Poor Odo

[DrTaylor]

How does Odo see? If he makes functional eyes, why not have one in the back of his head? But how does he see (or hear) when he's a bag, or a glass, or a bottle, if he's making functional eyes to see with? Therefore his eyes are just decorative. So why would he turn to look when something blows up or whatever? Why not become the air and watch everything? Can he become the air? What would happen if he did?

I'm confusing myself. Help!

 

[TeutonicNights]

the air is the air, what can be done?!

 

[DrTaylor]

I just wonder what the rules are for Odo's perceptive abilities. I mean, sometimes he's an object with no eyes and yet still knows what's happening in front of him. Sometimes he has eyes and looks away from things (like Kira and Shakaar making out in the upper pylon).

 

[Quark]

I think he can "see" whenever. When I see him I believe that he can see whenever. Like when Luwxanna Troi was hunting for him in his room, he knew where she was, while he was immitatting the surface of the object. So I guess he has some sort of sonar or something...

 

[TeutonicNights]

I think DS9 has been pretty inconsistent with Odo's features and abilities.
Like when he is knocked out by a rock in "Vortex" (when he KNEW the cave was about to collapse) , but shielding "Kira" from falling rocks in "Haert of Stone". Imo that shows they never really intended to fully work out and explain exactly how Odo "worked", creating some inconsistencies along the way.

On the other hand maybe it's for the better. In Voyager we would have seen endless dialogue about how changelings use subspace pockets and how his cells react to all kinds of radiation (in detail).
I bet we would even have gotten some adventure with subspace creatures living in his body or something.

Alot of things might be explained if we assume high tech was used in creating changelings/transformig them into changelings many years ago. Each of their "cells" may have the ability to percieve stuff in a limited way (so he could still see and hear while being a glass), but recreating a "real" eye might still be more effective for unskilled Changelings.
Thus, Odo would rely on his "fake" humanoid body for the most part, explaining his humanoid behavior when reacting to things.

 

[Borg451]

^ I assume that while other stuff and also gooey.. he can sense stuff... as in that ep with the baby changling.. he was talking to it.. and such..

 

[SoM]

^ I assume that while other stuff and also gooey.. he can sense stuff... as in that ep with the baby changling.. he was talking to it.. and such..

Well, it could apparently hear him even when it was gloop - but it formed a crude face when it needed to look at him.

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

It's all magic, the unknowable.

 

[Timo]

I'd argue Odo's abilities, inabilities and disabilities are more a mental than a physical thing.

That is, Odo could probably see with every square inch of his body, whatever the shape of the body, but he can only concentrate on a limited number of things. Hence, he may sometimes miss what's happening behind his back just like a human who sees through a pair of forward-facing eyes would.

And Odo could protect himself against falling rocks or swinging swords, but only if he's mentally prepared for it. If he has other things in his mind, he may be in some actual danger, both in "Vortex" and in "Way of the Warrior". Although in both cases, one might argue that he faked it. In "Vortex", he could simply have wanted to wait and see what Croden would do; in "WotW", he would have politely expressed gratitude to Bashir for guarding his six even if said guarding was actually unnecessary.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[pimp]

What if he became the air and then people breathed him in, there would be a little bit of Odo in everyone

 

[Triskelion]

There was a thread on this a month or so ago with some good ideas.

Personally I think he just faked it.