History Recap / StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E21TheDieIsCast

* EvenEvilHasStandards: We learn that despite being the ruthless head of the Obsidian Order, even Tain was taken aback by Garak's pre-exile vicious streak. In the specific example Tain cites, he once had to personally step in and stop Garak from manufacturing treason charges against a Legate...all because Garak simply couldn't stand the man's voice.

* GameChanger: If there was any doubt left after the previous season finale and two-part season opener, this episode makes it clear that the Dominion are well and truly the new BigBad of the series, with the Obsidian Order, the nearest thing to a main recurring villain that we'd had until this point (aside from Dukat, and to some extent the Maquis), being completely and utterly wiped out. Additionally, the Order's destruction will have major knock-on effects throughout the remainder of the show's run.

** A [[ZigzaggedTrope zigzagged]] LiteraryAllusionTitle: "The die is cast" (''alea iacta est'') is a quote, not from ''Julius Caesar'', but from Julius Caesar (i.e. the historical figure, not the play).

** During TheReveal, the Lovok Changelings mentions that after today, the last threats to the Dominion from the Alpha Quadrant are the Federation and the Klingons -- [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E01E02TheWayOfTheWarrior and he doubts either of them will remain so for much longer]]. This one's actually a case of accidental foreshadowing, as the Klingon Invasion of Cardassia hadn't been planned at this point. Ira Behr and Ronald D. Moore only realized they'd given unwittingly themselves that narrative catalyst when they were brainstorming how to execute the Studio-mandated overhaul of the show for Season Four.

* EarthShatteringKaboom: In the attack on the Founder Homeworld, the opening volley alone is stated to have destroyed 30% of the planet's crust. If uninterrupted, the projections on the attack would have left it a glowing molten core in space.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Not only does Garak remorsefully bury his face in his hands following Odo's torture, he straight-up ''begs'' Tain to snap out of his VillainousBSOD and join him in abandoning ship.

* OutGambitted: The Tal Shiar and the Obsidian Order by the Dominion.

* DissonantSerenity: Tain's mind breaks when the Jem'Hadar attack. He sits in the captain's chair muttering to himself as the bridge explodes and Garak pleads with him to flee for his life. Odo realizes that Tain will never come with them.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: We learn that despite being the ruthless head of the Obsidian Order, even Tain was taken aback by Garak's pre-exile vicious streak. In the specific example Tain cites, he once had to personally step in and stop Garak from manufacturing treason charges against a Legate...all because Garak simply couldn't stand the man's voice

* TheWorfEffect: Both the Tal Shiar and the Obsidian Order have been shown in previous episodes to be deadly opponents. In this episode both of them are OutGambitted by the Dominion.

* GameChanger: If there was any doubt left after the previous season finale and two-part season opener, this episode makes it clear that the Dominion are well and truly the new BigBad of the series, with the Obsidian Order, the nearest thing to a main recurring villain that we'd had until this point, being completely and utterly wiped out. Additionally, the Order's destruction will have major knock-on effects throughout the remainder of the show's run.

* {{Irony}}: Elim Garak: Do you know what the sad part is, Odo? I'm a very ''good'' tailor.

* SarcasmMode:
** Garak notes that Odo ''must'' be shocked by his betrayal, considering the ''oath of loyalty'' Garak had sworn to Starfleet and ''all'' the experiences he and Odo had together, he just ''knew'' that Odo saw him as a ''trusted friend''.
** Odo doesn't take Garak's interrogation seriously--at first.
--> '''Odo:''' Oh, ''no''. You're going to ''torture'' me, aren't you? How I've been ''dreading'' this. ''Please'', have mercy, Garak.

* VillainDecay: Tain himself notes that in his prime, he would have seen the Dominion plot coming a mile away.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Yes, Tain may be one of the greatest Directors in the history of the Obsidian Order. But he's also an old man who's just come out of retirement and his instincts have become dulled. Tain grimly concedes to Garak in his final scene that he completely mishandled Lovok and misread signs he would've caught had he still been at the top of his game.

* DesperatePleaForHome: Garak resorts to torturing Odo with an anti-Changeling PowerNullifier to learn the truth behind his last secret - resulting in the unfortunate victim deteriorating to the brink of a DeathByDepower. The interrogation ends with Odo screaming that he wants to go home. Garak assures him that he'll let him go home as soon as the interrogation... but it turns out he's not talking about Deep Space 9, though: Odo wants to return to the Great Link and be among his fellow Changelings; even though he turned his back on the Founders, he still wants to go home... and this is his final secret. Garak ashamedly switches off the machine and ends the interrogation.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The Romulan commander, Lovok, being a changeling is foreshadowed at least four times:
** First, he's visibly shocked and protests when Tain reveals that he has a device that can prevent changelings from transforming. No wonder he's worried, he's a changeling himself.
** Secondly, he agrees with Garak when advising Tain that Odo not be harmed. It seems that "no changeling has ever killed another" also extends to not allowing other changelings to be killed by outside parties.
** Third, when they reach the Founders' homeworld, he loudly announces that the lack of bases means that even if the Founders sent out a distress signal, it would take hours for any reinforcements to arrive, only for Jem'Hadar ships to jump in [[InstantlyProvenWrong almost immediately.]] Makes more sense when you realize he's been feeding Tain bullshit intel on purpose.
** Finally, even after the Founders' deception is revealed, he refuses to retreat even when it's clear the battle is lost: he doesn't ''want'' any of the people under his command to escape.

