Star Trek: Deep Space Nine did many things differently from its predecessors. For starters, it had a Black Captain of a ship in the front and center. As opposed to the exploratory nature of the other Star Trek shows, DS9 was centered on the eponymous space station where other beings collided with them, instead of the other way around.
However, one of the key changes it made was the depiction of the Ferengis, especially with the character of Nog. The antagonists-turned-comic reliefs of The Next Generation saw a comeuppance in the spinoff series and Nog became the first Ferengi to join the Starfleet.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine redeemed the Ferengi through Nog
The Ferengi were a new alien species created for Star Trek: The Next Generation as creator Gene Roddenberry hoped to move on from Vulcans after the original series. They were a capitalist species known for their greed for money. However, in the middle of the show, the makers went with the Borg and Romulans, and the Ferengi were pushed to comic relief.
While they made more appearances in TNG, they became a more inclusive part of the crew in Deep Space Nine with characters like Quark and Nog. The former is more in line with the comical nature of the Ferengi, Nog had more growth as a character. He becomes the first member of the species to go to Starfleet Academy.
Nog goes to the Academy with the recommendation of Benjamin Sisko and is stationed at Deep Space Nine and learns a lot. He also shares a friendship with Jake Sisko, the son of Benjamin Sisko and once he goes back to DS9 as a cadet, shares a bunk with him. He also works under the chief of operations Miles O’Brien.
Nog has one of his major character turns in Deep Space Nine when he loses a leg during the Dominion War. More importance and dimension are given to his character when it is revealed that he is suffering from PTSD. By the end of the series, Sisko promotes him and in the future, it is revealed that Nog has a ship named after him.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine subverted tropes by redeeming the Ferengi
In Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek universe, the Starfleet crew were always the heroes. However, as the franchise expanded and times changed, a new kind of crew was required to be in tune with the sensibilities of the times (despite its futuristic setting). Star Trek: Deep Space Nine did several things differently than TNG and may have suffered for it.
However, in hindsight, the show has a cult following because of these reasons. While TNG decided to shift focus from the Captain to the crew as a whole, Deep Space Nine brought in diverse perspectives and morally grey characters. The treatment of the Ferengi is a prime example of how they subverted established tropes.
By the time DS9 aired, Star Trek had an established template. But with the new spinoff series, several of these unspecified rules were broken to give a new experience. The journey of Nog, a Ferengi did wonders for the perception of the species as a whole. Unlike the Borg and the Romulans, who were mostly antagonistic, the Ferengi were depicted as ever-growing.
Nog goes from being a selfish Ferengi to being accepted into the Starfleet and actually having goals beyond just greed and ownership. Nog’s character growth is one of the most satisfying arcs in the Star Trek franchise and proved to fans that the show was willing to change for the times.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is available to stream on Paramount+.
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