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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 2 Episode Guides

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Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 • Season 7

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Full Episode List

Season: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7

2x01: The Homecoming 2x02: The Circle 2x03: The Siege 2x04: Invasive Procedures 2x05: Cardassians 2x06: Melora 2x07: Rules of Acquisition 2x08: Necessary Evil 2x09: Second Sight 2x10: Sanctuary 2x11: Rivals 2x12: The Alternate 2x13: Armageddon Game 2x14: Whispers 2x15: Paradise 2x16: Shadowplay 2x17: Playing God 2x18: Profit and Loss 2x19: Blood Oath 2x20/21: The Maquis 2x22: The Wire 2x23: Crossover 2x24: The Collaborator 2x25: Tribunal 2x26: The Jem'Hadar

Kira helping stumbling prisoners escape

	2x01		Series Episode 20	Franchise Episode 273
	The Homecoming
	Kira rescues the resistance hero Li Nalas; Bajor ousts all non-Bajorans. Arc: Bajoran Coup d'État (1 of 3)


	Nitpickery: When about to embark on their mission, Kira says to O'Brien, "This mission can end only one of two ways -- either we bring back Li Nalas, or we don't come back at all." ... Why? Why are those the only two options? They could fail their mission but still escape. (Obviously, the dialog is just there to help establish the high stakes for the audience, but in-universe, it's a weird thing for Kira to say.)

	Watch Recommendation: This is the first in a three-episode arc. Because serialized storytelling is key to this series, the next three episodes are all rated as "Recommended."

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation ✔ Recommended	FINAL SCORE 5.4
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDB rating:	5.7	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Sisko observing a Bajoran military general

	2x02		Series Episode 21	Franchise Episode 275
	The Circle
	Sisko and Odo work to reveal the true power behind The Circle's coup. Arc: Bajoran Coup d'État (2 of 3)

⌛	Tear of the Prophets 2: Orb of Prophecy and Change, blue. (Orb 3 of 9) It's unclear if this is the same orb as in the series premiere, but it does appear to be a different color. If it is different, it's unclear how the Bajorans obtained it since it was established that the Cardassians had 8 of the 9 orbs.
🙄	Annoying Bashir Moment: Wasting time untying Kira instead of calling for transport like he was told. In the time he wasted, at least 4 more people are shot, including himself!

	Watch Recommendation: This is the second in a three-episode arc. Because serialized storytelling is key to this series, these three episodes are all rated as "Recommended."

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation ✔ Recommended	FINAL SCORE 5.4
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDB rating:	5.7	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Bashir, Quark, and others in a cramped maintenance tube

	2x03		Series Episode 22	Franchise Episode 277
	The Siege
	Sisko defends the station from The Circle; Kira & Dax take evidence to Bajor. Arc: Bajoran Coup d'État (3 of 3)

🙄	Annoying Bashir Moment: Making entirely unnecessary smug commentary about thorium isotope while capturing prisoners.

	Thoughts: This is the last episode in the series' first foray into using longer story arcs as opposed to purely episodic storytelling, and it was... just okay. Fortunately, they'll get better.

	Watch Recommendation: This is the third in a three-episode arc. Because serialized storytelling is key to this series, these three episodes are all rated as "Recommended."

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation ✔ Recommended	FINAL SCORE 6.3
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	8
Normalized IMDB rating:	6.2	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Jadzia Dax and another Trill in sickbay awaiting surgery

	2x04		Series Episode 23	Franchise Episode 279
	Invasive Procedures
	A desperate Trill tries to steal the Dax symbiont.

🙄	Annoying Bashir Moment: "The operation was a complete success! Why are you sad?!"

	Thoughts: This episode just doesn't work, for a number of reasons. There were any number of opportunities and ways to avoid performing the procedure, and they apparently needed Bashir to do it or their plan would have failed. After O'Brien is shot, Jadzia insists that the doctor perform the procedure, saying "I don't want anyone else hurt because of me." But it's not because of her, it's because a madman is going around shooting people and making demands. Capitulation was never the way to go here, and afterwards, it's just a lot of waiting around. The storm is contrived and seemingly doesn't cause any damage to the station, so it's unclear why they had to evacuate everyone and, lastly, Quark suffers no consequences for his role in this caper.

