History Recap / StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS05E15ByInfernosLight

The crew on the station braces for battle against the newly arrived Dominion fleet, only for it to fly past them and into Cardassian space. Gul Dukat joins them and announces that the Cardassian Union has joined the Dominion under his leadership. In the internment camp, the Cardassian prisoners are released, all except Garak, who is forced to stay by Dukat's orders.

The prison gang hatches a plan to contact their runabout to make their escape. Only Garak knows enough about engineering to do it, so it's up to him to rummage around inside the walls jerry-rigging machinery while the rest provide a lookout. Worf is selected as fresh meat for the Jem'Hadar's daily gladiatorial fights and holds his own in an ongoing series of battles, though he emerges more injured after each day.

In the camp, Garak is grappling with his repressed claustrophobia. After getting locked in the crawlspace in the dark, he finally has a meltdown and goes a bit catatonic. The others lament that he's their only hope of escape. Further, while Worf has won time and again in the gladiator games, he's only got a few fights left before he's torn apart. But then Garak snaps back to his chipper old self and returns to the crawlspace to continue his work. Even Worf and Martok are impressed by the Cardassian's courage.

Bashir sends a message to the station, and Sisko quickly deduces that his double is an imposter. He tracks the double's last location to the ''Yukon'' and orders it destroyed. The runabout is on a collision course with the Bajoran sun with the intent to make it go supernova, destroying the entire solar system and all the ships stationed there. Kira orders Dax to use the ''Defiant'''s warp drive to catch up to in a desperate move, and it works. The runabout is destroyed harmlessly, and all traces of the phantom Dominion fleet vanish, having been the result of sabotage on their sensors. Sisko realizes that whole impending battle was a ruse in this attempt to destroy the allied fleet without firing a shot.

* ContinuityNod: the changeling's attempt to blow up a star with a Trilithium explosive is a nod back to ''Film/StarTrekGenerations''.

* HopeSpot: The Vorta announces that Cardassia has joined the Dominion and so all Cardassian prisoners are going home, meaning that Garak could return to the Alpha Quadrant and send help for the rest of them (which he would almost certainly do if only because his best friend Bashir is one of them)... until it turns out that Dukat intervened personally to ensure Garak would not be released.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Dukat asks Kira to admit that being on the same side "never really felt right." This sounds a lot like the writers admitting their own problem with Dukat's arc.

Things are just as dire on the camp. The injured Worf faces the Jem'Hadar leader in the ring. It's not a fair fight, and he starts getting pummeled. Meanwhile, the Jem'Hadar are looking for Garak and discover his crawlspace. They start shooting members of the escape cell, demanding that Bashir fess up to what's going on. Suddenly, the Breen in their company grabs a disruptor and starts blasting. It's a shootout, and when the dust settles, our heroes have survived and all the guards are disintegrated. By this point, Worf is barely clinging to life but refuses to surrender. The Jem'Hadar yields in his place, announcing that he cannot defeat Worf, only kill him. Disgusted, the resident Vorta orders both killed, but Worf is transported away just before he can be gunned down. Our heroes have escaped!

The escapees return to the station. Garak and Worf have happy reunions with Ziyal and Dax. O'Brien grapples with the fact that he's been palling around with a Changeling for a month without realizing it. Dukat messages Sisko to congratulate him on averting destruction. The captain notes that his actions saved Ziyal's life, but Dukat says that he's disowned her. They exchange threats before ending the conversation.

** It also uses [[Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock protomatter]], which probably makes it even more explosive.

* DemocracyIsFlawed:The Cardassian people had been living under a fascist government for a long time before Central Command was overthrown and the civilian government had been wracked by one crisis after another. It's no surprise a democratic government wouldn't survive long in such an political environment.

* EasilyForgiven: Despite just having been at war with them, the Federation quickly re-allies the Klingons without pause. [[JustifiedTrope They now have much bigger fish to fry]].

* EnemyMine: The Klingons ''and'' Romulans put their problems with the Federation aside to join against the Cardassian-Dominion threat. The Klingons even re-sign the old Khitomer accords.

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Deyos can't understand Worf's refusal to stay down in a fight he can't win. Ikat'ika (another villain, ironically) understands perfectly, and coldly criticises the Vorta for his lack of honor.

* EvilIsPetty:
** Because the Cardassians are now allies with the Dominion, all the Cardassian prisoners in the prison are freed. However, Dukat ''explicitly'' forbids Garak from being one of them.
** Because of a minor slight, Deyos had Imat'ika executed before Worf. This actually ends up giving Worf the extra few seconds he needs in order to be rescued.

* GodzillaThreshold: Travelling at warp within a solar system is portrayed as a dangerous maneuver, but Kira points out that if they don't, there won't be a solar system ''left''. It's worth noting that they're warping directly toward ''a star'', so a slight miscalculation would equal one crispy ''Defiant'' (and probably wouldn't be very good for the star either, not to mention the planets orbiting said star).

