The Collaborator (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
"The Collaborator" is the 44th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 24th episode of the second season.
| "The Collaborator" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 24 |
| Directed by | Cliff Bole |
| Story by | Gary Holland |
| Teleplay by |
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| Featured music | Jay Chattaway |
| Production code | 444 |
| Original air date | May 22, 1994 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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In this episode, Major Kira finds herself investigating Vedek Bareil when pursuing allegations made by a Bajoran banished from his homeworld for helping the Cardassians during the occupation.
Plot
The Bajorans are about to select a new Kai, the supreme religious leader of all Bajor, after the loss of the popular and respected previous Kai Opaka. Major Kira hopes to see Vedek Bareil become the new Kai, but he is running against a formidable opponent: Vedek Winn. Kira has recently started a romance with Bareil; she loathes Vedek Winn, both personally and politically, and has a strong suspicion that Winn is responsible for a recent assassination attempt on Bareil.
Meanwhile, Odo has arrested a Bajoran man called Kubus Oak, who was exiled for collaborating with the Cardassians during their occupation of Bajor. Vedek Winn offers Kubus sanctuary in exchange for information about the Kendra Valley Massacre that occurred on Bajor during the war. The massacre claimed the lives of 43 Bajoran rebels (including Opaka's own son), and Kubus claims that it was Bareil who tipped off the Cardassians to the rebels' location. Winn is eager to find proof; she gloats to Kira that she is about to ruin Bareil's chances for becoming Kai, and manipulates her into volunteering to investigate the case.
The crew analyzes some records and finds evidence that does indicate that Bareil was responsible. In disbelief, Kira confronts him. He admits to having provided the Cardassians with the location of the rebels; he explains that if he had not, the Cardassians would have destroyed village after village until they were certain they had wiped out the rebels. Bareil gave them the information to save a thousand villagers, at the cost of the 43.
Kira is crushed. Soon after, she hears that Bareil has withdrawn his candidacy for Kai, clearing the way for Winn to take the post. With further investigation, Kira makes another confusing discovery: proof that Bareil was not the source of the information. He was covering up for someone else. When she asks him about it, he admits to her that it was the revered Kai Opaka who had been the "collaborator". She had sacrificed the rebels, including her son, to save the villagers. Bareil covered for her because the Bajorans need to believe in her during this painful time in their history.
While Kira is hardly convinced that those sentiments are worth the price of allowing Winn to become Kai, Bareil says that it will be up to them to influence her towards something positive.
