DS9 Stories/News: Michael Westmore’s Aliens (4)

DS9 Season 4

…

The teplan blight from “The Quickening“. Normally a makeup like this would be done by sculpting the veins in a piece of plaster, placing rubber on top of the plaster, and then placing a sheet of clay on top of that, pressing it down, and baking the whole thing in the oven. However, because so many veins were needed extremely quickly, Westmore decided to dispense with the top piece of clay, instead just scraping the excess rubber off the bottom piece of plaster and putting that straight into the oven without a top, thus baking in half the time. This method proved so successful that it has since been used on all Star Trek shows and films

Soto from “The Sword of Kahless“, whose Lethean makeup design had been introduced in the previous season (in “Distant Voices“), and that for its reappearance here, there was a subtle color change, bringing out the red, and pulling back the brown. Westmore also discusses that race was originally conceived as a kind of “dream-monster,” which had to be scary, so he designed teeth protruding from the jaw and forehead, and also used glaring red contact lenses

The Nausicaans from “Bar Association“, who have a “bony” design, with over-emphasized teeth

The makeup worn by Dennis Madalone as the Marauder in “Shattered Mirror“. Westmore says they were trying to convey that he was a tough guy who had been in a lot of combat, and the idea was that he had lost his eye when someone smashed a bottle into it during a barfight

…

Hanok in “Starship Down“. Westmore notes James Cromwell‘s performance as Jaglom Shrek in TNG: “Birthright, Part I“, and how much Cromwell liked performing with makeup in general

Morn, and how his head piece was designed in such a way as would have allowed the actor to speak

DS9 Stories/News: So You Want To Watch Star Trek: DS9? – Season 4

Source: http://directgeek.com/2012/01/so-you-want-to-watch-star-trek-ds9-season-4/

Previously: A primer on the series, season 1, season 2, and season 3.

Every season will now come with a “don’t listen to me, just watch it all” disclaimer. These are my personal favorites among a season of favorites.  Seriously, by the time we get to season 7 the whole post is just going to be a video of me sobbing and hugging myself.

And pressing my cheek to this image lovingly.

4×01-2: Way of the Warrior parts 1&2:

These episodes are killer. The tone and drive of the back half of the series sharpens to a knife-point. We learn so much in these episodes, we see so much set up, so much is twisted and turned around.

We learn that “sand peas” are almost definitely watermelon Jelly Bellies. We learn that the spots do go all the way down. That Garak doesn’t bother to fold his tucked napkin when having lunch with Odo. (Perhaps the whole torture thing means those social niceties are beneath them now?)

We learn that, if you have begrudgingly made your home among aliens, if you’re isolated and plodding on through bitterness and regret in a place besieged at every side, if your friends are your enemies, and your hardscrabble pride is your dearest enemy-friend, if you are drunk and afraid, then take heart. The only time you should really start to worry is the moment you begin to like the taste of root beer.

But, most importantly: Worf. Worf Worf Worf. Worf.

WOOOOOOORF.

4×03: The Visitor:

Do you enjoy weeping freely? Has it been too long since you’ve had a good, long, snotty, blotchy, call-everyone-you-love-at-an-inappropriate-hour cry? Well, here you go, buddy. Leave those embarrassing voicemails as the credits roll.

4×05: Rejoined:

Oh, and just go ahead and keep right on weeping. Just segue straight from tragic family story into tragic love story.

See, in addition to questionable psychiatric practices, the majority of Trill society believes it’s taboo-level improper for the new hosts of symbionts who once knew each other to “re-associate”. I’m gonna just translate that to “make out and be in love forever omg”. This is supposedly for the good of the symbiont so that it can have new and various experiences in its ages-long slug life.

Like many people would when confronted with the gorgeous new host of their ex-wife, Jadzia Dax calls bullshit on that.

Oh, does she ever.

