Bar Affiliation (DS9)
Season 4 Episode 16
Normally, Star Trek addresses actual world threats by way of allegory. Not so with “Bar Affiliation,” during which Rom should cope with one of many biggest threats on this planet as we speak: a grasping boss who desires to use his staff. On this case, the boss is Rom’s brother Quark, who runs his bar in accordance with the hyper-capitalist Guidelines of Acquisition that drive his folks. Impressed by Miles O’Brien’s ancestor—”He was greater than a hero; he was a union man”—Rom organizes his co-workers to strike in opposition to Quark.
Like most Ferengi-focused episodes of Deep House 9, “Bar Affiliation” has loads of comedy to lighten the temper. And, to make certain, Quark’s unfair labor practices don’t fill the viewer with dread just like the Jem’Hadar. However whereas few of us viewers will ever should do battle with warriors pumped up on ketracel-white, most of us should stand as much as those that would exploit us, making Rom’s revolt some of the instantly hopeful moments in all the franchise.
Within the Playing cards (DS9)
Season 5 Episode 25
Apart from possibly the primary two seasons of Star Trek: Picard and (ugh) the Part 31 film, Deep House 9 is well the sequence most skeptical of Federation beliefs. As they face the annihilating power of the Dominion, Sisko and his crew make some morally questionable selections (to their credit score, although, they do really debate and query these selections, one thing lacking from newer makes an attempt to darken the franchise).
And but, the sequence by no means forgets the humanity on the heart of the warfare, some extent illustrated by the extraordinarily low-stakes episode, “Within the Playing cards.” It might happen on the cusp of the Dominion Warfare, however as an alternative of taking us again to the entrance strains, it follows Jake and Nog as they attempt to get a uncommon baseball card to offer as a present to Sisko. As we’ll discuss subsequent, Jake and particularly Nog might be ceaselessly modified by the Dominion Warfare, so there’s one thing fantastic about seeing youngsters being youngsters, doing one thing foolish and candy with out (but) being tainted by warfare.
It’s Solely a Paper Moon (DS9)
Season 7 Episode 10
On first look, it’s onerous to see how “It’s Solely a Paper Moon” suits on a listing of most hopeful Star Trek episodes, particularly coming after “Within the Playing cards.” In spite of everything, “It’s Solely a Paper Moon” finds Nog crippled and traumatized from the Dominion Warfare, having misplaced his leg in battle. One of many sequence’ most inspiring moments got here when Nog joined Starfleet; this episode sees Nog at his lowest level.
Nog’s solely consolation comes from listening to the track “I’ll Be Seeing You,” as carried out by hologram Vic Fontaine, and that need for consolation drives him to reside in Vic’s lounge and pad in a holosuite. However when Vic, Jake, and counselor Ezri Dax understand that Nog’s delaying his therapeutic by escaping right into a secure fantasy, they have to work to assist him face the troublesome fact. Nog’s journey, brilliantly depicted by the late Aron Eisenberg, is a troublesome one and isn’t all the time fairly. However the mere proven fact that he finds therapeutic earns the episode’s place on this listing.
