who played nog (star trek)

'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' actor Aron Eisenberg dies at 50

LOS ANGELES ⁠— "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" actor Aron Eisenberg, who played Nog in the 1990s series, died Saturday. He was 50.

His character Nog, who appeared for all seven seasons, was a member of the alien race Ferengi, and joined Starfleet after a recommendation from Captain Sisko. Eisenberg returned for a guest spot on "Star Trek: Voyager" and appeared in the "Star Trek" fan film "Renegades."

His widow Malissa Longo wrote on Facebook, "He was so driven to put the best he had into whatever work was put before him. He lived his life with such vigor and passion."

Eisenberg, who was born with one kidney, had received two kidney transplants. The kidney trouble had stunted his growth, and he stood at 5 feet tall.

He had been married for nine months. "We didn't officially announce that we had eloped on December 28th, 2018. We were hoping to have a big shindig in celebration of our nuptials, but had to wait to save up the money," Longo wrote, "While, our marriage, on paper, was a short one. Our hearts had been married for far longer. I will be forever thankful for the time we had to love each other. Five years felt like a lifetime, in the best possible ways."

Eisenberg also appeared in the TV movie "Amityville: The Evil Escapes" and features "The Liars' Club," "Beverly Hills Brats," "Playroom" and "The Horror Show." He guested on TV shows including "The Wonder Years," "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" and "Tales from the Crypt."

In addition to Longo, he is survived by two sons.

Aron Eisenberg (1969-2019)

IMDbPro Starmeter See rank

• 1 nomination

• Newspaper Vendor
• 1993–1999 • 47 eps

• 1995 • 1 ep

• Nog (voice)

• Scott McCarthy
• Raejin Tektonopolis

• 47 episodes

• Male Panelist

• Little Ricky

• Tommy Chandler

• Peter Hertz

• 35 episodes
• 19 episodes

Personal details

• Photography Business
• Aron Eisenerg
• 4′ 11¾″ (1.52 m)
• January 6 , 1969
• Hollywood, California, USA
• September 21 , 2019
• USA (heart failure)
• Malissa Longo December 28, 2018 - September 21, 2019 (his death)
• 2 Interviews
• 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

• Trivia As a teenager he had a malfuctioning kidney and had to have a transplant, which stunted his growth at 5 ft.
• Trademark Short stature
• When did Aron Eisenberg die?
• How did Aron Eisenberg die?
• How old was Aron Eisenberg when he died?

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

site categories

Dga announces 2024 television mentorship program participants, aron eisenberg dies: actor who played “nog” on ‘star trek: deep space nine’ was 50.

By Bruce Haring

Bruce Haring

pmc-editorial-manager

More Stories By

• Hugh Jackman: It’s Not Easy Being Wolverine At 55
• HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ Will Feature Chicago Bears And USC’s Caleb Williams
• William H. Macy Has A Big Pitch That Shows How Violence Plays Out

Aron Eisenberg, an actor who played the first Ferengi to join Starfleet in the Star Trek spin-off Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, died on Saturday. His death was reported by his wife in a Facebook post. The cause of death was not revealed, but Eisenberg had received two kidney transplants, most recently in 2015. He was 50 years old.

Nog, the son of befuddled Rom and nephew of scheming bar owner Quark, was a recurring character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  He was often paired as the best friend of Commander Benjamin Sisko’s son, Jake.

“We didn’t officially announce that we had eloped on December 28th, 2018,” his widow posted. “We were hoping to have a big shindig in celebration of our nuptials, but had to wait to save up the money.”

Besides Deep Space Nine , Eisenberg also had roles in the TV movie Amityville: The Evil Escapes and the features The Horror Show, Playroom and Beverly Hills Brats in the late 1980s

Must Read Stories

Podcast goes inside the nyc courthouse as ex-potus becomes a felon.

Charlie Hunnam To Lead Ed Brubaker’s Prime Video Series ‘Criminal’

Jennifer lopez axes entire summer tour months after canceling several dates, spielberg classic sent joachim rønning on endless quest: film that lit my fuse.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

10 comments.

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

• Entertainment

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actor Aron Eisenberg has died at 50

He played Nog, the first Ferengi to join Starfleet.

• Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year"​ award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.

Actor Aron Eisenberg, who played Nog on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , died Saturday at age 50, his wife Malíssa Longo posted on Facebook . "He was an intelligent, humble, funny, emphatic soul," Longo wrote. "He sought to live his life with integrity and truth. He was so driven to put the best he had into whatever work was put before him."

The actor's cause of death wasn't released, but he underwent his second kidney transplant in 2015, StarTrek.com notes in an obituary.

Eisenberg played Nog, the first Ferengi to join Starfleet, and appeared in 40 episodes from across all seven seasons. The show ran from 1993 to 1999. His character was the son of Rom, the nephew of Quark, and the best friend of Jake Sisko, who was the son of commanding officer Benjamin Sisko.

Eisenberg was told nothing about his character when he was cast and had no idea that the part would last, Star Trek  reports "I thought every episode I was doing might be my last episode," he told StarTrek.com in 2012. The site also notes that Eisenberg also played Kar, the young Kazon-Ogla, in a 1995 Star Trek: Voyager episode.

Friends and fans remembered Eisenberg on social media.

"I have lost a great friend and the world has lost a great heart," Armin Shimerman, the actor who played Quark, wrote in a tweet. "He was a man of conviction and enormous sensitivity and the best of humanity."

I have lost a great friend and the world has lost a great heart @AronEisenberg He was a man of conviction and enormous sensitivity and the best of humanity. Kitty and I grieve for Aron, his boys, and Malissa. Flights of angels my friend...you will be missed. There are no words... https://t.co/Q18yIVeZEe — Armin Shimerman (@ShimermanArmin) September 22, 2019

Aron Eisenberg was an inspiring part of the Star Trek franchise. You’ll be missed. ❤️ you Nog. pic.twitter.com/n4b0JasXJh — Nerdist (@nerdist) September 22, 2019

We are aching and sorry more than words can ever say. Rest In Peace, @AronEisenberg . We will always love you and Nog💔 We love you, Malissa. You are family, and you always will be🙏 https://t.co/yaOXTNbeAy — Chase Masterson (@ChaseMasterson) September 22, 2019

Loved his amazing work on DS9: he started out as Jake's comedy sidekick and slowly developed his character to become a compelling, fascinating and vital presence in the story arc. He will be missed. — e=mc2andallthat (@emc2andallthat) September 22, 2019

Aron and Nog both were exemplars of the ideal that, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what personal issues you have to deal with, you can be something great. Aron left us before his time, but the lessons that he showed us won't be forgotten. — Spartan Jeremy (@jeremy_spartan) September 22, 2019

That PTSD episode where Nog stayed in the safety of the holodeck with Vic was (like many of Aron's episodes) powerful and memorable. It helped me face my own PTSD almost 20 years later. — Dermot Ó Mórdha 🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺 (@CalorieDodger) September 22, 2019

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ Actor Aron Eisenberg Dies at 50

By Variety Staff

Variety Staff

Follow Us on Twitter

• Variety Racks Up Over 138 Million Views in Record-Breaking 2024 Oscars Social Video Traffic 3 months ago
• Variety Promotes Rachel Seo to Social Media Editor 3 months ago
• Super Bowl LVIII: The Best Merch, Collectibles and Accessories to Celebrate the Big Game 4 months ago

“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” actor Aron Eisenberg, who played Nog in the 1990s series, died Saturday. He was 50.

His character Nog, who appeared for all seven seasons, was a member of the alien race Ferengi, and joined Starfleet after a recommendation from Captain Sisko. Eisenberg returned for a guest spot on “ Star Trek: Voyager ” and appeared in the “Star Trek” fan film “Renegades.”

His widow Malissa Longo wrote on Facebook , “He was so driven to put the best he had into whatever work was put before him. He lived his life with such vigor and passion.”

Eisenberg, who was born with one kidney, had received two kidney transplants. The kidney trouble had stunted his growth, and he stood at 5 feet tall.

He had been married for nine months. “We didn’t officially announce that we had eloped on December 28th, 2018. We were hoping to have a big shindig in celebration of our nuptials, but had to wait to save up the money,” Longo wrote, “While, our marriage, on paper, was a short one. Our hearts had been married for far longer. I will be forever thankful for the time we had to love each other. Five years felt like a lifetime, in the best possible ways.”

Eisenberg also appeared in the TV movie “Amityville: The Evil Escapes” and features “The Liars’ Club,” “Beverly Hills Brats,” “Playroom” and “The Horror Show.” He guested on TV shows including “The Wonder Years,” “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose” and “Tales from the Crypt.”

In addition to Longo, he is survived by his mother, and two sons.

More From Our Brands

Almost like buying a new backyard: 34 trending home items from amazon, over $2 million worth of stolen classic cars were hidden in a barn in canada, nhl eyes 5 nights of an empty ratings net as nba takes breather, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, how to watch married at first sight australia in the u.s., verify it's you, please log in.

Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!

Aaron Eisenberg, who played Nog on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, dies at age 50

Credit: David Livingston/Getty Images

Aaron Eisenberg, the actor who played the Ferengi known as "Nog" on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , passed away at the age of 50 yesterday. Born with just one kidney that did not operate at full capacity, Eisenberg struggled with organ failure throughout his life and received two transplants, one at age 17 (he was on dialysis as a teenager) and one at age 46.

The news of his death was confirmed by his wife, Malíssa Longo, on Facebook. Earlier in the day, she had tweeted that Aaron was in the hospital in critical condition.

"He was an intelligent, humble, funny, emphatic soul. He sought to live his life with integrity and truth. He was so driven to put the best he had into whatever work was put before him," she wrote. "He lived his life with such vigor and passion. He was like a breath of fresh air, because I knew I would always hear the truth from him. Even if I didn't want to hear it and even if the truth was inconvenient. He made me (and still makes me) want to be the best human I can possibly be, because he always strove to be the best human he could be. His resilience and willingness to learn was and is an inspiration."

Read Longo's full post below:

It is with extreme regret and sadness to announce that my love and best friend, Aron Eisenberg, passed away earlier... Posted by Malíssa Longo on  Saturday, September 21, 2019

Running between 1993 and 1999 for a total of seven seasons and 176 episodes, Deep Space Nine was the first Star Trek program to be made without the involvement of Gene Roddenberry, who still signed off on the basic concept before dying in the fall of 1991. Set on the titular space station, the series just barely coincided with the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Eisenberg's character of Nog worked his way up across all seven seasons, beginning as a bartender before becoming a Starfleet cadet and ending up as an operations officer.

"[We didn't know] how important our show was at the time, and not recognizing that ... and then realizing it 20 years later," Eisenberg told SYFY WIRE at this year's SDCC. "I think, like a fine wine, our show has gained much more of an audience through Netflix and the ability to watch it all the way through. People have really come to realize, 'Wow, this was really a powerful show!' ... We're seeing how deep all these themes are and how important they are. It's just great to see that [executive producer] Ira [Steven Behr], and the writers, and the actors and the crew, and the production, they deserve it because they worked so hard to make such a great show and took such care and integrity to tell these stories."

Born to a Jewish family in Los Angeles in January of 1969, Eisenberg began acting in the late 1980s with genre projects like  Amityville: The Evil Escapes and  The Horror Show . Aside from his career-defining role in Deep Space Nine , he also appeared in  Tales from the Crypt ,  Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge ,  The Secret World of Alex Mack ,  Star Trek: Voyager ,  Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills , Blade of Honor , and  Star Trek: Renegades .

Eisenberg's passing was mourned on Twitter by a number of DS9 co-stars, including Armin Shimerman, who played Nog's uncle, Quark.

I have lost a great friend and the world has lost a great heart @AronEisenberg He was a man of conviction and enormous sensitivity and the best of humanity. Kitty and I grieve for Aron, his boys, and Malissa. Flights of angels my friend...you will be missed. There are no words... https://t.co/Q18yIVeZEe — Armin Shimerman (@ShimermanArmin) September 22, 2019

This sweet spirit. I knew all this to be absolutely true. One of the bravest people I knew. I am devastated. Sending love to everyone who loved him and his family. https://t.co/7VFYFR2qkY — Nana Visitor (@NanaVisitor) September 22, 2019

We are aching and sorry more than words can ever say. Rest In Peace, @AronEisenberg . We will always love you and Nog💔 We love you, Malissa. You are family, and you always will be🙏 https://t.co/yaOXTNbeAy — Chase Masterson (@ChaseMasterson) September 22, 2019

My eyes are blinded by tears. My ears are deafened by sobs. It’s Sunday morning and you are no longer on earth but in the heavens @AronEisenberg #DS9 — Penny Johnson Jerald (@PennyJJerald) September 22, 2019

My friend, my pal, Aron Eisenberg, has left us. Over the years it was always, always a joy to be in his company, to work with him, to play with him, to laugh with him. I admired his courage as he dealt with his lifelong health issues. He was a man filled with passion and love. — jeffrey combs (@jeffreycombs) September 22, 2019

(certain biographical info via Google Books &  IMDB )

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Related Stories

Rod Serling's Daughters Reveal Favorite Twilight Zone Episodes

The 10 Best, Most Shocking, WTF Twilight Zone Twist Endings

Resident Alien's Alan Tudyk Muses on Harry's Future Human Experiences

Michelle Rodriguez reflects on Fast Saga's hip-hop ethos

Anthony Mackie On John Doe Vs. Sam Wilson

The Definitive Guide to The Munsters Adaptations

Resident Alien Star Gets Nostalgic Ahead of Season 3 Finale

Did Marty Die (Twice?) in Back to the Future?

