For the Cause

Episode aired May 6, 1996
TV-PG
46m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

2.1K

YOUR RATING

Michael Dorn, Terry Farrell, Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, and Ken Marshall in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)

Action Adventure Drama Sci-Fi Thriller

Sisko must face betrayal when evidence surfaces that Kasidy is smuggling for the Maquis. Meanwhile Garak makes acquaintance with Ziyal.Sisko must face betrayal when evidence surfaces that Kasidy is smuggling for the Maquis. Meanwhile Garak makes acquaintance with Ziyal.Sisko must face betrayal when evidence surfaces that Kasidy is smuggling for the Maquis. Meanwhile Garak makes acquaintance with Ziyal.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

2.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
This is Tracy Middendorf's only appearance as Tora Ziyal in the series. The role was first played by Cyia Batten in Indiscretion (1995) and Return to Grace (1996). In In Purgatory's Shadow (1997), Melanie Smith assumed the role and appeared five more times.

Goofs
The scene in Garak's shop, Quark tells him that his "pants are about a meter too long." A meter is about 3 feet 3 inches and Quark is only 5'6", so this is either a goof in dialogue or Quark wants some short-shorts. Or, Quark is matching sarcastic barbs with Garak.

Quotes
[O'Brien and Worf are discussing the Maquis]
Lt. Commander Worf: They should be hunted down and destroyed!
Chief O'Brien: What for? Defending their homes? Look at what's happened to those people. One day they're eking out a living in some godforsaken colonies on the Cardassian border; the next day the Federation makes a treaty, handing those colonies over to the Cardassians. What would you do?
Lt. Commander Worf: I would not become a terrorist. It would be dishonorable.
Chief O'Brien: I wouldn't say that around Major Kira if I were you.

Connections
Referenced in Treksperts Briefing Room: For the Cause w/ Mark O'Connell (2022)

Soundtracks
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Main Title
(uncredited)
Written by Dennis McCarthy
Performed by Dennis McCarthy

User reviews7

Review

Featured review

8/10

How to make a Trek romance interesting

Odo and Eddington investigate Marquis activity that has disturbing implications for Sisko's love life.

This is a solid episode with some good performances and decent storytelling.

The best aspect of the story for me is the dynamic created between Sisko and Yates. Star Trek romances are mostly weak for me and this one was becoming stale until the events portrayed in this episode made it much more interesting. Avery Brooks and Penny Johnson Jerald are on good form. One great scene where they have a dialogue exchange is loaded with unspoken emotion.

There are some aspects of the plot regarding the actions and feelings of a recurring guest character that feel a bit contrived and slightly out of left field but in the context of this episode I think it is pretty well done. You just need to suspend a bit of disbelief and go with it.

There are some interesting political themes about the nature of Starfleet / Federation that were interesting during the time it was written, as the world was becoming incredibly globalised with an emphasis on Western hegemony. I'm not sure what Roddenberry would have made of it all.

I think the b-plot involving Garak has some good moments, but it did not particularly grip or entertain me. Andrew Robinson makes the best of the material he has to work with.

For me it's a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.