The Adversary (19 Jun. 1995)

The Defiant is off to show the Federation's presence to the new Tzenkethi government. While underway the ship malfunctions and Bashir is suspected of sabotage.

Director:

Alexander Singer

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Rick Berman (creator),

Stars:

Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig

Cast

Episode credited 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
Colm Meaney	...	Chief O'Brien
Armin Shimerman	...	Quark
Nana Visitor	...	Major Kira
Lawrence Pressman	...	Krajensky
Ken Marshall	...	Michael Eddington (as Kenneth Marshall)
Jeff Austin	...	Bolian
Majel Barrett	...	Federation Computer (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tory Christopher	...	Paxton Reese

Storyline

There's a party on Deep Space Nine as Sisko has just been promoted to captain. Ambassador Krajensky is present at the party, but he hasn't just come to congratulate Sisko. He tells there's been a coup d'état on the Tzenkethi home world. They were once at war with the Federation and Krajensky wants to remind them that Federation is still committed to the protection of the colonies. Sisko takes the Defiant to Tzenkethi space. While working on the ship O'Brien hears some strange sounds. He finds Julian working in a Jefferies tube. Julian claims to have connected a new diagnostic console. Not long after the communications array malfunctions. O'Brien and Dax discover a parasitic tube-like system that is invading the ship's equipment, protected by a forcefield. It's right next to the place where Bashir connected his medical console.

---

Plot Keywords:

24th century

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 1995 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final appearance of Sisko with a full head of hair.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Commander Sisko: Commander's log, Stardate 48959.1 - It is with mixed emotions that I record this, my final Commander's log. The last three years have been the most demanding and rewarding of my career. I can only hope that the future will hold even greater challenges.

---

Connections

References 1964 World Series (1964)

User Reviews

Sisko gets promoted

The final episode of the third season opens with Commander Sisko being promoted to captain. He doesn't have long to enjoy the promotion as an ambassador informs him that after a Coup d'état in the neighbouring system called the Tzenkethi, has led to a possible threat to some Star Fleet colonies nearby. To warn them off he is to take the Defiant to the border. Things go very wrong on the way when the ship is sabotaged in a way that has locked the controls and set them on an attack course against the Tzenkethi. It turns out that the ambassador was a shapeshifter, however unlike Odo this one can take the form of other people. This leads to a sense of paranoia as they hunt the shapeshifter as well as race to retake control of the ship before they plunge the Federation into an unwanted war. When it looks like they have run out of time Captain Sisko sets the ship to self destruct, leaving them a mere ten minutes to retake the ship.

This was a gripping episode, they scenes where they hunted the shapeshifter reminded me of "Alien", especially when Sisko is in the Jefferies Tubes... even if the Defiant if brighter and cleaner than the Nostromo. As the crew start to distrust each other and the sense of paranoia increases the atmosphere becomes more tense. The shapeshifters final words to Odo make it clear that we haven't seen the last of the Founders and that the Alpha Quadrant has been infiltrated at all levels.