And from this we get what’s arguably Star Trek’s most direct treatment of queer relationships. Some argue that the outcome of this episode precludes it from being pro-LGBT. For me, it only made the story hit closer to home. Trill’s taboo against re-association is as dehumanizing and insulting as any modern law that drives people in love apart, that bleeds into society and diminishes the character of any person enforcing or affirming that law. It isn’t Trek as utopia, but it is absolutely Trek as worthwhile and passionate social commentary.

4×06: Starship Down:

Like many geeks, I’m a person who loves stories about teams, about constructed families. Unlikely alliances and unexpected friendships that end up being so, so rewarding. This episode deals with that beautifully. Worf gets his in to begin really gelling with the crew, Jadzia and Julian laugh together at the expense of early-seasons-Julian, Quark makes friends with James Cromwell, and Kira and Sisko are the best.

Kira’s “holy crap I am friends with the Emissary” grin is also the best.

In addition to all these Feelings, this is just a really great spaceship episode in classic submarine storytelling style.

4×07: Little Green Men:

Look at this.

Look at it.

Good, now go watch the episode.

4×10: Our Man Bashir:

It should be clear by now that I’m a woman of offbeat tastes. I’ve always wanted to meet a nice lady with a tapeworm so that I could date someone like Jadzia. I somehow found it in my heart to love early-seasons-Bashir. Bedazzled skintight jumpsuits, disproportionately long limbs, anime eyes and all. But do you want to know what really gets my engine revving?

Oh. Hello, there.

O-o-oh. Oh, I see.

Oh God, what are these feelings inside of me? What witchcraft are you working on me, Star Trek?

OMG now he’s bleeding he’s in a tuxedo and he’s bleeding this is the most amazing thing to ever happen to me in my life what do I do with my hands how do I go on living when this is over OMGOMGOMG

I’m told that some other things happen in this episode, but frankly I never noticed.

4×16: Bar Association:

Rom: labor union organizer.

4×20: Shattered Mirror:

Subtitle: Jake Sisko goes on the Best Vacation Ever! The trend of excellent space-therapy continues as Jake spends the weekend with the body-double of his dead mom. Captain Sisko isn’t entirely convinced of the wisdom of this.

Jake and dead mom double, however, are sure that nothing could possibly go wrong.

In other news, Regent Worf got the cream of the crop from the SPCA.

I’ve had this dream so many times.

There is some subtextual evidence in the dialogue that implies Regent Worf is not a leader of well-considered opinions:

GARAK: The Intendant was bad enough. She was irrational, accusatory, unappreciative. But at least…
WORF: At least what?
GARAK: At least I was able to please her now and then.
WORF: You are not my type.

Worf, how are you even in charge of anything ,what is wrong with you, ye gods.

4×22: For the Cause:

Up until this episode, my opinion of the Maquis was “pfft, boring, they’re humans”. But then this hits and it’s like whaaaat.

Kasidy’s Maquis??! Whaaaat.

And then you’re like okay, okay I can deal with that. The Sisko will persevere. Jake will add this onto the pile of mommy issues and move on. But then!

Whoa whoa wait but Odo totally liked you what whaaaaaaaaat.

The shit: it is real. Oh, and Garak goes on a date with a teenager. To be fair, she’s pretty great.

4×24: The Quickening:

I have had this song stuck in my head since 1996.

This is the episode where I can begin to feel okay about liking Doctor Bashir in all his colonialist glory.  In an apt follow-up to Eddington’s Federation-as-homogenization tirade, Bashir finds himself neck-deep in his beloved ~frontier medicine in a place we’ll call The Planet of the Lepers.

I get the impression that Julian Bashir’s internal monologue sounds a lot like the content of a long series of pulp novels with racy covers and titles like Doctor Bashir And The Girl With Five Breasts, or Doctor Bashir Investigates: Where Are My Socks?, and in this particular instance Doctor Bashir– Among the Lepers! The great thing about our little ball of Starfleet-spiffy sunshine, though, is that he’s not that guy anywhere outside the holosuites. He doesn’t get the girl, and for the moment he’s no master of espionage. Heck, he can’t even cure one measly planet full of lepers. No matter how much he’s sure that he can.

