Cardassians Live To Make War

Star Trek · The Next Generation · s04e12 · The Wounded
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Star Trek · The Next Generation · s04e12 · The Wounded Thanks for clicking, thanks for watching, hope you got what you came for. BuyMeSomeBeans: ko-fi.com/tjwparso / paypal.me/tjwparso Intro Audio: Star Trek TNG: s03e06 'Booby Trap' & s03e12 'The High Ground' Outro Music: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZnXlGaYitp0hKM , kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6aWXpuhYtWLqa8 & kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYu6goCsfbOCpKs Discord: discord.gg/2PAjZf8TeV JUST HIT 15K SUBS! (think it's time I took the number from the outro, I can't keep up) Thank you all! Glad you're all enjoying the uploads & getting involved in the comment sections! 😎

[@Sage2000]

As a kid we want to see photon torpedoes flying… as an adult I appreciate these scenes more and more.

[@50Golf123]

That was part of my problem with VOY, and ENT

[@Sage2000]

@@50Golf123 I agree

[@STEJTHEGREATEST]

As a teenager, I never fully grasped the power of photon and quantum torpedoes. Even though it was said that one photon torpedo exploding nearby without even hitting the unshielded Enterprise would destroy it outright, I never really thought about how they had more explosive power than nukes, and how quantum torpedoes probably exploded with a mind-boggling force.

[@randomchannel-px6ho]

Huh? Nuclear weapons are quantum weapons, what we discovered was the uranium was so heavy the weak force could overcome the binding of the strong force, which as the strongest interaction we know of unleashes enormous amounts of energy. Lasers also exist, and they are light, photons, the force carrier of electromagnetism.

[@Sage2000]

@@randomchannel-px6ho my friend, nope. In Star Trek Quantum torpedos destructive Power comes from a mini singularity.

[@LGranthamsHeir]

Colm Meaney (Chief O'Brien) shines in his scenes here. The show runners made the right call promoting him to be a cast member of DS9 (along with Marc Alaimo).

[@aggressiveattitudeera887]

Agreed.

[@Cool70sfreak]

Yeah definitely. It was good to see him really get some great scenes and for O'Brien to have some great development mid-season like this. The episode before this one (Data's Day) gave him some more development too, but this is the superior episode of the two I think, and it gives more context to O'Brien. I'm glad he became a full-time cast member on DS9 even if his arc through most of the series was to be put through ALL the worst stuff :'D

[@jad43701]

You should check out his work on the "Hell on Wheels" series.

[@fawziekefli2273]

At the same time demoting him from lieutenant to chief (petty officer).

[@too_legit_to_be_fit]

@@jad43701 He was an acting powerhouse in that series

[@neeph9641]

As a kid, this scene was a little weird. As a more experienced adult, my eyes water with sympathy.

[@lisasimmons5362]

Lovely, insightful comment.

[@yourstruly4817]

"I'd like to think that the last thing that went through his head, other than that phaser beam, was how the heck Jean Luc Picard ever got the best of him."

[@spencergarrison8878]

"How could you be so obtuse!"

[@magnusdiridian]

@@spencergarrison8878 what did you call him?

[@digitalradiohacker]

@@magnusdiridian ~His judgement cometh~ ~and that right soon~

[@mrdave5500]

@@spencergarrison8878 I thought it was acute response

[@saghirhussain4360]

@@mrdave5500 It's just been revoked!

[@rcslyman8929]

It's such a simple scene. Two war vets, served with each other, sharing a small memory of a fallen brother in arms. No music except that lonely horn repeating the song at the end. Did it have its nitpicks? Heck yeah. But the cast and production crew nailed this episode.

[@hansolo631]

Pretty wild how on the ball they were with PTSD decades before it really started to become appreciated as a debilitating casualty of conflict.

[@Fatherofheroesandheroines]

As a veteran myself I know how war can tear a person apart. I have seen the bravest and strongest person weep and a supposed "coward" rise to be a heroic. In the end, only people survive war and it leaves scar deeper than anyone can see. So, this definetly resonantes with me.

[@boilerboy]

Thank you for your service. May God be with all of us.

[@beingsshepherd]

@@boilerboy He may be a baby-killing war criminal for all you know.

[@SuperHarshm]

@@beingsshepherd that isnt necessary

[@beingsshepherd]

@@SuperHarshm Nor was the invasion of Iraq.

