star trek deep space odo

Star Trek: 10 Best Odo Episodes

Odo's greatest Deep Space Nine moments, fittingly, took many forms.

Played brilliantly by the late, great Rene Auberjonois, Constable Odo was responsible for Security onboard the Federation station Deep Space Nine. Although Auberjonois had previously had a small part in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and would later appear in Star Trek: Enterprise episode Oasis, it is as the curmudgeonly constable that we would come to know him best, covered in smoothed-out make-up.

Odo was one of the Hundred, infant changelings who were sent out across the far reaches of the galaxy by the Founders. Being a secretive race of shapeshifters, the Founders had found that they were hundred and hated throughout out their own space and the most logical thing for them to do was manipulate, dominate and control all space around them, forming the Dominion. They spread the Hundred across the stars in order to see how others would act towards the strange orphan creatures.

One of those Hundred was found drifting in the Denorios Asteroid Belt and brought to the nearest world, Bajor. He was studied by doctor Mora Pol, who eventually acknowledged that Odo must be sentient when he learned how to mimic the shape of a specimen beaker. The unkind Cardassian word Odo'ital would be his label, meaning 'unknown sample'.

Eventually, the small, gelatinous life-form would grow into the fully-formed police officer that the audience grew to love, the salvation of his species and the lone voice in their Great Link that opposed slavery and domination. Here are the ten best episodes centred on the beloved Odo.

10. Heart Of Stone

In the middle of the third season, Odo and Kira are pursuing a Maquis vessel near the Badlands. They have to land on a small planet and then split up to track the individual onboard. The constable later finds Kira stuck in a cave, with a crystal growth over her foot. Back on the station, the other story is that Nog seeks to join Starfleet, leading to a touching story about fatherhood and expectations.

The two of them try everything to get the crystal off her foot, but it starts to grow and consume more of her body. When it seems like the crystal is about to swallow her up completely, Odo desperately confesses how he feels about Kira, telling her that he loves her. Kira says that she loves him as well, which gives him pause. He points his phaser at her directly and demands to know who she is, because she isn't Kira Nerys.

She reveals that she is the Female Changeling (played by Salome Jens), trying to convince Odo that he should rejoin his people. With his firm refusal the Changeling lets Odo leave with the real major.

While this is a touching episode for Odo, it's bittersweet. Kira asks him what happened and the changeling relays the bare bones of the situation to her, but doesn't tell her about his confession. He chooses to swallow those feelings for now. He's not ready to be with the woman he loves.

Still bitter that Star Trek Enterprise got canned and almost old enough to angrily tell the kids to 'Get Off My Lawn!'

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Published Jan 10, 2023

Odo & Quark's Outlandish Quarrels

Revisiting our favorite Deep Space Nine frenemies' best exchanges!

StarTrek.com / Rob DeHart

In their roles as security chief and delinquent barkeep, Odo and Quark are the very definition of “frenemies” aboard starbase Deep Space 9 . With Odo’s quest for justice only rivaled by Quark’s thirst for wealth, the duo have peppered their arguments with devastating insults, witty banter, and even friendly advice over the years.

Documenting their entire inventory of exchanges would be near impossible, so we’ve narrowed things down to a list that highlights some of their most dazzling dialogue from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

“Sure, sometimes we're on opposite sides, but that doesn't mean that we aren't close. I never told you this, Odo, but I consider you as dear to me as my brother.” “And I've seen how well you treat him.”

— quark and odo in " profit and loss ".

StarTrek.com

Attempting to save his beloved Natima Lang and her students from Cardassian persecution, Quark leaned on every trick he had up his sleeve to convince Odo to release the dissidents from custody. From theorizing about a Cardassia free of military rule to asking Odo to do it as a personal favor to him, Quark eventually tried using a bit of truth, largely describing the type of kinship that he and Odo actually had.

On the other hand, comparing his feelings for Odo to those he held for Rom opened the door for the Changeling to reply with a gruff retort about how Quark treats his biological brother. Although argumentative, this back-and-forth establishes a clear connection between the duo that would continue to develop as the series progressed.

“Vole infestations are not uncommon on this station. If you don't believe me, ask Chief O'Brien.” “When I came in, he and Morn were painting numbers on the voles’ backs.” “We were just... counting them to see how many we'd caught.”

— quark and odo in " through the looking glass ".

Ah, the infamous Cardassian voles. Upon catching Quark and Morn making preparations to stage a vole fight, Odo brought the Ferengi ringleader before Benjamin Sisko, allowing Starfleet’s station commander to hear each person’s side of the story.

As usual, Quark portrayed himself as a victim of a vole infestation who was merely seeking to do his civic duty by capturing as many of the rodents as he possibly could. Sisko and Odo never believed that argument for a nanosecond, but Quark’s plea that the numbers on the voles were not intended to keep track of them as fighters proved to be a hilarious-yet-futile tactic that the Ferengi hoped would deceive the two officers.

“These hew-mons, they're nothing like the ones from the Federation. They're crude, gullible, and greedy.” “You mean like you.” “Yeah! These are humans I can understand... and manipulate.”

— quark and odo in “ little green men ”.

Accidentally thrown back into humanity’s past, Quark, Rom, and Nog were startled to find that Earth’s 20th Century inhabitants were much different than the ones they knew from the 24th Century. While Odo, Rom, and Nog wished to return to their century, Quark saw the potential for profit. He envisioned staying in the 1940s in order to build his own Ferengi empire.

Not missing a chance to poke at his opponent, Odo astutely pointed out that the qualities Quark planned to exploit were exactly the same as the ones he himself lived by on Deep Space 9 . In typical Quark fashion, the Ferengi took no offense from the verbal jab, humorously agreeing that his own traits bestowed upon him the ability to manipulate these humans.

“You remember back there when I told you I hated you, and you told me you hated me?” “Vividly.” “I just wanted you to know- I meant every word of it.” “So did I.”

— quark and odo in " the ascent ".

Having crash landed on an inhospitable planet after the Orion Syndicate bombed their runabout, Odo and Quark endured their most trying experiences with one another. Cold, hungry, and tired, their tempers flared, and, at one point, they declared their hatred for one another.

Once rescued, the two recalled that spat as they rested in Sickbay. Any other pair of characters might have seen this period of relief as a chance to make amends for the harsh words they shared during a dangerous expedition, but Quark and Odo elected to pursue their usual “apology-through-insult” route. Then again, would we really have preferred it any other way?

“I served on a Ferengi freighter for 8 years…” “All right.” “...I must have witnessed the procedure hundreds of times.” “Witnessed? You mean to say you never handled the controls yourself?” “Energizing!”

— quark and odo in “ babel ”.

With the rest of the station’s crew incapacitated, Quark arrived in Ops to help Odo avert a disaster. Quark suggested that he beam the security chief to a docking hatch so that he would be able detach a visiting vessel before it exploded. The offer surprised Odo as he did not realize the Ferengi knew how to operate a transporter.

Of course, Quark then disclosed that he had merely witnessed the procedure without giving Odo adequate time to interject. Fortunately, Quark proved capable with the technology, granting Odo the opportunity to save DS9 from destruction.