“My bad, lepers.”

There’s a wonderful moment in act four where Bashir comes face-to-face with his own recklessly optimistic arrogance. It’s beautiful stuff.

4×26: Broken Link:

My notes for this episode were just “Worf totally ruins a perfectly good plan to commit genocide.” I stand by that. Another note could be that it’s clear from this that the universe runs on a currency of charm, and Garak is a goddamn billionaire.

No, for real. Why is Garak even on this mission in the first place? There’s every reason to disallow it. But all it takes is Garak reminding Sisko how great he is. The scene goes like this:

“Check it: I’m great.”

“Damn. He’s got a point.”

Season four ends with Garak in the clink, Odo in a meatbody, the Federation and Klingon Empire kinda-sorta tapdancing around open war, Emperor Gowron a suspected pudding-person, and the death of all Cardassia foretold by the Founders.

In the next post: Wacky Emissary hijinks! An episode about Keiko that’s actually fun! The spots go all the way down! Klingons, Klingons, Klingons! Even more genocide! Doctor Bashir becomes an unwilling expert in treating injuries associated with particularly rough interspecies sex!

Plus everything is beautiful and nothing hurts.

DS9 Stories/News: The DS9 Auction List (10)

The Official Deep Space Nine Magazine

Courtesy of Memory Alpha.org

Episode summaries: “Distant Voices“, “Through the Looking Glass“, “Improbable Cause“, “The Die is Cast“, “Explorers“, “Family Business“, “Shakaar“, “Facets“, “The Adversary“.

Interviews: Michael Dorn, Louise Fletcher.

Episode summaries: “The Way of the Warrior“, “The Visitor“, “Hippocratic Oath“, “Indiscretion“, “Rejoined“, “Little Green Men“.

Interviews: Terry Farrell.

 Episode summaries: “Starship Down“, “The Sword of Kahless“, “Our Man Bashir“, “Homefront“, “Paradise Lost“.

Interviews: Alexander Siddig.

Episode summaries: “Crossfire“, “Return to Grace“, “Sons of Mogh“, “Bar Association“, “Accession“.

Interviews: Nana Visitor, Robert O’Reilly.

Episode summaries: “Rules of Engagement“, “Hard Time“, “Shattered Mirror“, “The Muse“, “For the Cause“, “To the Death“, “The Quickening“, “Body Parts“, “Broken Link“.

Interviews: Avery Brooks.

Episode summaries: “Apocalypse Rising“, “The Ship“, “Looking for par’Mach in All the Wrong Places“, “Nor the Battle to the Strong“.

Interviews: Terry Farrell.
Features: DS9 comics.

Interviews: Armin Shimerman.

Interviews: Rosalind Chao, Chase Masterson, Felecia M. Bell.

Interviews: J.G. Hertzler, Jeffrey Combs, Wallace Shawn.

 Interviews: Terry Farrell, Michael Dorn, Armin Shimerman.

Episode summaries: “A Time to Stand“, “Rocks and Shoals“, “Sons and Daughters“, “Behind the Lines“, “Favor the Bold“, “Sacrifice of Angels“, “You Are Cordially Invited“, “Resurrection“, “Statistical Probabilities“, “The Magnificent Ferengi“.

Episode summaries: “Waltz“, “Who Mourns for Morn?“, “Far Beyond the Stars“, “One Little Ship“, “Honor Among Thieves“, “Change of Heart“.

Interviews: Colm Meaney, Casey Biggs, Melanie Smith.

Episode summaries: “Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night“, “Inquisition“, “In the Pale Moonlight“, “His Way“, “The Reckoning“, “Valiant“, “Profit and Lace“, “Time’s Orphan“, “The Sound of Her Voice“, “Tears of the Prophets“.

