153. Afterimage

Summary

Adjusting to being on DS9 is proving tricky for Ezri Dax. The station and her old friends are familiar yet strange, and Worf is unwilling to even speak with her. She plans to leave aboard the Destiny and resume her training as a counselor. Meanwhile, Garak's claustrophobia begins to worsen. Because of its effects, he tells Sisko that he won't be able to continue decoding secret Cardassian transmissions for Starfleet. Sisko, who wishes Dax would stay on the station, asks her if she'll talk to Garak and try to help him with his problem. Her first attempt turns up the fact that Tain used to lock Garak in a closet as punishment...she thinks she's found the source of his problem and he seems better. Meanwhile, she is still concerned about the effect her presence is having on Worf even while she tentatively resumes friendly relations with both Quark and Bashir, whom she stuns with the revelation that if not for Worf, Jadzia would have chosen *him* (yay for all those J/J fans out there...I hope they don't hate us O/K fans too much. We're getting what we wanted and now they'll *never* get what they wanted). Garak's remission is short-lived, however, and she and Julian are called to an airlock where Garak is trying to get free into open space. She shows him some relaxation techniques and promises him they'll get to the bottom of his problem. During a chance meeting Worf tells her that he wants nothing to do with her, yet he nearly attacks Julian because he saw them having tea together. When she next sees Garak, Ezri finds him quite agitated and he angrily accuses her of being a pathetically confused child who can't even help herself, and of being unworthy of the Dax symbiont...a sentiment she has expressed herself. Devastated, she decides to resign from Starfleet. When she presents her resignation to Sisko he agrees, echoing Garak's harsh words. She goes to see Garak one last time, but her mention of an upcoming Starfleet offensive leads to another claustrophobic episode and the revelation that his problems stem from guilt over getting Cardassians killed through his decoding efforts. Recovering in the infirmary, he tells her she has helped him a great deal and she decides to remain in Starfleet (to Sisko's relief...he was just yanking her chain earlier and never submitted her resignation) but still plans to leave the station...until Worf comes to see her and urges her to stay, if she wishes to, and not to leave on his account. She stays, and Starfleet Medical grants her a promotion to Lieutenant.

Analysis

This episode was extremely...comfortable. Although it didn't give me that "wow" feeling of some of the great DS9 episodes, I smiled through most of it. In a way, this was our re-introduction to our familiar faces and settings...the opening episodes took place largely off-station, so this is our homecoming. Indeed, everything seems comfortably as it should be, the characters slipping into their familiar places like an old t-shirt...except Ezri, which is the point. Upon my second viewing I was impressed with the subtlety of both the writing of her role and the portrayal thereof...she is visibly agitated and confused *except* when she's with Sisko, when she is a great deal calmer and very Dax-like. This is especially clear in the scene in which she tells Sisko that he intimidates Worf (Sisko's reaction to this is very amusing). I also liked her scene with Julian, the poor guy...that bombshell that Jadzia would have chosen him if Worf hadn't come along. Man. If I were Julian I would *not* want to know that. The episode has many good scenes. When Miles shows up at Worf's quarters with a bottle of wine, prompting the Klingon to moan "Not again," it's a nice continuity nod to the analagous scene in "Image in the Sand." I also appreciated the fact that both Julian and Miles were standing up to Worf's nonsense...I never really realized how much people indulge the guy. I hope Worf doesn't become a one-note character from here on in...steadfast guardian of Jadzia's memory and morose mourner. His confrontation with Julian was a bit overblown but it served a purpose. Everyone in the cast seemed sharp and focused...Avery Brooks was particularly on his game. This is the Sisko I love...warm, confident, mildly sarcastic, but very in control. Nicole DeBoer shows real promise in her part. She has a very mobile face and she knows how to use it...observe how in her scenes with Worf so much is evident without being verbalized. Part of her still feels something for him, part of her doesn't even *know* him, part of her doesn't want to hurt him...all this is clear on her features without her having to say a word. The whole Garak thing fell a bit short for me. Garak is, of course, always welcome (although, for the first time in memory, I thought Andy Robinson overplayed his part)...but it was vaguely disappointing to see him shoehorned into this psychological problem and laid low by pop-culture psychobabble. All things psychological are always oversimplified in Trek and this was no exception. It's never that simple. We didn't get much of a sense of Ezri's real abilities as a counselor either, most of her breakthroughs with Garak were pretty much mere chance. Overall I thought this was quite a good episode that satisfied most adequately the need to quickly flesh out the new character of Ezri Dax, and it was a welcome return to station life.

Rating: 7.0

Memorable Quote:

"It's a strange sensation, dying. No matter how many times it happens to you, you never get used to it." --Ezri Dax

"You just took responsibility for the mental health of everyone in this room. You have your work cut out for you." --Sisko

Classic Scene:

I *really* liked the Sisko/Dax scene in her quarters that began with the "I told you so" conversation and ended up with Ezri's admission that Worf finds Sisko intimidating. A little dig to the fact that most of the cast feels the same way about Avery? Nah.

Sexually Slanted Line 'O the Episode:

"In...and out. In...and out." --Ezri. I am sorry. I am *so* sorry. You know I can't help myself.

The O/K Status Report

Nothing of consquence. At Ezri's promotion reception they come up to her and Odo invites her to dinner with them. She starts to refuse but Kira says "Please do. It'll take the pressure off me...all he does is sit there and count how many times I chew." Odo rolls his eyes good-naturedly and Ezri agrees. They just seem very comfortable. I keep using that word. Hmm.

Special Alerts

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