Although Vedek Bareil was a fairly minor recurring character who appeared in relatively few episodes, and the producers felt his relationship with Kira was unproductive, he nevertheless left his mark on DS9. Here is my guide to the Vedek Bareil episodes:
| In The Hands Of The Prophets (Season 1 finale) |
We meet Vedek Bareil for the first time. Vedek Winn turns up on the station, calling the teachings of Keiko O'Brien (schoolteacher) on the wormhole, blasphemy, because they do not say that the wormhole was created by the Prophets. Sisko attempts to get Vedek Bareil to help, and violence ensues, culminating in an assassination attempt on Bareil by one of Winn's followers. Winn of course denies any involvement, but Sisko and the others have their own ideas.
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| The Circle (Season 2) | Kira, having been relieved of her post on Deep Space 9, accepts Vedek Bareil's invitation to spend some time at his monastery to collect her thoughts. She has an encounter with the 3rd Orb and experiences a disturbing vision. On DS9 the crew finds evidence that the Circle is an organised movement determined to take over Bajor. Unbeknown to the faction's members, their weapons are actually being supplied by the Cardassians. As the Circle launches attack ships to DS9, the station will be abandoned. |
| The Siege (Season 2) | Deep Space 9 is in chaos and in the process of being abandoned, but Sisko and some others decide to stay. Kira is determined to show the damning evidence to the Chamber of Ministers, and, with Dax, sets out to do so. Unfortunately their shuttle is attacked by Bajoran ships and they crash on Bajor, where Vedek Bareil rescues them and helps them get into the Chamber of Ministers. The crew of DS9 are forced to wage guerrilla warfare as the station is overrun, but as the evidence comes to light the Circle dissolves and the troops are ordered to stand down. |
| Shadowplay (Season 2) | With Sisko away from the station, Kira is keeping a close eye on the activities of Ferengi bartender Quark. Vedek Bareil arrives on the station, to Kira's surprise, and the two begin a romantic relationship. When Bareil says that his visit was suggested by the Bajoran minister who accompanied him, Kira suddenly finds the missing link between his presence and her suspicions about Quark. |
| The Collaborator (Season 2) | The choosing of the new Kai is approaching and Vedek Bareil is almost certain to be chosen. He is on the station with Kira, who happily assures him her support. Then a Bajoran traitor from the Cardassian occupation turns up on the station and Vedek Winn pardons him, to Kira's disgust. Demanding to know what is going on, she is aghast when Winn accuses Bareil of collaborating with the Cardassians by telling them the location of a Bajoran camp. The major tries to clear her lover's name, but every piece of evidence she finds seems to point to his guilt. Bareil resigns from the choosing and Winn is selected as the new Kai. Only then does Kira find the crucial piece of evidence which proves Bareil was innocent. He was protecting the name of Kai Opaka, who had sacrificed her son and 43 others to save over 1000 people. Bareil maintains that it was all the will of the Prophets, but Kira is not so sure. |
| Fascination (Season 3) | The Bajoran festival of Peldor is taking place on the station, and the crew of DS9 start behaving very strangely. Dax is surprised to find Bareil making overtures towards her, but then becomes so taken with Commander Sisko that it ceases to matter. Sisko thinks Kira should be informed about her lover’s behaviour, only to find Kira and Bashir appear to be unable to keep their hands off each other. The missing link in the puzzle, it turns out, is a familiar Betazoid female who has come to DS9 for the festival... |
| Life Support (Season 3) | On his way to the station for crucial peace talks with the Cardassians, Vedek Bareil is seriously injured in a shuttle accident. Dr Bashir wants to put him into stasis until an effective treatment can be found, but Bareil insists that he must stay conscious to aid Kai Winn, who knows little about the negotiations and must now continue in his place. Kira can only watch as Bareil opts for medication which may kill him so that he can stay alert for a little longer. Kira is disgusted at Winn, who is prepared to callously sacrifice Bareil to suit her own purposes, but Antos agrees with the Kai. He is able to help Winn, but as Dr Bashir feared the treatment has done irreparable damage to his body and he will soon die. As a last-ditch attempt, Bashir is persuaded to replace part of his brain, but when this too eventually fails he refuses to do any more, telling a distraught Kira that Bareil would no longer be the man she knew. As Antos lies in the Infirmary, Nerys shares his final hours. Alone with the unconscious Bareil, she tells him just how much he meant to her. |