Deep Space Nine was the first Star Trek series to utilize a serialized format, focusing on an ongoing story. However, it wasn't without its side missions to give the audience a breather from the grueling and intense war with the Changelings and their Dominion. The show used these one-offs to explore characters and their motivations, along with expanding the established Star Trek universe.

While not as inspiring as episodes like "It's Only a Paper Moon," "Let He Who is Without Sin" still played an important role. At this point, Worf and Jadzia Dax were in a meaningful relationship, and this season five episode was a chance to further explore that. Worf's and Jadzia's connection might have seemed to come out of nowhere to some viewers, so the show needed an episode to show why they were a good fit for each other.

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What is 'Let He Who is Without Sin' About?

Fans of Worf will love season five's "Let He Who is Without Sin," as it's very much a Worf-centric episode. However, it's famously regarded as one of the worst episodes of not just the season, but the entire series. It departs from the overall Dominion War story on which the series had been building its momentum, and instead sent some of the main characters on vacation.

"Let He Who is Without Sin" introduces audiences to Risa, a hot spot for vacationers thanks to its beautiful beaches, accepting attitude toward sexuality, and advanced weather-control system. Here, Worf hopes to spend time alone with his girlfriend, Jadzia Dax. However, the two are interrupted when Quark, Dr. Bashir, and Bashir's girlfriend Leeta join the excursion. To make matters worse, Worf meets the social director of the resort, Arandis (Vanessa William), and learns she is a former lover of Curzon Dax, a former host of the Dax symbiont. This brings up awkward feelings for him, since Jadzia still has all the memories of the relationship with Arandis.

Meanwhile, a group of activists known as the New Essentials start stirring up trouble throughout the resort. The New Essentials want to restore moral and cultural traditions to the Federation, and Risa's tolerant views on sexuality and leisure contradict their beliefs. So, naturally, it has to become everyone else's problem. Worf, being socially conservative in some ways, takes an interest in the movement.

One would think that the group's desire to gain control of the planet's climate control system would be too extreme for a Starfleet officer. But frustrated with Dax and letting his jealousy get the best of him, Worf decides to aid the New Essentials. He gets them access to the climate control system, allowing them to create devastating weather patterns and drive everyone away from the planet.

Why is 'Let He Who is Without Sin' significant?

Fan reactions were overwhelmingly negative toward this episode, especially compared to the ones that dealt with the Dominion War against the Changelings. However, it still delivered an important message. "Let He Who is Without Sin" showed that intolerance can still exist even in a world where humanity has evolved. Not only that, it shows how quickly intolerance can get out of hand if it goes unchecked. The episode was a mirror for its audience, showing them that these people on Risa were merely trying to enjoy themselves. They weren't hurting anyone or themselves. And yet, a group with differing morals thought it was their right to push their beliefs on others, even if that meant taking drastic measures.

Worf's choice to help the New Essentials shows how easy it is to resort to violence when responding purely with emotion. Activist groups, by their very nature, appeal to emotions to acquire new members. It's the leading recruitment strategy for terrorist groups worldwide. Perhaps that's one of the reasons fans didn't enjoy the episode, but it's disheartening to see that even in a fictional universe where Earth eradicated poverty and war, there are still humans capable of terrorist acts.

How does 'Let He Who is Without Sin' end?

Once the weather changes and poses a threat to the vacationers, Worf and Jadzia are finally able to have their time alone. At that time, Jadzia learns that it was because of Worf that the New Essentials group had control of Risa's weather patterns. Things get out of hand, and the ensuing chaos extends beyond just the weather. Earthquakes start shaking the planet, posing serious danger to its inhabitants.

Worf intimidates the group's leader into relinquishing control of the weather grid, reminding him of what the Federation stands for. Once the planetwide tremors cease and the weather returns to normal, Worf and Dax choose to enjoy the rest of their vacation. Leeta and Bashir perform a Bajoran ritual to end their romantic relationship, at which point Leeta confesses her attraction to Rom, Quark's brother.

While the episode might have been a detour from the main story of the series, it provided character development that would affect the remainder of the series, including Worf's trouble accepting Ezri Dax and Leeta's marriage to Rom.

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