Customer Reviews

Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, Episode 110: The Begotten [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This episode serves to round-off two of Deep Space Nine's best storylines, Odo regains his shapeshifting abilities and Kira FINALLY gives birth.

Quark sells Odo a gooey orange looking thing, you guessed it, a Changeling. Except this Shapeshifter is only a baby and is sick. So Odo must help it, and while he teaches new things to the wannabe-Founder he realises some new things about himself. Then Dr. Mora arrives on DS9, the man who brought up Odo as an infant, the same man that Odo dislikes so much. Dr. Mora wants to help the baby Changeling with his knowledge of Odo, but the Constable wants him to go back to Bajor. When the baby Changeling begins to die it is up to the TWO of them to save it... great episode!

This episode deals with the issue of parenthood...and what that really means. There are two storylines going on here - one involving the birth of the baby Kira has been carrying for the O'Briens, and the other involving Odo and his old nemisis, Dr. Mora.

As Kira gives birth, Chief O'Brien and Shakaar spar over their respective roles in the big event. At the same time, Quark lets Odo in on his most recent acquisition - a baby changling.

As Kira's labor continues, Odo, Dr. Bashir and Dr. Mora (the Bajoran who "discovered" Odo's true nature) work with the sickly changling, trying to bring it back to health and to get it to grow.

In the end, both Kira and Odo experience a sense of loss...but were the experiences they had worth the pain they now feel?

I really enjoyed this episode - espeically the storyline involving Odo, Mora, and the baby changling. I give this episode 4 stars and call it a "must see" for Odo fans!

If you are a fan of Star Trek because of the science fiction aspects of the genre, then this episode will likely disappoint you. Previously, Kira has accepted the responsibility of carrying the unborn child of the O'Brien's when Keiko was unable to do so and in this episode she is about to give birth. As she is in labor, there is a very childish dispute between the biological father Miles O'Brien and Kira's mate Shakaar. It is ridiculous, boring and serves no real purpose other than to fill the necessary time. With the exception of a few references to Bajoran culture, these scenes have no science fictional context.
The other main thread of the episode is the discovery of a young changeling that ends up in the hands of Odo. He recalls his experiences under Dr. Mora as his young amorphous form was examined and he is determined to be a better parent to his young charge. When he hears about the young changeling, Dr. Mora comes back to Deep Space Nine and ignites a conflict between himself and Odo that is the age-old battle between parent and child. With the exception of the unusual aspects of the "child", there is little in the way of science fiction in this storyline.
If you watch episodes of any of the Star Trek incarnations for the science fiction aspects, then this episode will probably bore you as much as it did me. While human relationships will no doubt remain the same as humanity moves out into space, the interesting part of stories about them set in space is the context and not the relationships themselves.

As others have stated, this is a must-have for fans of the shape-shifter. Regaining his abilities is a small aspect of this beautifully scripted tale focusing on Odo as a member of THE GREAT LINK and his attempts to "teach" the young changeling. Character actor James Sloyan returns as "Dr. Mora" and also adds an element to the well-crafted installment.

Also makes one wonder: How do shape-shifters "reproduce"?