WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 4, episode 7, "A Few Badgeys More."

Although Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is yet to get a proper sequel series, the wider Star Trek franchise has provided numerous updates to the stories of the titular space station and its crew. There are multiple reasons for the lack of a DS9 follow-up to sit alongside Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Prodigy. Alongside Avery Brooks' apparent disinterest in returning to the role of Captain Benjamin Sisko, there's also the fact that DS9 was so neatly tied up that any sequel series may undermine its acclaimed finale. Alex Kurtzman has previously stated that discussions have been had about returning to the world of DS9, but to date nothing has surfaced.

Despite the lack of a full-blooded Star Trek: Deep Space Nine return on Paramount+, various characters from the show have returned elsewhere. Star Trek: Picard season 3 brought back DS9's Worf (Michael Dorn) and - unlike with his TNG movie appearances - his experiences on Deep Space Nine were a key part of the Klingon's storyline. Picard season 3's storyline was the closest that modern Star Trek has come to making a DS9 season 8. However, the legacy of Sisko and Deep Space Nine isn't exclusive to Star Trek: Picard, as many of the other shows in the franchise have also shed light on what's happened since DS9 ended.

16 DS9's Odo Is An Honorary Starfleet Officer

In the Star Trek: Prodigy episode "Kobayashi", young Starfleet hopeful Dal R'El (Brett Gray) attempts the legendary Kobayashi Maru simulation in the holodeck of the USS Protostar. The holodeck allows Dal to choose a crew made up of various Starfleet legends, as he takes the center seat on the bridge of the USS Enterprise-D. Alongside legendary officers like Lt. Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Captain Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan) and Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) is Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. As Odo was a Bajoran officer, he never had an official Starfleet commission. However, his inclusion in the program is a testament to his valuable support to the Federation during the Dominion War.

15 Quark Has An Intergalactic Business Empire

It's been established in both Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Picard that Quark (Armin Shimerman) has expanded his business interests far beyond Deep Space Nine. Alongside franchising Quark's Bar beyond DS9, the Ferengi bartender has licensed models of the station, and an interactive board game hosted by a holographic General Martok (J.G. Hertzler). It was revealed that the secret to Quark's success was stolen technology from the Gamma Quadrant, which is why former Dominion allies the Karemma are now entitled to a portion of his substantial profits. Quark was also revealed to be an associate of Ferengi gangster Sneed (Aaron Stanford), who once attempted to commit arson aboad DS9.

14 There Are Conspiracy Theories About Sisko's Disappearance

Star Trek: Lower Decks revealed that there are those within the Federation who don't believe that Sisko ended Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the Celestial Temple. These conspiracy theorists interrogated Ensigns Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) at a Starfleet recruitment fair during Lower Decks season 3. They believed that DS9's Captain was "disappeared" so that Starfleet could prevent Sisko's worst crimes from going public. Mariner tried to assuage these doubts, but it's interesting to ponder how people inside and outside the Federation responded to the disappearance of the Hero of the Dominion War.

13 DS9's Changelings Sought Revenge For The Dominion War

Star Trek: Picard season 3 revealed that a rogue schism of the Changelings allied themselves with the Borg Queen (Alice Krige) to avenge themselves against the Federation. Infiltrating Starfleet, the Changelings seeded Borg DNA into the transporter buffers, so that every single officer under the age of 25 would become assimilated by the Collective in a single stroke. As part of their elaborate plot to bring the Federation to their knees, the Changelings even impersonated Star Trek: Voyager's Captain Tuvok (Tim Russ). It was a chilling reminder that Odo wasn't able to help all of his people move on from the trauma of the Dominion War and Section 31's attempted genocide.

12 Worf Became Enterprise Captain After DS9

At the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Lt. Commander Worf was made Federation ambassador to the Klingon home world. However, Star Trek: Nemesis hinted that this career change did not stick as diplomacy didn't agree with Mr. Worf. At some point after Nemesis, Worf was made Captain of the USS Enterprise-E, following the promotion of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Worf learnt a lot about command from Captain Sisko, who warned him about the pressures of the fourth pip. Worf's Enterprise disaster proved Sisko right, and the Klingon eventually turned his back on command, becoming a freelance contractor for Starfleet Intelligence.

