#Amsha Bashir

[garaks-padded-bra]

(wonderboy by the kinks begins to play in the distance)

#ds9 #star trek deep space nine #Richard bashir #amsha bashir #Julian bashir

[autisticburnham]

It's admittedly been a year or two since I've watched Doctor Bashir, I Presume, so it's possible I'm forgetting something, but I don't understand why people act like Amsha Bashir is less guilty of genetically engineering and making Julian feel unwanted than Richard is. I mean, yes, the text does treat it that way with Richard going to prison and her not, but I tend to read that as a consequence of the gender politics of the 90s.

But I get the impression that people feel like Richard pressured and/or forced Amsha into going along with it. And I understand that people may be coming to that conclusion because Richard Yells. But the line that I find most upsetting in the entire episode is Amsha's line about how Julian understand how painful it is to have a disabled child and see them fall behind and how bad it makes you feel. Which is just so Autism Mom, and it very much reads to me like she was 100% on board with "fixing" him. And admittedly, I am clearly projecting my own issues onto that line, but I do nonetheless think that it is the intended reading that she was a fully consenting partner in genetically engineering him.

So am I missing something? Or am I just misreading the general consensus when I get the vibe that people think that if Amsha and Richard had gotten a divorce, it wouldn't have happened to Julian?

#this post brought to you by me putting a piece of fanart in my queue of a physically disabled julian #which was dope as hell #but was captioned as being an au where richard and amsha were divorced #julian bashir #amsha bashir #ds9

[sutekinaoneesan]

Just something that recently crossed my mind when thinking about Julian and his relationship with his parents.

Do you remember season 1 all-eager-to-please-puppy-Julian? Just imagine what an argument between Richard and season 1 Julian would have looked like. They did have a lot of differences in the past ever since Julian found out about his enhancements at the age of 15. But somehow I cant‘t really picture season 1 Julian opposing his father in more than a teenager kind of way. He might argue with his father over something but in the end he complies with whatever his parents tell him because he‘s so desperate to measure up to everyone’s expectations because he thinks that it’s the only way to earn their love.

Then take season 5 all-mature-and-grown-up Julian who knows exactly how to step up for himself and defend himself. He’s no longer willing to do as his father tells him. You can see in Sisko‘s office how much he‘s uncomfortable with his parents showing their affection for him. While season 1 Julian would have quietly endured the whole thing, probably feeling even guilty for not being the perfect son, season 5 Julian is ready to defend his newly made home against his parent’s intrusion.

And I just wonder when exactly that change in Julian’s attitude toward his parents might have happened. I mean, of course he grows up a lot during his time on DS9 but I can‘t help but wonder if there was something, a particular event that caused it.

If we take Julian’s statement in Dr. Bashir, I presume? where he says that he hasn‘t been home for three years that would mean that the last time he visited home must have been somewhere around season 2. It’s only my guess but Armageddon Game is set in season 2 where Julian is believed dead and Sisko passes on the news of Julian’s death to his parents. Most likely Julian visited his parents after the events. My guess is that that was the turning point in their relationship.

Like

Richard: We thought you were dead. I’m so glad you’re here. Just imagine, all that talent gone for good. All that knowledge and all those skills.

Julian: We’re talking about my life! I nearly DIED. And all you’re concerned about is that my talent could have been wasted?

Again, it’s only my guess but it would make sense…

#Julian Bashir #Armageddon Game #DS9 #father son relationship #Richard Bashir #Amsha Bashir #Dr. Bashir #Dr. Bashir I presume #poor Julian

[lorenzobane]

I really am not like this most of the time, but my Everyone Is Wrong About Them character analysis is Julian and his relationship with his parents.

People like to make their relationship incredibly simple when it seems somewhat obvious to me that their relationship is intensely complicated. Anyway! Let's look at the receipts.

RICHARD: Oh, so now we're not taking it seriously. We're not as bright as he is. We don't have your gifted intellect so we can't see the perfectly obvious. BASHIR: This is exactly why I haven't been home in three years. AMSHA: Jules, please.

Julian tells us, in this episode, that he hasn't been home to visit in three years. He tells us this in Season 5, which means that at some point in Season 2, Julian went to Earth to visit his parents. They are not estranged, and it is not true that they haven't spoken since he went to DS9. In fact, they were still in close enough contact for him to go all the way to Earth, a long trip, just to see them. Of course, it went wrong- but they do speak to each other. People often use his awkwardness in Homefront to suggest that they're not speaking, but it seems somewhat obvious to me that he wouldn't want Sisko or Odo to meet his parents because it would immediately show how different from them he is.

