We explore how the show tackles the theme of religious fundamentalism, as the crew of the station faces a moral dilemma when a young alien boy needs a life-saving surgery that goes against his parents' faith. We also analyze how the episode portrays the ethics of bureaucracy, as Commander Sinclair has to balance his duty to respect alien cultures with his compassion for the boy's plight. We examine how the characters deal with the consequences of their actions and how the episode challenges our assumptions about right and wrong.