History Recap / StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E19HardTime

* KarmaHoudini: The Argrathi aren't mentioned to have faced any consequences for [[MiscarriageOfJustice wrongfully convicting]] O'Brien, or for the psychological damage they inflicted on him. Considering they arrested and sentenced what is essentially a foreign national and subjected him to a horrifying and traumatic experience, there should have been ''major'' consequences for them from the Federation.

We then see Bashir discussing the medicine he's prescribed O'Brien. It'll combat the hallucinations and the depression, but not the guilt. That will only take time. He returns to his quarters where he is warmly greeted by Molly, proclaiming, "[[HesBack Daddy's back]]."

* HesBack: In the end, when Molly rejoices at her father's return home, O'Brien states, "Daddy's back," indicating that he's become his old self again.

Captain Sisko explains the situation to Keiko: O'Brien was on a team that visited Argrathi, but when he asked too many questions about Argrathi technology, the paranoid local authorities arrested him for espionage, and before his fellow Starfleet officers had even realized that he had gone missing, O'Brien had been tried, convicted and sentenced. The Argrathi do not punish criminals with actual prison, however, but rather by implanting memories of being harshly incarcerated into their mind, and O'Brien was subjected to 20 years of this in the few hours it took Star Fleet to negotiate his release. Sisko assures Keiko that Dr. Bashir will try everything possible to return O'Brien to his former self.

* StockEpisodeTitles: More than a dozen other shows have episodes titled "Hard Time", including ''Series/CSIMiami'', ''Series/{{JAG}}'' ([[Recap/JAGS09E19HardTime recap]]), ''Series/MutantX'', ''Robotech'' and ''Series/RulesOfEngagement''.

* KangarooCourt: While O'Brien's trial isn't seen on-screen, is a safe bet that it was not in any way remotely fair, seeing how Argrathi is ruled by a clearly authoritarian and paranoid regime. In fact, he was found guilty and had been sentenced before his fellow officers even noticed he had gone missing.

O'Brien laments discovering that, in spite of the Federation's high ideals, [[WhatYouAreInTheDark when it came down to it]], he was no better than an animal. Bashir counters that O'Brien's guilt is proof that the Argrathi failed to strip him completely of his humanity. He tells the chief not to let one moment defy him and destroy a good man. Moved, O'Brien hands over the phaser. Ee'char fades away after gently smiling and telling O'Brien to "be well."

Brien laments discovering that, in spite of the Federation's high ideals, [[WhatYouAreInTheDark when it came down to it]], he was no better than an animal. Bashir counters that O'Brien's guilt is proof that the Argrathi failed to strip him completely of his humanity. He tells the chief not to let one moment defy him and destroy a good man. Moved, O'Brien hands over the phaser. Ee'char fades away after gently smiling and telling O'Brien to "be well."

O'Brien hides in the cargo bay, where he is overcome with rage and smashes a container before opening a weapons locker and pointing a phaser at his neck. Bashir comes in and begins talking O'Brien down. O'Brien rationalizes that he's about to kill himself to protect Keiko and Molly and everyone else on the station from the man that he's become after 20 years of prison. Bashir reassures him that O'Brien is still a good, decent man, and O'Brien begins to open up to Bashir about Ee'char.

* KarmaHoudini: The Argrathi aren't mentioned to have faced any consequences for wrongfully convicting O'Brien, or for the psychological damage they inflicted on him. Considering they arrested and sentenced what is essentially a foreign national and subjected him to a horrifying and traumatic experience, there should have been ''major'' consequences for them from the Federation.

Captain Sisko explains the situation to Keiko: O'Brien was on a team that visited Argrathi, but when he asked too many questions about Argrathi technology, the paranoid local authorities arrested him for espionage, and before his fellow Starfleet officers had even realized that he had gone missing, O'Brien had tried, convicted and sentenced. The Argrathi do not punish criminals with actual prison, however, but rather by implanting memories of being harshly incarcerated into their mind, and O'Brien was subjected to 20 years of this in the few hours it took Star Fleet to negotiate his release. Sisko assures Keiko that Dr. Bashir will try everything possible to return O'Brien to his former self.

Brien laments discovering that, in spite of the Federation's high ideals, [[WhatYouAreInTheDark when it came down to it]], he was no better than an animal. Bashir counters that O'Brien's guilt is proof that the Argathi failed to strip him completely of his humanity. He tells the chief not to let one moment defy him and destroy a good man. Moved, O'Brien hands over the phaser. Ee'char fades away after gently smiling and telling O'Brien to "be well."