Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Recap: How to watch the story-based Trek (2023)

This guide will take you through the 1990s science fiction TV show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It lists both the episodes most crucial to the progression of the plot and the most beloved one-off episodes. It's spoiler free, but you can infer a few things if you read too far ahead. It is recommended to go from season to season.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nineit was a departure for the franchise in more ways than one. It is the only series not based on the exploits of a starship, but takes place primarily on an old Cardassian space station. There wasn't even a station captain for the first few seasons. This series also delves into the inner workings of the Federation and its citizenship, and what she uncovers isn't always as flattering as it sounds.the next generation.

DS9was also the firstStar Trek(Opens in a new tab)series that had a strong story that continued from episode to episode. Ronald D. Moore, now known for the Battlestar Galactica reboot, began writing forDS9in its third season. Not by chance, that's when the story arcs get more detailed and engaging. You can't just jump anywhere and know what's going on, but there's abatchofDS9. Where to start?

Excuse me, how many episodes does it have?

With 176 episodes of approximately 43 minutes each, there are more than 126 hours of content. could you lookDeep Space Ninefor more than five days in a row without sleep breaks. However, you don't have to. Who has time for that? These are the episodes you must watch if you don't want to miss out on the good stuff.

you can haveDeep Space Ninein anynetflix(Opens in a new tab)oAmazon Prime(Opens in a new tab)In the USA. Note that episode numbers on Netflix are sometimes different than the production codes used here. Be sure to check the title before queuing an episode.

Season 1 – Arriving in Bajor

As is common with Star Trek, it took a while for the series to find its footing. Relationships between team members are still developing in Season 1 and the bigger storylines have yet to emerge. Still, this is where you should start learning about the setting and characters. Basically, Commander (later Captain) Sisko is given command ofDeep Space Nineafter the Cardassian empire finally ends its occupation of Bajor. He discovers a stable wormhole in the distant Gamma Quadrant, putting Bajor on the proverbial map. It also makes him a religious icon for the Bajoran people. Here are the episodes you need to get right.

Essential note:

Episode 1 and 2 – Emissary: The premiere episode sets the stage for the entire series when Sisko becomes the first person to enter the wormhole, which Bajorans believe is the home of their gods. A brief stay inDeep Space Nineit suddenly feels like a permanent position.

Episode 3 - Prologue to the Past: A Bajoran terrorist wanted by the Cardassians arrives at the station. It's a good summary of the tensions that exist between the Federation and the Bajoran crew inDS9. It also introduces the tailor/spy Garak, one of the best characters in all of Trek history. That's just my opinion, but you can't prove me wrong.

Episode 12 - Vortex: We get the first clues thatDS9Odo's head of security isn't the only changeling in the galaxy. In fact, his people may still exist in the Gamma Quadrant.

Episode 13 - Battle Lines: The Bajoran Kai (basically a space pope) visits the station and takes a trip through the wormhole. Things are not going well.

Episode 19 - Duet: A Cardassian visitor is suspected of being an undercover war criminal. Kira is determined to uncover the truth.

Episode 20 - In the Hands of the Prophets: At the end of the season, a Bajoran religious leader named Vedek Winn opposes secular education on the station. Specifically, what the Federation teaches children about the wormhole. Things escalate quickly.

Season 1 recommended:

Episódio 6 - Captive Pursuit: Strange alien visitors appear through the wormhole, including one who is chased by a second alien in this excellent episode. Lots of Prime Directive talk.

Episode 8 – Dax: Dax is accused of a murder committed by one of her former hosts. This episode gives an idea of ​​how the Trill symbiotes, which appear frequently in the series, work.

Season 2 - The Domain

It's in season two that we get to know many of the factions and races that will play an important role in the rest of the series. There's a bit of lull in the middle of season two, but you'll be hooked by the end.

Essential note:

Episodes 1, 2 and 3- This is a three-part story arc dealing with a rescued war hero and an attempted coup in Bajor. You'll learn to hate Winn, if you haven't already, after that education thing last season.

Episode 7 - Acquisition Rules: Quark leads Ferengi negotiations to establish a business in the Gamma Quadrant. Negotiations lead to talk of The Dominion, which will be important later in the series.

Episode 14 - Whispers: O'Brien believes his friends have been replaced by rogue copies for some unknown purpose. something is wrong on boardDS9, and O'Brien is the only one who seems to be able to see him. It's not part of the story arc, but it's fantastic nonetheless.

