By Chris Snellgrove | Published
During the long wait to learn more Lower decks And Strange new worldswe took the time to rewatch some of our favorite Star Trek episodes. This led us to some oft-overlooked classics, including “Progress,” a Deep Space Nine episode heavily focused on Kira. She eventually bonds with an elderly Bajoran named Mullibok, but the writer of this episode was disappointed because he wanted this gruff old man to be more of a villain.
I wanted something different for Mullibok
Mullibok’s overall arc should be familiar to most audiences of the genre. He begins the episode as a gruff old man whose prickly nature ultimately helps Kira bond with him. However, the episode’s writer Peter Allan Fields was ultimately disappointed by this on-screen portrayal and was quoted in the Deep Space Nine Companion as saying “I wanted a strong guy who doesn’t change in the end.”
To hear Fields describe it, he wanted Mullibok to be very distinct from similar characters audiences might know. “There are too many old guys on TV shows who start off mean and then become meek and meek at the end,” he said, clarifying that “that’s not what I wanted.” This would have been perfectly in keeping with his character, as he expounds the virtues of being stubborn and never backing down in conversations with Kira.
Fields explained what he meant about Mullibok by highlighting a scene where that character asked Kira his name. The writer pointed out that the original script made the character’s malicious intent very clear: “he said it because he was trying to cheat her.” In the episode as aired, however, it seems to be a warm-hearted question that the older character asks Kira because he likes her more and more.
That being said, Fields was quick to point out that he had no problem with Mullibok actor Brian Keith’s performance. He just couldn’t help but think that the actor made this character a lot more likeable than he was supposed to be. The end result was that he was “less of an adversary than he should have been”, which made him “less of a mountain for Kira to climb”.
This could have completely changed the episode
Although Fields knows more than anyone about Mullibok’s characterization and motivations, we’re not entirely sure how effective “Progress” would be as an episode if this elderly character was angry and unrepentant throughout.
After all, the episode culminates with Kira’s shocking decision to blow up the man’s oven and set his cabin on fire in order to trick him into draining the moon so Bajor can use it as a source of energy. energy. Her decision to do her duty is made all the more difficult after seeing her bond with the older character throughout the episode.
Deep Space Nine made the right choice
If Mullibok had been presented as a stubborn and intractable villain throughout the story, Kira’s actions could have been mistaken for some sort of revenge or retribution. However, once filmed, we can better see what kind of inner conflict this is for Kira and the emotional price she pays for doing the right thing. As for Fields, it’s Keith’s gentle and ultimately heartwarming performance that brings out Kira’s conflict.
Compared to many other Star Trek characters, Mullibok is someone who has been largely forgotten. It’s a shame, because it’s part of an ambitious Kira episode that helps determine her arc for everyone. New deep space. And if he had been a villain as originally written, Kira’s killer characterization could have ended up being his first victim.