162. The Emperor's New Cloak

Summary

After an evening spent pining for an oblivious Ezri, Quark is amazed to find her at his quarters, clad in leather and heavily made-up. It's the mirror-Ezri, bearing a message from the Regent. The Alliance has Zek, and unless Quark delivers a cloaking device they'll kill him. He and Rom steal Martok's cloak and Ezri escorts them back to the rebellion-controlled Terok Nor, where they're immediately captured by Smiley and Julian. Ezri used to fight with the rebels, but being the greedy type she's finding the Alliance more lucrative. Soon enough Brunt appears to break them out of the holding cell and the four of them are in a Ferengi pod on their way to rendezvous with the Regent's ship, where Zek is being held along with a typically flirtatious Intendant. Brunt explains that he hates the Alliance but he and Ezri are partners and he'll go along with what she does. They dock with the Regent's ship, what we would call a Klingon Imperial Cruiser, and they and the cloaking device are taken to meet the Regent...Worf. He orders them imprisoned with Zek. The Intendant enters and she and Ezri kiss...Quark realizes that Ezri never intended for them to leave with Zek, but when the Intendant kills Brunt in a fit of petulance Ezri begins to feel conflicted. Garak needs Rom's help to install the cloak, and once he's finished, the Regent orders the Ferengi (and Maihar'du) killed. Before Garak can carry out this sentence, Ezri breaks them out of their cell as the ship's power grid collapses due to Rom's sabotage, forcing Worf to surrender to the attacking Defiant with Smiley at the helm. The Intendant tries to get Ezri to come with her to an escape pod. She refuses, but allows the Intendant to go on unimpeded. The victorious rebellion forces return to Terok Nor along with Ezri and the Ferengi, who are allowed to return home while Ezri smiles at the opportunity to be "debriefed" by Leeta.

Analysis

If y'all have read my episode guides before then you know I don't much care for mirror universe episodes. That being said, I found my previous opinions totally upheld this week, although the episode did give me a few smiles. I was quite dreading it. It seemed like it'd be a hopeless mess. A mirror universe *Ferengi* episode? Featuring Ezri, who I think is being far overemphasized, and with no Sisko (whose mirror universe version is my favorite). And it is a mess...fragmented and cliched, among other things. The mirror-Ezri didn't seem all that different from our Ezri, when you got right down to it. I just didn't believe she was a hardened mercenary who had a change of heart. The fact that she wears blue eye shadow just isn't enough, I'm afraid. The Intendant took yet another step into self-caricature. Her swinging leather-clad hips and purring seductions were old after one crossover episode, and they're even older here...and to add insult to injury she's practicing her charms on Zek and Worf. Yeeccchh. And was it my imagination or did Quark all but fade into the background? As I sit here recalling the episode I'm having trouble remembering what he did, exactly. Rom had more to do. Garak seemed to be sleepwalking through his own hackneyed lines while Worf chewed on the scenery and the furniture. There were more loyalty flip-flops than at a 70's key party, and though they were supposed to be all dramatic and tension-filled, I just found myself sighing. And what's with that awful rug they make mirror-Bashir wear? Ick. And what, in the AU Vic Fontaine is a real person? How does *that* work?

However, all that being the case, it definitely had its moments. I always love the mirror-universe's freer attitude towards human sexuality, and the casual portrayal of the fact that Ezri and the Intendant are lovers...not to mention the priceless Leeta scene at the end...are refreshing. And the one mirror-universe character I found surprisingly compelling was, honest to God, Brunt. Loving Brunt! I wish they'd kept him around, or introduced him several crossover eps ago. Jeffrey Combs was able to do what Nicole DeBoer couldn't quite manage...to exude the personality difference between his regular character and the alternate character before even opening his mouth. The Regent's temper tantrums were amusing, and hey! Rom has backbone! His endless cogitations about what the heck all this "alternate" stuff means were cute, too.

Not a complete waste of an hour. In fact, I'd venture to say it's one of the mirror universe eps I actually enjoyed for the most part. But it had plenty of problems.

Rating: 5.5

Memorable Quote:

Quark: Doesn't he [Julian] know she [Ezri] loves me?
Odo: No, I don't think he does. I don't think *she* does, either.

Rom: What are you gonna do? *Not* let me install the cloaking device?

Intendant: It's a little late to develop a conscience, isn't it?
Ezri: I hope not.

Leeta: Captain Smiley wants me to...(with a suggestive glance)...*debrief* you.
Ezri: Must be my lucky day.

Classic Scene:

I loved the Quark and Brunt scene in the Ferengi shuttle on their way to the Regent's ship. A moment of realism in an otherwise over-the-top episode. Julian gunning down a phaser-wielding Vic was interesting, too.

Sexually Slanted Line 'O the Episode:

"I was going to use this on the Intendant, but I'll have to settle for the four of you." --Garak

The O/K Status Report

Ha! As if. Kira is not in the episode at all, and Odo only in the teaser...he's dead in the AU, of course.

Special Alerts

1