Finding the Prophets

Story: Image in the Sand
Written By: Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Year: 1998

The producers decided that following the death of Jadzia and all that went down at the end of season 6…that they wanted to start off slowly for their final season. They did that, and while this episode is okay, it is not that stellar, and at times it can even be slow and boring.
Basically, Ben and Jake Sisko have been on Earth working at Joseph Sisko’s restaurant for over 3 months, life on the station has continued as well it can. With Kira in charge, and now promoted to Colonel, she has been asked by Starfleet to allow some Romulans on the station permanently. All seems to go well with this plan at first. Bajor even allows the Romulans to occupy a moon orbiting Bajor for use of a hospital. But when they not only turn away a ship of Vulcans, but the Vulcan’s scans show some weapons being stockpiled there…Bajor asks them to leave. This argument looks like a perfect opportunity to the Dominion, who see a chance to break up this alliance.

Worf is decidedly distraught about the death of Jadzia, he fears that she is not in Sto-vo-kor, the Klingon afterlife. She didn’t die in battle. So the only way to ensure she makes it there is to fight a glorious battle in her name. Martok decides to help, as well as Bashir to help Jadzia get to Sto-vo-kor and the Chief to make sure Bashir makes it out alive.


Then of course there is Sisko on Earth, who finally gets a vision from the Prophets, with the image of a woman’s face in the sand. He finds out that the woman is in a photograph with his father, and that she is in fact his biological mother. His father gives him a necklace from his mother, which has Bajoran writing on it, after translation it says the Orb of the Emissary. Obviously, what he came to Earth to figure out is coming together. He decides to go to some planet to continue his search, not before being stabbed by a member of a new Bajoran order which worships the Prophets.

The final moments have the Sisko men ready to continue this journey, before a Trill Starfleet officer comes to the restaurant in order to see Ben…she says her name is Dax. Oh boy.

The episode is alright, a lot really does go on, but it is almost all build up with no pay off, and it is slow going way to often. You sort of have this feeling of “who cares”. I know why the writers wanted to start slow, and I don’t have issues with slower episodes…but this one had bad pacing, and storylines that don’t quite make sense or grab your interest yet. It is a shame.

NEXT TIME: Sarah Sisko