star trek ds9 ferengi

How Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Saved the Ferengi From Being a Joke

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Why Brian Griffin Left Family Guy (And Why He Returned)

Is bluey a boy or a girl, the lincoln lawyer season 3 is bringing back a fan-favorite character.

The first Ferengi appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1, Episode 5, “The Last Outpost” was meant to establish them as a primary antagonist for a new era . Motivated by greed and beholden to the religiously capitalistic Rules of Acquisition, Ferenginar and its people are, in almost every way, the opposite of the post-scarcity non-monetary utopia that is the United Federation of Planets. But the design and characterization of the Ferengi who bedeviled the Enterprise -D were far too silly for viewers to take them seriously. As such, the Ferengi ended up functioning as one-note comic relief amid the bigger dangers of the Romulans, the Cardassians and the Borg.

This joke status continued into the early episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . The most prominent Ferengi character, Quark, was a scheming bartender whose criminal machinations often caused him to run afoul of Odo, the station’s shape-shifting security chief. However, as the series continued, Armin Shimerman’s compelling performance added layers of humanity that previous Ferengi lacked. He was friendly with Jadzia Dax and other Starfleet and Bajoran crew members. He had dreams beyond his bar. He even struggled with moral quandaries. Quark was Star Trek ’s first three-dimensional Ferengi.

RELATED: George Takei Reacts to Fox News Headline Stating Star Trek Was Never Politica

Fortunately, the creators of DS9 eventually brought this kind of nuance to other denizens of Ferenginar. Quark’s brother Rom started out as a dim lackey -- then actor Max Grodenchik and the writers began to dig beneath the surface of the character. Rom was not stupid; rather, his aptitude lay not in making money but in engineering. Once he started to pursue this interest, he became a valued member of Chief Miles O’Brien’s engineering team. This character growth led Rom to help form a union with Quark’s other employees, get married and even become Grand Nagus, leader of all Ferenginar.

Quark and Rom’s mother Ishka (played by Andrea Martin and later Cecily Adams) served not only to depict the challenges of being a woman on Ferenginar but also to provide the viewer with a deeper understanding of Ferengi culture and its flaws. As a female Ferengi, she had few rights and no legal avenue for exercising her considerable business acumen. In fact, her illicit dealings often forced Quark to struggle between family loyalty and the cultural misogyny he’d internalized over the course of his life. And yet, her persistence in the face of such systemic oppression enabled her to directly influence Grand Nagus Zek, arrange for Rom to succeed Zek as Nagus and win rights for the women of Ferenginar.

RELATED: Star Trek's Weirdest Character Idea Worked Perfectly

The greatest example of character growth across all of Star Trek -- Ferengi or otherwise -- is that of Rom’s son Nog, played by the late, great Aron Eisenberg. Initially, Nog served the best friend of and foil to the affable, good-hearted Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton). Like many children, he tended to parrot the values of the adult authority figures in his life, especially those of Uncle Quark. As a result, many Federation-Ferengi cultural differences played out as disputes between Nog and Jake. But as Nog grew older, he saw how being good at anything other than generating profit had turned his father into a loser by Ferengi standards. Unwilling to meet a similar fate, Nog sought out an environment in which he could succeed on his own terms. He joined Starfleet, where he was able to thrive and even become a war hero. So big was his impact as the first Ferengi in Starfleet that on Star Trek: Discovery , starships bear his name .

A common critique of Star Trek has been its tendency to treat its various alien races as monoliths. By adding depth and rich internal lives to members of what started as Trek ’s broadest species, the writers of DS9 created room for later series to approach different cultures with similar nuance. Picard ’s Elnor and Laris are both worlds away from the cold, calculating Romulans of the past. Ensign Tendi of Star Trek: Lower Decks is almost nothing like the Orions of Star Trek: The Original Series or Discovery . This intraspecies diversity is possible because the writers of Deep Space Nine made the effort to take the Ferengi from punchline villains to fully fleshed-out characters, and Star Trek is all the stronger for it.

• TV Features

• Mirror Universe

Zek was a male Ferengi , who had become Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance by 2369 . Zek was one of the most savvy and visionary Ferengi leaders, pioneering business ventures into the Gamma Quadrant and making the Ferengi Alliance the first Alpha Quadrant power that ever learned of the Dominion . In contrast to his cunning business practices, he also became known for his liberal attitudes towards the end of his reign including the expansion of female rights.

• 1.1 Early career
• 1.2 Expansion into the Gamma Quadrant
• 1.3 Later domestic interests
• 1.4 The Dominion War and expansion into the mirror universe
• 1.5 Retirement
• 2 Alternate timeline
• 3.1 Appearances
• 3.2 Background information
• 3.3 Apocrypha
• 3.4 External links

History [ ]

Early career [ ].

Zek was born sometime during the 23rd century , and became a particularly hard-working Ferengi, having once gone 85 years without taking any significant vacations . ( DS9 : " The Nagus ")

It was unclear if Zek was Nagus or simply in business for himself over this period of time, as it was never stated when he became Nagus, simply that he was already considered to be quite old, and had wished to retire by 2369.

