#DS9 The Die Is Cast

[walkingstackofbooks]

DS9 3x20 Improbable Cause and 3x21 The Die Is Cast thoughts (I'm re-watching, so beware spoilers for future episodes!)

(25/05/2023)

Garak!

Shakespeare! The first mention of this Garashir-fic staple XD

Garak is so obviously flirting XD this is the exact same way Gilora was talking to Miles!

G: "I'd be more than happy to bring some by the Infirmary later this afternoon." B: "Why thank you, I'd like that." His smile!

Kira's "Garak. :/". She's just so annoyed by his existence and it shows XD 

Oh, this is where he fakes his assassination attempt!

"But who would want to kill me? A simple tailor?" Always with the tailor identity.

G: "And of course, there's always Major Kira." B: "This is serious, Garak." G: "I'm being serious. I don't think she likes me." O: "She doesn't. But if she wanted you dead, you would be." Everything about this is 👌👌

Julian is so fed up with Garak's lies, isn't he

And the moral of the boy who cried wolf is... "You should never tell the same lie twice." Of course, Garak. Sigh

"I have bad news for you. Major Kira has an airtight alibi." Garak's tight amusement at this

"What makes you think I haven't already looked thtough [your security files]?... I'm joking, of course." Needing to mollify Odo.

"Odo I -" Miles is so stunned to see Garak there XD

"They're known to be favoured by Flaxian assassins, and it just so happens a Flaxian came aboard the station just this morning." Oh, Garak is gooood

This guy, the Flaxian, is not acting innocent, he's being super slippery and suspicious - but if Garak blew up his own shop, it can't have been him? Unless he was hired by Garak, I guess...

Odo's surprise to see Garak in the shuttle XD

Okay so Garak is genuinely stunned by the other ship exploding? I'm so confused!

"Because if he did know, he'd already be spinning out an elaborate web of lies to cover up the truth." Odo knows Garak's MO too well.

"Considering those uniforms of theirs, you'd think they'd appreciate a decent tailor." XD Odo has an opinion on this?

The unusual Romulans activity, as though they're getting ready for an invasion - this is them getting ready for the Dominion attack with Train?

Another five Cardassians were assassinated? But I'm almost certain Garak faked his! 

"I am not Doctor Bashir and we are not sparring amiably over lunch." Love this outside perspective on Garak and Bashir's lunch dates.

"You blew up your own shop, Garak!" The shock on Garak's face! And Odo's pleased, "Welllll, heh heh."

Ohhh, so there was a real plot to kill Garak

"He retired some years ago. He was, I might add, the only head of the agency ever to live long enough to do so." The fact that Garak is still showing pride at Tain's accomplishment

The emotion on Garak's face seeing Mila :3

"Is there anything you need me to do while you're gone?" Oh, sweetheart!

"Eat it? You're joking." "Yes I am." Julian's fond smile coming out there <3

CHOCOLATES

THEY'RE IN LOVE

"Is it so hard to believe that there's one person in this galaxy who could regard me with a certain affection?" "I could believe there's one (BASHIR cough cough) but I wouldn't expect it to be someone who worked for Enabran Tain."

"Tell me, is there one person in this universe you do care for? One person who's more than just an interesting puzzle to be solved." Interesting that it would just be the one. Why do they care so much about Odo only caring about Kira, because that's what's being implied, isn't it?

Aaaand I've only just realised that this isn't just setting up for The Die Is Cast, TDIC is the next episode! I'd thought it was the end of the season for some reason ..

"Ah, Garak. It's good of you to come. It spares me the trouble of having to send someone else to kill you." ... Whoops

"Like I used to say. Always burn your bridges behind you. You never know who might be trying to follow." I always find it fascinating when aliens have a twist on an English proverb. 

"You blew up your own shop? You, my friend, are a true original."

"I never betrayed you! At least, not in my heart." The emotion!

"You'll pardon me if I appear a little startled." This episode has sure been a tough ride for Garak's emotional control...!

321 The Die Is Cast

Julian's babbling on over lunch :3

Miles trying to pretend he was listening and failing miserably XD

His soft smiles leading into a sad face at remembering Garak

"That's not entirely bad news." *hopeful eye contact*

The slow realisation it's not just one ship out there...

Garak's so happy! 

"I was good wasn't I?" Garak still needing that validation

"I've missed you too, Enabran." Very deliberate pause there

"Next thing you know we'll be crying over our lost youth." Oh that was very pointed, and you can see Garak knows it.

Dr Parmak mention - "When we get back, you should look him up." This is where all those fanfics start?

"Mila may not be around much longer." Garak's quick head turn. He's so easy to read?

"Is this a request I hear?" "Not at all! Just an observation :)" oh Garak. I guess protecting Mila is another reason you want to stay on Tain's good side.

G: "And believe me, if it were my decision, things would be-" O: "I don't believe you, Garak..." Yeah, legit

"You are imaginative, Constable, I'll grant you that. But I would suggest that you put those creative powers to better use. We would like you to share your unique insights on the Founders." Garak's trying to tell Odo to make it up, tell him anything.

"It sounds like you're hoping Tain will succeed." I mean, I can see why - the Dominion bring home would be beneficial, probably.