“Funny, for a minute there, I thought you were talking to me as a friend.” “...Nah.”

— odo and quark in " crossfire ".

Heartbroken over Kira’s affections for Shakaar, Odo lashed out at the furnishings in his quarters before taking a seat and sulking in silence. Having heard the original disturbance, Quark arrived to berate Odo, but upon seeing his foe’s emotional state, opted to offer his own version of comforting words.

Veiling his advice in a story about the pool he ran where patrons wagered on how long it would take Odo to apprehend various criminals, Quark encouraged Odo to be that steadfast and reliable officer rather than someone who gives up and sits in the dark. Despite his obvious intentions, Quark nevertheless refused to admit that he was acting as a friend.

“Dear Quark, I used parts of your disruptor to fix the replicators. Will return them soon, Rom.” “I will kill him.” “With what?”

— odo and quark in " the way of the warrior ".

Expecting the imminent arrival of a Klingon invasion force, Quark vowed to protect his bar at all costs, boasting about the disruptor he kept handy in a small box. However, upon opening it, the only item to be found was a note from Rom, which Odo read with great pleasure. When Quark’s frustration boiled over and he threatened his brother, Odo delivered the perfect comedic reply with the timing of a professional. The moment also added a bit of levity to what would become a tense and brutal situation.

“I suppose, during the occupation, the Cardassians considered their security chief a security risk.” “And I know why.” “Oh, do you?” “It's because they knew you were an honorable man. The kind of person who would do the right thing regardless of the circumstances. And now, your integrity is going to get us both killed. I hope you're happy.”

— odo and quark in " civil defense ".

Trapped in the security office by a previously unknown Cardassian program designed to quell any Bajoran revolts, Odo and Quark discovered that the Changeling’s workspace was protected by a forcefield that operated separately from those that had popped up around the rest of the space station. Quark’s analysis of the situation was flawless in his own mind, as the Ferengi did not assign blame to the Cardassians for creating the failsafe or the Federation officers who accidentally triggered it. Instead, Quark hurled his critique at Odo’s dedication to duty, an attribute which conveniently plagued the barkeep’s business operations over the years.

“You're telling me that after all these years, after all we've been through, you're not even going to say goodbye to me?” “That's right. Nerys, I'll be on the runabout.” “Don't take it hard, Quark.” “Hard? What are you talking about? That man loves me. Couldn't you see? It was written all over his back.”

— quark, odo, and kira in “ what you leave behind ”.

In a farewell so fitting that it may even rank up with Captain Picard’s decision to attend the U.S.S. Enterprise-D ’s poker game in Star Trek: The Next Generation 's “All Good Things...,” Quark arrived at the airlock just in time to catch Odo before Kira shuttled the shapeshifter back to the Founders’ homeworld in the Gamma Quadrant.

The moment perfectly encapsulated the pair’s friendship, as Quark took Odo’s dismissal of his feelings and subsequent exit as signals which demonstrated just how much the constable cared for his Ferengi adversary. As such, the duo’s cantankerous goodbye stands as one of their finest moments.

Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Jay can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @StobiesGalaxy.

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Remembering René Auberjonois and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Constable Odo

Credit: CBS

It's been a dark year for Deep Space Nine fans. While 2019 offered plenty of opportunities to celebrate 20 years since the show's finale, it's come with its share of pain as well. Just this past September, we lost Aron Eisenberg , who created one of Trek 's most empathetic characters with the Ferengi street-rat-turned-Starfleet-officer Nog. And  yesterday marked the passing of René Auberjonois , veteran character actor and the person behind Deep Space Nine 's irascible, shape-shifting Constable Odo.

Before filling the mud-brown booties of Terok Nor's gruffest occupant, Auberjonois was already a well-established presence on stage and screen. In the '60s, he was a mainstay in professional theater; he won a Tony in 1970 for the Broadway musical Coco the same year he broke out in Robert Altman's M*A*S*H as Father Mulcahy. He'd continue to play a regular role in Altman's stable of actors, in films like McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Images , before breaking out as the fussy Clayton Endicott III on TV's Benson in the '80s. But for many sci-fi fans, it's his seven-year turn as Odo that we remember most.

Auberjonois was an incredibly versatile performer — capable of aching vulnerability and imperiousness, often at the same time — which was perfect for the role of Odo. The series established Odo early on as the no-nonsense sheriff of the frontier town that was DS9, a gruff administrator who kept the Promenade in order with a tight fist.

But even in the first episode, "Emissary," we learn that Odo's not the middle-aged, world-weary taskmaster Auberjonois' age would belie (he was in his 50s when he played the role): He was a child, orphaned in an unknown land and taken in by a people who knew nothing of where he came from. His look and affectations came from what he observed of the Bajorans who studied him (particularly Dr. Mora Pol, who acted as a flawed father figure in the character's few appearances), and his genetically ingrained desire for order drew him to a career in law enforcement.

Every Trek show has at least one nonhuman character who serves as a vehicle for exploring the human condition from an outside perspective: Spock, Data, Seven of Nine, the EMH. For Deep Space Nine , that was Odo, and he did it from an angle totally unlike his counterparts. Where Data yearned to become as human as possible, Odo rejected the niceties and quirks of "solids," treating everyday behaviors with a curious disdain. He took the form of humanoids, but could never quite master the face, leaving his visage uncannily blank and smooth.

Food, love, romance — all of it was greeted with a skeptical "harumph," at least early in Odo's time on the station. (Auberjonois bristled at the show's writers writing his "harumphs" into their dialogue in later seasons; he knew when Odo would really harumph.)

But his newfound relationships with the crew of Deep Space Nine allowed Odo to grow outside the confines of his previous job as security chief on Terok Nor, when the Cardassians held the station during the Bajoran occupation.

The mystery of Odo's origins was solved fairly quickly in the series — the Season 3 opener, "The Search," revealed that his people, the Founders, were the leaders of series baddies the Dominion. But Auberjonois and the writers found new avenues to explore Odo in light of this information. Suddenly, the lost boy had to work even harder to set himself apart from his people, and the solids he viewed with cautious distance became his family. Odo was a character afraid to open up to other people lest he let his own guard down, and the moments when that facade cracked are some of the most rewarding in all of Trek history.

Odo was at the center of Deep Space Nine 's most serious episodes, and some of its lightest. Take the interrogation scene between him and Garak in "The Die Is Cast," for instance, or the confession of his guilt at his role in the Occupation in "Things Past," all beautiful showcases for Auberjonois' ability to convey Odo's pain and yearning. But for every one of those, there are larks like "Little Green Men" or "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" (where he approaches the role of baseball umpire with relish). And don't forget "His Way," where he learns to let his combed-back hair down and play the piano at Vic's bar (and start a relationship with Major Kira in the process).

Then there's his dynamic with Quark, the sleazy Ferengi bartender who delighted in making Odo's life a living hell, and vice versa. DS9 was all about the complexities and intensity of its character relationships, and the bristling back-and-forth between Odo and Quark was a testament to that focus. Between all the backstabbing, scheming, and threats of arrest, it couldn't have been clearer that, on some unspoken level, the two loved each other.

