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Star Trek: Are The Ferengi An Anti-Semitic Stereotype?

There are lots of parallels that have made this race highly questionable, but are Star Trek's Ferengi race truly anti-Semitic?

When talking about the Star Trek universe and its diverse and striking line-up of beloved characters, one small and beloved bartender often comes up in conversation. Not Guinan ( played by Whoopi Goldberg ), but Quark (Armin Shimerman), the lovable and often mysterious Ferengi aboard the space station in Deep Space 9 . Looking at the show today, however, it's hard to say how well Quark, as well as the stereotypical Ferengi has aged, especially when examining the show under the lens of racial profiling.

When Gene Roddenberry first proposed the idea for Star Trek back in the late 60s, his heart was set on creating something different that could tackle cultural problems through futuristic storytelling. He wanted to create a future where kindness and acceptance were key, full of optimism of a united future. As such, many episodes in the original Star Trek series focused on contemporary problems, such as racism and prejudice, which can make for accidental (as it is strongly considered to be accidentally rather than purposeful) discrimination. The problem with the Ferengi is an unfortunate result of the greater problem with a lot of alien representation, albeit strongly present within the Star Trek franchise . When developing alien races and cultures, science fiction creators often fall into the same trap: defining them using human stereotypes. It’s nearly impossible to not do this, as it would involve creating emotions that don't exist or are at least unfathomable to humans.

RELATED: How Portrayals Of The Borg Have Changed Since Their First Appearance

The Klingons, for example, are personifications of a very human sense of pride, honor, and anger, and are heavily based on feudal Japanese culture. The Betazoids represent emotions and empathy, whereas the Vulcans show logic and rationality. These are all human attributes, all just part of what makes a human, human. Each and every one of us shows each of these characteristics, often all at once. Humans are not defined by any of these emotions; instead, a complete culture takes elements of everything.

This is not to say each species in Star Trek is without depth. The Klingons are shown to have empathy, much like the Vulcans are shown, although rarely, to have emotions. They are, however, stereotypes that reduce an entire species, let alone a culture, into one or two characteristics. This becomes an issue when the stereotype defining a particular species has, historically, been dangerously close to an antisemitic one. Star Trek 's Ferengi culture is one obsessed with wealth, capitalism, and a greed unparalleled, all typically discriminative features associated with Jewish people.

While cultural and personality traits may not directly draw a concrete parallel, their physical appearance could also be considered to be dangerously antisemitic. The Ferengi's defining anatomical features exaggerated large heads, cartoonishly big ears, small dark beady eyes, and demonic pointed teeth. Their overall look had been described as a blend of Nazi caricatures of Jews, most notably regarding their teeth. Some have said that this reflects the story of Nosferatu, a rich vampire who writes in a strange alphabet, comes from the east to Germany bringing a plague with him, and wants to steal a young Christian woman.

The parallels don't end here, as the Ferengi religion could be described as a parody of traditional Judaism. In the Star Trek universe, the Ferengi follow what they call the 285 Rule of Acquisition, loosely mirroring the 613 Commandments in Judaism. The Ferengi also regard business transactions as almost holy activities, and forbid women from partaking, much like in traditional Jedasim’s exclusion of women studying the Torah. In the Next Generation episode "Suspicion," it is also revealed that the Ferengi forbid desecration of the deceased body, forbidding Dr Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) from performing an autopsy despite the suspicious cause of death, a belief also held in Judaism.

As a counterargument, the apparent antisemitic stereotype of their appearance, personality, and culture could be explained as a highly unfortunate coincidence. When the Ferengi first appeared in the first season of Next Generation, they were originally supposed to be the next big villains, the new Klingons of the Original Series. With the introduction of peace between the Klingons and Federation, as well as the presence of Worf aboard the Enterprise , the show intended for the Ferengi to take their place. However, there was nothing threatening or particularly scary about the Ferengi, so they were quickly replaced by the Borg . It was only when they returned in Deep Space 9 that the Ferengi were written to be the greedy, money-hoarding barterers. Their design had already been in place long before these characteristics were incorporated.

It is also worth noting that the word "Ferengi" is derived from the Arabic word "faranji," meaning "Frank," which refers to the Frankish/European traders who made contact with Arabic traders. It could be possible to say that, with their repressive treatment of women, they actually represent fundamentalist Islam more closely than Judaism. For this reason, it’s possible to explain their culture, much like many of the other races present in Star Trek , as simply an amalgamation of various cultures and human characteristics rolled into one. This results in drawing parallels, albeit unfortunate parallels, with various stereotypes in human culture.

MORE: Star Trek: What Is Q?

