Whispers (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

"Whispers" is the 34th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It is the 14th episode of the second season.

"Whispers"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 14
Directed byLes Landau
Written byPaul Robert Coyle
Featured musicDennis McCarthy
Production code434
Original air dateFebruary 6, 1994 (1994-02-06)
Guest appearance(s)

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on Deep Space Nine, a space station located near a stable wormhole between the Alpha and Gamma quadrants of the Milky Way Galaxy, in orbit of the planet Bajor. In this episode, Chief Miles O'Brien suspects a conspiracy aboard DS9.

Plot

Miles O'Brien pilots a runabout through the Wormhole en route to the Parada system. He records a personal log of recent events:

Two days ago, O'Brien returned from a meeting with the Paradas to discuss security measures for upcoming peace talks. The next morning, he awoke to find his wife Keiko and daughter Molly dressed and eating breakfast at 5:30 am; both seemed awkward and suspicious around him.

Upon reporting for duty, O'Brien found an officer had begun working on the security arrangements without him, apparently under orders from Commander Sisko. Shortly afterward, he saw Sisko and Keiko having a private discussion on the Promenade. When asked about it, Sisko claimed he was concerned about his son Jake's grades in Keiko's class, but Jake later told O'Brien his grades were fine.

At O'Brien's annual physical examination, Dr. Bashir gave O'Brien a clean bill of health only after an overly long and invasive examination. Additionally, problems O'Brien had been assigned to fix seemed to have been intentionally designed to make him spend additional time repairing them. Reviewing the other officers' logs, O'Brien discovered that Sisko and the others were observing his movements.

O'Brien persuaded Odo to investigate the others' suspicious behavior. But soon, at a meeting in Odo's office, Odo appeared to have joined the conspiracy as well; Sisko, Kira, and Bashir arrived to arrest and sedate O'Brien. He overpowered the others and fled the Promenade.

Through maintenance conduits, O'Brien made his way to the runabout Rio Grande and escaped. He contacted Admiral Rollman to warn her that the command crew of Deep Space Nine was under some hostile influence, but she ordered him to return to the station.

Now en route to the Parada system in the Gamma Quadrant, O'Brien is being pursued by the Mekong. He eludes his pursuers and hides behind a moon, and then follows the Mekong to Parada II. There he finds Sisko and Kira with a pair of Paradan rebels, who promise that the explanation to the mystery of the past few days is behind a door. One of the Paradans shoots him, and when the door opens, Bashir is behind it—along with another O'Brien. It is revealed that the Paradan government abducted O'Brien and created a clone who believed he was the real O'Brien, but would assassinate the rebels at the peace-talks.

As the clone dies, he asks the real O'Brien to tell Keiko he loves her.

Reception

Writing for Tor.com, Keith DeCandido gave the episode a 7/10; he lauded the rising tension throughout the episode, Les Landau's directing, Rosalind Chao playing the uncomfortable Keiko in O'Brien's presence, and the twist ending being "a magnificently played gut-punch". However, he did feel the episode did not benefit from repeat viewings because it relied on the final revelation so strongly.[1] The A.V. Club's Zack Handlen summarized his review by writing that "“Whispers” holds together and has a subversively dark conclusion", and also noted the similarities to Philip K. Dick's short story Impostor.[2] Jamahl Epsicokhan, writing for Jammer's Reviews – a website dedicated to reviewing Star Trek and other science fiction television programmes – gave the episode 4/4 stars; he felt the ending was "tragic and moving", and that the episode as a whole is "a superbly envisioned episode that ranks among the most deftly constructed mysteries on Trek".[3] In 2018, Vulture.com rated "Whispers" the 14th best episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, praising its surprise ending.[4] In 2017 this episode was noted as one featuring scary and/or eerie Star Trek content.[5]

In 2015, Geek.com recommended this episode as "essential watching" for their abbreviated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine binge-watching guide.[6]

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References
  1. DeCandido, Keith (August 27, 2013). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rewatch: "Whispers"". Tor.com. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  2. Handlen, Zack (May 17, 2012). ""Armageddon"/"Whisper"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  3. Epsicokhan, Jamahl. "[DS9] Jammer's Review: "Whispers"". Jammer's Reviews. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  4. Bastién, Angelica Jade (January 4, 2018). "The Best Episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ranked". www.vulture.com. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  5. "18 eerie, disturbing and downright scary Star Trek episodes". H&I. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  6. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine condensed: How to watch the most story-driven Trek". Geek.com. 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2019-07-13.
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