‘AFTERIMAGE’ (DS9)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
‘Afterimage’ is a nice ‘DS9’ episode giving us the chance to focus on Ezri Dax as a character. I like this episode, especially as it has Ezri come to terms with who she is and what her place is aboard DS9. 🙂
Ezri finds a lot of things quite overwhelming when she’s reacquainting herself aboard DS9. This includes rediscovering the place where Jadzia died in the Bajoran temple and reuniting with friends.
A lot of people feel uncomfortable being around Ezri who has the memories of Jadzia and previous Dax hosts. Sisko and Quark are okay to accept Ezri whilst everyone else around her is uncomfortable.
Most particularly, Worf is uncomfortable about Ezri being aboard DS9 and he even refuses to speak to her. Even when they meet up in a corridor in the episode, Worf wishes for nothing to do with Ezri.
Sisko offers Ezri a permanent job on the station, but she’s reluctant to accept it due to the awkwardness of her interactions with Jadzia’s friends, including Worf. Sisko will be sad to see her go.
Incidentally, Ezri is an assistant counsellor when we meet her. Sisko offers Ezri the post of full counsellor aboard the station and even offers to promote her from ensign to junior grade lieutenant.
There is a nice scene between Ezri and Dr. Bashir when they meet up over lunch. I was getting the sense that Ezri and Bashir might start something together, especially with Bashir’s feelings for Jadzia.
Worf sees Ezri and Bashir together, even when she holds his hand. He threatens Bashir not to talk to her and ‘dishonour’ Jadzia’s memory. He threatens Quark also when he is in sick bay with Dr. Bashir.
Ezri soon gets her first counselling assignment aboard DS9 when Andrew Robinson as Garak suffers from claustrophobia. Odo notices this when he visits Garak in his shop as he is struggling to breathe.
Garak has been of immense help to aid the Federation war effort against the Dominion by decoding encrypted Cardassian communications. Sisko, Bashir and Odo are concerned for Garak’s well-being.
Ezri is asked by Sisko to try and help Garak out of his attacks of claustrophobia. Their first meeting goes well as Ezri visits Garak in his tailor shop and he’s back to decoding more Cardassian messages.
But soon, Garak’s claustrophobia gets the better of him again when he’s found in an airlock, trying to eject himself into outer space. Ezri later aids Garak with a holographic program to help him to relax.
It doesn’t quite work as Ezri visits Garak again in his tailor’s shop and he derides her for being a ‘confused child’. He also calls her an unworthy successor to Jadzia and Ezri soon leaves in tears here.
Feeling a lack of confidence, Ezri soon tells Sisko that she intends to resign from Starfleet. Sisko uses words to berate Ezri for wasting the Dax symbiont with its ninth life so he can persuade her otherwise. 🙁
Later on, Ezri returns to Garak’s shop in order to apologise to him. It’s soon revealed that Garak’s panic attacks have been caused by his guilt for betraying his people in the war against the Dominion.
Garak thought he was aiding the Federation in the fight against the Dominion for the good of Cardassia, never doubting whether he was doing the right thing. Ezri assists Garak with his emotions.
Soon, Garak recovers in the infirmary and Ezri decides to remain in Starfleet. Thankfully Sisko didn’t send in the resignation letter Ezri gave him when she turns up in his office to reapply for Starfleet. 🙂
Meanwhile, O’Brien persuades Worf not to treat Ezri like a stranger as that would dishonour Jadzia’s memory. Worf later visits Ezri in her quarters and apologises to her, persuading her to stay on DS9. 🙂
I like that scene between Worf and Ezri as there is a sense of understanding between them. It’ll take a while for Worf to get used to Ezri as someone with Jadzia’s memories, but he will learn to adapt. 🙂
Ezri soon accepts Sisko’s job offer to remain on DS9 and she’s soon promoted to the rank of junior lieutenant. I like the promotion scene where everyone wishes Ezri well, including Worf who is there.
‘Afterimage’ is a good ‘DS9’ episode to focus on Ezri Dax’s character. I like it helps the audience to get to know her as a character. I’m looking forward to how Ezri’s place on DS9 will continue from here.
‘Afterimage’ (DS9) rating – 8/10
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