Matt’s Take on Episode 2.3: “The Siege”
This is probably my favorite episode so far in the series. It’s really the final part of a three part arc, so I am essentially choosing three episodes as the best so far. It’s a heck of a way to open up a season. I’m a sucker for political dramas, and this arc delivers that with a healthy dose of character development and consequential action, so I don’t know what more one could desire.
Man the Barricades
Sisko’s opening scene in which he tells his crew that they have the choice to leave with the civilians, and that none will be judged for their choice, is leadership 101. He rallies his troops while making sure that they are all fully committed. It sets an epic tone for the episode, and it makes you feel like something big is coming.
Also, Keiko is the worst. I don’t want to belabor the point, but it just needed to be said.
Rom and a Dabo Girl
It’s fun to see Quark getting out-foxed by Rom, and that really never gets old for me. I feel like this is one of the earlier times that this happens in the series, and it’s great to see the role reversal. The sight of Quark dragging his latinum with him and having a meltdown about being left on the station is priceless.
Kira and Dax
These two are always an awesome pair to see together. They have some great comedy moments getting the sub-impulse raider “running” and into the air. It’s fun to see how Kira is willing to work with whatever pile of junk she has to in order to get the job done; she’s completely unflappable. Dax is giving her side-eye throughout the scene and is, somewhat grumpily, using her skills from Tobin Dax to help out. They make for a great team.
Later on, when we get to see the dogfight between Kira and Dax and two enemy ships, the comedy somehow continues into this tense engagement. Ultimately they get shot down and Kira is injured, but disguises provided by Bareil allow them to infiltrate the Chamber of Ministers and deliver the proof of Cardassian collusion with the Circle and Jaro.
What stuck out to me about Jaro and Winn’s reaction to this evidence is how quickly they pivot into politician mode. Jaro agrees to cooperate with the investigation, probably thinking that he can live to fight another day, and Winn totally does an about-face and insists that the investigation go forward. We shall see where this leads!
The Resistance
The entire defense of the station, complete with the crew hiding out in access conduits and eating O’Brien’s beloved rations, is awesome to watch. We get to see our characters shine in individual moments, such as O’Brien working his technical magic and Bashir finally getting his due to accomplish some heroics and capturing General Krim’s soldiers. I thought that the hologram trap was a particularly nice touch. When Krim receives his orders to withdraw from the station his underling, Colonel Day, desperately tries to shoot Sisko with a phaser.
The fact that he never desired power means that he was the perfect one to wield it.
Li Nalas is finally able to achieve the heroic status that he felt so self-conscious about allowing the people to embellish regarding his past when he sacrifices himself to protect Sisko. He dramatically dives chest-first into the phaser blast and dies shortly thereafter. His last words that he’s “off the hook after all” reinforce the idea that he would have been a great leader. The fact that he never desired power means that he was the perfect one to wield it. I consider this to be a great tragedy for Bajor, as Li Nalas really could have been a once in a lifetime leader. Sisko clearly intends to keep his legend alive, which is at least something.
Unfortunately Jaro and Winn are still all too alive, and all too desirous of the power that Li Nalas just sacrificed along with his life.
This is an emotional ending to an incredibly strong arc. Top marks all around!
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