Heart of Stone

episode 59 production #460 written by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe directed by Alexander Singer original air date: 1995.02.06

A major character-development episode, we see significant changes here to both a regular cast member and a recurring character. The A-story focuses on the Female Changeling luring Odo and Kira to a moon where she replaces and impersonates Kira in order to drive Odo back to his people. She fails to accomplish this goal but succeeds in learning Odo's deepest secret, that he is in love with Kira. The B-story revolves around Nog's efforts to convince Commander Sisko to help him join Starfleet. While the A-story should be the main focus of any episode, in this particular case it is the B-story that actually elicits the bigger response. Odo's tortured revelation is indeed compelling, but the ordeal is stretched out during the entire episode and doesn't hold anywhere near the level of interest as does Nog's story. However, both Rene Auberjonois and Aron Eisenberg both do a fantastic job in this episode. From this episode on Odo's torment over Kira would be shown more, as would Nog's future ambitions.

One thing I found interesting about this episode is everyone's reaction to Nog's desire to join Starfleet. Not so much their suprise, but their ignorance of his own personal character. Granted he's not exactly been a model citizen in the past, but it's obvious here, perhaps for the first time, that Nog is indeed a hard worker and a competent handyman. I find this interesting when Nog is contrasted with Jake. I liken Jake to a typical American teenager and Nog to a teenager from a socio-economically deprived country. Jake displays little in the area of ambition and work ethic, while Nog shows that he is willing to do whatever it takes to overcome his lot in life and make something of himself. While I'm sure it's not what the writers/producers set out to do, it nevertheless makes for an interesting commentary on international and intercultural differences in today's world.

Points of Interest:

In addition to their ill-fated Gamma Quadrant colony of New Bajor (The Jem'Hadar, we learn that the Bajoran's have a colony in the Alpha Quadrant close to Cardassia called Prophet's Landing.

The ships most often seen used by the Maquis are Peregrine class couriers.

This episode establishes that a non-Federation citizen wishing to apply to Starfleet academy must submit a letter of reference from a command level officer.

This episode features the first mention of Ensign Vilix'pran who would later be mentioned again in season five's Apocalypse Rising and season six's Business As Usual.

Odo mentions that Chief O'Brien still goes kayaking in the holosuite, just as he did on the Enterprise in TNG.

We learn that origin of Odo's name: Odo'ital means "nothing".

The Eighteenth Rule of Acquisition: A Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all.

Quark quote of the episode: "Of course it's your fault. Everything that goes wrong here is your fault. It says so in your contract."
Quote of the episode: "She is never going to love you. How could she? You are a Changeling." - Female Changeling

Missing crew member of the episode: Chief O'Brien