Star Trek: Discovery Proves DS9’s Nog Is Starfleet’s Most Important Ferengi

• Star Trek: Discovery reveals Nog's impact on the future of Starfleet, with more Ferengi officers present in the 32nd century.
• Nog's influence extends beyond Ferengi, with a starship named after him and a Cardassian captain in Starfleet, showing his lasting legacy.
• Rom, inspired by Nog, made it easier for Ferengi to join Starfleet, ultimately leading to a more diverse and progressive organization.

Star Trek: Discovery has proved the important role that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Nog (Aron Eisenberg) has played in shaping the future of Starfleet. Set 800 years after DS9 's 24th century, Star Trek: Discovery reveals how much, and how little, has changed when it comes to the Federation and Starfleet. In the 32nd century, the Federation is still at threat from aliens like the Breen , who made a game-changing impact on DS9 's Dominion War, while also revealing that positive changes made by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine continue to have an impact 800 years later.

For example, Nog is one of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's great success stories, as he changed the Federation's perceptions when it came to the Ferengi . Starting out DS9 as a teenage tearaway, Nog quickly realized that he wanted more from life than being third in line to inherit Quark's Bar. With encouragement, and a recommendation, from Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Nog became the first Starfleet Academy cadet to hail from Ferenginar. Star Trek: Discovery has since proved that Nog and his DS9 family paved the way for more Ferengi officers all the way into the 32nd century .

9 Ways DS9's Ferengi Changed Star Trek History

Ds9’s nog is starfleet’s most important ferengi in star trek: discovery’s 32nd century.

Star Trek: Discovery has revealed a handful of details about the impact of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Nog on the 32nd century version of the Federation . Firstly, he wasn't the only Ferengi officer in the entire history of Starfleet, as Discovery season 4 revealed. Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 2, briefly featured an unnamed Ferengi captain (played by Anthony Lake), who was present at Starfleet Headquarters. Discovery 's season 4 premiere, "Kobayashi Maru" also revealed that there was a Ferengi in the first intake of Starfleet Academy cadets following the Burn .

Star Trek: Discovery has also revealed that there is at least one Cardassian captain in Starfleet's ranks, suggesting that the species' experiences in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine changed their views on the Federation.

Nog's influence on Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century isn't confined to those Ferengi that followed in his footsteps, either. The USS Nog is the biggest tribute to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character , proving that Starfleet's first Ferengi officer made enough of a historical impact to have a starship named after him. The USS Nog is also an Eisenberg-class starship, named in tribute to the late Aron Eisenberg , who played Nog on DS9 , and is still missed to this day.

Nog’s Father Rom Opened The Door For More Ferengi In Starfleet

It's fair to say that Nog inspired his father Rom (Max Grodénchik) to dream bigger than Quark's Bar in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Rom followed his son's path into engineering, becoming a close colleague of Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) . Rom therefore had a very close working relationship with Starfleet, that gave him a more progressive perspective when he was made Grand Nagus in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine finale. Grand Nagus Rom ultimately made it easier for Ferengi to follow Nog's path into Starfleet in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 .

By negotiating a deal for Ferenginar to become a member of the United Federation of Planets, Grand Nagus Rom paved the way for more Ferengi in Starfleet. Having seen how the institution changed his son Nog into a hero in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Grand Nagus Rom presumably wanted the same for other Ferengi. 800 years later, and Nog and his father Rom's legacy is continued by the brave Ferengi officers serving as Starfleet officers in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century.

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount +.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

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Grand Nagus

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Grand Nagus Zek

The Grand Nagus was the leader of the Ferengi Alliance , and the financial leader of billions of Ferengi . ( DS9 : " Prophet Motive ") Virtually all decisions that affected the Alliance required the approval of the Grand Nagus, whose power was backed by the Ferengi Bill of Opportunities and supported by the Board of Liquidators . ( DS9 : " Profit and Lace ")

The Nagus's offices were located in the Tower of Commerce on Ferenginar , where he presided over the Alliance from the Chamber of Opportunity . Petitioners regularly sought to speak to the Nagus to solicit advice on business ventures and decisions. In doing so, they were required to pay their respects, literally (in a slip of gold-pressed latinum ). After doing so, their petition was summarized by the First Clerk before the Nagus reached a decision. ( DS9 : " Family Business ", " The Magnificent Ferengi ", " Ferengi Love Songs ") The FCA has the power to remove a Grand Nagus from office, though only in the rare circumstances that it is overwhelmingly obvious he has become medically or mentally unfit for the role (i.e. advancing senility). ( DS9 : " Ferengi Love Songs ")

While greed and selfishness were considered respected traits for Ferengi, the Grand Nagus was expected to think for the greed of the entire Ferengi Alliance, not just his own. ( DS9 : " Ferengi Love Songs ")

The Nagus resided in the Nagal Residence , which was said to contain latinum -plated fixtures. ( DS9 : " The Dogs of War ") The Nagus always carried a staff and it was traditional for the Ferengi to kiss it upon meeting him. ( DS9 : " The Nagus ", et al)

