8. Dax

Summary

After having dinner with Julian, Dax is attacked in the hallway and dragged away by three cloaked figures. They almost escape, but are pulled back to the station with a tractor beam. As they reboard the station, the leader, Ilon Tandro, claims he is extraditing Dax for the murder and betrayal of his father, General Ardelon Tandro of Klaestron IV. Needless to say, everyone is stunned...but Dax refuses to say anything in her own defense. The charges date back 30 years, which would make the accused Curzon Dax. Since the Federation's extradition treaty with Klaestron IV has no relevance on DS9, a Bajoran station, a hearing is convened and Sisko attempts to prove to the arbiter that Jadzia Dax can't be arrested for a crime that Curzon was accused of. Meanwhile, Odo travels to Klaestron to investigate the charges and try to prove Dax' innocence. He speaks to the general's widow, Enina, who tells him that her son believes Curzon guilty because he is unaccounted for at the time of a key transmission that revealed to the enemy the general's route, from which he was kidnapped and killed. Dax steadfastly refuses to say anything in her own defense, much to Sisko's consternation, as much expert testimony about the nature of Trill joining is offered. Odo finally digs up that Curzon and Enina Tandro were having an affair, and she eventually comes back to the station with him and reveals that at the time of the transmission, Curzon was in bed with her...he's innocent. The extradition request is dropped, and Enina and Jadzia reunite to discuss Dax' commitment to keep their secret...and the fact that it was, in fact, General Tandro who betrayed his people to the rebels.

Analysis

This episode, while purporting to be about the nature of joined Trills, really only serves to bore us to death with the entire subject. Perhaps the writers vastly underestimate our intelligence, but I didn't find the whole concept of symbiont and host to be all that confusing. I get it! I require no further clarification! No need to spend twenty minutes talking to everyone but the Tooth Fairy and hemming and hawing about whether a joined Trill is a new person, or if the symbiont is dominant, or whatever else they threw at us. I prefer to get my characterization in interesting albeit *smaller* pieces over the course of several episode as opposed to getting a whole bunch of facts dumped into my lap. The framework plot doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The beginning is a cheap device if ever I saw one. There is no logical reason for Tandro to go to all the trouble of getting DS9's specs from the Cardassians, assaulting Dax and trying to smuggle her off the station. Their stated reason...that they feared the Bajorans wouldn't extradite her...is a lame excuse for a plot contrivance that was designed purely to generate some nonexistent tension. Another thing I always wonder about is, if General Tandro was as odious and horrible as his wife says he was, how come Curzon was such good buddies with him? Curzon always seemed like a guy who'd choose his friends carefully. Maybe he was just using the General to get to his wife. Anyway, it's pretty much dullsville. That stiff-as-plywood Trill expert was clearly working with Tandro (evidenced by a scene in the teaser) but that's never followed up on. I did enjoy seeing Anne Haney, one of my favorite older character actresses, as the Bajoran arbiter (see Repeat Offender Alert below).

Rating: 3.5

Memorable Quote:

"I can't tell you what part of Curzon Dax made him act shamefully with another man's wife. I can tell you that he did love her...for whatever that's worth." --Dax

Classic Scene:

There's a mildly amusing Odo/Quark scene in which Odo blackmails Quark into "volunteering" his bar to be used for the hearing.

Sexually Slanted Line 'O the Episode:

"I was hoping to make it a little longer than that." --Sisko...it's not adjustable, Ben.

The O/K Status Report

Nothing doing.

  • Special Alerts

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