Synopsis: A new arrival on Deep Space Nine opens a casino to rival Quark’s.
This episode is an illustration of what happens when Trickster energy is introduced to the Logos-driven rational conscious ego.
“Rivals” begins with a new arrival from the El-Aurian system, Martus Mazur. Odo immediately identifies him as someone to watch when he sees him with an older, wealthy widow, and accuses him of being a con man. As it turns out, he has a bit of good luck and comes into possession of a gambling device. This gambling device has powers to change the laws of probability. This impacts residents all over the station.
This is analogous to what happens when Trickster energy from the unconscious rises into the awareness of the conscious ego. In Star Trek: The Next Generation trickster energy was embodied in the character of Q. Every time he would visit the starship, every rational law and belief system was questioned. And the character of Mazur here is an echo of this energy, or is it the device itself that has the energy and Mazur just amplifies it? Whichever is true, the Trickster energy has invaded the station and it will not be the same.
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