of this episode - Paris "did" Janeway. He rubbed his little lizard wee-wee all over her hot little Irish lizard ass. Go Paris, go!
  He got some...huh-huh mmmm huh-huh mmmm huh-huh. Paris rules!
• From edward on 2014-04-04 at 5:12pm:
  Before this terrible episode, I think nobody had put a limit to warp speed.
  I find it annoying that the 25th century captains will have to say "warp factor 9.9999999" because of it. Can't we just forget it ever existed?
• From C.Ros on 2015-11-05 at 11:51am:
  Hmm...so in the final episode of TNG, when they pick up ambassador worf, and the Pasteur then goes at warp 13....how does that exactly fit with the posts here?
• From Rick on 2017-04-25 at 12:04pm:
  Edward and C. Ros,
  
  The solution is simple and answers your questions... all they need to do is rescale like has been done before. So warp 13 is probably equivalent to warp 9.999 something.
• From Jm on 2020-04-03 at 12:20am:
  Yeah, but that scene where the doctor wakes up Paris is pure gold.
• From Mathalamus on 2022-02-12 at 1:54pm:
  Ironically, this was the first ever episode of any star trek i watched. and i liked it. it got me into star trek, and because of that, ill always rank it highly.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Remco on 2009-01-25 at 7:06pm:
  One thing that struck me watching the scene with Odo's belt, is that Odo has walked around naked his entire life! That must provide for additional weirdness-factor for the people on the station.
  
  It also means his comm-badge is really just him. How would it feel to be part-computer? If we think this through a little further: how would it feel to be Sisko's briefcase in Homefront? How would Odo know when to turn back into his humanoid form? Bags don't usually have ears, or brains to process sound.
  
  I would like to hear explanations to these things instead of the throwaway technobabble that we sometimes get to hear.
• From Krs321 on 2011-04-18 at 3:28pm:
  Why not just beam VIPs to and from locations instead of all the security hoopla?
• From Hugo on 2012-04-30 at 6:21pm:
  I have been wondering why we don't see Odo doing more Reed Richard's routines (or plasticman etc). I thought that if shifted shape he would not necessarily take on the properties of the object he turns into - but this time his hands in the elevator...
  
  I liked this ep though, and great that it didn't focus on the assassination.
  
  Best moment : Quark in PJ's
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-10-04 at 3:27pm:
  In a season that hasn't really missed with an episode yet, this one has not aged well. "Odo the incel" is a pretty yucky plot, one we are able to more accurately diagnose in 2021 than a writers room in the mid 90s could. The development of the overarching Odo-Kira subplot could have been handled much better than this.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Dave on 2009-03-10 at 4:23pm:
  Great episode. One nit-pick: is Suder a crewman or an ensign. Hogan (a man with a similraly confused rank - once referred to as a Lieutenant by Kes) calls him Ensign Suder. But when Suder calls the bridge to get help for Tuvok, he says "Crewman Suder to the bridge". Was he demoted? Hardly surprising if he were, of course, but we never see it happen.
• From Technobabble on 2011-06-24 at 6:56pm:
  Interesting point Dave. I wondered that as well, when he's first referred to as Ensign...seems advanced in his years have such a low rank, then again he's ex-Maquis so I believe they assigned him a rank according to his seniority (none) and abilities, which must not have been impressive in engineering, in contrast to Torres. By Chakotay's description of him, he overly-relished personal combat & was effective in a fight, a value the Maquis esteem.
  
  In regards to a murder charge, well I don't believe one is immediately demoted for that, but court-martialed and sentenced to prison. Until then rank status is retained.
• From thaibites on 2013-11-02 at 5:37am:
  I'm surprised nobody here pointed out the similarity (blatant rip-off) between this episode and Silence of the Lambs. It's all there. Hannibal Lecter is Suder, he even looks like a bit like Anthony Hopkins. Plus, Lecter was always trying to get inside Clarice's head and Suder definitely got inside Tuvok's head! Plus, think about the time period - mid-nineties.
  It's still a good episode, even though they "adapted" so much from Silence of the Lambs.
• From alphabeta on 2013-11-29 at 10:25am:
  Suder was a great character, Dourif was really good in the role. It's a real shame that we didnt get to see more of him, he'd have made a great recurring character for the long haul. I wonder if there were rl circumstances that lead to that decision.
  
  As far as similarities to Silence of the Lambs goes, I dont see anything particularly blatant. The whole concept of guard and prisoner changing places, mutually empathizing, goes back much further than that movie.
• From Rick on 2014-01-13 at 4:00pm:
  As to your problem, in one of the earlier episodes the Doctor demonstrates that holographic material can be modulated to pass through things. Or it can be modulated to be solid. I think it was the neelix lung episode.
• From Rob UK on 2014-07-12 at 11:29pm:
  I really like this episode, my main reason is i took great joy in watching Turok throttle Snarf (i mean Nelix, he has always reminded me of that infuriating character from the Thundercats animation, he is the Scrappy doo to Scooby, the Godzuki to Godzilla, god dammit i hate all those characters but none of them more than i despise Nelix), i just wish it had been for real.
  
  Firstly we'd have gotten rid of the most annoying Star Trek character of all time and we could have had an excellent story arc of Turok being driven insane by the meld and Janeway's conflict of what to do with him ala Suder, but sadly it is almost a reset button episode as we barely see Suder again except for the episode when he and the Doctor are the only ones left on the ship and Tuvok is perfectly fine by the next episode with no mention ever again, Tuvok goes back to being a very generic boring Vulcan, nothing like our half human Spok with his wit and humour and occasional humanity surfacing. One problem with this fantasy arc is we then would not get the mighty fine episode Tuvix, a small price to pay to losing one very emotional and touching episode to get rid of Snarf this early on, Snarf Snarf
• From parkbench on 2015-05-08 at 6:56pm:
  A fun episode but disappointed w the execution. They build up to this meld and then literally skip the whole thing! I thought we were revving up for a DS9-style "Section 31" Sloan episode, the final one where they delve into his dying mind. Would've been a great chance to do some character development for Tuvok, show some of his inner demons and explore the Suder character more.
  
  Instead we get a lot of "show don't tell me" moments with Suder explaining both characters' motivations and narrating visible ironies (not trusting the audience) and ultimately there is no dramatic tension because you know halfway through the episode no one is in danger cause Tuvok isolated himself.
  
  Ultimately I'm a very forgiving Star Trek fan and still enjoyed the episode...in fact so far I am surprised to say that for all its infuriating choices I am enjoying the ambiance and world of Voyager quite a bit (first time for me), though I am not partial to the imperialistic naivete of the "Federation" values paraded around throughout, a "corrective" I suppose to DS9s warranted pessimism about the possibility about the benevolence of a giant, teetering neocolonial bureaucracy for the "fan's" sake...though I'm wondering just who these fans are that don't see the inherent flaws in that particular fantasy, or perhaps they are the same ones who do not question such things in the real world either...but I digress.
  
