DS9 – Way of the Warrior

Plot – There’s a very witty opening to Way of the Warrior that sees the promise of the season three cliffhanger fulfilled and changeling infiltrator loose on the station being hunted down by the DS9 crew.  It’s dynamically shot, acted and scored (I especially love the POV shots of dashing through corridors that most Trek shows excel at) and convinces you that their incursion into the Gamma Quadrant has caused them far more trouble than they ever suspected it would. Which leads to the brilliant, witty moment when Odo emerges as the changeling in question and O’Brien dashes up to him and shouts ‘bang, you’re dead.’ The cleverest moment is when they actually use their phaser rifles to sweep a room, convincing you that this really is an attack. Odo has something to say about that once the drill is over. Season four gets off to a smart, exciting and best of all funny start. And you can count on Quark to try and make a profit out of a practice invasion of the station.

There’s a very subtle moment where Kassidy asks Sisko what the maintenance crews are doing in the docking ring and he fobs her off with some excuse. The emphasis is on him lying, but the shrewd detail is that Kassidy is actually asking because of her secret side-line that will be revealed later in this season. Also, we don’t find out for another year but this Martok is a changeling and he cleverly convinces us that he is the real Martok but immediately slitting open his hand and exposing blood. They are insidious, these changelings.

As soon as the Klingon Bird Of Preys emerge from cloak all around the station it is clear that this is not going to be your typical DS9 adventure. Whilst the production value on this show has never been lacking, it has specialised (to this point) in mostly smaller, intimate character tales (often excellent). Suddenly we’re splashing a lot of money about and juggling entire empires and talking about the fate of the entire Alpha Quadrant. That’s something that TNG did a lot too but now there is the effort and the money to show it. Frankly I am surprised that peace between the Federation and the Klingons has lasted this long. The Federation is all diplomacy and niceties and the Klingons are as delicate as a pipe to the head. With a changeling whispering in Gowron’s ear throughout, this episode shows the dramatic steps the Klingons are willing to take to ensure the ‘safety’ of the Alpha Quadrant. When they want the De’Tapa council members you have no doubt that their plan is to execute them. What’s so fascinating is that the very thing they are trying to prevent (the changelings infiltrating the political apex of a Quadrant power) is what has led them to this conflict. And I really like the fact that we aren’t privy to that fact until season fives Apocalypse Rising.

Way of the Warrior is essentially a season long delay from what the writers originally had planned. Homefront/Paradise Lost was originally supposed to be at the end of season three with the Dominion having a stronger presence in the season during the fourth year. The men in black from Paramount put a spanner in the works and demanded Worf be added to the cast and so a Klingon themed year was put in place instead. This might be one of the few times when a Paramount edict has a positive creative choice on a series because whilst this is a diversion from the central Dominion arc, they have their grubby fingers all over this season but in a very sly way. They are entirely manipulating the Klingons into war with the Federation and attempting to weaken both so that when they come through the wormhole in force they will put up no opposition. This means the Dominion invasion doesn’t hit until season five, and leaves the final two years of the show to explore that conflict. It gives the series real structure. And all because of Michael Dorn and his pasty head.

If there was ever a scene that would convince you that this was a soft reboot (not that there is anything soft about this episode) then the revised, more stylish title sequence and music are the answer. It’s a far more up tempo theme to go with the increased exhilaration of the new season and the added detail of the maintenance crew flying towards the upper pylon in space suits thrills me every time I see it. I think the real difference between this sequence and the old one is that it feels like a hub of activity here, like they are the heart of the system. The old titles stressed that this was a lonely outpost in the middle of nowhere (I rather liked that approach too; it ties into the western theme).

It's probably not worth mentioning to Sisko that he went to war with the Klingons to save Dukat’s life in a few years from now. Definitely don’t do it in the last scene of Tears from the Prophets.