The Grand Nagus possessed the ability to appoint a Grand Proxy to act in his name in matters which he was unable or unwilling to deal with personally. ( VOY : " False Profits ")

A Nagus could also overrule the decisions of the Ferengi Commerce Authority if he so chose, such as in matters of business license revocation. ( DS9 : " Ferengi Love Songs ")

Rom became Grand Nagus in late 2375 , succeeding Zek . This came following a series of social reforms, among which was the introduction of the Congress of Economic Advisors , a new legislative body that limited the Nagus' power. ( DS9 : " The Dogs of War ")

• 1 List of known Ferengi Grand Nagi
• 3.1 Additional references
• 4 External links

List of known Ferengi Grand Nagi [ ]

• Zek (until 2369 , then again from 2369- 2375 )
• Quark (2369) (briefly)
• Brunt ( 2374 ) (acting)
• Rom ( 2375 onward)

See also [ ]

• District Sub-Nagus

Appearances [ ]

• " The Nagus "
• " Rules of Acquisition "
• " Prophet Motive "
• " Family Business "
• " Body Parts " (Grand Nagus Gint makes an appearance in a dream)
• " Ferengi Love Songs "
• " Profit and Lace "
• " The Emperor's New Cloak "
• " The Dogs of War "
• LD : " Parth Ferengi's Heart Place "

Additional references [ ]

• " The Search, Part I "
• " Past Tense, Part I "
• " Little Green Men "
• " Valiant "
• " The Siege of AR-558 "
• " It's Only a Paper Moon "
• " False Profits "

External links [ ]

• Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Grand Nagus at Wikipedia
• 3 Ancient humanoid

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Published Apr 10, 2024

A Brief History of the Progenitors in Star Trek

They designed life itself!

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for Star Trek: Discovery 's "Red Directive ."

StarTrek.com

Captain Burnham's top-secret mission in the final season of Star Trek: Discovery has finally been revealed. But this time, the Discovery crew isn’t stopping a future-destroying A.I., or a lethal, extra-galactic force. Instead, they’re investigating the basic mysteries of why most species in the Star Trek universe look vaguely human.

As revealed in " Red Directive ," the search for technology used by ancient "Progenitors" sets-up a massive treasure hunt for the season. But, who are the Progenitors? What did Jean-Luc Picard know about the secrets of inter-species alien DNA? And how does all of this fit in with Gene Roddenberry’s earliest ideas for Star Trek ?

Here’s a brief history of the Progenitors, from the early 1960s, to the 24th Century, all the way to 2024, and the 31st Century.

The Real World-Origins of the Progenitors

"The Cage"

When the U.S.S. Enterprise first set out to seek out "new life and new civilizations," a huge swath of those alien lifeforms turned out to look a lot like human beings. And the primary reason for that, at least behind-the-scenes, was two-fold.

First, human actors are more affordable, and second, Gene Roddenberry wanted the classic Star Trek to avoid the sci-fi trope of "Bug-Eyed Monsters." And so, in one of the original 1964 pitch documents for Star Trek , Roddenberry floated the idea of "The Parallel Worlds" concept . The idea was that the format of Star Trek — from a writing and production standpoint — would generally deal with "...plant and animal life, plus people, quite similar to Earth. Social evolution will also have interesting points of similarity with ours."

Unlike a huge swath of science fiction on TV at the time, the promise of strange, new worlds, that were, in fact, populated by people , is something that set Star Trek apart, and was the cornerstone of what gave the series its humanist angle. But, the side effect of course, was an in-universe question — why were so many aliens humanoid?

The Old Ones, Sargon, and The Preservers

"The Paradise Syndrome"

The first two seasons of The Original Series are sprinkled with hints that, in the distant past, the galaxy was visited by super-powered aliens with technology far more advanced than anything in the Federation.

In " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ," we meet Ruk, an android built by "The Old Ones," an alien race capable of creating humanoid androids that were basically immortal. In " Return to Tomorrow ," the disembodied soul of Sargon, refers to humanity as "my children." While Dr. Muhuall says this idea flies in the face of evolutionary theory, Spock mentions the idea that aliens seeded life would "explain certain elements of Vulcan pre-history."

Then in Season 3, in " The Paradise Syndrome ," Bones and Spock tackle the question head-on. When they realize an ancient race of "Preservers" helped various humanoid species throughout the galaxy, the idea of an ancient alien race guiding and "seeding" a ton of humanoid species became less of a myth and more of a working theory. "I’ve always wondered why there were so many humanoids scattered through the galaxy," Bones says. To which Spock replies, "So have I. Apparently, the Preservers account for a number of them."

And then, the questions about an ancient humanoid species went answered. At least, until The Next Generation . 

