
This was an admirable follow up on the Pawter Simms arc, but to be honest, the most interesting parts for me were not contained in the A-Story. First, let me give accolades where they’re due. Aaron Ashmore always kills it, so there’s no surprise there. But I have to give props to Kimberly-Sue Murray for imbuing Louella Simms with so much depth and pathos in such a short window of time. I felt her pain, rage, and desire to exact a gruesome penance for the decimation of her family. There wasn’t even a hint of this gravitas in her first appearance, but that was not a failing, it just wasn’t meant for the character at that time.

At the beginning of the episode, Dutch is dealing with her martial defeats the best way she knows how: heavy drinking. The hundreds or perhaps thousands of RAC agents who were killed when Aneela flexed her muscles all across the J isn’t even the most tragic part of her losses. Dutch killed an innocent would-be ally in her thirst for victory. Killing Banyon sits deep in Dutch’s spirit. It should. If only these women had endeavored to trust each other, Banyon would not only still be alive, she’d be helping TAF protect the J from the Hullen Armada.

In her vulnerable and half drunken state, Dutch makes the mistake of putting the moves on D’avin. D’av is understandably shocked and pushes her away. Johnny walks in on that moment, makes a quip, and Dutch’s humiliation is complete. Dutch barely wants to look at D’av for the rest of the episode.

So, Aneela is (sort of) an intergalactic despot, scientist, and … apparently a wicked good lay. That seems appropriate. I know she and Delle Seyah are horrible but I find their relationship very cute. Syfy Friday is delightfully sapphic, and it pleases me.

Gander really overestimated his hand and underestimated Aneela. What in the world is incubating in Delle Seyah’s tummy? Whatever it is, it can’t be good for anyone. I need to rewatch this whole series from the beginning with new eyes. I also need a lore book, stat.
Rose
- At first, this was going to be a Thorn but then I realized how realistic it is for pampered autocrats. Where the hells did the Nine think they were going?
- TAF’s dynamic
- Some good world building
- D’av & Dutch’s on again/off again chemistry is still compelling
- The Gay
Thorny Rose
- As a viewer, I can understand how pivotal and important it is for Dutch to have killed Banyon, but I may never get past the sick feeling I get when a Black woman is murdered on screen for obvious, reality-based reasons as well as the myriad media tropes I’ve been subjected to over the years. That’s really all I have to say about that.
Thorns
- Alvis was extremely underutilized considering he’s an extended member of TAF
- I felt like the previouslies could have done a better job reminding us the deal the Nine struck up with the hullen
- A small detail like that seed thing rendering most of this episode moot
What's Your Reaction?
C R Sparrow wants desperately to throw off the shackles of wage slavery and live a life of leisure. Unfortunately, she hasn’t quite figured out how to turn her encyclopedic knowledge of Star Trek Deep Space Nine or deftness at playing Bioware RPGs on the easiest setting into a fortune. She’s still working on it though. Sci-fi/Fantasy blerd with a strong affinity for binging television shows and having lots of feelings about them.
Good episode and nice review
Thanks for reading! Yeah I loved the Aneela parts so much. Ugh Syfy better Renew this ish.