Final Thoughts on the Series

[Dobian]

I’ll leave out any real spoilers. I know that 99% of people here know this show backwards and forwards, but there are a few watching it for the first time.


So my journey that began last August is done. I started watching Deep Space Nine on Netflix because it was the only Star Trek show I never really watched, and I heard over the years that a lot of people liked it even more than the other shows. I had just finished a run of Buffy and Angel, and figured this would be a nice episodic diversion. I didn’t expect much more. And wow, I was wrong. I have always enjoyed Star Trek, but none of the other series had ever quite risen above good, even lovable, to truly great. Sure there are lots and lots of great episodes and great moments, some engaging story arcs, but I’m speaking of the series as a whole. Deep Space Nine really did go where no other Star Trek show had gone before. Sure it had a few clunkers, to be expected when you have 173 or whatever episodes, but there wasn’t a single episode that I could say I disliked. It was a story with a vision and a focus, an epic story that wasn’t just about one ship zipping around the galaxy, but about the whole Star Trek universe and how every civilization in it is connected. The Dominion was a truly great villain, as it allowed the show to explore the dynamics between humans, Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, even Ferengi, as everyone chose sides in order to ally with or defeat this interloping antagonist. And it was the story of one man who was not merely a Starfleet captain, but a central figure in a galaxy-wide morality tale. The final arc to bring closure to the main story, as well as the finale itself, was deeply satisfying. It was a fantastic end to a terrific series. As the camera panned back from the station for the last time, it was impossible not to get choked up. These characters had been like friends for the past eight months, and I knew I was seeing them for the last time, save for reruns. Deep Space Nine really is one of my favorite experiences ever watching a tv show, and I miss it already.


Some final observations on the show’s characters and other things:


Kira and Odo: One of sweetest romances ever on tv. Individually, the actors brought amazing depth to their characters. It was Nana Visitor's performance in Duet that first grabbed my attention, fantastic episode. Odo is one of my favorite characters on any show ever, the list of his great moments in this series is a mile long. Together, they were beautiful, and their final scene was unforgettable.


Miles and Bashir: From romance to bromance. You could argue that Miles O’Brien saved the character of Dr. Bashir. Bashir’s friendship with the gruff Irishman transformed him from the smarmy Casanova of the first season into a real dude. Seriously, of all the relationships on this show, theirs was the best, and I looked forward to every episode that featured the two of them. Their final adventure together leading up to the finale was bittersweet for me, because I knew I wouldn’t get to see these two guys Butch and Sundance their way out of another jam again. If Star Trek had ever made a sitcom, I would want it to be these two sharing an apartment in 24th century New York after Keiko divorces Miles and Ezri dumps Bashir. Add Quark as the owner of a new bar they hang out at and you have comic gold.


Ezri: She was only on for one season and her story arc was rushed, but she made the most of it, and I really liked the character. The actress showed good range, and could even camp it up in that one mirror universe episode. She was also great eye candy as well. A shame she was only on for the one season, but she quickly fit in with the rest of the cast and was a joy to watch.


Worf: Like Miles, he was a carryover from TNG. I have always loved this character and Michael Dorn’s performance, with his strict code of honor, his sense of decency, and how easily he gets flustered at the antics of non-Klingons. I really enjoyed his relationship with Jadzia, and the way she pushed his buttons. They were a good match. I cheered for his good fortune after suffering so many setbacks during the show, and will really miss him.


Jadzia: She may have missed the final season, but I really liked Jadzia, a true tomboy who could play Tongo and drink with the boys. She always brightened any room she was in. My only critique of the finale was I didn’t see her included in that final montage. They could have had a shot of her with Worf in one of their happy moments, it was deserved.


Quark: The Ferengi were clearly meant to be comic relief, with their ridiculous appearance and their greedy, scheming ways. But the skilled hand of Armin Shimerman made Quark so much more. Whether it was watching him match wits against Odo or surprising you with a sudden act of decency or compassion, Quark had many layers and always kept you guessing. He was a delight to watch.

Garak: Words cannot express. Played by the incomparable Andrew J. Robinson, Garak elevated this show several notches in every episode he was a part of. Fascinating, multi-dimensional, and above all, entertaining.

