Naked Times and the Prime Directive

Rhonda’s Take on Episode 2.2: “The Circle” (Part 2)

I don’t know if this opening recap is the first for Deep Space Nine, but seeing it gave me a little thrill as if it were a new candy in my dish. For those used to binge culture, they might not understand how important an episode recap is to catch the audience up to speed. A week isn’t a long time to wait, but long enough to forget some details, which the recap nicely packages. From a storycraft standpoint, it also thrilled me to see that the pieces were not presented in story order rigidly, but in order of story impact: The Circle is quickly explained, the rescue of Li Nalas is shown, we’re reminded we narrowly avoided retaliation from the Cardassians, that Bajor is breaking into factions, that Bajor needs a symbol to unite them, and then that the symbol has been stationed in Kira’s position. 

Boom!

Then, a quiet opening on Minister Jaro expressing surprise that Sisko is fighting to get Major Kira back. Their exchange reveals so much about these two leaders. Jaro tries to manipulate Sisko with accusations that Sisko doesn’t consult the Bajoran government when changing officers and couching Kira’s clear demotion as a promotion. Sisko doesn’t yell or slam metaphorical doors, but cleverly insults Jaro with the story of the politician who is full of hot air and dissembling, which is “not at all like” either of them. Sisko goes on to question the logic of the decision. He (and I) think that Li Nalas should be in the Capitol. Jaro explains that it simply isn’t safe for this national treasure. There is nothing overt in Frank Langella’s delivery of Jaro’s lines, but still the audience feels that this is a lame excuse and seemingly against what we know of Jaro’s character to admit that the Bajoran government is weak.

[Note on camera angle: As Jaro leaves Sisko’s office, the door lingers open for a moment and we get a clear view of Ops that I don’t remember seeing before. I love this angle!]

Later on, the depravity of Minister Jaro does become clear, and Sisko’s honorable, steady hand of leadership is supported. In fact, when Sisko could’ve utilized information to leverage Kira’s return to the station when negotiating with the Bajoran general, he does not. As Krim points out, this decision has left him with a favorable sense of the commander.

The DS9 creative team has mentioned in interviews that they saw one of the benefits of the station being stationary as being the development of a core group of characters dealing with the consequences of their actions. The scene in Kira’s quarters as each of our cast drop by to say their goodbyes shows how this group has become a family: Odo is the angry older brother trying to bully Kira into fighting; Dax is the sister who has borrowed beauty supplies; Bashir is the caring, but hapless, younger brother; O’Brien is the calming, middle child; and Quark, well, he’s the neighbor boy who’s always wanted to be more than a friend.

Did anyone else’s heart stop when Vedek Bareil entered Kira’s quarters? Mine did. Even if I didn’t know what will develop between these characters, I think the romantic in me would feel the chemistry between them. The director deserves props for the perfect alignment of our family forming an archway from Bareil at the door to Kira in the middle of the room. The expressions on their faces when he inquires if Kira has any immediate plans is a priceless indication that they know it is more than an innocent inquiry by a religious leader.

Sisko, our father of this family, has his opportunity to address Kira after she takes her memory walk through Ops. “I’m going to get you back, Major. I promise that for the both of us,” he tells her and, with every ounce of our beings, we know he will.

Placing Kira in the arboretum allows for us to see her struggle with simplicity. She’s used to leading people, not meditating, even the moving meditation of placing river rocks. “The stones are straight. I’m the one who’s crooked,” she cries to Bareil. His lecture about remaining useless for a while is one that most of us need to hear, but especially our Major, whose life has always been in motion. Of course, she will never truly allow herself to be useless, but her openness to trying shows her complex nature.

As if to foreshadow the Naked Times delivered by the Third Orb, Bareil’s dialogue continues to be innuendo laden as he says how he hopes to get to know her and that he hopes this will be the first of many visits. 

I could probably write an entire analysis of Kira’s vision from the orb for Prophecy and Change, so let me dispense with it here quickly: Dax turns into Vedek Winn, Minister Jaro gives menacing advice, Vedek Winn strips Kira, but a naked Bareil catches her. Like the revelations we’ve seen previously, the Prophets are both direct and enigmatic. We should be able to interpret that the Federation and Bajor (at least as Winn and Jaro are concerned) are about to come into conflict. But, what’s up with the intensity of Kira falling into Bareil’s arms?

We know she is unwilling to admit what she felt in that moment when she denies it being part of her vision, even though Bareil confesses she was part of his last encounter with the Orb. Come on, Kira Nerys, it’s okay to feel!

While most of this episode proceeds at a slow, reflective pace, quite a lot actually happens. Winn’s passive-aggressive welcoming, yet denying, Kira establishes that she and Bareil are still at odds. Winn’s conversation with Minister Jaro is as sexually charged as the previous scenes with Kira and Bareil, yet we know what turns them on is not romantic love, but a lust for power. There is little shock in the reveal that Jaro, as he declares, “is The Circle.” While he has not been an overt threat to the alliance with the Federation, there has always been a thread of his belief in “Bajor for Bajorans” whenever he’s appeared. While we have to hate his methods, we have to admire his patriotism, his belief that Bajor “brought art and architecture” to the universe and that they should be able to stand on their own without one power or another oppressing them.

While this episode ends with the rescue of Kira, this story hasn’t reached its conclusion. We wonder what will happen when Jaro discovers he is still under the foot of Cardassia, since they have been supplying his uprising with weapons, and we wonder who and what will survive Starfleet’s evacuation of the station. Sisko yet again follows the spirit of his orders to evacuate the station, but manages to position his people not to abandon their post or Bajor. Prime Directive be damned. We’re Starfleet. We do what’s right.

To Be Continued…

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