They were the best kind of adversaries: those who delight in the chase and find a deep understanding of each other as a result. It was also a beautiful showcase for both Auberjonois and Quark actor Armin Shimerman, who'd prove one of Auberjonois' most capable scene partners (and a close friend).

It's hard to talk about Odo's appeal as a character without talking about Auberjonois himself, who was central to bringing out the kind of yearning pathos the shapeshifter required. In a franchise filled with rubber foreheads and impenetrable makeup, Auberjonois found a way to emote through face-shrouding prosthetics. There was dignity in Odo's stillness, and emotion in those deep, sad eyes of his. Over seven years, we got to see Odo grow from one-dimensional space sheriff to savior of his people and the man who ended the Dominion War.

The final moments of Ira Steven Behr's 2019 documentary What We Leave Behind , a postmortem on the show's legacy, are fittingly left to Auberjonois. "Well, at least now in my obituary it's not gonna say 'best known as Clayton Endicott III on Benson .' Because he was a wonderful, funny character, but he was a nitwit. And so now … what do I say?" The impact of his character on both his life and the lives of the show's fans leaves him visibly speechless. Considering the impact he had on the series, and the many fans who mourn him today, I don't blame him. He'll be sorely missed, but in the legacy of one of Star Trek 's most enduring, complex characters, he'll live on.

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Star Trek: How Did Odo Keep His Job After The Occupation Of DS9?

What made this shapeshifter's position aboard the space station so untouchable?

Over the years, Star Trek has brought to audiences one of the best examples of science fiction television, setting precedent for space faring sci-fi. They also had a great ensemble of cast, both main and supporting, from various different backgrounds. There were common races such as the Vulcans and Klingons, but there were also a lot of unique ones too, such as Data and the tantalizingly neutral Odo.

A character in Deep Space 9 , Odo was a changeling, capable of complex shape-shifting. He acted as the station security chief about the Deep Space 9 space station, alongside the familiar faces of Worf and the fan-favorite Miles O'Brien . Odo is a seemingly simple character; however, the further his narrative expands, the more complicated he becomes. His presence about the station also raises a lot of questions about how he was allowed to keep his job, after previously being the Cardassian chief of security, working for a race of people who did terrible things to the new federation friends, the Bajorans.

RELATED: Star Trek: Debunking The Red Shirt Myth

Star Trek has received praise over the years not only for their deeply philosophical narratives, but also their various political plots and subplots. While this was always present, even during The Original Series , things ramped up with the introduction of Deep Space 9 . The galaxy is riddled with various treaties, politics, and agreements, and is often teetering on the edge of war. Odo is a prime example of the complex political minefield DS9 was trying to navigate.

The titular space station in DS9 space station was once a Cardassian mining and refining station that orbited the Bajoran home world, Bajor. At this time, the Cardassians were occupying the planet, and they used Bajoran slaves to build that station. They occupied the station for just over 20 years, and during this time, Odo was employed as head of security. This lasted until the Cardassian occupation of Bajor ended, and the station was abandoned. With the Bajorans now in control of the station, with the much-needed aid of the Federation , it seemed strange then that Odo would still be employed. He remained head of security, which on paper makes him something of a fascist collaborator. While this may seem the case, his situation was a little more complicated, and is a great example of the complexity of war Star Trek so masterfully portrays.

Odo's role as head of security was very different from that of a warrior, or hired gun. His job was to keep the peace, not just to follow orders blindly. He was honest and refused to engage in any of the brutality that surrounded him, his main priority being justice. Odo was more like an impartial mediator, refusing to help the Cardassians root out the resistance from those in his ‘care.’ Instead, he was there to settle disputes that would have otherwise resulted in a big pile of Bajoran bodies.

Odo treated the Bajorans fairly, despite their enslavement, and managed to stop the mindless execution of innocents. The Bajorans saw this and respected this, understanding and thankful in a sense that someone like him was protecting them from the full force of their captors. At the start of the occupation. Odo was fairly neutral, his main motivation being the pursuit of justice. However, the longer his employment lasted and the more atrocities he saw the Cardassians commit, the more disillusioned he became. He didn’t care about their war, or who was right or wrong, but he did care about their complete disregard for justice and truth.

Odo's reception from Bajorans after the occupation ended was then understandably mixed. He managed to keep his position mainly due to the Federation understanding the situation he was in, and knowing that no matter, what his judgments would be fair and right. He was un-bribeable, straight forward, and law-abiding, the perfect candidate for head of security ( except for fan favorite Worf, of course ). There were some instances where his presence and position caused some outcry, such as one notable moment where he is chased through the promenade by a mob of Bajorans, angry at his involvement. Other Bajorans, however, understood; for example, the Bajoran Major Kira Nerys, who knew the of good he did for her people during those trying times, and saw that he only wanted to maintain order. Most Bajorans respected this, and despite some opposition to his previous involvement, the Bajorans played a large part in keeping him around.

It’s difficult to navigate the complex political narrative of DS9 at the best of times , but Odo’s involvement and innocence during the Cardassian occupation is one of the best examples of the program asking the hard questions, and portraying the impossible situations the characters are faced with. Judging Odo's innocence is not for the audiences to work out. On one hand, he did a lot to protect the Bajorans from the full wrath of the Cardassians, but his unwillingness to actively support and help them can equally be seen as a compliance — or more importantly, as guilt through association. His inaction caused the suffering and deaths of many under the fascist dictatorship, but this is something he has to live with every day, admitting the guilt he feels. Either way, the Bajorans have found a way to mostly forgive him, and his presence aboard the space station continues to keep the peace, and always protect the little man.

MORE: Star Trek: Why Is Seven of Nine Still Considered Predominantly Borg?

Things Past (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1 Story and script
• 3.2 Production
• 3.3 Reception
• 3.5 Video and DVD releases
• 4.1 Starring
• 4.2 Also Starring
• 4.3 Guest stars
• 4.4 Special guest stars
• 4.5 Co-stars
• 4.6 Uncredited co-stars
• 4.7 Stunt doubles
• 4.8.1 Unreferenced material
• 4.9 External links

Summary [ ]

Cardassian guards and Bajoran workers

Dax , Garak , Odo , and Sisko are en route to Deep Space 9 on a runabout , having attended a conference geared towards a "dispassionate historical view" of the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor . Garak indignantly claims the Bajorans present ignored every opposing argument he made, but everyone agrees Odo was the highlight of the conference due to his reputation for fairness despite working for the Cardassians during the Occupation. However, Odo appears uncomfortable with the discussion.

In Ops on Deep Space 9 , Okala reports to Worf that the runabout has arrived, but there's a problem. He beams aboard with Doctor Bashir and they discover the four occupants in a comatose state, their life signs very weak. Upon beaming aboard, Bashir tries to awaken them, to no avail. He finds there's an excess of neural energy in their cerebral cortex .

