Was "Covenant" a misstep?

[cwalrus2]

I just recently rewatched this episode, and it felt a little flat to me. I know that most people hate the Pah-Wraith worshiping Dukat, but even beyond that I felt the episode I had issues. The Kira-Dukat interractions felt kind of forced even when she brought up Jadzia's death, it just kind of fell short of the kind of moment it should have been. They also talked about what Dukat did to her mother and even that was kind of glossed over. At the end of the previous episode where Kira learned about her mother, Kira was so genuinely angry about it that I really thought that the next time she saw Dukat that she would certainly do more than indulge him in the usual verbal sparring that they do.

I wished they showed more of Odo and Sisko back on the station figuring out how to find Kira and rescue her. At the end of the episode, Kira said that Dukat is more dangerous because he actually believes in the Pah-Wraiths, yet that argument seemed unconvincing to me. Dukat was a lot more evil before when he acted on his own. Once he turned to the Pah-Wraiths, he seemed weaker and even pitiful. Before this episode, Dukat was the ultimate villain. After this episode, he was just a pawn.

 

[startrekwatcher]

I didn't find the episode on its own to be that compelling and as you say it was flat but looking back it did help set up the direction the Final Chapter would take Dukat and I think the writer admitted as much. I did like the way Dukat after losing Ziyal and being possessed by a pagh'wraith had this new devotion to them and how he saw it as a way to trump Sisko.

Plus the material with cults is so cliched. Definitely not one of my favorites.

 

[Smiley]

I've always found this episode fascinating. Every time I watch it, I am fully invested in Kira's story.

 

[shatastrophic]

I agree with cwalrus2, there should have been more than just verbal sparring. With the death of a main character (Jadzia), and the events concerning Kira's mother, She should've killed him on the spot, stun everyone else somehow and wait for the calvary to arrive. Startrekwatcher has a point though, the episode did set up the final chapter with Dukat. Poor guy, all he ever wanted was power and no matter how he tried to get it he failed. I don't know if it's ambition or not. He once said captain Sisko is resourceful, however I found Dukat to be the most resourceful out of all of them.

 

[Ezri]

It as what it was ... nothing important

 

[Kegek]

In context, it's the best use of Dukat in the seventh season. Which speaks volumes, I think. It's not a bad episode, even though its message is trite, its premise is reasonably interesting.

I'm going with a highly qualified 'yes'. As missteps go, it turned out alright.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

I like this episode just fine.

I know some people really hate it...but I saw it as a very reasonable step in Dukat's progression toward madness.

 

[MyCylon]

I've always liked "Covenant". It's far from the series' best but I really do like the facets it gives Dukat. You can see that he's starting to get a grip again but in a very dangerous way indeed.
I also find the notion interesting that Bajorans would follow someone like Dukat. It's definitely something debatable but looking at what kinds of people fanatical believers are willing to follow in our world, I find it entirely possible.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

Justtoyourleft said:
I also find the notion interesting that Bajorans would follow someone like Dukat. It's definitely something debatable but looking at what kinds of people fanatical believers are willing to follow in our world, I find it entirely possible.

I totally agree. In fact, this was the most interesting aspect of the entire thing, and I'm really glad they did it.

You read all the time about kidnap victims or abuse victims starting to emphasize with their captors, and almost come to see them as saviors. And this episode really spoke to that phenomenon.

I wish they had had more time to delve into that aspect...but at the very least, I'm glad they brought it up.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

I found it forced and largely unnecessary.

1. The third use of Empok Nor, which was at least one use too many.

2. Pah Wraith worshippers, shunned by Bajorans for centuries, would come to doubt themselves at the end. Or am I misremembering?

3. Dukat fathering another illegitmate child...still the same wolf, different clothing.

4. Disposable Vedek...or how to get a emotional scene out of Kira! "Hey, let's invent a new Vedek and then off them!"

I almost wish they'd gone sillier and made the pah wraith worshippers creepy "satanist" style psychos, instead.

The real purpose of the episode was one last face off between Kira and Sisko. In that regard, it was also disappointing.

 

[Kegek]

There is one scene I like in this episode very much: The one where he attempts to kill the mother. Alaimo sells that with a cold, pitiless look.

 

[HRHTheKING]

No.

It added greatly to Dukat's character and explored the Bajoran religion even further.

A fine episode.

 

[Evil Twin]

"Covenant" is a guilty pleasure of mine. Dukat acting like the benevolent cult leader is unintentionally hilarious, especially the part with the half-Cardassian baby. Oh, and then there's that painting...

 

[CommanderRaytas]

Yes, the part with the baby is really funny. He certainly knows how to improvise: "...it's a miracle!" Tee-hee.

Like it is the case with many fundamentalists (is that the right word in English?), I can totally see the faithful followers buying that story.

And the painting was glorious! lol

Anyway, I like the episode a lot.

 

[Navaros]

I strongly disagree with "The Great Fubaring of Dukat" as of Waltz.

But no, Covenant was not a misstep. It was one of the only post-Waltz episodes where we see Dukat back up to his old tricks and old awesomeness standard instead of a one-dimensional caricature like he is in WYLB.

Covenant is a very compelling episode. Definitely a great episode.

Now, if this thread was titled: "Was going with the ending of Waltz that devolves Dukat into a one-dimensional caricature a misstep?" (they had another ending ready to go too, in which Dukat was not dumbed-down...), then I would vote yes to that question.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Dukat should never have returned after "Sacrifice of Angels". Everything after that was ludicrous character assassination-- even Waltz, though I do like that episode. That said, I'm sure you can guess my opinions of Covenant.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I remember I loved the first half of the episode and hated the second half.

Dukat was a lot more evil before when he acted on his own. Once he turned to the Pah-Wraiths, he seemed weaker and even pitiful. Before this episode, Dukat was the ultimate villain. After this episode, he was just a pawn.

I agree. The same story in S7 could have been told with "old" Dukat - overconfidently thinking he can ally himself with the paghwraiths and control them - there was no reason to screw up a great villain by turning him into a stupid, contemptable pawn.

 

[Kegek]

Temis the Vorta said:

Dukat was a lot more evil before when he acted on his own. Once he turned to the Pah-Wraiths, he seemed weaker and even pitiful. Before this episode, Dukat was the ultimate villain. After this episode, he was just a pawn.

I agree. The same story in S7 could have been told with "old" Dukat - overconfidently thinking he can ally himself with the paghwraiths and control them - there was no reason to screw up a great villain by turning him into a stupid, contemptable pawn.

What's worse is when he converts Kai Winn to the pah-wraiths and starts sleeping with her. This entirely undermined that character as well, once the sneering, hypocritical bastion of orthodoxy. I guess the writers didn't like the ambiguity of having an ardent supporter of the Prophets be such a mean person, so in the interests of Manichean dualism they switched her to the side of evil, as the consort of Mr. Red-Eyed Evil Guy himself. Yawn...

Dukat slowly went downhill starting with 'Waltz' - great episode, but Sisko's judgement at the end for Dukat being pure evil was also that of the writers: Aside from one flashback episode, Dukat is no longer permitted to be the nuanced character he once was. IIRC, the reason was pretty simple: He was popular. He was liked. People even defended him. In the process of ths six episode opening arc of S6, Dukat had become the show's antihero, and so he was thrust back into villain status with subtle character assassination.

I'm not saying he isn't an evil bastard, but he was the suave, debonair, charming type one encounters in the real world rather than the pages of some simplistic fantasy.