Get ready for an exciting new season of Because That’s What Heroes Do. This season, they take a deep dive into their favorite episodes of Deep Space 9. In this exploration, Tom and Megan are joined by Star Trek maven Alex Murphy (Murphy) from Montreal, a local historian, cinema, and TV fan who loves weird foreign films, all things horror, and obscure media. He has been watching Trek since he was a tiny punk, and it’s been a lifelong love. In this episode, the team begins a 3 part exploration of the introduction to a new character for DS9’s final season. Today, they review the episode Shadows and Symbols. The episode begins with Ezri Dax, a character Tom loves, and her struggle with multiple voices in her head. This leads to a broader conversation about the themes of mental health and symbolism tied to the character Benny Russell and his writings on the padded walls of his cell. Another important storyline explored is the Klingon tradition of ensuring Jadzia Dax’s entry to Stov-Vo-Kor, led by Worf, with help from Quark, O’Brien, and Bashir. The final segment examines Captain Sisko’s mysterious trip to his father’s restaurant in New Orleans and his continuing visions connected to his baseball. Murphy ponders whether this episode functions best as a standalone or part of a three-story arc, ultimately appreciating its deep connections to the overall series. Key highlights: Exploring Ezri Dax’s Character Symbols and Shadows: Three Storylines: Benny Russell’s Breakdown; Jadzia Dax to Sto-Vo-Kor and Sisko’s Journey to the Prophets Romulans on DS9 and Bajoran Politics Standalone Episode or Trilogy? Resources: Megan Dougherty LinkedIn One Stone Creative Twitter Tom Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn