A quest story!

Or maybe not.

In keeping with Deep Space Nine‘s tradition of turning familiar story ideas into something different, “The Sword of Kahless” is a quest story that is more about what is done once the treasure is found than it is on finding the treasure itself. To that end, the tale is fascinating and intriguing — even when the developments are melodramatic and fairly implausible. In truth, despite the innovative concept, the actual story doesn’t establish itself as anything truly exceptional. The final result is an episode that, while above average, just isn’t strong enough to be considered a true classic.

We begin on DS9 with Kor (John Colicos) who, after regaling Quark’s bar with an old war story, reveals to Dax and Worf that he is on a quest to find the Sword of Kahless. He even produces what turns out to be something of a treasure map. Of course, treasure stories are always a bit of fun and when a story presents a decidedly different take on the concept, the results are inherently of interest. As a point of fact, the trio (after Korn’s very poetic “ceremony” to begin the quest), very quickly find the sword. But it is from here that the *real* story of the episode begins.

As it turns out, Kor was a bit too loose-lipped about his plans and the son of Duras, Toral, has caught wind of the expedition. They serve to be little more than a plot device to provide some tension and raise doubt in Kor about Worf’s true Klingon nature. But I do appreciate the attempt to tie up a “loose-end” from TNG.

More importantly for the episode, though, is the effect that the Sword of Kahless has on both Worf and Kor. After discovering it, both become insatiably greedy about using it to acquire power. In that sense, the sword takes on the qualities of the Ring of Power from The Lord of the Rings. But the problem here is that there is very little backstory to support the effect the sword has on Klingons. As a result, their transformations in personality feel fairly implausible.

And really, therein lies the real problems for the episode. The complications involving the Sword of Kahless seem entirely “made up” purely to give the episode a kind of dramatic heft. Had there been some explanation, or hint, early on that, perhaps, the sword was “dangerous” for those who held it, then perhaps the changes we see in both Worf and Kor would have been easier to accept on face value. And really, there was plenty of opportunity early on with the establishing scenes between Worf, Kor, and Dax to lay that kind of groundwork. Instead, we’re thrust into the quest too quickly to establish the real peril of actually completing the quest.

Because of this, the conflicts between Worf, Kor and Dax seem relatively hollow. And, too, the final solution to simply beam the sword to a faraway place seems particularly … well … cowardly. Instead of confronting the consequences of power, our character simply run away from it with an empty platitude about not being “ready” for the Sword of Kahless.

“The Sword of Kahless” starts out strongly, with an effective and refreshing take on the quest story concept. I like the whole notion of how treasure can undermine a persons morals, but the manner with which the episode chooses to deal with the rest of the story raises far too many questions to be really effective. Put simply, it’s far too implausible for Worf and Kor to fall so quickly and completely from their closely guarded honor.

Filed under: Deep Space Nine