I must say in response to something that greatly offends me: Deep Space Nine was in NO WAY a "Mediocre Trek" - DS9 rose above all of the standards for Science Fiction Television shows of the Networks, of the Trek Franchise and no other show has come close to the Quality of Imagery, of Writing, and of Acting in this one Trek show that stands all by itself outside of the Franchise.
This episode is Bookended to S6E11 "Waltz" and has a much similar structure. That episode had The Sisko having his personal confrontation with Gul Dukat, who had gone mad, and had been given every opportunity to make up for a past filled with Murder and Destruction.
In this episode, a man named Amin Marritza, who has "Kallo-Nohra Syndrome" is brought to the Station by a Kobheerian Freighter Captain, played by Normal Large: Who was Romulan Proconsul Neral in ST:TNG.
As Kallo-Nohra Syndrome was contracted by Bajoran Prisoners from only one place: The Gallitepp Forced-Labour Camp, Kira is excited to meet one of her personal heroes. But when she gets to Sick Bay, she is confronted with Amin Marritza (Harris Yulin), who is a Cardassian.
The only other people to contract this disease other than the Bajora, were their Cardassian Overseers and Torturers, and so Kira immediately has Marritza arrested by Odo.
If it were up to The Sisko, he'd have Marritza released immediately, but Kira makes such a stink about this guy, she thinks he is actually Gul Darhe'el, a Cardassian War Criminal who the Bajora had never gotten the opportunity to arrest.
In a way, this mirrors the prosecution of Nazi War Criminals post WWII, maybe some of them deserved Prosecution, and maybe some of them were like Marritza: They were forced to do their jobs even though they hated what they were doing.
If Nerys is correct, this guy is Darhe'el, and he deserves to be put to death.
But The Sisko has Odo and Dr Bashir do further investigation. While waiting for results, Major Kira has several conversations with Marritza: Who at first refuses to admit he is Gul Darhe'el. But as he is pressed, and it becomes apparent that this guy *is* hiding something, he breaks down and Admits to Nerys that he really is Darhe'el and actually enjoyed murdering and torturing Bajorans.
Someone mentions "Man in the Glass Both" and I agree that this episode is an Homage to that play. But here, we have some of the best Dialogue of The Series, in Kira's Discussions with the great Harris Yulin.
In "Ghostbusters II" Yulin gets to go off on one of his little Orations: This was how I recognized the actor in this episode as 'The Judge who wanted to burn Ghostbusters at the stake!" Here, he is describing the Horrors he inflicted on The Bajorans at Gallitepp, with the exact same relish as that character.
That Dialog alone makes this one of the greatest Television Episodes, of any series, ever. I could have lived if this guy really was this "Butcher of Gallitepp" - But as it was found out, Marritza was exactly who he said he was at the beginning of the episode: A Clerk and Accountant, who used to cover his ears when the Screams of the Bajorans came at night. This is another part of the conversation which is Mirrored in "Waltz" - When Dukat's internal "Weyoun" tells Dukat how much he really enjoyed those same screams.
In this episode, we have a meek man, pretending to be a Butcher, in "Waltz" we have a Butcher who is trying to convince The Sisko, he is NOT a Butcher.
Great Writing and Great Continuity between a Season 1 and Season 6 episode, and by the time Season Six rolled around, Marc Alaimo (Dukat) was able to pull off what Yulin pulls off with ease in this episode.
This episode is Bookended to S6E11 "Waltz" and has a much similar structure. That episode had The Sisko having his personal confrontation with Gul Dukat, who had gone mad, and had been given every opportunity to make up for a past filled with Murder and Destruction.
In this episode, a man named Amin Marritza, who has "Kallo-Nohra Syndrome" is brought to the Station by a Kobheerian Freighter Captain, played by Normal Large: Who was Romulan Proconsul Neral in ST:TNG.
As Kallo-Nohra Syndrome was contracted by Bajoran Prisoners from only one place: The Gallitepp Forced-Labour Camp, Kira is excited to meet one of her personal heroes. But when she gets to Sick Bay, she is confronted with Amin Marritza (Harris Yulin), who is a Cardassian.
The only other people to contract this disease other than the Bajora, were their Cardassian Overseers and Torturers, and so Kira immediately has Marritza arrested by Odo.
If it were up to The Sisko, he'd have Marritza released immediately, but Kira makes such a stink about this guy, she thinks he is actually Gul Darhe'el, a Cardassian War Criminal who the Bajora had never gotten the opportunity to arrest.
In a way, this mirrors the prosecution of Nazi War Criminals post WWII, maybe some of them deserved Prosecution, and maybe some of them were like Marritza: They were forced to do their jobs even though they hated what they were doing.
If Nerys is correct, this guy is Darhe'el, and he deserves to be put to death.
But The Sisko has Odo and Dr Bashir do further investigation. While waiting for results, Major Kira has several conversations with Marritza: Who at first refuses to admit he is Gul Darhe'el. But as he is pressed, and it becomes apparent that this guy *is* hiding something, he breaks down and Admits to Nerys that he really is Darhe'el and actually enjoyed murdering and torturing Bajorans.
Someone mentions "Man in the Glass Both" and I agree that this episode is an Homage to that play. But here, we have some of the best Dialogue of The Series, in Kira's Discussions with the great Harris Yulin.
In "Ghostbusters II" Yulin gets to go off on one of his little Orations: This was how I recognized the actor in this episode as 'The Judge who wanted to burn Ghostbusters at the stake!" Here, he is describing the Horrors he inflicted on The Bajorans at Gallitepp, with the exact same relish as that character.
That Dialog alone makes this one of the greatest Television Episodes, of any series, ever. I could have lived if this guy really was this "Butcher of Gallitepp" - But as it was found out, Marritza was exactly who he said he was at the beginning of the episode: A Clerk and Accountant, who used to cover his ears when the Screams of the Bajorans came at night. This is another part of the conversation which is Mirrored in "Waltz" - When Dukat's internal "Weyoun" tells Dukat how much he really enjoyed those same screams.
In this episode, we have a meek man, pretending to be a Butcher, in "Waltz" we have a Butcher who is trying to convince The Sisko, he is NOT a Butcher.
Great Writing and Great Continuity between a Season 1 and Season 6 episode, and by the time Season Six rolled around, Marc Alaimo (Dukat) was able to pull off what Yulin pulls off with ease in this episode.