Zek had one son , Krax ; was an aficionado of Hupyrian beetle snuff ; and, was also taught how to go into a Dolbargy sleeping trance , by his servant Maihar'du . By 2369, Zek was already considered to be in " his advanced years. " ( DS9 : " The Nagus ") Following a physical later given by Doctor Julian Bashir , in 2371, Zek was said to be, " for a Ferengi [his] age " to be " in excellent health ", except for " some vascular damage to [his] mucous membranes " from his beetle snuff use. ( DS9 : " Prophet Motive ")

In 2346 , Zek began a 27 year winning-streak in the Global Tongo Championships on Ferenginar . ( DS9 : " Ferengi Love Songs ")

Among Zek's business ventures was one partnering with Chairman Nilva of the Slug-o-Cola company, who together had made a lot of latinum over the years. ( DS9 : " Ferengi Love Songs ")

Expansion into the Gamma Quadrant [ ]

Ferengi conference on DS9

In 2369, Zek arrived at Deep Space 9 where he sought out Quark , the proprietor of Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House and Holosuite Arcade , located on the station's Promenade . Although the reason for his presence was not immediately revealed, he wished to use Quark's holosuites , having heard that some of Quark's programs were " quite alluring. " When Quark gave Zek a selection of his top five favorites, he decided to sample them all, after which Quark volunteered Rom 's quarters for the Nagus to rest in. Following his rest, he told Quark to invite him to dinner, where Quark offered tube grubs , that Zek found to be "chilled to perfection."

As Zek slowly revealed his intentions, he complimented Quark on his " stroke of brilliance " to establish his bar so close to the Bajoran wormhole . He then asked Quark for the favor to using his bar and services as host " for an important conference " he had planned to hold the following day, to discuss "the future" of "Ferengi business interests", namely "the Gamma Quadrant ." As the meeting started, Zek requested that Quark stay.

Following concerns that " it is becoming more and more difficult to find truly lucrative business opportunities here in the Alpha Quadrant [...] because no matter where we go, our reputation precedes us. " Zek unveiled his plan, " thanks to the discovery of the wormhole, " which opened access to " millions of new worlds at our very doorstep, " meaning that " the potential for Ferengi business expansion [was going to be] staggering. " As the conference attendees expressed their support for the Nagus' plan, he declined the offer, stating, " I'm old. The fire dims. I'm just not as greedy as I used to be, " before suddenly announced that he wished to retire, and going naming his new successor – Quark.

A portrait of Zek on his funeral in 2369 .

Following his retirement, Zek began making considerations where he would go next Risa or Balosnee VI , this while Quark, overwhelmed with his new responsibilities as Grand Nagus, sought Zek's counsel. As Zek explained the basics of his old role, he apparently died mid-thought, from an apparent " massive infection of the tympanic membrane . A chronic condition . " His body was, soon after, and apparently, " automatically vacuum-desiccated and sold as a prized collectible . "

As attempts were underway to assassinate Quark by Rom and Krax, Zek revealed himself and it was soon discovered that his death was only a ploy to test his son's worthiness for the position. However, Krax did not succeed as expected, Quark abdicated the position back to Zek, and Zek postponed his retirement , hoping only " long enough to establish a Ferengi presence in the Gamma Quadrant. " Zek then promised Quark if "any good deals" that were right for Quark opened up. ( DS9 : " The Nagus ")

Later that year, when Odo 's imagination became reality and a duplicate of Quark was kept in a holding cell , the false Ferengi demanded to talk to the Nagus over subspace . ( DS9 : " If Wishes Were Horses ")

In 2370 , Zek attempted to open negotiations with the Dominion , and although he opened contact with the Dosi for tulaberry wine , eventually leading him to more important members of the Dominion, the Karemma . ( DS9 : " Rules of Acquisition ")

In 2371 , Zek appointed Quark as his representative to accompany the USS Defiant on its mission to make contact with the Founders of the Dominion, through Benjamin Sisko . ( DS9 : " The Search, Part I ") Zek would later ask Quark to remind Sisko of his instrumental role in the events leading up to first contact with the Dominion, after his nephew Belongo , was detained by authorities on Aldebaran III . Sisko said he would look into the matter, but made no promises. ( DS9 : " Past Tense, Part I ")

When someone pre-bought Quark's vacuum desiccated remains , Quark thought that it was Zek, remembering that " He always liked me. " ( DS9 : " Body Parts ")

Later domestic interests [ ]

Later that year, Zek came into possession of a Bajoran orb , and attempted to contact the Prophets to ask them to reveal the future to him for financial gain. Finding Zek's greed offensive, the Prophets returned him to Deep Space 9 after de-evolving him to " to an earlier, less adversarial state of existence, " when the species was less profit-driven. With his mindset transformed, he believed the future was looking very bright, and recorded his thoughts in his personal log . He promptly created the Ferengi Benevolent Association to provide aid to poorer worlds, devised a revised version of the Rules of Acquisition that emphasized giving, and offered to give his orb to the Bajoran people for free.

