As an exploration of Odo’s past, “The Alternate” is an interesting story. But as a character piece and as an overall mystery, the episode is both too obscure and too annoying to generate any real value. The problem stems from the writing which creates a mystery which isn’t strong enough to maintain any momentum and a guest character who just isn’t sympathetic enough to carry the story through its final paces. The result is an episode which has some value, but is otherwise difficult to watch.

The episode begins with the arrival of Dr. Mora, the Bajoran scientist who worked with Odo when his relationship to Odo was more insidious: a jailer who kept Odo behind lock and key to be objectified and studied. This clash of character elements leads to some very awkward moments for the episode, such as Dr. Mora trying to convince Odo to return to the lab – out of some twisted sense of duty, curiosity and affection. This certainly creates a highly complex character relationship between Odo and Dr. Mora, but this ends up making Dr. Mora more sinister and more conniving than is required for his change of heart to be compelling.

The mystery itself starts when Dr. Mora takes Odo and Dax into the Gamma Quadrant to a planet which may hold some clues to Odo’s origins. While there, they collect an obelisk and a life form – and fall victim to some particularly nasty volcanic gas. As an aside … why is it that no one seems to question why shapeshifters would need buildings that look like familiar earth ruins, or why they would need obelisks in the first place? It seems to me that if you’re an amorphous blob by nature, you would have need for such constructs.

In any event, the gas paralyzes everyone except Odo. But once they are all back on DS9 strange events start happening and we’re left to wonder just what the heck is going on? Is it the new life form run amok? Or is it one of the visitors to the alien planet run amok? (Hint: It’s Odo.)

The mystery isn’t especially interesting though because it’s just a bit too obscure. Also, the clashes between Odo and Dr. Mora not only puncture any nascent tension from the mystery, but actually derail the episode into melodrama, instead of legitimate suspense. The shouting scene in Odo’s office – just before Odo runs amok once again – is particularly excruciating to watch.

Ultimately, “The Alternate” is worthwhile because it manages to convey a great deal of the emotional history of Odo – how and why he is who he is. But the vehicle by which this information is conveyed is rather flawed.

Filed under: Deep Space Nine