[@SuperHarshm]

@@beingsshepherd i don't disagree, i doubt the poster above made that decision however. He also merely mentioned he was a veteran, not a war or nation. You're assuming much, and the worst of much as well. Nothing can be gained here, so i say let it be.

[@DavidAWA]

I like that in Star Trek, some traditions that we've had for hundreds of years, they accept we will still have them in hundreds of years. These old war songs, vineyards, classical music, marriage. It makes the future less stodgy.

[@evm6177]

Same as maintaining age old voyegour traditions like the Marie time laws, code of honor and onboard protocols not to mention an actual Capts. Logbook! 🍷

[@kahlesskronos2721]

i agree my fellow comrade! i agree!

[@josephbrandenburg4373]

And some of them are totally ridiculous. Native American vision quests in the Holodeck come to mind...

[@STEJTHEGREATEST]

0:11 I like how the security of Benjamin's ship let O'Brien all the way up to the captain's ready room without any escort!!! I wonder if the crew were like, "Actually O'Brien, we're glad you're here, so you can try and talk some sense into our crazy captain. Go right on in!!!!"

[@grayeaglej]

More likely O'Brian beamed himself right outside the door, but I like your idea.

[@STEJTHEGREATEST]

@@grayeaglej Thanks!!!!! :D

[@slade52]

Except he wasn't crazy. He was right.

[@kamalalsb7292]

@@slade52 Well... yes and no. He was correct, but his intel and actions were really poorly thought out. And it's kind of a situation where he was coincidentally correct more than actually definitively knowing he was right.

[@szr8]

@@kamalalsb7292 He saw the obvious for what it most likely was. So much traffic to a simple science outpost is very unlikely, and it location was extremely suspect. That combined with past experiences with the Cardassians, and it's not a stretch that he could deduce what was really going on.

[@PietroMaira80sAreAwesome]

This is what I want start trek to become again.

[@stantonvalberg9814]

I think all long time Trek fans think this.

[@mechanomics2649]

What's funny is that people were saying all of this about TNG when it came out. Complaining about how terrible it is and how it's not real Trek.

[@Sardonac]

Strange New Worlds is really terrific.

[@jovetj]

STAR TREK as you know it is DEAD.

[@Sardonac]

@@jovetj Nah

[@iggytse]

PTSD exists in the future as well.

[@adaeptzulander2928]

As long as we remain human, it will. And perhaps even beyond that.

[@thanqualthehighseer]

The ships councillor really dropped the ball on that one.

[@FiXato]

reminds me of that episode in which O'Brien deals with the aftermath of having a lifetime of a prison sentence lived out in his mind...

[@FP194]

No PTSD, Maxwell knew from experience that the Cardasians were getting ready to start something He just went about it the wrong way

[@Jshaw71]

War... War never changes...

[@STEJTHEGREATEST]

Colm's performance here shows why he became such a huge part of DS9, doesn't it?????

[@easygrin1127]

Actually was interested into DS9 and started watching it from e1 because of him. Its the only ST i still rewatch from start to end. Every few years..

[@otomicans6580]

He's definitely playing his role as the everyman in this episode.

[@tieember9596]

I love how "unromantic" this whole episode is. The Captain is right, the Cardassians / are / planning out their next move, and despite how O'Brien is willing to "let the war go", it doesn't change the fact that war and violence ARE STILL OUT THERE; the Captain is literally just trying to prevent what happened to his loved ones from ever happening again. If they do what the Captain wants, the war starts up again, but if they don't, and they give peace a chance like O'Brien wants, it'll stop the war from starting up right away, but it's probably STILL INEVITABLY GOING TO HAPPEN. In the left hand, hate and war On the right hand, love and war Ultimately, this episode hosts a commentary about how flawed and fragile peace is. It's so dark, but it's done so wonderfully...that war doesn't just "start and end" one day to the next, that war is always ready to collapse into silence, and vice versa. It's so gritty, and down to Earth...definitely an important message for any sentient creature on this plane of existence...

[@emmawatson9180]

Good post!!

