Line #72 Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E01E02TheWayOfTheWarrior


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ds9_wayofwarrior1_381.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:The One Where Worf Shows Up.]]
3	A task force of Klingon ships commanded by General Martok camps out around [=DS9=] to await a potential Dominion incursion through the wormhole. Tensions rise as the Klingons throw their weight around: a gang of them beats up Garak, and Klingon ships begin boarding and searching other vessels for changelings without cause. Captain Sisko decides that the best way to handle Klingons is with another Klingon, so he sends for Lieutenant Commander Worf. Worf challenges Martok by slapping around his son and learns that Sisko's suspicions are correct: there's something else going on that Martok suggests could determine the future of the Klingon empire.
4
5	Worf convinces a friend of his father to tell him the whole story: The Klingons believe Cardassia has undergone a Dominion-engineered coup, so they are preparing to invade Cardassia themselves. The Federation opposes the move, but Chancellor Gowron and the Klingon High Council go ahead despite the harm it could cause to the Federation-Klingon alliance.
6
7	Sisko "accidentally" lets Garak overhear a discussion about the attack, so he can pass the information along to the Cardassians. It seems the Klingon fears of Dominion influence are unwarranted. The Federation condemns the attack, so the Klingons end their peace treaty with the Federation. Gowron arrives at the station and invites Worf to join him, but Worf refuses to abandon his Starfleet post, so Gowron strips his family of their lands and honors.
8
9	Sisko contacts [[Characters/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineGulDukat Dukat]] (now military advisor to the new civilian government of Cardassia) and offers to help him get the Cardassian council members to safety. After a large battle, they get the council on board the Defiant and head for home, pursued by a large Klingon fleet. This brings us to an [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome impressive battle sequence]] as the station (armed with 5,000 photon torpedoes and multiple phaser banks) holds off the Klingons until reinforcements arrive.
10
11	The Klingons back off but make it clear that they do ''not'' forgive and forget. Worf goes through some soul-searching but decides to stay in Starfleet and becomes [=DS9=]'s new Strategic Operations officer after Sisko provides Worf with some of his own insights.
12	----
13	!!Tropes
14
15	* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: Quark and Garak have a moment to discuss upcoming events before the climax with the Klingon fleet attacking the station. Quark offers a human drink, Root Beer, and Garak is appalled by its taste. Quark says he felt the same way, but drinking too much of it and you start to like it. Both compare it to the Federation, with the subtext being two characters who are far from home now having to rely on a galactic superpower to protect them even though they aren't citizens. But they also aren't certain the Federation can stop what's coming anyway.
16	* AllForNothing: The [=DS9=] crew go to great lengths to warn the Cardassians about the coming invasion while still trying to preserve the Federation-Klingon alliance. It turns out to be a waste of time because the Klingons abrogate the Khitomer Accords anyway when the Federation Council condemns the invasion. At most, the crew's warning the Cardassians affords them the chance to put up a decent defence, instead of the Klingons just steamrolling their way to Cardassia Prime.
17	* AndThenWhat: When Worf tells O'Brien that he plans on leaving Starfleet, O'Brien asks him what he would do with himself if he did. Worf admits he's at a loss, as current events have rendered his original plans untenable.
18	* ArcWelding: With Worf's arrival and Gorwron cemented as a recurring character on the spinoff (following his crossover appearance [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E03TheHouseOfQuark the year before]]), TNG's Klingon Politics Arc gets picked up by [=DS9=] and merged with the ongoing Dominion narrative.
19	* ArmorPiercingResponse: A sharp reminder that Kira's life [[DarkAndTroubledPast hasn't been a very happy one]]--when Jadzia asks her if she ever played make-believe as a child, Kira replies that sure, she used to make-believe that the Cardassians would stop killing Bajorans and go away all the time.
20	* BadassBoast:
21	** Dax, when Worf warns her that a ''bat'leth'' duel between them wouldn't be a fair match: "I'll go easy on you." Even though she loses, she still lasts longer than Worf probably expected.
22	** Bashir warns Odo to watch out for the attacking Klingons, as there will certainly be some eager to have a song made about their slaying of a Changeling. Odo's response?