  DS9s tone ITSELF was a corrective but I suppose that era has been lost. In the meantime an enjoyable if deeply flawed episode. /endrant
• From Erik Friend on 2016-02-21 at 4:04am:
  Alienized versions of ordinary stuff mentioned in this episode:
  Rillan Grease
  Cardassian Pinocle
• From Rick on 2017-04-26 at 1:48am:
  "the imperialistic naivete of the "Federation" values paraded around throughout, a "corrective" I suppose to DS9s warranted pessimism"
  
  What? This is Star Trek you know, right? Why would pessimism be warranted for the classical Star Trek view of the future? I guess that is why I refuse to embrace DS9 and people like you seemingly adore it. Fair enough, to each his own, and so forth, but I will stick to Star Trek's classic optimism (which you for some reason call naivete, even though it if far from naive, and in fact a very conscious narrative decision), and you can have your UNwarranted pessimism, at least in so far as it applies to the ideals of Star Trek. Enjoy.
• From Mike on 2017-05-26 at 12:53pm:
  Something about the computer saying, "Try your luck again. Tomorrow you could be a winner!" really cracked me up. Maybe after years of listening to Majel Barrett's voice dispassionately provide information and reports to various crews, it was funny to hear that same, emotionless voice repeat a line you would hear on a Powerball commercial.
  
  Since Tuvok is my favorite VOY character, I enjoyed this one a lot. There were some great exchanges between him and Suder...dialogue that is, not just the mind meld. It was also interesting in how it looked at the Federation's dealings with murder and the idea of a mind meld between two ST species with unique mental abilities: Vulcans and Betazoids.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Giuseppe on 2010-11-07 at 1:18am:
  Kira comparing the Cardasian rifle with the Federation one... It was a bit like hearing someone compare an AK-47 with an M-16. The first one very simple and very rugged, the other much more advanced, but somewhat more prone to failure. No wonder someone like Kira would recommend the Cardasian rifle to a novice like Ziyal, after all she was a freedom fighter. And its real life counterpart, the AK-47, has been the weapon of choice for most untrained... freedom fighters.
• From peterwolf on 2013-11-29 at 10:36pm:
  Overall the episode is entertaining, sometimes thrilling. However, some parts of the discussions and conversations between Dukat and Kira went wrong. It started in "Indescretion" and gets worse in later episodes. Dukat´s constant need to expose his feelings and motifs to Kira and his begging for appreciation are annoying and "un-Cardassian". It would have been much more effective if these "confessions" or whatever you may call it had occurred unexpectedly and very rarely. For example, such things happen with Garak: all of a sudden you see a different part of his character, of his past, which makes him such an interesting character. The dialogues between Kira and Ziyal are much better and more credible. Also, Dukat showed the potential for a more positive character development, but as we know, in the end it turned out bad. Interestingly, Damar appears for the first time on DS9 in "Return to Grace". His ups and downs account for one of the best character developments in Star Trek. The moment when he gives up drinking is the crucial turning point in the war against the Dominion, while Dukat choose a far more negative path.
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-10-04 at 8:59pm:
  Dukat and Kira have great on-screen chemistry. Scenes between those characters always jump out, so episodes putting them together always resonate. The series found a winning formula here.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From MJ on 2011-01-14 at 4:39pm:
  This one was the last straw for me when it came to DS9's Klingon episodes. In TNG, the Klingons were an interesting and respectable group of characters, and the series explored their culture. Gowron was a formidable opponent but also very honorable, and Kurn was one of the better minor family characters in the series.
  
  Then comes DS9 in which the Klingons (except Worf) return to the mindless thugs they were in TOS. They suck at battle, as proven in "Way of the Warrior" and "Return to Grace". They act dishonorably on several occasions. Gowron has become a madman, a development that could be justified by his thirst for power but still makes the character one-dimensional.
  
  And now Kurn. I liked the character in TNG, and it was very disappointing to see it end this way for him. His point of view is easy to understand. Even when Worf went through his dishonor, he was in the Federation and didn't really have to face it every day like Kurn has. And it blows my mind that the Federation would have such a problem with the ritual murder, an honorable act in Klingon culture, but be OK with erasing someone's identity without their consent. This is a major discrepancy that is simply too large for me to ignore.
  
  Overall, one of my least favorite episodes of DS9.
• From Jon on 2011-05-26 at 4:59pm:
  In contrast to the other commenter, I rather like that the showed that actions have real-life consequences, in contrast to the real feeling we get that actions are self-contained inside episodes - if that. Worf's actions do have consequences for those left on his home planet, somthing that everyone seems to forget.
  
  These characters are not islands unto themselves - they've got ties and interestes beyond the bulkheads that can go bad or good depending on what they do.
  
  I don't think a highly militarized society such as the Klingons would have many detractors in a universe that was rapidly experiencing threats, changes and the doubts that came with the Changling threats. Therefore you can make the case that a military leader (see the TNG episode where Garwon was chosen) that struck a balance would shift towards a more locked-down military political stance to preserve the Empire from percieved threats. Such a mindset isn't that hard for Klingons to fall into.
  
  And its not like Klingons were really a race of sophisticated or otherwise in TOS that suddenly became 'Vikings in Space' in TNG/DS9....i mean, in ST 6 the whole novelty of General Chang and Gorkon was that they were leaders that quoted Shakespeare and were more politically aware, rather than the 'typical fare'
  
  And the leadership of the empire IS dominated by a Council that seems persuasive to the winds of the time and can be manipulated or dominated, in this case the latter.
• From Selador on 2013-04-09 at 9:44pm:
  With regards to how the mines could be effective given that ships could simply navigate around them - the whole point is that they're cloaked. That's why Worf and Kurn have to board the Klingon ship to discover their locations.
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-10-05 at 11:20am:
  The premise of this episode is excellent, "how can Worf bridge a divide between his Klingon culture demands of him and what his life in the Federation will allow?" And the repeated failed attempts for him to do right by Kurn are great. Tony Todd has done a great job acting with pathos this season, first as older Jake in The Visitor and now reprising this role from TNG.
  