[@benlowe1701]

Something that I always come back to... Is that no war can be averted forever. It will happen again. It always will. Cycles of violence, of warfare come around. The wheel turns. It has never been stopped. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine, War returned to my continent for the first time in my lifetime after decades of Peace. It was always going to happen someday. It can't be stopped. But it can be stopped for now. For a little while longer. Every peace every achieved, every diplomatic overturn. A war between China and the US is inevitable. It will come, someday. And hundreds of thousands will die. But not today. Not next year. Not the year after that. And that is how peace works. That is how you save thousands of lives. Day upon day, year upon year. Pushing it back. Setting back the clock a few minutes. Because there will always be someone, someone on the otherside to whom the prospect of War seems terrifying. Hopeless. Devastating. And whilst those voices prevail, on both sides, peace is secured. Tenuous. Picard isn't naive because he ignores the fact that War is on the Horizon. It is always on the Horizon. Men like Picard are the reason there is peace at all. Willing to sacrifice, willing to make the hard calls to push it back for a few more years. A few more months. Over and over again. That is how Peace happens. War, is Human. It is our default state. Which means, that Peace is *work*. Peace is hard. Peace requires effort, and maintenance and investment and a willingness think beyond who is wrong or right in the moment, and still make the call that needs to happen. Its not a fragile thing ready to be shattered like glass. Peace is a machine. That requires oiling, and smoothing, and sanding. Keeping the machine of peace going, keeping the flame fed.

[@Bird-Birdy-Love]

Like with Russia right now. A history of war and peace only to start the cycle again. But that is just one example of many that still plague society today, syria, iraq, iran, colombia, and all others that are occuring.

[@danieldickson8591]

But peace did hold, until the intervention of the Dominion, which no one could have foreseen. Yet even if war is inevitable, more years of peace is still a desirable goal.

[@Steno316]

O’Brien - “How can you be so obtuse?” Maxwell - “What, what did you call me?” O’Brien - “Obtuse.” Maxwell - “Rura Penthe, a month.”

[@funkydozer]

You stole the joke I was gonna do. Reported.

[@Steno316]

@@funkydozer Maybe next time lol

[@funkydozer]

@@Steno316 Being smug: Reported.

[@DavidAWA]

I just realized why people are quoting that movie. lol

[@Brian6587]

lol, I can hear his warden voice saying that

[@DarkGob]

People who don't like TNG say that humanity is "too perfect" on the show. But man, this episode. It's far from being the only counter-example to that argument, but man, *this fuckin episode right here*.

[@donovanulrich348]

Lol agreed The "too perfect" act, is just that a act. And people do it now, and it pisses me off. Your live is so relaxed you can act like jesus? Then build the community, to hard? Dont act perfect till you can build bridges wile people try to burn yours at the same time

[@Dowlphin]

It is madness, people saying that just because it is better than today. Those are status quo slaves, wanting to just remain in statis in a miserable world. They like material that portrays the present so that it gives them training to deal with it and conditioning to accept it.

[@MrPsychomonkey]

Well many episodes with an admiral often show human flaws

[@justinbachand4254]

One of the most powerful and beautiful scenes in TNG. Listening to the wounded souls, warriors, singing in harmony sends chills down my spine.

[@starwolf99]

The orchestral version of "The Wondering Minstrel Boy" still gets me every time.

[@Smeginator]

It also plays very briefly in the final episode of DS9 - O’Brien picks up the lost Alamo figurine, and chuckles. While it’s zoomed in on him, you can hear a very brief snippet of The Wondering Minstrel Boy

[@jeffreyahrens8049]

The french horn slowly rising over the sustained strings is gorgeous.

[@YD-uq5fi]

The biggest omission of all in DS9 was a complete and total vindication of Captain Maxwell.

[@SantomPh]

He still attacked without orders and without carrying any intelligence. He might have been proven correct, but his methods were still a breach of protocol and regulations. At the very least he should have contacted Picard or the Fleet Admiral. Picard did just that when deploying the tachyon net against the Romulans, not gather a posse himself and play frontier cowboy on the border. The Fleet Admiral gave appropriate orders and relayed it to Command. Maxwell, as a captain could do exactly the same for the Cardassians; even Gul Dukat was willing to stop an arms shipment to Cardassians in the DMZ, at least once the Federation found out. Maxwell did the right thing but with the wrong reasons.

[@Electricshrock]

No the biggest omission of DS9 was a halfway decent final confrontation between Sisko and Dukat.

[@Arkalius80]

In what way was he vindicated? Even if he was 100% right about the Cardassians' actions (he wasn't), that still wouldn't justify what he did. He doesn't have the authority to simply dispose of the Federation peace treaty and engage in warfare with the Cardassians (aside from defending himself or another Federation ship under direct threat) no matter what evidence he has of their actions. in DS9, the Cardassian empire was being ravaged by the Klingons in their war, so they allied with the Dominion to save themselves, and the Dominion already had designs on conquering the alpha quadrant. The Cardassians may have been happy to come along for that ride, but they didn't themselves initiate war with the Federation.

