The Reckoning ( episode ) The discovery of a 30 , 000 year old Bajoran tablet buried under the holy city of B ' hala announces the Reckoning , the time when the future of Bajor will be decided . Summary . Teaser . At their regular staff meeting , the crew of Deep Space 9 review the state of the Dominion War . It is a time of great uncertainty as the threat of a Dominion attack on looms overhead , and while the Romulan s have retaken Benzar ( home to the Benzite s ) , there is no way to be certain they will relinquish control after the war . For now , Sisko , Kira and Jake are taking a trip to Bajor to visit a new discovery in the remains of B ' hala . Although Dax observes how trivial such things seem in the midst of a war , the archaeologist s have specifically requested Sisko ' s presence . Ranjen leads the trio through the ruins , where numerous tunnels have been dug and excavations have taken place since Sisko ' s last visit . The monk leads them to a pedestal underneath the old temple , thus older than B ' hala , with some " interesting " writing in Ancient Bajoran ; part of the text reads , " Welcome " . As he touches it , he is thrown across the room . He loses consciousness as the Prophet s send him a vision in which they mention the end and the beginning and claim that the Reckoning is at hand . Act One . Sisko takes the tablet back to DS9 , where he and Dax study it in a science lab to translate it . In the meantime , he greets Kai Winn at the airlock . She is visibly troubled by the removal of the tablet from Bajor . In her usual , subtle manner , she compares his actions to the plundering the Cardassian s did during the Occupation . After refusing , Winn lodges a formal complaint with Starfleet Command , and Admiral Ross tells Sisko to stop meddling in Bajoran affairs and return the tablet . Sisko discusses the situation with Dax , who muses about the time when Sisko thought of the Prophets as nothing more than aliens who lived in the wormhole . Sisko reminds her that , regardless of if they ' re Prophets or not , they have a relationship with Bajor which they proved when they stopped the Dominion fleet from reaching the Alpha Quadrant . Dax reminds him that he had to persuade the Prophets to help , and that they promised they would exact a penance . The conversation is halted when Dax discovers the meaning of the words on the tablet which say that , among other things , the Prophets will weep and the gateway to the Celestial Temple – DS9 – will burn . Act Two . Dr . Bashir , Odo , and Worf are sitting idly on the second level of Quark ' s , considering the repercussions . As Quark himself walks by , he complains about how bad business has been because of talk about the Reckoning , but their conversation is cut short as the station trembles and the wormhole begins to behave erratically . Meanwhile , Sisko and Winn have met in his office , where she informs him of flood ing , earthquake s and the like taking place on Bajor as they speak as a result of the shifts in the wormhole . She believes he has angered the Prophets by taking the tablet , and she has a request from First Minister Shakaar stating as much with a warning that if Sisko keeps the tablet any longer it will harm relations between Bajor and the Federation . With no other choice , Sisko agrees to return the tablet on the first transport the next morning . He tells Dax she ' ll have to work off holo - recordings of the tablet , as she reveals more words have been translated . It ' s clear the Emissary will play a major part during the Reckoning ; however , his role is left unclear due to damage on the tablet . Later , Sisko discusses the situation with Kira and they note their mutual dislike of Winn . Kira admits to feeling a little sorry for her in that she spent her whole life in service to the Prophets and was finally rewarded for her efforts by becoming Kai , only to be forced to share the role of spiritual leader with a non - Bajoran . She also admits that , like Winn , she is jealous of Sisko ' s relationship with the Prophets ; however , unlike Winn , she doesn ' t resent him for it . Late that night , Sisko is visited by Jake who wants to check up on his father . He admits that he worries a lot about his father ' s role as the Emissary , due to the fact that twice before in the past year he has been rendered unconscious by visions . Ben reminds Jake that he didn ' t ask to be Emissary , it is just what he is , but comforts his son by