Episode 15 - Paradise: Sisko and O'Brien are trapped on a planet where technology is banned, and the colony's enigmatic leader enforces the ban with extreme measures. A fantastic story.

Episodes 20 and 21– The Maquis: This is the beginning of the story of Maquis, which will unfold in the coming seasons. It also crosses over with other Star Trek series like Voyager. It tells the story of the Bajorans who reject the treaty with the Cardassians and want to continue the war.

Episode 26 - The Jem'Hadar: Sisko meets Jem'Hadar for the first time. These Dominion soldiers are ruthless and efficient, but the Dominion's leadership remains a mystery.

Season 2 recommended:

Episode 5 – Cardassians: This episode revolves around the cunning Cardassian and a mysterious orphan. It's a Garak-heavy episode, which is great.

Episode 12 - The Understudy: Odo investigates a planet in the Gamma Quadrant that may hold the key to understanding its origins, but he also has to deal with the man who studied it for years before realizing it was a living thing.

Episode 23 - Junction: This is a mirror universe episode in the great tradition of the original series. Kira and Bashir end up in the mirror universe of the 24th century, where a Klingon-Carassian alliance rules the galaxy and humans are slaves. There is a depressing lack of wicked goatee.

Season 3 - The Challenger

I feel like season 3 is where the show really takes off. The station finally gets its own starship, the USS Defiant, and the Federation realizes that the Dominion could be a serious threat. At the same time, other powers in the Alpha Quadrant are stepping up to take matters into their own hands. There are some great two-part stories this season too, so make sure you take the time to watch both in one go.

Essential note:

Episodes 1 and 2 – The Quest: Using the newly acquired USS Defiant and its Romulan-approved cloaking device, the crew searches for The Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant. In the process, Odo finally discovers his origins.

Episode 9 - Challenger: Commander William Riker is coming to the station... or is he? This one fits into the Maquis story arc.

Episodes 11 and 12 - Past: Sisko, Bashir and Dax are accidentally transported to the middle of the 21st century. It is a dark time in human history. These episodes are very well done but don't advance the story arc. Still, they are a must.

Episodes 20 & 21 – Improbable Cause and the Die is Cast: Some unlikely allies plan an all-out assault on the Dominion, and Odo accompanies them. Garak plays a big role in this story, and there are tons of cool space battles.

Episode 26 - The Adversary: In the season finale, the team discovers just how dangerous the Changelings can be when someone infiltrates the Defiant.

Season 3 recommended:

Episode 5 - Second Skin: Kira is kidnapped and surgically altered to look like a Cardassian, but her captors say she was a Cardassian sleeper agent all along.

Episode 16 - Motive of the Prophet: Quark seeks to stop the Ferengi Grand Nagus from destroying the Ferengi's traditional ways. This one is fun because the Ferengi are hilarious.

Season 4: Klingons Being Klingons

The fourth season ofDeep Space Ninehas more action as the Federation and Dominion continue on the road to war, but Worf (Michael Dorn) also joins the DS9 crew. Meanwhile, old alliances begin to break down. There are a lot of great episodes this season, so you'll have to forgive the longer list.

Essential note:

Episode 1 and 2 – The Way of the Warrior: The Klingons intend to start a war and want the Federation's help, but can Sisko wait and let that happen? This episode contains one of the best space battles in the entire series.

Episode 7 - Spaceship Downed: The Dominion blocks Federation trade dealings in the Gamma Quadrant. The Defiant takes heavy damage when plunging into a gas giant's atmosphere.

Episode 8 - Little Green Men: Quark, Rom, Nog and Odo are transported back to Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. They are not part of the story, but there are some amusing references to earlier episodes. This is a fantastic episode of Ferengi with a lot of humor.

Episodes 11 and 12 – Homefront and Paradise Lost: Captain Sisko and Odo investigate possible Changeling infiltrators on Earth. What they find is a sinister plot close to home. This is a great two-part story because it shows a darker side of Starfleet, somethingDS9back several times.

Episode 14 - Return to Grace: Ex-Cardassian bigwig Dukat takes over a Klingon ship with a lowly freighter. This episode turns Dukat into an almostkindcharacter, even for Kira.

