'The balance is off.' - timor

'You mean the balance between host and symbiont?' - dax

'What other balance is there?

Someone's not playing fair. It wouldn't be Dax, so it must be the host.' - timor

'You're saying the problem is with Jadzia' - sisko

'No, no, not necessarily. It could be any one of the hosts.' - timor

decided not to liveblog this episode but then it turned out i prolly should have Imao. i will reiterate, let me know in advance of episodes coming up that i should be sure to liveblog! i am relatively unspoiled so i don't know a ton of what's coming! anyways, without further ado, allow me to sum up my opinions on s3e4 of ds9

- sisko cooking dinner for everyone is awesome. i hope he does this regularly. i want to watch a scene of a typical ds9 senior staff family dinner.

- it was cool to meet more trill! less cool to learn how ready and willing they are to let hosts die to protect symbionts, but so it goes. this ep certainly made it clear that there’s a fair bit of corruption there!

- i love julian and jadzia’s friendship. now that he’s stopped trying to bang her it’s awesome

- what do the symbionts get out of this joining thing anyway? what’s the benefit for them? they seem to be doing fine in the pools

- looks like trill do have last names before they get worms. so the surname changes. do we ever learn jadzia’s original surname?

Odo is stirring so intently, it's sweet how genuinely he finds this interesting <3

Julian looks so scared of beets... and to be fair, the idea of having to eat beetroot just to not offend someone else is awful, I understand completely. *shudder* Tfw someone makes you try something just because you "haven't had it properly" before.

I love Kira's civilan clothes <3

"You look so cute." I had the same thought, Kira!

Ah! This episode!

"None of Dax's hosts, even Jadzia, had any musical ability." It is noticeable that sometimes she's more Dax than Jadzia.

Huh, it's more believable that Sisko made an illegal move than that you weren't paying attention?

Oh no, it's something deeper than that...

Kira's astonishment. She knows something is definitely wrong.

Creepy mask person

CREEPY MASK PERSON

Yeah this is disturbing

Jadzia's back <3

"the only major trauma the Dax symbiont ever suffered..." Seven lifetimes and only one major trauma?! I wonder what is defined as major... And then Jadzia comes along and lives her life 😅

Weird to start talking to Sisko and say "I suggest we get her back" - I'm guessing this is Starfleet Getting Permission From The Commander Speak, but also she's right in front of you, Julian, don't talk about her like she's not there?

I do love Jadzia and Julian's friendship <3

"When I was younger I was terrified of [doctors]." I do not remember this line, and that's so fascinating! Again, fits in so well with the GE stuff.

"I used to think that if I didn't behave, they'd make sure I got sick." This is actually heartbreaking to think of little Jules terrified on Adigeon Prime.

"I decided that I wanted to know what they knew, be as smart as they were... And you know what I learned [at medical school? That all I really wanted to do was help people." He's such a goodie and I love him to bits

"Now if that little story didn't put you to sleep, I don't know what will." Aw, I think he's been more vulnerable and revealing than he meant to. Awkward, self-aware Julian <3

I was very tense from when he offered her a bed that some sort of cringeworthy joke or comment would be made.... but no! A whole conversation without any awkward creepiness added in for no reason! Progress!

I read a fanfic the other day which described the uniform as having a violet undershirt and I had genuinely never noticed it before, I'd always thought it was grey, and now I cannot stop noticing it.

"Oh. Oh, that is not good. Not good at all. Tell me, how bad are the dreams?" So the guardian saying this straight out is terrifying, but also pretty validating

We always see symbionts having to be transferred host to host straight away, do they ever return to the pools or is this just where they begin their lives?

Julian's anger - "How do you know that unless you try!" and Sisko's calming hand, although I imagine he's just as frustrated. #siskoshir

Love it when Sisko delivers a threat, he's always so cool and composed.

"It's her life and her decision." Yesss, Sisko

Wait, were they going to just operate on her and take the symbiont out without letting her know?! That's awful! But it looks like they wouldn't have woken her up without Sisko's intervention even though it's evidently possible! What!!!

Saying "Julian" as soon as she wakes up - she may be scared of doctors, but she trusts her friend :3

"If you want to know who you are, it's important to know who you've been." For you more than most....

'You're a part of me.' - jadzia

'Nearly half our population is capable of being Joined. There aren't enough symbionts for that many hosts.

The potential danger to the symbionts would be enormous. They would become commodities to be purchased or prizes to be fought over.' - dr. renhol [to sisko]