Kira Nerys
Encyclopedia
Kira Nerys (ˈkɪrə nɨˈriːs), played by Nana Visitor
, is a main character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
.
.
The back story of the character states that Kira Nerys was born 2343, in Dakhur province, Bajor, during the 50-year Cardassian
occupation of the planet. She was raised in a labor camp. Her family were members of the artisan caste. At the age of 12, Kira was recruited into the Shakaar resistance cell, part of an underground movement which carried out guerrilla attacks against Cardassian military and civilians with the ultimate goal of ending the occupation.
then a full Commander in Starfleet, whom the Bajorans believed to be an emissary from the Bajoran Prophets.
Initially, Kira was opposed to the Federation presence on DS9, feeling that the Bajoran people should have nothing to do with the Federation. Over time, her sentiments changed and she became one of the strongest supporters of Bajor joining the Federation.
Though she is a member of the Bajoran Militia, Kira is an invaluable help to Starfleet, oftentimes commanding Starfleet personnel directly through her authority as DS9's executive officer. Indeed, during the first year of the Defiants commission at the station, she also serves as the ship's first officer, a situation that only alters upon the arrival of Lt Commander Worf
, who assumes the role as the next most senior Starfleet officer of command grade. When the Dominion captures Deep Space Nine at the start of the war, Kira remains aboard the station as liaison officer, as part of Bajor's non-aggression pact with the Dominion. Her role allows her to organize a resistance cell, including Rom
, Quark
, and Jake Sisko
. They smuggle intelligence to Starfleet which indicates that the Dominion has begun to dismantle the minefield preventing Dominion reinforcements from the Gamma Quadrant. She also manages to sabotage weapons systems, which then allows Starfleet to retake Deep Space Nine.
Kira's experience in the Bajoran Resistance earned her a promotion to a rank equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel
, which is also equivalent to a Starfleet
field commission of Commander in order to assist the Cardassian Resistance against the Dominion. Kira, Odo and Garak are smuggled into Cardassia to teach Damar the tactics of organizing a resistance movement with a decentralized command. Their resistance cell manages to infiltrate a Dominion shipyard and steal the Breen weapon that Federation ships were defenseless against. Their actions allowed Starfleet engineers to develop shields that could counter the weapon. At the conclusion of the war, Kira takes command of DS9 after the disappearance of Sisko. She is promoted to Colonel sometime earlier in 2374.
With the help of Vic Fontaine, Kira forms a romantic relationship with Odo, who had pined after her for years. They remain involved even after Odo leaves to rejoin the Great Link - he returns to the station during the events depicted in the novel "Unity" disguised as a Trelian woman named Wex. Having revealed himself to Kira during a conflict at one of the temples on Bajor, the two pick up where they left off even when Odo has to leave again.
, and Kira is given the Starfleet
rank of Captain
. In "Unity", Kira opens every Bajoran Orb simultaneously in a sacred place in order to defeat a monstrous enemy, announcing, "You want Bajor? Here it is." This also caused the return of Benjamin Sisko
from the Celestial Temple to the corporeal world.
. In the DS9 episode "Crossover", Kira encounters her mirror self, who is Intendant of Terok Nor, with Elim Garak
as her first officer. Kira convinces the mirror-Sisko to rebel against the Intendant-Kira and start the Terran Resistance. This group is later successful in taking command of Terok Nor and capturing the Intendant, but she manages to escape with the help of mirror-Nog. Eventually the escaped Intendant convinces the alternate universe's Bareil Antos to travel to the regular universe in order to obtain an Orb of the Prophets. The mirror Kira falls in love with her double from the other universe. At the time, Nana Visitor dismissed the concept of bisexuality, saying that she intended to portray this as "total narcissism on her part. It had nothing to do with sexuality". However, later episodes continued to show her surrounded by a mixed-gender harem
, and eventually depicted her being in a romantic relationship with her universe's version of Ezri Tigan
.
Nana Visitor
Nana Visitor , born Nana Tucker, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Jean Ritter in the television series Wildfire.-Early life:...
