History Recap / StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E03TheSiege

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Trills are allergic to many insect bites and stings, so Dax isn't happy about the CobwebsOfDisuse in the former Bajoran resistant hideout, let alone the [[GiantSpider spiders the size of a small dog]].

* YourMom: When Bashir makes a crack about Quark's mom, we learn Ferengi are pretty protective about them. Rule of Acquisition #31.

* PlotDemandedManualMode: The fighter Kira and Dax salvage has no sensors so has to be flown and aimed by hand. At one point, Dax has to use her tricorder to get some readings on the ships shooting at them.

* WorthyOpponent: General Krim knows both Sisko and Li to be men of good character, and shows respect for them when it comes time for him to concede. Unsurprisingly, the script compared him to UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel.

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Trills are allergic to many insect bites and stings, so Dax isn't happy about the CobwebsOfDisuse in the former Bajoran resistant hideout, let along the [[GiantSpider spiders the size of a small dog]].

* BittersweetEnding: Despite the somber ending, more sweet than bitter. Li Nalas dies, but his murder at the hands of a Circle member, combined with nearly delivering the wormhole and Bajor back to the Cardassians so completely discredits the Bajoran isolationist/supremacist movement that they are not mentioned for the rest of the show. Winn escapes punishment, but the cold reality that the Federation is required to keep the Cardassians out means that she won't make another attempt to kick them out either.

* UnwittingPawn: Odo's evidence proves that Jaro's nationalist revolution is being secretly supported by none other than the Cardassians, who are eager for another opportunity to annex a defenseless Bajor.

* BittersweetEnding: The [=DS9=] team exposes the truth about the Circle and their coup collapses. But Li Nalas is killed while Vedek Winn is able to survive Jaro's downfall and conceal her role in the attempted coup.

Kira and Dax have survived their shuttle crush, but Kira is barely mobile. Dax insists on dragging Kira with her. She passes out from the pain and awakens in the care of Vedek Bareil. Dax has already told him the news and disguised herself as a Bajoran. They burst into the Bajoran senate with proof of the Cardassians' actions. Jaro attempts to have them thrown out, but Winn breaks ranks with him to insist that the evidence be examined. The scandal breaks the influence of the Circle, and its forces on [=DS9=] are ordered to stand down.

* BittersweetEndingL: The [=DS9=] team exposes the truth about the Circle and their coup collapses. But Li Nalas is killed while Vedek Winn is able to survive Jaro's downfall and conceal her role in the attempted coup.

* TheAllegedCar: The [[BreakOutTheMuseumPiece old fighter]] Kira and Dax find on the Bajoran moon could only charitably be called functional. The thrusters barely work, there's no emergency gear, no sensors, no impulse engines, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking no leg room]]. It still lasts longer than you would expect against the militia's superior fighters before being shot down.

* IWillOnlySlowYouDown: Kira to Dax, complete with ThatsAnOrder. Dax, of course, doesn't listen. Fortunately the people searching for them turn out to be members of Bareil's religious order.

* PragmaticVillainy: Vedek Winn is quick to throw Jaro to the wolves once his connection to the Cardassians is exposed. Could also be an example of EvenEvilHasStandards, as the only thing that might be greater than her duplicity is her hatred of the Cardassians.

* AntiVillain: General Krim is a polite and reasonable man who is fighting for Bajor's freedom, and when he learns about the Cardassians' involvement he gracefully surrenders. The only reason he's a villain at all is because he happens to be opposing the heroes.

* PropheciesAreAlwaysRight: The vision Kira received from the Orb in the previous episode, which had appeared to be a metaphorical depiction of the many figures fighting for control of her life and the future of Bajor turns out to be far more literal: not only does she have to ''actually'' enter the Chamber of Ministers to plead her case and offer the proof of the Cardassians' secret arms-dealing, no matter how many voices argue against her, but both Bareil and Winn are there, as is Dax--and the latter is even wearing the same monk's garb of the Vedek order (because [[BadHabits dressing as monks]], who have religious immunity to enter the chamber, is [[LoopholeAbuse the only way they can get in]]).

