Improbable Cause

When Garak's tailor shop explodes, Odo finds that it was destroyed by a bomb set up to make it look accidental. He tracks down a possible suspect but before he can catch up with him, the suspect is killed when his ship blows up.

Odo studies the case further and discovers that the Romulans are behind it. They probably hired the dead suspect, and then killed him to help bury evidence. Odo digs up more information about the incident and finds that it is much more complicated than an assassination attempt on Garak. It seems the Romulans are planning to invade Cardassia and several members of the Obsidian Order, the Cardassian secret police, have been killed in mysterious mishaps recently.

Odo tries to get Garak to admit that he blew up his own shop in order to get Odo to begin an investigation. All of the Cardassians recently killed were close to Enabran Tain, Garak's mentor. Now that all of his associates are being targeted, Tain may be in danger. Odo and Garak set off to locate him.

En route they are captured by a Romulan warbird. When they are brought aboard they find that Tain is there. He tells them he ordered Garak's assassination, as well as those of the rest of his former associates. He is wiping his history clean in preparation for a power play. The Romulan Tal Shiar have formed an alliance with the Obsidian Order, and they are planning an attack on the Founders in the Gamma Quadrant. Once the Dominion is taken out, Tain plans to take control of the Obsidian Order. Since his attempt on Garak's life failed, he asks the tailor to join him. Odo is puzzled when Garak immediately agrees.

After several episodes leading up to the Dominion War, beginning with "The Jem'Hadar", the plot outlined in this episode makes the war with the Dominion involving Romulus, Cardassia and the Federation inevitable. The repercussions of the events depicted in this episode resonate throughout the remainder of the series leading to an ill-fated alliance between Romulus and Cardassia. The unannounced and disastrous (and ultimately, failed) preemptive invasion of the Gamma Quadrant by the joint Romulan and Cardassian fleet will eventually envelop the Federation, leading to a guerrilla attack on Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, and the capture and occupation of numerous Federation planets, including Betazed. The war will eventually involve the Breen. It is a pivotal moment in the timeline of Deep Space Nine, one which would define the plotline for the remainder of the series.

In 2015, Geek.com recommended this episode as "essential watching" for their abbreviated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine binge-watching guide, pairing it with the following episode "The Die is Cast".[1] They note this duet of episodes is Garak-centric, and also includes special-effect scenes of space battles.[1]

The Hollywood Reporter rated "Improbable Cause" as the 71st best episode of Star Trek overall, noting its mystery and intrigue.[2] They also ranked it the 20th best episode in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 2016.[3] In this episode the Station's main detective, the alien-shape shifter Odo, investigates an attack on Garak's shop.[3]

In 2018, CBR rated "Improbable Cause" coupled with its second part "The Die Is Cast", as the 12th best multi episode story arc of Star Trek.[4]

As a pair with the following episode "The Die Is Cast", "Improbable Cause" was ranked as the 6th best episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine by Vulture.[5] They highlight the character of Garak, played by Andrew Robinson.[5] Den of Geek also reviewed it paired with "The Die Is Cast", and ranked it among the best of the series in 2019.[6]

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Improbable Cause

• "Improbable Cause" at IMDb
• "Improbable Cause" at TV.com

• Improbable Cause at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

• Improbable Cause at StarTrek.com