Though Rom speculated that he had gone insane , Quark quickly discovered that Zek had been altered by the Prophets, and convinced them to restore Zek to his former self. Zek then cancelled all of his reforms . Zek was unaware, however, that Rom had embezzled money from the Benevolent Association while he was Senior Administrator. ( DS9 : " Prophet Motive ")

Ishka and Zek

In his later years, Zek began to experience a dramatic change in his policies. He was fairly liberal-minded for a Ferengi male, declaring his indifference towards Ferengi females who wore clothing inside the home, so long as they maintained the status quo by staying naked while in public. In 2373 he fell in love with Ishka , Quark's mother and a radical feminist who became the "power behind the throne," but also helped keep the Ferengi Alliance stable with her business acumen as Zek's mental faculties were starting to fail him. He eventually amended the Ferengi Bill of Opportunities to allow females the right to wear clothing. Few accepted this radical change at first, and Zek was ousted by Ferengi Commerce Authority liquidator Brunt . However, he was able to convince a few influential FCA commissioners that females represented an unexploited business opportunity right at home, and Zek was reinstated. ( DS9 : " Ferengi Love Songs ", " Profit and Lace ")

The Dominion War and expansion into the mirror universe [ ]

In early 2374 , Zek offered to buy Rom's freedom from the Dominion . ( DS9 : " Favor the Bold ") Later, when the transport ship Ishka was aboard was captured by Dominion forces while returning from a trip to Vulcan , Zek requested that Quark rescue her, offering an incentive payment of fifty bars of gold-pressed latinum. ( DS9 : " The Magnificent Ferengi ")

Despite the Ferengi Alliance's official neutrality during the Dominion War , Zek maintained close relations with the Federation , and periodically requested status reports about the course of the war. In late-2374, Nog and Jake Sisko were on their way to Ferenginar, where Nog was to deliver an official message from the Federation Council to Zek, when their runabout was ambushed by Jem'Hadar fighters . ( DS9 : " Valiant ")

Zek later sent Quark on another fact-finding mission to the front lines in the Chin'toka system in 2375 . ( DS9 : " The Siege of AR-558 ")

Later that year, Zek and Maihar'du crossed over to the mirror universe hoping to make some profit. However, they were captured by the Alliance . Quark and Rom rescued them, by bringing Regent Worf a cloaking device . ( DS9 : " The Emperor's New Cloak ")

Retirement [ ]

Later that year, Zek finally retired just after implementing radical new social welfare programs, appointing Ishka's son Rom as Grand Nagus, and passing to him the Grand Nagus' staff as a symbol of his new office. Zek and Ishka planned a subsequent stay on Risa . ( DS9 : " The Dogs of War ")

Alternate timeline [ ]

Zek's skull

In an alternate timeline , Grand Nagus Zek was killed by General Jean-Luc Picard at some point before 2401 . His skull was later mounted on display in Picard's trophy room at Château Picard . ( PIC : " Penance ")

Dave Blass identified Zek on Instagram. [1] (X)

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Nagus "
• " Rules of Acquisition "
• " Prophet Motive "
• " Ferengi Love Songs "
• " Profit and Lace "
• " The Emperor's New Cloak "
• " The Dogs of War "
• PIC : " Penance " (skull only)

Background information [ ]

Zek was played by Wallace Shawn .

Shawn commented: " To be in that world and to be in that makeup really liberated me in a way that I never experienced before – or since. I felt completely free, so it was a joyful experience. But it was physically very, very arduous, and I couldn't have done it on a regular basis. Once a year, which is what I did, was basically perfect for me. But to be trapped inside that head for at least 12 hours, not counting three hours to put the makeup on and an hour to take it off, was a little bit disturbing and uncomfortable and exhausting. And if you had to scratch your forehead, you couldn't ". [2]

Shawn also commented that playing Zek: " was arduous, the hair and makeup – it took three hours! But it was thrilling. It was an amazing gift. It made acting very easy. If you looked in the mirror, you saw you looked very, very different. I had this anonymity; I was very free and could do what I wanted. It was fun ". [3]

Zek was described in Star Trek 101 as: " Donald Trump , Alan Greenspan , and Scrooge McDuck all rolled into one diminutive wrinkled body ".

Apocrypha [ ]

Zek also appears in the novels The 34th Rule , I, Q , The Big Game and Balance of Power .

The novel The Buried Age establishes that Zek was responsible for creating propaganda over the supposedly threatening nature of the Ferengi in early Star Trek: The Next Generation because the Ferengi, after hearing early reports about the Federation and their moneyless economy, decided that the Federation might well be insane if they truly did not seek profit. Zek also threw funding into a large military buildup in order to preserve their appearance as a dangerous race and in order to defend themselves against the Federation, should it prove necessary.

External links [ ]

• Zek at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)
• 3 Daniels (Crewman)

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published May 1, 2021

How 'Deep Space Nine' Made a Case for Unions

The pro-union writers of "Bar Association" used Karl Marx, worker intimidation, a strike, and two Ferengi brothers to dramatize the struggle between labor and management.

StarTrek.com

The recently premiered Deep Space Nine documentary What We Left Behind makes an argument for the show's importance not just in the Star Trek canon, but in the broad history of American television. Through the expressive guidance of showrunner Ira Steven Behr, it walks through DS9 's treatment of race, inequality, war, and sexuality across seven seasons of ambitious, character-driven, and often hysterical storytelling. But there's one always-relevant issue the documentary didn't touch on that the show did: Workers going on strike.

