History StarTrekDeepSpaceNine / TropesEToL

* InsistentTerminology: The Dominion is fighting for control of the Alpha Quadrant despite the fact that two of the four major powers they're dealing with exist primarily in the Beta Quadrant, and the third half so. Granted, the Bajoran Wormhole and the Cardassians are based solely in the Alpha Quadrant, but still, you'd think they'd occasionally talk about the Beta Quadrant given that both the Romulans and the Klingons mostly live there.

* EvilVsEvil: The war between [[TheEmpire Terran Empire]] [[LaResistance rebels]], and the Cardassian-Klingon Alliance, in the episodes involving the MirrorUniverse.

* FirstEpisodeSpoiler: The station's relocation to near the wormhole. Cleverly, the pilot used a version of the opening credits that did not show the wormhole opening, which they would ever afterwards.
** Helpful hint: If describing the show to a potential newcomer, say the station "is on the edge of Federation space". This sets up almost every plot point plausibly enough for a non-viewer. On the other hand, anyone interested in learning more about [=DS9=] probably already knows there's [[spoiler:a wormhole]].

* FantasticCasteSystem: The Bajorans used to have one, but it was abandoned during the occupation. Subtle references are made to it through-out the series before it was explicitly revealed in an episode where it is temporarily revived. Its enforcement by law would have threatened Bajor's application to join the Federation (which doesn't allow caste-based discrimination).
** In the episode "Accession" a time-displaced Bajoran poet who claims to be the Emissary instead of Sisko tries to reinstate the caste system. The results are PlayedForDrama with Kira being visibly uncomfortable with lower-caste Bajorans deferring to her and her own struggles with her caste--as an artisan with zero artistic talent--which ultimately leads to [[spoiler:a vedek killing a man because his family was considered unclean]].

* IdiotBall: Sisko and Kira in "Resurrection". We're at war, someone's beaming into Ops and we have no idea who they are or where they're coming from. Don't have the guards rush over there or anything, just assume it's harmless. Surprise, [[spoiler:the bad guy has a phaser and takes Kira hostage]].

* IdiotBall: The Klingons' use of the Bat'leth in battle. A particularly egregious example occurs "The Way of the Warrior" where they fail to remember that just because HumansAreDiplomats, doesn't mean that in a fight they aren't the CombatPragmatist. After gunning down the first wave of invading Klingons on the station, they simply take their fallen Bat'leths and use them [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard to slaughter more invading Klingons.]] Some episodes did try to make them seem more pragmatic with Worf and Jadzia debating Bat'leth tactics, but even in those scenes it's hard not to notice how cumbersome the weapons are.
** This might be the result of the actors, particularly the extras, not having much martial arts training. The Bat'leth was actually designed by a Martial Arts master as a kind of [[HooksandCrooks extremely curved]] [[DoubleWeapon Chinese]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Swords}} Hooksword]] and is perfectly functional, although [[MyDefenseNeedNotProtectMeForever surprisingly defensive]] for a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Klingon]] weapon.

%%* HeartDrive

* EvilAlbino: The main villain in "Blood Oath" is this. He's not even given a ''name'' apart from "The Albino".

** The Alpha Quadrant Alliance is this. The Federation, Romulan Star Empire, and Klingon Empire all join forces against the Dominion onslaught.

** Quark doesn't think much of the Federation, berating them as self-absorbed and condescending. Believing themselves to be the pinnacle of civilized society and a shining example to the rest of the galaxy. He isn't wrong either. The Federation is constantly reminding others of how advanced and morally impeccable are. Trying to lecture others on what they believe is wrong with their culture and societies, encouraging everyone else to join their much better way of life. He criticizes Humans in particular, saying that despite all their advances and progress deep down they're just as violent and dangerous as anyone else. The later seasons prove this to be correct.

* EvilCounterpart: The Pah Wraiths to the Prophets. They are actually the same species. The Pah Wraiths were just exiled from the wormhole by the Prophets, for being evil. It should also be noted that "Prophets" and "Pah Wraiths" are names given to them by the Bajorans. The Federation just calles both groups "Wormhole Aliens".

* FumblingTheGauntlet: Done by Sisko to Worf.
** A rare case of two simultaneous examples occurs in "Our Man Bashir". Bashir and Garak are stuck on a ''Film/JamesBond'' style holodeck novel with the safeties off and the rest of the crew trapped inside. Garak wants to leave the holodeck but Bashir shoots and just clips him. As a result Garak agrees to continue having seen Bashir's determination to save the rest of the crew. However, when Garak calls for the door to leave he does it in an unnecessarily long winded way which gives Bashir time to shoot, showing that Garak was testing how far Bashir would go and if he would be prepared to kill him. On the other hand, as we later find out, Bashir is [[spoiler:genetically modified and clipping Garak was an easy shot for him.]] So Bashir was fully in control of the situation and only made Garak ''think'' that he was prepared to kill him. Fridge Brilliance all around.

** Proto-Rom has more in common with [[Film/TheGodfather Fredo]] than the put-upon loser of later years. He's constantly plotting his brother's death -- either by assassination or accident or pulling him off of life support -- so he could inherit the bar. One can argue that life among the Federation left a positive impression on the Ferengi Bros., but it doesn't quite jive with Rom's later characterization as the brother who's too much of a milksop to make it in business.

** The Cardassians (UsefulNotes/NaziGermany) used to be impoverished and destitute, until a military dictatorship gave their people new life and a sense of hope. They proceeded to invade and occupy a relatively peaceful and defenseless country, throwing millions of citizens into internment camps, using them for slave labor, and executing them when they could no longer work. They subscribe to the philosophy of racial superiority, believing their slaves to be an inferior race. They are decimated at the end of the war.

** The Cardassians (UsefulNotes/NaziGermany) used to be impoverished and destitute, until a military dictatorship gave their people new life and a sense of hope. They proceeded to invade and occupy a relatively peaceful and defenseless country, throwing millions of citizens into internment camps, using them for slave labor, and executing them when they could no longer work. They subscribe to the philosophy of racial superiority, believing their slaves to be an inferior race.

** The Cardassians used to be impoverished and destitute, until a military dictatorship gave their people new life and a sense of hope. They proceeded to invade and occupy a relatively peaceful and defenseless country, throwing millions of citizens into internment camps, using them for slave labor, and executing them when they could no longer work. They subscribe to the philosophy of racial superiority, believing their slaves to be an inferior race.
** The Dominion is a group of religious fanatics who worship their leaders as gods. Their soldiers are insanely loyal, and take pride in dying for their godlike leaders. In fact, they have small, cheap ships which are used for kamikaze missions.
** The Federation is a more civilized group of people, with a democratic government. But they continually find themselves crossing lines, and resort to a forbidden weapon to defeat the Dominion.
** The Klingons are the TokenEvilTeammate, who have allied with the democratic powers out of convenience. They are driven by a strong sense of patriotism, but their leader is paranoid that his generals will try to seize power, and will try to subvert or discredit them. They are also fairly careless about the lives of their men.

* FridgeHorror: In the last season Odo found another Changling. Later that season... [[spoiler:we find out Odo unwittingly infected the other Changlings with a fatal disease. He must have done the same thing to this Changling who presumably died alone out in space.]]