DS9 Stories/News: Bajoran Women of DS9 (7)

Leeta

Leeta was a Bajoran dabo girl at Quark’s on the space station Deep Space 9. She married Rom, who later became the Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance.

Courtesy of Memory Alpha.org

Leeta became a dabo girl in 2371, although she was an amateur sociologist. (DS9: “Explorers“, “Facets“) She quickly formed friendships with many of the station residents, including Doctor Julian Bashir and science officer Jadzia Dax. She was even asked by Dax to take part in her Trill zhian’tara ritual. During the ceremony, the memories of one of Dax’s former hosts, Emony, were temporarily transferred into Leeta. (DS9: “Facets“)

In 2372, Leeta joined the Guild of Restaurant and Casino Employees in response to Quark‘s pay cuts. She helped lead the formation of the union, helping Rom stand up to his brother Quark. (DS9: “Bar Association“)

Played by Chase Masterson

Chase Masterson (born 26 February), real name Christianne Carafano, played Leeta, a Bajoran native, who appeared in numerous episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine during the final five seasons.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Chase_Masterson

When the Federation retreated from Deep Space 9 after the Second Battle of Deep Space 9, Leeta returned to Bajor for safety. (DS9: “Call to Arms“) When the situation on the station became less dangerous, Leeta returned and helped the resistance cell which had formed against the Dominion. (DS9: “Favor the Bold“)

When Quark temporarily changed his gender in 2374 to help Grand Nagus Zek regain his office, Leeta helped teach Quark how to act like a woman. (DS9: “Profit and Lace“) In 2375 she participated in a game of baseball in the holosuite with the senior staff of the station against a team of Vulcans. (DS9: “Take Me Out to the Holosuite“)

http://www.chasemasterson.com/CHASE_MASTERSON.html

Chase Masterson Fan Club

Soon after moving to Deep Space 9, Leeta became interested in Julian Bashir and the two began dating. (DS9: “Explorers“) Their relationship lasted for over a year, but the two decided to break up in 2373. They traveled to Risa and participated in the Bajoran Rite of Separation. Leeta then admitted to having a crush on Ferengi engineer Rom. (DS9: “Let He Who Is Without Sin…“)

Leeta waited for Rom to ask her out for months, but he never worked up the courage. When Doctor Lewis Zimmerman visited the station to work with Doctor Bashir, he fell in love with Leeta. Knowing that Leeta had always wanted to open her own restaurant, he arranged for her to take control of an establishment on Jupiter Station. He asked her to return there with him and live together. She agreed and arranged to leave the station. Just as she was boarding a ship, Rom stopped her and confessed his love for her. Leeta admitted that she was in love with Rom too, and Doctor Zimmerman returned home alone. (DS9: “Doctor Bashir, I Presume“)

Rom and Leeta decided to get married quickly and they asked the Emissary, Captain Benjamin Sisko, to perform the ceremony. He married them on the eve of the Dominion War. The two were separated when Leeta returned to Bajor while Rom stayed on the station as a Federation spy. (DS9: “Call to Arms“) She returned to the station several months later and joined the anti-Dominion resistance cell lead by Major Kira Nerys along with Rom, Quark, Odo, and Jake Sisko. (DS9: “Sacrifice of Angels“)

When Rom was given the role of Grand Nagus by Zek in 2375, Leeta went with him to Ferenginar to help him carry out his duties. (DS9: “The Dogs of War“)

In the mirror universe, Leeta was a Bajoran woman working with the rebels on Terok Nor. “Smiley” O’Brien instructed her to “debrief” Ezri Tigan, following the Terran Rebellion‘s defeat of Regent Worf, which Leeta apparently took literally. When the counterpart universe‘s Rom told her “we’re married!”, she gave him a disgusted look and sneered, “I don’t think so…!”. (DS9 episode: “The Emperor’s New Cloak“)

