What would the series have been like without the Dominion?

[Poltargyst]

How about doing away with any conflict in DS9?

-- After the 50 years Collaboration between Cardassia and Bajor ends, they generously gift Terok Nor to the Bajorans, seeing no further use for it. It was a beautiful and fruitful time, but the Cardassians feel it is time to move on. Major Kira is sorry to see them go, but she can understand and emphasize with the Cardassian stance on the matter. Gul Dukat even offers her to become his mistress, telling that she will want for nothing on Cardassia, but while she gracefully declines, she still appreciates the offer.

Enter Benjamin Sisko, who wanted a new challenge after participating in the Borg Cultural Exchange Program. He turns out to be the Emissary. Benjamin has no problem whatsoever accepting the wormhole aliens as Prophets, and neither does Starfleet have any issues with his dual role; all the admirals laugh, clap him fatherly on the shoulder for being so fortunate, and tell him that in forthcoming cases, of course Starfleet interests can take a backseat to those of the Prophets. Benjamin and Quark encourage Jake and Nog to hang out with one another, knowing full well that this will only culturally enrich them.

About halfway the season, they meet the Submission - a Gamma Quadrant empire that loves to submit to powers of other quadrants, especially from the Alpha Quadrant. They're slightly disappointed when the Federation isn't interested in dominating them, but the two powers get on famously in no time. Odo is welcomed by his people.

Also about the same time, the Romulans show up. It is a tearful reunion after so many decades of absence.

The Pah Wraiths are discovered as well; except for having a different essence color when about inhabit a corporeal lifeform (that one is red and the other blue is really convenient for us to tell them apart), they turn out to have exactly the same values as the Prophets, so they merge.

Even Eddington is an amiable character who has no issues with anyone, and who most definitely doesn't drone on and on about his homegrown tomatoes.

The series ends with a massive party/reunion where everyone who ever appeared on the series comes together to celebrate their friendship.

The Ferengi are known far and wide for their generosity. The Grand Nagus preaches a philosophy of poverty and service to others. Quark himself is so known for giving away his wealth and free drinks that everyone wonders how he can even keep his bar open, which, of course, serves only root beer, prune juice, and raktajino. Visitors to the bar can play games of chance in which the odds favor the visitors. Quark avoids any activities that might have even the appearance of wrongdoing, is known for his sterling character, and he has a running gag with Odo in which he chides Odo for not being diligent enough in his duties.

 

[SalyutBuran]

I liked the Changelings (the drop an ocean and an ocean a drop) from a sci-fi perspective, but the rhinoceros men Jem Hadar seemed pretty silly to me. Droids or drones would have been more realistic. Humanoids simply cannot compete with machines for lethality.

The “Conspiracy” parasites might’ve been interesting. They could have been coming through the wormhole all along, and no one would have noticed until its discovery in “Emissary.” Every alien, every character, but have been a suspect at all times. Imagine at the end of the series we find out one of the main characters who is in selves a parasite — like Changeling Bashir. Imagine if it was even Kira or Sisko. The Emissary despite himself. Who Kira kills at the end. After not killing Dukat who is the one with the Damar-like turnaround.

I'm convinced the Gem Hadar were just added to give them a Sardukar/Dune vibe, and never got past the addiction to the drug.

It was just embarrassing for the franchise to be honest. Their most interesting trait, they were ranked in numerical order. No ranks or anything just ranked in 1 2 3 order.

They wanted physically large actors but couldn't locate enough bodybuilders so they just higher a bunch of tall overweight guys and put them in oversized wetsuits.

Any kind of infantry makes no sense in star trek. The whole point is that they engage in thinking man's war, with advanced weapons systems and phasers which effective have automatic targeting. A phaser is suppose to be like a flashlight, it's a backup tool, incase the lights go out. You wouldn't have your office lit up by a bunch of guys holding flashlights, why would you fight a war with phaser rifles? The siege of ARR-558 was for me a low point in DS9, it was fun but it was the episode that clearly crossed the line into just being war hammer in space. Obviously the follow up with Nog's amputation was perfect, the episode of course was fun too, but it's guilty pleasure fun.

DS9 jumped the shark when it went to a full on WW2 analogy. It was just so senseless. They should have kept on the break of Yugolavia wars narrative, where the federation wasn't taking sides in the cardassian/bajor conflict but were simply trying to facilitate the piece.