  The conclusion of the episode is highly disappointing. The decision of the Starfleet to inflict the Lovecraftian horror of erasing a man's memory and giving him a new life, just being okay with that, does not sit well. The need to tidily wrap this story up was too strong. I'm not sure what the "best" way to have approached this would have been, but finding a way to let it linger, perhaps to return to the topic in a later season, would have been preferable. This is a product of DS9 not knowing the balance between serial/episodic that it wanted, and it suffers here, wasting a great guest performance.
• From The Bok Obummer on 2022-10-16 at 3:05pm:
  Klingons are such docile whiners, do they just sit by and let the government seize their lands?? Look at Kern whining about how they took his stuff, why didn't he and his house fight Gowrons men? Who cares if they stand no chance, they always brag about honorable deaths.
  Instead he comes to DS9 to whine and just die like a coward. Even the biggest hillibilly would put up more of a fight if the government came to take his stuff.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Sir Brando on 2006-05-15 at 6:03am:
  I agree that this episode is excellent. I really like the fact that they start to change their reputation here. They've made another friend, one of many to come.
• From hobospice on 2007-01-28 at 5:07am:
  This is a good episode, no doubt. But it seems that every episode on this site that gets a 9 or 10 is always a high stakes tactical/action episode. I want star trek, not Tom Clancy books. Having said that, I think this one is pretty cookie cutter and predictable. I mean obviously they are going to stop the bomb and obviously voyager won't be destoyed. The ending was complete uninspired. Frankly I would have been more impressed if Torres just fried the computer using just logic ;)
• From rpeh on 2010-08-19 at 9:33am:
  It's an exciting episode and Belana's battle with the computer is at different points, funny and fascinating.
  
  Two problems. How can Janeway set the self destruct on her own? Every other time it's been done it has needed at least two officers. And why does Belana start running out of breath after about 20 minutes? There's enough oxygen on something that size for one person to breathe for ages even with no regeneration.
  
  I'll give it a 7.
• From GDorn on 2011-09-29 at 8:29pm:
  Why would a missile have a bridge and life support? Why would it leave the life support on, consuming energy, when it didn't expect to have any lifeforms on board?
  
  Also, with the vastness of space, it's quite the coincidence that Voyager happened to come across wreckage of a ship the missile destroyed, decide to follow the trail and come across the missile merely hours before it was to reach its destination.
• From Rick on 2012-12-29 at 10:41pm:
  Fairly average episode that we have seen multiple times before. No offense to our reviewer but I think if this exact same episode was on TOS it would get a 3. You never seem to like irrational computers and this one is certainly that.
• From Kethinov on 2012-12-30 at 11:43am:
  I'm really not sure what you're on about, Rick. I compared this episode favorably to TOS: The Ultimate Computer, which got a similar score.
  
  But there are many "Kirk talks a computer to death" episodes and not all of them are as good as TOS: The Ultimate Computer. The stereotypical TOS episode with a computer as an antagonist that I slap around with a low rating would be something like TOS: The Changeling.
  
  Because seriously, do you think Nomad is anywhere near as cool as Dreadnought? I certainly don't. Aesthetics count for a lot in my ratings. Most of the TOS "Kirk talks a computer to death" episodes are painful to watch because the computer feels like a 1960s stereotype rather than a futuristic antagonist.
  
  Dreadnought holds up well. And so does TOS: The Ultimate Computer.
• From thaibites on 2013-11-06 at 12:05am:
  The biggest problem with episode is Torres. She's a smack-off. She's always running around bitching and complaining and angry about something. Any episode that focuses on her can never be good.
• From Mike on 2017-05-26 at 1:37pm:
  Not quite sure why the one reviewer felt this was more Clancy than Star Trek. This is a missile with a computer that has the power to calculate all kinds of probabilities, analyze them, interact with its users at advanced levels, make attempts at deception to preserve itself and its mission, and even "scout" its adversaries to test their motives. In other words, it's practically a sentient missile. Seems to fall well within the realm of cool Star Trek sci-fi to me.
  
  The suspense was well developed in this one. Just when you think Torres has found a way to disable the missile, it surprises her, outsmarts or anticipates her actions, and denies her victory. Even her attempts to reason with it ultimately backfire until finally, she finds its weakness through sheer determination. We knew that she would probably disable it in the end, but we didn't really know how or whether the missile would remain a future threat.
  
  I do agree with the original review that the Jonas scene is pointless and annoying. It seems to serve no other purpose than to tell us, "hey just in case you forgot, this guy is still secretly talking to the Kazon!" And maybe to establish that Seska's no longer the provided contact, although, again, there was really no logical reason given for them to contact Seska other than her being Cardassian and this is a Cardassian weapon....but, one that's been reappropriated by the Maquis.
  
  As far as needing two officers to set up self-destruct, there's one key difference between Voyager and the Enterprises/other ships: Janeway's first officer is a former Maquis. She no doubt trusts him with many things to give him that position, but maybe the self-destruct sequence was one area she wanted to keep firmly under Starfleet control. Tuvok would be a good second choice, but maybe there are rank/command requirements in order to set that up.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Jim on 2006-10-31 at 2:26am:
  I don't wish to too overtly directly attempt to criticize your review or review this episode myself because I do not believe I am impartial (for personal reasons).
  
  However, it must be stated that the view of, say, (various states within) The United States, having engaged in "hypocrisy" by engaging in the death penalty for murders while at the same time actively attempting to prevent suicide attempts is highly subjective at best.
  
  The episode may very well be impressively plotted, however it is plotted in a manner designed to make the suicide arguments palatable and comforting and the those opposed to it dark and cold. You don't see the real actual arguments but fantasy arguments that the writer wants to pretend is a reality. It is clear from the beginning (as it usually is on television, unfortunately) what "moral direction" the episode is going.
  
  Sadly, this is almost always the case when Star Trek is a "message show." But wouldn't have been braver to go against this mold? To have the characters struggle on the ethics of an issue? To actually make you ask where the show was going?
  
  I, again, have to admit I am not impartial here. After watching this episode I did not watch Voyager regularly again. But you wonder how many viewers television loses with these "gems?"
• From David from California on 2007-08-13 at 5:32pm:
  Saw this for the first time the other day and it was terrific, IMO.
  
  "Jim" who commented previously is correct that the plotting contained "fantasy" elements that slanted the moral issue of suicide, but in the *opposite* way he seems to think, IMO.
  
  If anything, the episode invented a fantasy element which served to give the anti-suicide side of the issue *more* plausibility than in the "real world" of human beings, in that there was the matter of the unprecedented suicide of Quinn possibly causing harm to the entire Q Continuum as a collective entity.
  
  But human beings are not a gestalt entity like the Q, and the suicide of one individual can only potentially effect those other individuals he or she knows *personally*, not the "collective" of all humans together. And such obligations as he or she might have set up in relation to those others is a private matter between them, not a concern of "society" as a whole, as they will not suffer any ill-effects.
  
  So in this way, the writers were granting a point in *favor* of preventing the suicide which doesn't really exist in the "real world" of human beings presently.
  
  Therefore, I'm surprised at reader Jim's reaction in this regard. The philosophic issue raised in the episode of the rights of the individual to determine the course of his or her own life, as against whatever fears or desires of the collective, made for very effective drama as it does in the many other Star Trek episodes that raise this general issue in various ways.
• From rpeh on 2010-08-19 at 1:55pm:
  I enjoyed this episode, but I thought they missed a trick. They should have shown the new Q settling in to his new life a little but then killing himself anyway. Killing him off as soon as they did slightly lowered the emotional impact. Still a great outing though, and good to see Q and Riker.
• From Harrison on 2013-02-17 at 3:23am:
  One of the best-written Trek episodes, one worthy of singular note and a proper literary review.
  
