Taking part in an 'energy-sharing' ritual with an all-female sect known as The Cloister, Da'an and Zo'or become the prime suspects when one of the Sisters is murdered.

This episode is something of a disappointment, with plenty of opportunities that seem to have been overlooked. The sisters themselves are very two-dimensional, with Sister Margarette particularly devoid of personality, and the others only really there to be killed or attacked. It's very lucky that the one person killed is the one with the Resistance knowledge, or this could have turned into an interesting subplot as Renee tried to find out if she could trust the former Resistance agent.

Zo'or's sudden arrival in the Taelon fertility cycle should be better used than it is here, and hopefully will be later in the season. Exactly what happens when a Taelon gives their energy is also worthy of further exploration, as is the whole idea of their sterility and how it came about. Da'an's actions could also do with more explanation, as blowing up the shuttle makes no sense. After all, whether Zo'or is the killer or not, why would Da'an want to strand everyone?

The whole story seems designed purely to lead up to the final revelation, which makes sense in light of what we've seen this season, but doesn't quite hold true from events in the previous two-and-a-half years, making me wonder just what was in Gene Roddenberry's original concept and how much it has changed. Was this surprise planned from the start or a recent new addition?

If there had been more concentration on the characters and the ripe potential inherent in the set-up, this could have been a superb episode. As it is, it's only average, which is a shame. Still, it does leave some enticing loose ends to be picked up later.

***

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