Meanwhile, the unconscious crew members slowly awake elsewhere in what seems to be the Promenade in a time when the Cardassians still controlled the station, then known as Terok Nor .

Act One [ ]

A Bajoran man hurriedly brings the group to their feet, for fear of another "cleansing" – people around them seem to think the Human , Trill , Cardassian, and former Changeling are all Bajoran. The group remembers encountering a plasma storm in the runabout, but not much else after that.

Meanwhile, on the station, the four have been brought to the infirmary . Worf explains that the runabout encountered a class 2 plasma storm , a relatively common phenomenon. Unfortunately, Bashir cannot explain what has happened, as there's no computer records of this kind of physical effect resulting from that kind of storm, so he goes about researching the issue.

Gul Dukat and Odo's predecessor, security chief Thrax , survey the Bajoran sector from the second level. Odo begins to hallucinate as the others talk, seeing a dead Bajoran man, shot in the chest with a phaser , walk by and staring at him. He's also wearing the same clothes he is. He disappears as Odo looks away. Soon, a Cardassian officer arrives to take Dax, who has been "selected". When Garak tries to stop the man, he gets a bloody nose for his trouble.

Interestingly, back in the infirmary in the present, the comatose Garak's nose begins to bleed .

Act Two [ ]

An alarmed Bashir explains to Worf that the brain can have a powerful effect on bodily functions. There is some odd psychosomatic activity occurring in Garak's brain, but Bashir cannot risk interrupting whatever is happening for fear that one of the patients will be injured or even killed.

As usual, there is a purpose to everything Garak does; once he, Odo and Sisko are alone, he explains that he "borrowed" a scanning device from one of the guards when they took Dax and punched him in the nose. He uses it to find their Bajoran identities. Sisko is Ishan Chaye and Garak is Jillur Gueta , but Odo seems to know this already and immediately identifies himself as Timor Landi , all from Rakantha Province on Bajor. Before Sisko can begin to question him about the issue, Quark arrives with a pair of guards and starts to speak to the three of them, treating them with very little respect. Quark offers the three of them work at his bar . Odo ponders how much damage to the timeline would there be if Quark had an "accident", which Sisko would like to test.

Dukat asks " Leeta " to be his friend

The other soldiers take Dax to Dukat's quarters, where there is awkward silence as he looks her over and has her pour him a bottle of kanar . She gives Dukat her name as Leeta . He claims he is misunderstood and wants a "friend" with whom to share his innermost thoughts. Although Dax's position is not an enviable one, it is clear her predicament could be far worse.

As Dax learns about Dukat's apparent penchant for Bajoran women , Garak learns what it is like to be a Bajoran laborer cleaning Quark's Bar alongside Sisko and Odo. The experience seems to humble him somewhat, although he retains his Cardassian mindset about the Bajorans being better suited for such servile tasks. Sisko notes that he will discuss this with Major Kira when they get back to their reality. Garak quickly adds that there are exceptions to every rule. Odo has another hallucination of the Bajoran man he saw previously and two other men, and though he claims his visible discomfort is from the smell of the chemicals he is using, Sisko uses the chance to bring up Odo's apparent familiarity with their Bajoran aliases. It is revealed that Ishan, Jilur and Timor were innocent Bajorans executed for an assassination attempt on Dukat's life. Sisko tells Odo and Garak that they had better find a way off the station before Dukat makes an example of all of them.

Act Three [ ]

" Are you all right? " " Yes… just slipped out of my hand. "

The trio try to come up with a plan of escape, and while they do, Thrax enters to discuss various things with Quark. Garak recognizes a name, Livara , as a Romulan spy ; however, according to his stolen data pad, Livara would have been visiting Terok Nor seven years ago , at which time Odo was serving as security chief, not Thrax. This only leads to more unanswered questions.

The attempt on Dukat's life

Later, on the Promenade, Sisko uses a trick he once learned from Major Kira to subtly request a meeting with the Bajoran Resistance , turning over a vase at one of the shops. They then get some soup and sit at a nearby table to wait. Things become even stranger for Odo as his hands are suddenly covered in blood; however, no one else can see it, and it disappears shortly. A Bajoran man from the Resistance joins them and Sisko tries to arrange transport off the station. Before he can finish, there is an explosion nearby where Gul Dukat is walking with Dax and his entourage. As the Bajoran man leaves, Sisko instinctively runs over to see if Dax is okay. However, he, Garak and Odo are arrested and taken to a holding cell .

Act Four [ ]

Thrax visits the brig that evening to inform various prisoners of their fate. Under Cardassian law , the verdict is reached before the trial begins, and Sisko and the others are to be sentenced the following day. Odo desperately pleads with Thrax, knowing they are innocent, but the Cardassian officer refuses to refute the circumstantial evidence, claiming the Bajorans need to accept their fate.

Back in Dukat's office in Ops, he drones on about how lenient he is with the Bajorans and how he sees them as his children. Dax is obviously uninterested but pretends to listen intently. Waiting for an opportunity, she knocks the Cardassian on the head while his back is turned, rendering him unconscious.

Each of the accused deals with the predicament in his own way. Garak plans an elaborate web of stories as usual in order to try to convince the Cardassians of his true identity. Odo continues to act strangely, but Sisko once again tries to connect the dots, as everything so far has pointed to the constable . Sisko theorizes that Odo knows more than he thinks he does, but once again the conversation is interrupted – this time by Dax, who burns a hole in the door of the brig.

The four of them head for an airlock and Dukat's personal shuttle . Dax reveals that she has used her knowledge of the station to ensure the Cardassians will be unable to stop them from leaving. Several soldiers follow suit, and a fight ensues, with Thrax facing Odo. Once the other soldiers have been subdued and Thrax appears trapped, he suddenly reveals that he is a Changeling and escapes through an air duct. Pressed for time, they continue moving towards the shuttle but suddenly find themselves back in the holding cell, just two hours prior to their execution .

Act Five [ ]

The four discuss the situation, and its inconsistencies; none of them know how they ended up back in the cell, and the fact that Thrax is a Changeling doesn't make any sense since the Founders didn't know about the wormhole at this point in time. Thrax enters and honors Odo's previous request for an audience, taking him to the security office in the next room. There Odo attempts to reason with him, citing evidence that will prove their innocence. Thrax is more interested in order, telling Odo that the Bajoran Occupation has lasted for five decades and will likely last for another five decades more, so the Bajorans need to accept their place in history as a conquered people. When Odo reveals that the four of them do not belong there, Thrax tells Odo that he knows and then asks him (by name) what he is going to do.

Odo sees himself

Suddenly, Odo and the others find themselves on the upper level of the Promenade. Sisko, Dax, and Garak are lined up and about to be executed. Odo begs Thrax to stop this, but Thrax simply tells him that " It's out of his hands now. " Desperate, Odo attacks the Cardassian executioner, claiming he will not "let this happen again". He then cries out loud that he – not Thrax – should be here. Suddenly the scene changes again; Sisko, Dax, Odo, and Garak are now dressed normally. A distance away, the three Bajorans Odo saw earlier are lined up for execution – with Dukat and another Odo (dressed in Thrax's uniform) standing nearby. The four of them watch as the three Bajorans are executed. Dukat and the other Cardassians vanish, as does the Past Odo. Only the bodies of the three Bajorans remain. Sisko realizes that Thrax was actually Odo all along.