Nog: This little guy actually had the most character growth of anyone on the show. He started as this obnoxious brat friend to Jake Sisko, and by the end had transformed into a war hero. I really enjoyed his evolution as a character and the actor who played him.


Dukat: He was such an amazing villain. He wasn’t just simply some Cardassian antagonist with a singular agenda, but a character with deep emotional and psychological issues, a sociopath with a sliver of consciousness that could never quite surface before he plunged back into his evil ways. His rivalry with Sisko was legendary. As with any truly great tv villain, you both hated him and loved him, and looked forward to any episode he was in.

Kai Winn: Yes, she was Nurse Ratched in space, but a delightful villain who made you cringe whenever she walked into a room. The tension between her and Kira you could cut with a knife. Even their hellos were tension-filled.

The Dominion: OMG Weyoun! Where do I start? Never have I enjoyed a villain more than this guy. Oily, duplicitous, thoroughly enchanting and engaging while at the same time deliciously evil. He can smile at you charmingly while you can almost see the diabolical thoughts going on in that head of his. A master manipulator, he would be great as a presidential chief of staff or at running a political campaign here in the real world. Female Shapeshifter with her hypocritical rationalizations for her actions, evil to the core while maintaining her mantle of righteous entitlement. The Dominion truly was the greatest antagonist of all the Star Trek series, better than the Borg imo.

Other Recurring Characters: Damar’s evolution from Dukat’s sidekick to Dominion lapdog to war hero was a treat to watch. His portrayal was believable and his final performances were riveting. A very memorable character. Eddington’s rivalry with Sisko was terrific, he never gave an inch and really gave Sisko a run for his money. I really enjoyed their dialogue when the two of them were in the same room together. Martok was the quintessential Klingon, full of the usual Klingon bluster and exclamations about honor, but without becoming a caricature. You could feel his love for Worf, his dedication to family, his loyalty to his people above all else. A truly great man.


And lastly, SISKO: He was the greatest captain of all the Star Trek shows. Why? Because he wasn’t just a captain. He was the emissary. He was a father. On the other Star Trek shows you had the rogue, the benevolent dictator, the house mother, the frat boy. All of them more-or-less fitting into their defined trope or stereotype. But Sisko broke the mold. In some episodes he was the embodiment of Starfleet. In others he was the hardboiled military man. In others he was the over-protective father. And in others he was the whimsical emissary, trying to understand what the universe was all about. He was by the book at times, while other times he crossed the line of moral and ethical ambiguity. Several times he asked himself and asked us, does the end really justify the means? He was human, and Avery Brooks portrayed his humanity fabulously.


I was so glad that they concluded the main plot ten minutes before the end of the finale, giving us a full ten minutes to say goodbye to these great characters. I shed some tears…manly man tears! I will never forget my first run through this amazing show. Thanks for listening to my rambling tribute.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

And lastly, SISKO: He was the greatest captain of all the Star Trek shows. Why? Because he wasn’t just a captain. He was the emissary. He was a father. On the other Star Trek shows you had the rogue, the benevolent dictator, the house mother, the frat boy. All of them more-or-less fitting into their defined trope or stereotype. But Sisko broke the mold. In some episodes he was the embodiment of Starfleet. In others he was the hardboiled military man. In others he was the over-protective father. And in others he was the whimsical emissary, trying to understand what the universe was all about. He was by the book at times, while other times he crossed the line of moral and ethical ambiguity. Several times he asked himself and asked us, does the end really justify the means? He was human, and Avery Brooks portrayed his humanity fabulously.

I won't be among those who disagree with you on who is the greatest Trek captain. I think that he is the most different. Whereas Kirk, Picard, Janeway and Archer were the hero (each styled in a different way) that solved problems, Sisko struggled with the questions of his age. Indeed, there was lots of heroism to spread around, Odo, Kira, Dumar, Worf, Martok, etc., each having a significant share. Sisko was almost Willy Loman thrust into an epic. Whereas the other captains asked, "how can I fix this?," Sisko asked," what's this about, and what's my role?"

 

[Dobian]

And forgive me, I left out Garak, who I just added above. Amazing character.