23	--->'''Odo''': Doctor, if a Klingon ''were'' to kill me, I'd expect nothing less than an entire opera on the subject.
24	** Sisko gets one in response to Gowron's taunting.
25	--->'''Gowron:''' You're like a toothless old ''grishnar'' cat trying to frighten us with your roar!\
26	'''Sisko:''' I can assure you, this "old cat" may not be as "toothless" as you think. Right now, I've got five ''thousand'' photon torpedoes armed and ready to launch. If you don't believe me, feel free to scan the station.
27	* BadBoss: Martok executes Commander Kaybok for refusing to obey orders to search all ships leaving Bajoran space, even though his doing so would mean getting into a shootout with the Defiant, an allied Starfleet vessel.
28	* BatmanGambit: Worf approaches Martok's son, Drex, at the bar, immediately beating him up and taking his ''d'k tahg''. He did this because he knew it'd force Martok to come to him.
29	* BigBadassBattleSequence: Both the Klingon fleet and the station combine BeamSpam and MacrossMissileMassacre.
30	* BilingualDialogue: A lot of Klingonese is thrown about, [[RealityHasNoSubtitles none of it subtitled]].
31	* BotheringByTheBook: The Klingons start harassing ships leaving Deep Space Nine, but make sure to leave Federation and Bajoran ships alone so that all Starfleet can do without provoking a conflict is sit and watch.
32	* BrickJoke: Early in the episode, Drex and his buddy harass Morn. Several scenes later, Drex causes trouble at Quark's and Morn hastily leaves.
33	* CallBack:
34	** The [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E21TheDieIsCast destruction of the Obsidian Order]] is [[CallBack referenced]], and without the [[StateSec ever-watchful Order]] around, it was easier for [[LaResistance the dissident movement]] to force the Central Command to yield its control of Cardassia to the Detapa Council. Thus, in a way, the Dominion did play a role in the coup; just not the active role the Klingons thought.
35	** Sisko references the ''Enterprise'' getting destroyed, which happened in ''Film/StarTrekGenerations''.
36	** The Federation's condemnation of the Klingon Empire's attack on Cardassia leads to the Klingons withdrawing from the Khitomer Accords, which were established in ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry''. Later episodes reveal that Sisko's old friend Curzon Dax, the host of the Dax symbiont before Jadzia, was one of the negotiators responsible for the treaty.
37	* CasualDangerDialogue: Garak and Dukat while fighting Klingons:
38	--> '''Garak:''' I find this hand-to-hand combat really quite distasteful!\
39	'''Dukat:''' I suppose you prefer the simplicity of an interrogation chamber!\
40	'''Garak:''' You have to admit--it's much more civilized!
41	* ChekhovsGunman: Quark's cousin Gaila and his weapons dealing is mentioned in passing during the iconic Root Beet scene. We'll finally meet Gaila next Season and he'll have a fairly significant impact on Quark's status quo.
42	* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Dukat is now a part of what he was quick to acknowledge as Cardassia's wholly legitimate new civilian government because--as Sisko puts it--he "saw which way the wind was blowing and switched sides."
43	--> '''Dukat:''' ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime.
44	* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Kira apparently didn't read up on the story of King Arthur before taking on the role of Guinevere in a holoprogram based on it.
45	-->'''Dax:''' I can't believe you did that!\
46	'''Kira:''' He didn't leave me any choice!\
47	'''Bashir:''' Wait, wait, wait. What did she do?\
48	'''Dax:''' She knocked out Lancelot.\
49	'''Kira:''' He kissed me!\
50	'''Dax:''' He's ''supposed'' to kiss you!\
51	'''Kira:''' But I was playing a married woman!
52	* ContinuityNod:
53	** When trying to get Worf to play darts, O'Brien likens the game to poker--a game regularly played by Worf and others on ''TNG''. He then compares it to target practice, which was another thing Worf was known to do in the Holodeck.
54	** In the pilot, the [=DS9=] crew tries to fake out Cardassian attackers into believing that they have a huge stock of photon torpedoes, which they dismiss as "duranium shadows" (referring to a metal in torpedoes' casings). This time, they really ''do'' have a lot of torpedoes (and now a lot of torpedo launchers), but Martok dismisses it with the same phrase.