An ashamed Odo reveals that he was the one who let the accused men be put to death, not Thrax. A bombing identical to the one that nearly killed Dukat occurred only three days later, and if he had performed any kind of investigation instead of relying on circumstantial evidence, then he would have seen that the three men were clearly innocent. However, he didn't know the difference between "order" and "justice", and he allowed three innocent men to be executed as an example. Moments later, the four awake in the infirmary in the "present". Bashir informs Odo that whatever he has been through has taken its toll.

Bashir later explains that some of Odo's morphogenic enzymes were apparently left over from when the Founders forced him to remain a Solid . The events were triggered when the runabout flew through the plasma field which triggered the enzymes causing Odo to (subconsciously) reach out for others with whom to form a link , the end result being a telepathic experience brought on by Odo who was thinking about the three Bajorans at the time. " It would make a fascinating paper, " he observes, but seeing Odo's reaction, adds, " although I don't intend to write one. " Just then Kira walks in, and it's clear to Bashir that he should leave the two alone. After he leaves, Kira tells Odo that even though it's been two days she still can't believe what she read in his report. She tells him that as far as the Bajorans were concerned, he was different. He stood apart from the brutal Cardassians and that made him special. However, she also admits that she did things during the Occupation she'd rather forget as everyone who lived through it got their hands dirty, but she needs to know from Odo that no other innocent people died on his watch. Odo replies that he doesn't know… but he sincerely hopes not.

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Giving me a name tag that read, 'Elim Garak – Former Cardassian Oppressor' was hardly polite. "

" How much damage would it do to the timeline if Quark were to suffer a mysterious 'accident'? " " I'm not sure. But maybe we should conduct a little experiment and find out. "

" You'd think they'd put us in our own cell block instead of with the common criminals – after all, we are accused of attempting to assassinate the station commander. That deserves SOME respect! " " Maybe they'll salute when they execute us. "

" This is the fourth assassination attempt I've survived. " " Maybe you should find another job. "

" Bad manners are the fault of the parent, not the child. My weakness is that I'm too generous, too forgiving. My heart is too big– " (knocking Dukat out) " And so is your ego. "

" We are talking about the attempt on Gul Dukat's life, not the sociopolitical ramifications of the Resistance! " " It's all part of the same problem! When your people resort to terrorism and violence… they are fighting against order, against stability, against the rule of law , and this must be stopped. " " There is more to life than the rule of law. " " It has been my observation that only the guilty make that kind of statement. "

" No. I'm not going to let this happen again. NOT AGAIN! "

" You were special. You were the one man who stood apart from everyone else, the one man who stood for justice. Now what? " " Now I'm just another imperfect solid. " " Okay. The Prophets know I'm not perfect. I guess the truth is that anyone who lived through the Occupation… had to get a little dirty. But I need to know that no other innocent people died on your watch, Odo. That this was the only time. " " I'm not sure. I hope so. "

Background information [ ]

Story and script [ ].

• According to Robert Hewitt Wolfe , the producers had wanted to do another Terok Nor show ever since the popular reception of " Necessary Evil " in the second season . However, they weren't keen on doing another memories/flashback show, and the only other thing they could come up with was time-traveling, which they also wished to avoid. Ultimately, it was Michael Taylor who came up with the idea of using the subconscious of a character as a 'gateway' of sorts into the past. However, his original pitch differed substantially from the finished form of the episode. Initially, he had Sisko , Dax , Garak , and Odo waking up from a dream to find that they are all still in a dream, and are actually in one another's dreams. The denouement of the episode would reveal that Odo is actually having the "master dream" and that everything they experienced was from his past. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• The impetus to create a dark past for Odo came from the writers' desire to sully his character to a degree. As Ronald D. Moore explains, " one of the things that always drove the writing staff nuts was the idea that Odo had been a policeman during the Cardassian Occupation, but had never gotten his hands dirty, that he had been above it all, and that everybody had trusted him. We never bought that. It seemed to me that if I were a Bajoran , I wouldn't trust the cop who's still on duty from the Occupation. Somewhere along the line something bad went down on Odo's watch. And "Things Past" was the show to say it ." ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? )) Interestingly, part of what Moore addresses here had been covered before. In the first season episode " A Man Alone ", the character of Zayra asks why the man appointed security chief of the station by the Cardassians is still security chief under the Bajorans.
• While some fans felt that this episode was another stage in the process of making Dukat something more than a villain, thus building upon episodes such as " The Maquis, Part II ", " Civil Defense ", " Defiant ", " The Way of the Warrior ", " Indiscretion ", " Return to Grace ", and " Apocalypse Rising ", Ronald D. Moore argues that that was not the intention at all; " He wants to be loved. He's the kind of dictator who thinks, 'It's not enough that I put my foot on the throat of the people I'm oppressing, I want them to love me for it.' Dukat believes he's the hero of his own story ." ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• The writers hoped that the explanation at the end of this episode as to how Odo developed telepathic -like abilities (" residual traces of morphogenic enzymes ") would indicate to viewers that his status as a solid wasn't actually permanent. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• According to a line from the script that was cut just before filming, Bajorans on Terok Nor were known to burn malaba drums in order to keep warm and months later, Dukat claimed that he extended environmental controls into the Bajoran sector to improve the quality of life. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion - A Series Guide and Script Library )

Production [ ]

LeVar Burton directs Terry Farrell and Avery Brooks on the set of "Things Past"

• While in production, this episode was jokingly christened "Nightmare on Odo Street" by director LeVar Burton . ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• Terry Farrell finds "Things Past" memorable for the make-up that was applied to represent Dax's injuries, which was not clearly seen in the final cut. Farrell commented: " Dax got hurt in that one, so there wasn't that much for me to do. The thing that was such a drag, was that my make-up artist, Karen Iverson , did all these really awesome scrapes and burns on me, because of the explosion. But because of the way they had to put me into the show, you never saw any of it. Dax always looks so clean and neat, and it was fun to be messy and dirty, with blood all over me for a change. But they ended up shooting it over the back of my head ". ( The Official Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Magazine  issue 22 )

Reception [ ]

