Arguably Quark's best line: "I am Quark, son of Keldar, and I have come to answer the challenge of D'Ghor, son of .... whatever."

"Rule 34: War is good for business." "Rule 35: Peace is good for business."

"I tried. I tried my best to run my establishment under this occupation. But you know what? It's no fun. I don't like Cardassians - they're mean and arrogant. And I can't stand the Jem'Hadar. They're creepy. They just stand there like statues, staring at you. That's it. I don't want to spend the rest of my life doing business with these people. I want the Federation back. I want to sell root beer again!" a weak moment from Quark (he was drunk) but shows that he would rather enjoy his job than make profit

One of my favorite moments in the entire series is when Nog pleads with Cisco to give him an opportunity. When he explains that he and his father do not fit into the Ferengi mold, and that he wants to be something more than his father, a poor businessman struggling to fit the mold. The desperation in his voice runs through me and I am brought to the edge of Tears.

To paraphrase Jadzia Dax, once you get past how terrible the ferengi are, they’re a whole lot of fun.

"But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those same friendly, intelligent, wonderful people... will become as nasty and as violent as the most bloodthirsty Klingon. You don't believe me? Look at those faces. Look in their eyes." One of the most memorable episodes with Quark in it. It wouldn't be ds9 without Quark, but that in particular always stuck with me.

What about when Nog confronts the Klingons on the promenade and when they see he's not backing down, they respect his honour and move on? Such a badass Nog moment

When Quark absolutely schools a Vulcan about logic using the rules of acquisition and why now was the perfect and cheapest time to strike a peace deal. "Do you propose to teach me about logic?" " If I must..."

One of my favorite Quark moments was when he stood up to that one Klingon and told him "Go ahead. Do it. Kill a defenseless man! I might die, but you'll be denied your glorious moment of warrior's triumph. And where's the honor in that?" And in doing so, earned the respect of Gowron. That was just awesome!

God, I’ll never forget the first time Rom just let off and stood up to Quark; it was the last thing I was expecting out of him. He loved his son, he loved his moogie, and brother or not he’s not going to let Quark’s selfishness or pride sabotage their lives. Rom is a straight champ, and not nearly the loveable but simple doof any of his family thinks he is.

I honestly think Max Grodénchik and Aron Eisenberg deserve a whole lot of credit for saving the Ferengi too. Arguably maybe not as much as Armin Shimerman who got to play Quark as a new kind of Ferengi right from the get-go on DS9, but lesser actors could easily have fumbled those roles. Eisenberg in particular was really good at giving Nog those exaggerated Ferengi mannerisms but making them feel natural.

Quark and Odo will always be the best definition of Frenemies

It will never not be funny to me that in the timeline of Star Trek Online, Worf is married to Quark's ex, Grilka.

My favorite Nog episode was when he stayed on the holodeck while suffering from both PTSD and an Injury, and decided to stay there as long as possible. I was watching DS9 in a very dark time in my life, during the start of quarantine. I could relate to that need to escape out of fear of suffering.

I know this video was how Deep Space Nine saved the Ferengi, but my personal favorite was Dr. Reyga, the Ferengi who invented metaphasic shielding in the TNG episode Suspicions. They went out of their way to make a Ferengi character who basically acted like the people you see in the Federation, a scientist exploring the universe. They did the same thing with Kurak, the Klingon who was a scientist rather than a warrior out to engage in honorable combat, demonstrating that there is more to their peoples than the one note stereotypes, and it highlighted the discrimination they faced. Dr. Reyga couldn't make any headway with demonstrating his research because the last conference he went to everyone laughed the Ferengi off stage, and even Sisko showed an initial restrained hostility to Nog in the first season when he realizes his son is hanging out with the thief he initially used to blackmail Quark in to not leaving the station. He quickly comes around when he realizes Jake will be friends with whoever he sees fit, and when Jake teaches Nog to read, I think it highlights the lesson that despite our differences, there is so much we can learn from each other. The Ferengi perspective in Deep Space Nine was invaluable because for all the talk of the Federation about peaceful contact, they're really kind of up their own ass about the no money, non-interference stuff. Being the near cultural opposites, the Ferengi see the less than virtuous motivations of other species and see them for what they are, and they don't shame them for looking out for themselves, in fact they respect it and expect nothing less, and that insight is part of what makes them such a valuable part of the station.