** "Because no Changeling has ever harmed another." Prior to this, there was nothing at all to hint that Lovok was anything other than what he seemed to be.

Back on the station, Sisko gets chewed out by Toddman, who threatens to court martial or promote him. Meanwhile, Garak surveys his blown-out tailor shop and decides to rebuild. He and Odo agree to forget about all the unpleasantness between them, and Odo suggests they have breakfast sometime. Garak notes that Odo doesn't eat, and changeling admits he doesn't, but the invitation stands.

** But subverted when one of the volunteers turns out to have gone along to sabotage the ship on the Admiral's orders.

* TheMole: The Romulan Lovok.

Garak has been unable to get anything useful from the uncooperative Odo. Tain gives Garak a device that will prevent Odo from returning to liquid state as a means to torture the changeling. Tovok is upset that he was not informed of this device, but the Cardassians don't seem to care about the feelings of their Romulan allies. Garak presents the device to Odo, whose bravado is finally shaken at the thought of being unable to regenerate.

Tovok runs off to Engineering and leaves Tain in charge. Meanwhile, Garak realizes that the ship is doomed and runs off to rescue Odo. He convinces the shapeshifter to come with him. As they make their escape, Lovok steps into their way with a disruptor. But rather than stop them, he tells them what they need to to do get a runabout and escape with their lives. It turns out he's a changeling and served as a Dominion mole during the entire plot's planning. He tells Odo that he's still welcome back in the Great Link, but Odo again refuses.

* TortureAlwaysWorks:
** Subverted, as Garak's torture of Odo gets no results and Garak breaks first and begs him to give him ''something'', even if it's a lie, just so he has an excuse to stop.
** Also played with when Garak and Tain reminisce about the time Garak broke a subject without any torture or interrogation at all -- he just stared at him for four hours straight.

* WhamLine: "Because no Changeling has ever harmed another." Prior to this, there was nothing at all to hint that Lovok was anything other than what he seemed to be.
** Another when they attack the Founders' homeworld.
-->'''Garak:''' They're using an automated transponder to send back false sensor readings! '''''[[OhCrap THE PLANET'S DESERTED!]]'''''

* DissonantSerenity: Tain ignores the bridge blowing up around him and Garak's pleas to flee as he castigates himself for having fallen into the trap.

The fleet uncloak and open up with everything they've got on the planet, destroying 30% of the surface in the first salvo. Lifesigns on the planet, however, remain unchanged. Garak realizes that the lifesign readings are fake, and this whole thing has been a trap. On cue, 150 Jem'Hadar warships appear. A massive battle breaks out, but the Romulan-Cardassian fleet is doomed.

Tovok runs off to Engineering and leaves Tain in charge. Meanwhile, Garak realizes that the ship is doomed and runs off to rescue Odo. He convinces the shapeshifter to come with him. As they make their escape, Lovok steps into their way with a disruptor. But rather than stop them, he tells them what they need to get a runabout and escape with their lives. It turns out he's a changeling and served as a Dominion mole during the entire plot's planning. He tells Odo that he's still welcome back in the Great Link, but Odo again refuses.

Garak won't leave Tain behind, so he rushes back to the bridge to fetch him. Tain's mind is broken, however, and he simply rambles about what they'll do "next time." Odo has to knock Garak out to get him to leave Tain. The Cardassian wakes up on a runabout as they head back home, but they get attacked by Jem'Hadar ships. Things seem grim, and Garak takes the opportunity to give Odo his sincere apology. Odo accepts, saying he understands the urge to urge home. But just before they can be blasted out of space, the ''Defiant'' arrives and covers their retreat.

* EndOfAnEra: In many ways, this can be seen as the finale of [=DS9's=] original direction, with the Obsidian Order and Cardassians being wiped out as a serious military threat, the Dominion well and truly being established as the ultimate BigBad of the series, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Sisko being clean-shaven for the last time]]. The remainder of Season 3 would serve as an interim period of sorts, before the show got a serious ReTool at the start of Season 4.

* FaceDeathWithDignity: Tain refuses to evacuate, opting to go down with the ship.

* [[HeKnowsTooMuch She Knows Too Much]]: Why Tain is planning to eliminate Mila. Garak would rather he didn't.

On the Warbirf, Odo is literally falling apart from his inability to regenerate. Garak is an emotional wreck as well, begging Odo to give him ''anything'', even a lie, to end the affair. The delirious Odo says that he wants to return home to rejoin the Great Link, something he'd never mentioned in any of his reports. Garak deactivates the device, allowing Odo to return to liquid state. When he reports back to Tain, however, he says that Odo never broke under torture. Tain doesn't even seem to care, as they've arrived at the Founder's homeworld, and it's time to attack.