55	** Also, Sisko passing intel to Garak under the pretense of getting fitted for a suit is the same pretense Garak used to pass intel to Bashir in [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS01E03PastPrologue "Past Prologue."]]
56	** Seems Garak finally took Odo up on [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E21TheDieIsCast his breakfast offer.]]
57	** The first thing Worf orders at Quark's is [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E15YesterdaysEnterprise prune juice]].
58	** When meeting with Sisko, Worf admits he's considering resigning from Starfleet due to what happened to the ''[[Film/StarTrekGenerations Enterprise]]''. When advising him not to make any quick decisions, Sisko recalls how he felt the same as Worf way back in "Emissary."
59	** When Worf meets Jadzia and identifies her as the former Curzon Dax, she tells him (in Klingon), "I'm a lot better looking than he was." [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E20TheMaquis Cal Hudson would agree.]]
60	** In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E25Facets Facets]]," Nog orders a root beer, explaining that it's popular at Starfleet Academy, and Quark disapproves. Here, Quark serves Garak a root beer to discuss how gross it is and how much it resembles the Federation.
61	* CurbStompBattle:
62	** Worf effortlessly stomps Drex. The first step in casting off TheWorfEffect.
63	** When the Klingons board the station, they get their asses comprehensively handed to them by pretty much everyone. [[NeverBringAKnifeToAGunFight Trying to charge down phasers with swords doesn't help.]]
64	* DangerRoomColdOpen: The episode begins with Sisko and Kira sweeping the station, looking for a Changeling. Turns out that said changeling is Odo and it's all just a security drill.
65	* DeathGlare: Worf gives Quark one for laughing at his preferred drink of prune juice, and another later when Quark says he's glad that they're rid of all the Klingons.
66	* DisproportionateRetribution: In response to the Federation condemming the invasion, Gowron not only expels all Federation citizens from the Klingon Empire, but formally terminates the 80 year peace accord between the two powers of out of spite.
67	* DopplegangerSpin: As the Klingons begin occupying the station, they perform a variant of this, cloaking and de-cloaking their ships randomly so that the people on Deep Space 9 can't count them properly.
68	* DramaticIrony: A cross-series one going back to Gowron's [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E7Reunion very first appearance]]. As Chancellor K'mpec was dying, he tasked Picard to discover if either Gowron or Duras was behind his poisoning. K'mpec feared that a Klingon who killed without showing his face had no honor and that such a unworthy leader would be a disaster for the Empire. He even feared they could even end up plunging the Empire into war with the Federation. While Gowron wasn't the assassin, he ironically has now fulfilled K'mpec's premonition by abrogating the Khitomer Accords and openly attacking an important Federation installation.
69	** Gowron wasn't K'mpec's assassin, but recall what he did in "Redemption": when Worf interrupted the duel Gowron had been challenged to Gowron stabbed the challenger in the back. He killed without showing his face....
70	* DuelToTheDeath: {{Subverted}}. Worf pimp-slaps Drex, which Klingons consider a challenge to lethal combat, but doesn't bother killing him. Humiliating him by taking his ''d'k tahg'' serves Worf's purpose even better.
71	* EnemyMine: Garak lampshades it when he and Dukat are forced to work together to fight off Klingons.
72	--> '''Garak:''' Who would've thought that the two of us would be fighting side-by-side?\
73	''({{beat}})''\
74	'''Dukat:''' Just remember, when you fire that [phaser], you're aiming it at a ''Klingon''.\
75	'''Garak:''' I'll try to keep that in mind.
76	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Gowron is convinced to back down in the face of Federation reinforcements since engaging in a two front war would end in his defeat, not to mention it would be doing exactly what the Founders want.
77	* FakeActionPrologue: The episode starts with half the main cast and several [[{{Redshirt}} redshirts]] hunting a changeling infiltrator. It turns out to be a drill, and the changeling is Odo.
