Synopsis: Bareil Antos from the mirror universe arrives on Deep Space Nine.
This episode can be seen as an illustration of James Hillman’s acorn theory, the idea that just as every acorn has everything inside it to become a tree, each of us is born with our own inner knowledge, which Hillman called our daimon, that has all the information we need to be who we were meant to be.
In “Resurrection” Bareil Antos, the mirror universe incarnation of Vedek Bareil in Deep Space Nine’s universe, uses a multi-dimensional transporter device and appears in Ops. He takes Major Kira Nerys hostage. They leave Ops and he tells her that he is fleeing the Alliance in the mirror universe, and asks her to destroy the device so that he cannot be sent back. But when Kira from the mirror universe also appears, viewers understand that this is not the case. Mirror Universe Kira has ordered him to steal the Bajoran Orb of Prophecy and Change. This plot is thwarted, and although Deep Space Nine’s Major Kira has fallen in love with him and wants him to stay, he returns to the mirror universe after explaining to Major Kira that he is a thief.
This episode, when Bareil Antos arrives on Deep Space Nine he is confronted by many individuals who believe that he is the holy man, Vedek Bareil, who has come back from the dead. In fact, Quark even mentions to Bareil that there could be a business opportunity in exploiting this. Bareil is not comfortable with this, yet he has no problem in planning to steal a religious icon. Bareil also gives into his love for Kira in both this universe and the mirror universe. This self-knowledge, even though it is not what others would have wanted for one, can be understood as an illustration of Hillman’s acorn theory. And when Bareil does what he knows is the thing that his daimon tells him is what he must do, he is being true to himself. While this may not be what Starfleet or Major Kira would have him do, according to Hillman’s theory, it is his destiny.
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