 

[Hawkeye_90]

I still remember the first time I saw deep space nine. The first episode rocked my world, I hadn't realized as I watched that it was more then 45 minutes long until after it was done. Thanks God I was still in high school at the time and it was summer so I had a lot of time to watch tv. I often go back to ds9 as a stress reliever or when I am working really hard late into the night to keep myself focused.

I realized today that ds9 was my favorite trek because of the character development. It was much more developed than tng and I noticed that voyager was a mix between the two, but I think trek got it perfect when they made Deep Space Nine.

 

[hux]

Deep Space Nine was the most accomplished Trek series by a long way. The richness of the characters, the complexities of their relationships, the ongoing arc, the stories, everything.

Voyager is my show but I recognise that DS9 is the shining jewel in the Trek crown by a long way and is a truly great piece of television.

I don't think however, that Sisko can or should be compared to other captains though. They are captains of ships exploring space and behave and make decisions based on that but Sisko is someone who oversees the administration of a non-exploring space station and has a different set of objectives and problems. They occasionally investigated the Gamma quadrant (in the early seasons) but it was never the purpose of the show and the Dominion put an end to that anyway

And you even forgot to mention Section 31 and Sloan

Just so much going on in the show

 

[Dobian]

Well it's hard to remember everybody. Sloan was great, though he was only in a handful of episodes. The actor sort of reminded me of Robert Culp from His "I Spy" days. Another one I didn't mention was Vic Fontaine. Now I like James Darren and I'm a big fan fan of the whole Sinatra era, but I thought that whole bit was overused. I have never been a fan of the holosuite as a plot device. I mean, when you have an entire galaxy full of stories out there, why are you wasting valuable storytelling time in a land of make-believe? DS9 mostly avoided the holosuite stuff in the early seasons, but then came Vic Fontaine and they got a little carried away with that. The first time was fun, the second time...okay...but then he became almost like a regular. I did like how the club became sort of a hangout for the gang to bond together, but would rather they hadn't devoted so much episode time to that. That was probably my main criticism of season 7.

 

[Kirby]

Nog: This little guy actually had the most character growth of anyone on the show. He started as this obnoxious brat friend to Jake Sisko, and by the end had transformed into a war hero. I really enjoyed his evolution as a character and the actor who played him.

I would say that Nog had the most character growth on anyone on ANY Star Trek show.

That what I love about DS9, they weren't afraid to break the mold and really use the cast as an ensemble and tell stories from so many different points of view.
There were lots of episodes where Sisko, Kira, Odo, Bashir, etc all took more of a supporting role.

 

[Dobian]

Another character besides Nog who grew a lot was his dad Rom. I didn't care for Rom at all in the beginning, I thought he was totally lame. But then he started standing up to Quark and broke the mold by abandoning the standard Ferengi career path to become a Starfleet engineer, which I think influenced Nog in his choices.

 

[DonIago]

Nothing I can really argue with here.

Unfortunately, my understanding is that TPTB weren't permitted to use footage of Jadzia in WYLB because they'd used her voice previously without the proper permissions and consequently had irked people. Something like that.

 

[Dobian]

Nothing I can really argue with here.

Unfortunately, my understanding is that TPTB weren't permitted to use footage of Jadzia in WYLB because they'd used her voice previously without the proper permissions and consequently had irked people. Something like that.

That's pretty crazy that they didn't have the rights to re-air footage that they own in a new episode. And pretty petty of, I'm assuming, CBS. I do remember the audio clip from when either Ezri or Worf was remembering something. It was from a conversation Jadzia had with Worf in season 6.

 

[DonIago]

I guess at the time it didn't occur to anyone that they might want such rights. To be fair, Trek series aren't really known for doing flashbacks.

 

[Long Syntax]

I was so glad that they concluded the main plot ten minutes before the end of the finale, giving us a full ten minutes to say goodbye to these great characters. I shed some tears…manly man tears! I will never forget my first run through this amazing show. Thanks for listening to my rambling tribute.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on what is obviously your favorite series!

I enjoyed each character in DS9 as well. Each series has something special to offer and many times it speaks to a viewer in a very personal way, so I understand the "saying goodbye" to the characters. To some extent I've felt the same way with each series.

