Can Sisko take up arms against his former comrade? Are The Maquis so willing to stand up for what they think is right they will plunge the entire Federation back into war?
Best is Sisko’s rant about the TOS/TNG point of view versus what is really happening on DS9. I quote: “On Earth, there is no poverty, no crime, no war. You look out the window of Starfleet Headquarters and you see Paradise. Well, it’s easy to be a saint in Paradise, but the Maquis do not live in Paradise. Out there in the demilitarized zone, all the problems haven’t been solved yet. Out there, there are no saints — just people. Angry, scared, determined people who are going to do whatever it takes to survive, whether it meets with Federation approval or not!”
Also truly revelatory is Quark’s arguement for profit in peace. The bottom line attitude Quark has is a great antidote to the current military-industrial complex we find ourselves in the 21st Century.
Also remarkable is Gul Dukat. One of my favorite characters – he is seen vulnerable here (his superiors sell him out) and he has to band with Sisko to save his (horrible, scaly) neck. Like John DeLancie’s Q, Mark Alaimo’s Gul Dukat is one of Trek’s most fascinating semi-regular characters.