	Watch Recommendation: It's not good enough for any sort of recommendation. You aren't missing anything by skipping it.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 3.8
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDB rating:	3.8	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

A Cardassian boy watching Sisko and Dukat argue

	2x05		Series Episode 24	Franchise Episode 281
	Cardassians
	After discovering a young Cardassian in the care of a Bajoran, Garak and Bashir investigate abandoned war orphans on Bajor.


	Watch Recommendation: Though it does give some insight into Gul Dukat, there are plenty of other, better episodes to learn about him. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 4.5
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	6
Normalized IMDB rating:	5.5	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Bashir and Melora floating in zero-G

	2x06		Series Episode 25	Franchise Episode 283
	Melora
	Bashir falls for Melora, an alien officer who prefers low gravity. B-plot: An old associate of Quark's arrives on the station intending to kill him.

🙄	Annoying Bashir moment: Actually, compared to Melora, Bashir seems like the reasonable one here.

	Watch Recommendation: We'll never see Melora or any other member of her species again. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 4.5
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDB rating:	2.9	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Quark and his assistant negotiating with two aliens

	2x07		Series Episode 26	Franchise Episode 285
	Rules of Acquisition
	Pel helps Quark open negotiations in the Gamma Quadrant for Tulaberry Wine.


	Watch Recommendation: Eh, it's a Ferengi-heavy episode that is pretty forgettable. And guess what? We'll never see this new Gamma Quadrant species ever again, either! No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 4.8
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	3
Normalized IMDB rating:	5.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Odo questioning a mysterious woman

	2x08		Series Episode 27	Franchise Episode 287
	Necessary Evil
	Odo reopens a 5-year-old investigation into the murder of the station's chemist.


	Watch Recommendation: This episode provides important backstory for both Odo and Kira and shows us what the station used to be like when it was under Cardassian control. Besides all that, it's a delightful detective story and one of my favorites, earning it a rating of "Highly Recommended."

My rating:	★★★★ ★☆ ♥ Personal Favorite		Watch Recommendation ✔+ Highly Recommended	FINAL SCORE 7.7
SF Debris rating:	9
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDB rating:	6.9	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Sisko and a young woman enjoying a view of the station

	2x09		Series Episode 28	Franchise Episode 289
	Second Sight
	Sisko falls for Fenna, who keeps disappearing.

🙄	Annoying Bashir Moment: "I find the annoying man very entertaining!"

	Thoughts: I found Fenna and Gideon to both be compelling characters. It had all the makings of a good "thing-of-the-week" episode, but the conclusion fell flat. By the way, Sisko's last line, "She was just like you," ...was that just some last attempt on his part to get with Nidell??

	Watch Recommendation: It's a one-off and not great. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 3.9
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	2
Normalized IMDB rating:	2.4	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Several aliens asking Kira for help

	2x10		Series Episode 29	Franchise Episode 291
	Sanctuary
	Skreean refugees pour through the wormhole in search of a new home.

🙄	Annoying Bashir Moment: "All of them??"

	Thoughts and Nitpickery: There's a problem with how the Skreeans are written at the beginning of the episode when the universal translator is still not able to translate their language. Instead of being portrayed as reasonable people who just don't speak the local language, they're shown to be confused and irrational, wandering aimlessly on the promenade, stopping to repeatedly comment on a dress and defiantly picking up items that Major Kira obviously wants them to put down. It's not until the translator starts working that they appear to be rational and very concerned about the rest of their people. Also, it's a little goofy how the translator starts working, especially when it manages to translate the word "million" without any frame of reference to distinguish it from another quantity like "hundred" or "thousand."

	Watch Recommendation: Another alien species we'll never hear from again. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 4.3
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	3
Normalized IMDB rating:	3.1	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

A man showing Quark a strange hand-held device from across the bar

	2x11		Series Episode 30	Franchise Episode 293
	Rivals
	A con artist opens a casino; Bashir and O'Brien start a racquetball rivalry; everyone starts having bad luck.

🙄	Annoying Bashir Moment: His stupid "battle warmup."

	Watch Recommendation: This episode is dumb. Skip it.

My rating:	★☆☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 1.7
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	2
Normalized IMDB rating:	2.9	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Odo and Dr. Mora analyzing an unknown sample

	2x12		Series Episode 31	Franchise Episode 294
	The Alternate
	Dr. Mora, the scientist who helped Odo develop, arrives with evidence of others of Odo's kind.