The fourth-season DS9 episode "Bar Association" is the only entry in the totality of Trek 's decades-sprawling franchise that meaningfully focuses on labor organizing. It sets two fan-favorite Ferengi brothers—Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodénchik)—against each other as manager and employee, and walks through the beats of Rom's radicalization from being a cog in Quark's money-making machine to a union man willing to stand up for himself and his fellow workers. Behr and his co-writer of the episode's teleplay, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, have confirmed that was all by design.

"We wanted to do a show about labor... to say something about why labor historically has been good," Wolfe told StarTrek.com, explaining the discussions that fleshed out the episode's original story pitch from Barbara J. Lee and Jenifer A. Lee. A labor episode, produced in a time when union membership was (and still is) in decline, he said, offered them the opportunity to argue for unions while fleshing out the arcs of minor characters like Rom and the Dabo girl Leeta (Chase Masterson). "For most shows, they would just be background, but on Deep Space Nine they deserved to have their own story," he said.

"The main focus was about the two brothers," Behr added. As a character-driven Trek series, more than making a "statement" about unions, he explained, this DS9 episode was meant to illustrate how those themes interacted between the two brothers and their relationship with each other. Through them, "Bar Association" told a story that dramatized the struggles and success that can come with collective bargaining, made a case for the side of labor, and further deepened the beloved lore and characters of DS9 . Here's how they made it happen.

Ideological tension from the jump: Ferengi greed vs. labor's struggles

Unlike other Trek shows which focus on the discovery of new civilizations, DS9 sets civilizations up to clash as they coexist on the same titular space station. The Ferengi, a society of unapologetic capitalists, live by ruthless "Rules of Acquisition" and prides themselves in profit at practically any moral cost. The United Federation of Planets ( basically ) operates a socialist-lite, post-scarcity government—where currency has little use and exploitation is anathema.

The opening minutes of "Bar Association" smash those two ideologies together when Rom gets sick at his job at Quark's bar and casino. Quark says Rom's pay will be docked after he collapses and needs medical treatment. Upon hearing this, the Federation doctor Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) suggests Rom and his cohort form a union.

"A what?" Rom asks, as if he'd never heard the word before.

"You know, a trade guild, a collective bargaining association, a union," Dr. Bashir replies, as though it's the most basic concept in the galaxy.

The discussion with Bashir puts the bug in Rom's ear, but Quark is the one who forces Rom's ultimate decision. The next time he sees his brother, Quark informs his entire staff that their pay will be cut by a third because business is particularly slow. When Rom and his coworker Leeta protest, Quark doesn't budge, telling them they can accept it or be laid off.

The writing played with how personal labor-management relations can get

"In this bar, you're not my brother," Quark tells Rom as he delivers the news of the pay cut. "You're my employee. And employees have no right to question the management's decisions." After years of mistreatment, this cold statement steels Rom's resolve. In his next scene, he rallies the staff of Quark's to unionize, arguing that neither Quark nor the Ferengi Commerce Authority cares about their interests.

"We've been exploited long enough," Rom tells his coworkers. "It's time to be strong, take control of our lives, our dignity and our profits." By end of the scene, he has them shouting in solidarity, with their fists raised in unison: "Union! Union! Union!"

For the entirety of their lives before this moment, Rom played second fiddle to Quark, both in their acquisition of profits and in their family dynamic. Quark made all the rules before Rom leaned into the power of collective action. Upending that dynamic changed their relationship for the rest of the series, pushing Rom to self-actualize and Quark to soften his view on Ferengi custom.

DS9 dramatized that power shift, Behr said, by leaning into the core of its characters. "It's about family," he explained, "stepping out of your brother's shadow, or a brother having to come to grips with who his brother really is as opposed to who he might want his brother to be."

This tension drives a wedge between the two that results in a captivating meeting where Quark corners Rom in his own quarters and tries to pay him off to end the strike — basically Union Busting 101. Rom defies the bribe and quotes Karl Marx back to Quark: "There's only one thing I have to say to you: 'Workers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains.'"

Dumbfounded, Quark asks: "What's happened to you?"

Like so many exploitative managers, Quark cannot fathom that Rom finally understands his value and his cohorts' collective power. In his own earlier words to his unionized workers, they could "strike a blow." Quark had provided ample fuel for their fire. ("And we just thought it would be hilarious to have a Ferengi quoting Marx, to be honest," Wolfe laughed. "But that is an important part of the discussion.").

Their labor dispute and the eventual strike is so disruptive — so effective — that the FCA does get wind of it and eventually sends a Ferengi enforcer, Brunt (Jeffrey Combs) , to break up the strike. When Brunt threatens to freeze their bank accounts, Rom does not waver, reassuring his coworkers: "If your accounts on Ferenginar were worth anything, you wouldn't be working as a waiter. I'm telling you, nothing has changed. Victory is within our grasp. All we have to do is take it."

