Glen here...
...with a follow-up to my last post about the series finale of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
A web site named TrekWeb has posted some news which recently ran in the National Enquirer. Said news contains some information about the series' finale.
In my last post, I mentioned having read the script for the series finale of DS9, and said I wouldn't be spoiling the script too heavily here on Coaxial. This proved to be a singularly unpopular sentiment among many Trek fans, who felt I was being coy or stingy with the information - and were none too shy about dropping me a line saying as much.
Despite the very loud contingent of detractors, most of the mail I am getting tends to support the decision not to ruin the show for people. As such, I will continue to err on the side of caution. Can't please everybody, all of the time I suppose...
THERE ARE A FEW ESOTERIC SPOILERISH POINTS IN THE TEXT BELOW.
I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY OF THE STUFF I'VE WRITTEN BELOW WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO ENJOY THE FINAL DS9 EPISODE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO STAY UNTAINTED AND VIRGINAL, IT'S BEST TO NOT PROCEED BEYOND THIS POINT!!!
If you would like to see a few tidbits of information, CLICK HERE to jump to TrekWeb's reprint of the National Enquirer article. I wouldn't be sending you there if I hadn't checked it for legitimacy first.
The Enquirer source gushes and raves about the magnificence of the DS9 finale. I must say, having read the script, I'm not at all convinced "What You Leave Behind" (the series finale of DS9) will appeal to everyone.
I believe many Babylon 5 fans will draw strong parallels to that series' closing episode ("Sleeping in Light"). Also, there is clearly a strong contingent of fans who are expecting to see an apocalyptic attack on DS9. There is a gigantic, balls-to-the-wall space battle in the finale, but it takes place no where close to DS9.
Does "What You Leave Behind" anihilate the possibility of following-up the series with TV movies or a feature film? No. It's a solid script with some magnificent moments, but this last show might be characterized as a bit too "safe" when all is said and done - by viewers expecting a little more "oomph". And - to dispel another rumor which has been hanging out there lately - no, Worf does not go back to the Enterprise E in the series' finale. He & O'Brien get new (unrelated) jobs though, but neither is on Enterprise. They are jobs which could...reasonably...re-insert them into the Next Generation or Deep Space Nine mythos if needed at a later Date.
But what "What You Leave Behind" sometimes lacks in courage or gusto is made up for in an entirely different area: before watching this last episode, you might be well served to re-watch the opening episode ("The Emissary") of DS9 This would help you to better realize and appreciate the personal arc many of the show's characters have traveled.
Julian, who came to the station as a disenfranchised, action-seeking, lonely young doctor finds love, action, and home on DS9 in the series' finale. Kira's previously genocidal hatred of Cardassians has now evolved into an admission and understanding that Bajor (her world) and Cardassia (the world of her enemies) are actually critically connected & entwined. Odo discovers that even though he is more or less detached from The Great Link, he still has incredible value and significance to them (making him feel much better about who he is), and has the capacity to make all the difference when the chips are down. The list goes on...
In other words, re-wathcing the first episode of DS9 before watching the last will help you to better appreciate how far these characters have come - to see how much they have evolved, changed, and risen to a new plateau in their lives from the time we first met them. Presumably, this is what Roddenberry meant when he selected "The Human Adventure Is Just Beginning" as the catch-phrase for the first Star Trek movie back in 1979. It's nice to know the sentiment hasn't been entirely forgotten. And this, in my humble opinion, is the mst singular accomplishment in "What You Leave Behind".
The universe has changed them - and they have changed the universe. I think that would pretty much sum up "the feel" of then last episode. There may be more DS9 news shortly, hope this has helped to answer a few questions without giving away too much...