Episode 18 - Rules of Engagement: Worf is tried for the destruction of a Klingon civilian transport. If convicted, he could be extradited to the Klingon Empire and executed.

Episode 19 - Hard Time: One of my favorite episodes ofDS9, even if it doesn't advance the story arc. O'Brien is convicted of espionage on an alien world and sentenced to 20 years in prison, but his punishment is not all it seems. This is one of those episodes that will stay with you.

Episode 23 - Until Death: Sisko joins forces with the Dominion to stop a dangerous group of renegade Jem'Hadar. This episode marks the first appearance of the insanely polite overseer of the Weyoun Domain. You'll see a lot of him in the future.

Episode 26 - Broken Link: Odo begins to suffer from a strange illness and only his fellow changelings can help him. Of course, they aren't too happy about Odo.

Season 4 recommended:

Episode 2 - The Visitor: You will either love or hate this episode where Captain Sisko disappears, leaving your child wondering what happened.

Episode 4 - Hippocratic Oath: Dr. Bashir attempts to free the Jem'Hadar from the Dominion's control.

Episode 25 - Body Parts:Quark thinks he's dying, so he does what any Ferengi would do: he sells his dying remains on the open market. Did I mention that I find Ferengi hilarious?

Season 5 - The Road to War

This is where all the plots inDeep Space NineStarting to Stick Together Up to this point, the Federation has not officially been at war with the Dominion, but that could soon change. Changelings are everywhere, and the Federation still deals with the Klingon Empire. Basically, the Alpha Quadrant is a big mess.

Essential note:

Episode 1 - Rising Apocalypse: Sisko and the team go undercover to expose a Changeling imposter in the highest levels of the Klingon Empire. Success could mean the end of the war.

Episode 2 - The Ship: The crew sees a crashed Jem'Hadar warship, which would be a great prize for the Federation. Trying to save the ship turns into a tense confrontation with the Dominion.

Episódio 6 – Trials and Tribble-ations: This is one of the most beloved episodes ofDeep Space Nine, That's right. The team needs to travel back in time to preserve the timeline, finding themselves in an episode of the original Star Trek series. Specifically, the Tribble episode. the way in whichDS9the crew merges with the classic episode footage is amazing.

Episode 12 - The Begotten: Odo encounters a Changeling child who was sent to the galaxy years earlier. The experience of caring for him affects him more than expected.

Episodes 14 and 15: In the Shadow of Purgatory and In the Light of Hell: That's it: The invasion of Alpha Quadrant Domain begins, but the turn of events surprises the Federation.

Episode 23 - Flame of Glory: You can consider this the end of the Maquis story arc, as the rebel group makes one last stand on Cardassia.

Episode 26: Call to Arms: The crew ofDS9he rushes to mine the entrance to the wormhole to prevent Dominion reinforcements from reaching the Alpha Quadrant. At the same time, the Dominion plans its attack on the Federation. The season 5 finale marks the start of the Dominion War.

Season 5 recommended:

Episode 4 – …Not the Battle Against the Strong: Dr. Bashir and Jake Sisko respond to a distress call on a planet under siege by the Klingons. This is a darker episode that explores how Starfleet responds to war.

Episode 20 - Ferengi Love Songs: Quark is despondent about his financial situation, which is of great importance to a Ferengi. He visits his mother and discovers that she is having a romantic relationship with Ferengi Grand Nagus. As always, the Ferengi are hilarious.

Episode 22 - Children of Time: The Defiant experiences an anomaly that allows the crew to learn about their own descendants. The problem: these people will only exist if the ship lands on a planet, leaving the crew trapped forever.

Season 6 - A Dominion War

The sixth season ofDeep Space Nineis as action-packed as any season of Star Trek ever produced. There are a few unique episodes that don't relate to the war, but it's mostly about the Federation's struggle to resist the onslaught of the Dominion and Cardassian forces. The season premiere picks up three months after the war, and things are going badly for Starfleet.

Essential note:

Episode 1 – Time to Go Up: Sisko and his crew use a captured Dominion warship to stage a daring attack that could turn the tide.

Episode 4 – Behind the Lines: Sisko pursues a critical Dominion installation. NonethelessDeep Space Nineit is occupied by the Domain, but Kira, Jake, Rom and Odo work to undermine them.

