DS9 Stories/News: Dominion Leaders

Site: http://dominion.tvheaven.com/dompers.html#thotgor

Thot Gor

This shadowy and mysterious character joined the Dominion as part of their alliance with the Breen. Thot Gor proved himself a capable and effective leader of the formidable Breen forces allied with the Dominion. The favor which Thot Got found with both Weyoun and the Founder proved a source of distress to Legate Damar and may have preciptated Damar’s betrayal of the Dominion.

Cardassians

Legate Dukat

Unpredictable, savage, and mentally unstable, Dukat commanded the mining station Terok Nor during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor and later went on to help forge the alliance between the Cardassians and the Dominion. However, his lackluster military strategy is considered one of the key factors in allowing the Federation to retake Terok Nor/DS9. The death of his traitorous daughter Ziyal at the hands of Damar led Dukat to mental collapse and imprisonment by the Federation authorities. After escaping confinement, reports placed Dukat throughout the Alpha Quadrant, allegedly proselytizing for the cult of the pah-wraiths. These reports were confirmed by Dukat’s possession by the Costa Mogen, during which he murdered Jadzia Dax and temporarily sealed the worm hole linking the Gamma and Alpha Quadrants. Confirmed reports from reliable Dominion sources indicate that Dukat later transformed himself into a Bajoran through plastic surgery, presumably in an attempt to further infiltrate the cult of the pah-wraiths. Nothing is known of Dukat’s current whereabouts.

Tora Ziyal

Beautiful angel of light and mercy, Ziyal was the half-Bajoran, half-Cardassian daughter of Dukat. Forced to work in a dilithium mine during the early days of her life, Ziyal was eventually liberated from this dreary life by her father. Though initially ashamed of Ziyal for her mixed heritage, Dukat eventually came to recognize her for the perfect creature of goodness that she was. Unfortunately, Ziyal fell in with the criminal element during the Dominion occupation of Terok Nor/DS9 and was persuaded by the members of Colonel Kira’s terrorist cell to assist in the liberation of the criminal saboteur, Rom. For this betrayal of her people, Ziyal was murdered by Damar, sending her father into a void of insanity from which he never emerged.

Legate Damar

Dukat’s successor as commander of the Cardassian forces allied with the Dominion, Damar abandoned the familial fold of the Dominion allies presumably after pollution by the Federation captives, Worf and Dax. After turning against the Dominion, Damar encouraged his forces to do the same with some limited success. He received assistance in his crusade against his former allies from the noted terrorist Colonel Kira Nerys. Damar was killed in an ill-planned assault on the Dominion headquarters at Cardassia Prime.

Legate Broca

This lumbering oaf served as commander of Cardassian forces and liaison to the Dominion following the defection of Legate Damar. An uninspired and uninspiring leader, Broca distinguished himself only in his unswerving loyalty to the Dominion. However, Broca was ultimately executed by the Dominion when the Cardassians unanimously turned against their Dominion and Breen allies.

DS9 Stories/News: DS9 Stories/ News: Odo & Kira Relationship Review (8)

 

“The Abandoned”

Review originally printed in ORACLE

Newsletter July 2011

____________________________________

 

Review written by Mary Shaver

ODO:

 

Is that all you can think about?

Killing?  Isn’t there anything else

that you care about?

 

JEM’HADAR TEENAGER:

 

I… I don’t think so.

 

ODO:

 

But there’s so much more to life

than that… there’s so much for you

to discover… to experience…

 

EPISODE OVERVIEW:

 

Odo learns that not everyone can expand beyond the limitations of their natures.

 

EPISODE SUMMARY:

 

An abandoned baby, discovered in some cargo salvage, turns out to be a Jem’Hadar whose genetic engineering accelerates his growth.  Within a day he is an adolescent and Odo agrees to take the teenager under his wing in an effort to help the youngster grow beyond his warrior nature.  

 

EPISODE ANALYSIS:

 

 

Quark purchases some salvage from a Boslian trader and is surprised to discover a baby of unknown origin hidden in the wreckage. Bashir’s examination of the baby turns up a number of unusual readings, most significantly that the child has an abnormally high metabolic rate. Within hours the baby has grown into a child of 8 or 10 years. Not only is this mysterious child growing at an alarming rate; he also seems to have remarkable cognitive abilities. Without any external stimuli, he has learned language, speech and  has the capacity for reasoning and understanding.  Bashir concludes that this child is the product of genetic engineering that is far advanced beyond anything seen in the Federation. To add to the mystery, the child is missing a key enzyme and without a synthetic substitute, he will die. A culture that is capable of this level of technology surely wouldn’t have overlooked something so basic; it must have been a deliberate omission. Bashir is stymied.

