Entertainment
Deep Space Nine Breaks A Beloved Star Trek Tradition In A Classic Season Finale
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine premiered, it took the show some time to escape the shadow of The Next Generation. That shadow loomed particularly long thanks to DS9’s first season having cameos from TNG characters like Captain Picard, Lwaxana Troi, and even Q. However, the killer Season 1 finale “In the Hands of the Prophets” deliberately broke from a beloved franchise tradition by not turning its finale into a major cliffhanger event.
In The Hands Of The Prophets
After its first two seasons ended with standalone finales, The Next Generation Season 3 began a tradition of cliffhanger endings that led directly into the next season. For fans, this could be both exciting and annoying. After watching the Borg assimilate Captain Picard, we had to wait an entire summer to discover whether he would be saved or simply blown away by Riker’s bold plan to destroy the Borg cube. However, as DS9’s future showrunner Ira Steven Behr explained, the show deliberately avoided making “In the Hands of the Prophets” into a cliffhanger because producers were hoping to save money.
“I know people wanted to have the big cliffhanger and I love cliffhangers, but they do tend to be a gimmick,” Behr said. “And unless you can find a gimmick that’s going to work for you, why do it?” This, along with the fact that “we did not have a way to do it successfully because of the budget restraints,” is why “In the Hands of the Prophets” is a standalone episode.
Just how expensive would it have been to make this into a two-part episode, though? According to then-showrunner Michael Piller, a Star Trek cliffhanger “traditionally costs at least $100,000 more” because of the need for things like additional action scenes. In this case, Deep Space Nine’s first season had already gone over budget, and because he was “a responsible producer,” he didn’t want the show to do a cliffhanger for the sake of doing a cliffhanger.
While there were financial considerations behind making “In the Hands of the Prophets” a one-and-done episode, this was ultimately a creative decision as well. As Behr pointed out, the best cliffhangers are built around solid gimmicks, and because they couldn’t think of a crowd-pleasing gimmick, he didn’t feel the need to make this episode a two-parter. Accordingly, Behr noted that there’s no need to arbitrarily follow such a new tradition in the franchise: “to say you have to have a cliffhanger is ridiculous,” he said.
Michael Piller seemingly agreed with this…despite the show already having gone over on budget for the season, he would have given the green light to any outstanding cliffhanger ideas. “If we had a wonderful cliffhanger that we wanted to do, I would have been behind it,” he said. But he ultimately felt that “we already had [an…] episode that could be a season ender that gave a completeness to the season.”
We already saw “In the Hands of the Prophets” as one of the best episodes of Deep Space Nine. As Behr and Piller pointed out, it didn’t need a second part to make for compelling television. But hearing about how the two deliberately shut down the idea that the season had to end in a cliffhanger just because TNG always did brought warmth to our cold, cold Vulcan hearts. This spinoff always broke the rules, and this early maverick spirit is just one of many reasons that Deep Space Nine remains the best Star Trek show ever made.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
