"In The Pale Moonlight" is simply stunning, so good, so flawless that it shames all other Trek. IMO, it is as good in terms of writing and acting as the very best of "The Wire" "The Sopranos" and "Breaking Bad".
The screenplay with an uncredited major rewrite by Ronald D. Moore is perfection. His talents in the dark arts would later come to full bloom as showrunner of Battlestar Galactica. ITPM is a fitting preview for the dark storylines of BSG.
The episode is centered on the interplay between Sisko and Garak. After many many rewatches and chats on Reddit, it became clear to me that Garak was in complete control and basically used and manipulated Sisko to carry the plan to success.
Everything that Garak tells Sisko is a lie, designed to draw him further into the plot and to ensure that Garak succeeds in his actual hidden plan, the assassination of Romulan Senator Vreenak.
Garak told Sisko that his contacts on Cardassia were killed, that was a lie. Garak lied about needing biomimetic gel to trade for the data rod. In reality, he already had the rod and needed the gel to build his bomb that killed Vreenak. Garak knew that his fake holo-recording wouldn't fool Vreenak. It was a ruse and bait to lure Vreenak to DS9.
Sisko, in the end, understands that he was manipulated by Garak. But he accepts the costs--- to his conscience, his Starfleet morality, the murders of Vreenak and Tolar. Sisko will forever be emotionally scarred but understands that Garak's devious plan saved everyone -- The Federation, the Klingons, the Cardassians and even the Romulans from slavery and extermination at the hands of the Dominion.
ITPM is anathema to the basic concept of Star Trek. That diplomacy and benevolence will win the day, resulting in peaceful and happy endings. DS9, the Dominion War and specifically ITPM are pointedly opposed to this outlook. They argue that the peaceful path only works among decent actors. When you are faced with a malevolent violent foe, like the Dominion, you will inevitably be forced to play by their rules. War, subterfuge, lies and misdirection.
ITPM basically argues that an amoral expert in the dark arts like Garak, like Section 31, is necessary in order to survive in a universe that does not share the Federation's benevolent and peaceful ideals.
The screenplay with an uncredited major rewrite by Ronald D. Moore is perfection. His talents in the dark arts would later come to full bloom as showrunner of Battlestar Galactica. ITPM is a fitting preview for the dark storylines of BSG.
The episode is centered on the interplay between Sisko and Garak. After many many rewatches and chats on Reddit, it became clear to me that Garak was in complete control and basically used and manipulated Sisko to carry the plan to success.
Everything that Garak tells Sisko is a lie, designed to draw him further into the plot and to ensure that Garak succeeds in his actual hidden plan, the assassination of Romulan Senator Vreenak.
Garak told Sisko that his contacts on Cardassia were killed, that was a lie. Garak lied about needing biomimetic gel to trade for the data rod. In reality, he already had the rod and needed the gel to build his bomb that killed Vreenak. Garak knew that his fake holo-recording wouldn't fool Vreenak. It was a ruse and bait to lure Vreenak to DS9.
Sisko, in the end, understands that he was manipulated by Garak. But he accepts the costs--- to his conscience, his Starfleet morality, the murders of Vreenak and Tolar. Sisko will forever be emotionally scarred but understands that Garak's devious plan saved everyone -- The Federation, the Klingons, the Cardassians and even the Romulans from slavery and extermination at the hands of the Dominion.
ITPM is anathema to the basic concept of Star Trek. That diplomacy and benevolence will win the day, resulting in peaceful and happy endings. DS9, the Dominion War and specifically ITPM are pointedly opposed to this outlook. They argue that the peaceful path only works among decent actors. When you are faced with a malevolent violent foe, like the Dominion, you will inevitably be forced to play by their rules. War, subterfuge, lies and misdirection.
ITPM basically argues that an amoral expert in the dark arts like Garak, like Section 31, is necessary in order to survive in a universe that does not share the Federation's benevolent and peaceful ideals.