  It ranks right up there with TNG "The Inner Light".
  
  It feels a little dated now. After all, the backdrop is the shallow prosperity & banality of the Clinton period, when oil was still $25 a barrel, and the right Nasdaq bet could yield a college student a brand new Mercedes Benz. Oh how monotonous & spiritually empty, all that easy wealth.
  
  No matter -- it is a wonderful, unforgettable vignette.
• From Hugo on 2013-08-18 at 7:05pm:
  Oh, how I hated this one. Just to much, and it is yet another episode in a string which brings in alpha quadrant elements - instead of focusing on the exoticness of the delta quadrant.
  
  And I hated the new Q, his manners and that extremely bad overacting. The show took on a totally new feeling when John de Lancie enterered - his presence blew everyone else away.
  
  The hearing/courtroom setting feels a bit tired too.
  
  I dont mind the moral aspects though, but it was obvious how Janeway would rule from a 100 miles away, esp when old Q offered to take them home...
• From thaibites on 2013-11-15 at 5:37am:
  I loved this episode! It was great to get a glimpse of what life is like in the Q continuum. Plus, it ends on a downer with Q actually killing himself, which was a nice break from happy-happy. Janeway didn't get what she wanted - YES!
• From Erik Friend on 2016-02-21 at 5:03am:
  Alienized names for ordinary stuff in this episode:
  
  "Gorokian" Midwife Toad
  "Kylerian" Goats Milk
  "Nogatch" Hemlock

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Remco on 2009-01-29 at 3:59am:
  Odo called the station "DS9" in this episode. I don't think we've heard this abbreviation on the show before.
• From John on 2011-01-12 at 5:27pm:
  I found this episode highly enjoyable, and the fact that it features Leeta has absolutely nothing to do with it. :)
• From hugo on 2012-05-09 at 5:37am:
  Just dull and uninspired, and a plot where not much happens. And Leeta is not a good actress.
• From peterwolf on 2013-11-30 at 9:05am:
  This is THE Rom episode. It provides all the reasons and feelings why Leeta will love Rom (soon after her affair with Bashir). It is very funny how O´Briens´ story of his ancestor Sean (made up or real) inspires Rom to stand his ground against Ferengi laws and tradition. Although Rom seems to trade his Union ideals in the end, he wins: all his conditions for the workers will be accepted by Quark and he gets his job in Starfleet as technician "junior grade"! Similar to Damar he will do things in the future that decide the war against the Dominion. Also, the tiny subplot of Dax and Worf prepares the basis of their relationship. A very great episode, if you know what is coming later on!
• From Martin on 2014-04-02 at 6:29pm:
  Nice episode.
  One detail i couldn't stop noticing is Liquidator brunt's bodyguards are Nausicaan...the same nasty race that stabbed picard on the heart.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From JRPoole on 2009-05-06 at 2:30am:
  Two problems here:
  
  1) Doesn't sending Akorem back to live out his life change the time line in a very serious fashion? The cute little tie up of that question at the end is ridiculous.
  
  2) Okay, how gullible are the Bajoran people?
• From John on 2011-01-12 at 7:27pm:
  This episode proves once again that the Bajoran people are the most naive pushovers in the Alpha Quadrant.
  
  One of the things I love about DS9 is that the "Prophets" themselves seem to have little or no interest in what actually goes on on Bajor. They are completely indifferent, in part because they themselves can't even conceive of linear time as we understand it. It's fun to laugh at the Bajorans as they read so much into everything the Prophets do, while at the same time you know the Prophets don't really care one way or another.
• From MJ on 2011-02-07 at 12:45pm:
  The wormhole aliens/Prophets are to DS9 what the Traveler was to TNG: an absurd, unnecessary story arc that reduces the show's credibility. As with the Traveler, the Prophets are used to explain away inconsistencies, do things that make no sense, and kill the climax of otherwise good episodes (see DS9: Sacrifice of Angels). The difference is, we have a lot more Prophet episodes than we do Traveler episodes.
  
  This religion of the Prophets makes the Bajorans look like despicable fools. This is especially true of Kira, who in these episodes is no longer the tough, independent fighter, but a sheep who blindly devotes herself to whatever the religious authorities of her planet dictate. So, the Kira character definitely loses credibility. Then, enter this 200+ year-old Bajoran poet who wants to turn Bajoran society upside down, likely throwing the entire planet into chaos and ruin, and everyone just goes along with it because you don't question the Emissary? It doesn't really reflect well on Bajor overall.
  
  I console myself with this episode somewhat by hoping the point is to show how blind obedience to organized religion can be bad. There are hints this might be the case, such as Odo's excellent questioning of Kira (my favorite moment in the episode) on the Promenade before the new Emissary's first speech, and how the Prophets clearly have no concept of time, rendering the prophecy of who contacts them "first" a moot point. But, I realize it's not Star Trek's place to really take positions; the show simply offers competing points of view to educate the audience, which, of course, is fantastic. But the Prophet storyline takes away from Kira and Bajor in the process.
  
  I do like how the episode reflects both Sisko's being uncomfortable with the position of Emissary while also wearing the uniform, and his true concern for Bajor when the new Emissary starts enacting his agenda. Sisko has come to love this world and its people, however superstitious they may be, and is willing to serve in this role if it's in Bajor's best interests.
  
  We also have an episode that ends rather suddenly (again).
  
  I also wasn't a huge fan of the subplot. Normally I enjoy the camaraderie between O'Brien and Bashir, but this subplot was rather dull and pointless. It went from O'Brien wanting to spend more time with Keiko to missing Bashir. Not interesting.
  
  Below average episode at best.
• From Bernard on 2011-02-07 at 11:01pm:
  I find myself in agreement with MJ over the Prophets but in total disagreement over Major Kira.
  
  I think that you are confusing your personal loss of respect for her character with her credibility. The character is still perfectly credible as we see time and time again on our planet the blindness of faith. Have you never had conversations with believers who can stand there and as perfectly rational people then suddenly say that they believe that a man fed 5000 from a couple of loaves? The Kira character is consistant in this respect all the way through the series, so I think it is perfectly credible that she behaves in this manner. Just because I personally can't understand why people can have blind faith doesn't mean that a character is not credible if they do.
  
  This episode does not mark the end of the Prophets as a well thought out and written species though... just watch 'Rapture' and any episodes from that point onwards involving Prophets/Pah Wraiths or both to see not only the spoiling of a truly fascinating species but also the implication (and later more than just implication!) that they really do have a connection with the Bajorans!
  