Armin is fantastic as Quark, the late Aron Eisenberg as Nog takes us on quite the journey, Max Grodenchik as Rom really comes around, and, last, but definitely not least, Jeffrey Combs is so wonderful as "Brunt, F.C.A."

I'm near the end of my umpteenth rewatch of DS-9. Quark is a fucking great character. I love his scenes with Sisko and Odo.

This quote sums up the politics of a large portion of the population: "Ferengi workers don't want to STOP the exploitation, we want to be the ones exploiting people!"

I love Keevans last hateful glare after he gets shot. "I hate Ferengi...."

Rom is one of my all time favorite characters. The over looked brother that helps save the day in the end. Rom along with Obrien are the two hardest working characters in all of Star Trek. Just amazing writing for them both.

Quark and Odos relationship always reminded me of the weird love/hate relationship that existed between my parents dog and the neighbors cat. For a decade they fought, hissed, barked, chased each other around, but always seemed to be interacting. And then as they got older I'd occasionally go outside and see the dog curled up out the back , and the cat asleep next to it. Then one might wake up and take a swipe at the other, and then being old , mild playfighting before back to naps. its like a pair of old generals who where once at war but grew to respect each other and even like each other. I think thats kinda how Odo and Quark evolve. At the start, Odo *really* dislikes quark, and thats mutual. But by the end , oh Odo still likes to harass Quark, but at the end of the day, the two make each others lives interesting and they kinda respect each other.

I always thought of the Ferengi, not as straight-up enemies of the Federation, but more along the lines of "pains in the ass" of the Federation. Also, never let us forget that one commercial for DS9 toys where Quark hawks his own action figure.

"When in doubt, sue for peace. It confuses the heck out of your enemies."

The whole ‘ No Money’ thing was explained brilliantly by the Orville. Once matter replication (3d printing) became advanced enough material objects lose all value. What worth is a pile of diamonds or a sports car if you can press a button and whip out a dozen? Instead reputation become currency, being the best at what you do is value. People still have ambition but it’s to garner respect and esteem. Cultural expectation and family pressure become the motivators to get a job. It’s a move from a greed/guilt culture to social standing/shame culture.

Quark was basically the head of a small organized crime family when we meet him and by the time we leave him.... i dont even know what he is besides awesome. Also, I feel super lucky having to have gotten to meet him and Avery Brooks.

the ferengi in ds9 have always been a joy of mine. I felt that having a neutral alien really helped feed a sense realism into ds9. You won’t alway get groups that side with one or the other, you will get people who will play for what ever side that comes out on top. Then to see the regulars like Quark, Rom, Nog break out into the spot light, going against what is expected in them in their own society (quark less so but still). Just another reason why ds9 is and will continue to be my favourite trek.

Rom will forever be my favorite ancillary character in all of Trek. The way he incrementally stands up to both Quark and his own culture's perceptions will always be the best example of what Star Trek stands for.

I think Rom was a very important part of saving the Ferengi. In his first appearances, his interactions with Keiko in the episodes about her setting up the school for example, he was very generic. Then he started to become the comic relief bumbling buffoon character. Then, because this is DS9, he became a complex character where he was smart and capable but just not in a typical Ferengi way. I love him in the episode where Keiko gets possessed and has O'Brien doing a bunch of modifications to the station because Rom figures out what she's planning before O'Brien does and is just like "Hey Boss, why are we trying to destroy the wormhole aliens?" and O'Brien's like "Wait, what?".

“Star Trek isn’t family friendly anymore!” Meanwhile, in TOS: women have costumes that barely don’t fall off their bodies, with exposed midriffs, thighs, often cleavage, etc…

Every time I watch DS9 I am amazed at how the Ferengi actors were able to show emotions and personalities under heavy prosthetics.

