Valiant (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

"Valiant" is the 146th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 22nd episode of the sixth season. Set in the science fiction universe of Star Trek, this series focuses on the adventures of the crew of the titular space station Deep Space Nine in the 24th century. At this time in the show, the United Federation of Planets is caught up in a war against a powerful empire known as the Dominion.

"Valiant"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode
Episode no.Season 6
Episode 22
Directed byMichael Vejar
Written byRonald D. Moore
Featured musicPaul Baillargeon
Production code546
Original air dateMay 6, 1998 (1998-05-06)
Guest appearance(s)

In this episode, the young Jake Sisko and Nog find themselves on board a starship crewed by a squad of elite Starfleet cadets.

It was first broadcast on television on May 6, 1998.[1]

Plot

While en route to Ferenginar in a runabout, Jake Sisko and Ensign Nog are attacked by a Dominion vessel, but are rescued by the USS Valiant. Jake and Nog find that the crew are all members of Red Squad, an elite squadron of Starfleet cadets. Red Squad was on Valiant for a training mission when the ship was attacked by Dominion forces, resulting in the loss of the entire commissioned staff. Before dying, the late captain transferred command to now–acting Captain Tim Watters.

Watters says the late captain was ordered to seek intelligence on a new Dominion battle cruiser, and the Valiant has continued to pursue that mission under Watters's command, but its damaged warp drive has prevented it from getting close enough to observe the Dominion ship. Nog has the expertise to repair the engine, and Watters appoints him Chief Engineer; but Jake is seen as an outsider. When Jake talks to Chief Collins about her personal life, she breaks down emotionally, and Watters orders Jake not to talk to her further.

With Nog's help, the Valiant is able to scan the battleship. Watters informs the crew that their mission has been carried out, and they could go home now, but he wants them to attempt to destroy the Dominion vessel, using a weak point in its design they believe the scan has revealed. Jake tries to tell them that his father Benjamin Sisko, one of the finest battle commanders in Starfleet, would never engage in such a foolhardy attack, but the cadets are won over by Watters' enthusiasm and the lure of becoming heroes.

When Jake attempts to warn Nog and Collins that the mission is too dangerous to succeed, Watters has Jake thrown in the brig. The Valiant attacks the vessel and successfully hits the targeted area, but the Jem'Hadar ship remains undamaged. The Valiant is assaulted by the battle cruiser, which critically damages the ship and kills much of the remaining crew. Nog, Collins and Jake, leave the ship in an escape pod before the Valiant explodes; the sole survivors, they are rescued by the Defiant. Nog states that the Valiant was a good ship with a good crew, whose only mistake was blindly following Watters' disastrous orders. To Collins' pleas that Watters was a great man, Nog replies that, "he may even have been a great man, but in the end, he was a bad captain."

Reception

In 2017, CBR rated the Dominion battleship appearing in this episode as the second most powerful spacecraft featured in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.[2]

The episode received Nielsen ratings of 4.6 points corresponding to about 4.5 million viewers.[3]

References
  1. DeCandido, Keith R. A. (2014-10-31). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rewatch: "Valiant"". Tor.com. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  2. "DS9: The 15 Most Powerful Ships In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine". CBR. 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  3. "WebTrek - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine * SEASON 6 NIELSEN RATINGS". users.telenet.be.

See also
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