AMSHA: No, this is important. You can condemn us for what we did. You can say it's illegal or immoral or whatever you want to say, but you have to understand that we didn't do it because we were ashamed, but because you were our son and we loved you. (Bashir and Amsha hug.)

This is after they've already found out that they've outed him. He still cares about them, and specifically her, enough to hug her and comfort her.

BASHIR: Well, I want no part of it. I'm not going to just stand by while my father-- RICHARD: Jules. Julian. Listen to me. This is my decision. I'm the one who took you to Adigeon Prime. I'm the one who should take responsibility for it. AMSHA: Let him do this, Julian. BASHIR: Two years? Isn't that a bit harsh?

Again, this further complicates their relationship because while Julian DOES want his father to take responsibility, he doesn't want him to suffer. He's protective of them, there is an intimacy that exists between them because for the majority of his life they were all reliant on each other keeping a huge secret from everyone. For many years, his parents were the only people he can be honest with.

And, as Julian keeps saying in the episode, part of why he's keeping the secret so tightly is to protect them. He's worried about his commission but he's ALSO worried about their punishment and I think that adds to his emotional complexity with them. He wants them punished, he wants them to take responsibility- but he also doesn't want them to suffer.

RICHARD: I guess I'll see you in a couple of years. BASHIR: I'm sure they have visiting hours at your facility. Maybe I could RICHARD: That would be most welcome.

Does that sound like the line of someone who plans to never speak to his father again? No. I think Julian views his parents with a type of constant agony- where it is painful and confusing and hard every single day, and yet, he doesn't cut them out. I understand that people want it to be easy- Julian just cuts them off! But it's not. It's especially complicated because the worst thing they ever did to him was years ago, and there is no way to undo it. And then his father went to prison for him, because he loves him. How do you reconcile those things? I don't think Julian can.

Even MORE to the point though- like, if you write him cutting his parents out of his life entirely you are actually just mischaracterizing him. I think there is a reason why so many first-generation kids relate so hard to Julian (I'm not the first person to point this out and I won't be the last- but i'm not going to get into that can of worms now).

I know I’ve literally written an entire fic on this subject before but it still Irritates me.

#julian bashir #St: ds9 #richard bashir #amsha bashir #like where are people getting this from?? #Julian CLEARLY has intensely complicated feelings on them #and the idea that he'd ever come to a conclusion like i'll never speak to them again #kind of takes a blatant misreading of the text for self projection #but ignore that tag- it's a bit antagonistic

[riversmelody]

TW: eugenics and ableism

I think it’s really important to bring up things about Amsha Bashir aside from her involvement in Julian’s genetic engineering.

Amsha has a tendency to placate and excuse when Richard hurts or upsets Julian and I’m glad this is shown in the show, but I wanted to address and talk about it more.

What his parents did to him and the way Richard handles Julian’s grief about having been genetically modified is easier to tell when it comes to ways Julian has been harmed. A more subtle form of harm is having a parent defend or change the subject when the other parent says or does something harmful, without even acknowledging or trying to understand the child’s feelings or thoughts about the situation.

Scenes from Doctor Bashir, I Presume?

Richard: “Despite what the authorities would like us to believe, genetic engineering is nothing to be ashamed of. You’re not any less human than anyone else. In fact, you’re a little more.”

Amsha: “We didn’t come here to start another fight. Let’s just, try to get through this.”

Richard equates societal standards of intelligence with what makes someone more or less human, and there’s the implication that he saw Julian as less human before they had him modified. This was brushed off by Amsha and she wasn’t upset with his comment, she just didn’t want there to be another argument.

