StarTrek: Deep Space Nine 30 most memorable characters ranked
By Mike Poteet
15. Ezri Dax
Had Nicole de Boer joined Deep Space Nine earlier than its last season, Ezri Dax would no doubt rank higher on my list of the show’s memorable characters than she does. As things stand, de Boer still managed to create an appealing and engaging character in a short amount of time. Ezri quickly became a welcome member of the DS9 family—the same “old man” we and Sisko had come to know, but different.
14. Benny Russell
Captain Sisko’s alter ego—or is that the other way around?—1950s pulp sci-fi author Benny Russell appeared in two episodes. He is at the center of “Far Beyond the Stars,” which is not only one of the finest Star Trek episodes ever produced but one of the most moving hours of television I’ve seen. He reappeared briefly in “Shadows and Symbols.” Avery Brooks delivered a searing, standout performance, boldly challenging Benny’s colleagues and viewers at home to confront the racism and prejudice that still threatens to keep us all, decades later, from making our present more like the Star Trek future.
13. Rom
By turns hilarious and heartwarming, Max Grodénchik’s development of Rom is one of the most outstanding character achievements in a series that is full of them. He started the series as Quark’s “idiot brother,” and ended it as the Grand Nagus. We’re so fortunate Grodénchik showed the Deep Space Nine writers what he was capable of this character, so we always have Rom’s incredible, inspiring journey.
12. Nog
Deep Space Nine viewers watched Nog grow up both along with and apart from Jake Sisko. Though the late Aron Eisenberg was in his thirties during the show’s run, he convincingly played a young boy growing to become a fine young man, learning to balance Starfleet’s values and traditions with those of his own Ferengi heritage. Star Trek: Discovery’s introduction of Eisenberg-class starships, including the USS Nog, is a fitting tribute to not only a wonderful character but also the talented man who played him.
11. Miles O’Brien
Colm Meaney has been a part of Star Trek since the pilot episode of The Next Generation. But the decision to transfer Chief Miles O’Brien to Deep Space Nine was an inspired one, allowing the character to grow in ways the already crowded ensemble of TNG simply couldn’t. Not only did “torture O’Brien” episodes like “Hard Time” come to be a seasonal tradition eagerly anticipated by the creative team and fans alike, O’Brien’s relationship with Dr. Bashir became one of Star Trek’s richest and most realistic depictions of friendship.