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Goodbye Deep Space Nine....

© Tanya M. Blakeley

After seven years Deep Space Nine, the third series in the Star Trek universe, comes to an end. With promises of completing the loose ends, plot wise, the show finale is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated episodes since the "Next Generation" finale "A good things..."

When DS9 was first introduced in January of 1993, many questions were asked of the series. One such question was "Can Deep Space Nine and the Next Generation co-exist?" The answer was soon to become clear, it was an unequivocal "Yes." The series co-creators Rick Berman and Michael Piller had a difficult road ahead of them, to remain true to the Gene Roddenberry vision of an optimistic future and whilst introducing an amount of tension and conflict that would make DS9 grittier and albeit darker than the Next Generation.

From the start they worked hard to separate the two shows. While the crew of the Enterprise travel the Galaxy, in the "pristine flagship" of the Federation; Commander (now Captain) Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and crew inherit a dark, sinister-looking space station, where hardly anything works. Picard's crew is extremely loyal, whereas Sisko's crew is filled with both Federation and Bajoran crew members, some who have hidden adgendas. Sisko also had to deal with the Bajoran-Cardassian conflict on a daily basis.

With the arrival of Deep Space Nine's two hour premiere episode "Emissary," the series was soon to become a fan favourite. In that first episode, Sisko must decide whether to accept the position of Emissary for the Bajoran people or not. He must also begin to deal with the loss of his wife at Wolf 359. DS9 added a few new faces to the Star Trek legend, Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farell), Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig), Major (now Colonel) Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor), Odo (Rene Auberjonois), Nog (Aron Eisenberg), Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) and Rom (Max Grodenchik).

It also brought along few familiar faces to the forefront, in the form of DS9's new Chief Operations Officer Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao). At the start of the fourth season Worf (Michael Dorn) was added to the cast. Over DS9's seven years its storylines have run the gambit from conflicts and wars, to euthanasia, to civil wars and even the death of a major character Jadzia.

Now at the end, there are rumors of the death of another major character, and a few more surprises. In the final episode of DS9, which is titled "What you Leave Behind," the war with the Dominion comes to a final confrontation. A confrontation in which Sisko leads the Federation Alliance in an attempt to invade the Cardassian homeworld. While back on Bajor Kai Winn and Dukat scheme to release the Pahwraiths from the fire caves, and on Cardassia Prime Kira, Damar and Garak plan the Resistance's next moves.

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