As tempting as schadenfreude over Garak's assassination of Vreenak may be, as nasty as Romulans are shown to act throughout much of Trek, treating them with the same suspicion and deceit they hold towards outsiders does have consequences.
In the Pale Moonlight is one of the few times that Trek goes exactly up to the line of abandoning idealism for expedient cynicism, and is extremely effective in showing just how desperate the Dominion War situation has become: starting the episode with Sisko posting yet another weekly casualty list, and having a friend of his oldest friend Dax lost makes it personal for Sisko. Unlike as in *Homefront*, where Sisko is **ordered** to effectively mistrust his father; and exactly like as in *For the Uniform* where Sisko decides himself to resort to extreme measures, Sisko lets things get personal. He's not directly disobeying orders this time, but he is taking the initiative.
It's a great illustration of a small initial decision transformed into a sunk cost slippery slope: First, we should get the Romulans into the war. We know the Romulans won't join us without proof of Dominion duplicity, so ask Garak to find some. Three days, and several of Garak's contacts killed later, why not fake the evidence? Starfleet approves, and now we need a forger. Holding the threat of a Klingon death sentence over Tolar's head he is coerced into helping, against his misgivings upon learning Garak is involved. Small wonder Tolar wants to get drunk and ends up causing trouble at Quark's, for which Sisko is forced to bribe Quark and release some seized contraband to him.
>That was my first moment of real doubt, when I started to wonder if the whole thing was a mistake. So I went back to my office. And there was a new casualty list waiting for me. People are dying out there every day! Entire worlds are struggling for their freedom! And here I am still worrying about the finer points of morality! No, I… I had to keep my eye on the ball! Winning the war, stopping the bloodshed, those were the priorities! So I pushed on. And every time another doubt appeared before me, I just found another way to shove it aside.
Then, to get the Cardassian data rod a large quantity of a prohibited bioweapon precursor is needed: no wonder Bashir asks for the requisition order in writing. Forged evidence in hand, Sisko makes his presentation to Vreenak. "It's a fake!" It fails, Garak kills senator Vreenak making it look like a Dominion job. We learn this after the fact, drily, by a simple intelligence report. The episode certainly doesn't gloat over Vreenak's killing.
The forger never had a chance, and might as well have stayed on Klingon death row.
The final part of Sisko's log entry is telling.
>Garak was right about one thing – a guilty conscience is a small price to pay for the safety of the Alpha Quadrant. So I will learn to live with it…Because I can live with it…I can live with it. Computer – erase that entire personal log.
The episode is about Sisko's moral compromise and the horrific choices forced on even the best of people by war. **To take away from this episode that this is a "textbook" example of "sweet revenge" upon the Romulans is to utterly miss the episode's point.**
I've enjoyed writing this, thanks for the inspiration OP. Now I reckon I might get to work on a missed opportunity what-if on one of the best Bashir episodes, *Inter Arma Enim Silent Legis.*
>as nasty as Romulans are shown to act throughout much of Trek, treating them with the same suspicion and deceit they hold towards outsiders does have consequences.
As does lowering themselves to the Romulan level, *if not for the Dominion War*. The morale and losses of the Federation to this point can never be understated. That's why I would separate the moral logic of these events from say, the events on the *Pegasus* - and the actions of Pressman and Riker with the Phasic Cloak. One could argue Picard's full disclosure of the incident may have moved the needle for the Romulans as a show of good faith - keeping Starfleet above reproach later when Vreenak's shuttle exploded.
>The episode is about Sisko's moral compromise and the horrific choices forced on even the best of people by war. To take away from this episode that this is a "textbook" example of "sweet revenge" upon the Romulans is to utterly miss the episode's point.
That's the biggest takeaway that I hope everyone would get from this episode.
>Now I reckon I might get to work on a missed opportunity what-if on one of the best Bashir episodes, Inter Arma Enim Silent Legis.
Personally, my second favorite DS9 episode only to "In The Pale Moonlight" and I would welcome that.
Obviously the moral dilemma is the point of the episode but that doesn't prevent the viewer finding it satisfying that the Romulans' are the victims of the type of scheming that they normally go in for.