78	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
79	** When the gang of Klingons confronts Odo and Garak, they accidentally let slip why they're there in the first place, saying that they don't obey the dictates of Changelings "or their Cardassian lapdogs." Worf later learns that the entire reason for the invasion is because the Klingons think that Cardassia has been compromised by Changelings, who they think engineered a coup on Cardassia Prime.
80	** Jadzia Dax flirts with Worf the moment they're introduced. For those who don't speak Klingon, she responds to Worf identifying her as once being the famous Curzon Dax with "Yes, but I'm a lot better looking than he was."
81	** Duing the iconic Root Beer conversation, Quark mentions his cousin Gaila and how he's a sucessful weapons dealer. This sets up next Season's "Business as Usual".
82	* GallowsHumor: Bashir warns Odo that killing him will probably be worthy of a song or two. The constable replies "If a Klingon were to kill me, I'd expect nothing less than an entire opera on the subject."
83	* GunshipRescue: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] when Sisko and the ''Defiant'' rescue Kasidy Yates from the Klingons. (They only fire one warning shot before Kaybok backs down.) Played straighter when they rescue Dukat and the Detapa Council.
84	* HeroicBSOD: Worf turns out to have taken [[Film/StarTrekGenerations what happened to the]] ''[[Film/StarTrekGenerations Enterprise]]'' pretty hard--to the point where he intends to resign from Starfleet.
85	-->"It will not be the same. The ''Enterprise'' I knew is gone. Those were good years, but now it is time for me to move on."
86	* HeyYouHaymaker: How Worf introduces himself to Drex right before [[CurbStompBattle kicking his ass]].
87	--> '''Worf:''' You are Drex, son of Martok.\
88	'''Drex:''' That's right!\
89	'''Worf:''' [[IAmXSonOfY I am Worf, son of Mogh.]] ''(punches Drex)''
90	* HonorBeforeReason:
91	** Though he had admitted feeling out of place since the ''Enterprise'''s destruction, Worf refuses to join in Gowron's invasion plan because he thinks it's wrong and because he vowed allegiance to the Federation. Even when threatened with being stripped of his land and privileges, Worf responds that he will always have his honor.
92	-->"It is not what I owe them that matters; it is what I owe myself. Worf, son of Mogh, does not break his word."
93	** It's also reversed, since the Klingons being trapped into certain courses of action or risk being dishonored is a recurring plot point. This is actually the episode that most fully explores how Worf's human-inspired version of honor is different from the Klingon norm; from the mainstream Klingon perspective Worf's argument ''makes no sense'', and Gowron is visibly confused. For instance, Klingons consider hiding near the site of a destroyed ship to ambush anyone trying to rescue survivors to be perfectly honorable since the kill would bring them glory, but it's shockingly dishonorable to the human characters.
94	* HumansThroughAlienEyes: Garak and Quark have a dialogue in which TheFederation itself is seen through non-Fed eyes, using Garak's first taste of root beer as a metaphor. And yet, in the end, they agree the Federation is still their best hope.
95	-->'''Garak:''' It's ''vile''!\
96	'''Quark:''' I know. It's so bubbly and cloying and happy.\
97	'''Garak:''' Just like the Federation.\
98	'''Quark:''' But you know what's really frightening? [[HumanityIsInfectious If you drink enough of it, you begin to like it]].\
99	'''Garak:''' It's ''insidious''.\
100	'''Quark:''' ''Just'' like the Federation.\
101	''({{beat}})''\
102	'''Garak:''' Do you think they'll be able to save us?\
103	'''Quark:''' I hope so.
104	* IChooseToStay: After convincing Worf not to resign, Sisko offers to pull some strings and get him transferred to the ''Venture''. Worf says that won't be necessary. The next shot, he shows up in the control room in a command uniform.
105	* IllKillYou: Spoofed. Quark brags to Odo that he's going to use his disruptor to defend his bar, only to find his brother Rom has stripped the weapon for spare parts for a replicator and left a note.
106	-->'''Odo:''' ''(reading the note from inside Quark's disruptor box)'' "Dear Quark, I used parts from your disruptor to fix the replicators. Will return them soon. Rom."\
107	'''Quark:''' ''(snatching the note and looks at it in shock)'' I will ''kill'' him!\
108	'''Odo:''' ''(smirks)'' [[DeadpanSnarker With what?]]
