“What You Leave Behind: Part II” is episode twenty-six of season seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the second part of the two part season and series finale.
In the previous episode, “What You Leave Behind: Part I”, the combined Federation, Klingon and Romulan fleets had launched an attack on the Dominion. The fleets were victorious against the Jem’Hadar and Breen, but only because the Cardassian ships changed sides. Now, the fleet is at Cardassia Prime, which is heavily fortified, with both ships and orbital weapon platforms.
On Cardassia itself, the female Changeling had ordered the extermination of the Cardassian people due to them rising up against the Dominion. Damar, Kira and Garak, along with some troops, had managed to get inside the Dominion’s headquarters, although Damar was killed in the process. Weyoun had, following the Changeling’s orders, sent most of the Jem’Hadar troops out of the building to kill Cardassians. So there are very few guards inside.
On Bajor, Winn and Dukat were in the Fire Caves, and the former was doing what was need to free the Pah-wraiths. Things are very definitely coming to a conclusion. There’s what looks like an upcoming very dangerous battle around Cardassia, Cardassians being killed on the ground and soon-to-be-free Pah-wraiths who will likely not be up to much good. The brightest spot at the moment is that the Dominion’s HQ is barely defended.
The episode begins in orbit around Cardassia, with Sisko, Martok and Admiral Ross planning the final attack. Casualties are projected at 40%, and that’s just in orbit. Once on the ground, they will get even higher.
In the Dominion HQ, Kira, Garak and one other Cardassian have made it into the command centre, killing the last of the Jem’Hadar, with only Weyoun and the female Changeling left. Kira tells the Changeling to order the Jem’Hadar and Breen to stand down. Weyoun makes a number of comments and Garak kills him. The Changeling says that this is a pity, as that was the Weyoun clone. Garak is happy to hear that.
The Changeling says that the Jem’Hadar and the Breen will fight to the last man. So that the combined forces will have lost so many ships and lives that victory will be as bitter as defeat. This seems to be purely out of spite. In orbit, Odo says that he will beam down to try and talk the Founder around.
In the Fire Caves, Winn says that they need to do the most important part of the ceremony and pours a drink. She allows Dukat to drink first and it comes as no great surprise – although it does to Dukat – to find that the drink was poisoned. The Pah-wraiths demanded a sacrifice.
On Cardassia, Odo wants to link with the Founder. Neither Kira nor Garak are happy with the idea, but Kira trusts Odo. Odo tells the Founder that linking could cure her and it does. She also agrees to surrender. So, the Dominion War is over without a final fight and very early in the episode. Thinks looks to be going smoothly.
Of course, there is still the matter of the Pah-wraiths on Bajor, and if they get free they could easily cause more damage than the Dominion ever could. However, although this is the finale, most of the spectacular stuff was in the previous episode. This is in many ways more of a tidying up episode.