DS9 - Rejoined

[Nobody700]

I have to say... I still don't understand the whole Trill relationship thing. I get the real world reason but like, what's the in universe reason for such a HARSH punishment for something so simple? I mean like, how is it that this rule is so strict on dating but MURDER is okay? I get how they don't want Trills to hang with their former hosts kids 24/7 but I mean, going by this rule, Ezri should never have joined Starfleet because Jadzia was in one. Dunno, it feels like a really forced rule for why two women can't date.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Ezri was already in Starfleet Academy. Sisko just expedited her graduation.

The in-universe reason is because becoming a host is a matter of public service. If two trills are hosts and fall in love, like the kind that everybody knows knows no bounds, the symbiotes themselves hold on to it and it turns into two symbiotes that only want to be with each other. Which is exactly the circumstance Jedzia was willing to commit to.

[Nobody700]

Ezri was already in Starfleet Academy. Sisko just expedited her graduation.

The in-universe reason is because becoming a host is a matter of public service. If two trills are hosts and fall in love, like the kind that everybody knows knows no bounds, the symbiotes themselves hold on to it and it turns into two symbiotes that only want to be with each other. Which is exactly what Jedzia was willing to go through.

Okay yeah the Ezri thing is on me, but like the consequences of the rule is INSANE! Death of the symbiotes and exile? Sheesh, that means if a symbiote rapes several dozen people that one is fine cause it goes to a new host, but if you hold hands with your former hosts wife or husband, BOOM, YOU'RE DEAD!

[MerelyAFan]

Small correction, the DS9 episode's name is Rejoined, not Remembrance.

I think its an episode that would have felt more significant if Trill society had been more explored throughout the series. While the Ferengi, Bajorans, Cardassians, even the Klingons all felt like they were given additional depth through DS9, the Trill just never felt like they managed the same in terms of their nuance. They're interesting but feel somewhat limited as a culture in comparison.

[Worffan101]

I don't really care what anyone says, I love this episode, I like Dax and Kahn as a couple, I like that it portrays part of the Federation as imperfect but the average Federation people (as represented by the show's main cast) as decent people, I love Thompson as a guest star in general (even as the Borg Queen, her *performance* never leaves anything to be desired), and I love Brooks's direction. This is probably my third favorite episode of DS9, after Duet and By Inferno's Light, in that order.

I agree that the ending is a bit of a letdown, especially since Thompson had a lot of Trek appearances and probably would've been up for recurring. But still, I love the gentle romance of it all.

Loved the joke about the in-laws in the next room, I nearly busted my sides at that lol.

[RobbyB1982]

I'm kind of dumbfounded that there's an episode of DS9 that Chuck hadn't seen before. Thats a more interesting story than anything else he could possibly say about the episode.

Though worrying about the inlaws barging in on the lesbian makeout is close.

As for the trill rules about not jumping into your old lives... thats for their own sake. Look at how many times Jadzia put her life in danger due to a friendship Kurzon had or an old Klingon blood oath. Look at all the complications Ezri had where she thought she was in love with Worf and was really confused about Julian. Just with the one symbiant we were really exposed to we saw lots of examples of past lives mucking with the current one because they were running around with the same people.

So the taboos make sense... but maybe not the severity of the punishments. Unless, like Chuck noted, they're worried about an endless dynasty situation happening and they have examples in their history of a mad 300 year king or something.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Small correction, the DS9 episode's name is Rejoined, not Remembrance.

I think its an episode that would have felt more significant if Trill society had been more explored throughout the series. While the Ferengi, Bajorans, Cardassians, even the Klingons all felt like they were given additional depth through DS9, the Trill just never felt like they managed the same in terms of their nuance. They're interesting but feel somewhat limited as a culture in comparison.

Seems like the Cardassians and Bajorans were the only ones they meant to write as fleshed out cultures from the get-go, aside from humans of course.

On the other hand, the trill were only based on what would end up being a proto-trill from one episode of TNG.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Ezri was already in Starfleet Academy. Sisko just expedited her graduation.

The in-universe reason is because becoming a host is a matter of public service. If two trills are hosts and fall in love, like the kind that everybody knows knows no bounds, the symbiotes themselves hold on to it and it turns into two symbiotes that only want to be with each other. Which is exactly what Jedzia was willing to go through.

Okay yeah the Ezri thing is on me, but like the consequences of the rule is INSANE! Death of the symbiotes and exile? Sheesh, that means if a symbiote rapes several dozen people that one is fine cause it goes to a new host, but if you hold hands with your former hosts wife or husband, BOOM, YOU'RE DEAD!

That certainly pokes holes in my hypothesis. Unless I missed something, like they just go get the symbiotes after the hosts die or something.

[MerelyAFan]

As far as the punishment, I think the consequences might have worked better if they were a bit subtler. Dax and Kahn wouldn't be banished per se, yet would more or less be a pariahs in polite Trill society with the latter essentially losing every major future opportunity in her scientific career. That could be played for a potential interesting conflict too, with Jadzia's place in Starfleet meaning she's at much less immediate risk than Lenara is if they pursue a relationship.

You could even have it that symbionts that violate the taboo could (under narrow legal circumstances) still find future hosts, but that the cultural shame of what they've done would carry on to every subsequent incarnation. This on top of the fact that far less Trill would want to be hosts to either after Jadzia & Lenara have died. Thus even if they weren't directly dooming the lives of the symbionts, Dax & Kahn would be ensuring a hard life for every future host they had.

[Link8909]

I wouldn't worry about missing an episode of Star Trek Chuck, I've not seen most of Season 3 of The Original Series myself, great review by the way, really interesting talk about allegory's in fiction, really funny as well, the joke about the portal to hell was great, also I hope things went well with your wife's parents.