[@boscovilante4068]

Maxwell going off half cocked and unnecessarily obliterating a shed load of Cardassian ships isn't really a vindication. He'd be closer to a "vindication" if he simply disabled a Cardassian ship and inspected it. But he started massacring them instead. Maxwell had certain sharp instincts but he was also quite mad.

[@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502]

@@boscovilante4068 exactly. Even if maxwell 100% knew he was correct, all his actions did was risk a sudden start to a war that the cardassians had been preparing for for a long time while the federation would have been caught completely off guard resulting I way more deaths.

[@robarans4866]

the actor playing maxwell did an excellent job. you can tell he's a competent alert man, but suffering from PTSD. he continually seems halfway "stuck inside his own head", as he communicates with other characters. stuck on memories, notions and ideas. very, very unilateral in his thinking.

[@lisasimmons5362]

This utterly superb scene blows me away every time. Leaves me absolutely speechless.

[@randomrazr]

makes me wonder what he did when the dominwar war broke out. feds prob released him, gave him a ship and told him to wreck havoc on the cardissians

[@JonBap42680]

This is Chief O' Brien's (Colm Meaney's) greatest moment in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

[@johnparker2252]

The Cardassians live to make war, the Kardashians live to make money.

[@easygrin1127]

But both have murderous friends

[@NashmanNash]

Both are onmnipresent leather skinned tyrants

[@victorconway444]

​@Joe Bob Oh come on, don't tell me you never once thought that when you heard the word "Cardassian."

[@STEJTHEGREATEST]

1:12 From the looks of that star chart on your wall, the war looks pretty much won, captain!!!!

[@RJStockton]

"Everything is okay, gul. We have made contact with Captain Maxwell. It turns out he just wanted a singalong. The attack is over now. You can leave."

[@slicktop2jz855]

😂👏

[@otomicans6580]

"When my son looks back on this day, the only thing he'll remember is that a Federation officer on a Federation ship invaded his home, and kept his father away from him on his eleventh birthday. And he won't look back with understanding. He'll look back with hatred. And that's sad." That's what Gul... Macet.. would say...

[@RJStockton]

@@otomicans6580 If it's any consolation, the Dominion probably killed Macet's son, so we're safe there.

[@Brian6587]

I love the little musical score they played at the end of the song. This was an excellent, excellent, episode. Has to at least be at the top 10.

[@thedeplorable8370]

This entire scene holds the tension of a man on an edge, a friend trying to talk him down, and the moment before you the light fade away from the victims eyes. Only we see him wake up, and take a step down.

[@danieldb631]

"The war is over." "Nothing is over! Nothing!"

[@MLBlue30]

Rambo.

[@tek512]

I could not fully grasp this scene as a boy. Now I find myself relating to it far too well. Sometimes our experiences twist us into something we were never meant to be. When that happens, only someone who has seen what we have can really give us the dose of perspective we need.

[@zagnorch1336]

The origin of Captain Benjamin Maxwell’s mental trauma can be traced back to a chain of events that occurred many years before the horrors of Setlik III, when he was an ambitious executive officer seeking to move up the chain of command. Over a six-month period, Maxwell was passed over for promotion on several occasions by officers he felt were undeserving, including J.A. Folger, M.H. Yuban, R.Y. Sanka, and A.E.R. Hills.

[@brettthomas7038]

5 stars for the sheer effort, that must have been brewing in your head for a while.

[@mardus_ee]

Do those names mean anything, or are they from a non-canon Star Trek book?

[@jimhills1920]

@@mardus_ee As Captain Janeway would say: “There’s COFFEE in that nebula!” ☕️☕️

[@mardus_ee]

@@jimhills1920 I'm not a coffee drinker. Might you enlighten me further?

[@dunnono00]

@@mardus_ee Maxwell = Maxwell House, Folger = Best part of waking up, Sanka=...uh, Sanka, etc.

[@AlyssMa7rin]

I like the tiny detail of O'brien alone singing 'One faithful harp shall praise thee'. This whole episode, he sang praises for Captain Maxwell, gave him every possible benefit of the doubt, and in the end is the one who prevents the ship's destruction.

