Deep Space Nine: The Final Chapter 1: Penumbra

Deep Space Nine: The Final Chapter

1: Penumbra

On a calm evening Sisko shows Kasidy images of the land he just purchased on Bajor and tells her of his plans to build a house there once the war is over.  They also discuss the revelation that Sisko's mother was inhabited by a Prophet who arranged his birth.  In the replimat Kira informs O'Brien, Bashir and Ezri that Worf is missing in combat, the Klingon ship he was commanding near the badlands was ambushed and destroyed by Jem'Hadar.  Worf was not aboard any of the six recovered escape pods.  After a fruitless three day search the Defiant is forced to return to DS9, Dominion ships have been detected in the area.  Ezri, still haunted and confused by Dax's (Jadzia's) feelings for Worf, steals the runabout USS Gander to search for Worf on her own.  Sisko orders her to return to the station, but takes no direct action to bring her back, knowing that if anyone can find Worf, it's Dax.  Arriving at the badlands Ezri studies the logs and uses the runabouts computer to determine the trajectory of Worfs escape pod, and then uses the Badlands currents to locate the escape pod.  On the station Sisko, while building a model of the house he wants to build on Bajor, proposes to Kasidy.  Having located the escape pod Ezri locks on a tractor beam and transports Worf aboard.  Resisting Jadzia's feelings for Worf Ezri sets course back to the station.  On Cardassia the female Founder asks Weyoun about the progress of a vaccine or cure for the disease infecting the Great Link.  She gives a sample of her "goo" to Weyoun for the Vorta scientists and insists that the Cardassians be kept in the dark about the disease.  On the trip back to DS9 Worf and Ezri become tense and standoffish and begin to argue, but are interrupted when the runabout is attacked by Jem'Hadar.  The runabout critically damaged, they beam out to Goralis II, while the runabout burns up in the atmosphere.  Lacking communications equipment they have no way to contact the station.  Sisko and Kasidy make wedding plans, but quickly learn that the news has already spread throughout the station.  The stations Bajorans are in awe at the prospect of the Emissary of the Prophets getting married, and Sisko and Kasidy realize that things are more complicated than they thought.  On Cardassia Damar gets a surprise visit from Dukat, who says he has "felt the love of the Pah-wraiths".  He asks Damar for a favor.  Stranded on Goralis II Worf and Ezri argue about their current situation and feelings for each other.  They nearly come to blows only to get intimate.  Later they are woken up from sleep by the Breen, who stun and capture them.  They come to later on a Breen ship, but are confused why the Breen would capture them so far from Breen space.  While Worf and Dax resume their earlier argument, Damar is called back to his quarters where he finds Dukat surgically altered to appear Bajoran.  Dukat doesn't elaborate on his plan to Damar.  Sisko has a vision where he sees Sarah Sisko (the Prophet who inhabited his mother) urging him to accept his place as the Emissary and not marry Kasidy, saying that doing so will lead to a great sorrow.

A good start for this final story arc.  This episode establishes the Founder disease, Dukat masquerading as a Bajoran, Ezri and Worf stranded together, the Breen's involvement, and Sisko and Kasidy's marriage.  But only establishes.  Everything is left open, waiting to be explored and paid off in the next episode(s).  The Worf/Ezri scenes are really good for Ezri to come to terms with Dax's feelings for Worf and Worf to fully come to terms with his feelings for Dax, and also give some really good character growth/development for Ezri (the character only has one season to develop, and the existing Dax stuff only goes so far).  Also the Sisko/Kasidy marriage and the complications of Sisko being The Emissary is a fun addition.  Nothing in this episode is frivolous or done "just because".  Everything is set up for upcoming episodes.