Here are ten great episodes from Season Seven.

Image in the Sand
The seventh season opener kicks off DS9's final year with panache, steering us through revelations large and small. Sisko, having retreated to Earth after the death of his old friend Dax, learns about his real mother. This, in turn, begins to lead us to the greater meaning behind Sisko's link to the Bajoran Prophets — it's a nice reward for long-time fans of the show, slowly bringing things full circle and pulling in threads from the very first season. Although the hour is by no means fast paced, it maintains an effective sense of tension up until the very last minutes when the new Dax — young Ezri — finally reveals herself to Sisko. All of this is punctuated by some well-executed scenes of conflict between Kira (now in command of the station) and Romulan senator Cretak.

Take Me Out to the Holosuite
This final season of DS9 is largely serious by necessity — after all, we're in the final throes of a war and there are many related plotlines to wrap up. Thankfully, this episode has our crew taking a break from battle to indulge in one of Sisko's favorite pastimes (yes, baseball) with humorous results. Amusingly enough, baseball is fairly alien to the, er, aliens of the station, and Team Captain Sisko's patience doesn't last too long (much to the chagrin of Umpire Odo). Sure, there's a corny teamwork lesson in there somewhere, but the hour is all in good fun. After all, why wouldn't Vulcans like baseball?

Once More Unto the Breach
What could have been merely a stunt — bringing back three of the Original Series' Klingons — yielded one of DS9's most emotionally resonant episodes, Season Two's excellent "Blood Oath." Perhaps even more surprising: one of those TOS Klingons went on to become a viable recurring character. Kor, as played by John Colicos, evolved into a conflicted, layered presence, and this episode marks a grand send-off for him. The hour finds Kor aging and delusional, unable to secure a ship and at odds with General Martok. With a little help from Worf, Kor manages to redeem himself in Martok's eyes and die in glorious battle — a fitting finale for a larger-than-life presence. (Sure, another Shakespearean title, but you should hear it in the original Klingon.)

The Siege of AR-558
This is DS9 at its grittiest — and, in some ways, its most affecting. As our crew is pushed to the front lines, they experience the horrors of war firsthand. Particularly affecting is the shocking fate of young Nog, who loses a leg and nearly dies in battle. It's quite amazing how far this character has matured, especially considering that he initially served as a fellow kid foil for Jake Sisko. It's also touching to observe his relationship with his Uncle Quark, another unlikely hero. Watching soldiers die in order to protect this outpost reinforces the brutality of this war, a sad fact that Sisko reflects on at episode's end.

Badda-Bing Badda-Bang
When Good Holosuites Go Bad: Here's another fun episode, a final bit of light-heartedness as we prepare to launch into the sweeping final arc. Vic Fontaine, that suave, singin' 'n' swingin' holosuite program, is about to be taken over by mobster Frankie Eyes. Realizing that they need to help Vic, DS9's crew swings into action, dressing up in stylish '60s wear and going undercover. It's a fun hour with classic caper underpinnings, and we can't help but be swept away by the sight of our crew strolling down the Promenade dressed to the nines. Also, the episode adds a refreshing twist by addressing Sisko's feelings of discomfort with this particular setting, stemming from the racism of the 1960s.

Penumbra
This episode kicks off the war arc in grand fashion, piling on the revelations and twists that DS9 is known for. It's fascinating to see all of our characters conquer new territory. Sisko proposes to Kasidy Yates, but encounters trouble from the Prophets. Meanwhile, Ezri, no longer the tentative newbie that she was when we first met her, actually defies orders and sets off to find the missing Worf. But perhaps most thrilling of all is the return of one of DS9's most glorious villains, Gul Dukat, who surgically alters himself to look Bajoran. Why? It's yet another mystery to unravel, and adds an intriguing element to this final arc.

When It Rains...
Another long-running plotline begins to come full circle as Kira is assigned to train Damar's Cardassian rebels. Naturally, there's animosity on both sides — we're essentially watching one of the show's central conflicts finally come to a head as Cardassian and Bajoran are forced to work together for the greater good. As if this weren't enough, this hour also boasts a pair of juicy twists that advance the final arc even further. First off, Kai Winn and the disguised Dukat (and how ingenious was it to pair those two up?) delve further into Pah-wraith-fueled evil, eventually leading Winn to punish Dukat by putting him out on the street. Meanwhile, Bashir learns that Odo is infected with Founder's Disease ... and the responsible party is none other than Section 31.

Extreme Measures
This is a different sort of war arc episode, and it does a wonderful job of zeroing in on one of DS9's most memorable relationships — the opposites-attract friendship between O'Brien and Bashir. When the nefarious Sloan attempts suicide, Bashir and O'Brien link themselves to him, hoping to find a cure for Odo. It's a great mind-bender of an episode that reveals the twisted psyche of Section 31's ever-weasely Sloan and gives Bashir and O'Brien a little quality time together. Further testament to the writers, who allowed plenty of time to finish things off rather than cramming the whole arc into just a few episodes.

The Dogs of War
The twists start coming fast and furious in this hour. The unlikely trio of Kira, Damar and Garak continue their rebellion on Cardassia and are forced into hiding. Meanwhile, Rom is named Grand Nagus over Quark, Bashir and Ezri finally acknowledge their feelings for each other and Kasidy announces she's pregnant. All of these developments, when taken together, could have been forced and overwhelming. Instead, each individual moment feels earned, as we've watched all of these things develop into full stories. This episode is perhaps one of the best examples of how DS9 adeptly handles multiple plotlines and makes them all as important as they deserve to be. And yes, another Shakespearean title!

What You Leave Behind
Just how do you wrap up such a grand, epic series as DS9? Exactly like this. "What You Leave Behind" brings all of our plotlines to a satisfying close and still leaves enough time for the good-byes. In true DS9 fashion, it's all a bit bittersweet — Sisko defeats the Pah-wraiths, but ascends to the Celestial Temple, leaving behind his son and wife. Odo has the ability to cure his people, but knows he must leave Kira behind to do so. Worf and Ezri are both on new paths, but must bid farewell first. The series' final montages focus on many of the key relationships of the series — fitting, since DS9 always focused firmly on character. The final shot is simply perfect and breathtaking — even the most jaded fans will find themselves shedding a tear.