Brunt's tactics get more brutal when he threatens Leeta and nearly kills Quark in order to intimidate Rom into ending the strike. Even so, Rom remains invested in his coworkers, bargaining a hard line with Quark in order to secure their pay increases by any means necessary. Pushed to the brink, Quark and Rom arrive at a compromise: Rom will dissolve the union, and Quark will give them raises by the end of the week.

The episode is unabashedly pro-union, as were the people who made it

While Quark, this episode's sympathetic villain, maybe as philosophically anti-union as Brunt is, Shimerman, the actor who played him was not. Ditto for Behr and Wolfe (both raised in union households), as well as much of Hollywood, where individual trades are represented by guilds like the Writers Guild of America West, the Directors Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild, and more.

"You would never, ever, ever, ever cross a picket line," Behr recalled of growing up in working-class New York, decades ago. One of his first jobs was working in a union office for soft-drink workers, "and these were some tough, tough guys." He also recalled that Shimerman would vocally discuss SAG issues on the DS9 set.

"By and large those unions are very beneficial to us," Wolfe said. "Some of the [ DS9 ] writers, not me, had just been through a writers' strike in the late '80s ," Wolfe remembered, and it informed their writing. Today, Wolfe and Behr both vocally support their union, the WGA West on social media. When he was young, Wolfe recalled, his mother was represented by a nurses' union, meaning he would join her on the picket line as early as age 7.

All of these writers and actors grew up and worked in industries where they were represented by trade guilds and where the collective interest trumped individual greed. That history is reflected in the episode, too, when Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney), who later joins the chorus, emboldens Rom with a story about his ancestor who led a Pennsylvania miners strike: "Eleven months those mines were closed, and they didn't open again until all the miners' demands were met."

As the strike gets underway, O'Brien even gets into a fight with his fellow Federation officer, Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) over breaking the picket line. (The tussle feels like a function of Worf's subplot in the episode, in which he feels increasingly out of place on DS9 .) The message tracks with what Behr told StarTrek.com about his own views on unions: "The unions for all their faults and failures — of which there were many — were better than the alternative."

The union's solidarity wins the day, but the conflict doesn't disappear

"There are a lot of people today that think unions are the enemy," Behr lamented. Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics show a decline in union membership since the '80s, and with it, declining pay for workers in "production and non-supervisory positions," the largest category of American workers. Right-to-work laws, the rise of contract-based jobs, and the loss of manufacturing jobs all contribute to this, but so does worker apathy and the ahistorical belief that working conditions will naturally improve on their own without anyone taking action to correct them.

"We wanted to give that historical context to show how that worked to a viewership that might be increasingly hostile to the idea of organized labor," Wolfe said. "There's definitely a push-pull power dynamic between labor and capital, and there probably always will be."

Rom took action, but the episode doesn't offer a pat solution to the tensions between Quark and Rom, or between Quark and the rest of his workforce. Rom ends the episode a hero, growing closer to his future wife Leeta, leaving Quark's employ, and cheekily vowing to needle his brother in another key Capitalist role: The Customer. And though Rom agrees to dissolve the union, a single raise does not a happy labor-management relationship make. (Just ask any union member who's had to negotiate a second contract with management once the first runs its course.)

Had the DS9 writers wanted to, another union drive that resulted in a true collective bargaining agreement would not have been out of the question. "Bar Association" demonstrated that workers benefit from having a seat at the table, while management benefits from making workers think they don't have the power to grab the chair and sit down.

"People will take your freedom away if you let it happen," Behr said, whether you live in the 20th, 21st, or 24th century. That's what it boils down to. "Somewhere, people are still fighting for a goddamn living wage. They're doing the job and they want to get paid for the job they're doing."

Eric Vilas-Boas (he/him) has previously written for Vulture, Esquire, Thrillist, TV Guide, Paste, Slashfilm, and other outlets. He is a member of the WGA East, and the co-editor of the animation blog The Dot and Line . You can follow him on Twitter .

Get Updates By Email

James Darren Was A Key Part Of My Favorite Star Trek: DS9 Moment

The late James Darren was a key part of my favorite Star Trek: Deep Space Nine moment. Darren passed away on September 2, 2024, at 88 years old. James, or Jimmy as his friends and loved ones knew him, played Vic Fontaine, DS9's holographic crooner and proprietor of Vic's Las Vegas Lounge. In S tar Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, Vic Fontaine and Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) performed together , and it's a scene that's near and dear to my heart.

James Darren was born James William Ercolani on June 8, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Knowing from an early age he wanted a career in show business, James went on to have a multifaceted career in TV, film, on stage, in music, and behind the camera as a director. Darren became a teen heartthrob as Moondoggie on Gidget, and he also performed the show's theme song. James' most famous TV roles are as the lead in The Time Tunnel and as Detective Jim Corrigan on T.J. Hooke r opposite William Shatner . Of course, Star Trek fans know Darren best as Vic Fontaine, who mended hearts and palled around with Deep Space Nine's crew.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had the biggest cast of characters of any Trek show, meaning that Captain Sisko had numerous allies in the Dominion War.

James Darrens Vic Fontaine Was Part Of My Favorite Star Trek: DS9 Moment

"the best is yet to come".