"The Chase"

Directed by Jonathan Frakes and written by Ronald D. Moore and Joe Menosky, " The Chase " was a sixth-season episode of The Next Generation , which, according to The Next Generation Companion , was considered in the writers' room the most "Roddenberryesque" episode of TNG at that time. The story itself took cues from Carl Sagan's novel Contact , and posited that yes, ancient aliens not only seeded most of the humanoid species, but also hid a message in the DNA of all those species.

Captain Picard's interest in archeology comes in handy during the quest to locate all the DNA strands and reveal the message, which was also represented metaphorically by the ancient artifact known as the Kurlan naiskos .

At the end of the episode, representatives from the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Empire, the Cardassian Union, and the Federation, all witness the truth — an ancient Progenitor (played by Salome Jens) makes it clear that all the humanoid species in the galaxy don’t exist out of pure hubris, but instead, out of a kind of desire for legacy. "You are a monument, not to our greatness, but to our existence…. Remember us."

Ronald D. Moore pointed out that there's no reason to believe that the Progenitors from "The Chase" and the Preservers from TOS aren't one in the same. Though not explicitly stated in the script, he said, "But this could be them, and be internally consistent."

Discovery Brings It All Home

"Red Directive"

While The Next Generation established a canonical fact that TOS only danced around, that only answered the question of why . With Discovery Season 5, a stranger, and more complex question is getting broached — how ?

"The Chase" told us why there are so many humanoid species in the galaxy, but we had no idea how the Progenitors specifically pushed life to evolve on various planets toward the exact form of life we’re all so familiar with. As the crew of Discovery — and other forces — are in pursuit of this ancient tech, Star Trek is boldly speculating on one of the biggest questions of all time.

If there was a supreme intelligence behind the creation of life, what was their method? While these kinds of questions are somewhat mind-boggling in real life, what Discovery is doing now is what Star Trek has done all along: Ask provocative questions that are beyond what we know now, so that maybe, in the future, we’ll be better prepared.

We don’t know that the Progenitors exist in real science, but the "panspermia hypothesis," is a very real scientific concept. A friendly alien may not have consciously sparked life on Earth eons ago, but, in reality, it is possible that some building blocks for life itself may have come from the stars.

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Ryan Britt is the author of the nonfiction books Phasers on Stun! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World (2022), The Spice Must Flow: The Journey of Dune from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies (2023), and the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (2015). He is a longtime contributor to Star Trek.com and his writing regularly appears with Inverse, Den of Geek!, Esquire and elsewhere. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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Review: The EXO-6 ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ 1:6 Odo Figure Is The Shape of Things To Come

| April 9, 2024 | By: Jeff Bond 7 comments so far

Constable Odo 1/6 Scale Action Figure

Manufacturer: EXO-6 Price: $215 Grade: A+

Way back in the no-man’s land between the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan , when it briefly looked like there might be no more Star Trek movies and there hadn’t been a new Star Trek TV show since the 1973 animated series, I had a weird dream one night that there was a new Star Trek series on the air and one of the actors in it was René Auberjonois. At the time I knew Auberjonois from his performances in the 1976 King Kong remake and The Eyes of Laura Mars (where he did an uncanny impression of Lloyd Bridges using only his face).

What I didn’t imagine was that Auberjonois would indeed appear in a new Star Trek show a decade or so later—but his face would be covered by a thick layer of latex makeup and he would be playing an alien shapeshifter named Odo. Like Spock, Data, and later characters like Seven of Nine and Saru, Odo was part of the Star Trek formula that dictated an alien “other” character was always needed to provide an outsider perspective on humanity. A holdover from the Cardassian’s shepherding of their space station Terok Nor, Odo retained his job as a security officer to become Deep Space Nine’s “constable”—a sheriff who keeps a close eye on the denizens that live on and visit DS9, particularly his arch nemesis, the Ferengi Quark. Odo can use his shapeshifting abilities to impersonate other beings or even disguise himself as inanimate objects—all a boon to his work maintaining law and order on the station.

René Auberjonois as Constable Odo in a Deep Space Nine publicity photo (Paramount)

Odo’s origins were initially mysterious, even to himself (in one first season episode after chasing what he’d thought to be a clue to his background, a lonely Odo gazes out into space from a runabout and ponders, “Home…where is it?”). Eventually, he discovers that he’s part of the race of the Founders, dangerous “changelings” and founders of the Dominion, a warlike confederation of races that threatens the Federation. Odo consequently finds himself torn between loyalty to his friends on DS9 and the race that gave birth to him. Auberjonois, a reliable and effective character actor, gave Odo a gruff, no-nonsense personality that set him off from DS9’s mix of hotheads, pious clerics, and very human Starfleet officers. He figured in some tremendous storylines, although I wish the show hadn’t gone in the direction of putting him and Major Kira—two of the strongest characters in the series—in a standard romance that ultimately weakened both of them.