Later seasons of DS9 tried to hammer in that the ONLY reason Odo stays with Starfleet was because of Kira. I never bought that because... come on, you really expect us to believe he has nothing with Quark? NOTHING?

The episode where Nog gives moral support and negotiating tips to an overwhelmed teenage girl, and she then uses his advice to successfully strike a peace treaty.

Quark js a cool character. He grew up in a house full of a-typical Ferangi but became your typical Ferangi making him the odd one out in his family.

One of my favorite Ferengi episodes isn't really that Ferengi-centric, but it does provide a glimpse into what is probably the idealistic core of Ferengi philosophy stripped of the greed that often corrupts such ideals. Treachery, Faith and the Great River presents the idea that if someone puts in the effort of getting things to the people who need those things in exchange of things they have too much of (but someone else needs) then everyone will have everything they need.

“Comorbidity” is such a truly outstanding word choice at 15:52 I just had to mention it. Strong writing, strong delivery, 10/10.

Brunt, yet another great Jeffrey Coombs character

The Magnificent Ferengi is also a great quest line in STO where Quark gets the gang back together to steal the Sword of Khaless and you get to play as various members of the team at different stages of the mission.

My circle of friends called season one of TNG "nerds on a set". The Ferengi were a disaster, but the entire first season was full of unintentionally comic moments. It got better.

Quark has been a fantastic character, who is a little less of a typical Ferengi than he wants people to see. How about when he tipped Kira's resistance cell off to the Dominion bringing down the minefield, and later when he rescues Kira, Rom and company from the holding cell, killing the Jem'Hadar guards. These are definitely not the actions of a typical Ferengi. Excellent video. Great discussion of some behind the scenes stuff and how the Ferengi became a big, valuable part of the Star Trek franchise.

Jeffrey Comb's scream when they shoot Keevan will never not be hilarious, I love that episode :3

Very thoughtful and well presented essay on the Ferringhi. One thing that you probably didn’t have time for was the humanization (or humanoid-ization) of Quark’s family around his Moogie, as played lovingly by Andrea Martin. There’s nothing like viewing sons through the love and frustrations of their mothers to really define who they are.

One of my favorite moments in DS9 is the challenge in the Great Hall on Qo'nos in "House of Quark." Seeing the Ferengi interact with the Klingon culture that is diametrically opposed to everything they stand for is amazing. And Gowron is a hilarious striaght man character through the whole thing. "I am Quark, son of Keldar, and I have come to answer the challenge of D'Ghor, son of… whatever."

The Magnificent Ferengi aka Weekend at Keevan's 😂

Quark and Grilka were endgame - I will die upon this hill

Loved this. My favorite Ferengi episode is "The Bar Association," where Rom forms a union. THAT one really shows the potential of the Ferengi to grow beyond their own limitations as characters to me.

The Ferengi went from one-note joke on TNG to one of the most fascinating (and in some ways sympathetic) species in the Trek universe on DS9. That took skill and talent and only Ira Steven Behr and Ronald Moore could have pulled off such a Herculean task.

I recall an episode of TNG that had a Ferengi scientist who acknowledged that he is a contradiction of his people because he chose a path dedicated to the advancement of science rather than capital gain. Do you recall that episode?

One of my favourite scenes about Ferengi and Klingon masculinity is when he has to fight D'Ghor on behalf of Grilka and instead drops the bat'leth and kneels before him, shaming him and the rest of the Klingon Council.

