From Constitution-class starships to deep space stations, those who run them need the companionship of a close friend. After all, where would Captain Kirk be without his closest friend, Mr. Spock, in The Original Series or Geordi without Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation?
While several other great Star Trek friendship duos came before them, the friendship between Dr. Julian Bashir and Chief Engineer Miles O'Brien on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine outshines them all. From kayaking to darts, let's take a look at 3 times these two very different men defined the word "bromance!"
1. "Armageddon Game" (S2E13)
In this episode, Dr. Bashir and O'Brien must share a bunker while trying to survive an attack resulting from the disposal of biological weapons used by the T'Lani and the Kellerun, two species who'd recently ended a centuries-long war. At this point, the two men aren't enemies, but Chief O'Brien finds himself irritated with the brash, chatty Dr. Bashir.
When the two men realize that O'Brien has been infected by the bio-weapon called Harvester, the engineer's condition declines rapidly, and he tells the doctor he can no longer feel his legs. Bashir tries to keep him awake, obviously dismayed, by telling O'Brien stories of his youth, and how he almost married a ballerina if he hadn't already decided on a career in Starfleet. When the DS9 team finally locates them, each man has learned there's much more to the other than meets the eye. This creates the foundation of their friendship.
2. "Explorers" (S3E22)
When Bashir's past college classmate shows up on DS9, he's nervous and apprehensive about seeing her because Elizabeth Lense beat him out of class valedictorian back in medical school when he made an error on the final exam. When Lense arrives, she seems indifferent to him and eventually, both realize Lense had mistaken him for Bashir's Andorian friend at a party years earlier. Lense then warms up and tells Bashir she envies his job on DS9.
Later, Bashir and O'Brien get drunk in the chief's quarters as they sing songs and talk about old times. O'Brien says of Bashir that he's "not an in-between guy" and that people either love him or hate him. He says, "I hated you when we first met," and then admits, "I really do not hate you anymore." It's probably the closest the gruff engineer can come to admitting he loves his best friend.
3. "Looking for par'Mach In All the Wrong Places" (S5E03)
After Keiko O'Brien is injured in a shuttle craft accident, Bashir transfers her unborn child to Kira, who must carry the baby to term. Eventually, she comes to live with the O'Briens, where the chief cares for her, even helping her in and out of the tub. When Bashir asks O'Brien if he's "looked," O'Brien huffs, offended. He tells Bashir that the woman is carrying his child and that he wouldn't do such a thing. Bashir nods a little, then smirks and says, "I bet you looked."
At its heart, Star Trek has always championed friendships between two unlikely people, and the one between Dr. Julian Bashir and Chief Miles O'Brien is one of the best examples in the galaxy.