  I enjoy this episode as it brings up interesting points and as MJ said is allows the viewer to make up their own mind. I would rate it slightly higher than 5 despite some of the problems.
• From MJ on 2011-02-13 at 1:46pm:
  Hi Bernard,
  
  You make a great point. I have, actually, known some very intelligent believers, and it has been strange to me how they reconcile their faith with some of their other views. Maybe not strange, but interesting. I can see what you mean about Kira still being who she is, and yet still steeped in the traditions of her people. We have had glimpses of how her religion was one of the things that may very well have sustained her during the Cardassian occupation.
  
  I guess it just catches me off guard when I see episodes in which Kira is fearless, answering to no one and taking on anybody who gets in her way, and yet here is willing to abandon her life simply because a spiritual leader told her to do so. The good thing, though, is that she doesn't do so unquestioningly. She voices her frustrations to that Vedek about her lack of artistic talent, which at least makes it somewhat believable.
  
  On another note, I really did enjoy the moment in this episode where Kira informs Sisko of her decision to resign, and advising him on a replacement.
• From Tallifer on 2011-03-31 at 12:23am:
  Original Star Trek was generally atheist: gods were just aliens in disguise. Deep Space 9 recognizes that for most people the universe is mysterious and mystical. The Bajoran religion seems to be a mixture of Hindoo and Moslem ideas.
  
  In this episode, it is the Hindoo caste system. The Cardassian occupation was an aberration and a traumatic experience. Naturally many Bajorans would be eager to return to the halcyon days of yore. Nowadays there is still a segment of Indian society that wants the ancient caste system legalized and enforced.
  
  As for the emissaries, all the major religions have several prophets from the gods. When Akorem assumed the mantle of emissary, many Bajorans could have easily thought of Sisko as a sort of John the Baptist preceding the actual emissary.
• From Hugo on 2012-05-11 at 8:00pm:
  Well, I gave it an 8 - a solid, interesting and engaging episode, with any major flaws - as I see it!
• From Lt. Fitz on 2012-06-27 at 5:20pm:
  Keiko has redeemed herself. I was really aggravated by her in the last episode with her in it. In this one she behaved the way I expected a woman returning home after a long absence would behave. :)
• From John on 2013-05-01 at 1:06am:
  I have to agree with Bernard that Kira is still a very credible character.
  
  Specifically, the idea that someone can be stubborn, willful and annoying, while at the same time being indecisive, ignorant, and easily swayed by religious doublespeak is perfectly credible.
• From Mike on 2016-11-03 at 6:16am:
  I'd give this a 2, mainly because it's an episode that didn't really need to be made, or should've been much better.
  
  The whole point of this episode was to show Sisko finally embracing his role as Emissary. And I could buy the premise that the Prophets had Akorem do this brief stint in the future in order to get Sisko to accept his "path". But that's not how the episode is scripted. Instead, the whole thing seems like random action by the Prophets that inadvertently almost upends Bajor, the consequences of which are completely ignored by the end of the episode.
  
  Akorem lays out a pretty good case for his being the Emissary. But apparently, he's wrong. So why exactly did he emerge from the wormhole 200+ years into the future? The vague response from the Prophets indicates that he drifted into the wormhole, they saw that he was injured, healed him, and then released him. Since they're unaware of linear time, they just so happened to drop him into the timeline at this moment. When Akorem and Sisko speak with them, they seem to think something along the lines of, "oh yeah, that's right...Sisko explained this whole linear time thingy to us...ya know, maybe we could just send this Akorem guy back to his time." In other words, as John points out, they do things in capricious ways while the Bajorans foolishly read into everything as intentional. We never find out what the Bajorans thought of why Akorem briefly appeared in this time period. Instead, they seemingly just accept that it happened and go back to their lives.
  
  So Akorem goes back to his time, almost everything returns to what it was at the start of the episode except for Akorem's poetry, the changes to which are written off as mysterious Prophet ways, and Sisko now happily performs the ceremonies that he felt uncomfortable with at the start.
  
  It's an aggravating, unsatisfying end.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From rpeh on 2010-08-19 at 2:23pm:
  Touching... but lasts about 10 minutes too long, leading to some rather stretched out scenes. This episode needed a longer B-plot to pad it out instead.
  
  Factoid: The song playing while the doctor and Denara are playing is "My Prayer" by Harry Connick Jr.
• From zook on 2011-08-10 at 11:51pm:
  The doctor brags about a procedure developed by Dr. Leonard McCoy in 2253 ;) Simply heart-warming.
• From Alan on 2012-01-08 at 4:19am:
  The song playing in the Mars date scene is actually 'My prayer" by The Platters not Harry Connick Jr.
  

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Pete Miller on 2006-08-08 at 2:57am:
  Personally, I enjoyed this episode quite a bit. I never for a moment guessed that there was a connection between Paris' behavior and Jonas' behavior. So when Janeaway finally revealed what was going on, it came as quite a twist to me. I guess I'm not used to Star Trek employing the plot twist.
  
  I also enjoyed Neelix's little tv show. If you've ever waited in line at the Jaws ride at Universal Studios and seen the "Wake up, Amity" show, you'll agree with me when I say that this reminded me alot of it. The best, however, was Neelix giving that mole an ass whooping. Jonas was such a bitch.
• From rpeh on 2010-08-19 at 3:47pm:
  I enjoyed this one too and I agree with the previous commenter that it was far from obvious there was a link between Jonas and Tom.
  
  My one gripe isn't just about this episode. Does nobody know how to fight unarmed any more? And the jump-at-opponent-who-moves-and-you-fly-into-the-disintegrator is such a cliche!
• From wanton on 2011-08-31 at 3:50pm:
  I wanted to make a single comment here: I strongly disagree that Neelix' program was a cheesy and obnoxious addition, and I am actually disappointed it is not to reappear again.
  
  I thought this was a brilliant device with a unique function that's hard to put your finger on... Voyager is a crew of over a 100 people... granted that's not over a 1000 like the Enterprise, but it is still a sizable group. Having Neelix' show shown to a "mass audience" had this odd effect of giving one the sense of the entire crew, and tying that crew into a cohesive mass.
  
  With Neelix around with his little PAD, whenever something happened you got this tiny sense of consideration for what the entirety of the crew would think of things.
  
  Watching the show, you got the sense that you were one of those nameless crewmen on board, being filled in on the details... It was neat to look through the eyes of a more realistic audience for a moment...
  
  It also gave Neelix something potentially *important* rather than just funny to do... I would've really preferred that he keep on as the resident journalist and added extra color and an *extra dimension* to everything on Voyager.
  
  Having an *independent* journalist on board clearly put an unexpected spin on events and unforeseen pressures on Janeway and Tuvak, which was really interesting to watch.
  
  So, in short, I don't think this should've been dismissed as a one-time novelty, either by us the viewers or the show's producers. This was a serious and effective little plot device, and I regret that it's use was limited to a single episode.
• From gen on 2012-02-14 at 9:40am:
  (I hope this makes it into Kethinov's factoids! )
  
  Out of a kind of critical mass of curiosity about Star Trek's ubiquitous pointed sideburns, I searched on memory-alpha and stumbled into an unrelated but nevertheless cool piece of trivia: At 2:45 into the episode, standing in the hall and talking to Harry is none other than Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, reigning King of Jordan!
  
