Battle Lines (episode)

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

For the Pocket VOY novel, see Battle Lines (novel).

"Battle Lines"
DS9, Episode 1x13 Production number: 40511-413 First aired: 25 April 1993
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Teleplay By Richard Danus & Evan Carlos Somers Story By Hilary J. Bader Directed By Paul Lynch
Unknown (2369)
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A runabout carrying Kai Opaka crashes on a planet of eternal war, where it is impossible for the combatants to die.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Memorable Quotes 3 Background Information 3.1 Origin 3.2 Behind the scenes 3.3 Continuity 3.4 Apocrypha 3.5 Video and DVD releases 4 Links and References 4.1 Guest Stars 4.2 Co-Star 4.3 Uncredited Co-Stars 4.4 References 4.5 External links

[edit] Summary

Kai Opaka insists on investigating a narrow band subspace signal while in the runabout USS Yangtzee Kiang in the Gamma Quadrant in 2369. Following the arrival at an inhabitable moon, Benjamin Sisko, Kira Nerys, Julian Bashir and Opaka are then shot down by an automatic orbital defense system orbiting the moon. The Kai dies on impact.

The Ennis are a faction of a humanoid species, and are the mortal enemies of the Nol-Ennis faction. They both live on this moon. The Ennis and the Nol-Ennis had been at war for a long period of time on their home planet. When, even with the help of the world's mediators, they could not negotiate any kind of peace between the two sides, they were banished to the moon. Part of their punishment was that they were condemned to fight for eternity. Artificial microbes on the moon bring their bodies back to life after they die, so even Opaka lives to see another day.

During the tense negotiations between the two sides, Sisko tries to mediate a peace to get everyone off of the moon. However, fighting breaks out (again). Sisko fails just as countless others did before him. During the analysis of the curious way in which everyone seems to be coming back to life, Bashir finds out that the bodies of the revived people cannot survive without the microbes on the moon. This means Kai Opaka must remain here forever. Meanwhile, Miles O'Brien arrives together with Jadzia Dax. O'Brien finds a way to beam the marooned crew away. The crew gladly returns with Dax and O'Brien, leaving the Ennis and Nol-Ennis behind and knowing the Kai has a lot of work to do if she really wants to finally bring them together. Kira remains grief stricken, pondering why the Kai would have stayed, even if she could have returned with them.

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"The magnetic deflection of a runabout's hull is extremely weak. The probes will never be able to detect it."
"They will if I outfit them with a differential magnetomer."
"A differential magnetomer?"
"Mm-hmm."
"I've never heard of a differential magnetomer. How does it work?"
"I'll let you know as soon as I finish making one."

- Dax and O'Brien

"I've discovered we can't afford to die here. Not even once."

- Bashir

[edit] Background Information

[edit] Origin

• The original concept involved a group of Humans and Cardassians, although this was changed to the Ennis and the Nol-Ennis so it would not look like the main characters had chosen sides. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
• The writers had also considered creating a new character to be killed and resurrected (see redshirt) but this was changed to Kai Opaka as she was considered to be the most expendable recurring character. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
• The original series episode "Day of the Dove" was one source of inspiration for this episode for the late Hilary J. Bader, although mainly due to it showing the futility of war, not as a new concept. Indeed, the primary focus of Bader's pitch was to expose war as utterly pointless. This is emphasized in the fact that the Ennis and the Nol-Ennis don't even remember why they are fighting. According to Bader, "there must have been a more meaningful cause for this battle, but it's so long ago that it's not the issue anymore; it's not what they're fighting about. They're fighting about "You're this and I'm not!"...the point was that it didn't really matter why they fought. The act itself is more important than the issue that started it." (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
• Bader also comments that "there are certain themes that reoccur in Star Trek, and the fact that war is pointless is one of them." (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion) To a certain extent, this seems to predict the final episode of the series, "What You Leave Behind", when Sisko and Admiral Ross refuse to share a celebratory drink with General Martok as they stand in the middle of a devastated Cardassia.
• This episode seems to draw on the legend of Hedin and Högni from Norse mythology.