Were Back to the Future and Goonies Set on the Same Day?

Everything to Know About The Cancelled Miniseries Sequel to The Thing

Nope VFX Supervisor Dishes on Film's Creature Design

How Roland Emmerich Made Up Conspiracy Theory For Moonfall

Recommended for you.

Linda Hamilton on Resident Alien Role: "I'm Not the Funny Girl, I'm the Straight Man"

The Classic Twilight Zone Episode That Inspired Jordan Peele's Us

Resident Alien's Alan Tudyk on Harry's New Love Interest, Edi Patterson's Blue Avian

Early life [ ]

Nog was born in 2353 as the only son of Rom and Prinadora , and the nephew of Quark . ( DS9 : " Emissary ", " Heart of Stone ") Rom had married Prinadora under a standard Ferengi five-year marriage contract , but was so blinded by love that he let Prinadora's father swindle him out of all of his money. Prinadora left Rom, and Rom was forced to raise Nog alone. ( DS9 : " Doctor Bashir, I Presume ")

" As a baby, " according to Quark , Nog was the " cutest thing you ever saw, " later recalling his prototypical quirks, like how " every little thing " he picked up went " straight into [his] ears . " Quark also " used to love reading to him, " including one familiar literary tale that went, " See Brak acquire . Acquire, Brak, acquire. " ( DS9 : " Accession ")

Recalling life as a young boy on Ferenginar, he learned " about the Great Material Continuum while we still have our first set of ears. " ( DS9 : " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ")

By his teens, he was required to memorize the Rules of Acquisition , knowledge he was still perfecting in late 2370 . ( DS9 : " The Jem'Hadar ") In time, he was expected to become a merchant and to acquire wealth like a good traditional Ferengi male. ( DS9 : " Heart of Stone ")

At some point during the latter years of the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor , Rom and Nog took up residence on Terok Nor and began work as waiters in Quark's bar. ( DS9 : " Emissary ", " Shadowplay ")

Life on Deep Space 9 [ ]

Young Nog in trouble

In 2369 , Nog was still living on Terok Nor when the Cardassians withdrew. The Bajoran Provisional Government asked Starfleet to take over administration of the station, and it was rechristened Deep Space 9. On the day that new station commander Benjamin Sisko arrived, Nog was helping a Markalian rob the assay office by stealing ore samples. He was apprehended by Odo , the station's chief of security , and put into custody in the station's holding cells . Sisko used Nog's release as a bargaining chip in order to persuade Quark (who was the real thief) to stay on the station and keep his bar open and to become community leader, Sisko's way of giving the disparate community there a focus and a reason to stay. ( DS9 : " Emissary ")

Soon after, Nog met Jake Sisko , Commander Sisko's son, as there were only a few children on DS9. Although Nog was initially not interested in befriending a "Hew-man", he relented as the two became fast friends. Jake and Nog spent a lot of time together and many adventures and misadventures together and often engaged in mischief and occasionally got in trouble for playing pranks on the station. Much of their time was spent on the Promenade, where they watched the passengers disembark.

Benjamin Sisko initially did not approve of Jake's friendship with Nog. He believed him to be too old and too corrupting for Jake. However, his disapproval quickly faded when he discovered that Jake and Nog were not planning another prank as he had suspected, but that Jake was teaching his friend how to read, indicating a deep and constructive friendship. Realizing that Nog was not a bad influence on Jake, Sisko finally began respecting his son's friendship with the Ferengi boy.

Nog eventually attended Keiko O'Brien 's primary school on the station, despite his father's initial reservations at his son being taught by a Human female. ( DS9 : " A Man Alone ", " The Nagus ")

When the Bajoran factions Paqu and Navot were negotiating an agreement on DS9, Nog saw Varis , the Paqu negotiator, who was an attractive young girl, and became instantly infatuated with her. Because he was reluctant to meet her, he asked Jake if he could arrange it. Upon meeting Nog with Jake, Varis shared her frustrations about the ongoing negotiations and Nog offered her a suggestion how the dispute could be solved to the satisfaction of both parties. Although Nog did not become romantically involved with her, he did get a kiss on his cheek when Varis left DS9 after successfully finishing the negotiations. ( DS9 : " The Storyteller ")

In 2370 , Nog was evacuated for a short time from DS9 because of the threat of Bajoran incursion. ( DS9 : " The Siege ") He also was attacked by Tumak when he sprayed some foul-smelling fluid on him. ( DS9 : " Sanctuary ")

In 2372 , Nog's uncle Quark received a shuttle from his cousin Gaila (which was sabotaged) and he decided to bring Nog, accompanied by his father, to Earth so he could enter Starfleet Academy . When they were close to Earth, the sabotage was revealed, which caused them to crash land and they found themselves on a military base in Roswell , New Mexico in the year 1947 . There they were observed and thought to be Martians , and after they repaired their universal translators , Quark tried to make a profit from the situation. When things started to go badly, Nog tried to bluff their way out of the situation by telling their military interrogators that they were the first of an invasion force. Fortunately for them, they were helped with their escape and were able to return to their own time period. ( DS9 : " Little Green Men ")

Three years later, Nog offered his help when Bashir and O'Brien discovered a " jack-in-the-box " in the Fontaine holoprogram . The program had generated new characters who took control of the casino and kicked Vic out. In an elaborate scheme which involved almost the entire senior staff of DS9, Nog used his excellent hearing to crack Frankie 's safe so he and Odo could steal the money that Frankie was supposed to deliver to his boss Carl Zeemo . By doing so they compromised Frankie, upon which Carl escorted Frankie out of the casino to a lethal fate, making it Vic's again. ( DS9 : " Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang ")

Starfleet career [ ]

When Nog was asked to go on a camping trip in the Gamma Quadrant with Jake and Commander Sisko, he could not say "no" to the invitation, but was less than pleased when his uncle Quark insisted on coming with him. After they landed on a planet , Jake and Nog went into the woods and when they returned to the campsite, they discovered that Sisko and Quark were gone. Soon they discovered that the two had been captured by a previously unknown force from the Gamma Quadrant – the Dominion – and decided to take the runabout USS Rio Grande and return to DS9, but encountered problems when they realized the controls of the runabout were secured. Nog told Jake that he could circumvent the security protocols, but he only partially succeeded and was able to restore altitude control but not warp capability. While being chased by Jem'Hadar , they were located by Miles O'Brien , piloting another runabout. The two were present to witness the destruction of the USS Odyssey before they safely returned to DS9. ( DS9 : " The Jem'Hadar ")

Nog tries to convince Sisko that he is serious about joining Starfleet

After they returned, Nog decided that he wanted to be the first Ferengi to serve in Starfleet , but at the time of his application, Ferenginar was not a member of the Federation . Because of this, his application needed to be endorsed by a command-level Starfleet officer, where upon Nog asked Commander Sisko if he would support his application to Starfleet Academy. Sisko was suspicious of Nog's motives and initially refused the request. After some persuasion, he decided to test Nog to see if he was serious about the endeavor. He assigned Nog a cargo bay inventory, by himself, to test his dedication as well as his honesty. To his surprise, Nog not only persisted, he also surpassed Sisko's expectations. Sisko confronted the boy about why a Ferengi would want to join Starfleet, a profession with no potential for profit. Nog finally admitted that he wanted to make something of his life so that he wouldn't end up like his father. Nog had seen how his father could have been chief engineer on a starship, but instead had pursued only profit like "a good Ferengi," and as a result, ended up with nothing to look forward to but the slim chance he would someday inherit Quark's Bar, and Nog didn't want to follow in his footsteps. On hearing this, Sisko finally understood and was glad to give Nog his full endorsement. ( DS9 : " Heart of Stone ")

When Nog applied to the Academy, Chief O'Brien proctored his stress reaction test in one of Quark's holosuites using program Delta-5-9 . Nog studied hard and was prepared for the test, but he erroneously believed it would be a test on his performance as pilot of a runabout . The actual test put Nog in Deep Space 9's operations center ; O'Brien had intentionally led Nog to believe otherwise, as this made it a truly stressful test rather than routine review of something Nog knew well.

On his first try, Nog failed because Quark had sabotaged the holo-program. When Rom found out, he was furious with his brother, and went straight to Sisko about what happened and allowed Nog to retake the test. Nog later passed and was accepted into the Academy. ( DS9 : " Facets ")

Starfleet Academy [ ]

During his time in the Academy, Nog was a frequent visitor of Sisko's , a Creole restaurant owned by Joseph Sisko in New Orleans . It was the only eatery on the planet where he could get tube grubs . ( DS9 : " Homefront ")

Nog assisting Kira and Dax in unscrambling a recorded message

During the Changeling scare on Earth, when some Starfleet officers felt that a coup was necessary to protect Earth, Nog supplied information to Sisko that helped foil the coup . Sisko suspected that officers in Starfleet had caused a world-wide power failure in order to declare martial law . Nog told Sisko about Red Squad , an elite group of cadets , and gave him the names of the members. They were the ones who caused the power failure on the orders of Admiral Leyton . ( DS9 : " Paradise Lost ")

In 2373 , Cadet Nog was stationed on DS9 during his sophomore year as part of a field studies program. While there, he used his superior hearing to help Lieutenant Commander Dax and Major Kira unscramble a recorded message in the hope of solving the mystery of who was killing the surviving members of the Shakaar resistance cell . Jake also moved in with Nog at this time. ( DS9 : " The Darkness and the Light ", " The Ascent ")

Nog captured by a crazed Garak

In that same year, Nog took part in a mission to retrieve components from Empok Nor , an abandoned Cardassian space station , to repair DS9. During this mission, two stasis chambers containing Cardassians were activated. When the two Cardassians destroyed the runabout that had brought Nog and O'Brien to Empok Nor and killed Crewman Boq'ta and others, he and the chief were the only ones left to deal with Elim Garak , who had been infected by the same psychotropic drug which had driven the other Cardassians insane. After Chief O'Brien successfully saved Nog and Garak, Nog vowed he would never turn his back on the Cardassians again. ( DS9 : " Empok Nor ", " Rocks and Shoals ")

He later used his Ferengi skills to wheel and deal to help Jake obtain an old baseball card for Jake's father. ( DS9 : " In the Cards ") He also used his skills to get a new graviton stabilizer for the Defiant on O'Brien's request. ( DS9 : " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ")

Dominion War [ ]

Nog fought in the Second Battle of Deep Space 9 when the Dominion and Cardassian forces captured the station. ( DS9 : " Call to Arms ")

In 2374 , after the outbreak of the war between the Federation and the Dominion , Nog took part in the raid to destroy the major production facility of ketracel-white inside Dominion territory. Although the mission was a success, the captured Dominion ship was severely damaged and had to make an emergency landing on a remote planet, leaving them seventeen years from the nearest starbase . ( DS9 : " A Time to Stand ")

Nog, trying to stay behind Elim Garak while walking

While Nog and Garak were searching for food, they were captured by Jem'Hadar soldiers and brought to their wounded Vorta leader . Garak told them that they had a doctor with them, and they were exchanged as hostages for Captain Sisko and Doctor Bashir. In the end, they had to fight the Jem'Hadar because the ketracel-white they depended on had run out and their Vorta leader could no longer control them. During their last attack, all the Jem'Hadar were killed. ( DS9 : " Rocks and Shoals ")

A short time before Operation Return was to be carried out, he was promoted to ensign . This is after just two years as a cadet, as opposed to the normal four. He took part in the battle to retake Deep Space 9. ( DS9 : " Favor the Bold ")

Nog wearing his dress uniform

Nog was a guest at the wedding of Jadzia Dax and Worf in 2374 and wore his Starfleet dress uniform for the event. ( DS9 : " You Are Cordially Invited ")