, is a main character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
.
Backstory
Per Bajoran custom, her family name, Kira, precedes her given name, Nerys. She has two brothers (Kira Reon and Kira Pohl), and her parents' names are Kira Taban and Kira Meru. Her family name means "strong woman" in SlavonicSlavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
.
The back story of the character states that Kira Nerys was born 2343, in Dakhur province, Bajor, during the 50-year Cardassian
Cardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
occupation of the planet. She was raised in a labor camp. Her family were members of the artisan caste. At the age of 12, Kira was recruited into the Shakaar resistance cell, part of an underground movement which carried out guerrilla attacks against Cardassian military and civilians with the ultimate goal of ending the occupation.
Story
Kira is assigned as the senior Bajoran Militia officer aboard Deep Space Nine, acting as the station's executive officer under the Starfleet officer posted to command the facility. In the early episodes of the show after Cardassia withdrew from Bajor, the recently-ranked Major Kira, now at age 26, became an influential figure in Bajor's reconstruction and the politics of the region, due to her assignment to Deep Space Nine, and her closeness to Benjamin SiskoBenjamin Sisko
Benjamin Lafayette Sisko, played by Avery Brooks, is the main character of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Early life and career:...
then a full Commander in Starfleet, whom the Bajorans believed to be an emissary from the Bajoran Prophets.
Initially, Kira was opposed to the Federation presence on DS9, feeling that the Bajoran people should have nothing to do with the Federation. Over time, her sentiments changed and she became one of the strongest supporters of Bajor joining the Federation.
Though she is a member of the Bajoran Militia, Kira is an invaluable help to Starfleet, oftentimes commanding Starfleet personnel directly through her authority as DS9's executive officer. Indeed, during the first year of the Defiants commission at the station, she also serves as the ship's first officer, a situation that only alters upon the arrival of Lt Commander Worf
Worf
Worf, played by Michael Dorn, is a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in seasons four to seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also appears in the films based on The Next Generation. Worf is the first Klingon main character to appear in Star Trek, and has appeared in more Star...
, who assumes the role as the next most senior Starfleet officer of command grade. When the Dominion captures Deep Space Nine at the start of the war, Kira remains aboard the station as liaison officer, as part of Bajor's non-aggression pact with the Dominion. Her role allows her to organize a resistance cell, including Rom
Rom (Star Trek)
Rom is a recurring character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is played by Max Grodénchik.Rom is a Ferengi, the son of Keldar and Ishka. He is Quark's younger brother, and the father of Nog.-Overview:...
, Quark
Quark (Star Trek)
Quark is a fictional character in the American television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The character, which was played by Armin Shimerman, was depicted as a member of an extraterrestrial race known as the Ferengi, who are stereotypically ultra-capitalist and only motivated by...
, and Jake Sisko
Jake Sisko
Jacob "Jake" Sisko, played by Cirroc Lofton, is a character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is the son of Deep Space Nine's commanding officer, Benjamin Sisko.-Overview:...
. They smuggle intelligence to Starfleet which indicates that the Dominion has begun to dismantle the minefield preventing Dominion reinforcements from the Gamma Quadrant. She also manages to sabotage weapons systems, which then allows Starfleet to retake Deep Space Nine.
Kira's experience in the Bajoran Resistance earned her a promotion to a rank equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, which is also equivalent to a Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
field commission of Commander in order to assist the Cardassian Resistance against the Dominion. Kira, Odo and Garak are smuggled into Cardassia to teach Damar the tactics of organizing a resistance movement with a decentralized command. Their resistance cell manages to infiltrate a Dominion shipyard and steal the Breen weapon that Federation ships were defenseless against. Their actions allowed Starfleet engineers to develop shields that could counter the weapon. At the conclusion of the war, Kira takes command of DS9 after the disappearance of Sisko. She is promoted to Colonel sometime earlier in 2374.