[edit] Behind the scenes

• "Battle Lines" is one of the stunt performer crew's favorite Star Trek episodes. (Star Trek Monthly #127)

• Dennis Madalone directed the majority of the fight scenes in this episode over two days. (Star Trek Monthly #127)

• Tom Morga designed the weapons in this episode. He did so by taping together a cardboard blade, a ball and an old tool handle. (Star Trek Monthly #127)

• This episode marks the first time Hilary J. Bader and Richard Danus worked on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Bader would later work on the episodes "Rules of Acquisition", "Meridian" and "Explorers" while Danus would write the story of "The Sword of Kahless".

• In an outtake, Avery Brooks accidentally said "We'll be entering the wormhole in about an hour" while the time was supposed to be a minute. Brooks smiles and Camille Saviola says "I ain't got that long, I've only got about fifteen minutes!"

[edit] Continuity

• Kai Opaka leaves the Alpha Quadrant in this episode, making her final 'real' appearance in the series. She does appear later in "The Collaborator" and "Accession" in orb experiences and orb shadows.

• This episode marks the first time a DS9 runabout is destroyed. The Yangtzee Kiang would later be replaced by the Orinoco.

• This episode was one of the first to state exactly what the United Federation of Planets is. Commander Sisko's response to Zlangco's question was that it "is made up of over a hundred planets who have allied themselves for mutual scientific, cultural and defensive benefits. The mission that my people and I are on is to explore the galaxy". Jean-Luc Picard would later say something similar to Lily Sloane in Star Trek: First Contact.

• Although it was not specified in the episode, the Prefect to whom Sisko refers to is Gul Dukat.

• Armin Shimerman (Quark) and Cirroc Lofton (Jake) do not appear in this episode.

[edit] Apocrypha

• Opaka returns to Bajor in the non-canon DS9 relaunch novels, after being encountered by Jake Sisko.
• S.D. Perry's novel Rising Son is a sequel of sorts to this episode. It reveals the changes that have happened among the Ennis and the Nol-Ennis by 2376.
• The earring that Opaka gives O'Brien for Molly would not be seen or mentioned in the series again, although O'Brien tells Joseph and Judith Sisko about it in Robert Simpson's novel Lesser Evil.

[edit] Video and DVD releases

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 7, 8 November 1993.

The video sleeve appears to render this episode's title as "Battlelines", although the small case font makes it difficult to tell for certain.

• As part of the DS9 Season 1 DVD collection.

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Guest Stars

• Camille Saviola as Opaka
• Paul Collins as Zlangco
• Jonathan Banks as Shel-la

[edit] Co-Star

• Majel Barrett as the computer voice

[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars

• Christopher Doyle as an Ennis warrior
• Ken Lesco as a Nol-Ennis warrior
• Dennis Madalone as an Ennis warrior
• Tom Morga as a Nol-Ennis warrior
• Robin Morselli as a Bajoran officer
• Joe Murphy as an Ennis warrior
• Jeff Pruitt as a Nol-Ennis warrior
• Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn
• Patricia Tallman as Nima

[edit] References

antimatter pod; artificial microbe; artificial satellite; asteroid belt; attitude control; Bajor; Bajoran prophecy; Bajoran transport; Bajoran wormhole; ceasefire; Class 2 probe; dampening field; Danube-class; Deep Space 9; defense net; delta radiation; differential magnetometer; directed-energy weapon; ecosystem; fuel cell; Gamma Quadrant; hysteresis curve; Idran; Idran system; Kai; magnet; megawatt; meson; moon; mutual induction field; nanite; needle in a haystack; neuromuscular scan; O'Brien, Molly; penal colony; photon torpedo; power reactor; Prefect; Prime Directive; USS Rio Grande; ternary star; transponder; United Federation of Planets; Unnamed moons; Vayan horn fly; warp eddy; Yangtzee Kiang, USS

[edit] External links

• Battle Lines (episode) at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Battle Lines (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) at Wikipedia

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 1

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