reminding him he ' s also his dad . Later , Sisko is unable to sleep and finally heads for the science lab . He angrily tells the Prophets that he ' s had enough of their riddles , and wants a straight explanation . After no response , he picks up the tablet and throws it against the wall in a rage , smashing it . As he looks down at its shattered remains shocked at what he just did , two energy discharges : one red , one blue , emerge from it and disappear through the ceiling . Act Three . Dax and Odo investigate the science lab , as Sisko explains he got an uncontrollable urge to smash the tablet . They find no signs of such a discharge , although there is an unexplained energy drain soon reported on the station . Unfortunately , now Sisko has to explain it to Winn . She believes Sisko smashed the tablet just to spite her . He is emphatic that he is acting with the will of the Prophets , and that it isn ' t always easy to see the path . Winn notes again the hardships being experienced on the planet , and that it must be clear the tablet should have been returned . As he tries to reassure her , he is called to the Promenade . Sisko finds Odo and station security around the Bajoran Shrine , and Kira standing in the doorway . However , her body has been inhabited by one of the Prophet s , with a glow and an electrical discharge flowing out of her . When the Prophet sees Sisko , it walks toward him , causing damage to as it walks . She addresses him , and informs him it is time for the Reckoning . Act Four . Sisko tries to have it explain what the Reckoning is , but not much response . It says it awaits Kosst Amojan . Winn recognizes the Prophet ' s words and explains that Kosst Amojan is the evil one , a Pah - wraith that was banished from the Celestial Temple . She also realizes that this pertains to a prophecy . If the Prophet wins the upcoming battle , then Bajor will enter its Golden Age of a thousand years of peace . Sisko turns to the Prophet and asks what he ' s to do , but it replies he has " completed his task . " Winn tries to talk to it directly , but it turns away without focusing on her . It simply stands , unresponsive , as Winn offers herself to the Prophet as its humble servant but is ignored . Sisko tells the senior staff that DS9 is to be evacuated . Julian balks at this idea , but Sisko knows the battle could destroy the station . However , Dax suggests not letting it be fought on the station . She suggests that they slowly but gradually flood the Promenade with chroniton particles , which are fatal to the Prophets , which would force it to leave . Given what the Prophets have done for him and Bajor , Sisko refuses , saying that this is the Prophets ' price for destroying the fleet of Dominion ships that would have certainly overrun the Alpha Quadrant . Although they are worried for Kira ' s safety , Odo reassures Sisko that Kira would have been willing to surrender herself to the Prophets no matter what the consequences , even if it meant her death . Worf and Odo find one another near the airlock as they oversee the evacuation of the civilian population . Worf admires Odo ' s devotion after what Odo said about Kira letting the Prophet take her , and he is unsure that he could have done the same if it had been Jadzia . With Kira on their side , Odo assures Worf the Prophets will be victorious . Sisko is able to persuade Starfleet that DS9 must be abandoned given the Prophets are the only thing preventing the Dominion fleet from coming through the wormhole . Suddenly Sisko is called by Odo to the Promenade as a group of Bajorans , led by Winn , refuse to leave the Promenade as they pray for the Prophets ' victory . Sisko confronts Winn and threatens to personally order the people to leave as their Emissary . Sisko and Winn begin to verbally spar once more when interrupted by Kira . The Prophet announces that Kosst Amojan has chosen his vessel . Sisko looks up to the second floor to see it is Jake . Act Five . Sisko screams for the Pah - wraith to leave Jake and take him instead , but the Pah - wraith is simply amused and throws Sisko across the Promenade . Kira and Jake face off and energy beams , red from Jake and blue from Kira , come out of their chests and meet at the center . The spectacle continues as sparks fly and the energy buildup reaches critical levels . As the buildup could trigger an explosion at any second , Dax and Winn in an unusual state of agreement urge Sisko to leave the station ; however , he is determined to stay and see the Reckoning through and also refuses to leave his son behind . He orders them both to abandon the station . Dax contacts Worf and tells him they ' re leaving . Dax hurries to ensure that everyone is evacuated , and the final people are taken away in the station ' s runabout s ; however , Kai Winn sneaks away in the confusion . The final runabouts leave and the station is empty save for Sisko , Jake , Kira and Winn . The Prophet is winning the celestial battle , and is on the verge of killing the Pah - wraith when she suddenly screams out in protest . . . Kai Winn is in Ops and has triggered the Chroniton release herself . Both spirits are forced to leave the station , causing both Kira and Jake to collapse . Sisko immediately runs to an unconscious Jake ' s side . Sisko visits his son in the infirmary , where Jake is still weak but will recover eventually . He tries but does not know what to say to his son to explain the incident , but no explanation is necessary . Jake was able to feel the Pah - wraith ' s hatred and knew it had to be destroyed , even if it meant his death . As Odo and Kira walk together on the Promenade , she thanks him for his confidence in her and willingness to let her go if the Prophet ' s victory meant her death . His ability to let her die for her faith is flattering , although he reassures her that he still would have been happier if the Prophets had chosen someone else . Kira then escorts Kai Winn to the airlock , where Winn claims Sisko should be grateful to her as her actions saved their lives and the station from destruction , as well as stopping the disasters on Bajor . However , Kira isn ' t fooled and knows Winn ' s true motive was not the good of Bajor , but chose to stop the Reckoning due to not being able to handle the fact that Sisko has a stronger faith in the Prophets , to the point he was willing to sacrifice his own son . Winn refutes this and claims her faith is just as strong as Sisko ' s , but Kira knows that it ' s not Winn ' s faith that drives her but ambition . As the Reckoning was stopped , the evil still exists and Kira warns that it ' s possible not even the Prophets know what is to come now . Memorable quotes . " " During the Reckoning , the Bajorans will either suffer horribly or . . . eat fruit . " " " " . . . Eat fruit ? " " " " Given the tone of the rest of the inscriptions , I would bet on the horrible suffering . " " " " In a way , I feel sorry for her . She spends her whole life in service to the Prophets , and then one day , after years of self - sacrifice and commitment , she gets her reward – she ' s elected Kai . It should ' ve been the greatest moment of her life . " " " " But my being the Emissary spoiled it for her . " " " " The Kai has always been the spiritual leader of Bajor , but Winn has to share that role with you . And to make matters worse , you ' re an outsider , a non - Bajoran – that ' s something she can never forgive you for . " " " " Who knows ? The rest of the tablet probably says " Go to Quark ' s . It ' s happy hour . " " " " " I like the way you think , Doctor . " " " " I just had this uncontrollable urge to smash the tablet . " " " " Oh , I get those urges all the time . " " " " May the Prophets forgive me . " " " " I heard that you told the captain I was willing to give my life to serve the Prophets . I appreciate that you respect my beliefs . " " " " Just the same , I wouldn ' t have minded if the Prophets had chosen someone else . " " Links and references . References . Alpha Quadrant ; archaeologist s ; Argolis Cluster ; Bajor ; Bajoran s ; Bajoran bat ; Bajoran history ; Bajoran language ; Bajoran prophecy ; Bajoran wormhole ; Benzar ; Benzite system ; Betazed ; B ' hala ; Bolian s ; Cardassian s ; chroniton ; chroniton generator ; constable ; defense perimeter ; ; dictionary ; Dorala system ; Emissary of the Prophets ; Evil One ; Federation ; First Minister ; Golden Age of Bajor ; homeless ; ideogram ; internal sensor s ; Kalandra sector ; Kendra Valley ; Klingon attack cruiser ; Kosst Amojan ; leap of faith ; Martok ; ; ; Occupation of Bajor ; " Old Man " ; Pah - wraith ; Promenade ; Quark ' s ; Rakantha Province ; " Ranjen " ; Reckoning ; Romulan s ; ; runabout ; Seventh Fleet ; Shabren ; Shabren ' s Fifth Prophecy ; Shakaar Edon ; Seventh Fleet ; skeleton crew ; Sybaron ; Tamulna ; Tibor Nebula ; tornado ; tricorder ; turbolift ; ; wheat ; Unreferenced material . Bolian system