[@wtfa2910]

As a kid you don't understand the world as an adult this man's condition is all-too-common amongst society and it's sad we must not leave these ones behind just because someone loses their way doesn't mean they lost forever

[@PLuMUK54]

One of my favourite songs. I learned it when I was a member of the school choir over 55 years ago. I sang along with Maxwell and O'Brien

[@JMUDoc]

The only time in _Star Trek_ when the characters singing actually made the scene _better._ This was one of TNG's finest episodes, IMHO - perfectly written, great guest stars.

[@Dowlphin]

Perfectly written?? 😂 Maybe on a certain level, but there's an omnipresence of lazy writing to push the predermined plot along.

[@szinyk]

Just noticed that when they stop singing, the score in the background plays the same tune.

[@danielyeshe]

It also plays in What You Leave Behind when O'Brien is remembering his time on the station.

[@Foldy435]

One of my favourite episodes. Colm Meaney is so underrated.

[@GrommyMcGromface]

Cardassians live to make beans

[@Brain_quench]

Please explain the origin of the beans joke in star trek.

[@slashingraven]

@@Brain_quench This channel's visual theme is beans for some reason. So every video's got to have at least one reference to that in the comments.

[@GrommyMcGromface]

@@Brain_quench you have to watch the beans origin story

[@brentbarr498]

This scene STILL makes me pause and give thanks and remembrance for my fellow armed service members.. "there but for the grace of god go I". I'm retired AD AF of 25 years and still have issues some days and nights dealing with LIFE.. but we endure! :)

[@Dowlphin]

Issues with life vs. issues with death, an interesting dynamic.

[@scotts148]

Just noticed that the background music from when they stop singing to the end of the clip is The Minstrel Boy, slowed down a bit

[@FekLeyrTarg]

The Minstrel Boy is heard again in DS9's finale, when Miles finds the plastic soldier on the floor of his emptied quarters.

[@rowlandbuck2703]

The first time it was played in the series as actually at the end of the first episode about Mr. Broccoli (Barclay) and his holosweet addiction. Seems really out of place now.

[@aggressiveattitudeera887]

"His judgement cometh, and that Right Soon....."

[@The_Gallowglass]

Too bad the cops didn't get there before he blew his brains out.

[@f7supercereal]

They don't make television like this anymore.

[@Strykenine]

No, but they could.

[@nunyabisnass1141]

The song is called "the minstrel boy." Its worth a listen.

[@ringo1029384756]

Captain Maxwell talking about how the Cardassians live for war ended up being strangely prophetic.

[@aceofspadesguy4913]

This is where TNG truly shined, the quiet moments.

[@sirsneakybeaky]

"we dont butcher women in children!" Sisko : Hippty Hoppity your world is no longer your property.

[@Mark-xh8md]

Thank you! The hero worship of Sisko makes me want to puke

[@shadowtheimpure]

@@Mark-xh8md Captain Sisko initiated a retaliatory attack against the Maquis who had attacked the USS Malinche. If Sisko had not taken that action, the Maquis' ongoing genocide via biogenic weapons against Cardassians in the DMZ would have continued. I'm sorry if it sickens you, but Sisko made the right call.

[@Mark-xh8md]

@@shadowtheimpure - By that logic, you have no right to criticise the Nazis for massacring an entire French village, or Mladic for Srebrenica. Civilized people do not agree with that logic.

[@shadowtheimpure]

@@Mark-xh8md Except both indicated parties would be the Maquis in that example. They are the aggressors, after all. Srebrenica is a textbook case of ethnic cleansing, which is what the Maquis were attempting against the Carassians. The Nazis were trying to conquer Europe by any means they deemed necessary.

[@Mark-xh8md]

@@shadowtheimpure - It wasn't the Maquis that used WMDs against its own citizens because they had taken offense to one of them having outsmarted them. It was Sisko. So no. Sisko is the Nazis or Mladic in the examples.

[@actioncom2748]

I can't help to think of Danny and Peachy from "The Man Who Would Be King" When I watch this episode. Especially when I hear that song.

[@koen8185]

Great great movie , and to think Caine and Connery were only the 5th choice by John Huston.....

[@actioncom2748]

@@koen8185 It was the British version of Butch and Sundance. Definitely a great movie.