One great plot twist would have been if Bajor teamed up with the Maquis(using federation tech) and had a violent assault on Cardassia. The Maquis we're such an underrated aspect of DS9, they could have done so much with it, especially in some hypothetical situation where DS9 had to ally with them or alternatively ally with the Cardassians against them.

The long and short is there's no reason to include the entire federation in a conflict. Much better when DS9/sisko is an observer to conflict, or someone trying to force a peace.





DS9 had to cross the rubicon and become piece makers.

 

[MikHutch]

While I enjoy the Dominion I do see a lot of value in seeing the Federation as peacekeepers. Granted, the Dominion still work as antagonists manipulating enemies rather than conquering them (really better than the Romulans ever did)

 

[Poltargyst]

I'm convinced the Gem Hadar were just added to give them a Sardukar/Dune vibe, and never got past the addiction to the drug.

It was just embarrassing for the franchise to be honest. Their most interesting trait, they were ranked in numerical order. No ranks or anything just ranked in 1 2 3 order.

They wanted physically large actors but couldn't locate enough bodybuilders so they just higher a bunch of tall overweight guys and put them in oversized wetsuits.

Any kind of infantry makes no sense in star trek. The whole point is that they engage in thinking man's war, with advanced weapons systems and phasers which effective have automatic targeting. A phaser is suppose to be like a flashlight, it's a backup tool, incase the lights go out. You wouldn't have your office lit up by a bunch of guys holding flashlights, why would you fight a war with phaser rifles? The siege of ARR-558 was for me a low point in DS9, it was fun but it was the episode that clearly crossed the line into just being war hammer in space. Obviously the follow up with Nog's amputation was perfect, the episode of course was fun too, but it's guilty pleasure fun.

DS9 jumped the shark when it went to a full on WW2 analogy. It was just so senseless. They should have kept on the break of Yugolavia wars narrative, where the federation wasn't taking sides in the cardassian/bajor conflict but were simply trying to facilitate the piece.

One great plot twist would have been if Bajor teamed up with the Maquis(using federation tech) and had a violent assault on Cardassia. The Maquis we're such an underrated aspect of DS9, they could have done so much with it, especially in some hypothetical situation where DS9 had to ally with them or alternatively ally with the Cardassians against them.

The long and short is there's no reason to include the entire federation in a conflict. Much better when DS9/sisko is an observer to conflict, or someone trying to force a peace.





DS9 had to cross the rubicon and become piece makers.

Well, I'm going to disagree because I think the show got a lot better when the Federation got involved in the war.

DS9 never jumped the shark.

 

[MikHutch]

Well, I'm going to disagree because I think the show got a lot better when the Federation got involved in the war.

DS9 never jumped the shark.

I don't think it did either but I can see why some might prefer the subterfuge and fragile peacetime storylines of the earlier seasons


I'll say the Dominion War and Cardassian Occupation both showed the drastic effects of alien war and conflict far better than previous encounters with the Klingons, the Romulans and the Ferengi did.

 

[DonIago]

I wish DS9 had gotten one more season just to show how things 'returned to normal' post-Dominion War.

Okay, that's a lie. I wish DS9 had gotten five more seasons. Ten more seasons. I wish DS9 was still airing today, with all of the advances that newer and better technology would allow for in terms of VFX. I wish the LD folks had visited DS9 in live-action. I wish DS9 would be recreated in VR so we could all tour the station whenever the mood struck us. I wish---^*$#@()@(*CARRIER LOST

 

[MikHutch]

I wish DS9 had gotten one more season just to show how things 'returned to normal' post-Dominion War.

Okay, that's a lie. I wish DS9 had gotten five more seasons. Ten more seasons. I wish DS9 was still airing today, with all of the advances that newer and better technology would allow for in terms of VFX. I wish the LD folks had visited DS9 in live-action. I wish DS9 would be recreated in VR so we could all tour the station whenever the mood struck us. I wish---^*$#@()@(*CARRIER LOST

That's why we need a post Dominion War follow up series

 

[Arpy]

DS9 never jumped the shark.

Anyone have that gif with Dukat’s red eyes they wanna post at this time?

 

[fireproof78]

I wish DS9 had gotten one more season just to show how things 'returned to normal' post-Dominion War.

To what end?

A series of meetings with everyone saying "All's well that ends well?"

Or are we going in to Star Trek: West Wing territory.

 

[DonIago]

To what end?

A series of meetings with everyone saying "All's well that ends well?"

Or are we going in to Star Trek: West Wing territory.

