107: A Merit-Based System

In Purgatory's Shadow.

Beginning in season three with "The Die Is Cast," it was revealed that the Founders were infiltrating the Alpha-Beta powers by replacing key figures. In the fifth season two-parter comprising "In Purgatory's Shadow" and "By Inferno's Light," this is taken to a new level when a member of DS9's own crew is replaced. The revelation that the Doctor Bashir with whom everyone had been interacting for a month was actually a Changeling was shocking to viewers, and it sent ripples backward on the timeline—to say nothing of what it meant for the present and future.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing discuss the first half of this duology, focusing primarily on character stories. Does Dukat really care about the safety of Ziyal? Why does Ziyal love Garak? Why can't Worf just download new copies of his operas from Qo'noS Music? And, of course, we delve deep into the motivations of the Dominion in aligning with Cardassia and the replacement of Doctor Bashir.

Chapters
Intro (00:00:00)
Why the Cardassians? (00:03:27)
Does Dukat Love Ziyal? (00:10:50)
Why Does Ziyal Love Garak? (00:16:30)
The Internment Camp (00:23:21)
Garak, Worf, Jadzia … and Qo'noS Music (00:26:23)
Replacing Bashir (00:32:24)

Hosts
C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production
C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Ruth Ward (Associate Producer) Will Nguyen (Associate Producer) Ken Tripp (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)