* HiredToHuntYourself: Sisko assigns Dr. Bashir to start blood-screening the crew of Deep Space 9 to identify the Changeling infiltrator who sabotaged the deflector array, not knowing Bashir ''is'' the Changeling they're looking for.
* HonorBeforeReason: Why Worf continues to fight a losing battle, even after Ikat'ika (his opponent) and Martok (another Klingon) tell him to give up.

* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: Gul Dukat might have had [[EnemyMine worked with the DS9 crew]] in the past but whenever they did they made it no secret that they hated his guts, among other things. So it comes as no surprise that he betrays them and sides with the Dominion.

* PlotHole: There is no reason for the Runabout to be in orbit other than so the protagonists can make their escape.
* PragmaticVillainy: Sisko offers to renew the treaty between the Klingons and the Federation. Gowron quickly accepts that it's the Klingon's best chance against the Dominion.
* RageBreakingPoint: Dukat takes a moment as the Dominion fleet suddenly shifts towards Cardassia to gloat to Kira that he has negotiated for Cardassia to join the Dominion, before adding as a parting shot that the two of them on the same side "never seemed quite right, did it?" Kira's response (after a minute ago making it clear they were on "hold fire" orders until Sisko gave the word):

* WhamEpisode: Ron Moore described this two-parter as "throwing up everything into the air, and only what they caught would stay the same. Everything else, not so much."
** Dukat joins the Dominion, installing himself as the leader of Cardassia and giving the Founders a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant.
** Gowron rejoins the Khitomer Accords, making the Federation and Klingons allies again.

A disturbing development forces the Federation and Klingon Empire to put their differences aside and stave off the new threat of a Dominion-Cardassian alliance.

** Also the case for the Cardassians and the Dominion. Despite the Female Changeling making it clear the Founders held ''all'' Cardassians responsible for trying to genocide them, they are perfectly happy to let Cardassia join the Dominion, as this [[JustifiedTrope provides them a secure foothold]] [[PragmaticVillainy in the Alpha Quadrant]].

** Also the case for the Cardasians and the Dominion. Despite the Female Changeling making it clear the Founders held ''all'' Cardasians responsible for trying to genocide them, they are perfectly happy to let Cardasia join the Dominion. [[JustifiedTrope It after all provides a secure foothold in the Alpha Quadrant]].

* ILikeThoseOdds: A variation at the beginning, as the Defiant faces down a Jem'Hadar fleet along with two runabouts and (they think) Dukat's Bird-of-Prey.

* IOweYouMyLife: Dukat freely admits that Sisko saved his life at least once, and returns the favor by giving him a chance to surrender peacefully. Sisko, clearly regretting not just letting Dukat die, tells him where he can stick it.

-->"You might ask, should we fear joining the Dominion? And I answer you, not in the least. We should embrace the opportunity. The Dominion recognises us for what we are: the true leaders of the Alpha Quadrant. And now that we are joined together, equal partners in all endeavours, the only people with anything to fear will be our enemies. My oldest son's birthday is in five days. To him and to Cardassians everywhere, I make the following pledge. By the time his birthday dawns, there will not be [[CurbStompBattle a single Klingon alive inside Cardassian territory]] or [[FinalSolution a single Maquis colony left within our borders]]. Cardassia will be made whole. All that we have lost will be ours again, and anyone who stands in our way will be destroyed. This I vow with my life's blood. For my son, for all our sons."
* NobleDemon: Ikat'ika coldly criticises Deyos (his boss) for lacking any understanding of honor, and is ultimately so impressed with Worf that ''he'' surrenders, admitting that he can only kill Worf, not defeat him. This principled stand gets Ikat'ika shot.

** WorfHadTheFlu: By the time Worf fights the First of the Jem'Hadar on the station, Worf has already experienced progressive injuries from his previous 7 opponents, which Bashir can only do so much about under the circumstances.

* RealityEnsues: The Cardassian people had been living under a fascist government for a long time before Central Command was overthrown and the civilian government had been wracked by one crisis after another. It's no surprise a democratic government wouldn't survive long in such an political environment.
** Worf repeatedly fights and wins against Jem'Hadar, but gets hurt in each fight and his injuries pile up very quickly. Bashir states after five fights he's got multiple broken ribs. By the time he faces Ikat'ika, Worf is too injured to offer real resistance and fails to land a single blow.
** Gul Dukat might have had [[EnemyMine worked with the DS9 crew]] in the past but whenever they did they made it no secret that they hated his guts, among other things. So it comes as no surprise that he betrays them and sides with the Dominion.

** Also the case for the Cardasians and the Dominion. Despite the Female Changeling making it clear the Founders held ''all'' Cardasians responsible for trying to genocide them, they are perfectly happy to let Cardasia join the Dominion. [[JustifiedTrope It after all provides a secure foothold in the Alpha Quadrant]]. And, as later episodes show, the Cardassians are not exactly considered equal partners among the Dominion, particularly by the end of the final season.

