Star Trek 300: Battle Lines

300. Battle Lines

FORMULA: The Vengeance Factor + The Omega Glory + a dash of Past Prologue

WHY WE LIKE IT: The impish Opaka.

WHY WE DON'T: Kira's way over the top crying.

REVIEW: Well, on the one hand, I'm really glad to see Opaka again. On the other, what is she doing in this plot about convicts who can't die? At least this episode focuses on Kira, who's been relegated to docking procedures since, like, forever.

Opaka obviously chats with the Prophets, and it's interesting to see her engineer her own destiny based on what she's gleaned from her orb experiences. Unfortunately, she still doesn't deem it important to talk to Sisko about his being the Emissary. It'll come - I have to be patient - it just won't come from her, despite her cryptic statement about their paths crossing again (we must now conclude that they have already met, via the timelessness of the Celestial Temple). I like Opaka and will miss her. She's grounded yet mysterious, a strong presence on screen whenever she is there.

Her destiny as a mediator in a centuries-long blood feud makes sense theoretically, but seems far removed from the Bajor question. It's like she's being plugged in some TNG plot (a feeling you get a lot when watching the first season). Kind of fun to see Jonathan Banks as the leader of the Ennis (given the level of violence, you're free to draw comparisons between their name and a certain Garth of Preacher and Punisher fame). The two-sides-at-war stuff is more than a little predictable, but it's reasonably played out.

For Kira, it means taking a closer look at her faith, which is a lot more solid than expected. She's very good at military matters here, and that's how we've perceived her to date. But how she sees the Kai as a beacon of light, and her reaction to losing Opaka, is indicative of stronger religious ideals than Ro Laren's. While this gives us the more vulnerable side of Kira, Nana Visitor frankly goes over the top when she turns out the water works. It's a performance that detracts from the more important truth about her guilt over what she had to do in the Resistance.

The rescue party stuff gives O'Brien the chance to shine one again, not only as a miracle worker, but as a good vulgarizer of technobabble. He has a way of not making it boring.

LESSON: Save the Kai, save the world.

REWATCHABILITY - Medium: With Opaka gone, the way has been paved for political instability on Bajor, and it's gonna be great when they use it. Her farewell appearance could have been more meaningful.

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