Dr. Bashir discovers that Odo's disease was the result of germ warfare started by Starfleet's cloak and dagger organization, Section 31. After weeks of attempts at creating a cure, however, Bashir becomes frustrated as Odo lies dying in the infirmary.
Chief O'Brien has a hunch that Section 31 might have a cure for the plague, or at least some research that might advance Bashir's efforts. Miles suggests to his war games buddy that they lure Section 31 to DS9 by having Bashir announce to Starfleet Medical that the good doctor has found a cure for the Plague. Showing that they both have spent too much time in the holo-suites, Julian agrees to the plan, and devises a way to coerce the needed information out of the operative that shows up.
Luther Sloan - the only operative of Section 31 that has been identified, at that time, to Star Trek fans - shows up. And he frustrates the hologram warriors by showing that he's not so easily coerced.
This is not a stand alone episode. This is episode seven in a nine episode arc that finishes business on DS9. And part of that unfinished business up until now is the unanswered questions in the relationship of Miles and Julian. Even though the episode creates a story time unique to DS9, it relies on what has gone before. Think of it as a necessary aside, or as gamers would say, a solo mission that would need to be completed before the final battle could continue; a.k.a, a snack break.
This episode is a gift, and, by far, the best written episode in the final year, IMO. It is a character study that takes all three main characters seriously...so seriously, it hires one of the best character actors of his time, William Sadler, to play one of them, Sloan.
This is not the first episode that delved into Bashir's virtual realities; but, whereas one of them, the season four episode "Our Man Bashir", tackled Julian's incessant need for escapism; "Extreme Measures" shows that he just has plain trouble with reality. There is a scene where a valedictorian Slone, under the influence of Bashir's device, admits that he has been a bad father, a bad husband, and a bad son in his drive to protect his universe from what he believes to be threats. That look on Bashir's face is of pure disgust. How dare his fantasy heroes have to make choices in life? (Garak told Julian that a spy's life was never as fun as his holo-suite choices, and their deeds never as honorable. Obviously, Julian never listened.)
We already know that Bashir is a bad date from Leeta and Erzi. And from "Dr. Bashir, I Presume" we know he's a bad son. His excuses aren't as noble as Slone's. Julian's medical career comes easy for him. He's a born doctor. He's bad at life because he lives in his escapism. It's something that since episode three, Garak has been telling him to improve. But it's not till now that Julian must come to the realization that maybe he enjoys fantasy more than reality.
Even then he hedges his bet. In the virtual world he admits to Miles that he stays too much in the Virtual World because maybe he likes Miles more than the reality that awaits him. But it's an admission made to get Miles to fess up to the same. Don't read too much into that. It isn't intimate. Julian just gets his kicks from controlling VR characters and over-matching his wits with someone who plays with him than he gets from interacting with real people.
O'Brian is as obsessed with competitive gaming as Julian is. But in the other areas of life, he is far and above Bashir and Luther. He is a great Dad, a great Husband, a great son, a great coworker, a good soldier?...He elbows his way into the "Section 31 Game" because he recognizes that the doctor might be in over his head. The Chief is also confused by the valedictorian Slone, even though that speech sounds similar to final letters soldiers have made up to send to loved ones before a dangerous mission - letters Miles makes up for Keiko all the time.
Perhaps the key to the Chief is not that he seeks escapism, but containment; or, better yet, a way for denial. He was once a soldier; and, he pointedly notes on several occasions that is a part of his life he does not talk about. Miles has frequently said that he has no idea how many people he killed during his commission; which makes him the only person on DS9 to not know their death toll. And he thinks the societies that he was warring on should just forget it now that the war is over - that means you Cardassia.
It is obvious that O'Brian doesn't want Warriorhood as part of his make-up...even though that's what he did - like it or not - and that's what he's trained to do. I believe to keep this Warrior Miles in a controllable box, he has moved that part of himself to the competitive gaming world. And, fortunately, Julian is a great Virtual Game Master so that the Chief never gets bored.
It's easy to spot the Alpha male in this relationship.
This has been the most developed storyline in the DS9 years. It started with O'Brian tut-tutting Bashir over his making friends with Garak, escalated into friendly games of racketball; and morphed into Vic Fountaine, Julian's genetic engineering, and Section 31. It has been used as a foreshadowing technique (Remember the Alamo), various subplots, main story lines, and, here, an aside. For fans of the show, this should have been a great payoff.
It was for me.
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