René Auberjonois as Constable Odo in “What You Left Behind” (Paramount)

EXO-6 Odo Figure

EXO-6’s Deep Space Nine line of 12” action figures has been absolutely stellar in its quality, and Odo might just be the best release yet. One might think that capturing Odo’s deliberately featureless prosthetic makeup would be a breeze, but it actually seems more like a trap as the proportions of the character’s face come off as deliberately vague and confusing due to the makeup. Sculptor Dean Tolliver pulls off the assignment flawlessly, from Odo’s prim, downturned mouth to his piercing, deep-set eyes.

EXO-6 DS9 Odo figure

One big challenge to these characters is hair—it has to be molded into the one-piece head sculpt which often gives the entire character a plastic, doll-like sheen. Odo’s hair even in the series has an uncanny, sleek appearance that lends itself well to this kind of reproduction—there’s a very fine seam bisecting the head, something you can catch with careful examination on this and some other EXO figures, but it mostly disappears within the hair sculpture, and that’s really the only minor flaw (if you can call it that) in the figure.

Odo’s clothes are of drab and utilitarian Bajoran make, almost allowing him to disappear among the brown and bronze arches of the space station’s promenade, and the figure captures the cut of the uniform, its Bajoran insignia, belt and boots perfectly.

If you watch the series, you know that Odo doesn’t roll with standard Starfleet weaponry—he’s his own weapon, with the ability to turn his arms into whiplike tendrils or any other shape that might come in handy to subdue a scofflaw. Odo comes with the standard Starfleet PADD and a tricorder, but this figure boasts two more-character-based accessories that really set this release off and required a larger-than-normal collectors box. One accessory is Odo’s “bucket”—a metallic container that the shapeless being relaxes inside in liquid form after a hard day’s crime-fighting. EXO also includes a spectacular clear vinyl sculpture of Odo in mid-transformation, congealing upwards from a puddle on the floor, his arms folded and his distinctive features starting to take shape.

Bucket and shape-shifting accessories for EXO-6 DS9 Odo figure

These accessories make Odo’s display footprint about twice the size of a normal EXO-6 figure, but it’s worth it, especially since at $215 he’s in line with most of the other DS9 figure price points.

Odo was released today and is available now at EX0-6.com .  This is another spectacular figure release from EXO-6 and since they tend to sell out quickly, you’d be well advised to order ASAP.

The Odo figure is part of EXO-6’s Star Trek: Deep Space Nine collection. Quark and Sisko have already sold out. The Kira figure [ see TrekMovie’s review ] is still available. Dr. Julian Bashir is next in line , but the pre-order period has already sold out.

Upcoming EXO-6 Dr. Bashir figure

A closer look at Odo

Jeff Bond is a freelance writer and book author who’s addicted to plastic models and action figures. You can catch up with him on  Facebook  and  Instagram  where he posts model works in progress, and takes commissions. His latest Star Trek book is  Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Art and Visual Effects .

Find more Star Trek merchandise news and reviews at TrekMovie.com .

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Star Trek Merch: TOS Art Poster, EXO Ensign Ro, “Subspace Rhapsody” On Vinyl, And More

Incredible detail, the greatest representation….

Finally, an EXO sculpt that actually looks like the character.

Kind of funny that it’s the one with a deliberately featureless messed up face.

Wow. I sold my TMP Kirk and Spock due to the poor likenesses.

But this actually looks really good. Maybe….

Gotta admit, this IS a good one! 🫤 If only I had the bars of latinum… 😒💸

This looks absolutely fabulous!! 😍

Well done. These are so well done. Not surprised they keep selling out.

I sure hope Hiya Toys can give us a diverse range of Star Trek figures drawing from the entire legacy of Star Trek like Exo-6 is doing here. Playmates has certainly dropped the ball but I still have faith that a good quality line could be a success. I hope unlike Playmates, Hiya will take fan’s comments and input into consideration like Exo-6 is also doing. We fans like feeling like we have some say in the thought process of creating a line and being appreciated by the teams responsible for developing products like this and Playmates just took all our patronage for granted.

How Star Trek's Most Underrated Villains Wreaked Havoc From Deep Space 9 to Picard

Star Trek enemies like the Borg and Klingons have been a thorn on the Federation's side, but only one underrated villain has caused the most damage.

• The Dominion is a powerful alien empire in Star Trek that challenged the Federation like never before.
• While the Klingons, Romulans, and Borg evolved over time, the Dominion remained a second-tier villain.
• Star Trek: Picard's third season saw the Dominion return strong, with a complex plot and characters.