Character – It feels like everybody has stepped into season four with the enormous confidence of a show that has been running for over 75 episodes now and know that they have delivered some fantastic work. This is where that chemistry of performance really clicks into place permanently and everybody is fully formed and ready for action. It’s a terrific second pilot for DS9 in that respect, one where it feels each character is subtly re-introduced (alongside Worf who is introduced to the series) and the relationships are celebrated. Add Worf to the mix and there a completely new ingredient to the mix which ensures things don’t get too easy and likable. Who would ever want this show to get quite that relaxed? It would just be another TNG then.

O’Brien and Bashir are absolutely the best of friends now and their banter is divine. Garak and Odo are enjoying dinner together after the traumatic events of The Die is Cast. Kira and Dax are chilling out in the holosuites together. Quark and Worf get off on the wrong foot immediately, which leads to some marvellous scenes down the line. Kira punches Lancelot in his Keep because he was making sexual advances towards her. Dax undresses Worf with her eyes on their first meeting and when they go one on one in a fighting programme and Worf says it would not be a fair match, Dax responds ‘I’ll go easy on you.’ Worf and Odo get off to a spiky start and things always stay that way, that’s their friendship but you can tell they have enormous respect for each other too. The whole sequence of Sisko asking Garak to take his measurements whilst talking to his crew about the Klingons intentions to assassinate the De’Tapa Council. Bashir shows his teeth when insisting on a blood screening for Garak. There’s stunning things happening with this cast of characters. It’s a real portmanteau of talent (both in writing and performance).

Worf enters the series and one of the first things out of his mouth in a solemn tone is ‘I’m no longer sure I belong in this uniform.’ I bet he’s great fun at a party. In truth he brings a great deal to the show once he settles in, and the show brings great things out of him. It’s a good place for him to step on board with the Enterprise recently destroyed in Generations and having nowhere to hang his Bat’leth up. At this point he is a sweet, honourable man who lives by the rules and is a fine product of Picard’s command. By the end of DS9 he will have married, assassinated the head of Klingon Empire, been menaced by a Tribble and fallen under far too many tables drunk with O’Brien. That’s the influence of Sisko’s command. Worf is offered the chance to rejoin the Klingons on their mad rampage of the Quadrant and he understandably refuses but it is essentially his last chance to make good with his people and the point where all ties are effectively cut. We later discover that Worf is intimidated by Sisko, which makes every scene with him a gem. Sisko has effectively got him by the balls for four years.

Does any episode of Star Trek automatically improve with the appearance of Dukat and Garak? One a slimy, politically strident war criminal, the other a plain, simple assassin…I mean tailor. In their individual scenes they are captivating, but once they are put together when the Klingons invade the station make my heart sing with joy. Characters are rarely this exciting and fun in Star Trek: ‘I find this hand to hand combat really quite distasteful!’ ‘I suppose you prefer the simplicity of an interrogation chamber?’ ‘You have to admit, it’s much more civilised!’ You can add JG Heztler to that list of incredible secondary characters on this show; his debut as Martok (or is it?) shine like Taballian diamonds. Anyone who can chew the scene so wonderfully through those teeth gets my vote. Okay, let’s also include Robert O’Reilly and his mad staring Ohica eyes as Gowron.

Performance – Avery Brooks has shaved off his hair finally and looks positively radiant at the head of the series; dazzling us all with his diplomatic skill, his romantic prowess and his effortless friendships with his crew. He’s dazzlingly charismatic here, when he smiles at Kassidy Yates (how refreshing that a Captain is allowed to have a relationship) I go weak at the knees.

Great Dialogue – ‘Actually I’m not sure Constable Odo has a mother’ and ‘Well let me guess…you’re either lost or desperately searching for a new tailor.’ Why does Garak always get all the best lines? He has his list of injuries inflicted by the Klingons read out and replies ‘Ah, but I got off several cutting remarks that no doubt did serious damage to their egos.’‘Nice hat.’‘It’s vile!’ ‘I know, it’s so bubbly and cloying and happy’ ‘Just like the Federation’ ‘But you know what’s really frightening? If you drink enough of it, you begin to like it’ ‘It’s insidious’ ‘Just like the Federation’ – One of the best scenes in all of Star Trek. I could quote the whole thing here. For the record, I agree with every word they say.‘If the Klingons try to get through these doors, I’ll be ready for them’ “Dear Quark, I used parts of your disruptor to fix the replicators. Will return them soon, Rom” ‘I will kill him!’ ‘With what?’