Amsha: “You don’t know. You’ve never had a child. You don’t know what it’s like to watch your son… to watch him fall a little further behind every day. You know he’s trying, but… something’s holding him back. You don’t know what it’s like to stay up every night worrying that maybe… it’s your fault. Maybe you did something wrong during the pregnancy, maybe you weren’t careful enough, or maybe there’s something wrong with you. Maybe you passed on a genetic defect without even knowing it. You can condemn us for what we did, you can say it’s illegal or immoral or whatever you want to say, but you have to understand that we didn’t do it because we were ashamed. It was because you’re our son, and we loved you.” (argument ends and Amsha hugs Julian)

I’m aware she does love Julian and didn’t intend to hurt him. It’s fair for Amsha to feel distressed about raising a disabled child. It’s difficult, society is often unaccepting, it’s hard to find resources, many teachers and even doctors are dismissive and non-understanding, etc. (does not make the genetic modifications done on Julian ok, but it is ok to struggle and be distressed about things)

But Julian was talking about how their decision to change his brain to the point where they essentially killed the son they originally had greatly harmed him. He was talking about how they decided he was worthless and wouldn’t amount to much, if anything, at 6 years old.

At the same time, Richard was continuously defending him and Amsha’s decision and belittling Julian for feeling the way he did about the situation. Amsha didn’t say anything about this. Even if she was afraid to intensify the argument, she could have acknowledged or validated Julian’s feelings in some way, but she didn’t. She continued helping Richard in defending their actions, although she was nicer/more polite about it.

Just wanted to discuss this aspect more in detail, since it’s shown but not really addressed in the episode

#julian bashir #richard bashir #amsha bashir #star trek deep space nine #star trek deep space 9 #star trek #doctor bashir i presume

[ettaberrytea]

For Plain_and_Simple_Tailor (ectogeo)'s Garashir Wedding Registry on Ao3. Garak made Julian's outfit (by popular vote from the pole earlier).

#elim garak #julian bashir #amsha bashir #garashir #ds9 fanart #deep space nine

[bubbles-floating]

Richard Bashir's A+ parenting truly is astonishing

#star trek #star trek ds9 #st ds9 #julian bashir #bashir #dr bashir #s5e16 #doctor bashir i presume #richard bashir #amsha bashir #bubbles rambles #bubbles talks st

[nonbinaryezri]

"we will adopt your baby"

#star trek ds9 #ds9 #richard bashir #amsha bashir

[fauvester]

is julians baby photo collection like blackmail in the garak-bashir family?

omg i was so immediately charmed by the idea of amsha visiting i had to drop everything and do that instead. cardassians are such sluts for big families and the kids have TWO living grandparents! a wealth! a superfluity of venerated elders!

the bashirs are very confused and a little privately dismayed about the direction their son's life has taken him, at least until Garak is elected the castellan of the planet. and they are making their peace with their lizard grandkids

#dee s 9 #garashir adoption au #young elim is offscreen cooking dinner and playing the role of Brick wall that Richard is talking at about his newest project #elim is so so good at Simply not engaging. thin mouth smile raised eye ridges like Hmm sounds nice *sends off most venomous vibes possible* #but he's taking one for the absolute team for his father #absorbing the direct unflinching Richard Bashir radiation like a chernobyl hazmat worker casing the elephants foot #ANYWAYS YESSSSSSSS YOU KNOWWWW THEY GO WILD FOR HUMAN BABY PICTURES #THEYRE SO NAKEY! THEYRE NAKEYYYYY OUT SOME SCALES ON!!!! #its not blackmail its precious beloved adorable stunning groundbreaking trendsetting family heirlooms #the girls LOVE adati amsha they shower her with affection she is their sweet graceful glamorous foreign alien relative #she gets grandkids who write to her regularly. richard gets a SIL who's the leader of a (fashy rubbleish) planet

[deepspacetits]

Of all the heartbreak contained within “Doctor Bashir, I presume?” I think this is the most heartbreaking thing to me:

- “You don't know. You've never had a child. You don't know what it's like to watch your son. To watch him fall a little further behind every day. You know he's trying, but something's holding him back. You don't know what it's like to stay up every night worrying that maybe it's your fault. Maybe you did something wrong during the pregnancy, maybe you weren't careful enough, or maybe there's something wrong with you. Maybe you passed on a genetic defect without even knowing it.”

Because, while it may be true they weren’t ashamed of young Jules, it still stands that the genetic resequencing was about them. About Amsha and Richard, and not about Julian. They made him illegal, and they say it’s Julian’s own good, but even here, it becomes about them and their feelings. It’s not about doing the right thing for Julian, it’s about setting their minds at ease. It’s about fixing something they believe is wrong with him.

Not even when they’re trying to say they did this for Julian, is it about Julian.