When the USS Defiant was captured by the Jem'Hadar, he helped retake the ship. He pretended he was fixing the warp drive that had been damaged in the attack. But this was a delaying action until they could be rescued. He also helped restore Zek as Grand Nagus after he was deposed by Brunt . ( DS9 : " One Little Ship ", " Profit and Lace ")

On Stardate 51825.4, Ensign Nog was en route to Ferenginar with Jake aboard the runabout USS Shenandoah when they were attacked by Jem'Hadar fighters . Suddenly, they were beamed aboard the USS Valiant , a Defiant -class starship . Nog recognized the crew operating the Valiant as Red Squad from Starfleet Academy. Their twenty-year-old captain, Tim Watters , told him that the rest of the crew had been killed and that he intended to complete the Valiant 's mission of gathering data on a new Dominion battleship . Nog, a long-time admirer of Red Squad ever since his time at the Academy, was enthusiastic and joined the crew. He was given a field promotion to lieutenant commander and made chief engineer , where he adjusted the Valiant 's warp capabilities as he had seen O'Brien do on the Defiant . When Watters wanted to attack the battleship, Jake told Nog that it was a suicide mission , but Nog refused to listen to him. Watters overheard this conversation and had Jake confined to the brig . During the battle, the Valiant sustained heavy damage and only Nog and Dorian Collins were left alive. They released Jake from the brig and used an escape pod to leave the Valiant before it exploded. They were later picked up by the Defiant . Nog then returned the Red Squad insignia he had received from Watters to Collins. ( DS9 : " Valiant ")

Nog after being injured

During the siege of AR-558 , Nog performed well as an advance scout, using his superb Ferengi hearing to identify a large column of advancing Jem'Hadar when tricorder scans were ineffective due to a Jem'Hadar jamming signal. It was during this action that he lost his leg after fierce fighting with Jem'Hadar soldiers, who outnumbered the Starfleet forces three-to-one. When Nog was recuperating in a makeshift infirmary , a Jem'Hadar burst in but Quark managed to kill him, saving his nephew from certain death. In part because of Nog's actions, and those of his fellow troops, the Federation was able to hold the planet and the vital Dominion communication array there. ( DS9 : " The Siege of AR-558 ")

Nog with Vic Fontaine

When he returned to DS9, Nog was still recovering from his injuries and, although his leg was replaced by a biosynthetic one , he was still struggling to cope emotionally and physically with his wound. Because he did not want to be helped by anyone, he took his medical leave in one of his uncle's holosuites , hiding in the 1962 Las Vegas club of singer Vic Fontaine . During this time, Vic affectionately nicknamed him "Noggles".

Later, when Nog found Jake and his date Kesha in Vic's lounge, he was upset and in an angry outburst, he punched Jake, whereupon Vic threw Nog out of his club. Ezri Dax visited Nog to persuade him to leave the holosuite, but he refused. He even threatened to resign his Starfleet commission if she tried to make him leave. While Ezri observed him, she noticed that he had made progress. He no longer seemed to limp or need to use his cane . Congratulating Vic with his accomplishments with regards to Nog, Ezri let him know it was time for Nog to leave the holosuite. When Vic told Nog he had to leave he protested, but to no avail, considering that Vic resorted to ending the program on his own and resisted it being reactivated. In the end, Vic convinced Nog that it was better for him to leave and rejoin the real world. Nog thanked him, and to show his gratitude, made arrangements with his uncle Quark to keep the holoprogram running permanently. ( DS9 : " It's Only a Paper Moon ")

Nog took part in the Second Battle of Chin'toka as a member of the Defiant crew, and when the Dominion War ended in 2375 . ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ", " What You Leave Behind ")

Post-war [ ]

Following the conclusion of the war, Nog continued to serve aboard DS9, under Colonel Kira, performing seemingly mundane, and welcome tasks such as creating duty rosters and cargo inventories .

As a testament to how far he had advanced, Nog was promoted to lieutenant junior grade in one of Benjamin Sisko's last official acts as the commanding officer of DS9. Indeed, Colonel Kira congratulated Nog on his promotion; with both realizing with some sadness that Captain Sisko must have promoted Nog just before his disappearance. ( DS9 : " What You Leave Behind ")

By 3189 , the Eisenberg -class starship, USS Nog was named after him. ( DIS : " Die Trying ")

Relationships [ ]

Nog with his father Rom

Nog's father, Rom , worked for his uncle Quark as a waiter in his bar, Quark's . He also worked as a private engineer for him. Although Nog told his father several times he could do better, Rom always dreamed of taking over the bar from Quark, perhaps because Nog's mother, Prinadora , had left him and his father several years earlier in favor of a richer man. ( DS9 : " Doctor Bashir, I Presume ")

It was expected that Nog, like all Ferengi, would go into business as well. However, Nog showed early inclinations of pursuing other careers. At first, Rom strongly disapproved and even attempted to prevent Nog from learning to read or attending Keiko O'Brien 's school on the station.

When Grand Nagus Zek visited the station for an important conference, he, along with the other Ferengi present, was disgusted to learn that Nog was attending a Human school. Attempting to remain in Zek's good graces, Rom forbade Nog from returning. Though he eventually changed his mind this event further convinced Nog that he wanted to pursue non-traditional avenues toward success. ( DS9 : " The Nagus ")

Over the years, Rom's attitudes softened, and he encouraged his son in his goals. His ambition for his son grew to the point where he felt directly invested. When Nog expressed his interest in applying for Starfleet Academy, Rom congratulated Nog on his decision, assuring him that he would be proud to have a son in Starfleet. ( DS9 : " Heart of Stone ") Quark, however, remained opposed to the idea. When Rom discovered that Quark had altered the settings of the holosuite to distort the results of a spatial perception exam so that Nog would fail, he confronted his brother about it. Having already reported the incident to Commander Sisko, who allowed Nog to retake the test, Rom warned Quark that if he tried to interfere again, he would burn his brother's bar to the ground. To Rom, Nog's happiness was more important to him than anything, even latinum. ( DS9 : " Facets ")

Nog at his father's wedding in 2373

Unlike his uncle Quark, Nog was genuinely thrilled when his father married Leeta , a Bajoran employee of Quark's Bar, even addressing her as Moogie . ( DS9 : " Call to Arms ")

In 2374 , Nog's grandmother Ishka was taken prisoner by the Dominion. Nog was recruited by Quark, who was enticed by Zek 's reward of 50 bars of gold-pressed latinum for Ishka's rescue, to lead a rescue expedition with his fellow Ferengi. They succeeded in freeing Ishka and even captured a Vorta prisoner and brought him back to DS9. ( DS9 : " The Magnificent Ferengi ")

Jake Sisko [ ]

One of the strongest relationships Nog forged while on Deep Space 9 was with Jake Sisko, the son of the station's commanding officer. Because there were relatively few children on the station immediately after the end of the Cardassian occupation the two spent a lot of time together. Neither Jake's father, nor Nog's approved of the situation but despite their attempts to keep them separate the two grew even closer and would spend numerous hours together watching the Bajoran transports docking at the station.

Early in their relationship, Nog and Jake released some Garanian bolites onto the Replimat , which made people turn blue for a short moment when stung. They were caught in the act by Odo and brought before Commander Sisko for disciplinary action. At the time, Keiko O'Brien was lobbying for a school on the station and Sisko, who saw the school as an opportunity to keep the juveniles busy, agreed, leaving only Nog's father to be convinced by Keiko to send his son to school. Although Nog was reluctant to attend school at first, he was encouraged by Jake to do so, not in the least because Jake had started to teach him to read and write. ( DS9 : " A Man Alone ", " The Nagus ")

According to Jake, Nog was the one who told him all about women much to the disappointment and concerns of Jake's father. ( DS9 : " Move Along Home ")

Noh-Jay Consortium negotiating

In 2369 , Nog and Jake formed the Noh-Jay Consortium for the purpose of carrying out a business deal with his uncle Quark . They discovered that Quark had a huge amount of Yamok sauce which he could not sell, so they tried to sell it for five bars of gold-pressed latinum to a Lissepian freighter captain . However, the Lissepian captain convinced them to trade the sauce for self-sealing stem bolts . They agreed, but the transaction left them with the new problem of trying to unload the stem bolts. Once again, rather than sell the bolts they were talked into a trade, this time for seven tessipates of land on Bajor. Jake was enthusiastic about the arrangement as he considered land to be a solid investment. Nog, however, was discouraged because he did not think they would find any buyers for "dirt". They soon learned, through Quark, that the Bajoran government was trying to buy this land for a civic expansion. Quark, eager to get his hands on land which he believed he could sell for a premium, was astonished to learn his nephew was in possession of the land because he had not believed Nog "had the lobes " to take such a crafty position ahead of market demand. Nog and Jake agreed to sell the land to Quark for five bars of gold-pressed latinum, and Quark in turn sold it to the government. ( DS9 : " Progress ")

Jake was less than impressed by Nog's treatment of females. In 2371 , Jake reluctantly agreed to have a double-date with Leanne and Riska , after he had to cancel their dom-jot match against some Terrellians . The date, however, did not go well and despite Jake's attempts to lighten the mood, it ended when Nog asked Riska to cut up his food for him. Nog clearly thought that he was being sensitive to "hew-mon" sensibilities by not asking the young lady to chew his food for him, but an angry Jake refused to talk to Nog ever again. Fortunately for them, Sisko and Odo helped Jake and Nog reconcile their cultural differences and to remain friends. ( DS9 : " Life Support ")

Nog was supported by Jake in his quest to enter Starfleet Academy, and when he succeeded, Jake realized it was a bittersweet victory for both of them, since it meant they would see far less of each other. ( DS9 : " Little Green Men ")

When Jake wanted to give his father a present of a Willie Mays baseball card , Nog was talked into putting up his lifetime gold-pressed latinum earnings to purchase it. But they were outbid by Dr. Elias Giger , who seemed to have an ulterior motive. He wanted to trade the card in return for some equipment he needed, which only Nog and Jake could get. Hearing what Dr. Giger wanted, they thought he was crazy but nevertheless they agreed and in the end, they were able to present the card, in mint condition, to Jake's father. ( DS9 : " In the Cards ")

Nog managed to gain the respect of General Martok and the Klingons aboard Deep Space 9, although he had to work for it. At first, Martok refused to even acknowledge Nog's existence (which perhaps had something to do with the height difference). The issue first began to surface when Cadet Nog was helping Worf to improve the Defiant 's phaser relay efficiency and Martok came on to the bridge and started talking to Worf about a transfer. He completely ignored the Ferengi and stood in such a way that Nog was trapped between the two towering Klingons. Nog, unsure if he was being noticed, had to interrupt Martok's conversation so he could slip by. Martok, who had to look down to see the cadet, let Nog pass with a shake of his head. ( DS9 : " Soldiers of the Empire ")

Nog threatens to arrest Martok for loitering

During his next dinner session with Captain Sisko, Nog complained that the Klingons were ignoring him, whereupon Sisko recommended him to stand up and confront them the next time it happened; even if it meant that he would have his butt kicked, at least it would be hard for the Klingons to ignore him any longer. Before Sisko could finish, Martok entered Sisko's quarters, wanting to talk to Sisko… alone. Just before Nog was about to confront Martok, Jake stopped him and told Nog to confront the Klingon another time. Slightly discouraged but still determined, Nog began to look for opportunities to assert himself in front of the Klingons. While the Klingons were having a head-banging contest at Quark's Bar while obviously drunk, Nog waited patiently for them to disturb the peace, and when their laughter exceeded seventy decibels , Nog believed his opportunity had arrived. He was about to get up from his bar stool when he suddenly lost his balance and fell backwards onto the floor, sending the Klingons into hysterical laughter. Nog, too humiliated to even get back up, would have to wait for another time to confront them.