[@Onthercks07]

The writing talent on this show was so good and the level of acting was terrific. So much TV just hasn’t even come close to this in so long…it seems the emphasis is on quantity to fill streaming minutes rather than quality😢

[@MrArcadia2009]

I wasn't even aware of this song until I saw this episode. This time, I sung with them. It's a great song to be sure. I'm not suprised the Irish use it so much. A great episode, among many great episodes.

[@Josh_Fredman]

One of my very favorite scenes from TNG. It shaped my entire development as a person and as an artist.

[@josephanderson8062]

His crew and O'Brien, that's true loyalty.

[@Whatatwist2009]

"The Cardassians live to make war" I wonder if Miles thought of that at any point during the Dominion War.

[@lisasimmons5362]

Such a phenomenal scene. Blows me away every time. Am so absorbed by the brilliant directing and acting that I actually forget there's a red alert going on.

[@Aeroldoth3]

Picard: "Dammit, how can we resolve this peacefully?!" O'Brien: "Don't worry sir, I have a few levels in Bard."

[@beyerdr]

One of my favorite episodes. Years ahead of its time

[@inwyrdn3691]

Rest among the stars, Stompie. We will keep your song in our hearts. The minstrel boy to the war is gone In the ranks of death you will find him His father's sword he hath girded on And his wild harp slung behind him "Land of Song" said the warrior bard "Tho' all the world betrays thee One sword, at least, thy right shall guard One faithful harp shall praise thee" The minstrel fell, but the foeman's chain Could not bring that proud soul under The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again For he tore its cords asunder And said "no chains shall sully thee, Thou soul of love and bravery Thy songs were made for the pure and free They shall never sound in slavery" The Minstrel Boy - Thomas Moore

[@johnn9977]

Great song

[@UFO721]

This was true trek!

[@Ryoko1701]

Top 5 Star Trek episodes ever, right here.

[@jerryfiore5818]

Bob Gunton who played Captain Benjamin Maxwell is one of Hollywood's best kept secrets. He's extremely versatile and can carry every scene he's in with conviction - never overacting.

[@fstbr4]

The running cliche is that all sequels fail to compare to the originals whether movies, series, or books. This sequel succeeded and it really helped that Gene Roddenberry was involved and so many surviving cast members from the original Star Trek returned to assist. Scenes like this show that acting talent followed into this series with actors that actually know their craft.

[@Vejitasei]

I remember this episode. He was right the Cardassians were smuggling supplies. Picard did the diplomatic thing, and let it slide BUT told the Cadassians he knew. At the time (child) thought why do that. Why allow them to cheat. When I got older, I understood that the keep the peace, sometimes trade offs are needed. Today, I also recognize that there is no peace. Just a break between war, and the Cardassians were just taking a knee to prepare to come back harder. That sometimes, the other guy doesn't want peace, and he will take you out once the conditions change. For example: Neville Chamberlain vs Winson Churchill. Appeasement was not going to work, they need Churchill to win the war. And similar in peace time, Churchill would not work. I have really come to appreciate TNG more and more with time.

[@Dowlphin]

Appeasement was not going to work? ... Prime example of war propaganda. AFAIK A.H. was offering a surrender but Churchill kept it secret and rejected it. And that was not the first sign of an agenda to keep war going. As Germany was betraying the USSR, the West was betraying Germany. And betraying the USSR was possibly in part out of fear of the pressure from the west. A big reason for WW2 was because particularly Britain but also others wanted to squeeze Germany dry after WW1 and that caused a lot of resentment. To keep things short, don't mistake the visible tip for the iceberg. The darkness runs much deeper. *Global long-term strategizing* could be a key term.

[@UndeadGhostGirl]

Though I've never served myself, and never will if I can avoid it, I have *a lot* of military in my family. It always makes me feel good in a bitter sweet way to come in to these comments sections and see veterans relating to these fictional characters that are written and treated as real, living, breathing individuals.

[@robotempire]

This is like in a saving private ryan scene where they’re talking about some kid named Caparzo doing cartwheels or something

[@jacksavere6988]

You have an amazing channel intro

[@lennierofthethirdfaneofchu7286]

Too bad they didn't sing the second verse: The minstrel fell but the foeman's chains Could not bring that proud soul under The harp he loved never spoke again For he tore its chords asunder And said, "No chains shall sully thee Thou soul of love and brav'ry Thy songs were made for the pure and free They shall never sound in slavery"

[@TheKrensada]

Maxwell: The Cardassians live to make war! O'Brien: How could you be so Obtuse? Maxwell: what did you just say to me?!

