‘WRONGS DARKER THAN DEATH OR NIGHT’ (DS9)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
This ‘DS9’ episode has Major Kira discover a terrible revelation about her mother. She finds out her mother actually had a relationship with Gul Dukat, the Cardassian whom she thoroughly despises. 😐
This episode came from a discussion that Nana Visitor had with producer Ira Steven Behr, I believe. Apparently Nana was very against the concept of Major Kira having a romantic affair with Gul Dukat.
And that’s fair. For most of the ‘DS9’ series, Kira has made her feelings clear about Dukat being the leader of the Cardassians whilst he’s tried to win her over. So, a romantic affair’s out of the question.
But a romantic affair between Dukat and Kira’s mother was suggested by Ira Steven Behr, and I imagine Nana Visitor had no objections since they made the episode anyway as we’re here today. 🙂
In the episode, Kira commemorates her late mother Meru’s 60th birthday. During the night though, Kira receives a transmission from Gul Dukat who informs her that he and her mother were lovers. 😐
Kira doesn’t believe it at first, but when Dukat recognises the bouquet of flowers her mother likes, the signs of him telling the truth become clear. Kira also does some more investigating to confirm it.
After getting irritable with Bashir and O’Brien in ops, Kira is persuaded by Odo to see Sisko and ask for his help as the Emissary of the Prophets. She asks to use the Bajoran Orb of Time to find the truth.
The Orb of Time first featured in ‘Trials and Tribble-ations’ of course. Sisko agrees to Kira’s request and she soon heads down to Bajor where she looks through the Orb. She gets sent back in time by it.
Kira starts off at a refugee centre where her family once lived. There she meets her mother Leslie Hope as Kira Meru, her father Thomas Kopache as Kira Taban and she also meets her younger self. 🙂
Befriending Meru and her family, Kira uses the name ‘Luma Rahl’ to pass herself off. But very soon, Kira and Meru get taken away from the camp to become ‘comfort women’ for the Cardassian troops.
They’re taken to Terok Nor (before it becomes Deep Space Nine). Meru is overwhelmed by the bounty of foods and other comforts provided for them, despite the sadness she is currently feeling.
Meru shares with Kira how much she dreamed of good health, beautiful clothes and having enough to eat, but didn’t expect it to be at the cost of her family. Kira tries to reassure Meru about things. 🙂
Very soon, Meru meets Marc Alaimo as Gul Dukat as he singles her out for special attention. She eventually becomes Dukat’s mistress, much to Kira’s disgust as she witnesses from a distance in this.
Actually, now I come to think of it. I wonder if Dukat recalled Kira being ‘Luma Rahl’ and many years later, he shared his story to her about him and her mother being lovers so she can go back in time. 😐
Meanwhile, Kira confronts a guard when demanding to see Meru who’s with Dukat before she gets thrown into the station’s Bajoran ghetto. Kira meets Tim deZarn as Halb of the Bajoran resistance. 😐
Weeks later, Kira reunites with Meru again. Meru praises Dukat, saying he’s a good man and she ‘loves’ him, but Kira is disgusted with her. Despite Meru’s arguments, Kira calls Meru ‘a collaborator’.
Kira soon works with Halb to smuggle a bomb into Dukat’s quarters, not caring if her mother gets killed in the blast. Pretending to have a change of heart, Kira reunites with Meru again to ‘apologise’.
But when she sees Meru receiving a message from her husband, thanking her for what she’s done to save him and their children’s lives, Kira warns Meru and Dukat about the bomb. They get to escape!
As the bomb detonates, Kira returns to the present. She meets up with Sisko in his office with the painful knowledge that Dukat’s story is true. Kira is still disgusted by her mother being Dukat’s lover.
But no matter how she feels, she couldn’t let her mother die since she is still her mother. Kira sees that the line between being a good person and being a collaborator isn’t clear-cut as she thought. 😐
‘Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night’ is a solid Kira episode in the ‘DS9’ episode. I like how she uncovers more about her mother and how she challenged herself in knowing her mum loved Dukat.
‘Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night’ (DS9) rating – 8/10
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