Wrapped inside a now-typical Trek plot about surgically-altered main characters is a surprisingly moving and effective story. Perhaps “Second Skin” works well because it turns the Trek cliché on its head and provides a fresh approach to the outcome. But I suspect the episode is successful because ultimately it’s about the people involved in the story – about their loyalties and convictions. Just as important is the story’s ability to provide a deeper dimension to Cardassians, giving them motivations beyond that of simply being “the villains” of the series. As a result, “Second Skin” is a strong installment – provided viewers can endure the episode’s primary conceit long enough to get to the heart of the story.
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This is the story of how Kira is abducted by Cardassians, whisked away to Cardassia Prime, surgically altered to look like a Cardassian, and then told that she is, in fact, a covert Obsidian Order spy, whose true name is Iliana. The setup evokes previous Trek episodes such as “Future Imperfect” or “Face of the Enemy” where the use of holodecks, or surgical alterations, force our characters to confront seemingly radical changes to their lives. Because of this, and because the premise is rather obscure to begin with, there’s a very real obstacle in place for audiences to enjoy the episode.
Beyond that, a lot of time is spent setting up the rather poignant payoff of the episode’s final scenes. Kira (as Iliana) meets an Obsidian Order commander who tries to nudge her gently into remembering her former life as a Cardassian. Next, she encounters Iliana’s father, named Tekeny, who is utterly convinced that Kira is, in fact, his daughter. And Sisko and Odo literally blackmail Garak into helping them retrieve Kira. Many of these sequences are, simply, procedural, moving the pieces into their proper places for the big finale. But it’d be wrong to simply dismiss them.
On a lighthearted note, Sisko’s admission to Garak that he is, in fact, blackmailing the Cardassian exile is perfectly delivered. But, more importantly, the scenes in which Iliana’s father tries to reconnect with his daughter are particularly compelling. Tekeny’s efforts are played for compassion – though, because we, like Kira, are suspicious of the entire plot surrounding her, it’s difficult to accept Tekeny’s emotions as sincere. It’s only at the end, when we learn the truth, that we, again like Kira, can look back and reflect on his words and deeds on her behalf.
It’s this element which creates the truly unique element to the episode. As it turns out, Kira and her memories, as well as what she learned as the Bajoran liaison on DS9, aren’t a matter of concern at all. It is, in fact, Tekeny who was the target of the entire plot. By selecting Kira, and convincing Tekeny that she was Iliana, the Obsidian Order was gambling that he’d free her to keep her from harsh interrogations. By doing so, he would reveal his status as a Cardassian dissident and, through his capture and subsequent interrogation, put the entire resistance at risk. It’s a new twist on this kind of a plot – one that makes the best sense given the story itself.
Following a rather perfunctory rescue operation, in which Garak twice demonstrates his resourcefulness, Kira and Tekeny escape Cardassia. This, then, leads to the best element of the episode. As a result of what has happened – having learned of Tekeney’s true nature and motivations – Kira develops a very real and plausible respect for Iliana’s father. This connection between Kira, whose prejudice toward Cardassians is quite clear, and a Cardassian is wonderfully constructed. The final scene between the two characters is nicely scripted and performed, providing the right bittersweet closure to the episode.
There are some criticisms (beyond that of the premise). For starters, it’s becoming all too easy for Cardassians to simply abduct DS9 personnel with little or no consequence. Secondly, it’s likewise becoming all too easy for Sisko to simply travel to Cardassia, beam down, and save the day at the last possible moment. For a series that has tried to (and more often than not succeeded at) creating realism for its characters – and the consequences of their choices – these “magic wand” plot devices become all the more glaring.
Despite the criticisms and prohibitive premise, “Second Skin” is a classic episode, featuring another strong performance from Kira and yet another entertaining turn from Garak. Indeed, his line that “treason, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder,” once again confirms his likable, but unscrupulous, character.
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