#ds9 Second Skin

[filmjunky-99]

r e m e m b e r i n g

Gregory Sierra

25 January 1937 – 4 January 2021

⚘️

[pic: sierra as corbin entek, second skin, ds9]

[walkingstackofbooks]

DS9 3x05 Second Skin thoughts (I'm re-watching, so there may be future spoilers)

"If you must know I'm waiting for Major Kira." For a date, right???

"I'm kinda looking forward to it." <3 Even though you hate holosuites, because you're spending time with Jadzia, right? :P

OH IT'S THIS EPISODE.... Time to traumatise Kira again...

That fake fellow prisoner telling her he remembers her... that's terrifying, being made to doubt your own memories like that

Sisko being so soft with her <3

There's a Garak in this episode! :D

I think this episode was better the first time round with the suspense, but it is interesting knowing what's going on and seeing what manipulations are at play

"I was wondering if you'd like to join me for a late night snack." WE know that that's code for I have something important to tell you but Julian doesn't, so is Garak offering a late night snack just a normal enough thing for Julian, or is he just oblivious?

Interesting the connections here of Iliana being very artistic, while Nerys is awful at art despite her djarra

Oh man, knowing Ghemor is not pretending but really believes she's his daughter makes him so much more likeable throughout the episode.

Sisko is very good at blackmail.

(I feel cheated we didn't get Garak and Julian's conversation and skipped straight to this)

"I'll go along on your fool's errand, but I want one thing to be perfectly clear. I have no intention of sacrificing my life to save yours. If it looks like we're in danger of being captured, if there's any signs of trouble at all, you're on your own." // "Mister Garak, I believe that's the first completely honest thing you've ever said to me."

Ghemor is a Good Parent

Kira's distress, ohhhh Kira 💔

How DOES Entek know about her private memory? (Can the Obsidian Order instil memories like they say, and they just gave her this one, specific thing when she arrived on Cardassia?)

"he quarters on this vessel are rather claustrophobic." Oh, Garak, that's possibly not just an excuse...

"It was just something I overheard while hemming someone's trousers." Sometimes I think this sort of line is overused in fanfiction compared to canon, but actually, no, Garak really is like this All The Time XD

>>>>> Also, the use of trousers is pretty British English, right? It's almost like Garak's spending too much time hanging out with a Brit.... 👀

KIRA NO MY HEART

"You're my daughter, Iliana. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Even if it means losing you again." HE'S SO SOFT

Despite the Massive Stress she's under, Kira's still able to put everything together and work out what's really going on, what a legend <3

That Odo trick was Extremely Slick

"Don't worry, he's on our side... I think." XD Yeah, valid 

Tekeny <3 "No I want you to have it" - so sweet

"I realise now you're an honourable man. And I think your daughter must have loved you very much." Oh Nerys. My heart. The Feelings this episode creates... ❤️❤️

Fantastic episode. Kira is everything <333333

[skybson]

3x05 - Second Skin

[knivesandteeth]

Bashir leaving Garak with kukalaka for comfort after he's out of the woods for withdrawal. Garak waking up curled around something soft and worn, something smelling just like Bashir. The scent filling him with comfort and feelings he's not supposed to be allowed. They don't talk about it. They never talk about any important feelings really. But Garak knows it's important to Bashir and he sleeps each night curled around it, thinking about Bashir.

[r0larens]

my fave game i imagine they play on ds9 is who’s gonna carry the odo bag this mission. do they draw straws? is it on rotation like a chore wheel? is it like an annoying punishment or does everyone lowkey want to be the one to carry their backpack buddy and throw him dramatically to reveal that it’s NOT a random satchel but in fact goo man

[respocked]

I know technically every single alien in Star Trek is a human wearing alien makeup, but these never stop feeling less wrong. It's so uncanny to look at. Makes me afraid the entire Federation is going to get cancelled on space tumblr for multiple counts of alienface

[searchingforserendipity25]

naturally kira nerys being kira nerys is the most fascinating and fulfilling possibility for 'second skin', and i love her so much.

however.

iliana ghemor sleeper-agent kira nerys slowly starting to remember snippets of a life as an obsidian order agent and legate's daughter in cardassia prime, and reintegrating that information into her current inner life?

there is something very interesting about that possibility. for what it means about choice and self-determination, about bajoran spirituality and faith - taking what the prophet's show you, and following their path in courage.