	Thoughts: I'm not really revealing anything terribly interesting here, but I guess I'll be safe: Spoiler » Doctor Bashir sums up this episode perfectly right at the end when he says, "I'm not going to try and explain exactly what happened to you, Odo, because I haven't the vaguest idea" ...and neither do we, the audience. The gang goes to a planet we will never see again, they find a proto-lifeform that they brought back to the station and essentially killed because it couldn't survive in that environment, they also bring back a spire that was never deciphered and that we will never talk about ever again, and when they remove the spire, it triggers an Indiana Jones-style tremor and gas leak that knocks everyone unconscious and makes Odo go mad. And none of it is ever explained or revisited.

	Watch Recommendation: This is another episode that makes you think we're going to learn something more about Odo's origins, but in reality, nothing is learned. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 4.7
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDB rating:	3.6	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

O'Brien and Bashir in a laboratory

	2x13		Series Episode 32	Franchise Episode 297
	Armageddon Game
	O'Brien and Bashir help aliens destroy their bioweapons, only to be hunted down.

🙄	Annoying Bashir Moment: "Marriage is for suckers!"

	Watch Recommendation: It's a pretty good episode, but it isn't integral to the whole series. These two new species? Do you think we'll ever see them again? Of course not! No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 6.9
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	7
Normalized IMDB rating:	5.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

O'Brien rolling his eyes while Bashir performs a medical exam on him

	2x14		Series Episode 33	Franchise Episode 299
	Whispers
	O'Brien finds everyone acting strangely after he returned from the Parada system.

	"Keiko... tell her... I love...... coffee, Jamaican blend, double strong, double sweet."

	Watch Recommendation: Good episode, but it has no consequences for the rest of the series, and there's EVEN MORE new aliens we'll never hear from again. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 7.7
SF Debris rating:	8
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	8
Normalized IMDB rating:	6.9	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

O'Brien and Sisko standing outside with two farm workers

	2x15		Series Episode 34	Franchise Episode 301
	Paradise
	Sisko and O'Brien are trapped on a world where technology doesn't work and the human inhabitants' leader is kind of a dick.


	Watch Recommendation: A self-contained, not so great episode. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 3.6
SF Debris rating:	3
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDB rating:	3.4	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Odo and Dax standing with two men dressed in beige robes and beads

	2x16		Series Episode 35	Franchise Episode 303
	Shadowplay
	Dax and Odo investigate the disappearance of members of a small colony. B-plot: Vedek Bareil visits Kira on the station. C-plot: Jake starts an apprenticeship with Chief O'Brien.


	Watch Recommendation: An average episode with no consequences for the series. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 5.0
SF Debris rating:	4
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDB rating:	5.0	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

A man staring into his drink while Dax watches

	2x17		Series Episode 36	Franchise Episode 305
	Playing God
	A Trill initiate arrives to be mentored by Dax.


	Thoughts: I like Dax, overall, but I don't like Dax in this episode.
	Watch Recommendation: A not-great episode that you can surely miss. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 2.9
SF Debris rating:	3
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	2
Normalized IMDB rating:	2.9	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Quark and a Cardassian having a discussion

	2x18		Series Episode 37	Franchise Episode 307
	Profit and Loss
	A former Cardassian fling of Quark's arrives on the station.


	Watch Recommendation: I rather liked it, but if you skip it, you aren't missing anything vital. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 5.8
SF Debris rating:	Unrated
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	3
Normalized IMDB rating:	4.8	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Dax in a cave with three Klingons

	2x19		Series Episode 38	Franchise Episode 309
	Blood Oath
	Dax joins Kor, Koloth, and Kang to seek revenge.

🔀	Crossover: Kor, Koloth, and Kang (TOS)

	Watch Recommendation: I'm marking this one as "Optional" if you want to see the Klingon trio from the Original Series, but this episode isn't necessarily important to the rest of Deep Space Nine.

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation ♦ Optional Kol, Koloth, and Kang	FINAL SCORE 6.7
SF Debris rating:	7
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDB rating:	6.2	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Dukat, Sisko, and Cal Hudson looking concerned

	2x20 and 2x21		Series Episode 39 & 40	Franchise Episode 311 & 313
	The Maquis (Parts I and II)
	Sisko finds himself at odds with his old friend Cal Hudson, trying to prevent a war between the Cardassians and the Maquis.