James Darren and Avery Brooks performing "The Best is Yet to Come" at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, episode 15, "Badda Bing, Badda Bang" is my favorite DS9 moment. It may be my favorite Star Trek moment of all time , to be honest. After the DS9 crew pulls off a successful Ocean's Eleven -style cape r, Captain Sisko shocks his friends by getting on stage and singing alongside Vic. It's a jaw-dropper and a seminal moment, as Sisko was the last holdout among DS9's crew to pal around with Vic Fontaine. But James Darren and Avery Brooks performing together is pure magic, and there's no other Star Trek scene quite like it - nor will there be again.

I grew up with Frank Sinatra singing the old standards. When my parents played music, they turned up the classics of the 1950s and 1960s. My father's signature song that he occasionally performed in karaoke was Frank Sinatra's "My Way," and an appreciation for Frank, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and the Rat Pack's Las Vegas antics was baked into me at a young age. When James Darren joined the show, Vic Fontaine brought Sinatra's dapper 1960s style to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . In "Badda Bing, Badda Bang," Captain Sisko got over his issues with Las Vegas' racism in the '60s and performed with Vic, giving him the ultimate attaboy. It's a moment only DS9 can deliver, and I love it.

Captain Sisko and Vic Fontaine's "The Best is Yet to Come" duet was also a tacit promise to the audience. From that point on, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would deliver its final 10 episodes in a tightly-woven, serialized story to wrap up the Dominion War arc and the series.

James Darrens Greatest Star Trek: DS9 Episode As Vic Fontaine

"it's only a paper moon".

I adore Vic Fontaine and Captain Sisko singing "The Best is Yet to Come" in "Badda Bing, Badda Bang," but it's not James Darren's best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode. The ultimate Vic Fontaine DS9 hour is Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, episode 10, "It's Only a Paper Moon," a powerful and resonant two-hander about Vic helping Ensign Nog (Aron Eisenberg) through his PTSD . Nog lost his leg in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, episode 8, "The Seige of AR-558," and the young Ferengi chose to heal by hiding away in Vic Fontaine's 1960s Las Vegas fantasy.

"It's Only a Paper Moon" is a Star Trek story only Vic Fontaine and Deep Space Nine could deliver.

In the late 1990s, before there was a greater understanding of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Vic Fontaine helping Nog through his trauma was another in a long line of emotionally powerful, breakthrough moment s for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . After all, when we're in trouble or facing something that feels insurmountable, who wouldn't want to quit real life and find sanctuary in a safe, illusionary world like Nog did with a friend like Vic? Vic and Nog made a great team, as Nog used his Ferengi business sense to expand his casino into a Las Vegas empire. In turn, Vic got to experience a richer and fuller life with Nog, but Fontaine also gave his young pal the tough love he needed for Nog to go back to the real world and reclaim his life. "It's Only a Paper Moon" is a Star Trek story only Vic Fontaine and Deep Space Nine could deliver.

Why Vic Fontaine Was Such A Great Star Trek: DS9 Character

There's no one in star trek like vic fontaine, pally..

James Darren told StarTrek.com in 2019 , "Vic Fontaine was like – what can I say? – it was a dream come true for me. It was one of the most enjoyable roles for me to have played." Vic Fontaine was a fountain of cool, of joy, and he was a presence like no other on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Coming to Vic meant DS9 's heroes could loosen up and unwind. Vic Fontaine episodes also let DS9 cheerfully break its own mold, letting characters like Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) and even Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) wear tuxedos and Lt. Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer) and Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) wear evening gowns. Vic was also upbeat and fancy-free; in his inimitable way, Fontaine embodied Gene Roddenbery's optimistic vision of Star Trek with the retro cool of the era in which Star Trek began.

The stories Vic Fontaine told about Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, etc. on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine were based on James Darren's real-life experiences with the Rat Pack.

Most importantly, when Vic Fontaine sang or gave advice to his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine friends, he always spoke from the heart, with truth and honesty. In turn, Vic became a conduit for DS9 's characters to explore their own hearts and fulfill their true dreams, such as Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) finally declaring his love for Major Kira. Looking back on DS9 , it's hard to believe Vic only joined the show at the end of season 6 and James Darren only performed in 7 episodes. As Vic Fontaine, James Darren embodied a singular character who can never be duplicated, and moments like Vic Fontaine singing with Captain Sisko will forever define what I loved about Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Cast Terry Farrell, Cirroc Lofton, Rene Auberjonois, Nicole de Boer, Michael Dorn, Andrew Robinson, Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Colm Meaney, Armin Shimerman, Alexander Siddig

Network CBS

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller, Ronald D. Moore

Showrunner Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller

Where To Watch Paramount+

Rating TV-PG

Star Trek: Who Is Vic Fontaine?

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Star Trek: Hologram Beings, Explained

Star trek: "the cloud minders" episode, explained, battlestar galactica: was starbuck a cylon.

Star Trek has a massive world of fascinating secondary characters who deserve attention. Sure, the stars of the show are critical, but the second stringers often add a lot to the experience. Every iteration of the series has a few recurring characters who can become fan favorites. Deep Space Nine was quite good at establishing minor figures. One of the finest examples was the holographic Rat Pack singer Vic Fontaine. With the recent passing of beloved performer James Darren, the character deserves a look back.