Lek is forever my favourite Ferengi character he’s a quirky blood thirsty weirdo and he knows it and owns it

My favorite episode of DS9 with the Ferengi is when Nog basically gets one over on Quark with that whole No-Jake Consortium thing. I loved that whole business thing how it went full circle on the station. My second favorite is the one where Quark becomes head of a Klingon House. Watching him baffle the Grand Council with accounting and economics was hilarious! XD

One of my favorite scenes with Quark is when he complains to Odo that he makes too much noise when he shapeshifts into a field mouse 🐀

Quark : I think I figured out why Humans don't like Ferengi. Sisko : Not now, Quark. Quark : The way I see it, Humans used to be a lot like Ferengi: greedy, acquisitive, interested only in profit. We're a constant reminder of a part of your past you'd like to forget. Sisko : Quark, we don't have time for this. Quark : You're overlooking something. Humans used to be a lot worse than the Ferengi: [slavery], concentration camps, interstellar wars. We have nothing in our past that approaches that kind of barbarism. You see? We're nothing like you... we're better.

The relationship between Quark and Odo is my favourite part of DS-9, both of them knowing the others weakness and exploiting it whenever possible but also an admiration for each other and what they do. They realise they serve a purpose on the station, they may not like what the other does but recognise that without them, the proverbial would inevitably would hot the fan. Their character interactions are not only perfectly written but also superbly acted. I didn't notice the anti-semetic undertones and it looks like the writers in DS-9 tried to flesh out the Ferengi species after a throwaway line from Kira to Dax along the lines of "Hoe can you associate with them, they're misogynistic trolls? Later in anther series the Ferengi homeworld is shown as a rainy planet where the dwellings are often round and domed with a very low entrance - they are literal trolls that eat bugs and live in caves. Genius.

One of my favorite DS9 episodes is the one where Quark and Odo are stranded on a planet and need to get a machine to a freezing mountaintop. 10/10 banter in that episode haha

TNG: "These Stereotypians are stereotypically Stereotypian" DS9: "These are hello wait these are people? Lifeforms, little lifeforms where are you?"

Aron Eisenberg as Nog explaining why he wants to enter Starfleet gets me every time: great actors & refined scripts, Deep Space 9 is amazing

Nog not only joined Starfleet, he is also part of the rather exclusive club of people to have beaten the Kobayashi Maru test, which he did by trying to haggle with the klingons, which the simulation had no subroutine for.

One thing about Leck - he 100% shot holo-Ishka on purpose, not by accident. When he saw the training mission going to hell, he basically went “fuck this” and blew her away anyway

One of other proof of the growth for both Klingons and ferengi is the house of quark. I love seeing the two best fleshed out species in Star Trek. They seem to be even better flushed out than the federation in some aspects. Great episode. Thanks again. Can plarb please come back to visit our favorite ensigns? I love his misadventures.

In Season 7, a community of Pah'Wraith-worshippers led by Gul Dukat makes Empok Nor their home. What did they think when they first ventured aboard the station and found a brain-dead Vorta there in the corridor near the airlock, endlessly bouncing off that wall? And what did they do with him?

The Ferengi were also built up at Encounter at Farpoint as people who ate those who displeased them. Of course Riker might've been bluffing when he said that.

I have been subscribed to this channel for a few years now and can I just say that your content is excellent. You put so much thought and work into videos like these and as a Trek fan I really appreciate it.

The existence of the FCA and Ferengi business licenses shows that they aren't as capitalist as they might like to think. (Much like many "capitalists" in our own world.)

I met Armin Shimerman at a convention. Really nice guy! When I told he how my mother was Quark's biggest fan, he said: "Well! You tell your mother Quark sends his regards." She was thrilled.

Funny thing I just realized watching season 7 of DS9. In most of their history, the Ferengi have almosy NEVER been in an all-out war. Every other faction has experienced war in some way, but not the Ferengi. They've always been neutral traders and to me at least, that's pretty impressive.

Armin Shimmerman was absolutely terrific!!!! as Quark! And I adored his relationship withDaz, through which we learned so much about both Jadzia and Quark. P.S.: And may I remind everybody here that he also played the wonderfully snarky Principal Snyder on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

My favourite thing is rewatching the series and Jake teaching Nog how to read. It was there, RIGHT THERE, where everything changed for not only Nog but all the Ferengi in general.

OMG, I forget they Weekend At Bernie's-ed that Vorta! XD

I never even thought about the anti-semetic implications but yeah that’s very unfortunate. Glad they got so fleshed out. I know not everyone loves their centric episodes in ds9 but I think they’re all bangers.