Nog gaining Martok's respect to Kira's amazement

Nog's moment finally came when several Klingons were loitering at his and Jake's old Promenade spot. He decided not to take it anymore and confronted the Klingons by asking them to move along. Martok, one of the Klingons present did not take the young Ferengi seriously and refused to budge. Nog, determined to get them moving, stated that they were breaking station regulation 82/7B and threatened to arrest them if they did not move. When Martok asked Nog if he was brave or stupid, Nog replied he was a little of both. An impressed Martok moved from the spot and stated that courage came in many sizes. It seemed that Nog had finally gained Martok's respect, as was evidenced in a subsequent encounter in Ops when Martok, upon seeing Nog, immediately acknowledged him as "Cadet", to which Nog replied "General." This prompted Kira to ask what that was all about. Nog simply told her that it was respect. ( DS9 : " Blaze of Glory ")

Two years later, Martok was visibly grateful that Nog brought back barrels of 2309 bloodwine , a better vintage than the ones his wife sent him. ( DS9 : " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ")

Miles O'Brien [ ]

O'Brien explaining the chances of Nog commanding the USS Defiant while a cadet

One of the most surprising relationships developed during his time on Deep Space 9 was the friendship that Nog formed with Chief O'Brien. O'Brien had once recommended to Commander Sisko that his son Jake stay away from Nog, considering him a bad influence. Though O'Brien had worked closely with Nog's father, Rom, he, like many others, was skeptical about Nog's dedication and ability when it came to Starfleet. ( DS9 : " The Nagus ", " Heart of Stone ")

Nog soon won the chief over with his work ethic and eagerness to please. O'Brien was one of the first to congratulate him when he received his field commission to ensign and noted that he would have to begin addressing Nog as "sir." ( DS9 : " The Ascent ", " Favor the Bold ", " Facets ")

Nog received further encouragement when O'Brien selected him to be part of the mission team to Empok Nor in 2373 . Nog and the chief were the only members of the team that survived to confront Elim Garak , who had been infected by a psychotropic drug . Garak captured and threatened Nog in an effort to lure O'Brien out into the open. Nog remained helpless as O'Brien succeeded in defeating Garak by rigging a phaser to explode, knocking the Cardassian unconscious. ( DS9 : " Empok Nor ")

Nog's wheeling and dealing helped him out when he offered Chief O'Brien his help in fixing the Defiant 's graviton stabilizer . The chief was in need of parts and Nog promised him that he could get them in exchange for a return favor. His maneuvering almost got him in serious trouble when he arranged for Captain Sisko's desk to be removed from his office as part of the exchange; however, true to Ferengi form, he recovered, and the desk was returned before Sisko noticed its absence. ( DS9 : " Treachery, Faith and the Great River ")

Benjamin Sisko [ ]

Though not as close to Benjamin Sisko as he was to Jake, Nog and the captain developed a solid relationship based in no small part on Sisko's support of Nog's application to Starfleet Academy. Though at first resistant to the idea of a Ferengi in Starfleet, Sisko came to realize the young Ferengi's dedication and the contributions he could make. He served as a role model to Nog and provided him with encouragement. ( DS9 : " Heart of Stone ", " The Ascent ", " Homefront ", " Paradise Lost ")

The relationship worked both ways. In 2375 , Nog was asked by Captain Sisko to participate in a game of baseball , in order to fulfill a bet Sisko had made with Captain Solok of the USS T'Kumbra . A team comprising Nog, Worf, Kira, Ezri, Bashir, O'Brien, Quark, Leeta, and Nog's father, Rom, took on the Vulcan baseball team. By the end of the first training session, most of the team members were in need of medical attention. Nog himself performed better than might be expected despite his confusion over the rules of play and a lack of overall physical strength. ( DS9 : " Take Me Out to the Holosuite ")

In addition to asking Nog to play on his team, Sisko also began to learn that there were aspects of Ferengi culture that he could appreciate. He even went so far as to learn at least a few of the Rules of Acquisition , and even quoted the 190th Rule – "Hear all, trust nothing" – to Nog before the Second Battle of Deep Space 9 when rumors were rampant, including a rumor the Romulans signed a nonaggression pact with the Dominion. ( DS9 : " Call to Arms ") He once used puree of tube grubs as a sauce for the home-cooked dinner of squid he made for Jake and Nog, saying it was only fair they try Ferengi food since Nog was having Human food. It was clear Sisko thought the combination went together quite well. ( DS9 : " Blaze of Glory ")

Sisko congratulated him on a job well done when Nog used his superior hearing to locate the Jem'Hadar on AR-558 and welcomed him back to Deep Space 9 after he returned from his rehabilitation on Starbase 235 . ( DS9 : " The Siege of AR-558 ", " It's Only a Paper Moon ")

In one of Sisko's last official acts as commanding officer before he left to join with the Prophets at the end of the Dominion War, he promoted Nog to lieutenant junior grade in recognition to how far he had come. ( DS9 : " What You Leave Behind ")

Alternate timelines [ ]

In 2389 , in an alternate timeline , Starfleet Commander Nog visited his friend Jake in New Orleans on Earth . This visit was the result of an accident on board the USS Defiant in which an inversion of the wormhole caused Benjamin Sisko's temporal signature to change and dematerialized him. After admitting he was more popular with women after he stopped asking them to chew his food, Nog talked about his recent science mission to the Gamma Quadrant. He stated that the Klingons were leaving Deep Space 9 derelict. Both Jake and Nog laughed when he revealed that Morn was still on the station, running the bar. Jake spent most of his life trying to rescue his father from the anomaly, with one attempt using the USS Defiant . In 2422 , Nog, by then promoted to captain, headed the mission, which unfortunately ended in failure. An older Jake figured how to save his father from the anomaly. Consequentially, the alternate timeline, and Captain Nog, ceased to exist. ( DS9 : " The Visitor ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

With 45 appearances, Nog was the most frequent recurring character credited on Deep Space Nine .

• " Emissary " (Season One)
• " A Man Alone "
• " The Nagus "
• " The Storyteller "
• " Progress "
• " The Siege " (Season Two)
• " Sanctuary "
• " The Jem'Hadar "
• " Life Support " (Season Three)
• " Heart of Stone "
• " The Visitor " (Season Four)
• " Little Green Men "
• " Homefront "
• " Paradise Lost "
• " The Ascent " (Season Five)
• " The Darkness and the Light "
• " For the Uniform "
• " Soldiers of the Empire "
• " Blaze of Glory "
• " Empok Nor "
• " In the Cards "
• " Call to Arms "
• " A Time to Stand " (Season Six)
• " Rocks and Shoals "
• " Behind the Lines "
• " Favor the Bold "
• " Sacrifice of Angels "
• " You Are Cordially Invited "
• " The Magnificent Ferengi "
• " One Little Ship "
• " Valiant "
• " Profit and Lace "
• " Tears of the Prophets "
• " Image in the Sand " (Season Seven)
• " Take Me Out to the Holosuite "
• " Chrysalis "
• " Treachery, Faith and the Great River "
• " The Siege of AR-558 "
• " It's Only a Paper Moon "
• " Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang "
• " 'Til Death Do Us Part "
• " The Changing Face of Evil "
• " The Dogs of War "
• " What You Leave Behind "

Background information [ ]

Nog was played by Aron Eisenberg throughout all seven seasons of DS9 .

Following the actor's death in 2019 , some fans petitioned for the series Star Trek: Picard to include a Captain Nog statue. [1] Alex Kurtzman commented that he was aware of the petition and would look for an opportunity to honor Eisenberg. [2] The USS Nog , featured in " Die Trying ", was said by Kurtzman to be named for the character, and called an Eisenberg -class vessel in tribute of Aron. [3]

Characterization [ ]

Aron Eisenberg had said of Nog, " The thing that I thought they did so well with Nog was that they didn't make him perfect. He joined Starfleet with the determination and the tenacity to succeed, but he didn't always make the right decision, but he always kept trying again. And I always felt that Nog was one of the most Human characters on that show ." (Hidden File 08, DS9 Season 7 DVD special features)

" Heart of Stone " is an important episode for Nog; he first approaches Sisko with the intent of applying to Starfleet Academy. Robert Hewitt Wolfe commented " It just struck me one day that out of Wesley , Jake and Nog, the one who will really become Starfleet and stand on a bridge to say 'engage' twenty years from now would be Nog. There was a nice irony, and something cool to do with that character, especially after Jake said he did not want to enter Starfleet ". ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages p 91) Ronald D. Moore added; " I think that was an interesting direction. Somehow, Captain Nog sounds cool ". ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages p 91)

Ronald D. Moore stated that, as of DS9 Season 6, Nog was "probably" a Federation citizen. ( AOL chat , 1997 )

While it is sometimes believed that Geordi La Forge has held more ranks on screen than any other Star Trek character, Nog certainly is a competitor. Nog is first seen in his cadet 's uniform in " Facets " (albeit before formally entering the Academy ) and retains this rank until he is promoted to ensign in " Favor the Bold ". In the series' finale, " What You Leave Behind ", he is promoted to lieutenant junior grade . However, while serving on the USS Valiant in the episode of the same name , Nog was assigned the duties of chief engineer with the rank of lieutenant commander by acting captain Tim Watters . Furthermore, in the alternate timeline of " The Visitor ", Nog was seen first as commander and then later on as captain . In all, there are six ranks: cadet , ensign , lieutenant junior grade , lieutenant commander , commander , and captain , thus equaling La Forge 's number.

What makes this classification somewhat dubious is a costuming error in " Valiant ". Although it is very clear in the dialogue that Captain Watters gives Nog the rank of lieutenant commander, Nog still carries the insignia of a lieutenant junior grade (one gold and one black pip) for most of the episode. This is very well seen when Nog introduces his new rank to Jake Sisko . However, in a scene preceding this one, where Nog reconfigures the warp core in main engineering it is unclear whether he wears his correct rank at the time (two gold and one black pip, rather than a single gold and one black) or not. It thus seems that the outcome of the contest between Nog and La Forge depends on whether the costuming error was committed already in this scene or only in the subsequent ones.

Documentary [ ]

In the season eight sequences in What We Left Behind , Nog has been promoted to captain and commands the Defiant .

Apocrypha [ ]

Nog is a main character in the Deep Space Nine novel relaunch , serving, for a short time as security chief and later chief engineer of the USS Defiant .

He was also featured in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy , a comic book series published by Marvel Comics , which followed his early days at the academy as part of Omega Squad.

In the 1990s, several Star Trek: Deep Space Nine young adult novels featured several adventures of Nog and Jake.

Nog has an appearance as a main character in the TNG novel Indistinguishable from Magic in the role of chief of security with a rank of lieutenant commander aboard the USS Challenger in 2383 under the command of first Captain Montgomery Scott and then Geordi La Forge.

In Raise the Dawn , Nog is assigned to the Bajor sector and helps O'Brien design the new Deep Space 9 station and is assigned to the now operational station by the time of Revelation and Dust . Nog is temporarily reassigned to Starfleet Intelligence black ops team Active Four in the Star Trek: The Fall novel The Poisoned Chalice , where he assists Tuvok and Thomas Riker in investigating the recent assassination of the Federation President , although they soon learn that their team was actually set up to be killed as part of a plan to frame the Typhon Pact – a new organization composed of various Federation adversaries such as the Romulans and the Breen – for the assassination while eliminating the true perpetrators of the Cardassian organization the True Way .

Nog also appears in the Star Trek: Enterprise novel The Good That Men Do , where he and Jake investigate the "death" of Charles Tucker III and the actual founding of the Federation. It also mentions that his biosynthetic leg was removed in favor of a new leg grown from his own tissue and he had been married four times, five if you count the wife he married twice.

In the Millennium series, the DS9 crew meet an alternate future version of Nog from a reality where DS9 was destroyed in the opening of a second wormhole. Having transferred to the USS Enterprise -E after the loss of his friends and family, Nog becomes a protégé of Captain Jean-Luc Picard , joining the captain in his quest to save the universe and retaining a great deal of respect for him, despite Picard being crippled by Irumodic Syndrome . At the conclusion of the series, this version of Nog, along with the future Picard and the Vash of the present, travels back in time twenty-five thousand years, where the three become some of the most prominent seers in Bajoran history (Although Nog apparently always wore a hooded cloak to prevent anyone knowing he wasn't Bajoran).

In the Star Trek: Terok Nor novel Dawn of the Eagles , Nog moves to Terok Nor with Rom and begins working at Quark's in 2363 after Rom is swindled by Prinadora's father Dav.

Computer games [ ]

In the Star Trek Online timeline, Nog becomes chief engineer of the USS Enterprise -E in 2397 when Geordi La Forge assumes command of the USS Challenger . In that same timeline, his enrollment in Starfleet Academy serves to inspire the application of a growing number of Ferengi to Starfleet; by 2410, the period of the Iconian War, he has risen to the rank of captain.

Nog appears in-game for the feature episode "Time in a Bottle", voiced again by Aron Eisenberg. Haunted by his experiences in the Dominion War, Nog primarily worked on exploration ships, as well as two stints on DS9 and a period at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards on Mars, before assuming command of the experimental USS Chimera . Nog and the player character track down a Krenim artifact found by a disreputable Ferengi trader in the Delta Quadrant and investigate the reasons why the Krenim were targeted for extermination by the Vaadwaur . He helps construct the Krenim weapon ship to fight the Iconians, including the final battle on Earth. In the "Victory is Life" expansion, Nog greets the player character when they arrive on DS9 for Odo's conference to discuss the Hur'q threat, and later – in a "sequel" of sorts to " The Magnificent Ferengi " – joins his uncle in infiltrating an Iconian dreadnought to recover the Sword of Kahless , using his knowledge from the Iconian War to navigate through the ship.