[@albhem_eh]

I understood that reference!

[@combcomclrlsr]

So much great acting and dialog in this episode.

[@olternaut]

Many of us are in that ready room right now in crisis....singing a similar tune seeking comfort.

[@jolly7041]

Capt. Maxwells ready room looks better than Picards ready room..I think..🤔

[@kfures3469]

I'd like to think Miles visited Ben when he was in prison

[@random4969]

I never expected them to break into song that caught me OFF GUARD 😂😂😂

[@joshuaplotkin8826]

For some, the war never ends.

[@DaMartyr]

Now the warden will be cast out of his one bunk Hilton.

[@dunnono00]

1:26 When you can feel him beginning to break, closest he comes to admitting it's personal.

[@starwolf99]

Not just personal. The conflict between the Federation and Cardassians resulted in a treaty that no one was happy about. Maxwell was also thinking about the waste of life from that war. SF Debris said that he wants the war to end but in victory because anything else would have meant that the deaths were pointless.

[@ace14529]

"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone In the ranks of deadh you will find him; His father's sword he hath girded on, and his wild harp slung behind him. 'Land of Song' ! said the warrior bard, 'Tho' all the world betrays thee, one sword at least, thy rights shall geard, one faithful harp shall praise thee!"

[@chuchulainn9275]

Thank you.

[@TheOmegaRiddler]

The thing that always bothers me is that were the crew complicit or scared into following orders. O'Brien either teleported right onto the bridge in which case he had to get past the bridge crew or worse, he had to walk through the entire ship to get to the bridge. So something tells me the crew didn't want to mutiny but when the opportunity came up, they didn't stop him.

[@mistermeow527]

I'd say somewhat complicit but also very disciplined is how I always interpreted it. Often times Picard and Kirk would openly violate Federation law and the crew knew it was a violation but had to take it on faith that the Captain was not off their rocker and acting for a greater reason as the person they trust. So perhaps at this point with the Enterprise physically attempting to stop the Phoenix that dissenting ideas started to set into the crew but due to their discipline would not defer to another authority. They still trusted Maxwell and still trusted that he was right but perhaps began to doubt his methods since I believe at the end it's stated his First Officer takes over to basically be 'towed'.

[@boscovilante4068]

Maxwell probably handpicked Setlik veterans for his officers. Those officers would also be someway traumatized - like Maxwell. Maxwell is also very charismatic. O'Brien probably just beamed into the corridor between the bridge and the ready room.

[@kfures3469]

Maxwell was a good captain, but in his heart was that of a broken man

[@STEJTHEGREATEST]

3:38 Sometimes you have to lose to win!!!

[@misterlau5246]

Definitely. As an adult I see things like this episode in a very different light. O'Brien and Maxwell. Brilliant scenes. It's not just space battles. Is it?

[@cardinalhamneggs5253]

I, for one, am all for declaring war against the Kardashians.

[@mitchtivi]

This show was so good!

[@enikata7349]

Sad fact is, his suspicions were proven right in the end.

[@nickmalachai2227]

Does it matter? He decided he was right over the powers that gave him his authority, siezed that authority for himself, and was willing to kill for it. It didn't matter if he was right or not, he didn't have the evidence to know, he just had a prejudice that he wanted to murder with, and stole a war machine to do it with.

[@enikata7349]

@@nickmalachai2227 It was merely an observation based on the plot of DS9, nothing more

[@otomicans6580]

After seeing this scene, somehow I think things between the Federation and the Cardassians are going to turn out all right.

[@Revkor]

they won't. frankly the feds made many errors leadign up and past this event

[@emily1]

the funny part is every statement he makes the world has done many, many times over.

[@perturabo420]

"We do not start wars." Yep. the Federation usually just fumbles into them by being to passive and too overtly reliant diplomacy, and militaristic enemies take it as a weakness.

[@teleportedbreadfor3days]

Ok that couldn't be more untrue but whatever

[@brettthomas7038]

A federation record reveals that to be the case for the start of WW3, which started with the disastrous retreat and botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

[@Zeakthecat]

@@brettthomas7038 same federation record would state that ww3 wasn't what all the fearmongers of the cold war played it out to be, instead it was a war between government and the people, a global war from the aftermath of bad public health policy that started from a illness. what fine times we live in, eh?