Shout out to Lt. NOG!! The first ferengi in star fleet

My favorite Quark scene is when he explains economics and peace to the Vulcan ambassador. "Don't you understand?! Peace can be had at a bargain!"

Great video! I think it's worth noticing and definitely not a coincidence that behind a lot of these characters there are Jewish actors and writers (like Armin, Ira, Michael or Max) who knew how to subvert these antisemitic tropes and create nuanced complex characters out of breaking these constraints for them & for the viewers.

The ferengi have became one of my favourite species on star trek. Quark is a character that grows and grows from episode 1 all the way through.

One of my favorite viewing experiences was watching The Last Outpost with my husband. He had only seen late TNG and DS9 at that point, so that episode was a shock to say the least. Every time they did a particularly idiotic gesture, he would rewind, make me rewatch the clip, and yell, "Why?! What are they doing?! WHY ARE THEY LIKE THIS?!" On the flip side, I finally got my friend that liked TNG to try DS9. She didn't want to because she heard the Ferengi were main characters. It took some convincing to try and explain to her how much improved they were. Her initial attitude was probably similar to people watching DS9 as it premiered.

I do like the part where Quark lements that he should have got into weapons, but it was too impersonal. He became a bar owner because he is a "people person." I just always liked that idea that even he took a hit because he likes talking to people :P

I love your stuff so much. I can't get over how funny you've been recently. Incidentally, the ferengi are one of my favorite species in Star Trek.

Good video. Though, I must respectfully object to your assertion that Leck was a bad shot. Considering the man is a professional assassin, it stands to reason that he didn't go far in that business without having at least a decent aim. He did make one of his shots in the actual mission, albeit it was with a knife but still. Considering his lust for blood, I think it's more like he killed holo Ishka because he liked killing people and used the 'mission failed' and 'putting her out of her misery' bit as an excuse rather than missing and covering his ass. But that's just my opinion.

Not only is Iggy Pop in an episode of DS9. Also Iggy Pop was in an episode of DS9 and want found exposing himself near the crew donut table.

There's so much to love about DS9 but I think the Ferengi are possibly my favourites of all the cast. It's great to see them getting some well deserved love...& I'm not talking Oo-Mox ;)

The Ferengi are arguably one of the three most developed cultures in the franchise, alongside the Vulcans and Klingons. I really like them now. The three cultures are also the ones with the most non-human characters I enjoy, which is probably because of how much I like each of those three cultures.

There are some really magnificent examples of Trek creations evolving from gross caricatures to nuanced, relatable characters. It's one of my favourite aspects of Trek.

After the hints and references in the last few episodes, I sense an episode about Lawxanna Troi in the making.

Ya know, I never realized what a lovable scamp Keevan was. But I gotta say, Quark is my second favorite character in DS9, and I love the Ferengi-centric episodes, because I think he and they both have more growth than any other character or species on the show. They might be there for comedic effect, but they're also so well written in DS9. My favorite? Morn, obviously. Even if he's a bit of a chatterbox, but that's fine, since he has a lovely singing voice.

Keevan is an absolute delight. I don't think there's a bad Vorta performance in the show.

You touched on it a bit but I liked in Little Green Men when after they ruled out being in the divine treasury they fearfully asked if they were in the other place. The Vault of Eternal Destitution. And Quark rules it out immediately with a declaration of "The Bar was showing a PROFIT!" The one other thing DS9 did, that was a more subtle change, was using the word opportunity interchangeably with profit. Finding new business was an important aspect that kept the Ferengi pushing outwards and at the frontiers. Or the great material continuum still provided for Nog even if he wasn't in business for himself but presented him with the opportunity to acquire needed provisions for the station.

Quark's sparring with Elim Garak and critiquing the federations deviousness and subjugation is the best chef's kiss deep space 9 have ever made.

Awesome video. The Ferengi episodes are some of my absolute favourite in the franchise. My heart belongs to Rom, but Nog is marvellous and of course Quark. I also have it on mayoral authority that Quark is quite the snack.

