#Terok Nor

[stra-tek]

Who wants to own the actual, original Deep Space Nine model? Auction page here, with lots more amazing photos!

[defconprime]

[fictionalred]

Some Star Trek DS9 computer animations

Gifs made by me based on the animations found here [x]

[alphamecha-mkii]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - USS Defiant by Keith Birdsong

[quodo-gaysex]

some cardassian advertisements I drew!!!

I did not create the Cardassian Script, it was from:

[usstrekart]

"What We Leave Behind" (S07E25, Stardate 52902.0) is a sublime way to tie up the story of DS9. The war ends, the Prophets win, Odo returns to his people, Dukat dies, Worf fully joins his people, and life moves on for many others. The door is left open to tell more stories, but if they don't come that is okay.

For my final DS9 episode poster I journeyed back to the beginning. "What You Leave Behind" leaves the station with the hope of Sisko returning from the Celestial Temple, and so does my poster.

[master-of-the-game]

Nuances of the relationship between the Obsidian Order and the Central Command.

Fragments under the cut

[spocks-husband]

I'm Terok!

And I'm Nor!

[quilt-giving]

I have thrown the quilt into the washing machine. I will be sending it to its new home in a couple days.

[lightningarmour]

Feels like shit, just want her back...

[episodicnostalgia]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 110 (Mar 24, 1993) - “The Nagus”

Teleplay by: Ira Steven Behr Story by: David Livingston Directed by: David Livingston

This is the Episode where…

Quark becomes the new Ferengi money-pope after the old one decides to retire; shockingly, there is a catch. Meanwhile, Jake finds himself torn between his relationship with his Father, and his friendship with Nog, but for really heartwarming and wholesome reasons.

The Breakdown

A-Plot: Business is booming at Quark’s bar, so when “The Grand Nagus*” Zek [*The Ferengi Spiritual leader, and also sort-of-CEO] shows up unannounced, Quark assumes the worst. According to Ferengi culture, the Grand Nagus has the power to buy out successful business ventures for cents-on-the-dollar if he sees fit, and Quark has been very profitable as of late. However, after checking out the digs and sampling some “hospitality” (holographic porn), ol’ Zek informs Quark that he simply wants to use the establishment to host an important business meeting with a number of Ferengi top-dogs. The subject in question? A Ferengi expansion of business interests into the Gamma Quadrant, where their reputation (as charlatans and ne’er do wells) doesn’t precede them. Disaster averted, for Quark at least!

Or so it would seem…

Profit mongering aside, Zek informs the Ferengi cohort that his zeal for profit has dwindled in his old age, and so he will be appointing none other than Quark as his successor. Obviously, Quark is as surprised as anyone, but he’s not one to look a profitable gift horse in the mouth, so he runs with it. Naturally this pisses off virtually every prominent Ferengi businessman, with Zek’s own son, Krax, chief amongst them. Shortly thereafter an attempt is made on Quark’s life, which is very nearly successful. Oh, and also, the now-ex-Nagus Zek passes away quite suddenly, but I’m sure that’s just a coincidence.

Anyways it turns out that Quark’s would be assassins are none other than Krax and… Quark’s brother Rom? Yep! Obviously Krax wants to replace Quark as the Nagus, but it seems Rom is also tired of living in his brother’s shadow, and figures that with Quark gone, he’ll be free to take over the bar. The unlikely duo are almost successful too, by trapping Quark in an airlock, where he finds himself seconds away from being jettisoned into the vacuum of space. Thankfully, Odo has been doing some investigating, and discovers that Zek actually faked his own death, and brings the begrudging Nagus out of hiding just in time to interrupt Krax n’ Rom’s murder attempt.

So why the ruse? Well, the entire ordeal was all part of a convoluted test to see if Krax was ready to fill Zek’s shoes, but unfortunately he failed miserably by not being conniving enough. Zek explains that Regicide is just too direct, and that he meant for Krax to slowly usurp Quark’s authority from the shadows, according to the proper Ferengi customs. At any rate, Zek accepts that he'll just have to continue Nagus-ing for a little while longer, and heads out, but not before giving Quark an attaboy for being an opportunistically good sport about the whole thing. In that same spirit, Quark also gives Rom a pass for having the stones to attempt murder-for-profit.

