Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Commander/Captain Benjamin Sisko

My all-time favourite captain (though he only becomes a captain a few seasons in). Sisko is played by Avery Brooks, who also directed several episodes, including two of my favourites, Rejoined and Far Beyond the Stars. I like Sisko because he feels like a regular guy. Unlike many other Star Trek Captains, he has a family that he's close with. He's not an obsessive workaholic and has regular hobbies like cooking and baseball. He's willing to break rules and do some morally grey things for the safety of his crew and the galaxy.

"So... I lied. I cheated. I bribed men to cover the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to murder. But the most damning thing of all... I think I can live with it. And if I had to do it all over again, I would." — Sisko, "In the Pale Moonlight," Season 6, Episode 19

Jadzia Dax

Chief Science Officer, played by Terry Farrell. Jadzia is a Trill, aliens who are able to surgically join with and host long-lived worm-like creatures called symbionts. After a host's death, the symbiont can be transferred to another host, retaining all memories and experiences. Jadzia's symbiont is named Dax and has had seven hosts before Jadzia, including Curzon, a close friend and mentor to Captain Sisko.

Jadzia is one of my favourite characters; I even named my cat after her. Dax's experiences from previous hosts make her character very interesting and unique. She has a great ability to relate to and form relationships with characters from a variety of alien backgrounds. She's also canonically bi/pansexual, and is the first woman to kiss another woman on Star Trek. Many fans also see her as a trans allegory due to Dax's past hosts having been different genders. And this scene.

Doctor Julian Bashir

The chief medical officer, played by Siddig El Fadil/Alexander Siddig. Bashir comes off as self-absorbed at first, with many characters finding him a bit annoying in the beginning. However, as time goes on, he forms very close friendships with the rest of the crew, especially Garak and O'Brien. Many fans have interpreted the relationship between Garak and Bashir as romantic and Garak's actor has confirmed that this was their intention. Both actors have even performed some Garashir fanfic. Their relationship was also confirmed in the Star Trek: Lower Decks game.

(after Bashir tells the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf) Bashir — "The point is, if you lie all the time, nobody's going to believe you even when you're telling the truth."
Garak — "Are you sure that's the point, Doctor?"
Bashir — "Of course. What else could it be?"
Garak — "That you should never tell the same lie twice."
"Improbable Cause," Season 3, Episode 20

Elim Garak

 Garak, played by Andrew Robinson, is a Cardassian tailor working aboard Deep Space Nine. Garak is a very mysterious character, often making up conflicting stories about his past and why he stayed aboard the station after the occupation. Despite his secretive personality, he develops a close relationship with Dr. Bashir, with whom he enjoys discussing literature and various other topics.

I love Garak's personality and the way he talks. He has so many great quotes. I remember the first time I watched DS9, I was so fascinated by him and the mystery surrounding his past and intentions. I also love the relationship between him and Bashir.

"Well, the truth is usually just an excuse for a lack of imagination." — Garak, "Improbable Cause," Season 3, Episode 20

Major Kira Nerys

Played by Nana Visitor. The first officer and Bajoran liaison aboard Deep Space Nine. She starts out being suspicious of Starfleet, concerned that the Federation simply wants Bajor for themselves, but eventually begins to trust them. She was a guerilla fighter during the occupation and is very opinionated and resistant to authority. She is also devoutly religious, following the Bajoran religion, which worships the aliens living in the wormhole. This is fairly unique for a Star Trek character of this time, which didn't usually have religious main characters (that I can remember at least).

"Everyone has their reasons. That's what's so terrifying; people can find a way to justify any action, no matter how evil." — Kira, "By Inferno's Light," Season 5, Episode 15

Constable Odo

Odo is the chief of security, played by the late René Auberjonois (who also played the skeleton in The Last Unicorn). He is a shape-shifting alien whose origins are unknown at the start of the series. Odo's natural state is a sort of liquid goop, but he is able to convincingly take the form of many solid creatures and objects. However, he struggles to perfectly emulate humanoid faces. His personality is very rigid, with a strong sense of order and justice, to a fault at times.

When I was younger, he was by far my favourite character. On more recent rewatches, I find his character a bit frustrating, but I still like him, especially his interactions with Quark.

“Commander, laws change, depending on who's making them. Cardassians one day, Federation the next. But justice is justice.” — Odo, "A Man Alone," Season 1, Episode 4

Miles O'Brien

The Chief of Operations, played by Colm Meaney. O'Brien also served aboard the Enterprise as transporter chief during Star Trek: TNG. He's married to Keiko O'Brien, with whom he has a daughter. O'Brien frequently goes through traumatic events throughout the series, such as being kidnapped and replaced with a clone or being imprisoned in a mind prison for 20 years. He and Bashir have a close friendship, often playing darts and tennis.

O'Brien is pro-union and we love him.

"(on his ancester, Sean Alocious O'Brien, fictional leader of the 1902 coal miner's strike) He was more than a hero, he was a union man." — O'Brien, "Bar Association," Season 4, Episode 16

Worf

Worf had been Chief of Security in TNG before DS9. He joins the cast in season four and is made Strategic Operations Officer. He is played by Michael Dorn. Worf is a Klingon who was raised on Earth by human parents after his parents were killed.

Worf was one of my favourite characters in TNG, so I was very excited when he came to DS9. It was great seeing how he interacted with the new characters. He managed to fit in with the existing cast really well. I especially liked his relationship with Jadzia.

"Death to the opposition!" — Worf during a basball game, "Take Me Out to the Holosuite," Season 7, Episode 4

Quark

Quark is played by Armin Shimmermin. Quark owned a bar on the station during the occupation and was coerced into staying aboard by Sisko. He is a Farengi, a race of aliens that typically value the accumulation of wealth above most other things. Quark is often coming up with elaborate, usually illegal, schemes to make money, which puts him at odds with Odo. Despite this, he does have a few heroic moments.

"Don't you get it? I'm not trying to rescue you. I'm taking you along as emergency rations. If you die, I'm going to eat you." — Quark to Odo while stranded on a mountain, " The Ascent," Season 5, Episode 9

Jake Sisko

Jake is Captain Sisko's son and is played by Cirroc Lofton. He's best friends with Nog, Quark's nephew, and the two frequently get up to hijinks. Jake enjoys writing and playing dom-jot.

I didn't like Jake at first because I thought he was kind of annoying, but he grew on me after a few seasons. He is the main focus of one of my favourite episodes, season 4, episode 3, "The Visitor." It's an incredibly sad and touching episode that shows the great relationship between Jake and his father.