The changelings

[Deckerd]

Sure, but the question here is were the show's producers being sloppy or consistent?

 

[Timo]

I'd say both. Sloppy, perhaps, in not coming up with a completely watertight reason for Odo's face, but extremely consistent with sticking to what they did come up with...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Unicron]

But it wouldn't be. Without contact with the Founders, odds are that Odo would not have learned to shapeshift properly even if given centuries. He was stunned and delighted to learn what was possible for the likes of him in "The Search"; had he not shaken hands with a Founder, he would never even have dreamed of such things.

What about Laas then? He apparently never came into contact with the Founders, and didn't even know much about them until he met Odo, yet he was capable of taking shapes which Odo had apparently never even considered, and all through his own periods of trial and error. I agree that not knowing the Founders would reduce Odo's potential for growth (no pun intended ), but I'm not sure the odds would be so high against him.

 

[Damask]

What about Laas then? He apparently never came into contact with the Founders, and didn't even know much about them until he met Odo, yet he was capable of taking shapes which Odo had apparently never even considered, and all through his own periods of trial and error. I agree that not knowing the Founders would reduce Odo's potential for growth (no pun intended ), but I'm not sure the odds would be so high against him.

I believe Laas became aware of what he was years (eons?) before Odo knew. If you watch Children of Time you'll see that Odo is a much better shapeshifter then.

 

[Unicron]

I agree. I was responding to Timo's suggestion that both Laas and Odo wouldn't have been able to attain this level of existence without coming into contact with the Dominion.

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

There isn't really any good explanation for this. TPTB simply decided to dumb the show down so that LCD viewers wouldn't get 'confused' () by seeing changelings with different appearances. There is no in-show explanation that makes any sense. Some fans try to use the excuse "they were trying to make Odo feel more comfortable so they copied him", but really that makes no sense at all considering that they looked like Odo when he was nowhere around.

Ultimately there is nothing that can be done with this point other than chalking it up to a major series fubar that detracts from the integrity of the show.

I agree almost completely. I'm going to call it a minor fubar.

 

[Bacl]

I'm more confused as to why they all spoke English.

Universal translator, my ass.