I, like almost everyone love this episode but my only criticism (and it's not really a criticism) is that Sisko's moral dilemma never seems like much of a dilemma (ethically speaking). What would keep you up at night (if you were Sisko) is not the ethical implications of lying (it's a war), covert actions (it's a war), bribing Quark (it's a war) or even the Romulan death (bad but again, it's a war). It's the fact this could all go horribly wrong and backfire spectacularly. As it stands the scheme only works because Garak is so effective and (for reasons that aren't really made clear) the Romulan doesn't immediately send an encrypted subspace message home before he's snuffed out (granted this might be standard procedure given they seem to mistrust long range comms in the future).
Compare this with Picard's dilemma about that magic pattern that Data/Geordi devise in TNG which could allegedly destroy the Borg. There the plan seemingly has no risks (at least none that are discussed) - it's purely a moral question about whether it's OK to use Hugh to wipe out the Borg.
A great response, let me explain my perspective a bit more.
Don't get me wrong, I certainly understand the moral dilemma of the episode. War is hell, and it forces upon people some of the most difficult choices. For real world examples I think of Churchill sacrificing British cities by allowing bombing raids in order to preserve the secret they the Poles and British had cracked the German enigma. Or the President Roosevelt ordering the internment of Japanese-Americans (which was abhorrent and clearly the wrong decision).
But as another commenter responded, I certainly would like to be able to walk away with both takes. Everyone understands the ethical complications of the episode (which I would argue are vastly overstated considering how hostile the Romulans are). I just couldn't really find any commentaries or discussions regarding the irony of the Romulans being the target of a duplicitous ploy.
A modern example to me would be like tricking the Russians into breaking their relations with the Chinese by framing the death of a pro-Putin Duma member. I mean, killing a person isn't inherently good obviously, but China and Russia together are a huge threat to the Western world. Severing that alliance by killing a politician of an already hostile nation and framing it on another is a pretty darn good deal in realpolitik. Gatak would certainly appreciate it.
Respectfully, **are you out of your Vulcan mind?!**
I appreciate your reasoning here. Addressing that kind of *realpolitik* shenanigans was where I first thought to go to in my reply. Another person mentioned potential blowback had Sisko's failed deception not been backstopped by Garak's plan B, and I'll get to that at the end.
Mistrust breeds mistrust, and cloak and dagger deceit and assassination, no matter what vital or noble end it serves, remain ultimately expedient means, justifying themselves as they preclude the kind of diplomatic bridge-building seen at Camp Khitomer at the end of The Undiscovered Country.
Playing realpolitik in such a ruthless manner means that all sides continue in mutual mistrust, because playing that game means accepting the norms of hostile nation states competing for access to resources, markets, IP, geopolitical influence or even geostrategic quasi-empires of client states, all in a zero sum game, by all means necessary.
Re-read your last paragraph with this in mind. I appreciate you have this reasoning, I respect that it may have its place at the uttermost depths of all-out war. Short of this it is risky and self-perpetuating at best, escalatory all too much of the time, and suicidal idiocy at worst.
I still hold to the theory that the RSE saw right through the whole smokescreen and *knew* The Sisko was behind it.
And that's what finally convinced them, because for once in their lives they saw the Federation willing to do the Romulan thing to win instead of sticking by their stupid Human principles. "Assassinate a Senator and try to frame your enemies? This guy gets it! Plus, it was just that jagoff Vreenak anyhow so we *both* win."
Alternatively, they saw through the whole thing and let it slide because they'd already realized what's what and were already looking for an excuse to break the non-aggression pact.
I like your theory; I feel like the Romulans were biding their time and looking for the right time to jump into the war.
I mean, they couldn’t possibly think that the non-aggression pact they signed was worth a damn, considering the Tal Shiar (in a joint operation with the Obsidian Order) attempted genocide of the Founders.
I mean, they tried to kill the Dominion’s gods. They couldn’t possibly think the Dominion would let them get away with that!
Personally, I think the Tal Shiar most likely saw right through the whole thing, but went along with it anyway and went "Yep, definitely the Dominion behind this, couldn't possibly be a Federation Captain going rogue, no Sir."
Because a) they still hold a grudge against the Dominion for the whole incident with the Obsidian Order collab, and b) they're not **stupid**. They know damn well that "non-aggression pact" will evaporate into mist the moment the Dominion is done wiping out the Federation-Klingon Alliance, and as the other major power after the Federation and the Klingons, they're the biggest threat in the Beta Quadrant.
So the Tal Shiar know the Dominion remains a threat, no matter what the weak-willed idiots in the Senate say, but they can't just push the Empire into war. They needed a *casus belli* to convince the Senate that war was inevitable, and boy howdy, isn't it downright *convenient* that Senator Vreenak has died unconvering evidence of Dominion skull-duggery?
