Star Trek: The Collaborator

Episode: "The Collaborator"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 2, Episode 24

Original Air Date: May 22, 1994

via Memory Alpha

The time has come for the election of a new Bajoran Kai.  Kira's lover, Vedek Bareil, is the expected choice.  But Vedek Winn is up to her usual machinations.  When Kubus Oak, a known Bajoran collaborator, arrives at the station, hoping to return to his home world from exile, Winn plants an idea in Kira's mind that Bareil, too, was involved in a regrettable decision during the Cardassian occupation.  Kira confronts Bareil to learn the truth.  As one might expect, the truth is complicated.

Any story involving Bajoran politics is important for setting Deep Space Nine apart from The Next Generation.  Star Trek traditionally holds such matters at a comfortable distance and then some.  The Enterprise never sticks around long enough to be bothered.  We're reminded, too, of the important spiritual elements at play in DS9, both for Kira as a believer and for Commander Sisko as the Emissary, a label he's got whether he wants it or not. 

"The Collaborator" includes an important seed for future stories.  When Kira confesses her love for Bareil to Odo, the constable's reaction is... surprising.  There's more than a hint of disappointment.  In hindsight, we know that Odo is himself in love with Kira.  This reaction was not written into the script, nor was it directed.  Rene Auberjonois made the choice himself.  Television is not generally considered to be an actor's medium.  Production is too tightly controlled.  Yet here, the actor made a deliberate move to drive his own character's development.  I love it!

Acting Notes

via Amazon

Bert Remsen (Kubus) was born in Glen Cove, New York, February 25, 1925.  He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  He was on the USS Laffey during the Battle of Okinawa.  His ship was hit by 22 kamikaze planes in 80 minutes.

Remsen had a long, fruitful association with director Robert Altman, appearing in several of his films including Brewster McCloud, California Split and Nashville.  Television work included a regular role in Gibbsville and recurring roles in It's a Living and Dallas.  Remsen had a second career as a casting director, particularly in television for such shows as The F.B.I. and The Rookies.

He passed away in 1999.