Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Summary
As far back as time of year 1,Star Trek : Deep Space Ninefixed the franchise ’s notorious " redshirt " trope by dedicate death a greater import . Risking one ’s living is part and parcel of Starfleet ’s mission to seek out strange Modern worlds , but death very rarely had lasting consequences inStar Trek ’s former daylight . The expiry of David Marcus ( Merritt Butrick ) and Captain Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) in theStar Trek : The Original Seriesmoviesare noted instance of tragedy that impacted the journeys of the main characters . So too is theTOSepisode " Obsession " , in which Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) seeks revenge for the tragedy aboard the USS Farragut .
All that being said , the " redshirt " trope exists for a reason , and it ’s because of how frequently unnamed security and engineering military officer were down off inStar Trek : The Original Series . 55 crew members pass duringTOS ' three - time of year run between 1966 and 1969 . 24 of the 55 beat bunch members were wearing red shirt , leading to the color bolshie becoming a big omen in theStar Trekuniverse . Star Trek : The Next propagation ’s major deathin season 1 went some agency to demoralize this trope , when it killed off series regular Lt . Tasha Yar ( Denise Crosby ) . However , Star Trek : Deep Space Ninewent even further , ensuring that end inDS9had outcome .
DS9 Fixed Star Trek’s “Redshirt” Death Problem
Star Trek : Deep Space Nineseason 1 , episode 13 , " Battle Lines " is all about demise , as Commander Benjamin Sisko ( Avery Brooks ) and an outside squad clang - land on a major planet where nobody can die . This means that the state of war presently desolate the satellite will never finish . It ’s a classicStar Trekallegory about the futility and cyclic nature of military conflict , but it ’s give redundant meaning when one ofDS9 ’s go back characters is killed off ahead of time in the instalment . Originally , " Battle Lines " would have have a " redshirt " character that would be killed off in the shuttle crash , but the melodic theme was abandoned in favor of killing off one of the existingDS9characters instead .
Kai Opaka ( Camille Saviola ) was selected as the recurring character who was " most expendable . " Opaka ’s death gives " Battle Lines " way more impact than if a nameless " redshirt " had been kill instead . Both Sisko andMajor Kira Nerys(Nana Visitor ) are shake by the death , given Opaka ’s position as Bajor ’s spiritual leader . When she ’s afterwards resurrected by the planet ’s aura , she continue behind to negociate peace of mind , as she will die permanently upon leaving the planet . Opaka ’s dying has n’t been as if by magic " cured " byStar Trekscience , it ’s lasting , and it has a lasting impact onDS9 .
DS9’s Big Season 1 Death Set Up Its First Star Trek Arc
Not only did Kai Opaka ’s death lend " Battle Lines " more dignity , it shapedStar Trek : Deep Space Nine ’s first big story arc . DS9had been designed to better explore the consequences of Starfleet ’s continuing military mission . And so , the story ofDeep Space Nineafter " Battle Lines " is squarely focused on the political and phantasmal vacancy created by Opaka ’s death . It ’s a plot line that would both bringDS9season 1 to a close , and set up up season 2 ’s three - part undoer .
It ’s therefore tempting to take in the expiry of Kai Opaka and the complication for Bajor as a dry outpouring forStar Trek : Deep Space Nine ’s Dominion Wararc . In taking the sentence to explore the consequences of last inStar Trek , DS9paved the way for its most acclaimed storyline . Star Trek : Deep Space Nineseason 1 established that this would be a show that would not take decease lightly , and therefore impart a weight and gravitas to the on-going story ofStar Trekthat continues to labor it to this day .
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Cast
Star Trek : Deep Space Nine , also known as DS9 , is the fourth series in the long - running Sci - Fi dealership , Star Trek . DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller , and star Avery Brooks , René Auberjonois , Terry Farrell , and Cirroc Lofton . This particular series follow a group of individuals in a outer space place near a major planet called Bajor .
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.
