Star Trek 445: Covenant

445. Covenant

FORMULA: Accession + Paradise + Wrongs Darker + The Reckoning + a jug of Kool-Aid

WHY WE LIKE IT: Kira and Dukat, together again.

WHY WE DON'T: Bajoran crowd scenes.

REVIEW: Dukat completes his transformation into the anti-Emissary by becoming the leader of the pah-wraith cult and setting up shop on the bizarro DS9, Empok Nor. He's the same old Dukat in the sense that he still desperately needs to love of the Bajoran people and Kira's respect in particular. That he must be loved on a massive scale by those that rightly loathe him has always been part of his psychosis, but now he's also "speaking" with the evil Prophets and using them to justify his actions. While it's true to say he's been their vessel and has been used by them (as he also uses them), it's pretty ambiguous whether or not they are actively communicating here, or if it's all in his head. Probably the latter.

The set-up, with Kira magically being whisked away and being allowed to roam freely and cause trouble pushes the bounds of believability, even though it fits into Dukat's psychotic worldview, but it's hard to give credibility to any "test of faith" she must endure given the cult's spokesperson. Despite the claims of the cultists, how can their faith be a valid one with a thoroughly evil and insane character at its head. Still, Kira is always great when sniping at Dukat, though it weakens their rematch that he isn't mentally up for it.

Though she does foment dissent, Dukat doesn't even need her to destroy his little piece of paradise. He was up to his old tricks before she got there, and the problem with the half-Cardassian baby would have cropped up regardless and its mother murdered. Sooner or later, the cultists would have asked questions. Or maybe they wouldn't. The cultists are just like all the Bajoran crowds ever presented: A bunch of moronic sheep who can be swayed by any competent speaker and usually resort to just standing there shouting unintelligible insults. Though I'm sure the idea of Prophets that intercede directly into daily life, and that of becoming angelic warriors in a heavenly war, is seductive, they still think their living space doesn't look Satanic as they let a deposed despot and mass murderer run their lives and say the pah-wraiths are all about love.

LESSON: The pah-wraiths ate my homework. No lessons for today.

REWATCHABILITY - Medium: Kira's as good as ever, and this is a necessary chapter in the life of Dukat, but the Bajoran simpletons inhabiting the story very nearly ruin it.