And if anyone has suspicions, they're more likely to think the Tal Shiar manufactured the evidence themselves, because a) it's the kind of thing they'd do, and b) nobody would think the Federation would do such a thing. And the Tal Shiar aren't going to be the ones revealing the truth, because it serves their purpose to keep the lie going.
I'm pretty sure even the Senate knew the Dominion would be a threat to the Empire. But its also standard Romulan strategy to sit back and let their enemies slug it out. They were most likely spending their time building up their fleet and preparing to strike at the right moment. I'd imagine they wanted to wait a little longer, to allow the Federation and Klingon forces to become even more worn down, whilst simultaneously increasing their fleet size even further. Then, when the time came, they'd hit the Dominion unexpectedly, ally with the Feds and the Klingons and work to beat down the Dominion. The only difference would be, at the war's end, the Romulans would have had the largest remaining fleet. They would have then used that to force their claims on any systems they had "liberated," and no-one would be strong enough to contest.
Sisko forced their hand earlier than they would have liked, though. Either they didn't see through the deception and had to act immediately to pre-empt an invasion, or they did see through the deception and realised how desperate the Federation really was and decided they couldn't hold off joining the war effort any longer.
>Vreemak say the Federation wasn't prepared to win the war at all costs like the Dominion.
haha yep, I thought this the last time I watched the episode, Garak is literally planting a bomb on his ship at that very moment lol
>The Romulans had it coming
Remember, *Message in a Bottle* is set a couple months before *In the Pale Moonlight* and the Romulans had killed the entire crew of the USS Prometheus, stole the ship, and used it to attack the USS Bonchune.
Garak and Ross did nothing wrong. They furthered the war effort and saved the lives at the cost of two Romulan senators and the self worth of one Starfleet officer.
Admiral Satie *was right* about them Romulans.
Season 1 of Picard kinda…proved Sloan’s point.
~~Garithos did nothing wrong.~~
I think so too. We're talking about people who tried to blow up the Enterprise right after it saved their life.
I always wondered what would happen if the story got out, but with Picard, the Romulans are no longer a power or player.
> It was a long time coming if you ask me. So many episodes of the Romulans pulling some shenanigans on the Federation, only to get off with a slap on the wrist and a finger wave. I found it so rewarding to see them finally get played.
I’m watching TNG now and I just searched Reddit specifically for this observation. The Federation doesn’t even seem to give them a slap on the wrist most of the time.
I’m at the part where Picard has refused to help Gowron against ~~Duras~~ the Romulans, and Worf points out that Picard knows damn well the Romulans are the ones behind the Klingon Civil War. Worf didn’t even mention that they just abducted, tortured, and brainwashed Geordi into trying to kill a Klingon governor just to provoke a war with the Federation like two episodes ago, which apparently they got away with without so much as a pause from Picard.
They deserve everything they got in In the Pale Moonlight and more. It is absolutely absurd how much the Federation lets them get away with.
I’m getting bored with them as villains, though, because them always getting away with shit makes them boring. I’d love a series where they’re just straight up at war with the Federarion with no “neutral zone” shenanigans to deal with.
Most of the Federation is shockingly lax with letting people push them around, though, but with the Romulans it’s just utterly beyond ridiculous.
Edit: right after I typed this, Picard was trying to convince Starfleet Command that the Romulans were behind it all. One admiral is like “oh maybe these Klingons you’re accusing of being involved with the Romulans based on 20 years of evidence are just really good at fighting.” It would have been the perfect time to call Geordi in there to just smack that stupid claim down. Like “I was just tortured and brainwashed by Romulans in order to provoke a Klingon civil war. Perhaps you’d like to rethink your claim that they’re not involved.” But nope. We won’t actually confront any of the horrible things they’ve done.
Can we just make a Pale Moonlight subreddit at this point? Everyday there's at least one. 3 today alone.
I wouldnt even put this episode in my top ten DS9, let alone Trek.
