Spoilers There will never be Ferengi in DISCO

With the jump into the far future in the 3rd season of DISCO, we have the chance to be reintroduced to old friends with new twists. The Vulcans and Romulans are now reunited. Earth has become isolationist and even the federation itself is dramatically altered in size and in character.

In this far future, we may wonder about the other races we knew so well. Where are the Klingons and Cardassians? What will the Borg look like in this future?

But we need not wonder about the Ferengi. They will never be seen in this future.

How can I be sure of this?

It’s because the Ferengi have already been reintroduced. They are hiding in plain sight and are now called the Orions. In this future, the Orions have become all of the things that the Ferengi were. Or more accurately, they have become all of the things that the Ferengi should have been before they were turned into a joke.

Let’s think back to the start of TNG. The Ferengi were supposed to be the main villains of TNG. It was an interesting choice. In TOS, the main villains were the Klingons and the main philosophical debate was between cooperation (the Federation) and conquest (the Klingons). This conflict mirrored the Cold War reality at that time between the USA and Russia. In TNG the main philosophical debate was going to be cooperation (the Federation) vs Capitalism (the Ferengi). But sadly this was not the case. The Ferengi bombed and the Romulans took their place.

But now in DISCO, it seems like we have come back to the start of TNG at least philosophically (cooperation vs capitalism). The only difference is that the Ferengi have been replaced by Orions.

But have the Ferengi really been replaced? Perhaps the Ferengi have just been reskinned?

Let’s look at the main villain of the 3rd season of DISCO, Osyraa. She looks like an Orion but she sure does act like a Ferengi.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a copy of the Rules of Acquisition in her back pocket. She certainly follows the Rules of Acquisition quite closely.

Here are some examples of Osyraa following the Rules of Acquisition.


“ The riskier the road, the greater the profit.” 62nd rule.
She is a risk-taker. Osyraa takes big risks looking for big payoffs. Stealing Discovery and taking it to the Federation was a big gamble.


“Know your enemies... but do business with them always” 177th rule.
She is a businessperson who makes deals to get what she wants. After she got Discovery past the Federation’s shields, what did she do? Attack like a Klingon? No she tried to make a deal. How Ferengi can you get!


“Never ask when you can take” 52nd rule.
Of course, Osyraa is not always so polite. When she has the upper hand she does as she pleases.


“There is no honor in poverty” 106th rule.
“My ancestors knew that power is virtue, and there is no nobility in suffering. “ Osyraa. Nuff said.


“Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity” 6th rule.
Osyraa killed her nephew. As she said herself “You do what it takes to get what you need, or you don’t.”.

“Beware the man who doesn't take time for Oo-mox” 223rd rule. Ferengi believe that people should enjoy the sensual pleasures of life. Osyraa is very sensual. Look at the way she sat on the captains chair after she took Discovery from Tilly. She took time to enjoy her victory.

“Learn the customer's weaknesses, so that you can better take advantage of him” 87th rule. Osyraa is very manipulative. She has her chief scientist, Aurelio, thinking that she will save the universe as she saved him.

“Hear all, trust nothing” 190th rule. Ferengi see nothing wrong with telling lies. Lies are a natural part of communication among Ferengi. Trying to figure out what someone is lying about is part of the fun of social interaction as far as Ferengi are concerned. Thus when Osyraa is talking about the lie detector holo, she says “Where’s the fun in that?”.

Every time I look at Osyraa, I see a Ferengi.

But wait!

You might say that she is a woman! Ferengi women are not allowed to engage in business!

In this case we can assume that Rom’s reforms of Ferengi society have taken hold and women are now equal to men in Ferengi society.

 

Ferengi aren't Orions though are they? Like how cats aren't dogs.

 

I

If cats started barking and chasing cars, I would say that they are acting just like dogs.

 

No they're not. Orions are Orions, Ferengi are Ferengi.

Cats are cats, dogs are dogs.

 

Good. Good for you.

 

I understand. My point is that Orions are acting a lot like Ferengi.

 

Cool. My point is that the Ferengi aren't hiding in plain sight and are now called Orions.

 

I didn’t mean that comment totally literally.
I meant that we couldn’t have Ferengi because the Orions are acting so much like Ferengi.

 

Great stuff. Really interesting.

Anyway, Happy New Year.

 

I have to agree. The Ferengi must have moderated somewhat during the intervening centuries for them not to be front and center of a galaxy mostly unpoliced by the Federations tough laws and regulations about free enterprise. Perhaps Rom’s reforms took root and they eventually became good Fed citizens? Hopefully, we’ll hear about it at some point.

 

I agree that the Emerald Chain took over the Ferengi Alliance's spot in the 32nd century.

 

The Orions were the Ferengi before there were Ferengi.

 

If the Ferengi and Orions have joined forces, maybe we'll see an Orion-Ferengi baby who's green with big ears/lobes and likes to eat frogs instead of tube grubs. Name: Noggu.

 

With a side order of Egg of Sentient Species.

 

I really prefer that the Ferengi haven't appeared in DSC.

Despite the time-jump, DSC still favors TOS as the primary series it ties back to. And the Orions fit the materialistic/commerce bill as well as the Ferengi ever did. I'd even say better. Because I take the Emerald Chain more seriously than the Ferengi Alliance.

DS9 never portrayed the Ferengi as a threat either. It was just TNG. So the Ferengi being a potential threat fits the DNA of Picard better than Discovery. Not that I really want to see the Ferengi in PIC either, but it's a more natural fit to have them in an adversarial or quasi-adversarial role over there. Picard wisely followed TNG's lead and has stuck with the Romulans.

 

Season 2 of Picard will feature his old enemy, Sovak, who has secretly murdered the Grand Nagus and taken his place in dictatorial control over the entire Ferengi Alliance. The Grand Nagus's brother will come to Picard seeking his help to expose the deception.

 

Wow 2 Ferengi threads? When Osyra mentioned capitalism I thought of the Ferengi too. I rather not see them but they probably will get name dropped at some point.

 

The Ferengi will turn up eventually.

Whether or not they are still capitalists remains to be seen.

 

Surprise! There is more than one civilization in the universe that practises capitalism.