 

[Autistoid]

DS9 suffers tragically of being ahead of it's time.

I think if the show had aired exactly 10 years later it would of been huge.

It had alot of filler early on, and it dimished the audience.

Not to mention syndication that still keeps the sub par episodes in rotation.

If one had a 80 or so epsidoe selection I think it's probably one of the better tv series of that last generation.

 

[Dobian]

A couple of other characters I didn't mention are Jake and Rom. Rom started out pretty lame and his marriage to Leeta was off the believability scale, but he did grow on me in the way he grew a spine and stood up to Quark, broke the Ferengi mold and became a Starfleet engineer, became a good role model for Nog, and stayed true to his principles to the end...which earned him quite a reward.

I enjoyed Jake's interactions with his dad, especially in the early seasons. I thought their father/son relationship was an important part of the show. This was really showcased in the episode where they fly the recreation of an ancient glider to try to reach Cardassian space like in the legend. I wish he was played by a stronger actor. He was fine when Jake was a boy, but as he grew into young adulthood the cracks started to show. It was obvious when Nog used to be Jake's sidekick, but then it was Nog getting big stories while Jake was relegated to the background. I noticed that Jake started getting left out of most major plotlines the last couple of seasons, and was mostly window dressing down the stretch.

 

[Cyke101]

And lastly, SISKO: He was the greatest captain of all the Star Trek shows. Why? Because he wasn’t just a captain. He was the emissary. He was a father. On the other Star Trek shows you had the rogue, the benevolent dictator, the house mother, the frat boy. All of them more-or-less fitting into their defined trope or stereotype. But Sisko broke the mold. In some episodes he was the embodiment of Starfleet. In others he was the hardboiled military man. In others he was the over-protective father. And in others he was the whimsical emissary, trying to understand what the universe was all about. He was by the book at times, while other times he crossed the line of moral and ethical ambiguity. Several times he asked himself and asked us, does the end really justify the means? He was human, and Avery Brooks portrayed his humanity fabulously.

I won't be among those who disagree with you on who is the greatest Trek captain. I think that he is the most different. Whereas Kirk, Picard, Janeway and Archer were the hero (each styled in a different way) that solved problems, Sisko struggled with the questions of his age. Indeed, there was lots of heroism to spread around, Odo, Kira, Dumar, Worf, Martok, etc., each having a significant share. Sisko was almost Willy Loman thrust into an epic. Whereas the other captains asked, "how can I fix this?," Sisko asked," what's this about, and what's my role?"

Well, *I* think he's the greatest Trek captain

But really though, I think that's a spot on analysis. Being a hero is rather straight-forward. But I feel like Emissary did a really great job from the start of having Sisko ask that between his roles as commander, emissary, and father -- how does he juggle all three? Does he even want the first two? And to me the show did a great job of contining that thread from beginning to end, a span of 7 years.

It's funny that we see him succeed in all three roles, albeit rarely simultaneously. He was a good father, that is until the war separated him and Jake, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was such a good commander that he was a key military leader during the war, but it distanced him from the Bajorans. And in his greatest moment as emissary, he was forced to leave his son and career behind. To answer the question of "What's my role," you need sharp focus, and he couldn't even get the luxury of certainty.

 

[bbailey861]

Nice character wrap-up. DS9 really shattered my view of Star Trek - and all in good ways. Getting out of a Starship was one of the best ideas they had. The other was getting a great mix of characters who were far from perfect who interacted with each other in what I consider a totally believable fashion. And the character growth they exhibited over the span of the series was also a highlight. It was refreshing after watching TNG. I know it went on for the seven years, I just wish that it had gotten a better response from the audience during the first run. The ratings weren't stellar but I think they should have been.

I am on a DS9 rewatch again, now, and I can tell you it never gets boring.

 

[Zonker]

Well I just finished the series recently so I'll give it ago too. So far this has been my favorite Trek series by far. Great plots and great character development. I think the Dominion War was handled really well and I enjoyed a lot of the emissary arc.

Dominion War - Over all I thought that this was handled really well. My only complaint is that they missed a perfect opportunity for crossovers that would have felt more natural than the few at the beginning of the series. If the Federation and in fact the entire Alpha Quadrant is engaged in an inter stellar war then where is the Federation's flagship. It seems like it would have shown up at least once during all that. There were plenty of other similar ships on the show.

