Jadzia Dax: The Most Interesting Woman in the Universe

Jim’s Take on Episode 2.17: “Playing God”

Finally! It’s about time we get an episode that focuses on one of DS9’s greatest assets, the magnificent Jadzia Dax. The writers of DS9 were clearly overwhelmed by the greatness of their own creation. There is no other conceivable reason that this amazing character, portrayed by the equally amazing Terry Farrell, would so rarely be their focus and the center of all attention. Hopefully this episode brings an end to this inexcusable disservice. The universe needs more Jadzia! 

Obviously, I have a bias. Like Quark, Julian, the Klingon Chef, and the string of “bodies” littering the promenade in her wake, I’ve been in love with Jadzia Dax for 30 years. I MAY have mentioned this in another review…or two. As Dax herself says, it may be inappropriate, but then I hate to be appropriate. This story gives us a great taste of why Jadzia is so…wonderful. Obviously, Terry Farrell is beautiful and statuesque, but that doesn’t even come close to explaining the appeal of Dax. There are lots of beautiful people. Jadzia, thanks to the Dax symbiont, is a fascinating blend. She has a very calming and serene presence, yet she is also a completely uninhibited person who embraces wild adventure with gusto. She’s a scientific genius, but she can also out-gamble a group of Ferengi, out-fight a Klingon warrior and out-flirt James T. Kirk. She has wisdom that comes from living many life-times, but she also chooses to start her day with a little wrestling and a “Black Hole” chaser. She is kind and empathetic, yet tough and enigmatic. She collects forgotten composers and looks spectacular wearing a towel. Everyone who meets her loves her, in one way or another. Even Arjin, who is both terrified and frustrated by her, comes around in the end.

She has wisdom that comes from living many life-times, but she also chooses to start her day with a little wrestling and a “Black Hole” chaser. She is kind and empathetic, yet tough and enigmatic.

Of course, mention of Arjin brings up the fact that there are other things going on in this episode. Arjin, a Trill initiate hoping to be joined, has been sent to be tested by Jadzia Dax as his field docent. Apparently, Dax is notorious for harshly failing initiates, so he is justifiably terrified. As a teacher, I immediately connected this to the relationship between a student teacher and a mentor when prospective teachers are sent out to work with established teachers to put into practice what they’ve learned and to hopefully receive the guidance they will need to be successful. I had some good mentors and one truly awful one, so I know the terror Arjin feels. I have also BEEN a mentor and, like Jadzia, desperately wanted to avoid committing the mistakes I felt were made when I was on the receiving end. Dax does her best to shock Arjin out of his timid complacency, just like Curzon Dax did when he failed Jadzia during her placement with him. She successfully helps him in the end, overcoming her own fear that she might be exactly who Curzon was.

There are also the small matters of the pocket universe that they bring home like a lost puppy and the Cardassian voles that are running around the station creating havoc. I appreciate that Sisko always strives to live up to the Federation’s values in respecting all forms of life. He, at least initially, orders O’Brien to keep his phaser set on stun while he’s trying to solve the vole problem, and he is quick to understand that, despite the threat it poses, they can’t destroy the pocket universe once there is a chance it contains some form of sentient life. He is unwilling to become the Borg he hates so much by callously destroying any form of life, just because he doesn’t necessarily understand what it is. It’s telling that Kira, who spent her whole life fighting for survival against the Cardassians, is quick to suggest they destroy the threat, while Odo, who WAS once a form of life that others couldn’t understand, sees how wrong that would be. “I don’t step on ants, Major. Just because we don’t understand a life form doesn’t mean we can destroy it.” Odo is more ready to join Starfleet than Kira is!

In the end, the universe is sent back home, where it will surely become someone else’s problem, and we can only assume that O’Brien rises to the Cardassian vole challenge. (They were ugly little suckers!) By the way, Quark’s shrieks when O’Brien tried out his wannabe Sonic Screwdriver are hilarious. Surely O’Brien had some inkling how it would affect those ears! And Jadzia Dax, wonderful, fun, cheeky, wise and fierce Jadzia Dax, successfully mentors Arjin without becoming Curzon. He even gets a kiss on the cheek! There are people who could die happy having achieved only that! Just people, I’m not thinking of anyone in particular. More Jadzia soon, please!