* PlotHole: There is no reason for the Runabout to be in orbit other than so the protagonists can make their escape. This was later cited in [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E18Inquisition "Inquisition"]] as implausible and "proof" of Bashir being a Dominion spy.

** Also the case for the Cardasians and the Dominion. Despite the Female Changeling making it clear the Founders held ''all'' Cardasians responsible for trying to genocide them, they are perfectly happy to let Cardasia join the Dominion. [[JustifiedTrope It after all provides a secure foothold in the Alpha Quadrant]].

** Also the case for the Cardasians and the Dominion. Despite the Female Changeling making it clear the Founders held ''all'' Cardasians responsible for trying to genocide them, they are perfectly happy to let Cardasia join the Dominion. [[JustifiedTrope It after all provides a secure foothold in the Alpha Quadrant]] - [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E25E26WhatYouLeaveBehind but later events]] strongly suggest they were happy to return the favor once they were of no more use.

* YouHaveFailedMe: The Vorta Deyos has Ikat'ika killed for yielding to an opponent he was winning the fight against. He also tries to have Worf killed at the same time, but Worf gets [[TeleportationRescue beamed out at that moment]].

** Also the case for the Cardasians and the Dominion. Despite the Female Changeling making it clear the Founders held ''all'' Cardasians responsible for this crime, they are perfectly happy to let Cardasia join the Dominion. [[JustifiedTrope It after all provides a secure foothold in the Alpha Quadrant]] - [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E25E26WhatYouLeaveBehind but later events]] strongly suggest they were happy to return the favor once they were of no more use.

** Also the case for the Cardasians and the Dominion. Despite the Female Changeling making it clear the Founders held ''all'' Cardasians responsible for this crime, they are perfectly happy to let Cardasia join the Dominion. [[JustifiedTrope It after all provides a secure foothold in the Alpha Quadrant - and later events strongly suggest they planned to eliminate the species in the long run once they were of no further use]].

* YouHaveFailedMe: The Vorta Deyos has Ikat'ika killed for yielding to an opponent he was winning the fight against. He also tries to have Worf killed at the same time, but Worf gets beamed out at that moment.

* GodzillaThreshold: Going to warp inside a solar system is portrayed as a dangerous maneuver, but Kira points out that if they don't, there won't be a solar system ''left''. It's worth noting that they're warping directly toward ''a star'', so a slight miscalculation would equal one crispy ''Defiant'' (and probably wouldn't be very good for the star either, not to mention the planets orbiting said star).

* ShoutOut: General Marok telling Worf to stay down after taking a beating from Ikat'ika is almost identical to Luke being told by the other prisoners to stay down after taking a beating from Dragline in the ''Film/CoolHandLuke''.

* Shout Out: General Marok telling Worf to stay down after taking a beating from Ikat'ika is almost identical to Luke being told by the other prisoners to stay down after taking a beating from Dragline in the ''Film/Cool Hand Luke''.

* EvilIsPetty: Because the Cardassians are now allies with the Dominion, all the Cardassian prisoners in the prison are freed. However, Dukat ''explicitly'' forbids Garak from being one of them.

** Not to mention all the prisoners in the compound to escape.

* NoodleIncident: While working inside the wall, Garak mentions being imprisoned on the Tzenkethi homeworld.

* HopeSpot: The Vorta announces that Cardassia has joined the Dominion and so all Cardassian prisoners are going home. Garak starts to go with the others, until it turns out that Dukat intervened personally to ensure he would not be released.

** Worf repeteadly fights and wins against Jem'Hadar, but gets hurt in each fight and his injuries pile up very quickly. Bashir states after five fights he's got multiple broken ribs. By the time he faces Ikat'ika, Worf is too injured to offer real resistance and fails to land a single blow.

* EasilyForgiven: Despite just having been at war with them, the Federation quickly re-allies the Klingons without pause. They now have much bigger fish to fry.

* TheWorfEffect: Played with. [[TropeNamer Worf]] defeats several Jem'Hadar in a row (while suffering more and more injuries), but eventually he ends up facing Ikat'ika, who [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown wipes the floor with him]]. Worf's {{Determinator}} spirit, however, remains unbroken, and in the end it's ''Ikat'ika'' who yields.
** WorfHadTheFlu: By the time Worf fights the First of the Jem'Hadar on the station, Worf has already experienced progressive injuries from his previous 7+ opponents, which Bashir can only do so much about under the circumstances.

** Garak does his best to press on with his work in the cramped space in spite of his {{claustrophobia}}, until he suffers a crippling panic attack when his jury-rigged light goes out. Once he's recovered enough, [[FaceYourFears he goes right back to work]].

* IOweYouMyLife: Dukat freely admits that Sisko saved his life at least once, and returns the favor by giving him a chance to surrender peacefully.