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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 2 Episode 19

Blood Oath

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AIRED: 3/27/94

Stardate: 47789.8 Three Klingons arrive on the station that Curzon Dax took a Klingon blood oath with after their young sons were murdered. One of the Klingons has discovered where the murderer is in hiding and the three Klingons intend to avenge their sons' deaths. Jadzia must decide if she will honor the oath Curzon took and go with them with the intention of killing this man.moreless

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Fan Episode Reviews (5)

Great story that happens to have some legends

8.0

By Celedorian, Jan 25, 2013

By the 1990s Star Trek had amassed such a rich back-story, many writers saw it as a curse. Gone were the days when they could invent a new aspect to Star Trek on a whim to help tell a story or solve a script problem. But the curse could also be an asset. When somebody pitched a story for The Next Generation about an unknown ambassador with mental problems, the TNG writing staff realized it would be more dramatic to reuse an old, beloved character rather than invent one. They reached back to the original series and borrowed Sarek, and used his name as the episode's title. Here on Deep Space Nine, when somebody pitched the idea of this story with new characters, another writer (Robert Hewitt Wolfe) suggested they instead use the three Klingon headliners from the original series. The truth is the story itself is solid enough to work with three unknowns, but Kang, Kor, and Koloth, give the episode believability, nostalgia, and three guaranteed great actors.

The episode itself is a Dax story with a well written script that cleverly hides its exposition inside her quest to prove herself to the three Klingons. Basically, they have found their equivalent of Osama bin Laden and plan to storm the compound, kill him, and eat his heart (in whatever order presents Dax wants in, but she discovers there's more going on than meets the eye. Special credit must be given to Terry Farrell (Dax) and Michael Ansara (Kang) who are the cornerstones of the episode and give everything they have, emotionally and physically, to make "Blood Oath" successful. The climax is appropriately action packed, although it does seem a little too easy for our heroes to storm the compound (which they do in broad daylight for the benefit of the cameras) and you do have to wonder why the tetryon trick is only used here and not before or after.

But the episode is a ton of fun and a special treat for original series fans. The three Klingons are so wonderful as Star Trek's equivalent to "The Three Musketeers" it's easy to forget that this is the first (and last) episode they appear in together. (Each appears in a different original series episode: Kor in "Errand of Mercy", Koloth in "The Trouble with Tribbles" and Kang in "Day of the Dove") They have such a rapport, it's easy to believe that they spent the thirty years after the original series hanging out together even if it's not true.

Other episodes pay homage to the original series. This one gives some of its characters a second life.moreless
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incredibly overrated

5.0

By JerkNowitzki, Nov 09, 2011

so we get to see jadzia once again deal with something curzon did, a theme which had gotten soooo played out by this point that it makes it hard to watch this episode. yes, it was cool to see the klingons from tos, but chasing this albino character around was a complete waste of time. we had no idea who he was and he only appears on screen long enough to be killed. and of course, we all knew it wouldn't be jadzia that killed him.... it takes an incredibly long time to get to the actual attack, as the plot meanders through jadzia's various attempts to be included, even though it was obvious she would be from the start...

to top it off, the hard looks that kira and sisko give jadzia at the end resolved absolutely nothing and i don't see how any character or storyline was advanced as a result of this episode....moreless
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Three grizzled Kilngon Warriors show up on DS9 who Dax knew as Curzon. She must decide whether to fulfill the blood oath her former sybiant host Curzon Dax took nearly 80 years ago.moreless

9.0

By banyon, Jun 18, 2010

Often times I find these episodes about the Trill "identity" to be tiresome, because it is a theme that is just repeated too frequently in the first two seasons. This episode however, is refreshing. It focuses not solely on the memories that Jadzia Dax has from her symbiant, but also the ethical and moral repercussions that having those memories might have on one's actions.

When Dax reveals herself to the Klingons as the successor Trill to Curzon, they are willing to release her from her oath, but she feels morally bound by it nontheless.

The assualt on the headquarters of the "Albino" also has some pretty good action sequences. Very uncharacteristically, this episode does not have a "feel good" ending, as Sisko and Kira don't approve and offer Dax only cold glances upon her return from killing the albino.

This episode was excellent in developing Jadzia Dax's character in a different vein than normal.moreless
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A brilliant revenge epic that reunites us with three very old friends (or rather foes)...

