We Star Trek fans are fortunate when it comes to the amount of content available to us, and Paramount's powers that be provided us with plenty of options as the mid-1990s rolled around. Star Trek: The Next Generation was ending it's seven-season arc in 1994, but it was hardly the end for the franchise.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would premiere in 1993. It was a new kind of Trek, taking place on a space station rather than a starship. It ran for seven seasons, too, giving us some of the most memorable characters of the franchise. So, let's take a look back and remember a few that helped make the series so beloved by fans. However, this ranking of the best DS9 characters is rather unique.
And with only three slots to fill, this is going to be tough.
3. Elim Garak
Is this Cardassian a simple tailor exiled from his home planet, or is he a spy for one of the most terrifying organizations in the galaxy, the Obsidian Order? Is he both? Or is what he tells Captain Benjamin Sisko and the others who work and live on the station a bit of both? Complex and often mysterious, Garak causes plenty of gossip on DS9 and even forms a friendship with Julian Bashir, the station's doctor.
Played by the talented Andrew Robinson, Garak is an enigma wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in reptile-esque skin. Trying to follow Garak's backstory in his early episodes is like watching a snake eat its own tail before you realize you aren't even sure if the snake was there at all. Garak's also a top-notch storyteller, which adds an extra layer to his character because you're not so much hearing the story as living it.
2. Quark
While most fans of TNG remember the Ferengi as would-be antagonists, they simply weren't threatening enough. When Deep Space Nine debuted, however, we met Quark, of Quark's Bar, located on the station's promenade. Quark is the first Ferengi we get to know well, along with his well-meaning brother Rom and his nephew, Nog. Played by the legendary Armin Shimerman, Quark quickly proved to viewers that he's much more than comedy relief.
The Ferengi are motivated by acquisition, and this could have been a tired joke by season 2, but viewers saw Quark grow while never abandoning his mission to collect as much gold-pressed latinum as possible. That's what makes Quark such an authentic character because he never becomes someone who changes in a radical way as time passes.
Quark's relationship with his family, including his mother Ishka (or, as Rom calls her, "Moogie,") is like staring at a Magic Eye image--you have to be patient before you can see the entire image. He both loves and resents his mother for defying Ferengi societal norms, such as wearing clothing, and for revealing the truth about Quark's father having no business sense.
When Rom organizes a union for Quark's workers, he's both angry and surprised at Rom's ambition. Both relationships are relatable, especially the way Quark treats Rom. Whether you're the older or the younger one, you'd say to yourself, "Yup, I've been there!"
1. Odo
Much like Mr. Spock is the face of Star Trek: The Original Series, Odo's is that of Deep Space Nine (I know, the irony), and more than one fandom poll has named him as their favorite character in the series. Played by the late and sorely-missed Rene Auberjonois, Odo was the very essence of the franchise--a new life form's journey to understand not only himself, but his entire species and their place in the universe. His growth arc is both heartbreaking and beautiful, which is only one reason why so many of us name Odo as our favorite!
A major aspect of Odo's character is his gruffness. His "harrumph!" is legendary, and as the station's security chief, it lends him a level of respect, at least until he comes up against Quark. These two are the epitome of the word "frenemy," and their goals are as different as a Hallmark movie and an '80s slasher film. Despite that, they experience personal growth while on board the station, and part of that occurs because of their relationship.
Odo is also a relatable character in his search for a true self. Who among us hasn't gazed into a mirror and questioned who or what we are meant to be? That's a hard question, especially for a being whose name literally means "nothing" when translated from the Cardassian language.
While we all have our favorite characters when it comes to DS9, these three are especially unforgettable. Their growth throughout the series' seven seasons remind us all that for Trekkies, it's all about the journey.
Are you happy with our list? Who would you have excluded and included with only three slots to fill? It's not an easy task, is it? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die X and Facebook pages.