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The Die Is Cast (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

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"The Die Is Cast"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 21
Directed byDavid Livingston
Written byRonald D. Moore
Featured musicDennis McCarthy
Production code467
Original air dateMay 1, 1995 (1995-05-01)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Improbable Cause"
Next →
"Explorers"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (season 3)
List of episodes

"The Die Is Cast" is the 67th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 21st episode of the third season. It concludes the story begun in the previous episode, "Improbable Cause".

Garak has to interrogate Odo to prove his loyalty to his former mentor as a Tal ShiarObsidian Order attack on the Founders is underway.

This episode was first televised in broadcast syndication on May, 1995.

Plot

Garak and Odo have not been heard from on Deep Space Nine in several days, following their departure in a runabout to investigate an attempt on Garak's life. The crew of Deep Space Nine is alarmed when a large CardassianRomulan fleet suddenly flies through the Wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant.

The fleet, under the command of Cardassian Enabran Tain and Romulan Colonel Lovok, aims to destroy the homeworld of the shape-shifting Founders of the Dominion. Tain has offered Garak the opportunity to return from exile, and the two reminisce about their past together in the Obsidian Order, the Cardassian secret police.

Back on DS9, the senior staff view Tain's message laying out his plans to cripple the Dominion with combined forces from the Obsidian Order and the Romulan Tal Shiar. Commander Sisko, ignoring orders to stay put, launches an unsanctioned mission to take the Defiant into the Gamma Quadrant to rescue Odo.

Tain instructs Garak to interrogate Odo for information about the Founders, using a device that inhibits his ability to shape-shift. Knowing that Tain will never trust him if he refuses, Garak reluctantly does so. As the device causes Odo obvious pain, Garak begs him to reveal anything of use, even if it's a lie. Odo confesses his desire to return to his people, and Garak deactivates the device.

When the fleet arrives at the Founders' homeworld, they find little resistance and open fire, but soon realize that the planet is abandoned and the mission was a trap. Suddenly, Jem'Hadar ships appear and engage the fleet, vastly outnumbering them. In the resulting battle, the Cardassian–Romulan fleet is annihilated.

Knowing that the battle is lost, Garak leaves the bridge to rescue Odo. They encounter Lovok, who reveals himself to be a Founder and assists Odo in escaping. He confesses that the Founders viewed the Tal Shiar and Obsidian Order as threats and helped push Tain's plan forward in order to destroy them. He invites Odo to return to the Founders, but Odo declines. Garak attempts to save Tain, but Tain refuses to leave, and Garak refuses to abandon him, so Odo knocks Garak unconscious and escapes with him on the runabout. The Defiant rescues them from the battle.

Back on the station, Garak sits mournfully in the wreckage of his shop. Odo arrives and invites Garak to join him for breakfast.

Reception

The A.V. Club in their review in 2012, found the episode "great stuff, thrilling and shocking", elaborating that it was "bold storytelling which makes for great drama."

In 2015, Geek.com recommended this episode as "essential watching" for their abbreviated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine binge-watching guide, pairing it with the previous episode "Improbable Cause".

In 2018, CBR rated "Improbable Cause" coupled with "The Die Is Cast", as the 12th best multi episode story arc of Star Trek. They call it a "fun showcase for Garak", the space station's tailor.

In 2018, reviewed as a pair with the preceding episode "Improbable Cause", "The Die as Cast" was ranked as the 6th best episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine by Vulture.

References to other works

  • In the episode, Vice Admiral Toddman makes reference to Wolf 359, portrayed in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Best of Both Worlds", as well as the Deep Space Nine pilot "Emissary", where it figures heavily in Sisko's backstory.
  • In the episode "Defiant", Gul Dukat and Commander Sisko discover that a secret base operated by the Obsidian Order has a fleet of ships, which is forbidden.

Releases

The episode was released on VHS, paired with "Explorers".

This episode was release on LaserDisc in Japan on October 2, 1998, in the half-season collection 3rd Season vol.2. The set included episodes from "Destiny" to "The Adversary" on double sided 12 inch optical discs; the box set had total runtime of 552 minutes and included audio tracks in English and Japanese.

References

  1. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: "The Die is Cast"/"Explorers"". TV Club. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  2. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: "The Die is Cast"/"Explorers"". TV Club. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  3. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine condensed: How to watch the most story-driven Trek". Geek.com. 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2019-07-13.
  4. "Star Trek's Greatest Episodic Sagas, Ranked". CBR. 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  5. "Star Trek's Greatest Episodic Sagas, Ranked". CBR. 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  6. "The Best Episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ranked". www.vulture.com. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  7. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Vol. 3.11 - The Die Is Cast/Explorers". www.videocollector.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  8. ^ "LaserDisc Database - Star Trek Deep Space 9: 3rd Season vol.2 [PILF-2441]". www.lddb.com. Retrieved 2021-02-20.

External links

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