Production – It’s fascinating to read that James L. Conway was on the possible list for directing First Contact and so wanted to go all out on this episode to prove that he could do it. Exactly like Jonathan Frakes did on Past Tense Part II. We’re lucky on DS9, with all these directors trying to prove their cinematic capability, the series benefitted from a massive step up in quality as far as direction was concerned. Suddenly we’re making mini movies every other week as the rest of the directing pool pull their socks up and try and keep up.

Best moment – Every time the Defiant opens fire I get a bit hot under the collar. When the station reveals its weapons and starts lobbing torpedoes at the Klingon fleet, I’m practically cumming. The POV shots of the torpedoes tearing through the Klingon hulls…I’m just going to go away for a minute. As far as Trek is concerned, this is action porn. It’s energetic, chaotic, surprisingly beautiful in parts and startlingly well directed. The scene that transitions from the man being shot with a disrupter bolt and falling down to the lower level of the Promenade to the action on that level is stunning.

Worst moment – I used to hate the scene where Dax and Kira are forced into bikins in the holosuite because I felt that it spoilt their image as strong, military women. That was me being young and naïve and completely accepting gender stereotypes (that you have to be overtly masculine or feminine rather than exploring both) and now I rather like this scene because it sees Kira trying to relax and have fun with Dax and the pair of them forge a stronger friendship. It is spoilt by Kira being a sourpuss but it is a lovely moment of growth between them. I really like the fact that Kira apologises and tries to get in the spirit of things. Season one Kira wouldn’t have even stepped inside a holosuite.

There’s one moment that doesn’t quite hit the mark – when they discover the wreckage of the ships attacked by the Klingons. It’s attempting to hit the same beat as a similar scene in The Best of Both Worlds Part II but doesn’t quite make it.

I wish they hadn’t done that – Whilst there is nothing subtle about Quark’s make up job, this is probably the least convincing of all of his masks. It’s the make-up, it feels a little overdone. And as much as I hate to lump the beautiful Nana Visitor into the same section as Ferengi aesthetics, this is my least favourite look of hers too. She’s still gorgeous, but they have shussed up her hair to make it look like she’s about to appear in a shampoo commercial and poured her into a slinky leotard. It looks like they are trying to sex her up and make her more mumsie at the same time. Pretty much every new look she gets after this season is a huge improvement.

A reason to watch this episode again – Deep Space Nine: The Movie but about a million times better than that probably would have been. This is a hugely ambitious retooling of the show to break into the homes of the mainstream Trek audience including all out war with the Klingons, bringing Worf on board the station, highlighting fan favourites Garak and Dukat, outstanding special effects and what appears to be a seismic shift in the Alpha Quadrant. The only reason to not watch this episode is if you don’t want to watch fantastic telly…and you lot can go hide in a corner and play Jacks. There’s a confidence to this production that DS9 probably hasn’t earned when it comes to its reception but it has definitely has earned when it comes to the work they have produced previous to this season. The characters have been stewing for three years, well explored and the foundations of the series have been laid out and all are ready to be elevated with a little more money and ton of extra self-assurance. The result is a blindingly entertaining piece of television. I don’t even like the Klingons particularly (although the Klingon episodes were probably the best of TNG) but watching them get their knickers in a twist under the thrall of a Dominion in their ranks is just too delicious. The entire cast is on fire here but with special mention to Avery Brooks who has suddenly burst into life in a dangerous way. He’s an actor I can never take my eyes off because I never know where he is going to take his performance or how far he will dare to go but in Way of the Warrior he is pitch perfect throughout. Find me a performance by Shatner, Stewart or Mulgrew more romantic and passionate as Brooks here. He’s always been the most human of the Captain’s and that’s why I love him. Huge kudos to director James L. Conway, who is convinced he is shooting a movie and the final fifteen minutes is non-stop action. I’ve watched back that sequence of photons, phasers, hand to hand and witticisms more times than I care to remember. This is television gold as far as I am concerned.

***** out of *****