Maquis - Really interesting at the beginning but eventually it kind of turned into the Eddington show. Don't get me wrong I liked the character a lot but it seems he kind of overshadowed the rest of the plot. I think he should have been leader of one particular cell rather than the entirety of the Maquis.

Emissary/Prophets - I liked this plot a lot better when it was more ambiguous. I think the visions should have been restricted to the wormhole and orbs rather than just showing up whenever. I also thought the Pah Wraiths element was way too black and white for a show that was over all much more nuanced.


Kira - IMO the best character in the whole franchise. She may be impulsive, stubborn etc. but her flaws really made her feel like a real character. Some of the best development of any Trek character. Even if I disagreed with half of the stuff she did she was still a great character.

Garak - Second best character in the franchise in my opinion (DS9 really was great on that front). Another example of a well written character played by a great actor. He could have very easily been a cheap cliche but he ended up being one half of the best episode in the series and plenty of other great scenes. I especially liked how even a lot of the more reprehensible actions he took had somewhat good intentions. (He may have tried to commit genocide but he was willing to die in the process if it meant saving the Alpha Quadrant). Great character that was able to maintain complexity and intrigue even in a somewhat cliche role.

The Sisko - Maybe not the best captain but he was the best character who happened to be captain. His role as a family man really helped flesh out the character. His role as reluctant religious figure was really inventive and helped create some great stories.

Miles - The only "normal" human main character by the end of the show. The most relatable character. Also a family man. His friendship with Julian was fantastic. I always thought the best friendships are borderline homoerotic. "People either love you or hate you" "And you" "well... I... uh... don't... hate you" The "torture Miles" episodes were usually pretty good. "Hard Time" was great as a reverse "The Inner Light" and his attempted suicide scene with Julian there to talk him out of that gave me a huge love for both characters.

Julian - Although he was perfectly capable of being good on his own, Julian was the best during his relationships with others. His relationship with Garak brought out the best in both of them and his relationship with Miles was the best most natural friendship in Trek. He had perfect chemistry with both. Him getting together with Ezri seemed like a bad idea to me (from a in universe perspective, the writers didn't do anything wrong). They just both seemed a little too confused about where their feelings were coming from. Jadzia was as much a part of that relationship as Ezri was I thought. Still it was very believable. The only time I think the writers really screwed up with his character was the whole genetic engineering thing. That being said, it wasn't as nearly as bad as people made it seem. It didn't really have that big of an impact on the series.

Odo - A lot of parallels with Sisko. An unwilling religious figure with a mysterious birth that returns to his own people at the end of the series. His search for identity was really interesting. I really liked the mutual unspoken respect between him and Quark. He was also notable for being Kira's only love interest who wasn't a total snooze fest.

Worf - Another veteran of TNG. He really fit in well with the rest of the cast. His relationship with Jadzia was nice because she was resident Klingon expert before he showed up. He could be a bit of an ass at times but he could also be really cool. Notable for delivering the single best comedic line in each series he was on IMO.

Quark - Really characterized the Ferengi. Made them more than just a stereotype. He was incredibly witty and although he was often played for comedy, he could be serious when he needed to be. A great character that doesn't quite fit in the good guy - bad guy binary that most of Trek had.

Rom - Utterly owned and trampled on by his brother at the beginning of the show. His son is the catalyst for him to finally stand up to Quark and later to try and achieve more in life. Although he wasn't all that important I was really rooting for him when he finally told Quark off for interfering with the Nog's Starfleet test.

Nog - Probably had the most development of any character on Trek. He started out as a trouble making Ferengi kid who was never up to any good. Jake kind of took him under his wing and they became close friends. He eventually became an over eager Starfleet cadet and ended the show as a wounded combat vet with PTSD. He did for the Ferengi what Worf did for the Klingons except you actually got to watch it happen.