DS9 Stories/News: DEEPSPACE NINE QUOTES

Source: http://www.spacebabyuk.com/QUOTES/Deepspacenine.html

This is probably the first and last time you will ever hear a Klingon mention the problem of their appearance during Kirk’s five year mission

“We do not discuss it with outsiders”

Worf to Bashir on twenty-third-century Klingons appearance

DS9 / Trials and Tribble-ations

“Even in the darkest moments, you can always find something that’ll make you smile”

Captain Benjamin Sisko’s Log
DS9 / In the Cards

“Every choice we make has a consequence…”

Commander Benjamin Sisko to Wormhole Alien
DS9 / Emissary

“Too many people dream of places they’ll never go, wish for things they’ll never have…instead of paying adequate attention to their real lives…”

Odo to Quark
DS9 / If Wishes Were Horses

“…..There’s more to life than profit”

Lieutenant Jadzia Dax to Pel
DS9 /Rules of Acquisition

“The old Klingon ways are passing. There was a time when I was a young man; the mere mention of the Klingon Empire made worlds tremble. Now, our warriors are opening restaurants and serving racht to the grandchildren of men I slaughtered in battle. Things are not what they used to be. Not even a blood oath”

Kang to Dax
DS9 / Blood Oath

“But it’s not going to be the same without you. When I look at a gas nebula, all I see is a cloud of dust, but seeing the universe through your eyes, I was able to experience…wonder. I’m going to miss that”

Q to Vash, on Vash’s refusal to continue travelling with him
DS9 / ‘Q Less’

“The one good thing about going away…is coming home”

Keiko O’Brien to Chief Miles O’Brien
DS9 / Accession

“Worf? My love…? Let me make this very clear –I do not want to spend my honeymoon climbing, hiking, sweating, bleeding, or suffering in any way”

Dax to Worf
DS9 / Change of Heart

“Time, like latinum, is a highly limited commodity”

Brunt to Quark
DS9 / The Bar Association

“Everything’s tidy when someone else is doing the cleaning”

Sisko to Garak
DS9 / Things Past

“You win some, you lose some”
“You always had problems with the ‘lose some’ part of that”

Sisko and Dax
DS9 / For the Uniform

“You’re always telling me that space is big. That it’s an endless frontier, filled with infinite wonders”
“It’s true”
“Well if that’s the case, you would think it would be more than enough room to allow people to leave each other alone”
“It just doesn’t work that way. It should. But it doesn’t”

Joseph Sisko and Benjamin Sisko
DS9 / Far Beyond the Stars

“Jake, the only time you should be in bed is if you’re sleeping, dying, or making love to a beautiful woman. I’m not tired, I’m not dying, and the truth is, I’m too old for beautiful women, so I might as well be here”

Joseph Sisko to Jake Sisko
DS9 / Homefront

“A dead man can’t learn from his mistakes”

Sisko to Omet’iklan
DS9 / To the Death

“A man with a death wish is a danger not only to himself, but to the rest of his team”

Odo to Worf
DS9 / Sons of Mogh

“I’ve found that nothing keeps me alert quite like a healthy fear of death”

Sisko to Weyoun
DS9 / To the Death

“One mans villain is another man’s hero, captain”

Dukat to Sisko
DS9 / By Inferno’s light

“Our gods are dead. Ancient Klingon Warriors slew them a millennia ago. They were more trouble than they were worth”

Worf to Kira, on Klingon theology
DS9 / Homefront

“Blood, Pain, Sacrifice, Anguish, and Death”
“Sounds like marriage all right”

Worf and Bashir, on the upcoming Klingon pre-wedding rituals
DS9 / You Are Cordially Invited…

“Truth is not always easy to recognize”

Bareil to Kira
DS9 / The Collaborator

“Stupidity is no excuse”

Zek to Quark, on the law
DS9 / Rules of Acquisition

“Nothing justifies genocide”

Kira to Marritza
DS9 / Duet

“The best way to survive a knife fight is to never get in one”

Kira to Ziyal
DS9 / Return to Grace

“One ship against an entire fleet…that’s a helluva plan B”

