Games of psychology provide emotional heft

Matt’s Take on Episode 2.4: “Invasive Procedures”

Man, this is an uncomfortable episode! Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a very good one, and it really makes you think about the nature of the symbiont/host relationship. I think that the title is fairly direct in indicating that this episode is about a severe form of violation occurring, and it’s hard to see Dax being put through this horrible process. 

Really, Quark?

We all expect Quark to sell out everyone and any pretension of principles when it comes to the most important principle of all: profit. However, this is pretty low, even for him! That being said, Quark will (kind of?) redeem himself later on when he jumps onto T’Kar’s back and gives Bashir an opening to take Yeto out with a hypospray. Quark’s heroics are excellent and really highlight his instincts (or lobes) for survival. And, to Quark’s credit, he does seem genuinely horrified when he realizes what Verad’s true purpose in all of this is. Just like so many of our other characters, Quark is clearly enamored with Dax.

Dax-centric but not Jadzia-centric

This is another situation where the episode is about Dax, but it ends up being much more about the symbiont than about Jadzia, specifically. This happened in the season one episode “Dax,” where Jadzia remained silent throughout large stretches of the episode. In this case it obviously makes sense since she is unconscious for the procedure, but it’s a shame that Terry Farrell doesn’t get more screen time. Her heart-breaking reaction to the overwhelming loneliness after the symbiont is removed and her final realization that she now has to live with Verad’s memories and that “it’s all so sad” are the emotional thrust of the episode. 

Dax’s Psychology

This brings me to my next point: I feel like the ending realization that she always has to live with Verad’s memories is a reference to the post-traumatic experience of this violation. Dax seems to be pitying rather than hating Verad for his actions, and I’m guessing that this is because she has perfect clarity surrounding his reasons for doing what he did due to the memory transfer. I wonder to what extent Jadzia Dax will feel integrated into the experience of Verad Dax, however, as the process was never really complete. Perhaps the memories and emotions will fade to some extent with time, but I don’t think that they will ever fully go away. This is how dealing with mental illness generally goes; you can improve your symptoms and outlook, but there is always the lingering knowledge that it will be with you to some extent. 

Sisko’s Psychology

I did enjoy seeing Sisko breaking down Mareel’s confidence in Verad throughout the episode. It isn’t even like he was lying to her or manipulating her exactly, because we see from Verad Dax’s own actions and facial expressions that his attitude toward Mareel has changed considerably. Sisko is also going through an emotional crisis of his own throughout the episode, but he manages to keep his cool enough to carry his plan through to the end. He also really looked like a house on fire when he was beating up the Klingons. I’m a little disappointed in Kira’s combat abilities, however. I don’t really understand how a former Bajoran resistance fighter loses hand-to-hand against a former prostitute? It’s also interesting that Odo had to be side-lined for the episode because he does tend to put the difficulty setting on easy mode because of his shape-shifting and general awesomeness as a constable.

Dax but Different

The real philosophical issue at the heart of the episode is digging into the nature of friendship and loyalty, as well as what the Dax symbiont really represents. It’s a fascinating idea; both being the same and different at the same time. Jadzia is herself and unique in that way, but she is also the experience of everything that came before. Ultimately, this is a lot like what it is for any of us living our normal lives. We have past versions of ourselves from different ages and eras of our own life, and they remain part of us forever. However, we are also (hopefully) capable of growth and change. Our priorities and goals might be completely different from ten or twenty years ago. While the idea of the Dax symbiont going from literal life to life is a bit more extreme than what we experience, it really is parallel. We are constantly in a state of flux, but influenced by who we used to be. The people who stand by us throughout all of that are our true friends.

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