I love how Mora correctly recognizes more clearly than Odo does that Odo sets himself apart from others because he feels he has to and only retroactively justifies it as "what he wants", and yet at the same time is totally unable to see how his needling Odo about this just makes Odo grind his heels more. He sees Odo as a son and a science project he knows Odo better than anyone in some respects and is blind to some of the most obvious signals Odo gives off his words of encouragement have the natural effect of pushing Odo back into his shell. James Sloyan - excellent in all his various Trek roles - is wonderful in his interactions with Auberjonois, and creates a portrait of a man who has just the right set of contradictions. "Alien gas has weird effects" is a dumb idea, but fundamentally the problem is created because of deeply buried feelings Odo has, and the problem is resolved through Mora's familiarity with Odo and his opening his mind to what he does *not* know. However, while both this and, say, "Armageddon Game" have weak plotting elements and good character development, I ultimately prefer this because the plot really is integrated into the character work, making the stakes high in ways specific to the characters rather than as a purely external device. The plot itself is nothing much to speak of, and it is indeed pretty weak. The Mora/Odo relationship is the focus of this episode, including what initially appears to be an unrelated monster movie B-plot but turns out to be explicitly about Odo's feelings about Dr. Like this site? Support it by buying Jammer a coffee.Įnter Dr. Look at the scene where Sisko offers words of wisdom to an Odo concerned about Mora's condition after encountering the toxic gas: "In the end there was nothing could do, and nothing I could do." This is contrary to "Homefront," in which we learn Sisko's father is still quite alive. There's a dialog scene here that strongly suggests (more like flat-out says) that Sisko's father had died years ago. Note: If you watch this episode again, you'll notice a blatant change in character backstory. But couldn't this have been done without so much mundane (and unlikely) underlying subplotting? As implausible as it probably is in plot terms, this explanation somehow manages to have some moving emotional implications in the Odo/Mora storyline, driving home a bond the two realize they need to reopen and reevaluate. Mora because of gas particles that have been absorbed into his (Odo's, that is) cellular structure. The episode's twist is that the lifeform is actually Odo in an uncontrollable shapeshifting state, who chases after Dr. Then there's the lifeform plot, which is filled with long stretches of dull scientific exposition, technobabble, bizarre red herrings, and even a few suspense scenes (some of which actually work). Mora, and Auberjonois' turn as Odo is a highlight that exhibits attitudes that are far more "personal" than the character typically takes on. The Odo/Mora scenes are fantastic, opening the backstory to how Odo became who and what he is, even how his personality came to be. Nevertheless, "The Alternate" manages to be a riveting show on some levels, even if it's the epitome of mediocrity on others. There are two ideas here that the writers must've been set on jamming together into one, never mind that they really shouldn't have had the slightest reason for coexisting. If ever there were an episode with a split personality, "The Alternate" is it. Mora (James Sloyan), the scientist who helped Odo develop his shapeshifting abilities, and also a father-like figure to the rogue Changeling, comes to DS9 to reconnect old bonds which have grown apart since Odo left Bajor in search of something better than being a "science project." Meanwhile, an Unknown Lifeform™ that Mora and Odo have brought back from the Gamma Quadrant (which, by the way, may be a clue to Odo's mysterious origins-or not) roams the station and attacks people, in a plot akin to a B monster movie. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine "The Alternate"ĭr.
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