External links [ ]

• Nog at Wikipedia
• Nog at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Nog at the Star Trek Online Wiki
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Aron Eisenberg Dies: Actor Who Played “Nog” On ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ Was 50

Click here to read the full article.

Aron Eisenberg, an actor who played the first Ferengi to join Starfleet in the Star Trek spin-off Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, died on Saturday. His death was reported by his wife in a Facebook post. The cause of death was not revealed, but Eisenberg had received two kidney transplants, most recently in 2015. He was 50 years old.

“He was an intelligent, humble, funny, emphatic soul,” Eisenberg’s wife, Malíssa Longo, said in the post. “There will never be another light like Aron’s. The beauty that he was and the legacy he leaves behind is beyond words. I love him dearly and will miss him eternally. At the moment I’m not sure how to do life without him.”

Nog, the son of befuddled Rom and nephew of scheming bar owner Quark, was a recurring character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He was often paired as the best friend of Commander Benjamin Sisko’s son, Jake.

More from Deadline

'Chernobyl' Wins Big At Emmys, Craig Mazin Confirms No Season 2: "We Will Not Be Doing That"

Craig Mazin To WGA West DGA President David A. Goodman: "Do The Best You Can"

'Fleabag' Denies 'Veep' Final Victory Lap Among Top Emmy Surprises

“We didn’t officially announce that we had eloped on December 28th, 2018,” his widow posted. “We were hoping to have a big shindig in celebration of our nuptials, but had to wait to save up the money.”

Besides Deep Space Nine , Eisenberg also had roles in the TV movie Amityville: The Evil Escapes and the features The Horror Show, Playroom and Beverly Hills Brats in the late 1980s

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter . For the latest news, follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

Recommended Stories

Chiefs' harrison butker may be removed from kickoffs due to new nfl rules.

Kansas City Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub said kicker Harrison Butker may be removed from kickoffs. But not because of Butker's recent controversial remarks.

Top running backs for 2024 fantasy football, according to our experts

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first running back rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

Rhode Island asking kei car owners to turn in their registration

Rhode Island is making it illegal to register a kei car, and it's asking enthusiasts who already have one to turn in their registration.

Warren Buffett's son Howard Buffett on his life as the potential next chairman of Berkshire Hathaway

Howard Buffett talks about life at Berkshire Hathaway and why he is donating hundreds of millions of dollars to Ukraine.

Gable Steveson, Olympic gold medal winner and NCAA champion wrestler, signs with Bills

Olympic gold medal and two-time NCAA champion wrestler Gable Steveson has signed with the Buffalo Bills. He'll attempt to make the team as a defensive tackle.

Former 76ers player Drew Gordon, older brother of Nuggets starter Aaron Gordon, dies in car accident at 33

Drew Gordon played all over Europe after a college career at UCLA and New Mexico.

Gen X is the 401(k) 'experiment generation.' Here's how that's playing out.

Nearly half of Gen Xers say their retirement savings are behind schedule, according to a new survey.

The Scorecard: 5 starting pitchers making waves in fantasy baseball

Fantasy baseball analyst Dalton Del Don highlights a quintet of starting pitchers we should focus on a lot more.

Reports: Colorado S Shilo Sanders, Deion's son, facing NIL questions after filing for bankruptcy, $12 million assault lawsuit

A high school security guard won $12 million judgement after alleging Shilo Sanders broke his neck in 2015.

2025 Ford Mustang GTD reveals the view into its ultra-cool 'suspension window'

Today, Ford revealed that the GTD will feature something it’s calling the “suspension window."

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Star Trek ‘s Aron Eisenberg, Who Played Nog On Deep Space Nine , Dead at 50

Ryan schwartz, senior editor.

• Share on Facebook
• Show more sharing options
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Share on WhatsApp
• Print This Page

Star Trek franchise vet Aron Eisenberg , who recurred as Nog on the 1990s syndicated series  Deep Space Nine , died on Saturday at the age of 50.

A cause of death has not been disclosed, but our sister site Deadline reports that Eisenberg had two kidney transplants, most recently in 2015.

Eisenberg’s wife, Malíssa Longo, shared the heartbreaking news in a Facebook post. “It is with extreme regret and sadness to announce that my love and best friend, Aron Eisenberg , passed away earlier today,” she wrote . “He was an intelligent, humble, funny, emphatic soul… He was like a breath of fresh air, because I knew I would always hear the truth from him. Even if I didn’t want to hear it and even if the truth was inconvenient. He made me (and still makes me) want to be the best human I can possibly be, because he always strove to be the best human he could be.”

Cancel reply

Email * Your email address will not be published. We will notify you when someone replies.

So sad, so young. Just finished rewatching DS9 on Netflix. I actually liked his character.

I only ever saw him in DS9, but he took the role of Nog and made it his own. He had chemistry with all of the other actors and it’s so sad to think that he’s gone so young. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

He was great on DS9. RIP

damn I had just finished watching DS9 (I never used to like it as a kid, but I found it on Hulu and really enjoyed it. RIP

All of the characters on DS9 changed pretty radically over the course of the series, but his probably changed and grew the most. And Eisenberg grew with the role. You could see him shift from troublemaking teen to hard working student, to finally expanding his horizons and embracing a different culture to become a Starfleet cadet. The episodes where his character is grievously wounded in battle and the aftermath were perhaps his finest work of the series.

Another fine person gone too soon. I didn’t realize he had congenital kidney issues. If you’re so inclined and you’re not already an organ donor, a fine way to remember him would be to sign up to become one. It’s odd to say that Eisenberg was fortunate, all things considered, but there are many people who never get a chance at a transplant that could use one. May his memory be as a blessing.

Most Popular

You may also like.

Why Nog Was One of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Greatest Characters

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

• Star Trek's Ferengi characters were supposed to be villains, but became comic relief, largely because their depiction on The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.
• The late Aron Eisenberg's Nog started out as one of the silliest Ferengi, but by the end of Deep Space Nine, he became one of Star Trek's greatest heroes.
• Nog's larger series arc, from Ferengi to Starfleet officer, gets to the core of what Star Trek is all about.

When franchise creator Gene Roddenberry was bringing back his storytelling universe for its second wave, he wanted the show to focus on near-perfect Starfleet characters. Thus, it's ironic that one of the characters who most exemplified his ideal for this utopian future came from the series many fans said dishonored it. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine questioned the idea of the Federation and sent Starfleet to war, but the Ferengi character Nog is perhaps the show's single greatest character. Played by Aron Eisenberg, who passed away in 2019, he ended up being the only Star Trek junior character to achieve a commission in Starfleet.

Nog is particularly special because not only does the character exemplify everything Roddenberry wanted to do with Star Trek , it is not hyperbole to say that his best performance has literally saved lives. When creating his "Wagon Train to the stars…" in the 1960s, Roddenberry did so because he believed in television's power to make a difference. Eisenberg did that expertly through his performance. His legacy even goes beyond the show in creating a fan community that rallied people together from afar during the COVID-19 pandemic after he went through The 7th Rule Podcast . Deep Space Nine redefined the Ferengi species, taking them from one-note villains to the moral compass of a series depicting Starfleet at war. Yet, Nog was the character that bridged those two worlds in an immensely powerful way.

How Deep Space Nine Reintroduced the Ferengi with Quark, Rom and Nog

Can star trek fix deep space nine's biggest series finale mistake.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was a meticulously crafted series from start to finish but the series finale made one big mistake Avery Brooks didn't like.

As one of the first people cast for Deep Space Nine , actor Armin Shimerman hoped Quark would fix what he saw as harm done to the Ferengi through his first performance on Star Trek: The Next Generation . Designed to be the "new Klingons," the Ferengi were leering, witless, and were soon relegated to comic relief roles. However, as the owner of the central bar on the Deep Space 9 station, Quark became an integral character to the show. In fact, he was much like Spock in the series, presenting an alternate perspective to the human-dominated Starfleet one from the previous entries.

Max Grodénchik was also up for Quark, but he was cast as his brother, the seemingly dim-witted Rom. Through the series, Rom was shown to actually be quite intelligent, with a knack for engineering. At the series end, Rom was named the Grand Nagus of the Ferengi, presenting their people with a kinder, gentler and more open-minded ruler. However, Rom also shined as a father to Eisenberg's Nog. When that character decided to join Starfleet, his love for his son allowed him to buck with Ferengi tradition and support him. It again deepened audiences' understanding of these large-earned aliens with a fondness for gold-pressed latinum.

Yet, Nog was immediately a standout character. He was the only other young character on the station and bonded with Jake Sisko, played by Cirroc Lofton . In fact, the elder Sisko forbade Jake from hanging out with the Ferengi in an early episode, but it didn't take. The Next Generation's Wesely Crusher left Starfleet to become a Watcher, and Jake Sisko eschewed following in his father's footsteps to become a writer. However, Nog looked up to Sisko and, with the captain's help, became the first of his kind to join Starfleet. He fought in the Dominion War and was injured, losing a leg. By the end of the series, he'd earned a promotion, taking his place among the ranks of Star Trek heroes.

Nog Joining Starfleet Personified the Roddenberry Ideal in Star Trek

Deep space nine's 'far beyond the stars' is about star trek itself.

Deep Space Nine's classic episode 'Far Beyond the Stars' is a moving social allegory about racism, but it's also about the dream that is Star Trek.

A recurring theme in Star Trek was that former enemies become allies. First, it was the Klingons, enemies in Star Trek: The Original Series who became loose allies by the time of The Next Generation . In Deep Space Nine , the Ferengi took on that role. Yet, this evolution happened on screen rather than over the time-jump between shows. While Quark and Rom were often the focus of these stories, it was Nog who best exemplified this through his desire to join Starfleet. It stood in contrast to Jake's desire to do anything else, eventually setting his sights on writing and journalism.

It didn't happen right away, of course. Throughout Deep Space Nine , Nog is shown to have picked up bad influences from the Ferengi culture. Whether mistreating women on youthful dates or trying to make money with hare-brained schemes. However, from his exposure to the Starfleet characters he grew up around, Nog was able to grow. Eventually, he decided he wanted to join Starfleet and serve the galaxy while also changing how Bajorans and Federation citizens saw his people. This was amplified once the war with the Dominion Founders began.

Episodes like Season 2's finale "Jem'Hadar" and Season 6's "Valiant" showed both how brave and committed Nog was to Starfleet ideals. In the former, he, Jake, Captain Sisko and Quark encounter the terrifying soldiers of the Dominion. Nog meets the cadets of Red Squad on the USS Valiant who'd been stuck behind enemy lines for the entire war. They are acting without orders trying to make a difference. While Nog is initially attracted to this idea, it's his commitment to Starfleet regulations and its ideals that save him, Jake and only one other cadet.

Nog's War Injury and Struggle with Trauma Helped Real-World Veterans With Theirs

Why 'in the pale moonlight' is an important ds9 episode.

There are many wonderful episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but Season 6's 'In the Pale Moonlight' is perhaps the most important one in the show.

Two Season 7 episodes elevate Nog to the heights of the best Star Trek heroes. In "The Siege of AR-558," Nog loses his leg in a near-hopeless battle. The episode was inspired by the real-life Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II, which writer David Weddle's father fought in, according to The Deep Space Nine Companion , by Terry J. Erdmann. A site of strategic importance is defended by an exhausted and undersupplied crew in a near hopeless battle. The episode was controversial with executive producer Rick Berman for its content, especially since WWII veteran Roddenberry didn't want that kind of focus on combat in Star Trek initially . Yet, the Great Bird of the Galaxy wasn't always right, and this is one of those times.

Director Winrich Kolbe was a veteran of Vietnam, according to The Companion , and he drew inspiration from his experiences for the episode. Originally, Nog was going to lose both of his legs, but showrunner Ira Steven Behr acquiesced to Berman and restricted to it one. The episode "It's Only a Paper Moon" was one of the few Star Trek episodes to be almost wholly focused on a "supporting" character like Nog. Traumatized by his injury, the formerly gung-ho Starfleet officer hid in a holodeck program for weeks with the semi-sentient Vic Fontaine . Originally pitched as a single-set bottle show for Quarks, the writers realized the Nog story was so powerful it should anchor the episode. They didn't even include a B-story. "I gave it everything I had," Eisenberg said in The Companion .

Writer Ronald D. Moore said this episode was one of his favorites to work on, taking the idea of the bottle show at Quarks and shaping it into what it became at Behr's direction. In the documentary What We Left Behind , a number of military veteran fans spoke about how the series, and this episode in particular, helped them feel seen in a way fiction rarely achieves. "I can't tell you how many times a veteran has come up to me and say, 'That show…helped me when I came back. It helped me get through' whatever the individual was dealing with," a clearly emotional Eisenberg said. For war veterans, sometimes the psychological trauma after returning home from battle can be more deadly than the injury they suffered in combat.