109	* ImpostorExposingTest: While it had been used successfully once before, this is the first time we see blood screenings on a large scale used as a standard Changeling test.
110	* InVinoVeritas: Worf uses a little song and bloodwine to get one of the Klingons to tell him the truth about Martok's task force.
111	* ItsQuietTooQuiet: Quark says this with a bar full of Klingons not [[BoisterousBruiser partying like they usually do]]. It's the first hint that something serious is up.
112	* KickTheDog: A few Klingon thugs harass Morn ForTheEvulz.
113	* KnowWhenToFoldEm: Even the ''[[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Klingons]]'' understand this at times.
114	--> '''Worf:''' Kahless himself said, "[[PyrrhicVictory Destroying an empire to win a battle]] is no victory."\
115	'''Gowron:''' "And ending a battle to save an empire is no defeat."
116	* ALadyOnEachArm: GenderInverted by Jadzia when she shows up with two shirtless holo-dudes.
117	* LethalChef: Quark was apparently this during his time as cook aboard that Ferengi freighter, which is why he still has (or had) a disrupter pistol.
118	--> '''Quark:''' ...Every member of that crew thought they were a food critic.
119	* LockAndLoadMontage: Sisko unveils the station's new weapons array with this.
120	* LooseLips: Sisko warns the Cardassians of the Klingon invasion by bringing Garak into the wardroom while the senior officers discuss it. Garak immediately realizes what they're up to.
121	-->'''Garak:''' Oh, thank you, Captain. I believe I have everything I need.
122	* MacrossMissileMassacre: During the battle between the station and the Klingon armada, [=DS9=] becomes this. Torpedoes... torpedoes everywhere.
123	* MadeForTVMovie: A two-parter that aired as one, and it effectively serves as [=DS9=]'s second pilot episode.
124	* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: A group of Klingons gang up on Garak, putting him in sickbay.
125	-->'''Bashir:''' They broke seven of your transverse ribs and fractured your clavicle.\
126	'''Garak:''' Ah, but I got off several cutting remarks, which no doubt did serious damage to their egos.\
127	'''Bashir:''' Garak, this isn't funny.\
128	'''Garak:''' I'm serious, Doctor. Thanks to your ministrations, I am almost completely healed, but the damage I did to them will last a lifetime.
129	** Also, Kira ''literally'' gets stabbed in the back by an attacking Klingon. Unfortunately for him, Kira's [[OnlyAFleshWound too busy being a badass to care]], and beats his sorry ass anyway.
130	* [[CaptainObvious Major Obvious]]: According to Worf, when Kira and Jadzia show up dressed as medieval princesses.
131	--> '''Kira:''' I, ah...I don't usually dress like this. We were in the holosuite.\
132	'''Worf:''' So I gathered.
133	* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: A minor one that illustrates just how brutal the Klingons are in battle. When Garak joins Dukat to defend the Cardassian government officials, they're supported by a pair of Starfleet officers standing unassumingly behind them. The very next scene with them, while Garak and Dukat are bloodily fighting Klingons tooth and nail, with those two officers dead in a pile.
134	* MomentKiller: Sisko and Kasidy start having a romantic evening when Jadzia calls Sisko up to Ops so he can talk to Martok.
135	* MoreDakka: The [=DS9=] is now armed to the teeth with torpedoes and phasers.
136	* MythologyGag: Worf's transfer involves switching from the gold uniform to red. On ''TNG'', he wore red in Season 1 and switched to gold in Season 2.
137	* NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight: Done deliberately by Worf to establish his badass credentials and humiliate Martok's son, by punching Drex in the face and then easily disarming Drex when he draws his dagger, which he keeps as a BattleTrophy until Dad turns up to get it back.
138	* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: The Cardassians overthrowing their military regime for a civillian government, leads to the Klingons invading them using the excuse that they must been subverted by Changelings but more likely seeing an easy chance for conquest.
139	* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Drex and his buddies subject Garak to one, most of which occurs off-screen.