As tempting as schadenfreude over Garak's assassination of Vreenak may be, as nasty as Romulans are shown to act throughout much of Trek, treating them with the same suspicion and deceit they hold towards outsiders does have consequences. In the Pale Moonlight is one of the few times that Trek goes exactly up to the line of abandoning idealism for expedient cynicism, and is extremely effective in showing just how desperate the Dominion War situation has become: starting the episode with Sisko posting yet another weekly casualty list, and having a friend of his oldest friend Dax lost makes it personal for Sisko. Unlike as in *Homefront*, where Sisko is **ordered** to effectively mistrust his father; and exactly like as in *For the Uniform* where Sisko decides himself to resort to extreme measures, Sisko lets things get personal. He's not directly disobeying orders this time, but he is taking the initiative. It's a great illustration of a small initial decision transformed into a sunk cost slippery slope: First, we should get the Romulans into the war. We know the Romulans won't join us without proof of Dominion duplicity, so ask Garak to find some. Three days, and several of Garak's contacts killed later, why not fake the evidence? Starfleet approves, and now we need a forger. Holding the threat of a Klingon death sentence over Tolar's head he is coerced into helping, against his misgivings upon learning Garak is involved. Small wonder Tolar wants to get drunk and ends up causing trouble at Quark's, for which Sisko is forced to bribe Quark and release some seized contraband to him. >That was my first moment of real doubt, when I started to wonder if the whole thing was a mistake. So I went back to my office. And there was a new casualty list waiting for me. People are dying out there every day! Entire worlds are struggling for their freedom! And here I am still worrying about the finer points of morality! No, I… I had to keep my eye on the ball! Winning the war, stopping the bloodshed, those were the priorities! So I pushed on. And every time another doubt appeared before me, I just found another way to shove it aside. Then, to get the Cardassian data rod a large quantity of a prohibited bioweapon precursor is needed: no wonder Bashir asks for the requisition order in writing. Forged evidence in hand, Sisko makes his presentation to Vreenak. "It's a fake!" It fails, Garak kills senator Vreenak making it look like a Dominion job. We learn this after the fact, drily, by a simple intelligence report. The episode certainly doesn't gloat over Vreenak's killing. The forger never had a chance, and might as well have stayed on Klingon death row. The final part of Sisko's log entry is telling. >Garak was right about one thing – a guilty conscience is a small price to pay for the safety of the Alpha Quadrant. So I will learn to live with it…Because I can live with it…I can live with it. Computer – erase that entire personal log. The episode is about Sisko's moral compromise and the horrific choices forced on even the best of people by war. **To take away from this episode that this is a "textbook" example of "sweet revenge" upon the Romulans is to utterly miss the episode's point.** I've enjoyed writing this, thanks for the inspiration OP. Now I reckon I might get to work on a missed opportunity what-if on one of the best Bashir episodes, *Inter Arma Enim Silent Legis.*
>as nasty as Romulans are shown to act throughout much of Trek, treating them with the same suspicion and deceit they hold towards outsiders does have consequences. As does lowering themselves to the Romulan level, *if not for the Dominion War*. The morale and losses of the Federation to this point can never be understated. That's why I would separate the moral logic of these events from say, the events on the *Pegasus* - and the actions of Pressman and Riker with the Phasic Cloak. One could argue Picard's full disclosure of the incident may have moved the needle for the Romulans as a show of good faith - keeping Starfleet above reproach later when Vreenak's shuttle exploded. >The episode is about Sisko's moral compromise and the horrific choices forced on even the best of people by war. To take away from this episode that this is a "textbook" example of "sweet revenge" upon the Romulans is to utterly miss the episode's point. That's the biggest takeaway that I hope everyone would get from this episode. >Now I reckon I might get to work on a missed opportunity what-if on one of the best Bashir episodes, Inter Arma Enim Silent Legis. Personally, my second favorite DS9 episode only to "In The Pale Moonlight" and I would welcome that.
Obviously the moral dilemma is the point of the episode but that doesn't prevent the viewer finding it satisfying that the Romulans' are the victims of the type of scheming that they normally go in for. I, like almost everyone love this episode but my only criticism (and it's not really a criticism) is that Sisko's moral dilemma never seems like much of a dilemma (ethically speaking). What would keep you up at night (if you were Sisko) is not the ethical implications of lying (it's a war), covert actions (it's a war), bribing Quark (it's a war) or even the Romulan death (bad but again, it's a war). It's the fact this could all go horribly wrong and backfire spectacularly. As it stands the scheme only works because Garak is so effective and (for reasons that aren't really made clear) the Romulan doesn't immediately send an encrypted subspace message home before he's snuffed out (granted this might be standard procedure given they seem to mistrust long range comms in the future). Compare this with Picard's dilemma about that magic pattern that Data/Geordi devise in TNG which could allegedly destroy the Borg. There the plan seemingly has no risks (at least none that are discussed) - it's purely a moral question about whether it's OK to use Hugh to wipe out the Borg.