• As with " Necessary Evil ", this episode is another favorite of Rene Auberjonois 's: " I loved the script. Odo's a character whom we've come to believe always tells the truth. In fact, in the pilot he says to Dukat , 'There's one thing that you know about me – I never lie.' We've tried to be consistent with that. But that doesn't mean he doesn't lie to himself. He is this wonderfully contradictory character, in that he's made of liquid, but he's very rigid ." ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. ? ))
• LeVar Burton commented that he found "Things Past" " a lot of fun because we had an opportunity to experience a different visual style for Deep Space Nine . We had an opportunity to get darker, really gritty. I know it was a lot of fun for Jonathan West , the Director of Photography" . ("Directing DS9: LeVar Burton", The Official Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Magazine  issue 20 )
• Terry Farrell commented: " I liked ["Things Past"] because we always talked a lot about the Occupation, and in that one, we got to experience what the writers were thinking about. They had done something like it once or twice before, but Dax wasn't very involved ". ( The Official Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Magazine  issue 22 )
• Kurtwood Smith said he thought he was cast as Annorax in VOY : " Year of Hell " due to his performance as Thrax: " I guess the producers liked what I did on Deep Space Nine . Because Thrax was actually in the imagination of another character […] he wasn't quite as interesting to play as Annorax. He didn't have nearly as much to do. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine  issue 18 )
• This is the first appearance of Elim Garak since the fourth season episode " Broken Link " where he was sentenced to six months in prison for sabotage and assaulting Worf . Apparently, this episode is set six months after the aforementioned episode.
• This episode has thematic resonance with the second season episode " Necessary Evil ". Both evoke Odo 's memories of life on Terok Nor to reveal a dark secret from the Occupation ; while "Necessary Evil" explored dark deeds of Kira 's that she had kept hidden from Odo, "Things Past" reveals a shameful guilt of Odo's that he had kept hidden from her. The final scenes of each episode, both depicting Kira and Odo standing at opposite sides of Odo's desk with one trying to come to terms with the actions of the other, are hauntingly similar.
• Cirroc Lofton ( Jake Sisko ) and Colm Meaney ( Miles O'Brien ) do not appear in this episode .
• The name of the Bajoran woman whose identity Dax assumes is never revealed.
• In this episode, Worf refers to "Runabout Pad 1." In all other episodes, runabout pads are identified by letter, not number.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 5.4, 10 March 1997
• As part of the DS9 Season 5 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Avery Brooks as Captain Sisko

Also Starring [ ]

• Rene Auberjonois as Odo
• Michael Dorn as Lt. Commander Worf
• Terry Farrell as Lt. Commander Dax
• Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko
• Colm Meaney as Chief O'Brien
• Armin Shimerman as Quark
• Alexander Siddig as Doctor Bashir
• Nana Visitor as Major Kira

Guest stars [ ]

• Marc Alaimo as Dukat
• Victor Bevine as Belar

Special guest stars [ ]

• Andrew J. Robinson as Garak
• Kurtwood Smith as Thrax

Co-stars [ ]

• Brenan Baird as a Soldier
• Louahn Lowe as Okala
• Judi Durand as Station Computer Voice

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Randy James as Jones
• David B. Levinson as Broik
• Mary Mascari as Bajoran woman
• Bajoran workers
• Cardassian Terok Nor officer
• Cardassian officers
• Cardassian soldiers
• Two Dabo girls
• Ishan Chaye
• Jillur Gueta
• Marat Kobar
• Timor Landi

Stunt doubles [ ]

• Bruce Barbour
• George Colucci as stunt double for Kurtwood Smith

References [ ]

2311 ; 2320 ; 2328 ; 2364 ; 2366 ; ability ; accusation ; accused ; alpha unit ; assassination ; autograph ; Bajor ; Bajorans ; Bajoran Resistance ; Bajoran sector ; Bajoran wormhole ; ballistics (aka ballistic analysis ); blood pressure ; blood vessel ; body temperature ; bone ; bookkeeper ; brain ; Cardassians ; Cardassian comp-link ; Cardassian law ; Cardassian Military ; cell ; cell block ; cellular structure ; Changeling ; child ; class 2 plasma storm ; cleanup crew ; comfort woman ; commuter service ; Constable ; conviction ; criminal record ; cross-dimensional transfer ; dabo girl ; dictator ; disturbing the peace ; Dukat's personal shuttle ; electronics engineer ; epidermal scan ; evidence ; fan club ; Federation ; Ferengi ; freighter captain ; girlfriend ; Great Link ; gul ; heart ; holosuite ; Honshu shuttlecraft ; indigent ; innocence ; Jillur's cousins ; kanar ; knot ; latinum ; Livara ; maraji crystal ; medical record ; medical tricorder ; military occupation ; morphogenic enzyme ; Musilla Province ; name ; name tag ; nose bleed ; Obsidian Order ; Occupation of Bajor ; " Old Man "; oppressor ; parent ; phaser burn ; phenomenon ; pickpocket ; plasma grenade ; plasma storm ; Promenade ; Prophets ; psychosomatic response ; Quark's ; Rakantha Province ; recreation pass ; resumé ; Romulans ; rule of law ; runabout ; security file ; security officer ; soup ; space plasma ; " spoon head "; spy ; Starfleet ; strangulation ; surgically altered ; sympathizer ; Talavian freighter ; temporal displacement ; Terok Nor ; time travel ; Timor's sons ; Timor's wife ; toast ; transporter room 5 ; tri-nitrogen chloride (TNC); tumor ; undercover operative (aka agent ); vanity ; warp engineer

Unreferenced material [ ]

malaba drum ; malnutrition

External links [ ]

• "Things Past" at StarTrek.com
• " Things Past " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Things Past " at Wikipedia
• " Things Past " at the Internet Movie Database
• " "Things Past" " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• "Things Past" script  at Star Trek Minutiae
• 3 USS Antares (32nd century)

• The Inventory

Go On a Tour of One of the Greatest Sets in Star Trek History

Grab a jumja stick and let quark himself take you through one of the most important locations in star trek : deep space nine's promenade..

What’s the most important set on a Star Trek show? Depending on the series, it might differ—for the most part, it’s going to be the bridge of a starship . But “the bridge of a starship” isn’t really the answer to that question: it’s the place that feels most like home . And while it’s definitely not a starship, Deep Space Nine ’s promenade is exactly that, perhaps more than any other iconic locale in the franchise.

Today as part of a series of updates to its virtual tour offerings on the Apple Vision Pro, the Roddenberry Archive and OTOY announced a raft of new virtual reality set tours , taking fans inside the world of Star Trek . To celebrate this week’s return of Star Trek: Discovery , the bridge of the legendary vessel is now available for virtual visitation, as are the first virtual tours inside the fleets of the Klingon Empire —specifically the I.K.S. Amar , the K’t’inga battle cruiser from the opening of The Motion Picture . But perhaps the most fascinating addition is a further exploration of Deep Space Nine ’s titular station, and the most important place of all among its rings and pylons : the thoroughfare of the Promenade.

The Promenade was already part of the archive, but now audiences can explore further aspects of the set—one of the biggest ever built for Star Trek , the biggest outright at the time of filming—but the real highlight is a new, accompanying documentary about the design history of the set and its legacy, narrated by the perfect tour guide for such a locale: Armin Shimmerman, the man behind the lobes of the Promenade’s premiere businessman, Quark.