Episodes 5 and 6: Favoring the Bold and Sacrificing Angels: The Dominion is close to deactivating the wormhole minefield and bringing in the reinforcements that will allow them to conquer the Alpha Quadrant. Sisko leads a massive fleet of ships to retakeDeep Space Nineand stop them. There's a spectacular space battle to behold in this one.

Episode 10 - The Magnificent Ferengi: This is another Ferengi episode, but it goes from "recommended" to "essential" because it also deals with the Domain. Quarks mother is kidnapped by the Dominion, so he sets up a mission to rescue all the Ferengi why not?

Episode 18 - Inquisition: Dr. Bashir is questioned by Starfleet security, suspected of being an unwitting spy for the Domain. This is the first appearance of Section 31, a secret branch of Starfleet intelligence. The Inquisition is another example ofDS9exploring the less-than-perfect side of the Federation.

Episode 19 - Under the Pale Moonlight: Sisko hatches a plan to draw the Romulans into the war against the Dominion. This episode has a truly memorable ending.

Episode 26 - Tears of the Prophets: Starfleet begins their counterattack against the Dominion with Captain Sisko leading the charge. To stand a chance, the fleet must first disable the powerful orbital weapons platforms that protect Cardassian space. Space battles? There are many of them here.

Season 6 Recommended:

Episode 9 - Statistical Probabilities: The Doctor. Bashir works with a group of genetically engineered (but very strange) geniuses to predict the course of the Dominion War. They come to the conclusion that there is no way the Federation can win.

Episode 13 - Far Beyond the Stars: Captain Sisko considers leaving Starfleet, but begins to have visions of himself as a writer in 1950s New York. This episode features most of the cast in Sisko's vision as humans without their alien makeup. It's an unusual episode, but a very interesting one.

Episode 22 - Courageous: Jake Sisko and Nog are rescued by a Defiant-class starship manned entirely by elite Starfleet cadets. They end up making some very bad decisions.

Season 7 - What You Leave Behind

This is the last season ofDeep Space Nine. It introduces some new characters and wraps up the Dominion War story arc. I don't want to give too much away, but the wormhole aliens/bajor prophets also play a key role in the series finale.

Essential note:

Episode 1 - Image in the Sand: At the beginning of season seven, Sisko searches for a way to contact the aliens in the wormhole whileDeep Space Nineis commanded by Kira. I feel like this episode is a little long, but it's vital to the story.

Episode 2 – Shadows and Symbols: Sisko gets more than she bargained for when she digs into her past, and Kira faces a confrontation with new Federation allies.

Episode 6 - Betrayal, Faith and the Great River: A Domain Supervisor tries to defect, bringing important information with him.

Episode 8 - The Siege of AR-558: This is another example ofDS9The version of Federation soldiers dealing with the stress of war. Sisko and crew bring supplies to the exhausted and demoralized troops defending an important communications post. When the Jem'Hadar attack, they stand their ground and fight.

Episode 9 - Pact: Dukat has gone completely insane and becomes the leader of a religious cult that kidnaps Kira. This episode defines Dukat's role in the final storyline, so you'll want to watch it even if it seems unrelated to the arc.

Episode 16 - Into the Arms of the Silent Laws: Dr. Bashir has another encounter with the mysterious Section 31.

Episodes 17 to 26: The last ten episodes ofDS9they're part of a single story arc, so you need to see them all. Each episode brings the story closer to a conclusion. Many things happen too. There is a Cardassian rebellion, a new ally of the Dominion, the Federation continues to attack Cardassia, and Dukat begins to make plans for his final tactic. Oh, and Kai Winn is still an asshole.

Season 7 Recommended:

Episode 7 - Once Again in the Breach: An old Klingon warrior asks Worf to help him find honor in battle once more. He discovers that his bravado does not make up for his advanced age.

Episode 12 - The Emperor's New Cloak: Grand Nagus Zek is trapped in the mirror universe, so Quark and Rom go to save him. Wow, Ferengi.

That is all!

Star Trek: Deep Space NineIt came at a very interesting time. The massive success of Star Trek: TNG paved the way for the profound story arcs ofDS9. The writers and producers knew they could finish what they started because Star Trek had such a constant presence on television.

Even if Star Trek returns to television in the future, I don't know if it will ever be as plot-driven as it is.DS9it was. That's why it's something to experience even if you don't have time for all 176 episodes. Just follow the guide above and you'll hit all the high points.

This story originally appeared on Geek.