‘THE ABANDONED‘ (DS9)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
‘The Abandoned’ is the second ‘DS9’ episode to be directed by Avery Brooks who plays Sisko in the series. It’s also another one of my favourite ‘DS9’ episodes featuring a single abandoned Jem’Hadar.
Over the years, we’ve had various episodes of a sci-fi series focusing on a lone opponent. In the ‘Star Trek: TNG’ series, it focused upon a Borg in ‘I, Borg’. In ‘Doctor Who’, it focused on a Dalek in ‘Dalek’.
It was interesting to see this ‘DS9’ episode exploring more about the Jem’Hadar through one individual. I would like to try it out sometime in focusing on a single Dwaxi in my Fifth Doctor stories.
In the episode itself, Quark purchases some salvage from a Boslic captain, played by Leslie Bevis (who was also in ‘The Homecoming’). He’s shocked and annoyed to find a baby boy in the wreckage.
To be fair to Quark, he does bring him to sick bay to be checked on, only for his salvage to be given up and examined by the DS9 crew. Sisko also has a liking to this baby boy, cradling him in his arms.
A while later; Bashir informs Sisko that the boy has grown to a phenomenal rate. He has developed in an appearance of age at eight years old within a few hours. This surprises Bashir and Sisko greatly.
It’s deduced by Dr. Bashir that the boy is the result of genetic engineering. Eventually, as the boy grows up into adulthood, he turns out to be a Jem’Hadar. This does terrify many people aboard DS9.
Odo, who manages to stop the Jem’Hadar boy getting away, manages to have some reverence to him. Starfleet wishes to examine the Jem’Hadar, but Odo insists he examine him himself for a while.
It was interesting to see the relationship between Odo and the Jem’Hadar boy, played by Bumper Robinson. By the way, the Jem’Hadar doesn’t get given a name unlike Hugh in the ‘I, Borg’ episode.
The Jem’Hadar boy is quite hyper-aggressive and wants to fight someone. He also has this uncontrollable pain as he’s dependent on some kind of enzyme which turns out to be a sort of drug.
It’s interesting how it’s revealed that the Jem’Hadar are addicted to drugs for their leaders, the Founders, to control them. It’s something I’ve utilised myself in creating the Dwaxi for ‘Doctor Who’.
Odo is hopeful that he can control the boy since the Jem’Hadar are bred to serve the Founders. He tries to share things with the Jem’Hadar boy, hoping to make him less of a killer machine in the tale.
People like Sisko and Kira are sceptical about Odo’s efforts, considering their past experiences with the Jem’Hadar. But they’re willing to give Odo a chance, despite warning him the boy is a Jem’Hadar.
But it doesn’t quite work out as Odo hoped for. In allowing the boy to let out his violent tendencies by going to a holosuite, it only makes the situation worse when it drives that boy’s violence forward.
The boy also notices people looking in fear of him whilst aboard the station. Odo tries to persuade the Jem’Hadar boy to not think about killing people, but he sadly isn’t able to do that in the episode.
Upon hearing that Starfleet has sent a ship to pick up the Jem’Hadar boy as top priority for study, the Jem’Hadar boy enters Sisko’s office with Odo there and pulls a phaser. He forces Odo to join him.
The Jem’Hadar boy refuses to be taken for study by Starfleet and decides to go to the Gamma Quadrant to join his people. Odo tries to persuade the boy not to do so, but the boy is determined. 🙁
It’s saddening that Odo’s attempts to influence the boy with positive ideas are wasted since the Jem’Hadar are programmed to fight by the Founders. It makes the Jem’Hadar interesting as a species.
There is a subplot in the episode where Jake is dating an older Dabo girl – Jill Sayre as Mardah – who happens to be a nice person. Sisko invites Mardah to dinner whilst being concerned her dating Jake.
It’s funny that Sisko was determined not to like Mardah whilst being open and friendly at dinner. It’s also intriguing that rather than ending the relationship, he finds a hidden side to Jake in the episode.
‘The Abandoned’ is a very gripping episode featuring Odo trying to train a Jem’Hadar to become less a killing machine. It’s sad it didn’t work, but light is shed on what the Jem’Hadar are like as a species.
‘The Abandoned’ (DS9) rating – 9/10
| The previous story
For ‘Deep Space Nine’ was |
The next story
For ‘Deep Space Nine’ is |
| Return to Star Trek | |
| Return to Sci-Fi |