The Orb: A Star Trek Deep Space Nine Podcast

"Past Prologue" 30th-anniversary reflections As the Federation begins to settle into its presence aboard the former Cardassian station, now dubbed Deep Space Nine, the arrival of a former Bajoran freedom fighter named Tahna Los puts Major Kira in the uncomfortable situation of protecting an old friend and supporting the new alliance between Bajor and the Federation. When she learns that Tahna has...

"Emissary" 30th-anniversary reflections Commence station log. When Deep Space Nine premiered on January 3, 1993, it marked an unprecedented moment for Star Trek. Not only did Gene Roddenberry capture lightning in a bottle twice, the success of The Next Generation led to a second spinoff of the 1960s classic. But simply putting another crew on another starship to boldly go where no one had gone bef...

Dominion Breadcrumbs, Part 2. While Deep Space Nine may be best known for the Dominion War, getting to that storyline was a gradual process for the writers. After the Gamma Quadrant's imperial force was finally revealed at the end of Season 2, there were still a lot of mysteries to unshroud as Season 3 began with "The Search." In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing con...

Dominion Breadcrumbs, Part 1. While Deep Space Nine may be best known for the Dominion War, getting to that story line was a gradual process for the writers. Before its full-on introduction in the Season 2 finale "The Jem'Hadar" and the Season 3 premiere "The Search," the Gamma Quadrant's empirical force was hinted at throughout Season 2. In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew...

"Hear All, Trust Nothing" It's been more than 23 years since we watched Kira Nerys and Jake Sisko stare out of the window at the wormhole, wondering when Benajmin Sisko would come back. And while the Emissary has yet to return, our beloved station has—in animated form—thanks to Star Trek: Lower Decks. In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing share how they felt seeing st...

Remembering Louise Fletcher Few characters in Star Trek elicit such a visceral reaction from fans than Winn Adami. Introduced as a Vedek, she was later chosen as kai—the first elected after the end of the Cardassian Occupation. In that role, rather than working in harmony with the Prophets, she actively worked against their chosen emissary. It is perhaps this friction that made her a fan favorite...

Dukat's "Civil Defense" As central as Dukat was to the overall Deep Space Nine story, he didn't appear so often in the early season. The third-season episode "Civil Defense" marked only his eight appearance—and the first of the season—and the writers took the opportunity to bring his character into focus. With a more sinister, in-it-only-for-me tone, the former commander of Terok Nor went from rat...

Michael Eddington At the start of Deep Space Nine's third season, more than a new ship arrived. A new character also joined the crew, one who was meant to serve as a foil of sorts for Odo and as a fill-in for O'Brien when Colm Meaney was away on a film projects. With the Dominion stirring fear, and concern growing over Odo's approach to security, Starfleet sent one of its best to the station to en...

Top 10 DS9 episodes Deep Space Nine is best known for the Dominion War but, over the course of seven seasons, the series delivered a wide variety of story arcs, rich character development, and standalone episodes. Which are the best? Some gems are well known fan favorites, while others get lost in the complex tapestry of DS9. In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing tack...

"The Search, Part II" When it comes to that moment when Deep Space Nine shifted in tone and became the more complex series that set it apart from the rest of Star Trek, fans most often point to "The Way of the Warrior" and the start of Season 4. But it was actually the arrival of a cloaked starship named Defiant—Sisko's little surprise for the Dominion—to kick off Season 3 that signaled a change w...

"The Search, Part I" When it comes to that moment when Deep Space Nine shifted in tone and became the more complex series that set it apart from the rest of Star Trek, fans most often point to "The Way of the Warrior" and the start of Season 4. But it was actually the arrival of a cloaked starship named Defiant—Sisko's little surprise for the Dominion—to kick off Season 3 that signaled a change wh...

Martus Mazur and El-Aurians. They're known as listeners, but not all El-Aurians are as adept at doing so as Guinan, nor are their intentions as noble. We found this out in the second-season Deep Space Nine episode "Rivals," when a refugee from the El-Aurian system named Martus Mazur came aboard the station and caused all sorts of trouble for the crew. This visit also marked a first for Star Trek c...