#maybe it’s just the undiagnosed AuDHD #but it makes me ache #they made him illegal to settle their own fears #anyway #I’m gonna go cry now #ds9 #julian bashir #doctor bashir I presume

[peytraa]

Watched Doctor Bashir, I Presume again and what we really don’t talk about enough is how the triumphant end of the episode is just Richard Bashir reasserting his control over his great legacy.

Everything about the enhancements is completely out of Julian’s control - from having them in the first place to keeping the secret. When it’s finally revealed, he decides to take control of the situation for the first time by resigning from the ‘Fleet before they can kick him out. Richard is completely against this plan, and once again overrides Julian’s choice in the matter by giving himself up. Julian’s options are again limited and he’s expected to be thankful for this great sacrifice from Richard.

But, of course, all of this is Richard’s (and Amsha’s) fault in the first place. He keeps making choices for Julian - genetic engineering, convincing him to become a doctor, going to a penal colony - and any time Julian tries to assert his autonomy Richard throws all of that right back in his face. Oh, you’re too smart for us, aren’t you, with your enhanced brain and your fancy education, as if Richard himself didn’t encourage those things. As if Richard doesn’t want Julian to make great discoveries, to carry on the Bashir name, to become immortal.

Ultimately, Richard giving himself up isn’t a redemption or an example of real paternal love. He’s not trying to make up for his mistakes. He’s just another shitty father grasping at one last chance to manipulate his kid. He's an architect making sure that his greatest creation doesn't collapse in on itself.

#ds9 #julian bashir #meta stuff #the main complaint about this episode is that Julian isn't an 'active character' #and i would argue that's the whole point #things just happen to him he never gets to pick

[lorenzobane]

Unconditional Love (And Other Lies)

Julian takes three deep breaths as he stands outside the door to his parent's home in London. He has already pasted a large, fake smile on his face and has his rucksack slung across his shoulder. His father's emergence from New Zealand's correctional colony, and the war's end had an almost eerie synergy.

At first, he was not sure if he would come, but in the end, his mother's letter persuaded him. She talked about how much she missed him, how much she loved him, and how much his father would want to see him again after all of these years.

Still, now, standing at the door, he can't help but wonder if he's made a mistake. Taking one more breath he tries to remind himself of good times, laughter at kitchen tables, and celebrated tennis wins. His parents were relentless in their demands for him, but they were also open and eager with affection. His mother is prone to hugs and random casual touches, and his father is prone to joke making. He has that in him too, after all. He knows the person he is cannot be so simply defined in genetics.

And, he wonders if he does owe them something. He wonders- would he have been able to cure the Founder's disease if it hadn't been for those enhancements? Would any non-genetically augmented person have been able to recognize that it had been man-made? Would he have chosen Deep Space Nine if he hadn't been afraid of being found out? Was it fate?

Then- he wonders, if they had been less relentless, would he have strived so constantly to achieve? Would he have associated victories with success so completely? Would he have the ambition he has if his parents had simply been "proud" of whatever decisions he made?

A voice that sounds suspiciously like Miles O'Brien enters his mind, and he hears how he sounded when his daughter had been replaced by an older-feral version. She is our daughter.

Well, Julian thinks, maybe not everyone is meant to be loved with no strings attached. Maybe some people need the strings to be who they were meant to be. Perhaps some people get happiness and love, and other people get to be useful and hope that fills the void. Maybe he needs the yawning chasm of emptiness that can't be filled, no matter how many papers are published or how many awards are won. Maybe that is what keeps him moving.

But, what Julian really thinks, is that maybe he's selfish. He's forgiven worse. He's forgiven Jem'Hadar. He's forgiven Garak, who tried to kill him, his co-workers, and commit genocide. What is it about his parents that creates this resistance? Is it because they hurt him, personally? He can forgive violence and unkindness, so long as it is not leveled at him?

His father did, in the end, pay for his crimes. That is more than he can say for so many who are so much worse. Yes, his father had not done it because he thought he made a mistake all those years ago. He did it to protect his son, to finally "own up" to something. Maybe his father doesn't understand, even now, why Julian feels so hurt by what he did. But, he had chosen to take responsibility.

He knocks on the door, and his mother opens it and flings her arms around him.

"Oh, Julian," she says, her voice thick with tears. "It is so good to see you. I have been reading the news, and it has just been terrible knowing you're on the front lines. Oh, my baby."