9.1

By Amoyaan, Jun 18, 2010

'Blood Oath' is kind of a tribute to the original series, reuniting three of the original Klingons - Kang, Kor and Koloth! It's a treat to become reacquainted with these old Klingon codgers (who have miraculously morphed forehead ridges since we last saw them!). Both the performances and Peter Allan Field's script are nothing short of delightful.

The plot is simple but effective and builds to an action-packed climax. This is perhaps the first and only time we've seen Trek do a revenge epic, but it works nicely in the context of Klingon 'honoooour' (and back in a time when Klingon stories were still fresh and interesting, at least on DS9).

All in all, this is a great episode and a definite second season highlight.moreless
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The first good Klingon episode since "Redemption".

8.5

By pharoahsdance, Jun 18, 2010

With Worf's arc in TNG, the writers boxed themselves in. After "Redemption", the character resolved most of his internal issues; there wasn't enough internal tension to bring to the table on "Rightful Heir" and "Birthright".

No such problem exists on DS9, where Worf doesn't exist (yet) and we see the return of 3 Klingons from the original series. Just to mix it up, the D'Artagnan to these three musketeers is Jadzia - a feisty young lady, but not a warrior nor a killer.

My recollection before rewatching was that this was "just" an adventure story. But it's a lot more than that. Jadzia comes off as naive here - stubborn to carry out an oath, but not realizing the actual consequences of carrying it out. There are wonderful interactions with her "grown-up" friends - Sisko and Kira, both of whom have seen more than their shares of death. It's a testament to Teri Farrell that she pulls it off with flying colors - it's painful to imagine Marina Sirtis or Denise Crosby trying anything like it.

Of course, the climactic battle scene is superb, and the epilogue of Jadzia's uncomfortable return to the station a trademark DS9 touch.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Armin Shimerman	Quark
Terry Farrell	Lt./Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax (Season 1-6)
Rene Auberjonois	Constable Odo
Nana Visitor	Major/Colonel/Commander Kira Nerys
Avery Brooks	Commander/Captain Benjamin Sisko

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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John Colicos	Kor	Guest Star
Michael Ansara	Kang	Guest Star
Bill Bolender	The Albino	Guest Star

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TRIVIA (4)
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- During the sparring session with Koloth in the holosuite, Dax asks the computer for a batleth with exact specifications. In subsequent episodes, she would only ask the computer for a batleth.
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- This episode marks the first time the term "Dahar Master" is used. It is bestowed on a Klingon warrior who had reached a legendary status among his peers.
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- The battle that Kor mentions as a decisive victory over the Romulans, is called the "Battle of Klach D'Kel Brakt". In the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "The Augments", it was revealed that the site of this famous battle was on a world surrounded by a gaseous cloud called a Briar Patch.
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- Kor states: "That's what you get for making a deal with the devil, Kang!"
  
  In the Star Trek episode, "Day of the Dove", Kang told Captain Kirk that Klingons do not have a devil, but in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Devil's Due", Ardra took on the appearance of Fek'lhr, the Klingon "devil". This inconsistency has been the cause of many debates.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Kang: I was right, Dax. It is a good day to die.
  Jadzia: It's never a good day to lose a friend.
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- Jadzia: Kang and Koloth don't want me to come with you.
  Kor: Well, Kang thinks too much, Koloth doesn't feel enough.
  Jadzia: And where do you stand?
  Kor: Eh? Oh, of course you should come! The splendor of fighting and killing, a bloodbath in the cause of vengeance. Who wouldn't want to come?
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- Odo: How did you get in here?
  Koloth: I am Koloth.
  Odo: That doesn't answer my question.
  Koloth: Yes, it does.
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- Kira: When you take someone's life, you lose a part of your own as well.
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- Kang: The old Klingon ways are passing. There was a time when I was a young man, the mere mention of the Klingon Empire made worlds tremble. Now, our warriors are opening restaurants and serving racht to the grandchildren of men I slaughtered in battle. Things are not what they used to be. Not even a blood oath.
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NOTES (5)
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- This episode was based on The Seven Samurai, the Kurasawa movie that was remade as The Magnificant Seven.
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- Michael Ansara played the character of Kang in three different Star Trek series: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager.
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- Siddig El Fadil (Dr. Bashir), Colm Meaney (Chief O'Brien) and Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) do not appear in this episode.
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- John Colicos would reprise his role as Kor in several episodes of Deep Space Nine.
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- John Colicos, Michael Ansara and William Campbell all reprise the Klingon roles they played in Star Trek: TOS.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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