On Bajor's moon, Kira and Dax manage to get a rusted old fighter up and running. They quickly get engaged in a dogfight with Circle forces. They manage to take one out before getting shot down themselves and crash-land on Bajor.

On Bajor, Kira and Dax manage to get a rusted old fighter up and running. They quickly get engaged in a dogfight with Circle forces. They manage to take one out before getting shot down themselves.

Back on [=DS9=], Sisko manages to trick Krim's second in command, Day Kannu, into a holo-suite. Sisko reveals to the Bajorans that the Cardassians are the ones supplying the Circle. Keeping the rest as prisoners, he transports Day back to Krim in Ops to deliver the message. Krim, however, withholds Sisko's info and lies about the circumstances of his release.

With the occupation over, the evacuees return to [=DS9=]. Kira, naturally, is devastated by the death of Li Nalas. Excusing herself, Miles questions Sisko on Nalas. He seems suspicious of this legendary man. But Sisko keeps Li's secret. Letting the famed Bajoran hero be remembered as such. A hero.

* RousingSpeech: Li Nalas gives one: "Where are you running to?'' This is Bajor. We are Bajorans. We fought a war to regain our homeland, how can you abandon it like frightened Cardassian voles? These ships are for our guests, who ''must'' leave because it is no longer safe for them here! However, ''we are Bajorans'', and I say that we stay and we solve our own problems together. Are you willing to join me?

The Siege is about to begin. With The Circle inbound for Deep Space 9, Sisko rallies those willing to stay and defend the station. As evacuations get underway, goodbyes are exchanged. Nog says goodbye to Jake, and Keiko begs O'Brien to come with them. He insists he's needed on [=DS9=]. And Quark, naturally, sees profit to be made in the limited escape seating available.

Turns out Quark's greed has resulted in a bit of an overbooking problem. As throngs of panicking people try to leave, Li Nalas speaks up. He reminds the Bajorans there they fought a war against Cardassia, and now they're running like scared children. His speech, combined with his legendary status, convinces the Bajorans among them to stay.

As the final runabout departs, Quark comes plodding along, dragging a case full of latinum, only to find out from Dr. Bashir that Rom has already given Quark's ticket to a Dabo girl, leaving his own brother stuck on the station.

With everyone evacuated, the occupation arrives. Led by General Krim, they find no resistance awaiting them. Krim is naturally suspicious, warning his men about Odo, and ordering them to scan at random intervals for any crew that may be hiding aboard the station.

When Jaro hails them, he makes sure they know it's not a victory until the entire crew is accounted for, especially Li Nalas. The last thing The Circle needs is a martyr-making death. Soon after, the sensor array is tampered with, confirming there are still Federation members on-board.

While Kira and Dax try to get a rusted old Bajoran fighter up and running, the resistance on station makes their first captures, ambushing a small group of five.

Kira and Dax engage in a dogfight with Circle forces. They take one out, but are shot down when the second one ambushes them.

Back on [=DS9=], Sisko manages to trick Krim's second in command, Day Kannu, into a holo-suite. He reveals to them that the Cardassians are the ones supplying The Circle. But Day dismisses it as a Federation lie, and after he's transported back to Ops, he chooses to withhold Sisko's claims from Krim.

Kira and Dax have survived their shuttle crush, with only a small few injuries hampering Kira. Rescued by Vedek Bareil, they get the info on the Cardassian suppliers to the Bajoran senate. Vedek Winn and Jaro are shocked to learn this, and order the Circle forces on [=DS9=] to stand down.

General Krim accepts his orders, and berates Day for withholding the information about the Cardassians. He respectfully returns command back to Sisko, and prepares to return to Bajor to face his resignation. Day, however, is having none of it. Drawing his phaser, he attempts to gun down Sisko, only for Li Nalas to take the shot. He dies right there on the Ops floor.