Star Trek has always featured compelling villainous aliens, many of whom have arcs and collective journeys as rich as any individual character. The Klingons, for instance, have gone from the Federation's greatest foes to fierce allies and antiheroes. The Romulan Empire similarly underwent rapid disintegration in the late 24th century and re-unified with their genetic cousins, the Vulcans, in later seasons of Star Trek: Discovery . Even the Borg changed over the course of the franchise, as individuals like Seven of Nine escaped the Collective and threats like Species 8472 proved more than they could handle. That dedication to their organic development has helped make them truly memorable foes, not only in Star Trek , but in pop culture as a whole.

One villainous species tends to get a little lost in the shuffle, however. The Dominion -- a powerful alien empire controlled by shape-shifting Changelings -- proved to be one of the deadliest foes the Federation ever faced. They launched a war against the Alpha Quadrant during the final seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, forcing Starfleet to join forces with traditional enemies like the Romulans in the face of the common threat. Despite that, the Dominion itself is often relegated to second-tier villain status. Star Trek: Picard's triumphant third season successfully returned them to the spotlight, and reminded fans how terrifying they could be as antagonists.

The Dominion Were Designed as an Existential Threat

The complete history of the klingons in star trek's next generation era.

Deep Space Nine cemented a big transition for the franchise, moving away from Gene Roddenberry's beliefs in an absolute utopia. A Federation devoid of conflict was no place to tell compelling stories, which The Original Series solved by presenting solely external threats in its planet-of-the-week format. Star Trek: The Next Generation successfully broke out of that mold, though its early seasons were plagued by problems caused by the infamous "Roddenberry Box" forbidding intrapersonal conflicts among the crew. The incursion of the Borg in Season 3, Episode 26, "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I" definitively broke the Box, with Will Riker taking command of the Enterprise amid constant head-butting from his de facto Number One, Elizabeth Shelby.

As The Next Generation continued to explore the story potential of protagonists with differing opinions, Deep Space Nine fully committed to the dark side of the 24th century. Set aboard a rickety former mining station near the planet Bajor, it looked for drama within the limits of the Federation's power, and how characters like Captain Benjamin Sisko have to sometimes make compromises for the greater good. The Dominion proved to be the perfect fulcrum for that as a technologically advanced fascist theocracy, ruled by the Changelings who condition their subjects to worship them as gods. Besides their technological advantages, the Dominion's military forces are truly terrifying.

The ground troops are genetically engineered constructs known as the Jem'Hadar; they are bred to be soldiers and physically dependent upon a chemical called ketracel white to ensure their absolute loyalty. Their commanders, administrators and tactical advisors are a species known as Vorta, who are preternaturally cunning and built to influence foes with honeyed words before unleashing the Dominion's full forces on them. Worst of all were the Changelings themselves, who could perfectly imitate anyone they wished and who would abduct key personnel and replace them with duplicates to sow distrust and discord. On top of all that, they had a vast empire of slave labor at their command, and with the Bajoran wormhole providing a conduit to the Alpha Quadrant, they potentially had the ability to overrun the Federation in a manner of days.

The Dominion Pushed the Moral Limits of The Federation

The complete history of vulcans in the federation era of star trek.

The Dominion were designed the way they were in order to push the Starfleet characters -- specifically Sisko -- into making compromised choices for the sake of survival . That included below-the-belt tactics such as mining the entrance to the wormhole to prevent any ships from getting through, and Section 31's use of biological warfare to infect the Changeling collective with a fatal virus. The most telling moment came with Season 6, Episode 19, " In the Pale Moonlight ," in which Sisko has a hand in forgery, duplicity and murder in order to bring the Romulans into the war.

It is perhaps Star Trek's darkest moment, and a canny exploration of the franchise's famous adage, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Sisko's efforts bore fruit, and the united Alpha Quadrant was finally able to push the Dominion and its allies to the point of capitulation at the end of Season 7. But the cost was terrible, with millions dead and vast regions of the Alpha Quadrant devastated by war . The Dominion retreated back to the other side of the wormhole, and Odo -- a wayward Changeling who helped convince his people to halt the fighting -- returned to the collective to help end their distrust of "the solids."

As antagonists, they worked incredibly well, thanks in part to a slow build-up that left their origins and motives in the dark until they were well into their infiltration of the Alpha Quadrant. They provided the ideal crucible to test the Federation's principles under fire. While Roddenberry's bright future survived, it emerged with scars that never quite healed. Not even the Borg could top the Dominion as foes, and fans have even gamed out a hypothetical conflict between the Dominion and the Borg, with more or less even odds on which species will prevail.

Despite that, their footprint in the franchise is much smaller than other major antagonists. They returned to the Gamma Quadrant after the war, and essentially vanished with the series finale of Deep Space Nine. With its sister series Star Trek: Voyager focusing on the Borg , and the follow-up Star Trek: Enterprise taking place centuries before the opening of the wormhole, there was no convenient way to resurrect them. The franchise simply moved on, and the Dominion was left collecting dust on the shelves.