  (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_II_bin_al-Hussein)
  
  That sounds like a joke, but it's absolutely true. He's a longtime Trek fan and the cameo was arranged as a kind of surprise by his U.S. advisor (Al-Hussein was Crown Prince at the time). See link below for more info.
  
  http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Abdullah_II
  
  
• From Dave on 2014-03-15 at 10:14pm:
  I loved the way in which Neelix watches Jonas die and then walks off without any sense of sadness about what happened. As he leaves Engineering, he's more like 'hehe! I got him!'

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Pete Miller on 2006-08-11 at 5:23am:
  This episode suffers from the usual Voyager problems: Excessive technobabble and a deus ex machina ending.
  
  Voyager uses more technobabble than DS9, TNG, ENT, and TOS combined
• From mandaloril on 2011-08-17 at 4:02am:
  This episode blows.
• From g@g on 2011-09-02 at 9:02pm:
  I agree there are definitely some questionable things about the premise and its resolution.
  
  Also, Janeway & Janeway's interactions could've been better - there were some missed opportunities there. They were both a bit too casual about it, their reactions and behavior weren't proportional to the true "weirdness" (to quote Kim) of the situation. After all, she (x2) was meeting not just some double or doppelganger, not just some long lost twin, but a twin instance of herself.
  
  They did stand incredibly close, far into each others "personal space," and they did look sort of lovingly at each other, but other than that they acted exactly as if it was all perfectly normal.
  
  On the other hand, one thing I appreciated in the episode was how the viewer's attachment bounced around between the two crews. We start the day in one Voyager universe, then all goes to hell, Kim dies, and its revealed that there's another ship where everything's pretty much OK. So the viewer is guided to reattach to this "other" ship/crew, and the original one is marked for self-destruction - a kind of necessary expandability. It's a really nice twist to have the Vidians completely overrun this "new" Voyager, and for the viewer to do an about face and reattach to the "original" ship, just with the small "organ donation" of a restored Kim and a healthy baby.
  
  So, problematic but not a total loss - some definitely redeeming elements in this episode.
• From Rick on 2014-01-14 at 5:06am:
  Near the end the Doctor says to Kim, "Did my counterpart have a name," and Kim responds, "I didnt have time to ask."
  
  These comments make absolutely no sense. First, Voyager has only been "doubled" for a couple hours so I dont think the Doctor acquired a name in that time period. Second, what the hell does Kim mean he didnt have time? The Doctor is asking a question about the Doctor from Kim's ship (so he has always known that Doctor). They really didnt think this exchange out.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Remco on 2009-02-05 at 3:29pm:
  This was a pretty boring episode. It's a shame, because I don't think the premise is necessarily ridiculous.
  
  Some coincidence it is, that I just saw "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" in the cinema a few days ago. The premise is very similar. Benjamin is born with all the signs of old age, and then he grows younger. This episode's idea must have come from the same book as the film is inspired by.
  
  One thing that differs between the film and this episode, is that the film is much more interesting. It focuses on the lives of two people: one growing younger and one growing older. The episode instead doesn't do very much with the premise. We don't get to see what it is like growing younger. Instead, we have a mystery plot regarding some monster, Tuvok babysitting, and some diplomatic discussions on Voyager.
  
  The final moments between Tressa and Tuvok make the episode a lot better than it should have been.
• From JRPoole on 2009-03-23 at 2:54pm:
  If you overlook the presence of children, which is almost always a bad idea on Star Trek, and the utterly ridiculous plot twist with the reverse aging process, this is pretty solid. As is, it's pretty wretched. I give it a 3.
• From thaibites on 2013-11-17 at 7:16am:
  They should've had Jonathan Winters on this one.
  Nanoo, nanoo.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From RichD on 2006-06-13 at 11:41pm:
  Fantastic episode. The Klingon advocate was incredible. He very nearly won the case. The way the plot unfolded was quite extraoridinary. I would have never guessed that the Klingons were trying to lure the Federation into giving up Worf while at the same time, keep them from escorting medical convoys. The plan was very romulanesque. I guess that's my only knock. It was unbecoming of the Klingons to behanve in this manner. Being underhanded. We learn later however, the Klingons were not acting on their own valition. The Quark scene was great. That guy kills me. Finally, I just love the way Sisko both lectured and scolded Work while patting him on the shoulder all at once. The mark of a great leader. Something my ol' high school basketball coach use to do. Tear us down, and build us up. I enjoyed this episode.
• From Dave on 2009-05-14 at 9:11am:
  I also love the Klingon lawyer - the actor's guest starred in a few episodes (TNG and Voyager if memory serves). Fine tradition of aggressive Klingon lawyering in Trek - always good to see. And at least Worf wasn't threatened with a spell on Rura Pente :-)
  One thing - why would Chief O'Brien say he would have taken command if Worf had been injured in the battle. Surely Major Kira would have been the ranking officer?
  
• From onlinebroker on 2009-11-05 at 6:40pm:
  I don't like this episode at all and gave it a 2. First of all I find the whole premise doesn't make alot of sense, why would klingons complain about bloodshed, why did the advocate call Worf a coward for killing people, and in the same sentence call the guy who exterminated a whole city a hero.
  Then Sisko was unbearable in this episode. He talks as if this was some sort of poetry contest, makes me really miss Picard.
• From rpeh on 2010-07-31 at 1:45pm:
  A brilliant episode; gripping and suspenseful. The Klingon advocate in particular was superb - I loved the bit when he told Sisko he would defend Worf himself in any subsequent trial.
  
  Just one problem. He asks Worf "Did you weep...", but we know from The Undiscovered Country that Klingons have no tear ducts. It seems unlikely that the advocate would use a human expression in this situation.
• From Bronn on 2011-11-13 at 5:59pm:
  "Klingon history honors conquerors who murder civilians, yet it is illegal for Worf to murder them now? What's the bloody difference? Well, Klingons are very... odd."
  
  That's hardly hypocrisy at all. Think about all the reverence we today might hold for Alexander the Great. Or better yet, Julius Caesar. Caesar's conquest of Gaul involved the burning of hundreds of villages, killing perhaps hundreds of thousdands. In his most famous battle, he refused to allow starving civilians-women, children-to be evacuated from Alesia because he wanted to stretch the Gaul's food supply. He is certainly revered, still today.
  
  "Ah," you might say, "but we don't pretend to be him, running around and killing women." If you think of Holodeck programs, though, as just an evolution in video gaming technology...Worf was just playing "Klingons: Total War." There's plenty of people who enjoy games like Grand Theft Auto who still believe in the wrongness of senseless violence.
• From Martin on 2014-04-03 at 4:15am:
  Good episode.
  One problem though...why does sisko have only 3 dots in his uniform during the trial?
• From AW on 2015-12-17 at 5:57am:
  This is one of the only times I have seen a deus ex machina ending done in a way that was satisfying and didn't come off as a cop out.
  