140	* NoodleIncident: The Betreka Nebula incident involving the Cardassians and the Klingons. Garak dismisses it as "a minor skirmish"; Bashir is understandably skeptical of this statement given that it lasted for eighteen years.
141	* NothingIsTheSameAnymore: Cardassia has fallen to a civilian coup, the Klingons withdraw from the Khitomer Accords and engage hostilities with the Federation, and they also invade Cardassian space and stake a claim to territories in the region for military outpost. The status quo aboard the station has been shaken up in a major way that will not be resolved easily.
142	* NotNowKiddo: Bashir and O'Brien dismiss Quark's worries that the Klingons are up to something.
143	* OnThree:
144	** Sisko does a nonverbal one with HandSignals before he and Kira phaser-sweep one of the empty cabins.
145	** Bashir starts a count when preparing to phaser-sweep the promenade, but Odo "kills" him before he can finish.
146	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: After their ships first arrive at the station, a bunch of Klingons go to Quark's and... don't make a sound.
147	-->'''Quark:''' Have you ever met a quiet Klingon?
148	** Garak and Dukat both pride themselves on being unflappable, always composed and in control with a calm quip ready and an easy smile. When the view cuts back to them partway through the invasion, both are openly snarling and wild-eyed, with hair in disarray and firing semi-randomly into the oncoming attackers.
149	** Garak is also cleverly used to establish the state of the affairs inside Cardassia in the wake of Season Three and the destruction of the Obsidian Order. Despite his exile, Garak has always been the AlmightyJanitor priding himself on his connections and cleverness. That Garak now can't even get through to ''anyone'' inside the Cardassian Union (and he's openly worried about it and actually admitting it to Odo) underscores the turmoil his homeland's in the middle of behind its sealed borders.
150	* PalmBloodletting: Martok makes Sisko and Kira do this along with himself so they can all prove that they're not changelings.
151	* PayEvilUntoEvil: Worf beating up Drex, who had earlier harassed Morn and led a beatdown on Garak. Worf later tells Martok that he did know about the latter incident, and he notes other misdeeds Drex had participated in since the Klingons came to the station.
152	-->'''Martok:''' You robbed my son of his honor just to get my attention?\
153	'''Worf:''' You cannot take away what one does not have.
154	* PlausibleDeniability: Overtly warning the Cardassians would be a treaty violation. Saying too much [[StagingTheEavesdrop in front of a simple tailor]] who turns out to be a spy is an honest mistake, we swear!
155	* ProperlyParanoid: Quark gets suspicious when he notices that his bar is full of Klingons and they're all being ''quiet''. Although Bashir and O'Brien dismiss his concerns, it turns out he's right.
156	* PutOnABus: Alexander is put on a bus before even appearing on the show. Worf says that he's living with his grandparents on Earth again, even though "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E10NewGround New Ground]]" established that they are too old to raise another Klingon child.
157	* RedShirtArmy: In a slight subversion, the random [=DS9=] crew members put up a fight so valiant they [[WorthyOpponent impress even the Klingons]], but still die like flies while the named characters survive (despite some of them sustaining grievous injuries).
158	* RecycledSoundtrack: The Klingon attack on the Station in the climax reuses (or at least borrows the basic medley) from episode composer Dennis [=McCarthy=]'s "Outgunned" cue from ''Star Trek Generations'' the year before.
159	* RiddleForTheAges: Retroactive one for the Detapa Council following the events/revelations of "Apocalypse Rising" and "In Purgatory's Shadow" next Season (that Martok was a Changeling during this episode and that the blood tests are useless). ''Were'' any of the Councilors actually Founders after all? [[NotMeThisTime Or did the Founders have no involvement in Cardassia's recent political upheaval (with their focus instead on the Klingons)]]? The show never provides a definitive answer and it's up to the viewer to decide.
160	* RewatchBonus: All of Martok's scenes after Season Five's "Apocalypse Rising" and "In Purgatory's Shadow" reveal that the General has been replaced by a Founder at this point in the series timeline.
161	* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Bashir reminds Sisko that their agreement with the Romulans prohibits using the [[InvisibilityCloak cloaking device]] in the Alpha Quadrant, but Sisko considers it necessary to reach Dukat without being detected by the Klingons.