Picard Gives The Dominion the Comeback They Deserve

How deep space nine elevated the ferengi from jokes to serious characters.

The latter-day Star Trek renaissance provided an opportunity to do something special with the Dominion. Picard Season 3 depicted a dying, vengeance-obsessed Borg queen pairing up with a radical faction of Changelings to take another run at destroying the Earth. They replace key Starfleet members and sabotage the transporters aboard most of its starships by infecting those who use it with a subtle hormone that allows the Borg Queen to take control of them remotely. The complex plot sees Picard and the reunited crew of the Enterprise-D work to uncover the truth before the sinister coalition springs its trap.

Beyond the cleverness of the plot and its borderline horror-movie premise, Amanda Plummer's Changeling Vadic cements herself as an instant fan favorite. She and her cohorts were captured and experimented on during the Dominion War, rendering them traumatized and filled with hate. Plummer always excels in eccentric roles, which feels like a being who hasn't quite mastered the art of humanoid emotional expression. She's manic, mercurial, and extremely bad at hiding the depths of her hatred.

While Vadic meets her just fate before seeing her plans come to fruition, her presence lingers in the series' final few episodes, to the point of outclassing the Borg Queen herself. She also gives a face to the Changelings, who were usually by definition disguised as someone else. Their representative (known only as "female Changeling") was presumptuous and cold, which forms a stark contrast with Vadic's onscreen villain. It demonstrates the effects of their defeat on the Dominion's self-styled god-rulers.

Picard helps the Dominion demonstrate a viable arc over time, in the same manner as the Klingons, the Romulans and the Borg. Fans can see how the loss has affected them as individuals, as well as the political fallout from it all. Vadic belongs to a splinter group rather than the bulk of the collective. It gives them the depth and sense of continuity they need to rightfully join the ranks of elite Star Trek villains . With Picard opening the door to further appearances, and with other antagonists suffering from decades of overuse, an extended return could help define the future of the franchise.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Picard are both streaming in their entirety on Paramount+.

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

Screen Rant

Every ds9 alien in star trek: discovery.

Star Trek: Discovery has reintroduced many popular aliens from Deep Space Nine. Here are all of the species who have survived into the 32nd century.

• Star Trek: Discovery brings back many Deep Space Nine aliens in the 32nd century, connecting the two iconic series seamlessly.
• Discovery introduced characters like a Trill joining with a human host and a Ferengi Starfleet captain, expanding the Star Trek universe.
• The crossover of popular DS9 aliens like Lurians, Trills, Ferengi, and Cardassians adds depth and continuity to Discovery's storytelling.

Since jumping to the 32nd century, Star Trek: Discovery has spotlighted many fan-favorite aliens from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Much of the intrigue about Star Trek: Discovery now involves Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery exploring the galaxy centuries after Star Trek's 23rd and 24th-century heydays. While technology and even the names of planets have changed in the last 900+ years, most of the myriad aliens in the Star Trek universe have survived into the distant future .

Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced races like the Trill, the Bajorans, the Cardassians, and the Ferengi but all four alien species reached their full potential and were popularized by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . The very nature of DS9 as a frontier space station lent itself to boasting a cavalcade of aliens interacting with the show's Starfleet Officers led by Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks). Indeed, DS9 broke the Star Trek mode with serialization as the series progressed and by focusing on the show's expansive cast of ancillary characters.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Cast & Character Guide

The Ferengi family of Quark (Armin Shimerman), Cardassians like Garak (Andrew Robinson) and Damar (Casey Biggs), members of the Dominion like Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) , and even the holographic crooner Vic Fontaine (James Darren) became as important and beloved as Sisko and his Starfleet heroes. DS9 also delved more deeply into the cultures of the Cardassians, Bajorans, and the Ferengi than TNG could since the USS Enterprise-D must always move onto the next strange new world each week.

As a heavily serialized, action-packed character drama boasting a Black Captain, Star Trek: Discovery feels very much like the spiritual successor of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . This includes how Disco has been busily incorporating and updating the aliens DS9 brought to prominence. Discovery has also woven other Star Trek aliens like the Orions and Tellarites while creating their own, like the Kelpiens, including Mr. Saru (Doug Jones). But as Star Trek: Discovery continues its journey in season 5, Deep Space Nine 's aliens keep popping up in unexpected and interesting ways.

You don't want a Lurian to talk your ear off.

A Lurian was the first alien from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that Michael Burnham encountered when she landed in the year 3188 in Star Trek: Discovery season 3's premiere, "That Hope Is You, Part 1." Burnham was separated from the USS Discovery, which wouldn't arrive in the future for another year. Instead, Michael met Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), a courier chased by an alien syndicate for stealing a shipment of trans worms. A Lurian was one of the aliens chasing Michael and Book.