One end that readily springs to mind would have been to explore and perhaps resolve the question of whether Bajor would have joined the Federation.

 

[fireproof78]

One end that readily springs to mind would have been to explore and perhaps resolve the question of whether Bajor would have joined the Federation.

That didn't answer my question.

What would it look like? Series of meetings, celebratory welcoming's in of Bajor, champagne on DS9 and various diplomatic meetings?

 

[DonIago]

That didn't answer my question.

What would it look like? Series of meetings, celebratory welcoming's in of Bajor, champagne on DS9 and various diplomatic meetings?

I thought you were being facetious.

Besides DS9's early seasons when things were a bit calmer on the station, you've got the DS9 relaunch novels to give you an idea of how things might develop post-Dominion War.

 

[fireproof78]

I thought you were being facetious.

Besides DS9's early seasons when things were a bit calmer on the station, you've got the DS9 relaunch novels to give you an idea of how things might develop post-Dominion War.

I'll rephrase.

Genuine question: what do people want from a follow up in DS9? Bajor's membership seems to be a huge sticking point, which is interesting given the Prophet's warning. I would not see them joining the Federation in the lifetime of those who could remember the war.

I'm not interested in novels, but more curious what people desire to see, questions they desire to answer? Sisko coming back I get but the rest? That's more nebulous.

 

[MikHutch]

I mean, seeing Bajor and Cardassia rebuild. New Gamma Quadrant exploration. Attempts at more peaceful relations with the Changelings. Reforms on Ferenginar.

 

[kkt]

Jump the shark, I dunno. I didn't think making Dukat a mustache-twirling caricature did the show any good, or hooking him up with Kai Winn. In other respects, though, I liked season 7 very much.

 

[fireproof78]

I mean, seeing Bajor and Cardassia rebuild. New Gamma Quadrant exploration. Attempts at more peaceful relations with the Changelings. Reforms on Ferenginar.

So, more a political thriller. The Reconstruction Star Trek style.

 

[somebuddyX]

I'll rephrase.

Genuine question: what do people want from a follow up in DS9? Bajor's membership seems to be a huge sticking point, which is interesting given the Prophet's warning. I would not see them joining the Federation in the lifetime of those who could remember the war.

I'm not interested in novels, but more curious what people desire to see, questions they desire to answer? Sisko coming back I get but the rest? That's more nebulous.

I know this will never happen but I'd be happy if it did came back and it was just a standalone adventure. You probably couldn't do that and also do Sisko's return, but if I could I wouldn't bring him back.

 

[MikHutch]

So, more a political thriller. The Reconstruction Star Trek style.

Yea that would be great. I'd like to see more of the gamma quadrant too. Bring back all the DS9 races (Changelings, Ferengi, Bajorans, Cardassians, Bolians, Trills) but add a few new ones too. To see how the gamma quadrant is now that the Dominion is somewhat weakened.

 

[Arpy]

I think there is a lot you could do with a Season 8-10 of DS9. Aside from all the postwar storytelling that could echo the many stories of the postwar years after WWII, there’s good ol’ fashioned sci-fi, some of which we got in earlier seasons, maybe best in 3-5.

A season could focus on postwar stories, another season on Bajor entering the Federation, and a final season on Bajor’s ascent thereafter as part of the Federation, exploding into the Gamma Quadrant as well.

All the while peppering in stand-alone about various sci-fi concepts, maybe a bit more on race to further interest Brooks and build on some of the series’ most powerful episodes, maybe do a long arc as part of that postwar storytelling about the new Cold War with Romulus, the battle for the soul of Cardassia in the reconstruction era and the problem of Cardassian refugees/the alien trash of the galaxy. All while much of the fleet could very easily swing in either direction and is a bit of a wildcard.

The final season could also include the return of the Sisko after a long lead up to it like the lead up to the Dominion in earlier seasons.

Huge upheavals on Ferenginar. Maybe former Cardassian neighbors and adversaries start carving up the frontier — the Tzenkethi, Talarians, and Miradorn among others.

During the postwar intrigue, there’s the secret war to route out Section 31 by Starfleet Intelligence once and for all.

Maybe part of the sci-fi stuff we find out more about who and what the Prophets are and why they chose Bajor. Or why the wormhole ends where it does on the other side.

A one-off could be the return of Opaka, maybe as the herald of the Emissary and the thousand year golden age upon his return.

 

[fireproof78]

It's an interesting idea, especially trying to write it without Sisko.