Starship Down
"Starship Down" | |
---|---|
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode | |
Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 7 |
Directed by | Alexander Singer |
Written by | David Mack John J. Ordover |
Featured music | Jay Chattaway |
Production code | 479 |
Original air date | November 13, 1995 |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"Starship Down" is the 79th episode of the
Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on
This episode aired in broadcast syndication television on November 13, 1995.[2]
Writing
This episode was written by David Mack and John J. Ordover.[3] Writer David Mack stated that the inspiration for this episode came from the 1981 Wolfgang Petersen film Das Boot.[4] These two writers also wrote the Star Trek comic book series Divided We Fall.[3]
Plot
The
The negotiations are interrupted when a pair of
Science Officer Jadzia Dax heads below to try to repair the engines. She is successful but is nearly blown out of the ship when the hull is breached. Dr. Bashir saves her, but they are trapped in a turbolift shaft with a diminishing supply of oxygen and without communication with the rest of the crew, who presume them lost.
One of the Jem'Hadar ships attacks. The Defiant destroys it, but not before it is able to render the Defiant helpless again; Captain Sisko is gravely injured with a concussion. Major Kira tends to him, trying to keep him conscious.
Quark is trapped in the mess hall with Hanok, where a live Jem'Hadar torpedo lodges itself in the hull. Combining their cleverness—and taking a gamble—to defuse the torpedo helps Hanok get over his mistrust of Quark. Dax and Bashir huddle together for warmth; Bashir appreciates the irony that being trapped with Jadzia in his arms was once a fantasy of his. On the bridge, Kira cares for Sisko, telling him a Bajoran fairy tale to try to keep him awake, and regretting that her reverence for him as the prophesied "Emissary" has prevented them from being closer friends. Lt. Cdr. Worf and Chief O'Brien work on putting the Defiant's engines back together; O'Brien helps Worf learn how to tactfully manage the engineering team. The Defiant is eventually able to destroy the second Jem'Hadar fighter and rescue the Karemma crew. Upon returning to Deep Space Nine, Hanok gambles at Quark's bar, and Sisko invites Kira to watch a baseball game with him in the holosuite.
Reception
In 2015, Geek.com recommended this episode as "essential watching" for their abbreviated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine binge-watching guide.[1] Screenwriter David Mack said that he was overall happy with this episode but felt constrained by the episode's budget.[4] This led him to write a more ambitious, but similar plot-type for the Star Trek novel Wildfire.[4]
Legacy
An episode of the third season of animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks titled "Hear All, Trust Nothing" directly follows plot elements from "Starship Down", featuring trade negotiations with the Karemma and appearances from Quark and Kira Nerys, with Armin Shimerman and Nana Visitor reprising their roles in the voice cast.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine condensed: How to watch the most story-driven Trek". Geek.com. 2015-01-19. Archived from the original on 2016-11-20. Retrieved 2019-07-13.
- ^ a b DeCandido, Keith R. A. (2014-02-14). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rewatch: "Starship Down"". Tor.com. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ ISBN 9780743428736.
- ^ ISBN 9781416525486.
- ^ Romano, Nick (September 29, 2022). "How 'Lower Decks' set the stage for its mini 'Deep Space Nine' reunion". EW.com. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
External links
- "Starship Down" at IMDb
- Starship Down at Memory Alpha
- "Starship Down" at Wayback Machine (archived from the original at StarTrek.com)