162	* ScyllaAndCharybdis: Sisko has to do this twice, both times choosing between the Klingons and Cardassians. In the first case it's whether to warn the Cardassians of the Klingon invasion, when Starfleet has ordered him not to. He [[TakeAThirdOption takes a third option]] by 'accidentally' letting Garak eavesdrop on them discussing the matter. However, later he is forced to take a more direct decision - whether to rescue the Cardassian Detapa Council from the Klingons blasting away at their ship, and put 80 years of peace with the Klingons at risk. He does.
163	* SecondPersonAttack: When Drex punches a restrained Garak, as it cuts to a commercial break.
164	* SeductionProofMarriage: Parodied. In Jadzia's Myth/{{Arthurian\|Legend}} holodeck program, Kira plays Guinevere. Sir Lancelot steals a kiss from her and she ''punches him out''.
165	-->'''Jadzia:''' He's ''supposed'' to kiss you!\
166	'''Kira:''' But I was playing a married woman!
167	* ShipTease: Dax starts flirting with Worf from the get-go.
168	-->'''Worf:''' Curzon's name is an honoured one among my people.
169	-->'''Dax:''' ''Louk, a jeek CHIM-ta law.'' (Yes, but I’m much prettier than he was.)
170	-->'''Worf:''' ''(somewhat flustered)'' I suppose so.
171	* ShootTheMedicFirst: Odo warns Bashir that the Klingons are likely not to be too picky on their targets and that his blue uniform won't protect him.
172	* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Garak naturally can't help but throw barbs at Dukat during his warning about the invasion and Dukat fires right back with his own shots.
173	-->'''Garak''': We can stand here all day reminding ourselves just how much we ''hate'' each other but you don't have the time.
174	* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: The novelization has Garak briefly considering that the Klingons are right and the Dukat he's speaking to is a Changeling. Garak immediately dismisses the thought as not even the most skilled imposter could possibly mimic Dukat's incredible arrogance.
175	* SteppingOutForAQuickCupOfCoffee: Inverted. Sisko asks Garak to step in and fit him for a new suit while the Starfleet crew discusses the upcoming Klingon invasion. He knows full well that Garak's first stop after leaving will be the nearest communications console to warn the Cardassian government.
176	* SweetsOfTemptation: Garak and Quark use root beer as a metaphor for the Federation.
177	-->'''Garak:''' It's ''vile''!
178	-->'''Quark:''' I know. It's so bubbly and cloying and happy.
179	-->'''Garak:''' Just like the Federation.
180	-->'''Quark:''' But you know what's really frightening? [[HumanityIsInfectious If you drink enough of it, you begin to like it]].
181	-->'''Garak:''' It's ''insidious''.
182	-->'''Quark:''' ''Just'' like the Federation.
183	* TakeAThirdOption: The Klingon sneak attack on Cardassia leaves the Federation in a bind. If they don't warn the Cardassians, the Klingons will have a new power base and an impetus to attack [=DS9=] to gain control of the wormhole. If they do warn them, the they'll be betraying their allies under the Khitomer Accords. Sisko chooses to surreptitiously let slip to Garak about the coming invasion, who quickly warns Dukat, giving the Federation PlausibleDeniability. Unfortunately, it ends up not mattering in the end, as the Klingons withdraw from the Khitomer Accords anyway in response to the Federation failing to support their attack on the Cardassians.
184	* TeethClenchedTeamwork: Garak and Dukat are forced to work together to protect the Cardassian civilian government, while doing nothing to hide their contempt for each other.
185	* TemptingFate: As the Defiant reaches [=DS9=], Dukat notes that their two Klingon pursuers won't risk an attack on the station itself. Then Dax worriedly notes it might be not that much of a risk. Cut to the two Klingon ships joining a ''massive'' armada preparing to attack.
186	* ThisIsUnforgivable: Sisko and Worf finally manage to get Gowron to back down, over Martok's objections, since an all-out war plays right into the Dominion's hands. As Gowron orders the withdrawal, he leaves with this message:
187	-->'''Gowron:''' You have sided against us in battle, and this we do not forgive... ''or forget!''