[@NealX_Gaming]

I think the Phoenix probably could have benefitted from having an empathic ship's counselor who could have sensed the Captain was under the influence of PTSD.

[@attiepollard7847]

Not all Starfleet ships have counselors, majority of them have doctors

[@emmawatson9180]

"You are now cured of PTSD."

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

PTSD was only started to be recognized in the US around the time of this episode, I don't think the writers were aware of it. It _really_ exploded in terms of awareness after we started getting messed-up guys coming back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[@rustyshackelford3934]

Maxwell is an analogue for Douglas MacArthur... relieved of his command in disgrace, but proven right in the end.

[@ThatWolfFromHyruleGaming]

First time I heard this song was at the end of Blackhawk Down. I definitely like this version better but the message of the song stays the same.

[@stupidnamefilter]

This is the best version on youtube: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGa1q3qjgsqZpLM Bit more oomph to it than BHD's version which is otherwise really good as well.

[@jerseykaari]

I like to imagine that 6-7 years later, as Star Fleet s getting completely trounced by the Dominion & Cardassian fleets - a group of bureaucrats standing outside his cell "For what it's worth Ben, we were wrong. The Federation needs you. WE need you!!" Maxwell stands proudly, gives them the bird from each hand and a raspberry, followed by a powerful "F you and the targ you rode in on!!" After they leave, he goes back to scratching away at the wall behind an Orion Slave Girl poster.

[@D8W2P4]

Eventually he "up and vanished like a fart in the wind" during a thunderstorm.

[@The_Gallowglass]

Wouldn't happen. He literally murdered all those innocent Cardassians on both ships.

[@skyserf]

Captain Maxwell had a very nice ready room.

[@3Rayfire]

I was thinking the same. It's bright but cozy.

[@kieranhurst8543]

"We don't launch surprise attacks against manned outposts" Oh trust me, by the Dominion war you will

[@dboymax1]

Oh how you are wrong O'Brien. The war is yet to come. I wonder if Maxwell was mentioned at all on DS9 series. I would bet Miles would say during the Dominion war that Maxwell was right all along

[@datfisheboi6519]

Maxwell was "right" in the episode too. The episode ends with Picard pointing out that Maxwell was 100% right that the Cardassians were definitely not building a science station in the system they were building up in, and that the Federation would be ready for them. The problem wasn't that Maxwell was factually incorrect, it was that he was using legitimate suspicions as an excuse to go rogue and commit mass murder.

[@ProjectT]

@@datfisheboi6519 Exactly. His suspicions were not wrong, but merely how he reacted to them. The Cardassians were planning a war, but Maxwell nearly made the Feds looks like the aggressors, which would have plunged them into conflict before they were ready and made them wholly unsympathetic to other local powers. The Cardassians ultimately would go to war, though it's not as clear cut as some others in this comment section make out. The Cardassian government planning this war collapse in DS9, a civilian council takes over that is far more peaceful and makes strides with the Federation. Then Dukat literally turns up with a Dominion fleet and takes power at gunpoint, Cardassia then having little choice but to serve the Dominion. And, in the end, they rebelled against them and helped the Federation win. The civilian council is restored, come the 25th century Cardassia joins the UFP.

[@jasongooden917]

We do not start wars, we do not make surprise attacks on manned outposts.. Benjamin Sisko: hold my Raktajino

[@drfunkypunk]

Turns out...Maxwell was spot on about the Cardassians. Hope they then released him and gave him a ship during the Dominion War.

[@douglaslundin4506]

Actually, we, as a race, have most definitely done all of the atrocities that Captain Maxwell's listed here, and some of us are still doing them, unfortunately.

[@michaelbonner5604]

And I love beans dippy do 😂

[@Seetiyan]

"We do not start wars . . . We do not BUTCHER women and children in their homes!" . . . uh, dude. Have you met humanity? Like, war and butchery is are probably the main things we've done for most of our history.

[@smartalec2001]

The Cardassians were always afraid of the Federation, and its' effective and dangerous diplomatic and cultural strategies. Hard borders, aggressive posturing and heavy internal propaganda were the only tools they had to avoid one day being absorbed by the UFP. They saw the Federation's influence as an attack against the Cardassian Union as dangerous as any fleet invasion.

[@halleck3]

Lord! It's a miracle! Cardassians up and vanished like a fart in the wind!

[@DarthAverage]

Wow. That is all. That's the post.

[@219garry]

Welcome to Shawshank