Posted on by Matthew

These Are The Episodes… Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 3

Deep Space Nine

The second season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ended in a dark place. The Federation finally made contact with The Dominion, a major power in the Gamma Quadrant we heard about throughout most of the season, with disastrous results. The Dominion, it is made clear, is not to be trifled with and hammered that point home in a big way.

The Federation is left reeling, and war seems all but inevitable.

Season three picks up where season two left off. The Federation tries to find a way to avoid war; The Dominion slowly begins to infiltrate the Alpha Quadrant. Bajor is still experiencing growing pains as an independent power leading to power struggles politically and conflicts of faith as they work toward Federation membership. Meanwhile, the ever-present Cardassians are working in the background, but to what end?

These are the episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 3.

Reminder:

  • Must See episodes feature the main plot or primary character development. These are required viewing to understand everything at the end.
  • Should See episodes feature secondary plot elements or character development, and while they aren’t required, they will give you a more complete experience with the show. If you have watched the should-see episodes so far, you should continue watching them now.
  • Take It or Leave It episodes are all one-offs and filler.
  • It’s worth noting that must-see episodes aren’t necessarily good and take it or leave it episodes aren’t necessarily bad and that ideally, you’d just be watching all of them.

Season 3 has 26 episodes. 15 are must-see, eight should be seen, and the remaining three you may take or leave.

3×01 and 3×02 “The Search” part 1 and part 2

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Odo
  • Relevant to The Federation, The Dominion, Changelings, Romulans, The Defiant
  • First Appearance of Michael Eddington
  • First Appearance U.S.S. Defiant

3×03 “The House of Quark“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Quark
  • Relevant to Ferengi, Klingons
  • First Appearance of Grilka

3×04 “Equilibrium“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Dax
  • Relevant to Trills, Dax is Really Old

3×05 “Second Skin“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Kira
  • Relevant to Cardassians, Cardassian Occupation of Bajor, The Obsidian Order
  • First Appearance of Tekeny Ghemor

3×06 “The Abandoned“

  • Should See
  • Relevant to Odo
  • Relevant to The Dominion, The Jem’Hadar

3×07 “Civil Defense“

  • Should See
  • Relevant to Garak, Dukat
  • Relevant to Cardassians, Station Maintenance is Hard

3×08 “Meridian“

  • Take It or Leave It
  • Relevant to Jadzia Dax
  • Relevant to Dax Is Really Old

3×09 “Defiant“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Kira
  • Relevant to Cardassians, The Maquis, The Obsidian Order, The Defiant
  • Callback to Star Trek: The Next Generation (episode “Second Chances“)
  • Guest Star Jonathan Frakes

3×10 “Fascination“

  • Take It or Leave It
  • Relevant to Odo, O’Brien
  • Relevant to “Odo Has Feelings and He Feels Them”, Bajorans
  • Guest Star Majel Barrett

3×11 and 3×12 “Past Tense” part 1 and part 2

  • Should See
  • Relevant to Benjamin Sisko, Bashir, Jadzia Dax
  • Relevant to Star Trek World History, Time Travel is Crazy!, The Defiant

3×13 “Life Support“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Kira, Bareil Antos, Winn Adami
  • Relevant to Bajorans, Cardassians

3×14 Heart of Stone“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Odo, Nog
  • Relevant to “Odo Has Feelings and He Feels Them”, The First Ferengi in Starfleet

3×15 “Destiny“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Benjamin Sisko, Kira, O’Brien
  • Relevant to The Federation, Cardassians, The Wormhole, Bajorans, Bajor and the Federation
  • Guest Star Tracy Scoggins
  • Guest Star Erick Avari

3×16 “Prophet Motive“

  • Take It or Leave It
  • Relevant to Quark, Zek
  • Relevant to Ferengi, The Prophets

3×17 “Visionary“

  • Should See
  • Relevant to O’Brien
  • Relevant to The Federation, Romulans, Time Travel is Crazy!

3×18 “Distance Voices“

  • Should See
  • Relevant to Bashir

3×19 “Through The Looking Glass“

  • Should See
  • Relevant to Benjamin Sisko
  • Relevant to The Mirror Universe

3×20 “Improbable Cause“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Garak, Odo
  • Relevant to Romulans, The Obsidian Order, The Dominion
  • Note: Part one of a two part story concluded in 3×21 “The Die is Cast”

3×21 “The Die is Cast“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Garak, Odo
  • Relevant to Romulans, Cardassians, The Obsidian Order, The Dominion, Changelings, “Odo Has Feelings and He Feels Them”
  • Note: part two of a two part story started in 3×20 “Improbable Cause”

3×22 “Explorers“

  • Should See
  • Relevant to Benjamin Sisko, Jake Sisko
  • Relevant to Bajorans, Cardassians,

3×23 “Family Business“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Benjamin Sisko, Quark
  • Relevant to Ferengi
  • First Appearance of Ishka
  • First Appearance of Brunt
  • First Appearance of Kasidy Yates
  • Guest Star Andrea Martin

3×24 “Shakaar“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Kira, Winn Adami
  • Relevant to Bajorans, Cardassian Occupation of Bajor
  • First Appearance of Shakaar Edon

3×25 “Facets“

  • Should See
  • Relevant to Dax, Jadzia Dax, Nog
  • Relevant to Trills, Benjamin Sisko and Dax are Bros, The First Ferengi in Starfleet

3×26 “The Adversary“

  • Must See
  • Relevant to Odo, Bejamin Sisko
  • Relevant to The Federation, The Defiant, The Dominion, Changelings

Conclusion

Season 2 ended with a major show of force from The Dominion, and season three ended with a quieter but more worrying message. War is coming, but how long can the inevitable be delayed?

As with season 2, season 3 doesn’t end on a straight cliffhanger but rather leaves the universe in a dark place and everyone wondering what will happen next. We’ll explore that question next week with season 4. See you then!

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