With countless episodes of TV, the Star Trek franchise has explored countless settings. It's a science fiction series that plays with just about every other imaginable genre. The crews of various ships have experienced everything from the Old West to the Roman Empire. One of the ways writers and directors create interesting glimpses of the future is by adding elements of the past. The usual method of reincorporation is through holographic technology. Sometimes the magic of moving lights changes the environment, but it can also build new living beings.

While most holographs aren't exactly sentient, there are many "artificial" photonic beings that exhibit the characteristics of more tangible life.

Who is Vic Fontaine?

Vic Fontaine is a holographic representation of a 1960s-era Vegas lounge singer. Vic is inextricable from Frank Sinatra, with most elements of his character taking some inspiration from Ol' Blue Eyes. Vic Fontaine is the brainchild of Ira Steven Behr, a writer and executive producer on Deep Space Nine . He imagined the character while he worked on the fourth season, but it took a long time to get him into an episode. Behr liked the idea of a recurring character who would only pop up when he was needed. He could sing songs and dispense romantic advice. Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe wrote a scene to introduce the character, but every opportunity they had to slip it into an episode fizzled out. Eventually, they tossed aside their original casting ideas and wrote an entire episode around the 1960s Vegas theme.

Where did Vic Fontaine first appear?

Vic Fontaine first appeared in the 1998 episode "His Way." The episode spends a lot of time depicting Vic helping the Changeling Odo express his feelings for Kira Nerys . He's an excellent singer who performs a show-stopping rendition of Russ Morgan's "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You." Unlike a lot of holographic beings, Vic is well aware of his circumstances. He helps Odo get over his nerves by letting him talk to a holographic representation of Kira, but that recreation doesn't behave correctly. Some time later, Vic takes Kira on a dinner date to understand her mannerisms. Vic sets Odo and Kira up on a date, tricking Odo into believing he's only talking to a hologram. This mild deception leads to an argument, but that release of emotions allows Odo and Kira to break the tension and kiss for the first time.

What else did Vic Fontaine do?

Vic is a fun supporting character throughout the next few seasons of Deep Space Nine . He gives advice to Bashir and Quark, cautioning them to move on from their infatuation with Dax. When Worf later loses Dax , he asks Vic to sing him a song to raise his spirits. Vic's vocals offer a variety of benefits to the crew. His songs raise morale, soothe heartache, and bring people together. Vic shares a lot of time with Nog, a Ferengi who practically moves into the holosuite to recover from PTSD. After Vic offers support, Nog convinces Quark to leave the holosuite on 24/7 to allow Vic to live his own life. A later episode depicts a story set in the holographic 60s. The crew helps Fontaine get his club back from the mob. The Deep Space Nine finale sees the crew celebrate their victory at Vic's bar.

Who played Vic Fontaine?

The late, great James Darren portrayed Vic Fontaine. Darren was a gifted actor and singer with a long history of success before his passing in September 2024. His earliest hit was the classic surf film Gidget , in which he played Moondoggie, the leading man. In 1961, Darren played a supporting role in Guns of Navarone , a World War II blockbuster . James Darren portrayed Officer Jim Corrigan in 66 episodes of T. J. Hooker alongside fellow Star Trek performer William Shatner. Darren initially passed on the Vic Fontaine role three times. Behr and the rest of the crew attempted to contact a variety of other performers, including Frank Sinatra Jr. His audition was mostly improvised, demonstrating a mastery of the character that quickly became second nature. Darren would appear eight times as Vic Fontaine, livening up several episodes of Deep Space Nine . He appeared in films occasionally. His final role came in John Carroll Lynch's 2017 drama Lucky .

Vic Fontaine was an excellent side character in Deep Space Nine . He was a great example of the utility of a minor player , finding the perfect moments to use a well-studied character. He wouldn't be half the icon he is today without James Darren behind him. Sometimes, Star Trek finds the perfect performer and lets that star shine on his own.

This season three episode of The Original Series started with a compelling premise, but its execution leaves a lot to be desired.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Ferengi Love Songs

• Episode aired Apr 21, 1997

Quark doesn't know whether to be panicked or overjoyed when he learns that his mother is the new lover of the Grand Nagus. Quark doesn't know whether to be panicked or overjoyed when he learns that his mother is the new lover of the Grand Nagus. Quark doesn't know whether to be panicked or overjoyed when he learns that his mother is the new lover of the Grand Nagus.

• Rene Auberjonois
• Gene Roddenberry
• Rick Berman
• Michael Piller
• Avery Brooks
• Michael Dorn
• 7 User reviews
• 4 Critic reviews

Top cast 24

• Captain Benjamin 'Ben' Sisko

• Constable Odo

• Lt. Cmdr. Worf

• Lt. Cmdr. Jadzia Dax

• (credit only)

• Chief Miles O'Brien

• Doctor Julian Bashir

• Major Kira Nerys

• Maihar'du

• Bajoran Security Deputy
• (uncredited)

• Various Aliens
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia This episode introduces Cecily Adams as Ishka. Andrea Martin had previously played the role in the episode Family Business (1995) , but she found the prosthetics too much and decided not to return to the role. Adams would play Ishka for the duration of the remaining episodes.

