Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) Crossfire (1996) User Reviews

Odo's unrequited love

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 28 May 2010]

When Bajoran first minister Shakaar comes to Deep Space Nine Odo is placed in charge but gets more and more distracted as it becomes clear Shakaar has feelings for Kira. Odo is jealous but can't bring himself to tell her just what he feels about her and instead trashes his quarters. The only person to see that Odo has a thing for Kira is Quark who tells him to either tell Kira how he feels or get on with his life.

This was a good character led episode, the highlight of which were the scenes between Odo and Quark; Rene Auberjonois and Armin Shimerman do a great job in the roles of the two who won't admit just how much they really respect each other. While there is little action in this episode there is one scene where an assailant tries to kill the first minister by crashing the turbo lift.

Poor, poor Odo...

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 31 December 2014]

"Crossfire" is a relatively quiet episode, as it's based entirely on the space station and has little in the way of action. Still, it's a super-important episode because it does a lot in the way of character development and is definitely worth seeing for fans.

When the show begins, First Minister Shakaar is visiting DS9. However, there are rumors that someone will be making an attempt on this new Bajoran leader's life--and so it's up to Odo and Worf to protect the guy. There are BIG complications, however, as Odo is extremely distracted. Instead of his steady and efficient demeanor, he is silently pining for Major Kira--and the only one who seems to realize this is Quark. Much of this distraction is because apparently Kira is a Bajoran hottie. First Vedek Bareil wants her and now Skakaar is smitten by her--and he confides in Odo about his desire to become more than just friends with her.

Believe it or not, this is an episode that might necessitate a Kleenex or two. Well worth seeing.

Crazy Love

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 22 October 2018]

Quark really has some affection for Odo. They are both loners, caught up in their own worlds. But Odo is carrying a torch for Kira and this almost destroys him. This episode involves his Rostand-like fixation on her as he watches her become more and more involved with another man. It is good to see the "human" side of this guy and how dangerous he could be, given the right circumstances.

Trek romance and heartache

[snoozejonc · 7/10 · 8 September 2022]

Odo struggles to witness Kira starting a relationship.

This is a reasonably good episode with some decent character development for Odo.

It depends on how much you care for the Odo/Kira arc for how much interest you can take in this story. Rene Auberjonois does a great job of portraying a character tortured by his feelings for someone.

Another good aspect is how Quark's enemy/best mate relationship with Odo plays into the problem and it further develops the bond between the two characters.

Where it slightly falls down for me (as usual in the writing Star Trek episodes) is the romance between Kira and Shakaar. He was portrayed as quite an interesting character in the previous appearance in the episode 'Shakaar', but unfortunately this time he is reduced being a simple love interest. Duncan Regehr is a great actor but he cannot save the bland characterisation and lack of effort made by the writers to make it a plausible coupling.

Personally I think it would have been better to have sent the three characters on a cool mission somewhere and let the love between Shakaar and Kira develop from that, with Odo observing. Crossfire depicts a typical Trek romance where characters are in love because they just are.

Overall though there are more positives than negatives, particularly the performances and continuity of on going character arcs.

For me it's a 6.5/10 but I round upwards.

Odo, I feel you bro

[CharlesTheV · 9/10 · 10 November 2018]

Quite an interesting and refreshingly different episode in the series that makes a great analogy to what nowadays we call "The Friendzone". An actually touching episode where we discover the more human side of Odo as he becomes conscious of some negative and positive feelings towards Kira as well as seeing some more glimpses of his friendship with Quark.

Must watch for Odo fans

[beanslegit · 8/10 · 11 April 2022]

Firstly I found the writing to be well above average for DS9. This is also quite a touching episode as we see Odo expressing real human emotions towards one Major Nerys, and then the subsequent cucking and friend zoning that he goes through. This is something that most of us will experience in our lives and I certainly can relate to the pain of unrequited love, made all the worse by them finding someone else right in front of you.

But don't worry Odo, Quark has your back and some good advice. I really loved the scenes where they become reluctant bro's near the end. Odo is one of my favourite characters however so I'm definitely biased lol.

Oh no.... The dreaded friend hug.

[thevacinstaller · 8/10 · 29 June 2021]

A cautionary tale about Odo not seizing opportunity when it presents itself. There is certainly a rule of acquisition about this but apparently Odo hasn't read it and is going with the highly unsuccessful hope of it happening spontaneously somehow.

There's a similarity for me in the character of Spock and Odo and both of the actors manage to condense emotion into a glance/hand movement/posture effectively.

I can't blame Odo for being bummed out. Have you looked at Kira in that white shirt?

Falling in love and the battle with jealously is like having a permanent drunk on and the all consuming nature of it causes Odo to be (gasp) negligent in his duties.

A nice frenemy scene between Quark/Odo.

I enjoy this episode mainly to see the performance of Odo. He's got a bit of that spock/kirk/data charisma going on for me.

This was SO Painful to watch Odo melting emotionally

[jseph1234-262-617488 · 10/10 · 30 July 2022]

This is nearly as hard as watching the Dr. Bashir episodes with his infatuation of Jedzia Dax. The tragic things is Odo is frozen by even more emotionally deep self-doubts because of him being a Changeling.

Kira loves and respects him to the UTMOST (She told him this like a year or two before). Unfortunately he keeps it in the friendzone because of a fear of rejection (Completely Human but ultimately not an effective approach)

Totally boring snoozefest

[tomsly-40015 · 1/10 · 2 November 2023]

Another love affair story about Kira and it is annoying and boring again. All the scenes with Vedek Bareil were bad already. Luckily this dude is no more. But here we have another fellow resistance fighter and Kira falls in love yet again. And this new dude asks Odo, a complete stranger - about advice on how to approach Kira, because he is into her as well. I mean what the heck actually, who would do that? And I don't know: Major Kira just isn't the character I'd like to know more about her love life.

The only saving grace in this episode is Quark. He reads Odo like a book and immediately figures out that he has a crush on Kira but she is more interested in Mr. Cool while Odo behaves like a teenager. Quark in PJs talking to Odo when he destroyed his own room (which is above Quark's) preventing him from sleep is the only interesting and fun part in this episode.

I suggest to not watch this episode in bed. Otherwise you might fall asleep unlike Quark.