Lwaxana Troi is…Grateful!

Jim’s Take on Episode 16: “The Forsaken”

For longtime Star Trek fans, you can’t get much closer to true Trek royalty than Majel Barrett. For anyone who doesn’t know her legacy, she played Number One in Star Trek’s pilot episode, but the network execs of the 1960s weren’t comfortable with a female commander being a regular part of the show. She was recast as Nurse Chapel and the voice of the ship’s computer in the original series. She went on to portray the voice of every Federation computer in The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager. She was basically Siri and Alexa WAY before a computer that could talk to you existed within the realm of real technology. She also played fan-favorite Lwaxana Troi, mother of ship’s counsellor Deanna, on TNG. On top of all her roles within the fiction of the series, she just happened to be married to Star Trek’s revered creator Gene Roddenberry and carried on looking after the series long after his death. 

 So, Majel Barrett is a pretty big deal and having Lwaxana Troi make her first appearance on DS9 is a great way to tie this “upstart new series” into some beloved Trek lore, but the writers make this episode truly shine by using her imposing, and occasionally overwhelming, presence to reveal so much about Odo and about Lwaxana herself. Such a larger-than-life character could come across as a simple comedic performance in other hands, but Ms. Barrett always makes it clear that there is so much more to Lwaxana than she reveals to all but the most trusted people in her life. Lwaxana and Odo are perfect foils for one another, as they go through life putting on a performance and hiding their true selves beneath a carefully constructed surface.

Of course, there is a lot of great comedy in this episode as well! Whether it’s watching Lwaxana grab Quark by his greedy lobe, or seeing the sheer terror on Odo’s face as he realizes that she is intent on pursuing his affections, it’s all great fun. When Odo runs to Sisko for help, his recommendation, “Have you thought of letting her catch you?” is priceless. The fact that Odo is horrified by this idea and goes on to explain why everything about human’s notions of romance is pointless and ridiculous is even better. Sisko’s grin and observation that “You can handle thieves and killers, but you can’t handle one Betazoid woman?” makes it clear just how funny he finds Odo’s discomfort, but he also seems to be genuinely a little disappointed that Odo isn’t willing to experience a little romance. The genuine horror he experiences when she reveals that she’s booked one of Quark’s holosuites for them to share a picnic may be the most upsetting moment of Odo’s life thus far!

Many characters are pushed out of their comfort zones in “The Forsaken” and it’s also great fun to watch the normally quite confident Julian Bashir deal with the difficult trio of Federation Ambassadors foisted on him by Commander Sisko, who just doesn’t have time to deal with their nonsense. They are certainly, as Bashir calls them, The Ambassadors of Unhappy. Nothing pleases them, nothing is good enough. Bashir is clearly used to being able to charm his way out of most situations, but his charisma is not going to save him here. He is truly experiencing one adventure after another out here on the frontier. Just not always the adventures he expected!

The fact that O’Brien’s greatest discomfort comes from the usually contentious station computer being oddly cooperative also reveals quite a bit about our grumpy Chief of Operations. He really does enjoy having a good technical challenge to wrangle, but he has even more satisfaction in being able to complain about it. When the computer has the audacity to be nice to him, something must truly be awry. The puppy metaphor for his new-found friend within the works is wonderful and when he tells “dad” Sisko that he will take care of it and give it plenty of attention if he lets him keep it, only the most hard-hearted viewer could possibly fail to smile.

“Despite all the other distractions, this episode is really all about the scenes with Odo and Lwaxana being trapped together in the turbolift.”

Despite all the other distractions, this episode is really all about the scenes with Odo and Lwaxana being trapped together in the turbolift. As his upcoming regeneration cycle forces our taciturn Constable to reveal so much about his past as an experiment to be studied, and occasionally used for the amusement of others, it is clear how much pain and vulnerability lurk beneath his, literally, carefully crafted surface. His appearance as a humanoid is all about making himself seem acceptable to others and his inability to accept himself for what he is. When he reaches the point past which he just can’t keep up his facade, Lwaxana makes it easier for him to reveal himself to her by revealing how much she also hides behind a carefully crafted surface. Odo doesn’t understand what’s wrong with her real hair, but she explains, “It looks ordinary. I’ve never cared to be ordinary.” It’s a very touching scene that has stayed with me since the very first time I saw it, all those years ago.

Deep Space Nine gets a chance to put Majel Barrett in the spotlight and earns a brush with Star Trek royalty, Bashir gets to save the day and make a good impression on the Ambassadors, Odo and Lwaxana both make a new friend for life, and O’Brien gets a puppy! What more could anyone ask for? 

Continue to Rhonda’s Take: “Three strands entwine to develop how we long for connection”

Skip to Ray’s Take: “Karens and Love in an Elevator”

Skip to Matt’s Take: “A Surprising Gem”

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