Both during and after its seven-season run,Star Trek: Deep Space Ninehas been set apart from the rest of theStar Trekfranchise. WhereasotherStar Trekshows have had great crossoversand reference each other constantly,Deep Space Ninehas, for the most part, stood alone. With its more mature themes, political intrigues, seasons-long arcs, and space station settting,Deep Space Ninewas always going to be different from more episodic and adventuresome showslikeStar Trek: The Next GenerationorStar Trek: Voyager.
It’s hardly surprisingDeep Space Nineis something of an outcast fromStar Trek. Despite this distance, however,Deep Space Ninehas always been a fan favorite, with some ofthe best episodes in all ofStar Trek. Indeed,some of the same darker themes and more dramatic storylines that makeDeep Space Nineso great have also set it apart from the rest of the franchise.So, despite its beloved status,Deep Space Nineremains at a distance from the rest of theStar Trekfranchise.
Deep Space Nine Started As The Outcast Of The Star Trek Franchise
DS9 Started Different And Even Crossovers Pushed It Further Away
WhenStar Trek:Deep Space Ninefirst aired, it was, in many ways, under the shadow of earlier installments of theStar Trekfranchise. In the same way that early episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generationfelt more likeStar Trek: The Original Series,early episodes ofStar Trek: Deep Space Ninefelt similar toTNG. As early as thestart of season 2,DS9began to focus more on its defining themesof religion and politics,and by the end of season 3Deep Space Ninehad the first cliffhanger finale inStar Trek.
In the same way that early episodes ofThe Next Generationfelt more likeStar Trek: The Original Series, early episodes ofStar Trek: Deep Space Ninefelt similar toTNG.
AsStar Trek: Deep Space Nineprogressed, becoming more and more focused on the Dominion’s war with the United Federation of Planets and political intrigue, it drifted further and further from the optimistic utopia of the rest ofStar Trek. In many ways,Deep Space Ninechallenged Gene Roddenberry’s vision forStar Trek.The crew ofDeep Space Nineclashed in ways that never would have flown in other series.Furthermore, from the beginning, Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) clashed with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), symbolically settingDeep Space Nineat odds withStar Trek: The Next Generation.
After 26 Years, Star Trek Has Finally Settled a DS9 Debate
Many years ago, Chief O’Brien and Worf made a puzzling bet while on Deep Space Nine, and now at long last, Star Trek has settled the matter.
The few crossoversStar Trek: Deep Space Ninedid have only highlighted the distance between the show and the rest of the franchise.When Jonathan Frakes appeared onDS9, he did so as Thomas Riker, Maquis rebel, rather than as Commander Will Riker. When Lieutenant Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) became a show regular, he brought very little fromStar Trek:The Next Generation, leaving behind his controversial romance with Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) and his son. Even Chief MIles O’Brien (Colm Meaney) spoke very little about his time on the USS Enterprise-D. On the whole, these connections ironically did little to changeDS9’s outsider status.
Modern Star Trek Hasn’t Embraced Deep Space Nine As Much As The Other Classic Shows
And It’s Not Likely To See More Crossovers
Even now, thirty years later,Star Trek: Deep Space Nineis still set apart from the rest of the franchise.Whereas the rest of 1990sStar Trekis referenced and revisited constantly,DS9has had to make do with the odd Easter egg.Star Trek: Strange New WorldsandStar Trek: Discovery,take place in the same era asStar Trek: The Original Series,and share characters and plots freely.Star Trek: Picardis a continuation ofTNGin the same wayStar Trek: Prodigycontinues fromVoyager.
The only modern show with significant crossovers withDeep Space NineisStar Trek: Lower Decks.
The only modern show with significant crossovers withDeep Space NineisStar Trek: Lower Decks. There are multiple episodes where characters fromDS9appear on-screen, including the canonization of relationships only hinted at in the nineties. Ensign Mariner (Tawny Newsome) served on Deep Space Nine beforeStar Trek: Lower Decksbegan, and Lieutenant Shaxs (Fred Tatasciore) was friends with Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) in the Bajoran resistance. ButStar Trek:Lower Decks’finalemeans that we are unlikely to see any more crossovers between the two shows.
Why Revisiting Deep Space Nine Is Difficult For Modern Star Trek
Avery Brooks Is Done With Acting
WhatStar Trek:Deep Space Nine’s connections withStar Trek: Lower Decksshow is that,despite the current distance between the show and the rest of the franchise, there is potential for moreDS9crossovers.Even if in the nineties the tone ofDeep Space Ninewas too different to blend well with the rest ofTrek, modern series feature the same sorts of political intrigue asDS9. Nevertheless, it is difficult to do modern crossovers withDeep Space Ninefor other reasons. Most notably, Avery Brooks is retired and unlikely to reprise his role as Captain Sisko in the future.
The last time Avery Brooks appeared as Captain Sisko was in the 2006 video game,Star Trek: Legacy.
At the end ofDeep Space Nine, Benjamin Sisko joined the Prophets in the wormhole/Celestial Temple, establishing him as an ageless non-linear being outside Starfleet or the Federation - a position that poses difficulties for writing crossovers. Furthermore,Avery Brooks has not appeared on film outside of documentaries since 2001, and there is no reason to think he’ll come out of retirement. What this means, practically speaking, is that while side characters fromDS9may continue to appear occasionally in modernStarTrek, it is unlikely that there will be any direct continuations ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
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.
