Deep Space 9 has the distinction of being the last spin-off of the '90s Star Trek series, but one of the most impressive contributions to the franchise. It departed from several mainstays of traditional Star Trek shows; it focused on interpersonal relationships between characters rather than space exploration by taking place on a space station, it had a heavily militarized feel, and its tone was created by the morally ambiguous decisions of its cast.
It's a polarizing series among Star Trek fans, but like anything Star Trek, it's not immune to logical fallacies thanks to its reliance on futuristic methods and ideologies. Does desperate mother want to protect the health of her child? Just swap the womb and embryo with an alien female! Have to uphold Starfleet values, but need to emphasize a threat from the Dominion so the Federation pays attention? Bioterrorism and espionage! It all boils down to "Star Trek logic", which makes sense in the episode and nowhere else. Here's ten memes capturing the hilarious logic of DS9 only true fans will understand.
ODO'S LOOK
Odo, resident Constable and Chief of Security for the entirety of Deep Space 9, has special abilities related to his species that make him perfect for the position. As a Changeling, he's able to manipulate himself into virtually anything, and even pass through walls and bulkheads. Matching the subterfuge throughout the station sometimes calls for more subterfuge.
Odo is one of a hundred Changelings that the Founders sent out into the universe to explore it and its inhabitants, and unlike the Founders, Odo had a fondness for humanoids. This may be why he chooses to look like a weird old guy, rather than someone more appealing.
O'Brien
Miles O'Brien was the Transporter Chief aboard the Enterprise-D, and a regular cast member on Star Trek: The Next Generation. He was a helpful hand around the Federation flagship, but there never seemed room for advancement. When he was transferred to Deep Space 9 along with his wife Keiko (who started the station's first school), much remained the same, except he was given more responsibilities.
O'Brien became something of the station's handyman, transporter chief, and chief engineer. And while he was busy seeming like an intergalactic superintendent, he was also imprisoned and tortured with an alarming frequency. Yet much like Ensign Kim on Voyager, his efforts weren't grounds for promotion.
BENJAMIN SISKO'S PARADOX
Captain Kirk was known for his daring, Captain Picard for his diplomacy, Captain Janeway for her scientific curiosity, and Captain Sisko for his willingness to do the the wrong thing in the interim in order to get the right thing accomplished further down the line. His moral ambiguity was just one of the many grey aspects of Deep Space 9 that made it different than the rest of the series.
Most of the time, Benjamin Sisko upheld Starfleet protocols and values, but he was willing to sacrifice them if it meant that an urgent need transcended their importance. In the case of the final season of DS9 and the threat of the Dominion, Sisko was willing to participate in terrorism and military espionage.
HE RUNS A TIGHT SHIP
The large, multi-level public space located at the heart of Deep Space 9 was affectionately and lavishly called the promenade, and it was the center of social life on the space station. It's where Quark's bar was, as well as Garak's clothing shop, and any other retail, dining establishment, or alien embassy.
Captain Sisko, commander of the station often boasted about keeping things orderly, when in reality scarcely an episode went by where some sort of magical, spiritual, or literal fight broke out on the promenade. The station was many times larger than any Federation starship, so frequent brawls were almost expected with so many beings crowded together from all over the universe.
A QUESTION OF BODY TYPE
Star Trek as a franchise has been known to have a few head-scratching plot devices due to the postulating writers have to do about how life works thousands of years into the future. That being said, there are certain situations where more current methods would work just fine, but futuristic methods are more exciting and/or thrilling to see.
Except when they just don't make sense, as in the episode "Body Parts" when, because Keiko is injured aboard a shuttlecraft, her baby son is removed (womb and all) and placed inside Kira Nerys. Besides the fact that it's odd Bajoran anatomy and human anatomy are compatible enough, who does that? Apparently Dr. Bashir, who also was responsible for transforming Quark into a woman for no real reason.
WHAT'S AN ODO TO DO?
Prior to his position as the Chief of Security on Deep Space 9, Odo was found drifting in space in a shuttlecraft of unknown origin. He lived among the Bajoran people and took the form of a humanoid to better blend in with his new surroundings, occasionally amusing those around him by turning into a chair, pencil, or some other inanimate object.
The manner in which Odo changes his shape has been up for debate, especially since it seems at odds with when he experiences brutal violence. When he's knocked on the "head" and rendered unconscious while on a mission with Kira Nerys, some have wondered why he didn't return to a gelatinous state.
TAKING A WARSHIP ON A FEW ERRANDS
Being in command of a warship is a particular honor in Starfleet, considering that it isn't a military organization. The Federation began constructing the first-ever warships beginning with the USS Defiant, first seen in Star Trek: First Contact, and the leading flagship of it class. It was given to Benjamin Sisko, though that wasn't the first time he got his hands on that sort of hardware.
In "The Ship" episode, he and Dax discovered a Jem'Hadar vessel, with a highly sophisticated and heavily modified design that he felt would be useful in their area of space. Unfortunately, a Founder had to die for them to secure it, which only cause greatest friction in the Quadrant.
GARAK'S CHOICE
Though he may have appeared like an unassuming, mild-mannered tailor with a shop in the promenade, Garak was not what he appeared. A state agent of Cardassia, he was a spy that always knew the up-to-the-minute dealings going on throughout Deep Space 9. Most didn't willingly reveal information to him unless it was false and they wanted it to spread.
But the busybee had a nasty habit of lying even when it served no purpose. He often spun webs of half-truths, which you'd think would get too convoluted to remember over and over. In the end, it would be this increasingly paranoid way of thinking that would lead to his comeuppance.
O'BRIEN'S PREJUDICE
Why Miles O'Brien may come across as an amiable Irishman, he holds deep resentment for certain alien species. Ever since his days in Star Trek: The Next Generation, he's certainly had no love of Cardassians. But his mistrust of aliens such as Klingons, Vulcans, and the like is palpable whenever he makes an aside to a bridge officer that they should keep vigilant.
Though prejudice and intolerance aren't uncommon on Deep Space 9, it's strange to attribute to a character so well-liked and thought of so highly. O'Brien doesn't come across as a man who would wish harm on anyone, but if it comes down to him or an alien surviving, he would choose himself.
PROTECTING BAJORAN BELIEFS
Part of the intrigue of Deep Space 9 was watching how all the various galactic citizens got along together under one roof. The station had previously been a Cardassian outpost during the occupation of Bajor but had since become an outpost for all manner of Federation entities in the Gamma Quadrant. One of the most tenuous relationships that had to be cultivated was between the people of Bajor and the personnel aboard Deep Space 9.
With the threat of the Dominion beyond the wormhole growing, Captain Sisko had to do all that he could to prevent them from entering Federation space. Unfortunately, that meant tampering with aspects of Bajoran culture that were regarded as sacred religious beliefs.