-->'''Sisko:''' Chief, Li Nalas was '''THE''' hero of the Bajoran Resistance. He performed extraordinary acts of courage for his people and died for their freedom. That's how the history books on Bajor will be written, and that's how I'll remember him when anyone asks.

* [[TheAllegedCar The Alleged Ship]]: The [[BreakOutTheMuseumPiece old fighter]] Kira and Dax find on the Bajoran moon could only charitably be called functional. The thrusters barely work, there's no emergency gear, no sensors, no impulse engines, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking no leg room]]. It still lasts longer than you would expect against the militia's superior fighters before being shot down.

* [[DieHardOnAnX "Die Hard" On DS9]]: A downplayed example, as the Starfleet guerrillas are only trying to forestall the Bajoran takeover of the station until Kira and Dax can defuse the situation on Bajor.

* FoodPills: Starfleet's combat rations look more like little brownies, but they'll keep a person fed for three days. [[TrademarkFavoriteFood The Chief loves them]], though he seems to be in the minority.

* [[GuyInBack Gal In Back]]: Jadzia does the shooting while Kira does the flying.

* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Li's upgrade started from the moment he first became an AccidentalHero during the occupation. Sisko resolves to continue it after his death.
--> '''O'Brien:''' Listening to Kira talk about all he was, all he did, all he was going to do, she makes him sound like he was larger than life. like he was some kind of military genius. But the Li Nalas I--\\
'''Sisko:''' Chief, Li Nalas was the hero of the Bajoran resistance. He performed extraordinary acts of courage for his people and died for their freedom. That's how the history books on Bajor will be written, and that's how I'll remember him when anybody asks.

* PlotDemandedManualMode:
** The fighter Kira and Dax salvage has no sensors so has to be flown and aimed using the Mark One eyeball. At one point Dax has to use her tricorder to get some readings on the ships shooting at them.
** Averted when Day tries to get out of the locked holosuite using the manual lever, but it's been deactivated.

* RealityEnsues:
** Kira and Dax bring evidence of the Cardassians' involvement puts Jaro in a bind where he has to comply with the investigation to avoid looking guilty, and even his ally Winn throws him under the bus.
** The fighter Kira found left on the Bajoran moon barely works since it has been left there for years and was built by resistance fighters, so it wasn't constructed to the same standards as the ships Starfleet uses.
** Against the odds Dax and Kira manage to shoot down a Bajoran fighter. But since they are dependent on their eyes to see anything, the second fighter they were facing easily shoots them down.
** Dax tries to use a fire extinguisher on the fighter, which just gives a brief squirt before running dry.

* RousingSpeech:
-->'''Li Nalas:''' ''Where are you running to?'' This is Bajor. We are Bajorans. We fought a war to regain our homeland, how can you abandon it like frightened Cardassian voles? These ships are for our guests, who ''must'' leave because it is no longer safe for them here! However, '''we are Bajorans''', and I say that we stay and we solve our own problems together. Are you willing to join me?

** Averted with Minister Jaro, who is still calm and collected when Kira presents the evidence.

** While Quark may be a bit of a MommasBoy, the full text of the Rule in question (via tie-ins) indicates it's not a typical Ferengi BerserkButton: "Never make fun of a Ferengi's mother. Insult something he ''cares'' about instead."

* ForgottenPhlebotinum: Krim has his soldiers at Ops conduct random scans for organic life in case Odo is hiding there. We hear nothing about this tactic when shapeshifters become a problem in later years (though in fairness there's no sign this actually works).

* SciFiBobHaircut: Averted with one Starfleet woman who has an impressive pompadour.

** Averted when Dax tries to get out of the locked holosuite using the manual lever, but it's been deactivated.

* SkewedPriorities: Quark spends the siege [[TheLoad hauling around a heavy box]] containing all the latinum to his name.