Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 1, Episode 13: “Battle Lines”

Synopsis: Commander Sisko, Major Kira, and Dr. Bashir bring Kai Opaka to the Gamma Quadrant, where she begins a new adventure.

In this episode the concept at the core of depth psychology is explored through the character of Major Kira Nerys. And also, as in the last episode, “Vortex,” the Gamma Quadrant can be seen as an analogy to our unconscious and the wormhole adjacent to Deep Space Nine can be compared to a psychic complex, that allows bits of material from the “other side” to come into our awareness, with the station representing our conscious ego.

In “Battle Lines” Kai Opaka, the spiritual leader of Bajor, unexpectantly arrives on Deep Space Nine. Commander Benjamin Sisko tells Dr. Julian Bashir that Opaka has never before left Bajor, and yet she strongly indicates to Sisko that she wants to go through the worm hole. This can be interpreted as an individual ready to start exploration of their unconscious through analysis.

Sisko, Kira, and Bashir accompany Opaka through the wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant, completely unprepared for the danger that lurks there. Opaka is killed, yet in some strange way is also kept alive by alien microbes there. What happened to Opaka reminds us that while integrating bits of material that come into our conscious awareness through a complex can be a very healing thing, that there is a danger of getting lost in the unconscious when we travel their alone, without the support of a therapist or other form of support.

As for the Kira, Opaka tells her: ‘“Don’t deny the violence inside you, Kira. Only when you accept it can you move beyond it” (Danus, et al., 1993). This reflects the teachings of depth psychology that when we integrate bits of our unconscious, especially shadow elements, into our conscious ego, the ego becomes stronger and the psyche more whole.

Reference:

Danus, R. (Writer), Somes, E. (Writer), & Lynch P. (Director). (1993, April 25). Battle lines (Season 1, Episode 13) [TV series episode]. In M. Piller & R. Berman (Executive Producers), Star trek: Deep space nine. Paramount Television.