 

“The Abandoned” is the first Odo-centric episode since the devastating events of “The Search.”  Despite whatever internal conflicts he might be experiencing after finding his people and learning that they are the Founders of the Dominion, Odo is soldering on in the humanoid world. And while he finds no common ground with his people as to their philosophy of the universe, Odo did take away some positive things from his encounter with the Great Link, and is beginning to embrace his Changeling heritage.

 

While Dr. Bashir is searching to understand the anatomy of the orphaned child in the Infirmary, Odo, searching for a better understanding of himself, is beginning a journey of self-discovery. The first step in this journey is his decision to move out of the stifling little closet at the back of his Security office that has been his make-shift home since the days of Terek Nor, and take regular crew quarters.

 

We learn this as Kira arrives with a gift for his new quarters – a houseplant. Odo answers the door chime and very deliberately chooses to greet her outside his quarters in the corridor. Unabashedly interested about the configuration of his quarters, Kira at first peers over Odo’s shoulder, trying to get a peek inside the room, and when he closes and locks the door she confesses her curiosity  – and she apparently isn’t alone. According to her, “everyone” is curious to see his quarters. For a painful moment Odo seems to be reliving the sort of curiosity he used to excite while a lab specimen. Kira is blissfully ignorant that her words and actions have caused the Constable some consternation, but Odo quickly recovers and invites Kira in. She looks in wonder at the strange collection of items that populate the room and seem to be scattered everywhere. Somewhat apologetically, Odo explains that he hasn’t finished organizing everything. From his expression Odo appears to be looking for her approval. When he then goes on to clarify the purpose for the objects – to practice and explore his shapeshifting gifts – Odo is acknowledging the next step in his journey. Shapeshifting is no longer something he does simply as part of his job when the need calls for it. His reluctance until now to change shapes arguably has its roots in the things he was forced to do when confined to Mora’s lab and when he was taken out ‘on parade’ for the entertainment of the Cardassians. Meeting his people and learning at the feet of the Female Changeling has altered his thinking and now Odo is beginning to understand what it means to be a shapeshifter. He has discovered that the ability to mimic various shapes, forms, textures and surfaces can be a joyful and pleasurable experience. For a man who has seen so little joy in his life, this has to be something of an epiphany to Odo.

DS9 Stories/News: Deep Space Nine’s Autographed Pictures

Michael Dorn as the Klingon Worf, were a regular in all of The Next Generation, and joined Deep Space 9 in season 4.

Casey Biggs who played Damar in Deep Space 9 brought some pictures that Nana Visitor (Major Kira) had signed, and being a fan of her, I had to get me one of those!

Vaughn Armstrong, in all the roles he’ve played on Star Trek, so far it’ve been 14!! The most for a single actor.

Robert O’Reilly was the man behind the Klingon “Gowron” in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Deep Space Nine.

Patrick Kilpatrick have had at least three different roles in both Star Trek: Voyager and Deep Space Nine.

Source: http://www.kennl.dk/pictures/Galileo7/Loot/loot.htm

Nana Visitor, the actor who portrayed Kira in Star Trek: Deep Space nine.

J. G. Hertzler is the Klingon Martok in Star Trek: Deep Space nine.

The Ferengi Family Hour, is a show preformed by three actors from Deep Space Nine, and a member of the staff (Lolita Fatjo).

Chase Masterson who played Leeta in Deep Space Nine. This is the cover from a CD she have released.

Mark Allen Shepherd plays the character Morn on Deep Space Nine.

The Auction
They had an auction where it was possible to bid on different items, from signed pictures of the whole cast of The Original Series, to a few props that had been used on the show, like Captain Janeway’s communicator (which was very expensive!). I managed to get two items on the auction, one was a autographed picture of J.G. Hertzler as the Klingon Martokin Deep Space Nine. Unfortunately it didn’t scan very well, so I can’t put it up here for you to look at. The second item I acquired was a synopsis to the Deep Space Nine episode Shadowplay. It contains a two page description of the episode, and a sheet with three pictures from it as well. One of the pictures is signed by Cirroc Lofton, across the character he played on the show (Jake Sisko). Again you can click on the image to view a larger version.