	Watch Recommendation: While not my favorite two-parter, it introduces the terrorist group known as the Maquis, which plays an important role in the coming seasons. Therefore, this episode is rated "Must Watch".

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation 🕶 Must Watch	FINAL SCORE 7.1
SF Debris rating:	8
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	6
Normalized IMDB rating:	6.2	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Garak yelling at Dr. Bashir

	2x22		Series Episode 41	Franchise Episode 315
	The Wire
	Bashir helps Garak overcome withdrawal from an implant in his brain.


	Nitpickery: In the opening teaser, Bashir and Garak have a conversation while looking for somewhere to eat. When Garak seems to experience some pain and abruptly leaves, Kira comes out of nowhere to say "What was that all about?" even though she clearly wasn't a witness to any of the previous conversation. Later, Bashir asks O'Brien for help retrieving the old Cardassian medical files. O'Brien says it will take two or three weeks, and Bashir just dismisses the idea. That's pretty shortsighted of him - two or three weeks might be too late for his current needs, but what if he comes across another reason to access them a month from now?

	Watch Recommendation: I don't want to have too many episodes marked as "Must Watch"... but I reeeally think you should watch this one. Garak has been quite the mystery so far, and we finally get a glimpse into some of his history. Or do we? This episode is "Highly Recommended."

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation ✔+ Highly Recommended	FINAL SCORE 6.2
SF Debris rating:	8
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	5
Normalized IMDB rating:	7.2	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Kira staring at an alternate version of herself

	2x23		Series Episode 42	Franchise Episode 317
	Crossover
	Kira and Bashir accidentally travel to the mirror universe.

🙄	Annoying Bashir Moment: Every excruciating moment of his shuttle ride with Kira. It was such a pleasure to see Odo slap him across the face!
🔗	The Mirror Universe is visited in several different Star Trek series. It was first explored in the Original Series episode, TOS 2x10: Mirror, Mirror.

	Watch Recommendation: Deep Space Nine takes an interesting look into the Mirror Universe, and this is the first of five episodes where we get to "cross over." It's always fun watching people play alternate versions of themselves, so I'm marking this one as "Recommended."

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation ✔ Recommended	FINAL SCORE 6.7
SF Debris rating:	5
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	7
Normalized IMDB rating:	6.2	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Kira, Bareil, and Winn on the Promenade

	2x24		Series Episode 43	Franchise Episode 319
	The Collaborator
	With elections for the Kai imminent, Bareil is accused of being a collaborator.


	Watch Recommendation: This is the lowest-rated episode that is on the "Must Watch" list because of important context surrounding the election of a new Kai and the relationships between Kira, Bareil, and Winn. It might not be the best episode, but it is fairly important to the overall story of this series.

My rating:	★★☆☆☆		Watch Recommendation 🕶 Must Watch	FINAL SCORE 3.8
SF Debris rating:	4
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	4
Normalized IMDB rating:	4.3	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

O'Brien on the witness stand in a Cardassian court

	2x25		Series Episode 44	Franchise Episode 321
	Tribunal
	O'Brien is accused and put on trial by the Cardassians.


	Watch Recommendation: It's an ok episode, but it's not important in the grand scheme of things. No recommendation.

My rating:	★★★☆☆		Watch Recommendation -	FINAL SCORE 5.7
SF Debris rating:	6
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	6
Normalized IMDB rating:	5.5	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Sisko and an alien speaking with a Jem'Hadar

	2x26		Series Episode 45	Franchise Episode 322
	The Jem'Hadar
	On a camping trip, Sisko, Jake, Quark, and Nog meet the Jem'Hadar.

👽	First Contact: the Vorta and the Jem'Hadar

	Nitpickery: This episode famously introduces the Vorta as having some sort of telekinesis, an ability that they will never demonstrate again for the rest of the series.

	Watch Recommendation: Since this is a season finale and our first introduction to the (very important) Vorta and Jem'Hadar species, this episode is rated "Must Watch."

My rating:	★★★★☆		Watch Recommendation 🕶 Must Watch	FINAL SCORE 7.2
SF Debris rating:	6
Ex Astris Scientia rating:	7
Normalized IMDB rating:	7.6	Understanding Ratings and Recommendations

Full Episode List
Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Season 6 • Season 7

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