‘LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN…’ (DS9)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
This episode’s title comes from the Biblical Gospel of John where it teaches about the adulterous woman. That does seem like a suitable title for this episode where some of our DS9 crew visit Risa. 🙂
Risa is a planet that has been mentioned countless times in ‘Star Trek’. In fact, it made its first TV appearance in the ‘TNG’ episode ‘Captain’s Holiday’. Risa later appeared in one ‘Enterprise’ episode.
The planet Risa is regarded as a pleasure planet with an open attitude to sexuality. It also has a sophisticated weather control system that ensures near-ideal weather every day without any rain. 🙂
I wouldn’t say ‘Let He Who Is Without Sin…’ is a very good ‘DS9’ episode, but it does explore Worf’s relationship with Jadzia Dax in an interesting way. This is especially as they’ve started being a couple.
The relationship between Worf and Jadzia has reached a rough spot. Worf plans to discuss his feelings with Jadzia as they are about to go on vacation. Worf wanted Earth, but Jadzia wanted Risa.
Worf and Jadzia soon get joined by Bashir and Chase Masterson as Leeta as well as Quark when they go to Risa. Worf was fine about taking Bashir and Leeta for the ride, but he wasn’t happy with Quark.
They soon end up on the beautiful ‘pleasure planet’ and Jadzia and Worf soon meet up with special guest star Vanessa L. Williams as Arandis. Arandis is the social director of the Tembiti Lagoon resort.
She also happens to be a former lover of Curzon Dax. Worf is dismayed about this since he fears that Jadzia may end up falling in love with Arandis again. Understandable since it happened in ‘Rejoined’.
Whilst on Risa, Worf is approached by Monte Markham as Pascal Fullerton, who is the leader of the New Essentialists. They’re a group bent on ‘restoring the moral/cultural traditions of the Federation’.
Worf gradually comes to warm to the New Essentialists’ ideals, by reading their literature and attending a group rally. Fullerton also warns the people on Risa that pleasure has made them ‘weak’.
Sometimes the New Essentialists go too far in their methods. This includes vandalising the Risian Solarium which is meant to be stunt to convince vacationers that they are vulnerable. It’s unsettling.
Worf soon accuses Jadzia for not taking their relationship seriously. He becomes jealous when he sees Jadzia and Arandis together the next day and he soon helps the New Essentialists in their plans.
This results in a powerful storm that rocks Risa once Worf has rigged an uplink device to sabotage the planetary weather grid. Thus it puts an end to the resort’s outdoor activities once it rains heavily.
Many become furious and some leave Risa. Jadzia accuses Worf for destroying Risa because he doesn’t trust her. She doesn’t understand how a Klingon like Worf can’t seem to relax and have fun.
Worf later reveals his restrained attitude resulted from a childhood incident he had during a school soccer game when he accidentally killed a human schoolmate. This was pretty intriguing to find out.
Since then, Worf has tried to hold back his emotions for fear that he might hurt someone else. Jadzia begins to understand Worf and soon the two grow to forgive each other, which was touching to see.
They get interrupted however when a powerful earthquake shakes Risa. Worf and Jadzia discover that Fullerton has gone too far. Worf takes back that uplink from Fullerton to stop the earthquake. 🙂
In the end, the weather grid has been restored and Risa’s back to normal. Worf enjoys the rest of his vacation with Jadzia and the two grow to trust each other. It was nice to see that once the story ended. 🙂
In the subplot with Bashir and Leeta, they end their romantic relationship together due to Leeta being in love with Quark’s brother Rom. They end their relationship without any tears or fiery talk 😀
The episode’s director happens to be René Auberjonois who plays Odo in the series. Odo is in one scene at the beginning of this TV episode where he, Sisko, Jadzia and Worf meet up at the Replimat.
‘Let He Who Is Without Sin…’ is a decent episode in the ‘DS9’ series. I wouldn’t call it great, but it does explore Worf and Jadzia’s relationship in an intriguing way once they’re visiting the planet Risa.
‘Let He Who Is Without Sin…’ (DS9) rating – 7/10
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