It’s a great little piece, looking at the set’s design process, how its scale was captured on screen, as well as Shimmerman relishing in giving little in-universe guides to everything that the Promenade had to offer. It’s a reminder of not just what an impressive set it was, but how its design language informed the very heart of what Deep Space Nine was doing with Star Trek . In the Promenade, we have a primary set that is unlike anything we’ve ever seen on the show before: this is not Federation design, or Starfleet ship corridors, but the brutalist angles of Cardassian aesthetic clashing with the pops of color from the flags hung by the Bajorans and other alien cultures steadily in the process of reclaiming what was once a grim shadow over the oppressions of Bajor. Few Star Trek sets are exactly comforting, but this heady mix of sharp angles and cool metallics against the vibrancy of shop lights and flags brings the Promenade a sense of homeliness that few other regular Trek sets could match.

But one thing this tour can’t capture about the Promenade that made it so compelling in the first place is the people milling about the place: the life that made it feel like home more than anything else. Sure, every Trek set has had some flavor of walk and talk on it before, the bustle of crew milling about and looking at monitors, but the Promenade was life itself made manifest. The culture clash of the design language was echoed in the people —so many people, more people than we would often see in one place on Trek outside of big crowd sequences or social hubs like canteens and bars. You had Starfleet crew, sticking out in their black and division-colored uniforms, you had the browns and beiges of Odo and his local security officers, you had Bajoran priests, you had civilians of all species and stripes, from visitors passing through to vendors hocking food and trinkets—and, of course, the myriad patrons of myriad scruples flocking in and out of Quark’s bar. The Promenade was defined by background vibrancy, a social and communal space that was far more important to Deep Space Nine than the cramped battle bridge of the Defiant , or the command crew’s home in operations.

That life made the Promenade sing—sometimes literally, in the case of the Klingon restaurateur playing his accordion and roaring traditional Klingon ballads at diners—and it made it the heart of Deep Space Nine , a sacred space for the viewer that the show could then violate at a moment’s notice to amplify any given threat. The Promenade has been home to firefights, assassination attempts, it’s been besieged , it’s been captured by our heroes’ worst enemies, but it’s also a place of love, adventure, and fun, the sight of some of the best moments in the entirety of DS9 . It is, after all, where the show’s heart is—and that is where home resides.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

• April 6, 2024 | ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Showrunner Explains Why They Reopened A TNG Mystery To Start Season 5
• April 5, 2024 | Roddenberry Archive Expands With Virtual Tours Of Deep Space 9 Station And The USS Discovery
• April 5, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Reviews The First Two Episodes Of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 5
• April 4, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Embraces Second Chances In “Under The Twin Moons”
• April 4, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Returns With New Vitality And A Lore-Fueled Quest In “Red Directive”

Watch The ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 5 Premiere For Free On YouTube In USA

| April 4, 2024 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 19 comments so far

As they do for each new season for all of their shows, Paramount+ has made the entire season 5 premiere of Star Trek: Discovery available online for free. Except this time the did it on the same day as the premiere on Paramount+. You can watch episode 501 (titled “Red Directive”) below via YouTube.

Watch “Red Directive”

The episode will be available to stream on YouTube (in the USA) for free for one week.

Episode 2 ( “Under The Twin Moons” ) was also released today, exclusively on Paramount+ .

Check back later for TrekMovie’s recap/reviews of both episodes.

Season preview

Here is a preview of what’s coming for the rest of the 10-episode final season of Discovery .

The fifth and final season of  Discovery  debuts with two episodes on Thursday, April 4 exclusively on  Paramount+  in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Austria.  Discovery  will also premiere on April 4 on Paramount+ in Canada and will be broadcast on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. The rest of the 10-episode final season will be available to stream weekly on Thursdays. Season 5 debuts on SkyShowtime in select European countries on April 5.

Find more stories on the  Star Trek Universe .

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It was awesome! Love that this season is a kinda sequel to TNGs The Chase. So many great Easter eggs. Loved the Soong type android… and the Roman ship… and did anyone else notice the tribble in the hall of Disco? Such fun.

You’re spoiling a lot here. Please don’t be this specific.

You can watch it for free, so spoilers are fine. If you are worried about them, why are you here? I’m here to hear a discussion on the episode.

The season preview shown at the end of the first episode had a quick shot of what looked like a constitution class starship. I’m actually excited to see how this season plays out.

Legacy ships.

Silly me for giving Discovery credit for being the only show not to rely on nostalgia-bait.

Any excuse to trot out the same tired complaint, huh?

When Trek stops troting out the same, tired nostalgia-bait, I’ll stop complaining. I wouldn’t get your hopes up.

For the love of God what exactly is wrong with building off previous canon from within a franchise? It’s not that they are playing off general interest nostalgia like pogo sticks and oldies music. And you know what? I love nostalga? Life is to short and painful at times. Let us be serviced

In 50 years people will look back at all of Star Trek as Nostalgic. So does it really matter in the long run?

You’re absolutely right.

PUSH THE FRANCHISE *FORWARD* AND BUILD NEW CANON AND LORE THAT PEOPLE IN 50 YEARS WILL BE NOSTALGIC ABOUT.

You have GOT to stop gatekeeping the right way to handle references in this franchise and dictating an end to pulling anything from previous canon.

I keep telling you this is not a normal franchise – it has 58 years of stories it can interconnect with and reference and build from. That’s a rare privilege for the writers and the fans, long term or no. There is no precedent for our situation beyond Doctor Who and Star Wars, really, and I’d say by telling stories that span 1000 years of continuity, Star Trek has done better than Star Wars which until Dawn of the Jedi has been hyper focused on a small sliver of time and space.

OMG did you see what register number that was??? #nospoilers

Calm down. It was in a preview for the season, and it was a blink and you’ll miss it shot.

I saw that too. And it reminds me that (I can talk about spoilers of this ep now right?)

The Progenitors or the idea of them did not originate on TNG’s the Chase. They were a theory of Spock as to why so many species across the galaxy are humanoid and that an ancient race must have populated several worlds across the Galaxy.

Why is the old guy in the ep keep referring to the Projenitors of a 1000’s of year old secret? The very notion that they are responsible for humanity makes them millions if not billions years old.

I took that as it’s the secret of their existence that a thousand years old- not the race themselves.

Ahhh gotcha.

Has anyone ever noticed that The female Progenitor not only looks like a changeling but is also played by Salome Jens? HMMMM…..

I’ve always noticed that… and always hoped that it was just a coincidence. “The Chase” was strong enough on its own without Changeling conspiracy theories throw in.

Plus, the Changelings only adopted their “solid faces” to mimic Odo’s poor shifting abilities and make him feel more comfortable with his own people.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews
• Episode aired Feb 17, 1999

After searching out and finding Odo, another changeling asks him to leave DS9 with him, even though the rest of the crew aren't convinced the new changeling is not part of the Founders. After searching out and finding Odo, another changeling asks him to leave DS9 with him, even though the rest of the crew aren't convinced the new changeling is not part of the Founders. After searching out and finding Odo, another changeling asks him to leave DS9 with him, even though the rest of the crew aren't convinced the new changeling is not part of the Founders.