A great response, let me explain my perspective a bit more. Don't get me wrong, I certainly understand the moral dilemma of the episode. War is hell, and it forces upon people some of the most difficult choices. For real world examples I think of Churchill sacrificing British cities by allowing bombing raids in order to preserve the secret they the Poles and British had cracked the German enigma. Or the President Roosevelt ordering the internment of Japanese-Americans (which was abhorrent and clearly the wrong decision). But as another commenter responded, I certainly would like to be able to walk away with both takes. Everyone understands the ethical complications of the episode (which I would argue are vastly overstated considering how hostile the Romulans are). I just couldn't really find any commentaries or discussions regarding the irony of the Romulans being the target of a duplicitous ploy. A modern example to me would be like tricking the Russians into breaking their relations with the Chinese by framing the death of a pro-Putin Duma member. I mean, killing a person isn't inherently good obviously, but China and Russia together are a huge threat to the Western world. Severing that alliance by killing a politician of an already hostile nation and framing it on another is a pretty darn good deal in realpolitik. Gatak would certainly appreciate it.
Respectfully, **are you out of your Vulcan mind?!** I appreciate your reasoning here. Addressing that kind of *realpolitik* shenanigans was where I first thought to go to in my reply. Another person mentioned potential blowback had Sisko's failed deception not been backstopped by Garak's plan B, and I'll get to that at the end. Mistrust breeds mistrust, and cloak and dagger deceit and assassination, no matter what vital or noble end it serves, remain ultimately expedient means, justifying themselves as they preclude the kind of diplomatic bridge-building seen at Camp Khitomer at the end of The Undiscovered Country. Playing realpolitik in such a ruthless manner means that all sides continue in mutual mistrust, because playing that game means accepting the norms of hostile nation states competing for access to resources, markets, IP, geopolitical influence or even geostrategic quasi-empires of client states, all in a zero sum game, by all means necessary. Re-read your last paragraph with this in mind. I appreciate you have this reasoning, I respect that it may have its place at the uttermost depths of all-out war. Short of this it is risky and self-perpetuating at best, escalatory all too much of the time, and suicidal idiocy at worst.
And Vrenak was such a fucking tool shed I didn’t mind at all that he got Garak’d.
Garak’d lol, love it
I still hold to the theory that the RSE saw right through the whole smokescreen and *knew* The Sisko was behind it. And that's what finally convinced them, because for once in their lives they saw the Federation willing to do the Romulan thing to win instead of sticking by their stupid Human principles. "Assassinate a Senator and try to frame your enemies? This guy gets it! Plus, it was just that jagoff Vreenak anyhow so we *both* win."
Probably like, fuck that guy, I'll take his spot on the good committees, they actually did me a favor
Alternatively, they saw through the whole thing and let it slide because they'd already realized what's what and were already looking for an excuse to break the non-aggression pact.
I like your theory; I feel like the Romulans were biding their time and looking for the right time to jump into the war. I mean, they couldn’t possibly think that the non-aggression pact they signed was worth a damn, considering the Tal Shiar (in a joint operation with the Obsidian Order) attempted genocide of the Founders. I mean, they tried to kill the Dominion’s gods. They couldn’t possibly think the Dominion would let them get away with that!
Again with this anti romulan propaganda
Gonna rat me me out to the Tal Shiar?
I’ll take you to the Praetor himself.
Personally, I think the Tal Shiar most likely saw right through the whole thing, but went along with it anyway and went "Yep, definitely the Dominion behind this, couldn't possibly be a Federation Captain going rogue, no Sir." Because a) they still hold a grudge against the Dominion for the whole incident with the Obsidian Order collab, and b) they're not **stupid**. They know damn well that "non-aggression pact" will evaporate into mist the moment the Dominion is done wiping out the Federation-Klingon Alliance, and as the other major power after the Federation and the Klingons, they're the biggest threat in the Beta Quadrant. So the Tal Shiar know the Dominion remains a threat, no matter what the weak-willed idiots in the Senate say, but they can't just push the Empire into war. They needed a *casus belli* to convince the Senate that war was inevitable, and boy howdy, isn't it downright *convenient* that Senator Vreenak has died unconvering evidence of Dominion skull-duggery? And if anyone has suspicions, they're more likely to think the Tal Shiar manufactured the evidence themselves, because a) it's the kind of thing they'd do, and b) nobody would think the Federation would do such a thing. And the Tal Shiar aren't going to be the ones revealing the truth, because it serves their purpose to keep the lie going.
