Visible crew/equipment: After the infant Changeling gives Odo the bittersweet gift, Odo exits the infirmary and shapeshifts into the Tarkalean Hawk. As Odo soars through the Promenade's top level, we can see a director's chair beside the spiral staircase, down below. (00:41:15)
Visible crew/equipment: After Odo orders two glasses of champagne for Dr. Mora and himself, when it cuts to the birthing ceremony as Y'Pora walks towards Nerys, there are three T-marks (one blue and two green) taped to the floor, at the bottom right corner of the screen. (00:33:10)
Answer: Part of the answer is found in "The Search: Part II" (season 3 episode 2). The female changeling told Odo that "the urge to return home was implanted in your genetic makeup. So he hardly has a choice in that. But being a sentient, thinking being, he recognizes the atrocities that his people are behind and he can't condone their actions. So it's a matter of his conscious mind warring with his instinctual gestalt. But on a more general level, we all instinctually wish to be among people who are like us. No matter how much he may like and love those around him and feel that emotion returned, there are numerous aspects of his life and existence that absolutely nobody on DS9 can empathize with or understand. And that's not even to address the pure joy and acceptance that is brought by the Great Link.
Garlonuss ★