Aron Eisenberg Lives on Through Nog and the People Who Loved Them Both

When did benjamin sisko get promoted on deep space nine.

Avery Brooks played the first Black Star Trek series lead, but Benjamin Sisko started Deep Space Nine as a Commander until he eventually was promoted.

Beyond the character arc that took Nog from a shifty Ferengi looking for profit to Starfleet hero, "It's Only a Paper Moon" resonates to this day. Unlike characters like those found in shows like Barry or Homeland , Nog's journey highlights for any trauma survivor that they have a future. It was something Eisenberg understood more than most actors, in fact. When he was 14 years old, Eisenberg had a kidney transplant that saved his life. Upon recovery, he decided to go into acting because, as he said in What We Left Behind , "I don't how long I've got…I want to…go for it."

Through Nog, not only did his "dream [come] true" he also "had such a wonderful time" over those seven seasons. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine wasn't his only work. He appeared in a number of stage productions, films and other series like The Wonder Years or The Secret Life of Alex Mack . However, with Nog he was able to develop and perfect his craft and, in turn, created a character that will be seen and loved for decades to come. By creating and hosting The 7th Rule , he continued to celebrate this universe, both his series and the third wave of shows, like Star Trek: Discovery .

After Eisenberg's passing, fans petitioned for Star Trek: Picard to include a statue of Nog in tribute to Eisenberg. However, Nog lives on in the 25th century off-screen somewhere in Starfleet. Producer Alex Kurtzman found another way to honor the actor. In Star Trek: Discovery 's third season , the show introduced the USS Nog, an Eisenberg class vessel as part of the fleet. His true legacy, however, is the lives he touched through his work and his many interactions with fans.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is streaming on Paramount+ and The 7th Rule is available to watch on YouTube.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy.

• Updated Terms of Use
• New Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Closed Caption Policy
• Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .

Aron Eisenberg, played ‘Nog’ on ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ spinoff series, dies at 50

Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for Sept. 22

Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines for Sept. 22 are here. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment.

Aron Eisenberg, an actor whose most widely known role was “Nog” on the 1990s science-fiction adventure series “ Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ,” died Saturday at age 50.

Eisenberg’s death was announced in a Facebook post by his wife, Malissa Longo.

“It is with extreme regret and sadness to announce that my love and best friend, Aron Eisenberg , passed away earlier today,” Longo wrote. “He was an intelligent, humble, funny, emphatic soul. He sought to live his life with integrity and truth.”

'STAR TREK' ACTOR ANTON YELCHIN KEPT CYSTIC FIBROSIS DIAGNOSIS A SECRET BEFORE SHOCKING DEATH AT 27, SAYS DOC

Longo reveals in the posts that the couple had been married since Dec. 28, 2018, the day they eloped.

“While our marriage, on paper, was a short one,” she writes, “our hearts had been married for far longer. I will be forever thankful for the time we had to love each other.”

The donor was a woman who’d read Eisenberg’s Facebook post about needing a kidney, according to StarTrek.com.

No cause of death is mentioned in the post, but Eisenberg had health struggles over the years.

In a 2015 article on the StarTrek.com website , Eisenberg discussed a second kidney transplant he was about to undergo.

He told the site that he was born with only one kidney and it was defective. He went on dialysis at age 14 and underwent his first transplant surgery at age 17.

But the new kidney failed in 2015, forcing him to resume dialysis until his second transplant in December of that year.

“I’m so blessed and fortunate,” he said of the news about finding a kidney donor that year. “It’s absolutely incredible.”

“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” was one of several spinoff series derived from the original “Star Trek” series of the late 1960s.

“Deep Space Nine” aired from 1993 to 1999 and has been seen in reruns since then.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Eisenberg’s “Nog” character was a mischievous “Ferengi,” with a large head and distinctive ears. He appeared in more than 40 episodes of the series during its seven-season run, according to StarTrek.com .

On the same day Eisenberg died, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported that he was among the actors scheduled to appear later this month at HawaiiCon, an annual science fiction and fantasy event.

Jennifer Lopez 'completely heartsick' as she cancels tour amid Ben Affleck split rumors

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie's daughter files to drop Pitt from legal last name on 18th birthday

Steve Irwin's widow Terri is 'comfortable' not dating, but admits she's 'desperately' in love with a celebrity

Madonna sued as fans allege they were subjected to 'pornography without warning' at singer's concert

ABBA to receive rare Swedish knighthood for pop career

Sofia Vergara will 'recycle' tattoo originally dedicated to Joe Mangianello for her new boyfriend

Who's making headlines in television, music, movies and more from Hollywood to the Heartland.

You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!

Louisville, KY (40203)

Clouds increase. Stays dry. .

Brisk start with lows in the 40s outside of the city.

Updated: May 31, 2024 @ 4:34 pm

• Full Forecast

'Nog' from 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' (Source: Paramount Television)

• Copy article link

Fans of the hit sci-fi show 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' are mourning the loss of one of the show's cast members.

Aron Eisenberg, who played 'Nog' on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,' dies at 50

• Sep 23, 2019
• Sep 23, 2019 Updated Sep 23, 2019

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Fans of the hit sci-fi show "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" are mourning the loss of one of the show's cast members.

Eron Eisenberg, who played the Ferenghi character "Nog" has died, according to his widow, Malissa Longo. He was 50.

In the show, which ran from 1993 to 1999, Nog was an adolescent alien who befriended Jake Sisko, a human teenager. Throughout the series, Nog overcame tradition and stereotypes to become a Starfleet officer. His character later a severe physical and emotional setback when he lost his leg due to a war injury.

In real life, Longo said her husband was "an intelligent, humble, funny, emphatic soul."

"There will never be another light like Aron's," she wrote . "The beauty that he was and the legacy he leaves behind is beyond words. I love him dearly and will miss him eternally. At the moment I'm not sure how to do life without him."

Eisenberg's cause of death was not released. The actor had received two kidney transplants, most recently in 2015, StarTrek.com reported .

"We didn't officially announce that we had eloped on December 28th, 2018," his widow posted. "We were hoping to have a big shindig in celebration of our nuptials, but had to wait to save up the money."

In addition to "Deep Space Nine," Eisenberg also had roles in the TV movie "Amityville: The Evil Escapes" and the features "The Horror Show," "Playroom" and "Beverly Hills Brats," all in the late 1980s.

Several of Eisenberg's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine " castmates paid tribute to him on social media.

Terry Farrell, who played the character Jadzia Dax, wrote , "Dear Aaron, I will miss our playful spirited bantering and I will miss our deep conversations. I will miss your kind and loving self, thank you for our friendship. RIP."

Dear Aaron, I will miss our playful spirited bantering and I will miss our deep conversations. I will miss your kind and loving self, thank you for our friendship. RIP. ❤️ — Terry Farrell (@4TerryFarrell) September 22, 2019

Armin Shimerman, the actor who portrayed Quark, the alien bartender and Nog's cantankerous uncle, wrote , "I have lost a great friend and the world has lost a great heart @AronEisenberg. He was a man of conviction and enormous sensitivity and the best of humanity. Kitty and I grieve for Aron, his boys and Malissa. Flights of angels my friend...you will be missed. There are no words..."

I have lost a great friend and the world has lost a great heart @AronEisenberg He was a man of conviction and enormous sensitivity and the best of humanity. Kitty and I grieve for Aron, his boys, and Malissa. Flights of angels my friend...you will be missed. There are no words... https://t.co/Q18yIVeZEe — Armin Shimerman (@ShimermanArmin) September 22, 2019

Nicole deBoer, another cast member who played Ezri Dax on the show, wrote , "Today I shed so many tears for a friend who always made me smile. Our #startrekfamily has lost a bright light. Aron, you touched the hearts of so many with your warmth, talent, humor & incredible spirit. I will carry the smiles & laughs with me always. Safe journey, my friend."

Today I shed so many tears for a friend who always made me smile. Our #startrekfamily has lost a bright light. Aron, you touched the hearts of so many with your warmth, talent, humor & incredible spirit. I will carry the smiles & laughs with me always. Safe journey, my friend 💫 pic.twitter.com/8z81gW3CrU — Nicole deBoer (@Nikki_deboer) September 22, 2019

In recent weeks, Eisenberg and Cirroc Lofton who played Cisco, his on-screen best friend, had planned the launch of a new Star Trek podcast.

Copyright 2019 by WDRB Media. All rights reserved.

• Aron Eisenberg

Weather Forecast

Matthew wine's friday afternoon forecast, historic saratoga takes its place at center of horse racing world when belmont stakes comes to town.

• Updated 1 hr ago

Kentucky baseball handles Western Michigan, 10-8, in NCAA Tournament opener

Indiana baseball routs southern miss 10-4 in ncaa tournament opener.

• Updated 33 mins ago
• More Sports Stories

Most Popular

• BOZICH | While John Calipari carries on, an amazing Kentucky basketball streak primed to end
• Woman accused of trying to flush newborn infant down IHOP toilet in Kentucky
• Officials identify motorcyclist who died after falling from I-64 West in downtown Louisville during crash
• People in Louisville react to Trump becoming first former U.S. president convicted of a felony crime
• Toyota Material Handling breaks ground on $100 million expansion to southern Indiana plant
• Louisville police say missing 70-year-old woman was found safe
• Three Louisville men work to give violent offenders support to choose a different path
• Wondering when cicadas will emerge in Louisville? Here's what to expect this summer
• LG&E restores power to most in Louisville, explains homeowner repair responsibilities
• Elementary teacher fired, another reinstated after Bullitt County Schools investigation
• FCC Public Inspection File
• Closed Captioning
• WDRB FCC Applications
• WDRB COVID-19 Protocols
• WDRB Official Contest Rules for On-Air Ticket Giveaways

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published May 23, 2023

Nog and the Post-Traumatic Progress of Star Trek Characters

The authentic PTSD journey seen in 'It's Only A Paper Moon' allowed for richer mental health representation in the stories that followed.

StarTrek.com / Rob DeHart

In December 1998, Paramount Pictures and Syndication aired Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ’s 160th episode, “ It’s Only a Paper Moon .” Unlike many of the stories told about this far-off future, there was no terrorist threat, wormhole collapse, or other science fiction calamity. Instead, the entire episode centered around the traumatic emotional journey of one character — Nog .

StarTrek.com

The childhood best friend of Jake Sisko was a staple of Deep Space Nine . While not a main character, he was involved in many plotlines, often right by Jake’s side. Despite his stereotypical beginnings as a greedy Ferengi troublemaker, Nog grew quite a bit over the seasons, eventually becoming a responsible, idealistic, duty-bound Starfleet cadet. Jake, the Starfleet officers around him, and his father ’s own journey of self-worth completely changed his life’s trajectory. But nothing in Nog’s life ever changed him quite like “ The Seige of AR-558 .” During this iconic episode, over a 150 Starfleet officers engaged in combat with the Jem’Hadar.

While Nog survived the gruesome battle, he lost his leg. Physically, replacing the limb was simple for Starfleet Medical; they’d give him a hyper-realistic prosthetic and he’d be back to working order in no time. He’d just need a bit of rehab first. In most Star Trek storylines, that’s where Nog’s disabled journey would end. Fans might hear mention of his prosthetic every so often, but Nog would return seamlessly to his role as an eager Starfleet cadet.

But that’s not what happened.

Instead, when Nog came home in “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” he is a shadow of his former self. He can walk, and he can function physically, but he’s not well mentally. In a handful of heartbreaking scenes, the episode makes it clear that he’s struggling with readjusting to Starfleet, his family... His entire life. He gets flashbacks to losing his leg and suffers phantom pain, a common phenomenon in amputees. He sleeps for endless hours throughout the day and the only thing that seems to comfort him is a Vic Fontaine recording of “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” a song fellow officers at the siege played to boost morale. And the condition that has him bouncing back and forth between reality and the Siege of AR-558 is PTSD.

PTSD (or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a mental illness that occurs after experiencing or witnessing a particularly terrifying incident. It’s commonly found in survivors of tragic events (shootings, car crashes, assaults, and combat). It’s characterized by:

• Recurring, vivid memories and flashbacks to the event
• Nightmares and sleeplessness
• Negative changes in thinking and/or mood
• Intense physical and emotional reactions such as anxiety, fright, anger

Despite being a franchise all about space explorers who often end up in traumatizing scenarios, few Star Trek characters explored this mental illness with the authenticity and depth it deserved. Not until Nog.

