History Series / StarTrekDeepspaceNine

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people battling the aftermath of several decades of exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid and help Bajor rebuild; they take up residence at Cardassian space station ''Terok Nor'', [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of mediating relations between Bajor and the Federation. The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people battling the aftermath of several decades of exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid and help Bajor rebuild; they take up residence at a Cardassian space station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of mediating relations between Bajor and the Federation. The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people battling the aftermath of several decades of exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid; they take up residence at a Cardassian space station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of mediating relations between Bajor and the Federation. The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people suffering the aftermath of several decades of oppression and exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid; they take up residence at a Cardassian space station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of mediating relations between Bajor and the Federation. The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet and its people suffering the aftermath of several decades of oppression and exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid; they take up residence at a Cardassian space station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. What's more, the appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]", adding further complications to his duty of representing Starfleet. The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet suffering the aftermath of several decades of oppression and exploitation and spiralling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid; they take up residence at a Cardassian space station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the Alpha Quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. The appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]". The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] the Cardassian Empire through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet spiraling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid. They take up residence at a Cardassian station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. The appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]". The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the cultures of Bajor, Cardassia and even Ferenginar were thoroughly developed, with their politics and belief systems in particular becoming crucial aspects of the story. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, living and interacting with people who at first regarded them with varying levels of suspicion, resentment and contempt, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the cultures of Bajor, Cardassia and even Ferenginar were thoroughly developed, with their politics and belief systems in particular becoming crucial aspects of the story. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, living and interacting with people who at first regarded them with varying levels of suspicion or contempt, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet spiraling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Benjamin Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid. They take up residence at a Cardassian station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. The appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]". The fixed location allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the cultures of Bajor, Cardassia and even Ferenginar were thoroughly developed, with their politics and belief systems in particular becoming crucial aspects of the story. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads (who had to live and work in close proximity with people who, at least to begin with, regarded them with varying levels of suspicion or contempt) the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the cultures of Bajor, Cardassia and even Ferenginar were thoroughly developed, with their politics and belief systems in particular becoming crucial aspects of the story. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads (who had to live and work in close proximity with people who, at least to begin with, regarded them with varying levels of contempt) the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. Rather than simply being standard [[PlanetOfHats Planets of Hats,]] the cultures of Bajor and Cardassia were thoroughly developed, with their politics and belief systems in particular becoming crucial aspects of the story. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] overworked jarheads, the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet spiraling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Ben Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid. They take up residence at a Cardassian station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. The appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]". The fixed base allows the show to delve more deeply into the political landscape of the ''Star Trek'' universe, but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

While all ''Trek'' shows have large casts, [=DS9=]'s is especially large. Consequently, the show is overrun with {{Fake Guest Star}}s, Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Max Grodenchik (Rom) and Andrew Robinson (Garak) standing out in particular; all three characters debuted within the first two episodes and held prominent roles all the way up to the {{series finale}}. This is a show which could do a BottleEpisode starring people who aren't even in the opening credits: [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E10ItsOnlyAPaperMoon one]] focused on Nog's recovery from a war injury with the help of a second recurring guest, and [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E12WhoMournsForMorn another]] on the disappearance of an AscendedExtra who [[TheVoiceless never once had a line]].

[[caption-width-right:350:The main personnel of Deep Space Nine.[[note]]L-R, farther back: [[TheEngineer Miles O’Brien]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Odo]], [[ActionGirl Kira]] [[ColonelBadass Nerys]], [[TheShrink Ezri]] [[TheNthDoctor Dax]], [[HospitalHottie Julian]] [[DeterminedDoctor Bashir]], [[IntrepidReporter Jake]] [[TagalongKid Sisko]]. Front row: [[TheBigGuy Worf]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[TheCaptain Benjamin]] [[ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne Sisko]]. Not pictured: [[BadassBookworm Jadzia]] [[TheNthDoctor Dax]] [[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main personnel of Deep Space Nine.[[note]]L-R, farther back: Miles O’Brien, Odo, Kira Nerys, Ezri Dax, Julian Bashir, Jake Sisko. Front row: Worf, Quark, Benjamin Sisko. Not pictured: Jadzia Dax [[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main personnel of Deep Space Nine.[[note]]L-R, farther back: Miles O’Brien, Odo, Kira Nerys, Ezri Dax, Julian Bashir, Jake Sisko. Front row: Worf, Quark, Benjamin Sisko.[[/note]]]]

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1651066610079274300

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ds9cast_6677.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]], [[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], [[MookLieutenant Damar]], [[ItsPersonal Eddington]], [[TheyKilledKennyAgain Weyouns 4 through 8]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Gowron]], [[BloodKnight Martok]], [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], [[ProjectedMan Vic Fontaine]], [[GreaterScopeVillain The Female Changeling]], [[TheVoiceless Morn]]...]]