"Armageddon Game" Following centuries of war, a race called the Kelleruns and another apparently named after Vulcans, the T'Lani, enlist the help of Doctor Bashir and Chief O'Brien to destroy their remaining stockpile of weapons. Of course the Starfleet officers are successful—how could they not be with Bashir's genetically enhanced mind and Miles's everyman know-how—but things turn dark when the...

The Emissary's prophecies. In "The Reckoning," Doctor Bashir said that if you look hard enough, you'll find a Bajoran prophecy for just about anything. The Ancient Texts, he feels, are a tangle of vague contradictions. But that's not everyone's view—certainly not if you are Major Kira or Kai Winn. The list of believers extended to include Captain Sisko in "Rapture," when his discovery of the lost...

"Blood Oath" and Trill obligations. A struggle with past lives is something all Trill must face. How much a joined Trill owes to past hosts is an ongoing question that is addressed from time to time in Deep Space Nine. In the second-season episode "Blood Oath," Dax comes face to face with three old friends—the Klingon warriors Kor, Koloth, and Kang—and feels an obligation to uphold a promise made...

The Way of the Warrior, Part 2. Following the revelation that the Founders had infiltrated the Alpha Quadrant, tensions are high and Starfleet is preparing for the worst. Those tensions rise when the Klingons arrive at Deep Space 9 on a mission—allegedly—to support their Federation allies. As trouble begins to brew, Sisko brings Worf to the station to help smooth things over and find out what is r...

The Way of the Warrior, Part 1. Following the revelation that the Founders had infiltrated the Alpha Quadrant, tensions are high and Starfleet is preparing for the worst. Those tensions rise when the Klingons arrive at Deep Space 9 on a mission—allegedly—to support their Federation allies. As trouble begins to brew, Sisko brings Worf to the station to help smooth things over and find out what is r...

"The Sound of Her Voice" and the need for quiet episodes. Amid the fervor of the Dominion War, as the Deep Space Nine story was building toward a climactic bridge between Seasons 6 and 7, the writers took a moment to pause and reflect on the impact the conflict was having on our characters. "The Sound of Her Voice," falling just before the death of Jadzia, Sisko's departure from the station, and t...

Rivals Commentary. One of the greatest friendships in Star Trek is that of Miles O'Brien and Julian Bashir. And it really started on a racquetball court. Space racquetball, of course. In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing get together for a casual discussion about the second-season episode "Rivals" and the genesis of the bromance between Miles and Jules, as well as an...

Why DS9 endures. Almost three decades after it first aired, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine continues to be loved by its fans and welcomes first-time viewers every day. What is it about this series that was once cast into the shadows while its sister series basked in the limelight that connects so well with today's audience? In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing get togeth...

DS9 Documentary: Season 8 Premiere. As the camera pulled back from Deep Space 9, and we watched Kira and Jake stare out at the wormhole, what we left behind were many unanswered questions. When Ira Steven Behr and the writers of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine gathered for the documentary, they put together a rough outline for the premiere episode of a hypothetical eighth season. In this episode of The...

Mob Mentality and "A Man Alone." Justice requires facts, facts require information, and information can only be obtained when one is willing to listen. In "A Man Alone," an accusation against Odo—one based on few details and driven by preconceived notions—almost cost DS9's resident shapeshifter his life. It was a 24-century situation that mirrors the present day all too well. A perceived misstep g...

The Mirror Universe, Part 5: The Emperor's New Cloak. Since its introduction in the second season of The Original Series, the Mirror Universe has been a fan favorite. This alternate world in which good is bad has captured the imagination of fans and allowed writers to put a new twist on Star Trek's familiar wrappings. Following 1967's "Mirror, Mirror," our connection with this reflection of sorts...

The Mirror Universe, Part 4: Resurrection. Since its introduction in the second season of The Original Series, the Mirror Universe has been a fan favorite. This alternate world in which good is bad has captured the imagination of fans and allowed writers to put a new twist on Star Trek's familiar wrappings. Following 1967's "Mirror, Mirror," our connection with this reflection of sorts was severed...

The Mirror Universe, Part 3: Shattered Mirror. Since its introduction in the second season of The Original Series, the Mirror Universe has been a fan favorite. This alternate world in which good is bad has captured the imagination of fans and allowed writers to put a new twist on Star Trek's familiar wrappings. Following 1967's "Mirror, Mirror," our connection with this reflection of sorts was sev...