Symptom 182: In The Pale Moonlight

We arrive at our choice for the best episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine. It may surprise some that it is In the Pale Moonlight, as it is a darker version of trek. This episode however is truly a timeless and near flawless masterpiece. It combines a strong script with excellent acting and direction to tell a story about war, loss and the extremes that good men will go to in order to end the loss of life while preserving freedom and self determination. SIsko sacrifices his principals, but pays a cost. In this case the ends justify his morally questionable means, but even so he will forever pay the cost with a scar on his soul. Our hero shows that he has human weaknesses and is not perfect, and if anything his “failure” in the eyes of trek purists, attached to the Roddenberry vision, makes him more human than he was before. This is not only deep space nine at its best, but Star Trek.