Dax to Sisko
DS9 / The Sacrifice of Angels

“I told Muniz he was going to make it.”
“That’s what a captain’s supposed to say”

Sisko and Dax, on the loss of a crewmember
DS9 / The Ship

“There is nothing honourable about killing those who cannot defend themselves”

Martok and Worf
DS9 / Rules of Engagement

“Well, after six years in a place like this, you either learn to laugh…or you go insane. I prefer to laugh”

Ee’Char to O’Brien, on incarceration
DS9 / Hard Time

“Just because we don’t understand a life form doesn’t mean we can destroy it”

Odo to Kira
DS9 / Playing God

“It’s amazing how some people will judge you based on nothing more than your job”

Mardah to Sisko
DS9 / The Abandoned

“Paranoid is what they call people who imagine threat’s against their life. I have threats against my life”

Garak to Quark
DS9 / For the Cause

 

“The sound of children playing. What could be more beautiful…?”

Benjamin Sisko to Jennifer Sisko
DS9 / Emissary

“Going through my own adolescence was difficult enough. Surviving my son’s is going to take a miracle”

Sisko to Dax
DS9 / The Nagus

“It’s always nice to have someone around to help change the diapers”

Sisko to Odo
DS9 / The Begotten

“I am a Klingon warrior and a Starfleet officer. I have piloted star ships though dominion minefields, I have stood in battle against Kelvans twice my size, I courted and won the heart of the Magnificent Jadzia Dax. If I can do these things…I can make this child go to sleep”

Worf to Dax, on babysitting Kirayoshi
DS9 / Times Orphan

“It takes a lot of courage to admit you’re wrong”

Kira to Winn
DS9 / Rapture

“And ‘A Ferengi without profit…”
“…is no Ferengi at all’”

Sisko and Nog, the Eighteenth Rule of Acquisition
DS9 / Heart of Stone

“The Tenth Rule of Acquisition is ‘Greed is Eternal’”

Quark to Rom
DS9 / Family Business

“Sometimes the only thing more dangerous than a question is an answer”

Zek to Quark, the Two Hundred Eighth rule of Acquisition
DS9 / Ferengi Love Songs

“Poisoning the customers is bad for business”

Quark to Damar
DS9 / The Magnificent Ferengi

“Another glorious chapter of Klingon history. Tell me, do they still sing songs of the Great Tribble Hunt?”

Odo to Worf
DS9 / Trials and Tribble-ations

“He put a bomb in a tribble?”

Sisko to Dax, on Darvin’s revenge against Kirk
DS9 / Trials and Tribble-ations

“Constable —why are you talking to your beverage?”
“It’s not a beverage, it’s a changeling”

Worf and Odo, on the changeling baby
DS9 / The Begotten

“He’s not sure he’s coming back”
“What makes you say that?”
“His baseball. He took it with him”

Kira and Odo, on Sisko
DS9 / Tears of the Prophets

“Of course it’s your fault. Everything that goes wrong here is your fault. It says so in your contract”

Quark to Rom, on the replicator failure
DS9 / Heart of Stone

“You mean your people are going to invade…Cleveland?”

Captain Wainwright to Nog
DS9 / Little Green Men

“Stay back, or I’ll …disintegrate this hostage”
“With your finger?”
“With my death ray”
“Looks a lot like a finger to me”

Quark and Denning
DS9 / Little Green Men

“This is the eighth run-through and you haven’t been able to hit a single Jem’Hadar. And you shot Moogie”
“I saw we weren’t going to rescue her—so I put her out of her misery”

Nog and Leck, on practicing for a rescue operation

DS9 / The Magnificent Ferengi

“I read a lot of science fiction”
“Bless you, my child”
“The world needs more people like you”

Darlene, Herbert, and Kay
DS9 / Far Beyond the Stars

“What does fun have to do with Major Kira?”

Odo and Vic
DS9 / His Way