Eddington >:(

"I'd like permission to take the Defiant into the Gamma Quadrant and try to determine if he's still alive." No of course not. But you tried, Sisko <3

"I am not going to just abandon one of my officers." YES, Sisko, I should have known you'd not take no for an answer

"I consider this a volunteer mission, but don't volunteer yet. There's a good chance you won't be coming back." But it's still worth it to him to try to get Odo :3

Eddington is Not Enjoying This. I guess he wants to fly under Starfleet's radar and not get court martialled? I wonder why he volunteered... It would make more sense to me for him to remain on the station and get more entrenched there

Ah, so that's why Eddington came, to sabotage the mission. He IS sucking up to Starfleet

"You've turned us into sitting ducks for the Jem'Hadar!" Miles trying to attack and Sisko restraining him.

"Because I give you my word." "I make it a policy to never question the word of anyone who wears that uniform. Don't make me change that policy." Oh Sisko.... This hit harder knowing what Eddington will do

"Ohh, no, you're going to torture me, aren't you?" The sarcasm, Odo's so confident Garak can't do anything to him

"Tell me, what will happen if you can't revert to a liquid?" "I don't know." The fear in Odo's face.

"I can wait. The question is, can you?" Chills

"Major, leave the chief alone." XD

"Odo! Talk to me!" The emotionn. "Lie if you have to, but say it now!" He's saying the quiet bit out loud?!

Garak is so transparent! He cannot hide his need to keep Odo alive!

There's definitely something about Garak quoting the Shakespeare he disdained just a few days ago to Tain.

"Why are you doing this?" "Because no changeling has ever harmed another." You kind of let Odo be significantly hurt though... Like, that is a thing that just happened.

"To the Bridge, to get Tain." Odo's bewilderment, yeah we're all with you there!

"Odo, I hope you will accept my sincere apologies for all this." Always with the quest for forgiveness.

Odo's breathless, astonished "What?" as the Defiant appears! 

What a pilot! Jadzia dodging all those phases like they're nothing!

"It's good to see you again, Constable." "Likewise, Major." They are both looking at each other with heart eyes I swear.

This is very similarly shot to Odo's conversation with his Cardassian informant last episode, I like that choice. 

"Do you know what the sad part is, Odo? I'm a very good tailor." Oh, Garak.

[andyoullhearitagain]

me, a 1990s makeup artist, on the phone with a snientist (a snake scientist): so if you punched a reptile what would it look like

[vaguely-concerned]

somehow enchanted by the detail that odo specifically gives himself (makes himself into??) a latte. he's thought about this. he has Colour Coordinated.

[sarahwatchesthings]

"Haha, hey, remember when you tortured me yesterday? Anyway, we should catch breakfast sometime."

[dilf-odo]

call me crazy, but I think Odo and Garak should have explored eachothers bodies

[ladyylavenderrr]

Me, very vocally, at my television screen when Enabran Tain threatens to hurt Mila in TDIC

[asexualjedi]

Julian misses his boyfriend. :(. O’Brien is going to give himself indigestion with how quick he’s eating. Also would be an incredible moment in series for Julian to realize his feelings for Garak are romantic.

[usstrekart]

Starting today and running for the next two weeks is a special limited time sale in my Threadless shop. I have had many requests to make a lot of my Star Trek episode posters available as prints so I am doing just that! I am starting with some of the most popular and most requested posters from Deep Space Nine for this first run. 

If you want more than a print, each piece is also available on magnets, stickers, shirts and more! You can find the collection at https://doctorheadly.threadless.com/collections/limited-time

For more of my episode-by-episode rewatch that has been the origination of these episode posters visit TrexReExamined on Twitter/X (for full episode live-tweets and episode posters).

[spocks-evil-godmother]

Garak torturing Odo until he becomes a squalid corpse of a man to get him to admit he longs to join the Great Link is SO MUCH and also I genuinely don't know how they ever came back from that tbh

[per1w1nkl3]

so is mila garak's mother? and tain some other family member?? (dare i say some kind of adoptive father?)

[bethebi]

The Die is Cast: Garek really commits a war crime against Odo and Odo is like "it's okay, I get homesick too"

[andyoullhearitagain]

*After a days-long cat and mouse game involving psychologically picking each other apart and culminating in Garak torturing Odo for information*

Odo: Why don't we hang out more, Garak? We should get breakfast.

[bagheerita]

When Sisko takes the Defiant to the Gamma quadrant against orders to rescue Odo from Garak's "old friend" and Kira's like, "We're getting a message: it's the Admiral calling to remind us he ordered us not to go to the Gamma quadrant." And Sisko's like, "No, you don't know what he said because we didn't get that message because of all the interference." and she just stares for a minute before she's like, "yeah... interference... must have been an ion storm." like the thought had never occurred to her to lie, and I lost it because "sorry can't hear you, going through a tunnel" apparently still works as an Earth excuse in the future 🤣

[demonicimagery]

truly incapable of being normal abt star trek. why is ds9 a literal masterpiece and why had i never heard of it until all my friends got into trek

[isthereintruthnobeauty1968]

im thinking about the wire again

[ladyylavenderrr]

It takes Garak an entire day to return to his shop.

———

A short novelization of the ending scene of The Die Is Cast