188	* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: The holodeck scenes highlight the contrast between [[LadyOfWar Dax]] and [[ActionGirl Kira]]. Dax enjoys getting a massage from MrFanservice and playing a [[PrincessClassic medieval princess]], but Kira has to be dragged into it, with less-than-successful results. That being said, Dax also enjoys doing Klingon workout programs and spars with Worf using Bat'leths. It helps that Dax has been both genders throughout her lifetime.
189	* TookALevelInBadass: The station itself. O'Brien has spent the last three years turning it into a floating torpedo turret--[[BecomingTheBoast turning what was an illusion in the pilot into a reality here]]. This resulted in a MacrossMissileMassacre never before realized in ''Star Trek''.
190	* TranquilFury: After having to execute one of his subordinates because of Sisko's interference, Martok calmly walks into his office, slams the dead officer's knife into the desk, curses Sisko, and walks out.
191	* TryNotToDie: Kasidy to Sisko before the latter goes on the rescue mission.
192	* UnfinishedUntestedUsedAnyway: Once the Dominion came into play O'Brien spent the better part of a year and a half retrofitting the station with the best possible Starfleet offensive weaponry. Since the station is not Starfleet and the upgrades are very improvised, the possible outcome of using them in this state range from exactly as planned to blow up half the station.
193	* UngratefulBastard:
194	** Dukat. [[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] by Dax betting that Dukat would start complaining before thanking Sisko for rescuing him.
195	** Gowron, who owes his position as Klingon chancellor to the Federation and particularly Worf, withdraws from the Khitomer Accords and begins a war against his former allies.
196	** Gowron, however, considers Worf to be this for not joining the fight against Cardassia.
197	---> '''Gowron:''' And what of your debt to me? Are you saying you owe me nothing? I gave you back your name, restored your house, gave your family a seat on the High Council, ''and this is how you repay me''?
198	* WeHaveBecomeComplacent: A Klingon variation. Worf cites this as the true motive behind the invasion, ''not'' fear of a Dominion takeover. There are many in the Empire who feel the Klingons have been at peace for far too long. Fear of the Dominion has given the Klingons the excuse they need to do what they do best: Fight and conquer.
199	* WhamEpisode:
200	** Worf arrives on the station and the camera [[FeetFirstIntroduction pans up from his feet to his face]]. His character develops much more deeply on this show than it could on [=TNG=], and the show itself takes a more serious, arc-based direction at about this point. This is when the scope of the show expands to include all the familiar powers of the Alpha Quadrant, and it puts us on notice that anything can happen to the political situation between them.
201	--> '''Worf:''' ''(to Martok)'' You must think me a fool to make your lies so transparent!
202	** Gowron ends the Klingon-Federation peace treaty that has stood for almost 80 in-universe years since ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry''.
203	* WhamLine: Sisko's "I've got five thousand photon torpedoes armed and ready to launch".
204	** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E15YesterdaysEnterprise Two decades]] of peace with the Klingons, and it all comes down to this..."
205	* TheWorfEffect: Averted. The ''Galaxy''-class USS ''Venture'' arrives at the station at the conclusion of the episode and manages to survive until the end of the episode, unlike previous ''Galaxy'' class ships like ''Yamato'' or ''Odyssey'', which were both destroyed to emphasize how much of a threat Iconian computer programs or the Dominion were.
206	* WorthyOpponent: Gowron and Martok speak of the station's crew as this (in Klingon; a bit of research is needed to translate it).
207	--> '''Martok:''' <They fight like Klingons!>\
208	'''Gowron:''' <Then they can die like Klingons!>
209	* YouDidntAsk: Garak reveals he's fluent in Klingon.
210	* YouHaveFailedMe: Kaybok's fate, courtesy of Martok. It's played rather sympathetically because Martok makes it very clear to Sisko that he holds ''him'', not Kaybok, ultimately responsible for the failure.
211	* YourMom: Drex insulting Odo in Klingon, as suggested by Garak's reaction: "Actually, I'm not sure Constable Odo ''has'' a mother." His actual insult translates to "Does your mother let you talk to adult men?"
212

Context Recap / StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E01E02TheWayOfTheWarrior