Ro Laren

[SignGuyHPW]

I've read before that it was considered by the creators of DS9 to have Ro Laren of TNG be the central Bajoran character, but they weren't able to come to terms with the actress. Do you think the show would've been a lot different had Ro been the Bajoran rather than a totally new character like we got with Kira?

 

[R. Star]

Obviously it would have. Season 1 Kira was quite obviously created to be very similar to Ro. Kira eventually grew in a direction I don't think Ro would have to say the least. I can't see her hooking with with a religious type or Odo for example.

There's no telling where the DS9 staff would've taken Ro, but she and Sisko butting heads would've been something to watch. But it wasn't to be and I don't think I'd change that. Kira was a great character in her own right.

I would've liked to see Ro show up in a guest Ro in one of the Maquis episodes later on though. That would've been nice.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Whilst I love Ro, I don't think she would've worked as well on DS9 as Kira did. Ro was Starfleet, trained to follow the same rules and ideals (though granted she did have a tough time with that). Kira, as a Bajoran patriot, had a very different vantage point--she was doing her job for Bajor first and foremost--which led to some great conflict between her and Sisko. And as R Star said, she went on to become a great character in her own right.

It would've been good to have seen Ro return in a Maquis episode or two--even made her a recurring character--but unfortunately that just wasn't to be. Shame that.

 

[Melakon]

Quoting from my copy of The Making of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1994), page 105:

Some character changes were made in the revised bible as well, most notably, the replacement of Ensign Ro Laren. There was no dramatic or technical reason for this change. Quite simply, Michelle Forbes, the actor who played Ro, did not want to commit to a series. She liked the character. She liked appearing on occasional episodes of The Next Generation, but given the success of that show, it was quite reasonable to expect that becoming a main character on Deep Space Nine would be at least a five- to six-year-long career commitment. Forbes had other acting goals to pursue, and so declined Berman's and Piller's impassioned entreaties to sign aboard.

However, there was an unexpected upside to the loss of Ensign Ro. From the beginning, Berman and Piller had wanted to insure that there would [be] interpersonal conflict among the regulars, and, in hindsight, how much conflict could there be between Ro and Sisko when both were Starfleet officers? But if Sisko's Bajoran liaison officer was not Starfleet, if she was not under any obligation to follow his orders or even like him, a whole new character dynamic came into play.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

It's always made me a little sad we didn't get Ro on DS9. Favorite TNG character.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

Quoting from my copy of The Making of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1994), page 105:

Some character changes were made in the revised bible as well, most notably, the replacement of Ensign Ro Laren. There was no dramatic or technical reason for this change. Quite simply, Michelle Forbes, the actor who played Ro, did not want to commit to a series. She liked the character. She liked appearing on occasional episodes of The Next Generation, but given the success of that show, it was quite reasonable to expect that becoming a main character on Deep Space Nine would be at least a five- to six-year-long career commitment. Forbes had other acting goals to pursue, and so declined Berman's and Piller's impassioned entreaties to sign aboard.

However, there was an unexpected upside to the loss of Ensign Ro. From the beginning, Berman and Piller had wanted to insure that there would [be] interpersonal conflict among the regulars, and, in hindsight, how much conflict could there be between Ro and Sisko when both were Starfleet officers? But if Sisko's Bajoran liaison officer was not Starfleet, if she was not under any obligation to follow his orders or even like him, a whole new character dynamic came into play.

As much as I think it's a shame we never got to see Ro as much, this is exactly why I'm happy things turned out the way they did. It definitely would have been an entirely different dynamic with Ensign Ro. She fit in much better with the TNG crew to be honest, as it was more interesting having her as a defiant character on the Enterprise. If she used the same attitude on Sisko, he would have likely had her head served on a platter.

 

[R. Star]

Did you not watch season 1 of DS9? Kira was way more fiery than Ro then. She cooled down over the years on DS9 though. Kira would erupt while Ro just simmered.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

Did you not watch season 1 of DS9? Kira was way more fiery than Ro then. She cooled down over the years on DS9 though. Kira would erupt while Ro just simmered.

Except the dynamic was different. Sisko could take it from Kira to an extent because she is from the Bajoran Militia and as his first officer he wants to know her what's on her mind so that he can work with her. Ro however is a Starfleet ensign, and Sisko wouldn't let that kind of attitude fly from someone in a lowly rank.

I do gotta say though, I do like the indirect reference to Ensign Ro in "Emissary".

SISKO: I guess it's time to meet Major Kira.
O'BRIEN: Sir, have you ever served with any Bajoran women?
SISKO: No. Why?
O'BRIEN: I was just wondering, sir.

 

[dub]

So happy we got my dream lover, Kira!

But if we got Ro instead, she totally would have hooked up with Tom Riker and the beard would have been a recurring character.

 

[Use of Time]

It would have been nice to run into her in a two part episode like "The Maquis." Would have been better than Cal Hudson.

 

[R. Star]

Except she didn't join the Maquis until Preemptive Strike in TNG, which aired after the Maquis. So she'd have to be showing up later. Helping Tom Riker hijack the Defiant or with Eddington or something.

 

[Use of Time]

Yep, my bad.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I would have liked to see Ro, but not at the expense of Kira.

Kira and Ro > Just Kira > Just Ro

 

[bbjeg]

I liked Ro in TNG but I couldn't see her as her rough edge self under Sisko as a mere ensign or as a Maquis against him, she'd die in either situation... well, metaphorically as an ensign. Sisko would have tamed her.

 

[R. Star]

I'm quite sure she would've either been promoted or given a Major rank in Bajor's forces if she was on DS9.

 

[SignGuyHPW]

Ro was promoted to Lt. during TNG so I'm guessing she'd have been higher ranked than ensign if they'd gotten her for DS9.

 

[Pondwater]

I would of liked to see her show up sometime on DS9. I wonder if she would of been one to kill Dukat.

 

[R. Star]

I imagine most Bajorans would take a shot at Dukat given the opportunity.

 

[bbjeg]

I'm quite sure she would've either been promoted or given a Major rank in Bajor's forces if she was on DS9.

A higher rank in starfleet wouldn't have done it, her attitude wouldn't be tolerated under Sisko, and though a Major rank given to a Bajoran with starfleet training is believable, I wouldn't add Ro at the expense of Kira.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

I would of liked to see her show up sometime on DS9. I wonder if she would of been one to kill Dukat.

Even in the Mirror Universe episodes?
I think she would have handled Quark much differently to.