The Ferengi episodes were some of my favorites in DS9 and it was really nice to see the characters grow over the series and to see the species grow and evolve. I've always thought that it would be hilarious if they came out with a Ferengi comedy movie or maybe a sitcom.

"Lust for life". I would've had to do it too.

It's 1am, I'm stuck in a cycle of crippling depression that prevents me from falling asleep. Better get into my comfort zone of Trek talk.

It really is one of the things that rub me the wrong way, how badly they messed up a perfect foil! Could you imagine just how the series would have played out if there was another Federation sized Empire spreading it's boarders, and the two have only just found out about each other? The whole series was meant to have a first contact feel to them, meeting new people was the primary mission after all. Contacting a large empire for the first time, instead of small worlds the Enterprise could crush alone, would have been a massive highlighting of that concept. We could have had lead up time to develop the 'mysteriousness' of first contact, rumors and artifacts being traded across a few frontier colonies which suggests there is 'someone' out there. In particular - gold pressed Latinum could have shown itself about this time. Instead of being told what the Ferangi where meant to be, we could have been shown it through the crew's own discoveries....

Every time I watch the Ferengi episodes of early TNG, I have to remind myself of how Roddenberry originally wanted them to be: walking manifestations of the Chad meme.

Ferangi went from being a sometimes rather unfortunate side-story to having a character become so important in universe that their name is still bourn by Federation Starships hundreds of years in the future. DS9 might have concluded more than 2 decades ago, but its influence has a long, long reach

I binged watch DS9 for the first time recently. Fully thought I'd end up skipping the Ferengi episodes, that didnt happen. I ended up really rooting for Rom and Nog, and crying when Quark and Odo said goodbye to one another. They ended up as some of my favourite characters in the show.

Deep Space 9 was the best Star Trek series, in my opinion. Do well written, and the actors did such great jobs pulling the viewer into their story.

Rewatch DS9 all the time- was my favorite Trek when it first came out, and my favorite Trek still- It started with Quark, who really became the Ferengi version of Worf from TNG- took a close, excellent dive into a Trek race thru exploring a single character- but then DS9 went deeper- Rom, Nog, Wallace Shawn as Grand Nagus Zek, Andrea Martin as Rom and Quark's mother (Moogieeee!!) Brunt, the episode with the female Ferengi disguised as a male, and the Magnificent Ferengi episode- what became more interesting is after this Ferengi exploration, Worf joins and DS9 then gets EVEN DEEPER into the Klingon Lore- started pre-Worf with Dax and the 3 aged Klingon Warriors, Worf himself, the excellent General Martok (one of my faves) and all the other Klingons who came and went--- because DS9 was unique in Trek shows, a Station not a Ship, it allowed for continuing evolution for many races- started as Humans, Bajorans, Cardassians- then Trill, Odo, Ferengi- then Klingon, Dominion, Romulan, even some Breen Later on- also tied up the Maquis resistance --- I enjoyed Babylon 5 at the time also, but DS9 ended up doing Alien Race/War/Cultures Understanding each other even better

The bit that I love but no one mentions is that you have to sign a waiver and agree that the home is theirs as are all their possessions.

Quark was funny as hell,and they did a great job with the makeup it took me about 20 years to discover that the guy who played Quark also played Principle Snider on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I always really enjoy the way the Skype between Picard and Tarr is shot in "The Last Outpost". I realize now that the show likely just hadn't settled on a fixed format to shoot those scenes, but the enormous face against pure white and the floaty camera gave this "mysterious new enemy" a bit more presence than "some other guy sitting in his chair". Of course, that was eroded somewhat when they started skittering around and hissing, but it's a nice look into the sort of evolutionary "dead ends" of the look of a show in its infancy. Kind of like those rougher, "out there" smear frames you used to get on The Simpsons.

I think you're the first person I've heard of besides me who liked Iggy Pop playing the Vorta in that episode. Everyone likes to dunk on his performance and I don't get why.