With the help of Vic Fontaine, Kira forms a romantic relationship with Odo, who had pined after her for years. They remain involved even after Odo leaves to rejoin the Great Link - he returns to the station during the events depicted in the novel "Unity" disguised as a Trelian woman named Wex. Having revealed himself to Kira during a conflict at one of the temples on Bajor, the two pick up where they left off even when Odo has to leave again.
Depiction after the series
Following the conclusion of the TV series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the character of Kira Nerys takes charge of the Deep Space Nine space station as its permanent commanding officer. With the conclusion of the first wave of Deep Space Nine novels in "Unity", Bajor finally joins the FederationUnited Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
, and Kira is given the Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
rank of Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
. In "Unity", Kira opens every Bajoran Orb simultaneously in a sacred place in order to defeat a monstrous enemy, announcing, "You want Bajor? Here it is." This also caused the return of Benjamin Sisko
Benjamin Sisko
Benjamin Lafayette Sisko, played by Avery Brooks, is the main character of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Early life and career:...
from the Celestial Temple to the corporeal world.
The Mirror universe
The character of Kira Nerys also exists in the mirror universeMirror Universe (Star Trek)
The Mirror Universe is a fictional parallel universe in which the plots of several Star Trek television episodes take place...
. In the DS9 episode "Crossover", Kira encounters her mirror self, who is Intendant of Terok Nor, with Elim Garak
Elim Garak
Elim Garak is a fictional character from the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in which he is portrayed by Andrew J. Robinson. In the series, Garak is an exiled spy from the Cardassian empire and a former member of a prestigious Cardassian intelligence group called the Obsidian Order...
as her first officer. Kira convinces the mirror-Sisko to rebel against the Intendant-Kira and start the Terran Resistance. This group is later successful in taking command of Terok Nor and capturing the Intendant, but she manages to escape with the help of mirror-Nog. Eventually the escaped Intendant convinces the alternate universe's Bareil Antos to travel to the regular universe in order to obtain an Orb of the Prophets. The mirror Kira falls in love with her double from the other universe. At the time, Nana Visitor dismissed the concept of bisexuality, saying that she intended to portray this as "total narcissism on her part. It had nothing to do with sexuality". However, later episodes continued to show her surrounded by a mixed-gender harem
Harem
Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
, and eventually depicted her being in a romantic relationship with her universe's version of Ezri Tigan
Ezri Dax
Ezri Dax , played by Nicole de Boer, is a counselor aboard Deep Space Nine in the seventh season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Casting:The role of Ezri Dax was created when Terry Farrell decided to leave the show and her character was subsequently killed by Dukat.When Nicole de Boer read for the...
.
Casting
- In the early stages of planning Deep Space Nine, the show's creators wanted to bring in a Bajoran character named Ensign Ro LarenRo LarenRo Laren is a recurring fictional character on Star Trek: The Next Generation, played by Michelle Forbes.Ro Laren was also planned to be a main character in the two following Star Trek television shows, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager...
, who was a recurring character in Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
. Michelle ForbesMichelle ForbesMichelle Renee Forbes Guajardo , known professionally as Michelle Forbes, is an American actress who has built a career of work in television and independent film and has acted in productions in both the United States and in the United Kingdom...
, who had portrayed Ensign Ro, turned down the offer, so a new Bajoran character was created instead. Nana Visitor had just given birth to a baby boy barely a couple of months before she was called to audition for the role of Kira Nerys, and her becoming a mother actually shaped her decision process for accepting or turning down roles. With the character of Kira Nerys, Visitor felt "completely engaged on every level by the part."
- A young Kira Nerys was portrayed by an unknown child actor in a brief scene of Wrongs Darker than Death or Night.
Scholarly reception
The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis finds the character of Kira "emotionally difficult" (D. V. Forest, 2005 2005, vol. 33, no 1 (11 ref.), pp. 71–82 [12 page(s) (article)]). In Star Trek and Sacred Ground: Explorations of Star Trek, Religion, and American Culture (ed. Jennifer Porter, 1999), it is noted that Kira was not shown worshipping privately until the 1997 episode Ties of Blood and Water.External links
- Kira Nerys at StarTrek.com