Star Trek Deep Space Nine Feature Length Episodes: Ranked
11. Image In The Sand/Shadows And Symbols
The seventh season opener sees Sisko at home in New Orleans. The ever welcome Brock Peters is back as Joseph Sisko and Jake is there by his side. On the station, the newly promoted Colonel Kira is in charge while Sisko is away, dealing with Pah-wraith cults popping up and duplicitous Romulans attempting to arm one of Bajor's moons without their consent, all while the Wormhole remains shut, thanks to Gul Dukat's actions in freeing the demon and killing Jadzia in the process.
There is a lot going on!
We are also introduced to the newest cast member. Nicole de Boer joins the crew as Ezri Dax, the latest host. She is very different from Jadzia, suffering from nerves for more acutely than her predecessor. However, she still manages to display the relationship she shared with Sisko. She goes with them to find the lost Orb of the Emissary.
We see a return of Benny Russell as the Pah-wraiths try to stop Sisko from opening the Orb and we see Kira face off against a task force of Romulan warbirds. All of this takes place while Worf leads a mission to ensure Jadzia finds her way to the Klingon afterlife.
It is a strong season opener. The only reason it doesn't feature higher on this list is the fact that there are so many very, very strong entries in Deep Space Nine's run. This is a good example of the kind of character work and inter-personal drama that the show would be famous for. Here, all of the main characters get a chance to shine.