Gedrin's statement, "When it rains, do you run from doorway to doorway, trying to stay dry, getting wet all the while, or do you just accept the fact that it's raining, and walk with dignity?" paraphrases a quote from "Hagakure" by Yamamoto Tsunetomo. This book is considered the most famous written work regarding samurai philosophy.
One translation of the original quote is as follows, "There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you will still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything."
One translation of the original quote is as follows, "There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you will still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything."
This installment was initially planned as a two-part serial, but Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky decided while writing part one that it would work better as a single hour. By the time the compressed version of the script was finished, their opinions had turned around again, but it was too late to re-expand the story.
Footage from this episode was later reused in the alternate opening credits sequence for In a Mirror, Darkly (2005)/In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II (2005). Specifically, the attack on the Vaadwaur city in the teaser is reframed as a Terran ship firing on an alien world.
This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series.
Explanation of title: The field of stasis chambers reminds Chakotay of a Greek myth involving dragon's teeth. He mentions a slain dragon, whose teeth were scattered and took root, eventually springing into warriors from the ground. Cadmus, a Phoenician Prince, was ordered by Athena (or perhaps Nike) to sow the dragon's teeth, birthing fully-armed warriors - an unintended windfall of war. Once born, the warriors began to fight among themselves until only five were left; the survivors helped Cadmus found the city of Thebes.