Page one of the synopsis.

Page two of the synopsis.

Pictures from the episode.

This is the picture that was in the package with the synopsis to the Deep Space Nine episode Shadowplay, that I bought on the auction at the convention.

If you move the cursor over the three pictures, you can read a more detailed description about them. And notice that the top right photo is signed my the actor Cirroc Lofton.

DS9 Stories/News: Boss Chicks: Jadzia Dax

Source: http://www.amaya-radjani.com/2011/10/boss-chicks-jadzia-dax.html

I’m continuing my appreciation for the DS9 Divas.

Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax, played by Terry Farrell, was a joined Trill.  Before I continue my homage to Dax, I need to explain the significance of being joined.  To be joined means that the humanoid Trill is a host to a wise old symbiont.  The symbionts are special and must be protected at all times, to the detriment of the host.  Trills that are joined must undergo rigorous training because they absorb the memories of all of the symbiont’s previous hosts.  Trills that are eligible for joining look upon the event as an honor, and view the protection of the symbiont as their highest priority.  Jadzia was host to the Dax symbiont, a 300-year old creature.  She was Dax’s eighth host.  Her predecessor was a male Trill named Curzon.  Curzon had strong ties to the Klingon Empire.

Now, with that context, I can continue my analysis. Jadzia arrived on Deep Space Nine, and she was an enigmatic, beautiful woman who had a previous relationship with Captain Benjamin Sisko.  The prior relationship was actually with Curzon Dax, who was Sisko’s mentor.  Sisko always referred to Curzon as “old man,” and when Jadzia joined the crew and Sisko realized that she carried the Dax symbiont, and thus had Curzon’s memories, he started calling her “old man.” Because of her experience, she was typically the voice of reason for Sisko and his crew.  She was his confidant and he was hers; they regularly sought advice from one another.  Their bond was strong.

Jadzia was strong enough to handle seven lifetimes’ worth of memories, which is no easy feat.  Because of her experiences, she was able to have an appreciation for various activities.  She played tongo better than most Ferengi, loved to fight, fuck and party.  Jadzia was comfortable with herself and confident, had a zest for life and no shortage of suitors, including the young and inexperienced Dr. Julian Bashir.  Bashir was waaaay out of his league in his pursuit of Dax.  He was no match for her; she was far too much woman for him.  But when Lieutenant Commander Worf reported for duty on DS9, Dax took a liking to him.  She had an appreciation for Klingons & their culture, due to Curzon’s affiliation.  She pursued Worf in a relatively light-hearted way, pointing out that he couldn’t see what was before him.  Worf, lovesick over an unattainable female, Grilka, didn’t realize that Jadzia liked him until she challenged him in a Klingon courtship ritual.  Klingons are a tempestuous lot, and she and Worf became lovers, or par’mach-kai, after she initiated the ritual.  They were known for having rough sex, replete with broken bones, scratches, pulled muscles and dislocated joints.

Klingon mating rituals don’t scare me. I’d do Worf.

They got married in Season Six.

Micheal Dorn (Worf) & Terry Farrell (Jadzia Dax)

Dax’s bachelorette party was awesome!  She had a fine-ass Polynesian fire dancer perform.  She punched out her future mother-in-law when she pulled a knife.  Everyone was dancing and drinking (and likely doing other things the camera couldn’t show), and Dax woke up with a massive hangover to the chagrin of her stoic and stalwart fiancé.  One could infer that she slept with the fire dancer, as she certainly intimated that she wanted to.  The wedding got called off, but eventually takes place when Sisko talked some sense into Dax.  Dax and Worf were a good match, and when she abruptly died at the end of Season Six, he was inconsolable.  The Dax symbiont ended up with an unworthy successor.

Ezri Dax: FAIL!

The writers would have done better either recasting Terry Farrell (the actress) or letting the character of Dax die altogether.  Ezri could not fill Jadzia’s shoes.