  I guess it really wasn't a deus ex machina because now that I think about it that awkward bit of dialog (right before the brilliant "the truth must be won" line) where the advocate reveals an ulterior motive makes sense. However, I doubt the advocate would have revealed that bit of information. Unless he didn't know about the ruse. Yeah that is more like it. In fact that explains why he would contradict himself as other commenters pointed out. The Klingon were using an uncharacteristic (non-battle) strategy to accomplish 2 the two different goals.
  
  Excellent complex episode. Best so far in my opinion.
  
  [Ha, I just realized I wrote that comment like I was having a conversation with myself]
• From Armsauce on 2018-07-13 at 1:58am:
  Some great acting from Avery Brooks in this one as well, especially at the end with Worf.
• From Gaius Gracchus on 2021-10-05 at 10:48pm:
  I had to look up who directed this episode. LeVar Burton! Impressive work. Loved the cuts between the courtroom and the scenes presented by the witnesses.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From MJ on 2011-02-05 at 10:09pm:
  The first time I watched this episode, I realized that TNG hadn't really used the acting talents of Colm Meaney to their full capacity. We got glimpses in TNG: Power Play, but in DS9, O'Brien's character really shows some dimension. He moves beyond the down-and-dirty, blue-collar Irish engineer, and this episode is a big part of that development.
  
  It was an interesting concept for an episode, and it improves with repeated viewing as you can fully absorb the significance of O'Brien's behavior with regard to his Argrathi cellmate. Speaking of the Argrathi, this is one of a couple episodes (see DS9: Whispers) where O'Brien encounters an alien race whose relationship with the Federation isn't entirely clear, but which nonetheless decides to screw with him psychologically and get away with doing so. It's hard for me to believe the Federation's complacent reaction to one of their Starfleet officers being arrested, charged, and essentially tortured (certainly by Federation standards) and do nothing about it. Maybe the protesting is off camera. But while the episode's focus is on O'Brien, this is an inconsistency that takes the episode down just a peg in terms of believability.
  
  The punishment these Argrathi inflict on their prisoners is especially harsh when you consider, as the webmaster's review does, that your family and friends will have barely noticed you're gone. I think that's the point: it's as if they want you to be psychologically scarred and unable to act normal while everyone else acts like it's just been a few hours. Your erratic behavior will then startle your loved ones so much that they will, in theory, restrain you from committing a crime again. Obviously, it doesn't always pan out that way, since we know about how institutionalization takes its toll.
  
  Yet another example of how Star Trek gets you to think about things without being preachy and encouraging you to endorse a particular value. Well done!
• From L on 2013-05-27 at 8:52am:
  A great concept, and a really good character piece.
  
  But once again the Federation lets an alien race seriously abuse, torture and violate one of their members, for just asking questions, and seem to do nothing about it.
  This treatment was an outrage and if they were ever in the federation they should be kicked out. I was thirsting for revenge or at least a shaming speech, Picard style, but no.
  This is politically correct cultural relativity gone too far. This should not be tolerated.
  
  But this was a 'real' science fiction concept, and well done.
• From AW on 2015-12-17 at 6:52am:
  You guys realize that this is a TV show where writers come up with concepts that don't always jive with overall plot. This was a great idea and I thought it was executed well and for that willing to believe that the Federation handled this situation well off camera.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Chris Wright on 2011-11-29 at 3:46am:
  I liked this episode a lot, but it would have been nice if mirror universe Worf had confronted Sisko face to face. I also see this episode showing us how incredibly powerful the Defiant is. If the Federation can make one it can makes thousands and never worry about the Klingons or the Dominion. Loved the Bashir-as-Han Solo-you're all clear kid-moment.
• From L on 2013-05-27 at 10:21am:
  I missed the episode that set all this up due to a scratched library dvd. So in the alternate universe everyone's a jerk and inappropriately sexual? Got it.
• From McCoy on 2017-01-21 at 12:32pm:
  Well, that was a horrible episode. I really like DS9 more than other series (exept TOS - this one is my fav), but all the mirror episodes are just bad. However I like one moment in this episode - Worf: "Make it so!".
• From Armsauce on 2018-07-15 at 7:05pm:
  Mirror Nog is great

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Fenix on 2011-01-30 at 9:51pm:
  Just wanted to point out that Captain Sisko's acting at the end of this episode was spot on. Imagine -- to read the beginning of a work that he had, in The Visitor, only heard of shortly before witnessing Jake's death as an old man. There are complex emotions in Sisko as he tells Jake that he is sure Jake will get back to writing, emotions that are very well portrayed.
• From L on 2013-05-28 at 7:43am:
  An 'alien-energy-vampire' metaphor exploring the relationship between creativity and drug use, wrapped in the generally taboo subject of the sexual dynamics between an older woman and a younger lover. Interesting territory for Star Trek to be exploring, but not ultimately that interesting as an episode.
• From Zorak on 2016-05-19 at 4:30pm:
  Personally, I can't get enough of the Odo/Lwaxana dynamic. I think they're great together. She seems to bring out the best in Odo. I really couldn't stand her in TNG, but in DS9 she is fantastic.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From rpeh on 2010-08-19 at 7:08pm:
  "Massively irritating" about sums it up for me. This episode doesn't advance the story, doesn't contain anything interesting and just annoyed the hell out of me.
• From Nick on 2010-09-01 at 2:23am:
  A fantastic episode. One of many overlooked gems from Voyager's long run, and easily the best from season 2. Great performance by Robert Picardo and Kate Mulgrew on this one. The real treasure though is Michael McKean's guest appearance.
  
  Stylistically, I love the homage it pays to the original series of Star Trek. It could easily be an episode from TOS.
  
  
• From These are the voyages on 2013-03-15 at 8:33am:
  This episode creeped me out, and the fact that the villain was a sadistic clown made it even creepier. I can even understand why people didn’t like it, was bleak and frustrating and made you feel very, very uncomfortable to share the helplessness of the captives. It was imaginative, I don’t think many people could have anticipated what they found when they went inside. It looked hopeless, I really couldn’t see a way out for them, which made the ending a delightful surprise. If you’re looking for action and phaser fire, then yes this is a bad episode, but if you’re looking for a gripping situation, this is a winner. It totally sucked me in. I give in an 8 for being so different. BTW thanks for you wonderful website.
• From TheAnt on 2013-10-09 at 5:17pm:
  This is truly a great episode, not dealing as m,uch with spacephenomenons, planets or the other items we expect from the ST type of Science fiction but the kind we find in written SciFi.
  More specifically archetypes.
  
  I agree with Nick, the way they treat the subject visually is indeed reminiscent on how it would have been handled in TOS.
  