a great deal of possibilities, also. how much are the memories iliana's, how much from the surgeries and brainwashing etrek put her through?

whether she remembers it all, or only instants. perhaps if it is only that she feels the cold more keenly. her hands remember how to sculp bone, now, as jadzia remembered how to play after making peace with her murderous past life.

does it make a difference? it is up for her to decide what does make a difference. regardless of what she decides to believe, the strain is the same, a continuation of what every bajoran has known for fifty years - the oppressed being impressed upon by the memory of the oppressor.

kira nerys had a maybe-real mother who painted idols for the temple - she sculpts them, now, and the hopes and wishes and intent she puts into the work are her own, between her and the prophets.

iliana ghemor was loved and artistic and brilliant, and she is dead, she has been dead for ten years.

the world is better for it.

kira nerys? major kira as liberation to live for, and friends aplenty, and a duty roster to re-organize.

[quarkfancam]

I LOVE YOU KIRA DEEP SPACE NINE!!!!!!!!

[space-dog-from-space]

watched Second Skin and can't get over how Sisko just dumps Odo on the floor like some inanimate object. To be fair, Odo was an inanimate object, but that's besides the point, the THUNK

[filmjunky-99]

s t a r t r e k d e e p s p a c e n i n e created by rick berman, michael piller [second skin, s3ep5]

'I want you to know something. In spite of whatever I might have said, I realise now you're an honorable man. And I think your daughter must have loved you very much.' - kira

[isthereintruthnobeauty1968]

yeah!! my first impression of this tendency of his is of being just pragmatism (and it's not not that) but i really like the framing of it as effective communication

[dragontamerno3]

DS9 S3 E5 - Second Skin

I wasn't sold on this episode until the last ten or so minutes but damn did it end up being a good one.

The idea of turning Kira into a Cardassian was simultaneously a very intriguing one that I was interested to see where it led but I was also very much not sold on it so it was just confusing. I kept thinking, this obviously isn't real so why are the writers putting us through this? What is the purpose?

Initially, I thought it was to learn some of Kira's past time secrets so they could use that against Bajor/The Federation but the real ending was so much better.

I can't tell you how many times I screamed "just hug this man!" in my head when Kira was interacting with the Legate. I admit I teared up when she was saying goodbye to him and he called her his family. The Legate was a damn good character that I'd be interested in seeing more of.

The B side plot with Garak was fun. I'm a fan of how savage Sisko is and how far he's willing to go to get things done, including blackmail. The show keeps warning me that Garak is a bad dude and I know he has a past but I can't see him as an actual villain. Maybe this is just me cause I have a thing for villains but I don't get proper villain vibes from him. More anti hero? I dunno. All I know is that I love him lol

8/10 

[spockkinnie]

My attempts at capturing that gay lizards perfection

[squimp]

also not to say nana visitor isnt gorgeous regardless because she is. but like..why was she fine as fuck here

this ep always startles me how her makeup is so especially cute.. i think it has to do with ds9s tendency to cake a fuck ton of eyeshadow onto kira nerys even though She would Not Fucking Do That so it usually looks so out of place. but when you put it all together with the cardie makeup and her hair done up and everything...ughhh yes🤤

[bagheerita]

When you get past the fact that it's part of the O'Brien suffering canon, "Tribunal" is kind of a hilarious episode.

I know this is Star Trek, so this is a feature and not a bug, and one that goes all the way back to TOS, but when you can make literally anyone look exactly like literally anyone else, how is literally anything kept secure in this universe? The Federation really operates on a lot of faith in the inherent honesty of the majority of people. How were they even surprised when they met changelings? Like, yeah we're not as quick about it but we've been able to change people's faces and species since tribbles existed and we've been doing it at least once a show since, we can give you some pointers. How are there not more checks for things like this?? Boone apparently somehow avoided getting any kind of medical exam during the entire time he served with Miles on the Rutledge. How are people still so sloppy about it too?? Like, Boone's transformation was so ahem thorough, his wife (and parents) didn't notice outside of a personality change... but the Cardassians didn't bother to get him dental implants or otherwise disguise that he was missing one significant tooth??

Also, is it just because the Archon in this case is completely corrupt, or does the Cardassian justice system make about as much sense as one designed by Alice in Wonderland's Queen of Hearts?

[asexualjedi]

“The major is the least of ur trouble entek!! It’s me garak!!!”