• Stephen L. Posey
• Gene Roddenberry
• Rick Berman
• Michael Piller
• Avery Brooks
• Rene Auberjonois
• Nicole de Boer
• 17 User reviews
• 3 Critic reviews

• Captain Benjamin 'Ben' Sisko

• Constable Odo

• Lieutenant Ezri Dax
• (as Nicole deBoer)

• Lt. Cmdr. Worf

• (credit only)

• Chief Miles O'Brien

• Doctor Julian Bashir

• Colonel Kira Nerys

• (as Garman Hertzler)

• Science Division Officer
• (uncredited)
• Bajoran Security Deputy

• Various Aliens
• Starfleet Officer
• Starfleet Ops Lieutenant
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia Quark's comment to Odo in the episode about people's suspicion of Odo and Changelings is one of Armin Shimerman's three speeches in the show that he is most proud of for what it had to say.
• Goofs When asked by Bashir and O'Brien to do something about Laas, who has assumed the form of a dense layer of fog around the promenade, Odo says that Laas isn't hurting anyone. Fog that thick would create, at the very least, tripping hazards. Odo is usually a stickler for such things.

Quark : Don't you get it, Odo? We humanoids are a product of millions of years of evolution. Our ancestors learned the hard way that what you don't know might kill you. They wouldn't have survived if they hadn't jumped back when they encountered a snake coiled in the muck; and now, millions of years later, that instinct is still there. It's genetic. Our tolerance to other life forms doesn't extend beyond the two-arm, two-leg variety. I hate to break this to you; but when you're in your natural state, you're more than our poor old genes can handle.

• Connections Featured in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: What You Leave Behind (1999)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Main Title (uncredited) Written by Dennis McCarthy Performed by Dennis McCarthy

User reviews 17

• Mar 1, 2021
• February 17, 1999 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 46 minutes

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This 'Star Trek Discovery' Character Is a Deep-Cut 'DS9' Reference

• Callum Keith Rennie joins Star Trek: Discovery as Kellerun Captain Rayner, revealing the obscure species from Deep Space Nine .
• Rayner's Kellerun backstory is crucial to Rayner's characterization and mission, with the showrunner promising a focus on his personal history.
• Discovery continues the tradition of exploring one-off alien races with new characters, adding depth and diversity to the final season.

Veteran actor Callum Keith Rennie will join the cast of the final season of Star Trek: Discovery as the alien Captain Rayner, and now we know what species he is. Fans have speculated that Rayner's pointed ears mark him as a Vulcan or a Romulan, but a new interview reveals that he is a member of the Kellerun, an obscure species from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . TrekCore.com has the details from SFX Magazine's feature on Discovery 's upcoming fifth season , which will premiere on Paramount+ early next month.

Rayner's species will apparently be important to his characterization and the mysterious mission he joins the USS Discovery crew for, as they race against time in the show's final bow. Says showrunner Michelle Paradise , "He’s Kellerun, which is a minor planet mentioned in one of the other iterations… we learn more about his personal backstory and how that plays into who he is, and why he is how he is. We learn about that as the season goes on, and the planet he’s from has a lot to do with that." It won't be the first time an important character on Discovery comes from a one-off alien race; Commander Nhan ( Rachael Ancheril ), who debuted in the series' second season, is a Barzan, a race that had up to that point only appeared in the third-season Next Generation episode "The Price".

Who Are the Kellerun?

The Kellerun made their first and (so far) only appearance in "Armageddon Game", which first aired in 1994 as part of Deep Space Nine 's second season. A species with distinctive large, pointed ears, they had been at war for centuries with their neighbors, the T'Lani, in a conflict that utilized the Harvesters, deadly biological weapons. After the two races made peace with each other, Starfleet sent in Deep Space Nine crew members Dr. Julian Bashir ( Alexander Siddig ) and Miles O'Brien ( Colm Meany ) to help dismantle the remaining Harvesters. However, the Kellerun and T'Lani insist that all knowledge pertaining to the Harvesters must be destroyed - which means killing Bashir and O'Brien, too. The two have to make a desperate race for survival as their friends try to save them from the two alien species.

Although the Kellerun did not appear on the series again, the episode established Bashir and O'Brien's friendship, which endured for the rest of the show's run. Canadian actor Callum Keith Rennie is a veteran of science fiction productions, having starred in Battlestar Galactica , Impulse , The X-Files , Jessica Jones , and The Umbrella Academy . Discovery will be his first Star Trek appearance.

Star Trek: Discovery 's fifth and final season will premiere April 4, 2024 on Paramount+ , wehere past seasons are also streaming. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watch the trailer for Discovery 's fifth season below.

Star Trek: Discovery

Taking place almost a decade before Captain Kirk's Enterprise, the USS Discovery charts a course to uncover new worlds and life forms.

Release Date September 24, 2017

Cast Oyin Oladejo, Emily Coutts, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Mary Wiseman

Main Genre Sci-Fi

Genres Drama, Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure

Rating TV-14

Watch on Paramount+

Screen Rant

Star trek quark actor armin shimerman leads ds9 virtual tour.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine comes to life in a stunning digital recreation that fans can explore with Quark actor Armin Shimerman narrating.

• Take a virtual tour of DS9 with Armin Shimerman as your guide for behind-the-scenes tidbits on the Promenade.
• Explore the history of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and its characters in a digital recreation of the station.
• Watch The Roddenberry Archive video narrated by Shimerman as Quark, highlighting the world of DS9.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's eponymous space station comes to virtual life with Quark actor Armin Shimerman as fans' guide to DS9's history and Promenade. Thanks to the Roddenberry Archive and OTOY, a digital recreation of the famed space station commanded by Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) can now be toured by fans . Deep Space Nine's tour in the Roddenberry Archive is now live.

OTOY's YouTube uploaded a new video titled The Roddenberry Archive... Deep Space Nine... The World According to Quark . Narrated by Armin Shimerman as his loveable Ferengi entrepreneur, the video delves into the history of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine TV series and takes viewers on an informative journey throughout the space station's famed Promenade , with lots of behind-the-scenes tidbits. Watch the video below:

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Cast & Character Guide

What happened to deep space nine after the star trek tv show ended, ds9 continued to be a hub of commerce and enterprise after the dominion war.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ended in 1999 after 7 seasons, with Captain Sisko ascending to become one with the Prophets of Bajor after leading the United Federation of Planets to victory in the Dominion War. Although Sisko hasn't returned in Star Trek canon, the Deep Space Nine space station endured for years after the Dominion War ended. Under the command of Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor), DS9 remained a center of commerce and enterprise as it guarded the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 visited Deep Space Nine and caught audiences up with Colonel Kira and Quark.

Star Trek: Lower Decks not only brought back Colonel Kira and Quark, but Lower Decks season 5 also visited Ferenginar so that Grand Nagus Rom (Max Grodenchik) and his wife, Leeta (Chase Masterson), opened the door for the Ferengi to join the Federation . Of course, what DS9 fans want most is a revival of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , be it in an animated series or in live-action. Although DS9 wasn't seen in Star Trek: Picard season 3, it's implied that the station is still out there in the final frontier . Thankfully, Roddenberry Archives and OTOY's virtual recreation lets fans come back home to Deep Space Nine.

Source: YouTube

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is streaming on Paramount+