"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"
Past Prologue (1993)

Director:

Winrich Kolbe

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator: "Star Trek")
Rick Berman (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993)

Original Air Date:

10 January 1993 (Season 1, Episode 2)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

Tahna Los, a former Bajoran terrorist during the Occupation, asks Sisko for asylum on DS9. Meanwhile, the station's last Cardassian inhabitant, Garak, possibly a former spy for the Cardassian government, proves an interesting mystery to Dr. Bashir.

Plot Keywords:

Hostage | Bomb | Botany | Shipper | Terrorism

Cast

Avery Brooks	...	Commander Sisko
Rene Auberjonois	...	Odo
Alexander Siddig	...	Doctor Bashir (as Siddig El Fadil)
Terry Farrell	...	Lieutenant Jadzia Dax
Cirroc Lofton	...	Jake Sisko (credit only)
Colm Meaney	...	Chief O'Brien
Armin Shimerman	...	Quark (credit only)
Nana Visitor	...	Major Kira
Jeffrey Nordling	...	Tahna
Andrew Robinson	...	Garak
Gwynyth Walsh	...	B'Etor
Barbara March	...	Lursa
Susan Bay	...	Admiral
Vaughn Armstrong	...	Gul Danar
Richard Ryder	...	Bajoran Deputy

Quotes:

Sisko: Major, go over my head again, and I'll have yours on a platter.

Classic DS9 - Introducing Elim Garak

Brilliantly, the franchise decided to jump from the very heavy, convoluted and intense Emissary which revolved around Ben Sisko and the precarious situation which would center on him for the next seven years directly into a no-less-serious but very different drama. More importantly, this is the episode which first unleashed the great Andy Robinson into his very beautifully developed recurring character Elim Garak - the most popular Cardassian in Star Trek history and perhaps the most sympathetic alien (besides Spock) in the canon. Garak is, of course, introduced by way of his relationship with Dr. Bashir (Alex Siddig, then credited as Siddig El Faddil) and throughout the series Siddig's best episodes will most often be those featuring Garak.

Garak is either a left-behind Cardassian tailor or a Cardassian spy or both, and he is particularly concerned about the arrival of a Bejoran "Terrorist" (or freedom fighter, depending on your perspective) who has been running from Cardassian authorities and is seeking asylum. Kira,of course, knows Tahna Los, the suspected terrorist, and pleads with Sisko to allow him to stay.

As the story develops, the powerful ethnic conflict between Bejorans and Cardassians becomes a central focus. This will be well-exploited throughout all seven of DS9's seasons. And Garak's contribution to the depth and range of what it is to be a Cardassian ensured that the Cardies could never become just another franchise stereotype disguised by a forehead prosthetic. Finally, Past Prologue allows some breathing room for Avery Brooks to settle into his role as Ben Sisko, and includes some important developments in his relationships to Kira, Odo, and the Cardassian military.

Acting highlights - Robinson, Visitor, Siddig, Brooks and Auberjonois are all terrific in Past Prologue.

As usual, the episode is economically directly and scripted, well-shot and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.