Star Trek ’s history with mental health throughout the 1960s-2000s has been a bit complicated. While the show’s approach to mental health has always been somewhat progressive (adding counselors as necessary crew members as early as the '90s), the long-term care put into writing characters’ mental health journeys has been a bit scant. For example, until Lieutenant Barclay, Deanna Troi ’s work as a psychologist and counselor was limited. We’d see her sessions in one episode, but there was little follow-through with any long-term psychological care. Consequently, the majority of her counseling was either with one-episode characters in full crisis or vague mentions of sessions off-screen.

Later, Star Trek: The Next Generation does evolve Counselor Troi’s work to include long-term cases. Both Lieutenant Barclay and Worf, as well as his son Alexander, are great examples. However, even those episodes that revisit her therapy sessions center on sci-fi hijinks. After all, Barclay’s teleporter phobia was complicated by him actually seeing space worms, and Worf and Alexander’s troubled bond took a backseat to the holodeck Wild West town filled with Datas (“ Realm of Fear ,” “ A Fistful of Datas ”). As was common in much of the '90s-era Star Trek , a character’s long-term psychology was considered and written into their stories, but it played second (if not third or fourth) fiddle to the episodic, wacky sci-fi crisis of the week.

Vic Fontaine - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Most Famous Hologram

Other times, Star Trek avoided the space worms and cowboy Datas to take a hard look at the deep psychological horrors these officers can face. Unfortunately, the franchise often struggled to give those challenges ample repercussions. Most famously, in the Deep Space Nine episode “ Hard Time ,” Chief Miles O’Brien experienced 20 years in prison in a matter of hours. The experience understandably haunted O’Brien. He struggled with remembering his old job, suffered intense stress, anxiety, and fierce rage, and even saw hallucinations of his fictional cell-mate (one that, in his horrific 20-year VR trauma, he killed for food). He was afflicted with irritability, frustration, and depression. He even tried to take his own life. By the end of the episode, his friends must talk him off the edge, then help get him medication and counseling sessions. O’Brien hugs his daughter as the screen fades to black and then... it’s never mentioned again.

After his time in jail, O’Brien was driven to extreme violence, hallucinations, and self-harm. Most people would be in therapy for years trying to unpack all of that, if not placed in hospital care for a while to readjust. But when fans see the next O’Brien-centered story, it’s 12 episodes later, where O’Brien is dealing with the typical “O’Brien family marital troubles” and having to sabotage Deep Space 9 to stop a ghostly alien from killing Keiko. You’d think he’d have more of a crisis about doing criminal activity given what he went through, but it’s as if the whole thing never happened.

Nog’s story is markedly different from stories like Barclay’s, Worf’s, or O’Brien’s. Not only does the episode lack a lot of the sci-fi plot added into the other mental health episodes, but it also doesn’t happen in a few days and isn’t forgotten. Instead, we follow Nog through weeks of recovery, self-discovery, and progress with his conditions. The story of “It’s Only a Paper Moon” is about Nog’s PTSD, realistic and raw, and that’s enough.

“It’s Only a Paper Moon” is strengthened as a story because of how authentic the writers made Nog’s PTSD. Throughout the episode, Nog employed real tools used by modern PTSD survivors to process their condition. For example, the writers had Nog participate in creative therapy . Creative therapy is the process of using artistic mediums to learn how to heal the painful, wounded parts of your mind and slowly re-acclimate and reconnect to the world around you. Psychologists and doctors have been using this tool for decades to help people with PTSD cope with their condition . In Nog’s case, he first clung to the one coping device he had, which was listening to Vic’s music to help him escape from the trauma. It reminded him of his lost friends, and the version of himself he lost in "The Siege of AR-558," too. Creative therapy only helps Nog more once he starts working with Vic. In designing a bigger and better casino for the holosuite, Nog gets to have a creative outlet. He finally could make enough space between himself and those difficult feelings of loss, guilt, and grief to build something out of that emptiness.

Another authentic, powerful part of the episode's storytelling is Nog’s recovery process. The writers of "It's Only A Paper Moon" don’t make his process a predictable, one-dimensional, linear experience. It’s a common mistake in mental health portrayal to act like once someone starts getting help, they’ll be fixed forever. But it’s not that easy. At first, Nog gets better physically from his injuries but lags mentally. Then, he begins working with Vic and seems to be much better. But when suggested to leave the holosuite, Nog regresses and closes off from his loved ones again. He may always be working to get better, but some days are better than others. That’s what real mental illness recovery looks like.

Related to that regression in the holosuite, the episode also fits in time to discuss the pitfalls of some PTSD coping mechanisms. In Nog’s case, he clings to the improvement he experiences while in the holosuite. But that “ideal” involves staying in that holosuite for the rest of his life. While creative outlets help people with PTSD get out of their own heads, that comforting escape can turn into uncontrollable, unhealthy escapism. Escapism helps trauma survivors, but if done too often, it can turn into an addiction that leads to avoidance of their real life. Then, different methods are necessary to help them take the next steps forward (like disconnecting the holosuite and starting sessions with Ezri).

As an episode, “It’s Only a Paper Moon” takes the time to let Nog go through every stage of his trauma, stress, and loss. He escapes, he rebuilds, he grieves, he processes. He hurts and avoids people he loves, he accepts what happened to him and opens up about all the pain that he feels. In the end, he isn’t perfect. He still has a long way to go. But he’s begun his journey back to himself and that’s what matters.

And Nog’s story doesn’t end there.

Nog’s life after “It’s Only a Paper Moon” is almost just as important to viewers, if not more. Representation in media is one of the top ways to help people not only see themselves reflected in the world but also get a glimmer of who they could become . In Nog’s case, he goes through counseling and comes out stronger because of it. Then, he goes back into Starfleet, and not only excels at his work, but also becomes the first Ferengi captain. He is loved, important, and excellent. That’s so much more than most people with PTSD are told they can have. Unfortunately, many mental health stories lead to a character having to settle for a quiet life. But Nog got to be more than that. He wasn’t some broken person who could only scrape by with a smaller, lesser life. He lived a fulfilling, thrilling life and changed the face of Starfleet, trauma and all. The writers chose to let Nog live excellently, disability and all.

And because of that choice, Star Trek was gifted with an authentic experience of mental disability that inspired dozens of stories after it.

Once Star Trek wrote about Nog’s authentic PTSD journey, the topic became an open conversation with all other Star Trek characters. Now, it’s common for the shows to integrate storylines that analyze and explore the trauma-related psychology of its characters. Sometimes, it even becomes the focal point of a series. Star Trek: Picard has been a multi-season adventure in unpacking the admiral’s lifelong traumas, from his Borg experience to losing Data, and even his unprocessed grief from his difficult childhood. Ever since Nog proved that Star Trek fans can be compelled by long-term psychological care and its effects on a character, it’s become a staple of the newer series. Alongside Burnham, Culber, Pike, and many others, we’ve been allowed to see these characters’ emotional journeys. And nowadays, these journeys rarely end when the credits roll; the trauma that each Star Trek character faces evolves throughout multiple episodes, letting us appreciate the nuance of each of their lives.

While mental health representation is still lacking in the modern world, Star Trek is doing its part to push boundaries and let its characters grow in a hopeful, mental health-forward future. Without Nog’s story taking that first step, we’d never have gotten here at all.

Get Updates By Email

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

Stephanie Roehler (they/she/he) is a freelancer who loves to write about video games, books, movies, TV shows, comics, and especially Star Trek.

• Action/Adventure
• Children's/Family
• Documentary/Reality
• Amazon Prime Video

More From Decider

New Shows & Movies To Watch This Weekend: 'Bridgerton' Season 3 on...

Jax Taylor Admits His "Delivery Is Awful" In 'The Valley': "That's One Of...

What Happened to Regé-Jean Page? Did the Duke Bomb His Movie Star Career...

'9-1-1's Malcolm-Jamal Warner On Amir And Bobby, Working With Peter...

'Unfrosted' Has Everyone Wondering "What's The Deal With Jerry Seinfeld?"

Chrissy Teigen Stuns John Legend On 'The Drew Barrymore Show' With Reveal...

Brooke Shields Flashed Her ‘Mother of the Bride’ Co-Star Benjamin...

Andy Cohen Reveals Sarah Jessica Parker's Reaction When He Suggested Rosie...

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to copy URL

‘Star Trek III’ at 40: The Story of How (and Why) Leonard Nimoy Brought Spock Back After Being Killed Off In ‘The Wrath of Khan’

Where to stream:.

• Star Trek III: The Search For Spock

‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Renewed For Season 4 At Paramount+

Bill maher applauds william shatner for controversial ‘star trek’ interracial kiss, patrick stewart was asked to wear a wig at his ‘star trek’ audition — a wig that flew by itself from heathrow to lax, tom hardy “never said ‘good morning'” or “good night” while filming ‘star trek: nemesis,’ says patrick stewart.

Star Trek is an enormous and expanding universe, but if there is one specific thing, one icon that projects the essence of this franchise with the power of a starship at warp, it’s Mr. Spock and his pointy ears. Like John Wayne on a horse or Charlie Chaplin falling down, Leonard Nimoy’s stern visage is one of the key texts of the moving image. And after Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , the geniuses in charge had killed the character. Illogical.

Now 40 years old, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock course-corrected the franchise, and brought the best first officer in the galaxy back to life. The movie is certainly the weakest of the arc that connects the second, third, and fourth films, but it is by no means anything other than a blast. If you remember it as mostly being the glue between The Wrath of Khan (the awesome showdown with Ricardo Mantalbán) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (the one with the whales) you owe yourself a second ride with the crew of the USS Enterprise, motivated to break all the rules to save one of their own. 

The New 4K “Director’s Edition” of ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture’ on Paramount+ Boldly Goes Where No Other Cuts Have Gone Before

How the movie came to be is a little amusing. Though Leonard Nimoy is remembered now as a warm, older representative of interstellar kindness who, toward the end, signed off his tweets as “Grampa,” there was a period where the Boston-born actor, director, photographer and philanthropist had a reputation as being a bit of a grump. In 1975, the Star Trek star published a memoir called I Am Not Spock , that many interpreted to mean “hey, don’t confuse me with that dorky TV show.” (It wasn’t really the case: the book’s title was inspired by an encounter with a confused child who met him at an airport, and contains imagined dialogues between Nimoy and his famous screen character.) Prior to production on Star Trek: The Motion Picture , a puzzling movie that can now be recognized for its greatness , Nimoy and Paramount were in a bit of a legal war over the studio’s licensing of Spock’s image for a series of Heineken ads . (The corporation got paid, Nimoy did not.) After a drawn-out case, Nimoy agreed to appear in Star Trek II conditional on the character getting a big death scene. His wish was granted, and that sacrificial moment is—with Spock announcing that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one—without question the most touching and memorable moment in the entire 58-year-old history of Trek . 

The legend goes that Nimoy’s attitude toward wearing the ears again thawed during the making of the movie. The producers were able to convince him to shoot a little insurance: an insert of Spock gripping Dr. McCoy’s face and uttering the word “remember.” A final shot of Spock’s coffin (a refitted photon torpedo tube) on the new planet Genesis, then-roiling with regenerative molecules, was just enough ammunition for fans to argue that Spock would definitely be coming back. When Leonard Nimoy was given the chance to direct the next movie (his first feature film, though he had experience on television) the phasers were officially charged. 

The resultant work, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock , is the dorkiest look at Cartesian dualism put to film. The mission is this: get the mind of Spock, temporarily dumped in his old Frenemy’s noodle, and the body of Spock, luckily regrowing on the weird (and unstable) man-made planet, and bring them both to the sacred Mount Seleya on Vulcan so an old Priestess could mumble some hocus pocus and make everything right again.

To make the movie more interesting, of course, there has to be some complications. First up, Starfleet has cordoned off Genesis, but that just means Captain Kirk and his buddies have to steal their old ship. Second, there are some pesky Klingons (led by Christopher Lloyd and including…John Larroquette?) who want the secrets of Genesis, and are ready to kill anything in their path. Then there’s the planet itself, a scientific failure about to blow up, and on it are Lt. Saavik and Kirk’s son David, trapped there doing recon work. Also: a rapidly aging Spockling who, even though I first saw this when I was a very young boy, I somehow intuited that he got it on with Saavik to survive the throes of his pon faar , a fearsome time in which normally logical Vulcans turn to absolute brutes if they can not find a mate. (Don’t look for court-ready evidence of this in the movie, but follow-up Trek novels offer more hints that this is what happened.) 

It’s a fairly simple story, but there’s a lot to treasure. It’s well-known that throughout the masterpiece of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Kirk and Khan are never “on stage” together, they only communicate through screens. Well, in this one, Kirk never knows his enemy’s name. He calls Christopher Lloyd’s Commander Kruge “Klingon Commander” right up to the end. 