B-Plot: Commander Sisko starts to worry that Rom’s trouble-making son, Nog, is having a bad influence on his own progeny, Jake, who has been acting more distant than usual. The matter is only exacerbated when Nog is pulled from school, after Zek expresses his contempt for the federation education system. With Nog out of class, Jake starts staying out later than Sisko approves of, until he decides to take matters into his own hands and haul his delinquent son back home. But, when Sisko finally locates the two boys in a loading bay, he finds Jake teaching Nog how to read, so he decides to back off. The Next day Sisko approaches Jake, and lets him know how proud he is to have such a good son.

See? I told you it was wholesome.

The Verdict

Ferengi Episodes can be an acquired taste, but I find myself warming to them a little more each time I revisit DS9. This is a pretty silly episode, and that’s certainly part of the charm, but the primary draw (for me) is that it offers some perspective into Quark’s family dynamic. By this point in the series, Quark has already established himself as a lecherously charming individual, but Rom and Nog have been little more than set dressing until now. Ultimately, both of these characters would go on to enjoy fully realized arcs, even establishing themselves as fan favourites, which is no small feat for a show that boasts the largest cohort of memorable recurring characters in Star Trek history.

Comic relief and zany satire of hyper-capitalistic ideologies notwithstanding, we’re finally given an opportunity to properly empathize with Rom and Nog, without resorting to unrealistically tidy 11th hour solutions. I was especially struck by a scene where Quark unfairly lashes out at Rom, punishing him with unpaid work for something he couldn’t have possibly foreseen; in turn, Rom passes the buck to Nog, because such is the nature of abuse and bullies. In an episode that’s heavily structured around comic relief, these moments feel pointedly simple and quietly tragic, without overindulging in pathos and melodrama.

It's Nog and Jake’s arc that reconciles this episode for me, though. Throughout the entire story, Nog’s wellbeing is casually batted aside, and regarded as less than an afterthought for the adult Ferengi who are too preoccupied with ingratiating themselves to the Nagus (be it Zek or Quark) to care about the harm they’re inflicting. Most Trek-shows would probably end by having Quark and Rom share an epiphany about the error of their ways, with the writers throwing in some self-aggrandizing platitudes about superior federation (aka western) values for good measure. Instead we’re shown a simple act of friendship; Jake helping his friend learn how to read, when no one else would. It’s a very simple character moment that initially seems like nothing more than a nice way to wrap up the episode, and in that context I suppose that’s not far off. However, in retrospect this understated scene is a critical moment for the Ferengi family, with the cycle of abuse being meaningfully challenged for the first time, simply by having someone care about Nog outside of his value as a resource.

Perhaps I’m being overly sentimental, but then what the hell is the point of this blog in the first place? The ‘Nagus’ won’t be ending up on any of my ‘greatest episode lists,’ but as Nog and his family will go on to show us, greatness stems from trivial moments.

3 stars (out of 5)

Parting thoughts

Will the real 24th century men please stand up? While we’re on the subject of Nog and Jake, I have to say one thing I genuinely love about this series is the depiction of male relationships. That’s not to say there aren’t notable missteps influenced from the biases of the times, but the show seldom shies away from depicting caring and emotionally honest intimate between men as a normal and healthy expectation. Jake and Nog both continue to make mistakes as they grow, but they also call each other out and encourage each other to be better. Bashir starts off as an arrogant little prick in the early seasons, but his friendship with O’Brien sees him mature and grow, even as they both embrace childish whimsy with their silly holo-games. And of course, Sisko’s relationship with Jake is caring, supportive, and present, while notably reinforcing a respectful attitude towards women through his behaviour. Sadly, in 2025, the need for depictions of a gentler, kinder, and more considerate breed of masculinity has become more pertinent than ever.

I guess that’s all I’ve got for this one. See you next week!

[obrienmustsuffer]

[defconprime]

[epicallyepicepilogue]

Oh Dukat, you melodramatic fool...

[alphamecha-mkii]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Runabout and Station Promotional Image

[cdr2002]

Mirror universe thoughts again (basically this whole account at this point outside of the Mortal Kombat stuff lmao)

When we first meet Intendant Kira, she’s in command of the station. Over the course of Crossover, she loses Sisko and Odo. The former starts the rebellion and the latter is killed.

By the end of DS9, Prime Kira is in command of the station. She lost Sisko and Odo, to the Prophets and the Great Link in her case.

Damn.

Thy fearful symmetry indeed