"Mom," he greets back, hugging her. "It's good to see you too."

"Come in, come in, I'm sure you'll want tea after such a long journey," she says, bustling into the room. He almost wants to stop her and say that he's not thirsty, but he knows that she probably needs something to do with her hands.

He can be the same way.

"How was the shuttle ride?" She asks.

"Oh," he says. "It was pretty easy, I mostly read and slept."

"That's nice," she says, a bit awkwardly. "Your father will be coming in any min--"

The door opens, "Amsha? Is he--?"

"In the kitchen! Both of us," she says, cutting him off.

"Jule--Julian," his dad says. He looks a little tired, and a little older but overall in good health. Not that Julian had really been expecting anything different. Federation correctional facilities were largely rehabilitation centers with ample access to mental health services and enrichment.

"Rich... Dad," Julian says. Julian is surprised to find that what he feels most isn't sadness, anger, or confusion, it's exhaustion. Sudden and bone-deep.

"You look good, son," his dad says. "I'm terribly proud of you, you know. I saw that in the end it was your work that ended the war! Remarkable. I did raise a remarkable son."

Julian bites down the urge to say that he bought a remarkable son, and instead says, "it was a team effort. After all, no war is won by one man."

"No, but you helped," his father glows. "Now, is the tea ready, Amsha?"

"Yes, just adding some extra sugar for Julian. You know how he likes it extra sweet."

Julian isn't sure why it feels like a betrayal that his parents still know and remember this about him. Of course, they did. He's overthinking this.

They turn to the living room and he freezes slightly before continuing. The right wall is lined with the awards he won as a child, debate championships and tennis wins, next to math decathlons and public speaking. Pictures of him as the lead in school plays. The entire room is a monument to a very gifted child who is no longer there. Haunting their halls like a ghost.

Julian knows he will never experience unconditional love. He knows other people do, but he knows he isn't one of those people. When he was a child, those strings were accolades and success. Now the strings were making sure he seemed as normal as possible, smothering with a pillow the parts of him that people found offputting so he could continue his journey to being the most perfect version of himself he could be.

Julian Bashir, 2.0- ever in progress.

Even at Deep Space Nine, he knew he had to prove his worth. They found him irritating, and he eventually managed to learn to cut off the part of him that was desperate to share. Maybe he should thank them for teaching him that there really is no one who is capable of loving everything he is. Maybe that was the golden gift they bestowed upon him without knowing. They had attempted to fix his fundamental flaws forgetting that they were, of course, fundamental.

"This is good tea," is what he says as he sits down. "It's nice to see you both again."

#julian bashir #richard bashir #amsha bashir #st: ds9 #my writing

[aurora-nova-fic]

Breaking news from 1996: “Doctor Bashir, I Presume” at one point had a very different conversation with Admiral Bennett. (Also, Amsha’s name was Mariel, but that’s less fascinating to me.)

Doesn’t that cast the revelation in a whole new light? I was practically squealing with glee when I read it.

I found this gem in my latest treat for myself. This is a final draft of the episode’s script with the colored revision pages kept separately (most versions you can buy have the edits replacing previous versions of the page), so I had fun browsing what changed along the way.

If anyone cares to join me in geeking out over this, I would love the company. =)

#ds9 #doctor bashir i presume #star trek script #julian bashir #script collecting #st ds9

[the-last-dillpickle]

Tain and Mila + Richard and Amsha Bashir all sharing a bed like the grandparents from Willy Wonka

[subatoism]

Y’know don’t take this as apologism but Amsha’s comment about worrying Julian had inherited his learning/developmental disabilities from them makes a lot more sense if you’re reading Richard “can’t hold down a job” “leaping from passion project to passion project” “right now it’s landscape architecture” Bashir as also ADHD and struggling with his own internalized ableism which he likely inherited from *his* parents

#julian hated the neverending sacrifice because he already knows what it looks like #when seven generations of a family take turns hurting each other in the same ways #to fulfill the cultural ideals of their society send tweet #ds9 #julian bashir

[brownpaperhag]

good afternoon i’m thinking about amsha bashir again

#one thing baya will do. is find the auntie of colour with the fewest lines possible and zoom in with a laser focus so intense that a whole #character emerges. like a sculpture from subpar marble only MY eyes can see the potential in #ds9 #blikblek