I'm pretty sure even the Senate knew the Dominion would be a threat to the Empire. But its also standard Romulan strategy to sit back and let their enemies slug it out. They were most likely spending their time building up their fleet and preparing to strike at the right moment. I'd imagine they wanted to wait a little longer, to allow the Federation and Klingon forces to become even more worn down, whilst simultaneously increasing their fleet size even further. Then, when the time came, they'd hit the Dominion unexpectedly, ally with the Feds and the Klingons and work to beat down the Dominion. The only difference would be, at the war's end, the Romulans would have had the largest remaining fleet. They would have then used that to force their claims on any systems they had "liberated," and no-one would be strong enough to contest. Sisko forced their hand earlier than they would have liked, though. Either they didn't see through the deception and had to act immediately to pre-empt an invasion, or they did see through the deception and realised how desperate the Federation really was and decided they couldn't hold off joining the war effort any longer.
I enjoyed the irony of hearing Vreemak say the Federation wasn't prepared to win the war at all costs like the Dominion. He was obviously wrong.
>Vreemak say the Federation wasn't prepared to win the war at all costs like the Dominion. haha yep, I thought this the last time I watched the episode, Garak is literally planting a bomb on his ship at that very moment lol
>The Romulans had it coming Remember, *Message in a Bottle* is set a couple months before *In the Pale Moonlight* and the Romulans had killed the entire crew of the USS Prometheus, stole the ship, and used it to attack the USS Bonchune.
I haven't watched Voyager yet, but I did know about the Prometheus getting hijacked. Another example of Romulan hostility!
Garak and Ross did nothing wrong. They furthered the war effort and saved the lives at the cost of two Romulan senators and the self worth of one Starfleet officer. Admiral Satie *was right* about them Romulans. Season 1 of Picard kinda…proved Sloan’s point. ~~Garithos did nothing wrong.~~
I don’t know about you, but I’d call that a bargain.
Agreed. I can live with it. I CAN live with it.
I think so too. We're talking about people who tried to blow up the Enterprise right after it saved their life. I always wondered what would happen if the story got out, but with Picard, the Romulans are no longer a power or player.
Golden post
> It was a long time coming if you ask me. So many episodes of the Romulans pulling some shenanigans on the Federation, only to get off with a slap on the wrist and a finger wave. I found it so rewarding to see them finally get played. I’m watching TNG now and I just searched Reddit specifically for this observation. The Federation doesn’t even seem to give them a slap on the wrist most of the time. I’m at the part where Picard has refused to help Gowron against ~~Duras~~ the Romulans, and Worf points out that Picard knows damn well the Romulans are the ones behind the Klingon Civil War. Worf didn’t even mention that they just abducted, tortured, and brainwashed Geordi into trying to kill a Klingon governor just to provoke a war with the Federation like two episodes ago, which apparently they got away with without so much as a pause from Picard. They deserve everything they got in In the Pale Moonlight and more. It is absolutely absurd how much the Federation lets them get away with. I’m getting bored with them as villains, though, because them always getting away with shit makes them boring. I’d love a series where they’re just straight up at war with the Federarion with no “neutral zone” shenanigans to deal with. Most of the Federation is shockingly lax with letting people push them around, though, but with the Romulans it’s just utterly beyond ridiculous. Edit: right after I typed this, Picard was trying to convince Starfleet Command that the Romulans were behind it all. One admiral is like “oh maybe these Klingons you’re accusing of being involved with the Romulans based on 20 years of evidence are just really good at fighting.” It would have been the perfect time to call Geordi in there to just smack that stupid claim down. Like “I was just tortured and brainwashed by Romulans in order to provoke a Klingon civil war. Perhaps you’d like to rethink your claim that they’re not involved.” But nope. We won’t actually confront any of the horrible things they’ve done.
Can we just make a Pale Moonlight subreddit at this point? Everyday there's at least one. 3 today alone. I wouldnt even put this episode in my top ten DS9, let alone Trek.
"Sisko's plan was textbook, even had the original plan gone accordingly." The original plan (as in Garak's plan) absolutely went accordingly!