[Hauptmann]

DS9 SEASON 1-EPISODE 18, DUET

NOTE: I am beginning this series Thread because every episode has been reviewed to death. But what is it that makes these episodes the best of Trek. What about them that makes Trek such an amazing franchise as opposed to other series? Tackling difficult issues? Character development? Performances? These are Trek traditions. This series of posts explores that, and just my opinion.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*


Brief Synopsis: A Cardassian stops at Deep Space 9 for treatment of Kalla Nora disease, a serious condition. Unfortunately it means he must have been at a Cardassian labour camp called 'Gallitep'. Kira has this Cardiassian man arrested and accuses him of being at that labour camp, regardless of his function. The man reveals himself to be Gul Dar'Heel the commandant of Gallitep and is nicknamed 'The Butcher of Gallitep' But not all is as it seems.


Moral of the Story Hatred serves no-one and harms everyone.

Duet is very much a bottle episode [Episode with a very low budget]. And proves that all you need is a great story with good actors to make a marvellous piece of theater. Nana Vistor's performance as Kira was never better, and never been topped since. Coupled with Harris Yulin's performance as Marritza was simply sublime. Their interactions is what makes this episode work. In the finest material of what makes Trek great is that it dares to make our heroes flawed. The enemy may not be the enemy afterall, The villain might be us. This is very much an allagory of Jewish survivors of Nazi concentration camps, inspired by a film called 'The Man in the Glass Booth' [1975]. This episode shows us that there are also lots of flaws with the bajorans, Despite being a spiritual people, their hatred of the Cardiassians dominates them. Despite them being gone from Bajor, The Cardassians still harms the Bajorans with their anger, hatred and desire for retribution. Kira looks for any reason to punish Cardassians, Though the same methodes, dealling alot of pain. It is that vengence that makes Kira lose her professionalism and becomes a hurt victim again. Her hatred is so strong that it didn't matter that Marritza was just a filing clerk and hurt no-one. He was Cardassian, and that's all that was needed to wish him harm and death.

We are blindsided as to the climax, Marritza is posing as Gul Dar'Heel and his performance (Sublime performance by Harris Yulin) Is nothing short of a megalomaniac comic book villain. And yet the hatred and anger provoked was deliberate, the Cardassians were not defeated, they were replaced. The genius was that we the audience are rooting for justice and Kira's retribution. But the hero of this episode is indeed Gul Dar'Heel.... actually he's dead, he's actually Aamin Marritza, a lowly filing clerk at Gallitep, who was surgically altered to look like Gul Dar'Heel. Why? He wanted to be caught and publically punished to force the Cardassian people to confront their guilt and change their ways. Much like modern day Germany today. The one who turns out to be sympathetic was the Cardassian 'enemy' Who wept when remembering the suffering of the Bajorans and was powerless to do anything about it. Marritza dies because of that hatred, stabbed by a vengeful Bajoran man... Only then does Kira realise that it is not enough that someone looks like someone who harmed you, Bajorans too are capable of what the Cardassians did and must change...... The masterpiece goes one further, We felt like Kira, And we too must change.

Poignant Dialogue

• "You don't know what it's like to be a coward, to see these horrors and do nothing" -Marritza
• "He's a Cardassian, That is reason enough." "No, it's not" - Kainon and Kira