Star Trek: The Adversary

Episode: "The Adversary"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 26

Original Air Date: June 25, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Our story opens with Benjamin Sisko receiving an overdue promotion to Captain.  At the ceremony, Federation Ambassador Krajensky tells Sisko of a Tzenkethi coup and delivers orders for the new Captain to take the Defiant to patrol their border.  During the mission, our heroes discover a saboteur and to complicate matters further, he's a Changeling.

"The Adversary" introduces a new storyline to Star Trek, one with long-term resonance: Changeling infiltration of the Alpha Quadrant.  Given their shapeshifting capabilities, anyone could, in reality, be a Changeling - fits right in with general, 21st century paranoia.  It provides a strong cliffhanger to close Season 3 as well. 

The writers drew inspiration from The Thing from Another World, a 1951 film adaptation of "Who Goes There?", a novella by John W. Campbell Jr.

Thoughts on Season Three

General Impressions

With The Next Generation coming to an end, Deep Space Nine became the flagship series for the franchise.  The goal for Season 3 was to build a sense of family among the principal characters.  Jake comes into his own, providing important development for Benjamin as well as himself.  The bromance between Miles and Julian becomes a vital element for both characters.  We learn of Odo's love for Kira and get broader context for both Dax and Quark.  

I'd say, mission accomplished.

Favorite Episode: "Second Skin"

Kira is kidnapped and surgically altered.  Her Cardassian captors tell her she has been living as an embedded spy for years, her cover so deep that she wasn't even aware of it.  The story idea alone is amazing.  But it's Nana Visitor's performance that truly sells it.  Her growing self-doubt is thoroughly convincing.  It's a shame this story wasn't pursued in future episodes.

Least Favorite Episode: "Visionary"

Season 3 hit a low ebb for a three-episode run beginning in February 1995.  My guess is that with Voyager's launch in January, a significant amount of creative energy was going towards the new series at Deep Space Nine's expense.  "Visionary" was the second of the three.  It's a time travel story, nearly always problematic for me.  

Worth noting, even weaker DS9 episodes frequently have redeeming elements.  In this case, we get the introduction of darts as a story motif and a satisfying bar brawl.  

Favorite Recurring Character: Garak

Naturally.  But that's not to say there isn't an ever-growing number of strong contenders.  One of DS9's great strengths is the depth of its bench.  Rom is the strongest runner-up in Season 3.  He starts standing up to Quark for the first time and the long-term benefits are considerable for all of us.

Favorite Blast from the Past: Gowron

via Movie Morgue Wiki

Speaking of great recurring characters, Gowron makes his first DS9 appearance on "The House of Quark" after four on NextGen.  Even better, he gets a comedic moment, rolling those amazing Gowron eyes as he listens to Quark's explanation of Klingon financial scheming.  The Klingon Chancellor will become a more important character on DS9 than he was on TNG.  

Favorite Guest Actor, One-Shot: Mary Kay Adams

via Memory Alpha

Also in "The House of Quark," Adams plays Grilka, briefly Quark's wife.  Watching her, my wife said, "I like Klingon women."  Adams had particularly gracious things to say about her Star Trek experience, included in my post on the episode.

via Headhunter's Holosuite Wiki

Onward

An old friend is coming back.