Questions on DS9!

[Galadriel]

You all are probably gonna think that this sounds stupid , but what's the major plot of DS9 ? Who are the bad guys ? What's up with Gul Dukat ? WHO IS HE ??????? Help ! I know nothing about Deep Space Nine!!!!!!!!!!!! Can someone please help ?

[Lindley]

I don't know how much you know, so I'll be thourough.

Ok, here it is: Deep Space Nine used to be the Cardassian station Terok Nor. When the Cardassians left Bajor, the Bajoran government asked the Federation to step in ("Emmisary").

The principal "Bad Guys" are the Dominion, who are from the Gamma Quadrant. They invade through the wormhole and start a war in season 5. For seasons 2-4, however, they are merely a threat, not an outright enemy. The Cardassians become their allies once they invade.

Gul Dukat ran the station when it was Cardassian-controlled. He is a recurring character, first as an ally, and later a villian. His half-bajoran daughter, Ziyal, was a recurring character for a season. He is a political opportunist, but he does have a concience--at least at first. Once the Dominion invades, he is one of the leaders of the movement to ally the Cardassians with them, because the Dominion has promised to help the Cardies rebuild their fleet after the Klingon invasion.

The other major baddie is Weyoun, a Vorta clone who is a key leader of the Dominion. Since he can be recloned whenever he dies, getting rid of him is a problem.

[Lindley]

Oh, and if you're confused about the final season, Gul Dukat was disguised as a Bajoran for most of that. I didn't see all of the final chapter, but I think he was also possessed by a Pah-Wraith -- a fallen Prophet -- for most of the last season.

The Prophets, worshiped as gods by the Bajorans, are aliens who live in the Wormhole, outside of linear time.

[Lindley]

One more thing---

At any given point in the series, the "bad guys" are not always the same. A quote:

<Red Alert siren sounds>
Quark:"Now what?!"
Garak:"Well, I can't be sure, but my guess would be Klingons."
Quark:"Klingons? First it was the Cardassians. Then it was the Dominion. Now its the Klingons! How's a Ferengi supposed to make an honest living in a place like this?"

[IreneJ]

I don't know what TPTB's intentions were when DS9 first aired, but their storylines seemed as if they became very confusing.

[Lindley]

I don't think so, but then I've seen it from the beginning, no eps missed through the beginning of season 5. I haven't seen all the rest yet, but basically, its a very elegant storyline structure. You can understand each ep without seeing them all, but if you've seen certain other eps you have special insight into what's happening.

[IreneJ]

I have been doing just that. It's still confusing. In fact, a good number of Trek fans have told me the same. They like the show, but were disappointed how the Bajoran storyline was shoved aside for the Dominion War arc and that the latter was a bit too convulted.

[Lindley]

Well, again, I've only seen through the ep "In Purgatory's Shadow". Thats one of the early "Dominion War" eps, before the actual war has started.

[Tyvek]

Lindley GREAT job I could not have explained it better myself . also DS9 is sort of like a story It is better to watch it from start to end

[FlangBG]

Waching within DS9 is as confusing as when reading LotR from the center.

[gul Lemek III.]

DS9 is, as Lindley put it, a series with a very elegant storyline and some great episodes, that I will probably remember for ever. Also, it's the peak of Star Trek, when the writers were at their best, so alltogether, DS9 is a very riveting show that had a lot to offer.

[tdm]

[Founder]

[gul Lemek III.]

Maby he watched some kind of "behind the scene never seen" episodes

[Founder]

By those posts, it looks like it.