Star Trek 461: What You Leave Behind

461. What You Leave Behind

FORMULA: Tears of the Prophets + (The Reckoning x Where No Man Has Gone Before) + Homefront

WHY WE LIKE IT: "The Way You Look Tonight". The zoom out.

WHY WE DON'T: No Jadzia flashbacks. Admiral Ross.

REVIEW: DS9's finale is basically split over two stories, the first of which is the end of the Dominion War. While the allied forces invade, Damar and his merry band of rebels cause problems at home for the Dominion, cutting off contact with their fleet at a crucial moment. It's a bit disappointing to see so many reused shots in the final battle, but there's some new stuff as well, mostly with the camera planted on the Defiant. And finally the Cardassians switch sides en masse, turning the tide of battle on both fronts. Damar will end up a martyr to his new Cardassia, but neither he, nor pool old Mila, die in vain and they do "take the castle".

And now that you've had your eye candy, it's time for a more diplomatic (Trekkie) resolution as Odo has a "talk" with the Founder Leader. I'm not calling it an anti-climax, and Dominion surrender does come at a price. Odo makes a sort of sacrifice by accepting to return to his people indefinitely. He will give his people new direction and act as the basis of a new Link. A great moral victory when you consider that moments before, the Founder had ordered a genocide. The cost is indeed high for the Cardassians - 800,000 million dead and the destruction of their culture - and understandably, Sisko no longer wants to share a drink with Martok on the battlefield. Garak, the patriot, has lost his Cardassia forever, and was now only fighting for revenge (which he hollowly gets when he ends the Weyoun line), and there's a sense that he goes off to die at the end.

Intermission: Since the very last chapter will be the Sisko story, the episode takes time to do one last scene with the entire cast at Vic's. They know it's their last time all together, the appropriate speeches are made, Worf gets in funny joke about Minsk, and Vic sings the perfect song. I get teary-eyed every time he gets to the part about "that laugh that wrinkles your nose" in front of an obviously-touched Kira.

Now back to the story, because there's also a spiritual war to be fought between the Emissary and the anti-Emissary. This section suffers from being interwoven with the first, as the editing makes it seem like Winn and Dukat were in the fire caves for days. Still, it's entertaining to see the balance of power between the two villains shift back and forth. He's using her to gain power, she's using him as a sacrifice, then he returns to life as a true anti-Emissary and suddenly Sisko's there. It's actually Winn, once again showing a lack of faith, who makes it possible for Sisko to defeat Dukat, though at the cost of her own life. Irony or ironies, she ended her life as an instrument of the Prophets. As for the two adversaries, they share the same fate, joining their Prophets, one in the fire caves, the other in the Celestial Temple.

So let's talk about resolutions, because unlike the TNG finale, which was meant as a big homage show with no change in status quo, DS9 wants to conclude the arcs that were driving it. Sisko's fate is no doubt the most problematic because it's so esoteric, but it doubles back on the first episode and makes it all feel part of a whole. It also asks as many questions as it answers, something I'll have to address in a separate article (so your mileage may vary on this one). O'Brien leaves to become a teacher, which makes sense for him, leaving a sad Bashir behind. At least he's got Ezri, though the relationship never gets a chance to mature onscreen. Worf becomes an ambassador to the Klingon homeworld, though that's all to be undone at soon as they need him for a new TNG movie. Still, it's fitting given his relationship with the new chancellor. And perhaps it's also a way to leave Kira in charge. She inherits the station, the baseball and as in The Visitor's alternate timeline, responsibility for Jake. I've already mentioned Odo, but I'll add that the pair get a beautiful farewell scene. Admiral Ross spends the episode following everyone's lead, first in battle strategy, then unconvincingly spilling his bloodwine after Sisko does it (lame!), and finally using someone else's words at the historic treaty signing. He goes out like he came in as far as I'm concerned. And for Quark, it's business as usual.

Flashbacks are used to pay homage to the series past, and while I like the focus on relationships, some of these montages are flawed. Worf's in particular should have shown Jadzia (pay the damn fees, people!), and he and a couple others have memories they shouldn't have (from "alternate universe" stories). Plans to give Morn the last word didn't materialize, though it might have distracted from the last shot as we pull out of the station until it is but a speck. A wonderful, bittersweet ending.

LESSON: Minsk is a beautiful city. (And subliminal messages work. Minsk.)

REWATCHABILITY - High: Though there's a "final fate" for everyone, it also seems like the series could continue under a new status quo (and does, in novel form). I wish they'd gone back to it with mini-series or tv movie events or something. Either way, all the the threads come to a satisfying close, as the series loops back on its pilot. It shall be missed.