Jake - He often gets the criticism that he was useless towards the end and overall a boring character. However when I first saw him I actually really liked the character. When I watched the pilot I thought Cirroc Lofton was a better actor than Avery Brooks. He may not have been the most important character but I thought that he was the first kid that Star Trek got right (all of the kids in TNG and quite a few in TOS were god awful). I really admired the relationship he had with his father. It seemed so loving and sincere. And if nothing else he gave us "the Visitor".

Jadzia - Although she was my least favorite main character (other than Ezri) I've come to realize that she was only bad by DS9 standards. She would have fit in well in TNG, been one of two good characters in Voyager and been the highlight of Enterprise. I recognize that the character of a joined trill must be very hard to write for and just as hard to act. The writers had to balance making her realistic and at the same time not a Mary Sue. While i think they succeeded they also ended up with a somewhat boring character. It's a shame that the writers didn't quite know what to do with he because she had insane potential as a character.

Ezri - Ezri was only on the show for one season so they decided to develop her as much as possible in a short time. Unfortunately this gave her Mary Sue Syndrom IMO. Eventually they decided that they had paused the show to let her do everything for too long and they needed to get back to the plot. Once her development became part of the plot of the show rather than the whole thing, I liked her character a lot more.

Dukat - A lot of people have called him the best villain on Trek next to Kahn (personally I prefer Dukat). Up until the end of season 6 he was great. He was a nuanced character who although he was clearly the bad guy wasn't completely evil. He had a lot of good qualities. But around the end of season 6 he became a bit of a mustache-twirling stereotypical bad guy. His over the top villainy gave way to a somewhat embarrassing episode (Hitler shows up in Israel and starts a satanic cult, people decide its a good idea to join). It also made for a lackluster end to the emissary arc (though that wasn't the only reason). Over all he just lost some of the complexity he had beforehand that made him so great.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

For me, DS9 is the only series that can be summed up in a single word: Awesome!

Or if I have to get more descriptive, two words: Sheer Awesomeness!

Whenever the PTB make a new series, they should look back to DS9 and see just how truly excellent Trek can be, thanks to consistent, engaging and intelligent writing, wonderfully developed characters who show true growth, and a great cast of actors to portray them.

Sisko is a man that I would follow to hell and back, he just has such strength, charisma and compassion to him, plus you'd know it'd be one helluva battle.

Kira is the best character of Star Trek. She is the definition of a strong female character (and not just because she's a great scrapper).

Worf was someone I never much cared for in TNG, but was far more interesting on DS9, partly due to his relationship with Jadzia and the side of him that brought out.

Jadzia is the last time they got the smart-and-sexy character right, a tomboy and adventurer, who didn't need skin-tight or low cut outfits to show she had allure.

Bashir was a character I started off disliking, as many of the other characters did at the beginning, but as you get to know him you appreciate him more and more.

Ezri was a great addition to S7. They could've just made her Jadzia 2.0, but with her own arc and some wonderful scenes she was a joy to watch (shame we didn't get more).

O'Brien was the everyman, who always got the short end of the stick. His and Bashir's friendships is the most genuine and real of the franchise (sorry Kirk/Spock/McCoy fans).

Odo is a joy to watch. His observations on us "humanoids" are always right on the button, without being heavy handed. His romance with Kira was also very sweet.

Quark was someone I never thought I'd like, but his polar opposite view on things was refreshing from the clean cut Starfleet we'd seen before.

Jake was a breath of fresh air as a teenager who was normal! Not a super genius, or someone who aspired to be an officer, but wanted to find his own path in life.

Garak was amazing, he always stole the show.

Rom is one of the sweetest characters around, Leeta obviously thought so--loved her sass too.

Nog was great as a different kind of Ferengi, he and Jake's friendship takes second place (really sorry Kirk/Spock/McCoy fans).

Dukat was such a great villain, with an air of charm but an undercurrent of menace.

Kai Winn is close behind him though, someone whose strength of belief and conviction drives them to extremes.

Morn. May never have uttered a word, but what would DS9 be without him?

 

[Cyke101]

Morn. May never have uttered a word, but what would DS9 be without him?

Really? I thought he'd never shut up (but I loved his stories all the same).

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Really? I thought he'd never shut up (but I loved his stories all the same).

Wish we had heard him speak--he got a whole episode dedicated to him but still never uttered a word on camera. I always envisioned him sounding like Brian Blessed