Station log: stardate unknown

The Final Chapter of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine continues with the third episode of nine that will bring us to the series conclusion. Penned by Ronald D. Moore, it was directed by  Rene Auberjonois and debuted on 12 April, 1999.

Story threads continue to (un)spool? tie up? or set up a bigger tapestry.

As the Breen negotiate their alliance with the Dominion, Worf (Micheal Dorn) and Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer) are sentenced to death by Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs). But they are also planning an escape, and hope to return to the Federation – all while trying to figure out their relationship/friendship.

The Founders continue to fall ill, as the infection that is plaguing them continues to spread, while the Cardassians are alarmed to discover they are required to give up parts of the Cardassain Union to the Breen as part of the negotiations the Dominion have made with the Breen. This causes changes to begin to occur within the Cardassian command structure, particularly with their leader, Damar (Casey Biggs).

Back on the station, more trouble is afoot as Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher) and Dukat as the surgically altered Bajoran, Anjohl (Marc Alaimo) become romantically involved and she begins to have visions of the Pah-Wraiths, but she also doesn’t understand everything that is going on, and is overestimating her role as Kai, and makes a pretty scary decision.  On a happier note, wedded bliss continues for Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Kassidy (Penny Johnson Jerald).

The serialized storytelling that is playing out for the last half of the season, makes the series that much stronger, and while there were threads and arcs throughout the series, one can’t help but wonder how much more amazing the series would have been if it had been serialized from the start (though it could be argued it was to some extent).

Station log: stardate unknown

Worf and Dax return home in this episode that was written by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler. It debuted on 28 April, 1999. With their arrival, they bring some information gleaned from their time in captivity.

Dax is anxious to reveal her feelings to Bashir (Alexander Siddig), but news arrives that the Breen have attacked Earth and Starfleet Headquarters! This leaves a number of crew and residents of the station reeling, even as Kai Winn begins to investigate and study documents about the Pah-Wraiths – in a desire to learn how to release them.

She has gone completely Dark Side.

Back on the Cardassian homeworld, Damar is beginning to organize a rebellion against the Founders and the Dominion over the way their proud species is being treated.

This leads to a giant battle that sees Sisko take the Defiant to war, crewed by the characters we’ve grown to know over the past seven seasons, all of them a their post.  As the forces of both sides meet, the stars are alight with phaser fire and quantum torpedoes, and though the fight is well fought… we lose the Defiant, and The Dominion/Breen alliance grows stronger.

The Final Chapter of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine continues as the Human Adventure contained in The Complete Series on DVD from Paramount Pictures boldly goes…