2.17 "Playing God"
A Trill initiate named Arjin comes aboard DS9 to shadow Jadzia, but while on a mission in the Gamma Quadrant they accidentally bring a protouniverse back with them. Now Sisko must decide whether it is acceptable to destroy one universe in order to preserve another, and Jadzia must decide what to do with an initiate who is clearly not ready for Trill joining.
This episode is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it focuses heavily on Jadzia, and Terry Farrel absolutely radiates life with her performance. She has really grown into her role as someone who enjoys life the way a young woman should, but also has the perspective of an ancient being. On the other hand, Arjin is insufferable and the protouniverse plot line is hastily and sloppily handled. Overall this balances out to a pretty average episode.
As much as I love Jadzia, refusing to drum Arjin out of the program just to prove she's not Curzon is not a good motive. Arjin is clearly not fit to be joined in any way. He's emotionally unstable, weak-willed, and a pretty awful person. She's doing nobody any favors by allowing him to stay in the program; her only motivation is because she doesn't want to be "mean" to him like Curzon was to her. That's unfortunately rather cowardly of her. The episode would be more satisfying if either A) Arjin showed some redeeming qualities by the end, or B) Jadzia decides to have him kicked out of the program and has to grapple with her own issues with Curzon in a more meaningful way. As is, the ending feels wrong since it leaves open the possibility that Arjin will become joined, which he clearly should not be.
THE GOOD
-Jadzia and her invigorating zeal for life
-Good Dads Watch: Sisko is initially taken aback by the news that Jake is dating a Dabo girl, but he quickly decides to be supportive of his son instead.
THE BAD
-Arjin
-They just leave the protouniverse in the Gamma Quadrant so it can destroy the universe eventually anyway.
THE UGLY
-Verteron radiation/nodes are a fictional Trek creation. They are used throughout many ST shows. According to Memory Alpha, they are "subatomic particles capable of traveling faster than the speed of light."
-Runabout used: Mekong
-Rules of Acquisition quoted: 112 "Never have sex with the boss's sister"
A Trill initiate named Arjin comes aboard DS9 to shadow Jadzia, but while on a mission in the Gamma Quadrant they accidentally bring a protouniverse back with them. Now Sisko must decide whether it is acceptable to destroy one universe in order to preserve another, and Jadzia must decide what to do with an initiate who is clearly not ready for Trill joining.
This episode is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it focuses heavily on Jadzia, and Terry Farrel absolutely radiates life with her performance. She has really grown into her role as someone who enjoys life the way a young woman should, but also has the perspective of an ancient being. On the other hand, Arjin is insufferable and the protouniverse plot line is hastily and sloppily handled. Overall this balances out to a pretty average episode.
As much as I love Jadzia, refusing to drum Arjin out of the program just to prove she's not Curzon is not a good motive. Arjin is clearly not fit to be joined in any way. He's emotionally unstable, weak-willed, and a pretty awful person. She's doing nobody any favors by allowing him to stay in the program; her only motivation is because she doesn't want to be "mean" to him like Curzon was to her. That's unfortunately rather cowardly of her. The episode would be more satisfying if either A) Arjin showed some redeeming qualities by the end, or B) Jadzia decides to have him kicked out of the program and has to grapple with her own issues with Curzon in a more meaningful way. As is, the ending feels wrong since it leaves open the possibility that Arjin will become joined, which he clearly should not be.
THE GOOD
-Jadzia and her invigorating zeal for life
-Good Dads Watch: Sisko is initially taken aback by the news that Jake is dating a Dabo girl, but he quickly decides to be supportive of his son instead.
THE BAD
-Arjin
-They just leave the protouniverse in the Gamma Quadrant so it can destroy the universe eventually anyway.
THE UGLY
-Verteron radiation/nodes are a fictional Trek creation. They are used throughout many ST shows. According to Memory Alpha, they are "subatomic particles capable of traveling faster than the speed of light."
-Runabout used: Mekong
-Rules of Acquisition quoted: 112 "Never have sex with the boss's sister"