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Rapture Airdate: Week of
12/30/96
Written by: Hans
Beimler (teleplay) and LJ Strom (story)
Directed by:
Jonathan West
In-Short:
Another in a long line of well-balanced episodes DS9 has done
concerning the Bajoran religion, Rapture also serves as a crucial
turning point in Bajor's relation to the Federation, as well as
in the character development of Kai Winn.
Brief summary:
While researching an ancient Bajoran artifact, Sisko is struck
unconscious by a power surge. The surge gives him powers of
prophecy, which allow him to see Bajor's future and to uncover a
lost city. These prophecies reveal to Sisko that Bajor must
postpone its membership to the Federation, which brings Sisko
under fire from Starfleet. Bajor follows Sisko's
advice. Before Sisko can finish his visions, Bashir after
consulting Jake removes the cause of the visions before they can
kill Sisko.
Review: The
summary does not do the complexity of this episode justice.
In retrospect, it weaves together two of the series' main threads
- Bajor's relation to the Federation and the Dominion threat - in
a particularly unique way. Deep Space Nine has always been
strong with character pieces, so it seems almost a given that in
such a crucial episode the focus is not on the Federation or
Bajor, but Captain Sisko.
One sign that the
episode was going to be thought provoking was Bashir's diagnosis
of Sisko's condition. A throwaway line at the time, his
pointing out of how Sisko would for a time see things
clearer foreshadowed the coming of Sisko's prophetic
abilities. It had perfectly scientific explanation, of
course, but then again so does the relationship between Bajor and
the Prophets. The medical condition reflects that struggle
between science and faith that DS9 has made of staple of its
repertoire.
This clash between
the strictly rationalist outlook of the Federation and the
beliefs of the Bajorans is the major struggle of the episode, and
Sisko is caught in the middle of it. The Federation has
certain expectations of Sisko, but they conflict with his
requirements as Emmisary. In the past, it was always Bajor
that provided the pressure, but now, as Sisko has grown
accustomed to being the Emissary, it is those at Starfleet
command who do not understand. An interesting change
of events that makes for an interesting dilemma for Sisko.
I tend to believe that Reversals would have been as
good a title for this episode had it held the religious
connotation that Rapture did.
As in previous
episodes dealing with Sisko as the Emissary, Kira is caught in
the middle, as sort of a representative of Bajor. In the
past it has been her defending herself to Sisko, but this time
she must defend herself to Kai Wnn. So in a sense she, like
Sisko, has changed over the course of the show's run. This
was seen in her dialogue at Quark's. Kira of course has
always been cynical toward Kai Winn, but here, with Sisko as the
isssue, it felt like more than poltics was at stake. She
feared the Kai would manipulate Sisko as she had manipulated so
many others
That fear was not
unjustified once it was made clear that the Kai was lukewarm to
bajor's admittance Rapture shows why she may very well be
one of Trek's best baddies - she has her agenda, and we don't
always like it, but she can justify it. Her story of life
in the Cardassian prison camp went to show that she believed what
she believed not because it was politically expedient, but
because she felt it was right. That's hard to dismiss.
Of course,
baddie may be to strong a word for the Kai now,
though she is not any easier to like with the same smug
personality she's maintained from the start. As she put it,
she no longer knows who her enemies are. And that makes
sense, since she sees the world along religious lines, and Sisko
has given religious proof that he is the Emissary. The
pent-up hostility at Sisko being an outsider is in a sense was
washed away by that evidence. In a sense it's ironic that
she could trust Sisko, but Starfleet could not.
With all this
characterization, we shouldn't forget the things on the grander
scale. Bajor will for now stay out of the Fedeartion, thus
protecting itself when the Dominion War does roll around. I
tend to think that Rapture is classic DS9 in that it
takes these grand galactic events and relates them on a personal
level. Like Improbable Cause,
Rapture was about characters caught in the middle of
events far greater than themselves. That to me has always
been a strong point for DS9.
On to
acting. Avery Brooks has had to grow on me in the role of
Sisko. At times he has appeared to me as a actor trying to
do theater for the television screen. Rapture
that was not so much a problem, since it required a bit of
exaggeration on the part of Brooks. Sisko took the role and
ran with, doing what I felt was an outstanding of portraying the
man literally possessed.
Of course, the
episode is not perfect. I wished Kasidy Yates had appeared
at another time, but I understand that her schedule only allowed
for this one show. To be blunt, I don't see how her acting
justifies a busy schedule. (The actor who played Whatley,
Ernest Pery, was rather poor too.) I felt that Kasidy made
for an unecessary plot complication, and I'm not sure if her
relationship with Sisko was really resolved, since most of the
time he was with her he was not his normal self. Also, I
would have like for Jake to confront his father one on one
instead of with Kasidy as well, since she seemed to speak too
often on his behalf. With that said, though, I can't really
complain about any of Kasidy's comments, and I do not consider it
to be a major point of concern.
Few scenes fell
flat. The only one that comes to mind is Sisko's arrival at
the infirmary, where he essentially blesses the crowd. I
thought that was a bit too stereotypical a scene of a someone in
the role of a religious leader, and it was compouned by the
revelation that Whatley and his son weren't getting along.
Also, I would have
liked to have seen the visions shown to us instead of told.
That's the one missed opportunity from a directorial standpoint I
caught.
-Some shorter
takes: The accidental unfurling of the Klingon flag in
Quark's bar was a nice touch of humor, as well as a good bit of
continuity.
-Worf's line,
You cannot loosen a man's tongue with root beer did
not go over as well however.
-Anyone else think
of Close Encounters when Sisko played with his food? I
though it was a nice homage, and it made sense in context.
-Has anyone else
ever noticed that most blacks on the show - such as Sisko,
Yates, and Whatley - all have English last names? Is no one
from Nigeria in Starfleet?
-Chief O'Brien and
Worf have another conflict over religious issues, calling back to
their argument in The Ship.
-Let's hope B'hala
does turn up again. It would be nice to see how it is
progressing.
-
Destiny mentioned that many prophecies surround the
Emissary. If anyone has the tape, was the one mentioned at
the very end of that episode in any way fulfilled here?
Writing:
Tremendous. It successfully weaves together key issues with
great characterization.
Directing:
Nothing extraordinary; the usual good effort.
Acting:
Avery Brooks delivers one of his stronger perfomances this year,
and the rest of the cast works well. Louise Fletcher as
always is good, but Penny Johnson and Ernest Perry are somewhat
lacking.
Rating: A
Quote:
Locusts... they'll destroy Bajor unless it stands
alone...It's too soon... Bajor must not join the Federation., or
it will be destroyed!
-Sisko, in a state
of near delirium as he interupts the official signing ceremony.
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