[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand When we last left Next Gen]], the remote world of Bajor had just booted out its [[WeWilluseManualLaborInTheFuture occupiers]] through a war of attrition and a fair amount of terrorism. With the planet spiraling into disorder, Starfleet sends a detachment of officers led by Commander Ben Sisko as a diplomatic liaison to provide aid. They take up residence at a Cardassian station, [[MeaningfulRename rechristened]] Deep Space 9, as a makeshift Starfleet outpost. In the pilot, a one-of-a-kind stable [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]] leading to an uncharted corner of the galaxy is discovered. Instantly, Bajor is transformed from a [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere rustic backwater]] into the most valuable piece of real estate in the quadrant, and [=DS9=] is assigned to monitor the wormhole's traffic. The appearance of the wormhole is seen by the Bajorans as fulfilling a religious prophecy and Sisko is declared to be "[[TheChosenOne The Emissary]]". The fixed base allows the show to delve more deeply into the politics of ''Star Trek'', but the appearance of the wormhole also catches the attention of the Dominion, a [[EvilCounterpart less cuddly]] counterpart to the United Federation of Planets.

What made ''[=DS9=]'' unusual in Trekdom is that every action has consequences. Part of that was due to former TNG writers (namely Ira Behr and Ron D. Moore) [[WriterRevolt rebelling]] against Creator/GeneRoddenberry's spotless, optimistic future: at the beginning of the story nobody on the station ''or'' on Bajor particularly got along with each other and, unlike the ship-based series that had come before, the crew couldn't just '[[ButNowIMustGo jump to warp]]' and leave the Problem of the Week behind with no repercussions. The show employed {{Myth Arc}}s more extensively than other ''Treks'', and by shifting the focus away from Starfleet's bold explorers to [=DS9's=] [[JoinTheArmyTheySaid overworked jarheads]], the writers were able to scrutinize the Federation as it appears to outsiders: a [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent toothless alliance]] which still has problems with bureaucracy and some [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans skeletons in its closet]]. Though the show still comes across as optimistic about the future of humanity, it asks several questions about the Federation's place in the galaxy and the capacity for humans to accomplish great things -- even if those great things become IDidWhatIHadToDo.

[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]],[[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], Molly, Damar, [[ItsPersonal Eddington]], [[TheyKilledKennyAgain Weyouns 4 through 8]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Gowron]], [[BloodKnight Martok]], [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], Vic Fontaine, [[GreaterScopeVillain The Female Changeling]], [[TheVoiceless Morn]] ..]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]],[[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], Molly, Damar, [[ItsPersonal Eddington]], [[TheyKilleeKennyAgain Weyouns 4 through 8]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Gowron]], [[BloodKnight Martok]], [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], Vic Fontaine, [[GreaterScopeVillain The Female Changeling]], [[TheVoiceless Morn]] ..]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]],[[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], Molly, Damar, [[ItsPersonal Eddington]], [[TheyKilleeKennyAgain Weyouns 4 through 8]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Gowron]], [[BloodKnight Martok]], [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], Vic Fontaine, [[GreaterScopeVillian The Female Changling]], [[TheVoiceless Morn]] ..]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]],[[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], Molly, Damar, [[ItsPersonal Eddington]], Weyouns 4 through 8, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Gowron]], [[BloodKnight Martok]], [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], Vic Fontaine, [[GreaterScopeVillian The Female Changling]] [[TheVoiceless Morn]] ..]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]],[[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], Molly, Damar,[[ItsPersonal Eddington]], Weyouns 4 through 8, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Gowron]], [[BloodKnight Martok]], [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], Vic Fontaine, [[GreaterScopeVillian The Female Changling]] [[TheVoiceless Morn]] ..]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]],[[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], Molly, Damar, Weyouns 4 through 8, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Gowron]], [[BloodKnight Martok]], [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], Vic Fontaine, [[GreaterScopeVillian The Female Changling]] [[TheVoiceless Morn]] ..]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]],[[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], Molly, Damar, Weyouns 4 through 8, Gowron, [[BloodKnight Martok]], [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], Vic Fontaine, [[GreaterScopeVillian The Female Changling]] [[TheVoiceless Morn]] ..]]

[[caption-width-right:350:The main characters of ''Deep Space Nine'', seasons 4 through 6.[[note]][[{{Transplant}} Cmr. Worf]], [[BadassBookworm Lt. Jadzia Dax]], [[MrFixIt Chief Miles O'Brien]], [[HospitalHottie Dr. Julian Bashir]], [[TheBartender Quark]], [[BaldOfAuthority Cpn. Benjamin Sisko]], [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Constable Odo]], [[ActionGirl Major Kira Nerys]], and [[IntrepidReporter Jake Sisko]].[[/note]] Not pictured: [[TheNthDoctor Ezri]], [[GoingNative Nog]], [[GadgeteerGenius Rom]], [[SmarterThanYouLook Leeta]], [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Garak]], [[BigBad Dukat]],[[HolierThanThou Winn]], [[YamatoNadeshiko Keiko]], Molly, Damar, Weyouns 4 through 8, Gowron, Martok, [[BlueandOrangeMorality Grand Nagus Zek]], [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Brunt]], [[CulturalRebel Ishka]], [[ChildOfTwoWorlds Ziyal]], Vic Fontaine, [[GreaterScopeVillian The Female Changling]] [[TheVoiceless Morn]] ..]]