And what an end! It’s William Shatner pounding Doc Brown in the face with his boot shouting “I have had ENOUGH of YOU!!!!!!” Hardly the classic dialogue from Spock’s death scene, but somehow perfect. There’s also a hilarious scene in a space station bar where it is implied that Dr. McCoy has an ongoing flirtation with a kitschy Jetsons -like waitress . It’s one of the few moments of high camp in the entire franchise, and it’s wonderful. Also, Star Trek III has some terrific sartorial choices, like Sulu’s not-quite-jacket/not-quite-cape that he wears during a scene in which they break McCoy out of the brig. 

The big finish, featuring the Vulcan ritual of Fal-Tor-Pan, is shot in a surreal, stage-like manner. The background actors include more beefy guys and willowy women than you typically think of as residents of the science-forward desert planet. Though it is somewhat dependent on the measure of your emotional investment in these characters, the concluding resurrection is surprisingly cathartic. It’s just plain nice to see the gang back together again. 

It is amusing, though, that the film’s stated message is that, no, the needs of the few or the one actually outweigh the needs of the many. When Kirk and Spock have this exchange, I always wait for one of them to add a “sometimes.” It never comes. I guess they just got swept up in the emotion of the moment, because this sentiment is hard to defend!

Anyway, Nimoy came back to direct Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , and stuck around for two more movies, made a memorable appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation , then was the connective tissue for J.J. Abrams’s 2009 Star Trek reboot and sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness . Clearly he turned his opinion around a bit. Indeed, in later years he wrote a second memoir, with a very funny title: I Am Spock . The choice was logical. 

Jordan Hoffman is a writer and critic in New York City. His work also appears in Vanity Fair, The Guardian, and the Times of Israel. He is a member of the New York Film Critics Circle, and tweets at @JHoffman about Phish and Star Trek.

Does 'Yellowstone' Return Tonight? 'Yellowstone's Season 5 Return Date, Kevin Costner Updates, And More

Sunny Hostin Leaves Her Seat On 'The View' To Advise Whoopi Goldberg About What She Can And Can't Say On TV

'Bridgerton' Showrunner Jess Brownell Explains Why We Didn't Get Penelope and Lady Danbury's Friendship in Season 3

Patricia Richardson Says 'Home Improvement' Ended Because ABC Wouldn't Give Her Equal Pay to Tim Allen

It’s A 'Yellowstone' Wedding: Co-Star Couple Ryan Bingham And Hassie Harrison Marry In A "Cowboy Black Tie" Ceremony

Whoopi Goldberg Suggests That Trump Would "Jail" 'The View' Co-Hosts For Speaking Out Against Him

Revelation Identifies Kovich as Agent Daniels in a Surprising “Star Trek” Twist

“Star Trek” has always been a series that knows how to innovate and surprise, and within the complex tapestry of its universe, nothing is ever quite as straightforward as it seems. Whether we’re talking about three-dimensional chess or the intricacies of parallel universes with their bearded evil twins, “Star Trek” pitches a masterful curveball in each episode. Among the fascinating spectacles is the ever-present Temporal Cold War, defying both time and space. In a fresh twist, the series linked the enigmatic character Kovich with the figure of Agent Daniels known from “Enterprise” in a storyline that brought a whole new dimension to the sci-fi saga.

If you’re straining to remember, let’s jog your memory. Agent Daniels, played by actor Matt Winston, first made his mark in the “Enterprise” season 1 episode “Cold Front.” Initially disguised as an ordinary crewman, it was later revealed that Daniels was sent from the 31st Century to thwart time-line tampering foes. These versatile plots highlight that the “Star Trek” franchise was weaving intricate time-travel narratives long before they became more mainstream in pop culture. Daniels’ character repeatedly crossed paths with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), pulling him through time for critical missions while ensuring Archer didn’t make choices that would dramatically alter the future. Daniels possessed an eerie ability to evade death, hinting at his own nature as only vaguely human.

Daniels’ trail seemed to go cold after his final appearance in the early episodes of “Enterprise’s” season 4—until the storyline reintroduced him in a renewed guise as Kovich years later on “Discovery.”

FAQ About Agent Daniels’ Return As Kovich

Who is agent daniels in “star trek”.

Agent Daniels is a character from “Star Trek: Enterprise,” portrayed by Matt Winston. He is a time-traveling operative from the 31st Century, who frequently interacts with Captain Jonathan Archer to prevent alterations to the timeline.

In which episodes of “Enterprise” did Agent Daniels appear?

Agent Daniels makes his first appearance in the season 1 episode “Cold Front” and appears in various other episodes throughout the series, up until early in season 4.

How did “Star Trek: Discovery” tie in Agent Daniels’ character?

In “Star Trek: Discovery,” the mysterious character Kovich is linked with the figure of Agent Daniels, implying that Daniels has taken on a new form or role centuries later in the show’s timeline.

What is the Temporal Cold War?

The Temporal Cold War is a conflict that occurs across different points in time, with various factions attempting to manipulate the timeline to their advantage. It was a recurring storyline in “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

Is Kovich played by the same actor who portrayed Daniels?

No, the character Kovich in “Star Trek: Discovery” is not portrayed by Matt Winston, who played Agent Daniels in “Enterprise.” The connection between the characters is narrative and conceptual rather than through the actor.

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery’s ending introduces a new captain burnham.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Star trek: discovery finale’s huge enterprise surprise reveal & david cronenberg’s reaction explained by showrunner, jonathan frakes was “really surprised” star trek: discovery season 5 is based on his tng episode.

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Discovery finale, "Life, Itself".

• Captain Burnham leads USS Discovery on a final mission, setting up a meeting between Zora and Craft in Star Trek: Short Treks.
• New Captain Leto Burnham follows in his mother's footsteps, seeking meaning in his mission while inheriting his father's confidence.
• Michael and Book have a happy ending on Sanctuary 4, where they have rebuilt and found a new home with their World Tree.

The ending of Star Trek: Discovery introduces the show's next generation in the form of a brand-new Captain Burnham. Written by Kyle Jarrow & Michelle Paradise, and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, the Star Trek: Discovery finale, "Life, Itself" ends with an epilogue set decades after Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) made the decision to leave the Progenitors' technology undiscovered . The epilogue opens with Admiral Burnham living in relative peace and quiet on Sanctuary 4 with Cleveland Booker (David Ajala). However, Admiral Burnham has one final mission to do before Discovery ends for good.

The Star Trek: Discovery finale's epilogue reveals that Admiral Burnham is tasked with piloting the USS Discovery on one last mission. Discovery's final mission sets up the eventual meeting between Zora (Annabelle Wallis) and Craft (Aldis Hodge) in Star Trek: Short Treks , season 1, episode 2, "Calypso" . Escorting Michael on her way to the USS Discovery is Starfleet's newest captain, Captain Leto Burnham (Sawandi Wilson), fresh from his recent promotion and bound for Crepuscula, after a quick detour to Sanctuary 4.

As Burnham seeks the universe's greatest treasure in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, she'll need help from a host of new and returning characters.

Star Trek: Discovery’s New Captain Burnham Explained

Captain Leto Burnham is the son of Burnham and Book , and is following in his mother's footsteps, albeit without the early career mutineering. Leto and Michael Burnham's heart-to-heart in the shuttle reveals how much he's inherited from his mother, as he too appears to seek meaning in the mission. The new Captain Burnham is anxious about finding the right words to inspire his crew, and Michael has some words of advice for her son:

"...at the end of the day, every member of your crew has to find their own sense of meaning. [...] In time, you and your crew will become family..."

Leto is named for Book's nephew, who was killed when Kwejian was destroyed by Species 10-C's Dark Matter Anomaly in Star Trek: Discovery season 4. As well as the name Leto, Discovery 's new Captain Burnham has also inherited his confidence and swagger from Book. Book's parting words to his son to " get that swagger on in outer space " sets Leto up as the perfect combination of his mother and father's best qualities, proving that the future of Starfleet is in safe hands.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Epilogue Gives Michael & Book A Happy Ending

Michael and Book finally reunited at the wedding of Ambassador Saru (Doug Jones) and President T'Rina (Tara Rosling) before they headed off on a Red Directive mission for Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg). Decades later, and the couple may have slowed down, but Michael and Book's happy ending remains intact as they live out a quiet semi-retirement on Sanctuary 4. Book makes Michael coffee every morning, while she tends to the fences around the house to keep out the local wildlife.

Having lost his home in season 4, Book finally finds it again in the Star Trek: Discovery finale...

It's also revealed that Star Trek: Discovery did resurrect Book's dead planet , Kwejian, via the World Tree cuttings he received from the Eternal Gallery and Archive in season 5, episode 8. Book planted the cuttings some time after he and Michael settled on Sanctuary 4, where they've now grown into an impressive World Tree. As the Kwejian believed that they were all connected by the roots of the World Tree, this effectively makes Sanctuary 4 the new Kwejian . Having lost his home in season 4, Book finally finds it again in the Star Trek: Discovery finale with Michael, Leto, and their World Tree.

All episodes of Star Trek: Discovery are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

• Entertainment
• Celebrities
• Ticket Sales
• Promoted: What to Watch on Prime Video

Recommended

What will it take for william shatner to reprise ‘star trek’ role ‘injection of speed’.

• View Author Archive
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Beam him up, Scotty.

William Shatner exclusively told The Post what it would take for him to return for another “Star Trek” project.

“An injection of speed or something,” the 93-year-old actor said with a laugh while promoting his new children’s album, “Where Will the Animals Sleep? — Songs for Kids and Other Living Things!”

“I don’t know,” he added. “It’s a commitment I don’t know if I’m ready to make at this point in my life.”

Shatner played the popular Capt. James T. Kirk in the original run of the sci-fi series from 1966 to 1969 and in several “Star Trek” films.

All these years later, Shatner has nothing but fond memories about the job that made him a household name.

“What I loved most about playing Captain Kirk was the writing. The way they wrote for the character was wonderful,” he said. “It was a real kick, a real joy to try and find ways of playing what they wrote for me.”

Shatner is best known for his “Star Trek” role, but he’s just a regular guy to his family. In fact, he said that his own grandkids aren’t Trekkies.

“I don’t know that they’re aficionados,” the dad of three said, adding, “They’re not. They haven’t seen much of it. I’m not a prophet in my own life. Just grandpa. Pops.”

Actor Paul Wesley took over the character in the Paramount+ show “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” which debuted in 2022.

“He’s actually a lovely guy. He’s been nothing but supportive, which obviously means the world to me, because his support is all that really matters,” Wesley exclusively told The Post about Shatner in March.

“Did I feel pressure? Yes. Oh, my God. Are you kidding me?” he went on. “I was, like, ‘OK, do I do an impression of William Shatner? Do I do my own thing?’ I ended up going, ‘I’m going to do my own thing,’ because it’s free enterprise. I’m going to try to create my own career, maybe have him slowly develop into more of the Shatner version of Kirk.”

In 2021, Shatner had a real-life “Star Trek” experience when he flew to space  on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin shuttle .

In January, it was reported that the ashes of the series’ creator, Gene Roddenberry, and his wife, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who played nurse Christine Chapel on the TV show, would be sent to space on a United Launch Alliance rocket, appropriately named Vulcan Centaur. Also scheduled to take flight were the remains of the late “Star Trek” actors DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy; James Doohan, who portrayed engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott; and Nichelle Nichols, who starred as communications officer Lt. Uhura.

“The universe changes so rapidly,” he said. “There’s such a ferment going on in the universe, which includes us. Tectonic plates move and stars explode and your ashes … I don’t know. It’s a desire for immortality, and I don’t believe that exists.”

Although Shatner has been successful in his career, the two-time Emmy Award winner said that he wants to be remembered for “raising money for people in need,” rather than his acting performances.

“I don’t think there is such a thing as legacy. You know, I mean, who remembers? Leonard [Nimoy] for example, was so popular and played such a great character [Spock] and all that kind of thing,” he said about his late “Star Trek” co-star, who died in 2015 at 83.

“But, you know, if you say to somebody, ‘Who was Spock?’ they barely know. What is it, 10 years later? He’s barely being remembered in terms of, ‘Oh, my God, Spock.’ It’s all disappearing.”

“The only legacy, in my opinion, that’s worth anything is helping other people,” Shatner continued. “And that reverberates till the end of time. You help somebody, they help somebody else. Suddenly there’s this whole activity going. I think you need to help other people, whether it’s financially or physically, and that’s your legacy.”

Shatner’s new children’s album is out now.

Share this article:

Advertisement