Summary
- Quark's involvement in serious crimes went unpunished, making his character less important as his actions had no consequences.
- In the episode "Invasive Procedures," Quark's sabotage should have resulted in more severe punishment given the risk it posed to Lt. Jadzia Dax.
- Despite his involvement in the crime, Quark redeemed himself by taking brave and positive action, helping to capture the criminals and reunite Jadzia with her symbiont.
Deep Space Nine character wasn't always punished to the full extent of the law. DS9 season 4 tried to explain this by having Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) tell Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) that he used Quark to capture larger, more dangerous criminals.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Quark actor pointed out the danger of letting the Ferengi off too lightly. Speaking about DS9 season 2, episode 4, "Invasive Procedures" in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, Shimerman believed that:
I worry when Quark doesn't get punished for really sizable crimes. It makes the character less important since his acts trigger no consequences.
This is particularly noticeable in "Invasive Procedures", in which Quark's sabotage of DS9's security grid risks the life of Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell). Although Quark wasn't aware of the full intentions of the criminals, his illegal act should have resulted in more serious punishment.
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Quark Was Never Punished For His Role In DS9’s Dax Heist
In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 4, "Invasive Procedures", DS9 is evacuated during a plasma storm, leaving only Quark and the senior staff aboard. Quark takes the opportunity to conduct a shady business deal with some Klingons, sabotaging the station security grid so that they can enter undetected. Unfortunately for Quark, the Klingons are merely mercenaries working for an uned Trill called Verad (John Glover), who wishes to steal the Dax symbiont. The procedure will kill Jadzia Dax, who agrees to go along with it, if only to protect the lives of her friends, including Quark.
Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) are furious with Quark for allowing Verad and his crew to access Deep Space Nine. However, they don't throw Quark in jail or sanction his business for his role in endangering Dax and the rest of DS9's senior staff. It's for this reason that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actor Armin Shimerman believed that "Invasive Procedures" undermined Quark and Odo. The fact that Odo is forced to spend the majority of the episode in a containment chamber should have been reason enough for Quark's arch-nemesis to severely punish the Ferengi.
Why Star Trek: DS9 Never Punished Quark For His “Unforgivable” Crime
After Quark realized that the Klingons weren't interested in the business deal that he was promised, he made a brave attempt to redeem himself. To get himself sent to sickbay, Quark picked a fight with T'Kar (a Klingon played by Tim Russ) and injured his lobes. While in the safety of the sickbay, Quark was able to keep an eye on the prone Jadzia, and help Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) to free Odo from the containment chamber. Quark's guilt over how he had inadvertently risked the life of Jadzia forced Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Ferengi bartender into positive action.
It's also thanks to Quark's safe-cracking skills that Odo is freed from the lockbox that he's being stored in. Without Odo, it's arguable that Verad and his crew would have been able to leave Deep Space Nine without much difficulty. So, while Quark risked Jadzia's life in pursuit of profit, he risked his own to stop Verad from leaving with the Dax symbiont. After the events of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 2, episode 4 "Invasive Procedures" it was likely deemed that Quark wouldn't be severely punished for interfering with the security grid, thanks to his role in capturing his criminal associates and reing Jadzia with her symbiont.
All episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are streaming now on Paramount+.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
- Release Date
- 1993 - 1999-00-00
- Network
- CBS
- Showrunner
- Michael Piller, Ira Steven Behr
WHERE TO WATCH
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.
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