  And I rather find it liberating, that things were done this way with jugglers, Fear, his sidekick with the grinning mask, the executioner and all else depicted as a closed in carnival gone mad.
  
  (Instead of a VR or MMO type of environment - which we are treated with on so many other times here in Voyager anyhow.)
  
  The feeling of a theatre stage, and having the actors carry the weight (Picardo, Mulrew and "Fear" McKean) were the right chose for this episode,
• From TiduZ on 2016-05-19 at 11:22am:
  I agree with Nick. This episode stood out in a good way for me. I liked the general idea of fear itself as the main adversary and the actor did a great job. This episode is one of the ones that sticks with you years later so for me this is a 9.

The following are comments submitted by my readers.

• From Remco on 2009-02-12 at 2:54am:
  Damn, this is a scary thing for Star Trek to do. Janeway kills an innocent life form. I really like Tuvok and Neelix, but Janeway's act of involuntary euthanasia to improve the situation of two other people is just morally wrong. It brings to mind some Nazi imagery. They systematically killed elderly and handicapped. For the good of the country, they argued.
  
  I wouldn't be too disturbed about this if Star Trek wasn't always about an almost perfect world, certainly where Starfleet is involved. This final decision is something you'd expect to happen in Battlestar Galactica, not in the highly moral world of Star Trek.
  
  So, while this was an excellent episode emotionally, I have to question what the creators think of the moral issue. Do they think forced euthanasia is somehow justified in certain circumstances?
  
  Maybe it's more acceptable to people who support the death sentence, which I don't. But hey, we're all biased.
  
  Hard to rate, this one.
• From JRPoole on 2009-03-24 at 4:04am:
  Wow. If I'd known ahead of time that this episode was about a transporter accident fusing Neelix and Tuvok, I may have skipped it because it has all the makings of a really bad episode. As soon as Tuvix appeared on the platform, I was ready to give this one a zero.
  
  However, they pulled it off. I like this episode precisely because the ending is uncomfortable. There really isn't a right decision here, and Janeway, to her credit, made a very hard choice. It's all too often that Trek is too moral for its own good, and it's nice to see an episode that presents a moral decision as a real challenge, not something that seems obvious from the beginning.
  
  The only real quibble I have here is that there's no time to get Tuvok and Neelix's reactions to the incident. Nice work all around-especially by Kate Mulgrew, who acts this one perfectly--and definitely one of the best Voyager outings so far.
• From Mark McC on 2009-06-06 at 11:12pm:
  Having seen the synopsis before watching this episode, I was prepared for a lighthearted affair. Boy, was I wrong!
  
  I disagree on the portrayal of the Tuvix character. I was expecting him to be a conflicting mixture of the two personalities but the combination of Tuvok's cool logic and subtle humour and Neelix's over-the-top emotional outbursts and irrating cheerfulness seem to have cancelled each other out. Tuvix to me was a bland character with little personality and no appeal.
  
  I'm not sure what to think of Janeway's decision at the end. I may be wrong, but haven't we seen transporters being used to duplicate material before now (I'm thinking of duplicate Riker here) ?
  
  If so, surely they could have found a way to restore Neelix and Tuvok while keeping Tuvix. Tuvix certainly didn't contain every molecule of both Neelix and Tuvok's bodies (he was definitely shorter than Tuvok) so the transporter must have had to replicate their bodies using Tuvix's DNA as a starting point. Why would this need to be a destructive process at all?
• From siukong on 2010-08-09 at 7:38am:
  Most of the time in Star Trek I'm willing to suspend my disbelief when it comes to other species being virtually identical to humans. In this case I can't really let it slide though. I tell myself that if I'm accepting teleportation I should accept anything, but as someone with a biological background I just can't. Hybrids just don't work that way.
  
  The writers would have us believe that Vulcans and Talaxians - two species separated by thousands of light years - are so anatomically similar that something like this could happen with absolutely no complications. Which brings me to the second reason I dislike this episode: Janeway's final decision. If some sort of organ incompatibility was forcing her to bring back Tuvok and Neelix it would make sense, but as it stands I don't get it. It makes Janeway out to be very inconsistent. She apparently finds things like suicide and capital punishment to be abhorrent, but not this? This feels very out of place in context with the values espoused in the rest of Star Trek.
• From penguinphysics on 2010-11-07 at 5:51am:
  Just one question: How many lungs did Tuvix have and how many did Neelix have when they were separated?
• From Pete on 2012-01-31 at 11:18am:
  To siukong, did you ever see the ST: TNG episode "The Chase"? It basically makes it canon that all humanoid races in the galaxy are created from the same stuff and was populated by an "elder race." TOS' "Return to Tomorrow" also kinda hinted at this. On this basis, it's not that difficult to accept that such a merger as Tuvix could occur.
  
  I see your point, though.
• From peterwolf on 2015-06-26 at 3:04am:
  THe whole story is ambiguous and comes to an inevitable end, in which both Tuvok and Neelix have to be restored. Something is wrong 9n the storyline. It seems that both Neelix and Tuvok have become quite weak and even cowardish when to decide to split or not to split. Certainly, it was the wrong approach for the story that janeway akes the tough decisions. It would have been much better, if Tuvix had decide on its own to split in the two persons again. Thus, Janeway showed no strength but mercilessness, which leaves just bad feelings afzer the episode. Wasted opportunities.
• From Rick on 2017-04-28 at 12:34am:
  "In this episode, Janeway blatantly breaks the Prime Directive when she murders Tuvix."
  
  What? What does this action have to do with the Prime Directive? And please dont try to say that Tuvix is a new species and blah blah blah. This isnt related to the Prime Directive.
• From Mike on 2017-07-04 at 1:42am:
  This episode has an interesting parallel with DS9: Facets, when Odo and Curzon Dax decide they prefer to remain a single being. OF course, the main difference is that they are ultimately convinced to separate again, whereas "Tuvix" is separated involuntarily. But the fundamental problem remains: whose decision is it, really? Does the hybrid being have the right to continue to exist when the two beings that are part of the hybrid never had the intention of making the union permanent?
  
  All the talk about murder and the ridiculous Nazi comparisons made above are pretty much out of line to me. Janeway was making a very tough call, and I love how the episode leaves you conflicted and not at all morally satisfied at the end. Judge all you want, but it was a difficult decision. Had Janeway agreed to allow Tuvix to remain, she'd have been overriding the desires of two people, neither of whom entered this arrangement voluntarily and certainly would have preferred to continue living their own lives.
• From Martin on 2020-01-22 at 2:55am:
  Loved the episode
  Just one ditail: transporters can copy a patter and replicate it. We've seen that sort of thing in TNG episode where Ricker is splitted in to two identical people
  what about copying Tuvix's pattern, separate it and bringing both tuvok and neelix, but also keeping tuvix life? 3 people could've been saved, not only one or two, exclusively
  i'm i wrong here ?