The Magnificent Ferengi

"The Magnificent Ferengi" is the tenth episode of the sixth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the 134th episode overall, originally aired in syndication on December 17, 1997.[1] It was written by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler, and directed by Chip Chalmers.[1] The title is a reference to the film The Magnificent Seven, and the episode makes several minor homages to the film.

"The Magnificent Ferengi"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode
The Ferengi look over a dead Keevan
Episode no.Season 6
Episode 10
Directed byChip Chalmers
Written byIra Steven Behr
Hans Beimler
Featured musicDennis McCarthy
Production code534
Original air dateJanuary 1, 1998 (1998-01-01)
Guest appearance(s)

In the episode, Quark and Rom's mother is taken captive by the Dominion and so they put together a team of Ferengi to rescue her.[2] The episode was lighter in tone compared to the typical gritty war episodes of the series at the time.[3] It featured Iggy Pop as a guest star, and Jeffrey Combs in a recurring role.[4]

Plot

Quark's celebration of obtaining Syrup of Squill is cut short when he learns that his mother, Ishka, has been captured by the Dominion. Quark informs Rom and also tells him of their mother's secret love affair with Grand Nagus Zek, who is offering a reward of 50 bars of Gold Pressed Latinum to Quark. He decides to lead a commando team composed of Ferengi and claims that the reward is 20 bars so he can keep a larger share. They first recruit Nog, making him "Strategic Operations Officer" for the mission. Next, they hire Leck, a Ferengi "eliminator" who does not care for latinum but loves a challenge. Quark bails out his cousin Gaila, who was arrested for vagrancy and signs him up as a chance for redemption. At a briefing, the team learns they do not have a ship and are interrupted when Brunt arrives, asking to join. Having lost his job as a Liquidator, he hopes helping rescue Ishka will make Zek give him his job back. When the team refuses, Brunt mentions he will simply return to his ship and leave. The team grudgingly accepts him.

Running simulations on the holosuite go poorly. The team is unable to kill any Jem'Hadar soldiers and on the eighth attempt, Leck shoots Ishka (seeing that they were not going to rescue her). When Quark reminisces about the negotiations he went through to obtain Syrup of Squill, Rom encourages his brother by saying that Ferengi may not be good commandos, but they are excellent negotiators. They just need to find someone the Dominion wants and the Dominion will give them the person the Ferengi want; that way, everyone goes home alive. As thanks for helping Major Kira retake the station, Quark is given the captured Vorta Keevan and the group arranges a meeting with the Dominion at Empok Nor (as its layout is identical to DS9). The team makes base camp in the station's infirmary, where Keevan reveals he will probably be executed once he is returned. He attempts to escape in Brunt's ship, but fortunately Rom disabled the ship after they arrived (Quark chased him because sometimes Rom gets it wrong). A Dominion ship arrives and the Ferengi find themselves surrounded by Jem'Hadar. The Jem'Hadar's Vorta, Yelgrun presents Ishka to Quark, Rom, and Nog, but, seeing the obvious strategic advantage that the Dominion troops have, they force Yelgrun to order his troops (save for his two bodyguards) to leave the station and immediate region of space. While celebrating their soon-to-be successful exchange, Rom accidentally lets slip the fact that the reward is actually 50 bars, not 20. In a rage, Gaila tries to shoot Quark but ends up killing Keevan, whose last words are "I hate Ferengi."

As Yelgrun grows impatient, Nog determines that Keevan is dead. The team agrees to not give up and for an equal share of 50 bars. Placing a neural stimulator on Keevan's head causes him to swing his arm and Quark gets an idea. He changes the exchange point to the airlock where the ship is while Nog modifies the stimulators. At the exchange, they are able to get Keevan's dead body to walk and once Ishka is safely with Quark, the team ambushes Yelgrun's Jem'Hadar guards. Brunt asks what they will do with him, and Quark says that Yelgrun will be their gift to Starfleet. ("They gave us a Vorta, we'll give them one.") The Ferengi team leaves Empok Nor while Keevan's body continues walking into a bulkhead.

Reception

io9 ranked "The Magnificent Ferengi" as the 92nd best episode of Star Trek in a 2014 listing.[5] In 2015, Geek.com recommended this episode as "essential watching" for their abbreviated Star Trek: Deep Space Nine binge-watching guide.[6]

In 2016, CNET noted that "The Magnificent Ferengi" was rated one of the top ten episodes of all Star Trek episodes in an audience-based rating at the Star Trek 50th anniversary convention.[7] In 2018, Vulture.com rated "The Magnificent Ferengi" the 11th best episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, praising the episode's humor, performance by Jeffrey Combs, and guest star Iggy Pop.[8]The episode was noted as one of the top twenty funniest episodes of the Star Trek franchise in 2019.[9]

TV Guide noted this episode for guest starring Iggy Pop.[10]

In 2019, ScreenRant ranked this the 3rd best episode for the character Nog.[11]

References
  1. DeCandido, Keith R. A. (2014-09-12). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rewatch: "The Magnificent Ferengi"". Tor.com. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  2. Star Trek 101: A Practical Guide to Who, What, Where, and Why By Terry J. Erdmann (Page 151)
  3. Bastién, Angelica Jade (January 4, 2018). "The Best Episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ranked". www.vulture.com. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  4. Bastién, Angelica Jade (January 4, 2018). "The Best Episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ranked". www.vulture.com. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2016-02-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine condensed: How to watch the most story-driven Trek". Geek.com. 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2019-07-13.
  7. Kooser, Amanda. "10 best Star Trek episodes, according to the fans". CNET. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  8. Bastién, Angelica Jade (January 4, 2018). "The Best Episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ranked". www.vulture.com. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  9. "The 20 Funniest Star Trek Episodes". CBR. 2019-01-18. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
  10. "28 Surprising Star Trek Guest Stars : Iggy Pop, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, "The Magnificent Ferengi" | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  11. "Star Trek: 10 Best Nog Episodes, Ranked". ScreenRant. 2019-09-29. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
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