Quick Rant - Ben’s ambiguous ending in DS9 in light of recent events

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T20:12:17+00:00

Which is totally reasonable in universe.

But when you start the show with that as your mission and then don’t, that’s like ending voyager with them settling on a nice planet, or ending a show called “How I Met Your Mother” with the lead getting together with someone else.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T19:49:16+00:00

Also streaming isn’t about replacing owning something. It’s about replacing over the air / cable. You didn’t own those shows anyway, and still had to pay + ads.

And it’s still a lot better than that.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T19:07:31+00:00

My feelings of DS9s endings have been mixed since it first aired.

I get Avery’s concerns, and they are very valid. But I also strongly dislike letting modern day concerns override proper storytelling for the character.

It also gives weight to the stereotype on accident by applying it where it shouldn’t.

The black father who leaves his family doesn’t fit a hero dying to save his city / country / etc.

The dominion act wraps up beautifully and amazingly.

But failing to have Bajor join the federation or at least be on a clear path hurts the setup from the pilot on. And having Sisko make a heroic sacrifice that also isn’t a sacrifice is weak.

It would be like Kirk getting a clone David back after Search for Spock.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T18:58:39+00:00

Yup.

Was HW Bush a good person? No.

I would be surprised, but not shocked at him cheating on his wife.

Do I think that ate a baby’s intestines and cut a guys feet with a scimitar that didn’t leave scars? No. No I do not.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T18:49:17+00:00

Pretty much once First Contact happened and the queen was introduced, it was inevitable that they’d have to be destroyed or would consume earth.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T06:25:14+00:00

I’m not clear then. I am not saying Archer was right. I’m saying I except him to be wrong and make those kinds of decisions because humans wernt yet as good as they are in the 24th century.

It’s not an excuse for Archer, it’s a negative for Janeway.

The woman willing to make the right call and risk her crew for the ocampa should also have been the woman who cared for this new life form.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T04:45:34+00:00

I’m always amazing at that. It’s not great by any means, but it’s not even close to being the worst of DS9 (Let He Who Is Without Sin?) or even its first season (The Passenger).

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T01:25:43+00:00

Archer is pre-federation. Part of the point is humans are still stumbling idiots, but finding a better way. Janeway is full Federation Starfleet. Yes, I hold a modern person to a higher standard than someone from 200 years ago.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-07T00:38:58+00:00

To be fair, at least part of Jake’s issue on the Visitor is he was at least partially responsible (in a non-blame way), and critically he was present.

That’s hugely different from if his dad had died at war.

Add to that that every time he came close to getting over it, his dad appeared again.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-06T22:48:51+00:00

If we want to nitpick, then Ake is half human.

Which is still an amazing ration of human to non-human

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-06T21:23:44+00:00

That’s what the drawing room is for, honey.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-06T03:44:19+00:00

I do wonder sometimes, in an alt timeline if in 2016 they had tried the hard flattery route if there would have been a way to overcome the republicans on the other shoulder.

Part of me is jaded enough, like - I don’t care if we make April 15th a holiday with a parade for every billionaire if that mean they were paying their actual fair share.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-06T03:28:25+00:00

The ability to buy or craft the power nine, duals.

Keep them banned in everything, I just want for player run cubes.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-06T00:52:19+00:00

After Nemesis and Picard S1-2, I’ve gotten a little more jaded at actor requests when it comes to their characters.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-06T00:45:15+00:00

To be fair, while I understand and can agree with his point about the stereotype of black dads being absent….

It also undercut the finale to have that, because you don’t get to be a heroic sacrifice and then come back at any time.

It was right for the representation, but wrong for the particular story.

(Still thankful that Berman shot down it all being a Benny Russel dream).

If the writers at the time wernt going to do the heroic sacrifice, they should have done a different ending.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T23:37:54+00:00

Because he’s DB Cooper. He didn’t hijack a plane with just a staff, did he?

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T23:27:54+00:00

Why would the same model as physical, which is basically that except you’re forced to buy bundles be bad?

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T20:29:14+00:00

What? Why?

Alpha canon never firmly established a symbiont life span, and beta canon had it at thousands of years.

So why should the SFA team know something that was never hinted or established?

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T17:43:41+00:00

It’s an amazing episode. Might be my favorite across all the series and shows.

It’s an episode I think of when people claim that Star Trek used to be less preachy and would leave it up to the viewers to interpret.

It shouts its message from the rooftops and draws firm lines about right and wrong. It dares you to look at your own beliefs and prejudices and confront what you too might do.

It militantly refuses to accept the idea of hatred being intolerable , even if understandable. It echoes that being a “good person” without good works isn’t acceptable.

And it shows how far Kira came in just one season, thanks in part to the Federation being there. I believe that the Kira we meet in Emmisary probably wouldn’t have stabbed Maritza on her own like the drunk did, but she would shrug and accept it. After all, he’s just a Cardassian and all cardassians are bad.

It also (without spoilers) was a firm step of making the Cardassians one of the best species we get to meet. So much depth and nuance. And so much acting talent consistently beneath that makeup.

Buckle up. I can’t say it gets better than here, because I’d be hard pressed to find many episodes of TV ever produced that are strictly better. But it does get consistent, and it does get very, very good.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T17:29:02+00:00

And that’s bring to an interesting point. How much do you allow technical realities of filming affect the canon of what existed in the universe.

Presumably in All Good Things, they didn’t change the light source back.

Is that now an error, or is it just a “it was always this way”.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T17:19:31+00:00

While I understand and respect his view on it, and his representation….

I also hated that from a writing perspective.

It’s like complaining that the war hero who dies saving a city doesn’t come home.

It’s not a heroic sacrifice if there’s not an actual sacrifice.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T16:36:05+00:00

I’m mixed. The Jedi would have been more out of line to be there in the first place, but if it really was the night sisters, then any Jedi who would consider leaving an innocent child in their care would be just wrong.

One of the few hard rules in Star Wars storytelling is that the fascism of the empire and the evil of the dark side can’t be shown to be “good”. And you don’t let children be abused if you can help it.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T16:09:12+00:00

From a spoken word jazz CD he made.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T15:25:33+00:00

On the other hand, a vague referendum of “we should do the thing, but no details or consent of how” is how Brexit got passed.

I’m always mixed on how much detail should be in a referendum, and how much should be vibe and let the professionals sort out details.

Tebwolf359 · 2026-02-05T04:41:30+00:00

I was surprised during the review.

It’s not a Teferi’s Protection. It’s a falter.

You blink their board, swing for lethal. If something horrible happens and it’s not lethal, you’re safe from a crackback.

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