‘REJOINED’ (DS9)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
This ‘DS9’ episode was directed by Avery Brooks. It’s perhaps considered to be one of the most controversial episodes ever made at the time. Nowadays, I think a lot of people are accepting of this.
‘Rejoined’ is another episode about Jadzia Dax. It has her reuniting with an old flame, except that it’s from a past life. It was when Dax was a man called Torias and he was married to female Nilani Kahn.
Here, Jadzia meets up with Kahn’s new host Lenara, played by Susanna Thompson. Susanna Thompson would go on to play the Borg Queen in some ‘Voyager’ episodes. Looking forward to that!
Sisko informs Jadzia that Lenara is coming to DS9, leading a group of Trill scientists to perform experiments related to wormhole physics. He offers Jadzia that chance for a leave of absence in this.
But Jadzia turns the offer down, saying that she can handle this. Kira, Worf and Jadzia welcome the Trill scientists aboard and this is where Jadzia Dax and Lenara Kahn have their first meeting together.
Kira hears from Jadzia that Lenara used to be her wife (when she was Torias and when she was Nilani of course). Kira and Quark also discover more regards Dax and Kahn’s relationship from Bashir.
But it’s revealed that Trills from previous lives aren’t allowed to re-associate in current ones such as partners and lovers. It’s considered more of a taboo, though I am sure that would change nowadays.
At the welcoming party for the visiting scientists, it seems that Jadzia and Lenara seem to get on well. They also try to playfully rekindle the relationship without actually being serious to each other.
Even when they’re on board the Defiant to conduct Lenara’s wormhole experiment, it seems to work fine between them. But things become complicated once people begin to notice the two together. 😐
This is when Jadzia and Lenara agree to have dinner together and Jadzia brings Bashir along as a chaperone. Bashir gets effectively ignored by Jadzia and Lenara when they talk to each other in this.
It doesn’t help much when Bashir soon leaves Jadzia and Lenara and one of the Trill scientists, James Noah as Pren, notices they are holding hands together. Pren shares this with Bejal, Lenara’s brother.
Tim Ryan as Bejal even sees Jadzia and Lenara getting closer together when they hug each other in celebration for creating an artificial wormhole. Bejal shares his concerns to Lenara over dinner here.
Upset, Lenara visits Jadzia’s quarters and she shares her feelings to her. This leads to the biggest controversial moment in the episode. Lenara and Jadzia kiss each other. A lesbian kiss…in ‘Star Trek’!
Remember when Kirk and Uhura kissed each other in ‘Plato’s Stepchildren’? That was the first inter-racial kiss between a white man and a black woman. At the time in the 1960s, it was considered big.
Here, it’s two women kissing each other out of their love for each other. I don’t know how big the reaction was to that, but it could’ve matched to how the Kirk/Uhura kiss was or perhaps even bigger.
Jadzia later confides to Sisko how much she’s in love with Lenara, even though she’s not supposed to. It would risk the Dax symbiont’s continued existence if Jadzia pursued a relationship with Lenara.
Despite the risks, Jadzia wants to pursue a relationship and Sisko agrees to back her. Later, another wormhole experiment takes place before it goes horribly wrong and the Defiant’s severely damaged.
Lenara gets injured in the episode but Jadzia rigs up a forcefield across a plasma fire in order to rescue her former wife. Thankfully, Jadzia rescues Lenara and all is well when they head back to DS9.
Whilst Lenara recuperates from her injures, Jadzia offers her the chance to rekindle their relationship together. Lenara is not willing to resume her relationship with Jadzia, knowing the risks.
Eventually, with the experiments complete, Lenara departs with her science team, leaving Jadzia heartbroken. I’m pleased Jadzia is still in the ‘DS9’ series before she departs at the end of Season 6.
‘Rejoined’ is a fascinating episode exploring Trill relationships as Jadzia Dax reunites with Lenara Khan. I wouldn’t call it a favourite of mine, but I appreciate the messages the episodes is addressing.
‘Rejoined’ (DS9) rating – 7/10
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