Leeta : I hate him.

Major Kira : No, you don't.

Leeta : All he loves is latinum.

Major Kira : No, he doesn't.

Leeta : Canceling that wedding was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Major Kira : No, it isn't.

Leeta : I am so glad he's out of my life.

Major Kira : No, you're not.

Leeta : Major - you haven't been listening to me.

Major Kira : Yes, I have. That's how I know you love him.

[Leeta whimpers]

• Connections Featured in What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2018)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Main Title (uncredited) Written by Dennis McCarthy Performed by Dennis McCarthy

User reviews 7

• Oct 30, 2018
• April 21, 1997 (United States)
• United States
• Official Site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 46 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

Screen Rant

The real reason star trek's ferengi wear those headdresses (it's not ds9's budget).

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

9 Ways DS9's Ferengi Changed Star Trek History

Recasting star trek: ds9 for a movie reboot, cancelled prime video series with 95% rt score gathers over 55k signatures for season 2 renewal campaign.

• The reason that many Ferengi characters wear veils on the back of their heads is not just a cost-cutting measure, as previously believed.
• The veils were actually a design element distinctively created by the makeup supervisor Michael Westmore.
• While the practical explanation for the veils is a communication error cover-up turned costuming tradition, there is no official in-universe explanation for why Ferengi wear headdresses.

Armin Shimerman, who played Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , reveals the real reason that so many Ferengi characters wear veils on the back of their heads. Quark is one of the few Ferengi characters to go without a headdress, and also a main character in the cast of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , so the long-standing practical explanation for Ferengi veils is that they're a cost-cutting feature. Veils allegedly save DS9 's makeup department from creating full-coverage prosthetics like Quark's for every Ferengi from background players to recurring characters like Quark's brother, Rom (Max Grodénchik), and nephew, Nog (Aron Eisenberg). It makes sense, but Shimerman says it's not entirely true.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 11, "The Nagus", introduces Grand Nagus Zek (Wallace Shawn) as the leader of Ferengi society, and establishes elements of Ferengi culture that shape the perception and portrayal of Ferengi characters in DS9 and later shows like Star Trek: Lower Decks . "The Nagus" contains the first direct reference to the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition , outlines the Ferengi funerary practice of selling the departed's dessicated remains, and shows how strict hierarchy within Ferengi society quietly dictates the behavior of Quark, Rom, Nog, and even the Nagus himself. Notably, the Grand Nagus, like Quark, does not wear a veil.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was the making of the Ferengi and Quark, Rom, Nog, and Ishka continue to make a huge impact on the Star Trek universe.

Quark Actor Armin Shimerman Explains Ferengi Headdress Origin

Shimerman "was there when it happened.".

On The Delta Flyers podcast, Armin Shimerman joins co-hosts Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang to discuss Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 11, "The Nagus". After giving a shout-out to makeup artist Karen Westerfield for deciding to give Quark distinctive purple circles around his eyes, Shimerman points out another design element that sets Quark apart from most other Ferengi. Read their quotes below and listen to The Delta Flyers , starting at the 27:06 timestamp.

Armin Shimerman: You'll notice Rom has a veil behind his head, and Quark doesn't, and that, too, was part of the makeup designs. That was distinctly designed by [makeup supervisor] Michael Westmore.

Garrett Wang: The veil is because they didn't want to finish the back of that person's [makeup].

Armin Shimerman: It's not that they didn't want to, because I was there when it happened. The costume design department and the makeup department hadn't conferred about how far the makeup came down and how high the costume came up. And so on TNG, when I was made up as a Ferengi, when all the process was done, we realized there was a 3-inch gap of the back of my neck showing, and Michael went out and got a piece of material which he stapled to the rubber prosthesis.

Ferengi Veils Are Tradition On Star Trek: DS9

But why do ferengi wear those head pieces in-universe.

It's true the Ferengi head accessory was invented to cover an accidental gap in the makeup, but Ferengi veils continued to be used in Star Trek, after solving the problem on Star Trek: The Next Generation . The makeup and costuming departments on DS9 would have been aware of the gap between actors' prosthetics and costumes, so they could have compensated for it but still chose to incorporate Ferengi headpieces as tradition. Rom and Nog, who usually wear veils, don't have them in DS9 season 7, episode 4, "Take Me Out to the Holosuite", and veiled Ferengi are in the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks, which doesn't need prosthetics.

The practical explanation for Ferengi veils is a communication error cover-up turned costuming tradition, but why do Ferengi wear headdresses in-universe? While an official in-universe explanation for Ferengi veils doesn't exist , there are theories. The headpieces might reflect a lower position in society, so respected individuals like the Grand Nagus or successful entrepreneurs are exempt from wearing them. As a culturally significant accessory, veils are incorporated into uniforms for Nog in Starfleet and Rom in the Bajoran militia, but not the Niners baseball uniforms. It's likely Ferengi veils are just formal fashion for official occasions, but who knows? They might just be a way to save money after all.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine