In Purgatory’s Shadow

This Story: Season 5 Episode 14 (production code 512)
DS9 Overall: Episode 112
Trek Overall: Story 372a, Episode 393
Airdate: 10 Feb 1997
Writer: Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Director: Gabrielle Beaumont

Notes

• First part of a two part story.
• The only episode of the series directed by Gabrielle Beaumont.  She did direct one episode of Voayger and seven episodes of TNG.
• Writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe describes this episode as “a way to tie up a lot of loose ends and sort of propel us into the war.” – I agree completely as this feels like the first proper “war” episode.
• This episode establishes that Elim Garak is the illegitimate son of Enabran Tain.  This is also the last appearance of Tain in the series.
• The episode is dedicated to Derek Garth.  He was a grip who worked on the show and died in a car crash on the way to work – to work on this episode.
• The first episode with the real Martok on the show – all prior appearances to this one were as a changeling.
• The events of Star Trek: First Contact are referenced in this episode referencing a “Borg attack”.
• The nebula where Worf and Garak encounter the Dominion fleet is the same one used in Wrath of Khan for the Mutara nebula.
• Tora Ziyal is played by Melanie Smith here for the first time (the third actress to play the character).  Smith would play the character for the remainder of the time the character is around on DS9.

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