Morn in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was named after George Wendt's beloved character Norm from Cheers .

The franchise's most famous and beloved Lurian was Morn from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . The barfly at Quark's was one of DS9 's best running jokes because Morn never actually said a word, yet everyone who knew him described Morn as someone who could talk your ear off. More Lurians are occasionally sighted in Star Trek: Discovery , including one gambling in the Karma Barge in Discovery season 4, episode 8, "All In."

Discovery brought back Trills in a big way.

Star Trek: Discovery made history by introducing the franchise's first non-binary and transgender characters, Adira (Blu del Barrio) and Gray Tal (Ian Alexander), but Gray is also a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine connection because he's a Trill . Adira became a rare human host to a Trill symbiont, which bonds her to her love, Gray, who was resurrected in a synthetic body by Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz). Of course, the most beloved Trills in Star Trek are DS9 's Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) and her successor, Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer).

Along with Gray, Star Trek: Discovery also traveled to the Trill homeworld, revisited its culture, and introduced new characters like Guardian Xi (Andreas Apergis). In Discovery season 4, episode 7, "...But to Connect", Gray made the decision to study under Xi as a trainee Trill Guardian . Gray is set to return in Discovery season 5, perhaps setting up a return visit to the home world of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Jadzia and Ezri Dax.

X-Men's Famke Janssen Changed Star Trek: DS9's Trills, Says Dax Actress

Star trek: discovery profits from the ferengi..

Star Trek: Discovery season 3 honored Nog (Aron Eisenberg), the first Ferengi in Starfleet, by naming a starship the USS Nog and its starship class as the Eisenberg class . But a Ferengi was finally seen in the 32nd century in Star Trek: Discovery season 4. Starfleet has an unnamed Ferengi starship Captain and other officers who participate in meetings at Federation headquarters. A Ferengi is also seen in the Karma Barge in Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 8, "All In."

More Ferengi in Starfleet was made possible by Grand Nagus Rom (Max Grodenchik) beginning the process for Ferenginar to join the United Federation of Planets in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4.

Meanwhile, the Ferengi have had a renaissance elsewhere in Star Trek 's Paramount+ era. The animated comedy series Star Trek: Lower Decks has featured several Ferengi, including both Quark (Armin Shimerman) and his brother Rom from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Daimon Nandi (Grey Griffin) was introduced as the villainous surrogate mother of Dal R'El (Brett Gray) in Star Trek: Prodigy . The most notable live-action Ferengi in the modern franchise is the vile Ferengi gangster Sneed (Aaron Stanford) in Star Trek: Picard season 3 .

4 Cardassian

Don't call them 'spoonheads.'.

Thanks to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the Cardassians have become one of the most well-explored enemy aliens in the Star Trek canon. 32nd-century Cardassians have popped up in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, such as in the episode "Scavengers," and, from Star Trek: Discovery season 4 onward, Cardassians have even been seen at Federation headquarters. The most prominent Cardassian in Star Trek: Discovery is Federation President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal), who is a hybrid of Cardassian, Bajoran, and human ancestry. However, the Cardassian side of President Rillak tends to be her most identifiable feature.

The Prophets are with them.

Star Trek: Discovery hasn't yet introduced a prominent Bajoran character besides President Rillak, but 32nd-century Bajorans can be seen in the background of many Star Trek: Discovery season 3 and 4 episodes. The most significant Bajorian sighting on Discovery so far was when Dr. Hugh Culber was turned into a Bajoran by Su'Kal's (Bill Irwin) holodeck simulation inside the Verubin Nebula. Dr. Culber appeared with the traditional Bajoran earpiece and ringed nose, although he never stopped being human in the simulation.

DS9’s Bajor & Cardassia Occupation & Resistance History Explained

2 changeling, some changelings have not returned to the great link..

Star Trek: Discovery established that the Changelings, if not the Dominion that they founded, have survived into the far future . In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 8, "All In," Cleveland Booker and Dr. Ruon Tarka (Shawn Doyle) captured a Female Changeling. On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Changelings were pivotal characters since Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) was a shapeshifter and his people, the Founders, were the rulers of the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant.

The Changelings later returned as primary antagonists in Star Trek: Picard season 3. The Changeling Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) allied with the Borg Queen (Alice Krige) to enact a plot to assimilate the Federation. However, Star Trek: Discovery retains the honor of being the first show to bring back the villainous Changelings , one of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's biggest additions to the canon of alien species.

Star Trek: Discovery 's new alien captain is a Kellerun , which is the deepest of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine deep cuts. The Kelleruns only appeared once, in DS9 season 2, episode 13, "Armageddon Game", in which their Ambassador Sharat (Peter White) tried to have Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) executed. Captain Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) is a Kellerun Starfleet officer, suggesting that this incident from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a distant memory in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century.

All episodes of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

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Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.