Editing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (section)

===Recurring characters===
{{Main|List of recurring Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters}}
[[File:Alaimo, Shimerman and Meany.jpg|thumb|[[Marc Alaimo]], [[Armin Shimerman]], and [[Colm Meaney]], who portrayed the characters of [[Dukat (Star Trek)|Gul Dukat]], [[Quark (Star Trek)|Quark]], and [[Miles O'Brien (Star Trek)|Miles O'Brien]], respectively]]
The series' setting — a space station rather than a starship — fostered a rich assortment of recurring characters. It was not unusual for secondary characters to play as much of a role in an episode as the regular cast, if not more. For example, "[[The Wire (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|The Wire]]" focused principally on the recurring character [[Elim Garak]], while in "[[It's Only a Paper Moon (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|It's Only a Paper Moon]]", the central characters were Nog and [[Vic Fontaine]], with the regular characters in supporting roles.

Several Cardassian characters figure prominently in ''DS9'', particularly Gul Dukat, a senior member of the Cardassian military involved in the occupation of Bajor, played by [[Marc Alaimo]]. A complex character, Dukat undergoes several transformations before ultimately resolving as a profoundly evil character, and Sisko's archenemy, by the show's conclusion. A StarTrek.com article about ''Star Trek''{{'}}s greatest villains described Gul Dukat as "possibly the most complex and {{Sic|hide=y|fully|-}}developed bad guy in ''Star Trek'' history".

Elim Garak, portrayed by [[Andrew Robinson (actor)|Andrew Robinson]], is the only Cardassian who remains on the space station when the Federation and the Bajorans take over. Although he maintains that he is merely a simple tailor, Garak is a former agent of the [[Obsidian Order]], the feared Cardassian [[secret police]]; his skills and contacts on Cardassia prove invaluable on several occasions, and he becomes a pivotal figure in the war with the Dominion.

[[Damar (Star Trek)|Damar]] ([[Casey Biggs]]) is introduced in the fourth season as an aide to Gul Dukat, and he rises in stature as Dukat regains prominence. He becomes the leader of the Cardassian Union when Dukat has an emotional breakdown, but dissatisfied with Cardassia's relationship with the Dominion, Damar forms and leads an insurgency against the Dominion, playing a vital role in its eventual defeat.

[[File:Visitor and Auberjonois by Beth Madison, 2.jpg|thumb|[[Nana Visitor]] and [[René Auberjonois]], who portrayed the characters of [[Kira Nerys]] and [[Odo (Star Trek)|Odo]], respectively]]
[[Jeffrey Combs]] has stated that he had auditioned for the role of [[William Riker]] on ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'', but when [[Jonathan Frakes]] (who won the part) later directed the ''DS9'' episode "[[Meridian (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|Meridian]]", he recommended Combs for a part.<ref name="combs">Combs, Jeffrey. Interview conducted January 30, 2003. Included as a "Hidden File" with ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – The Complete Third Season''.</ref> Combs made his ''Star Trek'' and ''DS9'' debut as a one-episode alien named Tiron, before being cast as two recurring characters, the Ferengi [[Liquidator Brunt|Brunt]] and the [[Vorta]] [[Weyoun]]. He went on to appear in 31 episodes of ''DS9''. In "[[The Dogs of War (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|The Dogs of War]]", he became one of the few ''Star Trek'' actors to play two unrelated roles (Brunt and Weyoun) in the same episode. He would later play the recurring role of Shran on ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]''.

In addition to Quark and his brother Rom ([[Max Grodénchik]]), several other Ferengi had recurring roles, including their shrewd mother [[Ishka]] ([[Andrea Martin]], later [[Cecily Adams]]), who eventually engineers a social revolution on Ferenginar; Rom's son Nog ([[Aron Eisenberg]]), the first Ferengi to join Starfleet; and [[Grand Nagus Zek]] ([[Wallace Shawn]]), the Ferengi leader. The Bajoran character [[Leeta]] ([[Chase Masterson]]), who works at Quark's bar and later marries Rom, is sometimes involved in the Ferengi storyline.

The [[Klingon]] Empire plays a significant role in ''DS9''. Aside from Worf, recurring Klingon characters include Chancellor [[Gowron]] ([[Robert O'Reilly]]), leader of the Empire, who was introduced on ''The Next Generation'', and General [[Martok]] ([[J. G. Hertzler]]), a leader of the Klingon forces in the Dominion War, who succeeds Gowron as Chancellor when Gowron is killed by Worf late in the series. [[Kor (Star Trek)|Kor]], a Klingon character from ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', appears in three ''DS9'' episodes; one of them, "[[Blood Oath (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|Blood Oath]]", unites Kor with two other Klingons from the original series: [[Koloth]] and [[Kang (Star Trek)|Kang]]. [[John Colicos]], [[William Campbell (film actor)|William Campbell]], and [[Michael Ansara]] reprised their original series roles.

[[Morn (Star Trek)|Morn]] is a minor character who is a fixture in Quark's establishment, sitting at the bar over the course of seven years. It became a running joke that though the other characters remark on how talkative and funny he is, he never speaks a word on camera. Morn did have a line in the script for pilot episode "Emissary", but it was cut due to run-time considerations, after which the creators conceived the joke that he never talks.<ref name="ErdmannP42">Edrmann and Block (2000) [https://books.google.com/books?id=kDe3VS07YSMC&pg=PA42 page 42]</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=December 29, 1995 |last=Spelling |first=Ian |title=The Man Behind 'DS9' Alien Barfly Morn |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-12-29-9512290329-story.html |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |quote=Morn and Shepherd have both made their mark without spouting a line of dialogue. }}</ref>