Television Review: Vortex (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, S1x12, 1993)

Vortex (S01E12)

Airdate: 18 April 1993

Written by: Sam Rolfe
Directed by: Winrich Kolbe

Running Time: 46 minutes

It is a truth universally acknowledged among Trekkies that the first season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was a period of considerable creative uncertainty. The showrunners, still finding their proper footing after the departure from the familiar Next Generation formula, produced a string of episodes that were hardly memorable and are often considered mediocre by fans and critics alike. Yet, in retrospect, that uneven first season successfully served as the foundation for something far greater in subsequent years, introducing characters and themes that would blossom into the series' most celebrated arcs. One such example can be found in Vortex, an episode that, despite its flaws, began to deal with the origins of one of the franchise's most iconic and beloved characters: Odo, the shape-shifting constable of Deep Space Nine.

One of the most interesting aspects of Deep Space Nine, recognised rather early by its showrunners, was its frontier setting. Unlike the pristine, exploratory environment of the Enterprise-D, the station orbited a war-torn planet at the edge of known space, which allowed episodes to have their scripts inspired by stories outside the usual sci-fi genre parameters. The most notable influence was the Western. In the case of Vortex, the direct template was The Naked Spur, the 1953 classic film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart. That film had been written by Sam Rolfe, a prolific author best known for his television work on shows like Have Gun – Will Travel and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. Rolfe was hired to write Vortex, and tragically, this would prove to be one of his last works before his death from a heart attack just a few months later. His pedigree in morally ambiguous frontier storytelling is evident throughout the episode.

The plot begins in Quark's bar, where the Ferengi barkeep is preparing to conduct a certain business transaction with Ah-Kel and Ro-Kel, the Miradorn twins (both played by Randy Oglesby). The sale is interrupted by Croden (played by Cliff DeYoung), a member of the Rakhari race from the Gamma Quadrant, who attempts to rob the twins at gunpoint. Odo, who had been observing the potentially suspicious deal while disguised as a glass, intervenes during the ensuing mayhem, which claims Ro-Kel's life. Croden is arrested, while Ah-Kel swears vengeance for the death of his brother, setting the episode's central conflict in motion.

Initially, Croden is to be tried for murder on the station, but it is later decided that he will be extradited to his home world. During his interrogation, Croden tells Odo stories about other Changelings and their origins, and a small shapeshifting artefact – which Dr. Bashir confirms has DNA remarkably like Odo's – seems to corroborate his tale. Intrigued and desperate for answers about his own past, Odo is ordered to transport Croden to his home world aboard a runabout. During the journey, Croden tells Odo that he was a political prisoner on his home world and that most of his family was killed by the ruling regime. At the same time, their runabout is being pursued by Ah-Kel, who has somehow escaped the station and is hell-bent on revenge.

Odo and Croden find temporary shelter in the Chamra Vortex, a dangerous asteroid field surrounded by lethal toh-maire gases. It is here that Odo discovers the truth: Croden has been lying. He does not know anything about the Changelings beyond some old myths passed down through generations. Instead, the artefact is the key to a stasis chamber containing Croden's daughter, Yareth (played by Leslie Engelberg). When Odo is injured during a struggle, Croden surprises the audience by not abandoning him; instead, he drags the wounded constable back to the runabout. Meanwhile, Ah-Kel and his ship are destroyed by the toh-maire gases during their pursuit. In the end, Odo agrees to have Croden and Yareth taken aboard a passing Vulcan science vessel, allowing them to escape their pursuers and start a new life.

Vortex is a solid episode that features high production values, more than decent special effects for its time, and an interesting twist in its final act. Cliff DeYoung, a prolific character actor with a long résumé, is very good in the role of a character the audience never quite knows whether to trust. He plays Croden with a slippery charm that keeps the viewer guessing. The Miradorn, as a concept, also seem like a very interesting alien species, based as they are on a psychic twin bond that makes them a single entity in two bodies.

Yet, for all its ambition, the episode suffers from poor pacing and an uninspiring beginning that gives far too much emphasis to Quark and his shady shenanigans. The bar-room deal and the subsequent robbery feel like padding, a subplot that ultimately goes nowhere and does little to advance the main narrative. Furthermore, the ease with which Ah-Kel escapes the station and commandeers a ship to begin his pursuit directly contradicts the security protocols established in previous episodes, making the station's defences seem laughably porous. This inconsistency is a recurring problem in the first season. Finally, the episode establishes that Odo can be physically injured in his humanoid form, a plot point that later episodes would quietly contradict as the writers settled on a more consistent set of abilities for the character. Despite these flaws, Vortex is a watchable and occasionally compelling entry that, at the very least, planted the seeds for the rich mythology that would define Odo and the Founders in the seasons to come.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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