Zack Handlen, writing for "The A.V. Club" in January 2013, said that the plot was similar to the plots of stories such as "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1927). He felt that the episode showed a side of Worf that had not been seen before, and that Worf had exhibited a "willingness to go to absolute lengths to do what he believes needs to be done". He compared it to the anger bubbling under the surface of Bruce Banner in the 2012 film "The Avengers".