Chatty Cathy

I liked Dax.  I thought she was a fantastic character.  But there was a shift in her personality somewhere between Season Three & Season Four.  She was this quiet, wise, mysterious female, and then she became gossipy, silly and prone to throwing people under the bus.  She knew everyone’s business and told everybody everyone else’s business, and she did not have a problem discussing hers and Worf’s private life with everyone on the senior staff.  It was clearly a series of “WTF?” moments.

But in spite of these flaws, Jadzia Dax is still a boss chick; if for no other reason than loving a Klingon, wanting his children, and fucking his brains out.  That, my friends, is not something to be taken lightly.

DS9 Stories/News: Deep Space Nine Celebrity Guest Pictures (17)

Mary Kay Adams as Grilka in Two Deep Space Nine Episodes “The House of Quark” & “Looking for par’Mach in all the Wrong Places”

Grilka was a Klingon woman from the Mekro’vak region and the widow of Kozak. Her most trusted adviser was Tumek.

After Kozak died in Quark’s in early 2371, Quark took credit for killing her husband, even though Kozak actually fell onto his own knife. She forced Quark to marry her so she could retain control of her house. Despite Grilka’s aversion to matters of finance, she allowed Quark to inspect her family ledgers where he discovered that D’Ghor, Kozak’s enemy, had been systematically attacking the House of Kozak for five years in order to weaken it.

Courtesy of Memory Alpha.org

Grilka was played by Mary Kay Adams.

Mary Kay Adams (born 12 September 1962; age 49) played Grilka in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes “The House of Quark” and “Looking for par’Mach in All the Wrong Places“. She is a descendant of US Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

Adams also played the role of Na’Toth on Babylon 5 during that show’s second season, taking over the role from fellow DS9 guest star Julie Caitlin Brown. Although she was listed in the show’s opening credits for the entire season, she only appeared in two episodes. Mostly, she worked with Andreas Katsulas on the show.

Adams also guest starred in the Dark Skies episode “Moving Targets” with fellow Deep Space Nine guest stars Stephen James Carver, the late William Frankfather, and Leon Russom.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Mary_Kay_Adams

…

Shannon Cochran as Sirella in Deep Space Nine Episode “You Are Cordially Invited…”

Lady Sirella, daughter of Linkasa, was Martok‘s wife and Mistress of the House of Martok.

Sirella was of noble descent, tracing her maternal lineage back to Shenara, daughter of Emperor Reclaw of the Second Dynasty. However, her 23rd maternal grandmother was actually named Karana, a concubine. (DS9: “You Are Cordially Invited“)

Courtesy of Memory Alpha.org

Although she was completely different from the woman Martok thought he would marry (he thought of her as a mercurial, arrogant, prideful woman who didn’t have sex with him as much as he wanted to), his love for her was very deep. (DS9: “You Are Cordially Invited“)

A proud and headstrong woman, Sirella was originally opposed to the marriage between Worf and Jadzia Dax, believing that by allowing aliens to join her house would threaten their identity as Klingons. Since as mistress she had the duty of approving all marriages into the family, she came to Deep Space 9 to evaluate Dax’s worthiness. Sirella’s views led her to set Dax’s standards impossibly high, eventually causing a clash between them and to her canceling the wedding. Dax eventually begged her forgiveness, changing Sirella’s mind about her. Sirella later performed the wedding ceremony. (DS9: “You Are Cordially Invited“)

She was played by Shannon Cochran.

Shannon Cochran (born 7 August 1958; age 53) from Greensboro, North Carolina is an actress who has guest-starred in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She also appeared in Star Trek Nemesis. She has also guest-starred in ER, Frasier, NYPD Blue, Seinfeld and The Office (where the father of the man her character’s daughter was played by Robert Pine – though another actress would take over the role in that episode). In a StarTrek.com interview, she mentions that she married her “Defiant” co-star Michael Canavan, and that he was the only person, aside from Jonathan Frakes and Nana Visitor, she filmed the episode with.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Shannon_Cochran

Shannon Cochran (born August 7, 1958) is an American actress. While she has numerous credits to her name, she is particularly recognizable as having played the mysterious Anna Morgan in the popular 2002 film The Ring.

Cochran played Pam Beesly‘s mother in The Office episode Sexual Harassment (later replaced by Linda Purl).

She also had a guest role in the Deep Space Nine Episode “Defiant”

As Kalita, a member of the Maquis