11 Deep Space Nine Is A Tourist Hotspot

No doubt helped by some shrewd marketing from Quark, Deep Space Nine has become a site of historical significance since the end of the Dominion War. When the crew of the USS Cerritos visited the station in the episode "Hear All, Trust Nothing", Ensign Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) was excitedly drawing up an itinerary of things to do. He wanted to see the favorite dart board of Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and made references to Cardassian tailor Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) and Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton). It's clear that the station and its legendary residents have taken on mythic status in the years since the Dominion War ended, further improving the station's status as a commercial hub.

10 Colonel Kira Is Still In Charge Of DS9

Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) is still in charge of Deep Space Nine, taking up residence in Sisko's old office. Star Trek: Lower Decks revealed that she kept Sisko's beloved baseball, a constant reminder of her former friend, mentor and religious icon. Lower Decks also revealed that Kira has inherited the task of keeping Odo's best friend Quark in line, as she was forced to step in when his Karemma scam was exposed. While the station is now firmly in Bajoran hands, it still maintains strong links with Starfleet and the Federation, in honor of her former DS9 crew mates.

9 Worf & Odo Are Still In Contact

As well as Kira and Quark, Star Trek has also revealed that Odo and Worf have remained in touch since the end of DS9. In Star Trek: Picard season 3, it was revealed that Worf learned of the possible Changeling conspiracy from his old friend. Worf and Odo initially had a personality clash, brought about by the Klingon's inability to move on from his role as Starfleet Chief of Security on the USS Enterprise-D. Given how Starfleet treated the Changelings during the Dominion War, it's a testament to how much Odo trusts Worf that he reached out to him to alert him to the rogue schism that were plotting against the Federation.

8 Sisko's 2 Starships Are In The Starfleet Museum

Star Trek: Picard season 3 also revealed that both the second USS Defiant, and a restored USS Saratoga were exhibits in the Starfleet Museum above Athan Prime. Although Sisko was best known as the Bajoran Emissary and commanding officer of Deep Space Nine, he also had links to the two starships. The Defiant was an integral part of Starfleet's defense against the Dominion, while the Saratoga was one of the 39 starships lost in the Battle of Wolf-359. As multiple Enterprises and the USS Voyager are included in the museum's collection, it's only right that Sisko is similarly memorialized.

7 Grand Nagus Rom Has Revolutionized The Ferengi Home World

Quark's brother Rom (Max Grodénchik) was named Grand Nagus in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's final season, and it's since been revealed that he's brought in hugely progressive changes. Male and females are now equal, and Rom has outlawed the more criminal activities indulged in by the Ferengi in pursuit of profit. Having spent years working under his brother, and learning from his son Nog (Aron Eisenberg), Rom rightly believes that bigger profits can be earned from hospitality and leisure. Alongside Rom, his wife First Clerk Leeta (Chase Masterson) is at his side, an equal partner in all business negotiations.

6 The Ferengi Will Join The Federation - Thanks To DS9's Rom

Star Trek: Lower Decks revealed that the Ferengi will join the Federation after Grand Nagus Rom made the application. It's a bold step forward for the Ferengi's relations with Starfleet and the Federation, and honors the legacies of Nog and Ishka (Cecily Adams), who pushed for a more progressive Ferenginar. With the Ferengi in the Federation, there's the possibility that they could use their skills at negotiation to bring in yet more member planets. It's a historic moment for that completes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Ferengi rehabilitation.

5 DS9's Nog Is Still Remembered In The 32nd Century

In Star Trek: Discovery season 3, the crew of the titular starship arrived in the 32nd century, and set about rebuilding Starfleet and the Federation. In Star Trek's far future, it's revealed that the legacy of Nog, the first Ferengi in Starfleet is honored by the institution. An Eisenberg-class starship, the USS Nog is seen alongside the USS Discovery during one scene, while a later scene reveals a futuristic Ferengi who is a Starfleet Captain. It was a moving tribute to Aron Eisenberg, who sadly passed away in 2019.

4 Chief O'Brien Is The Most Important Man In Starfleet History

In one of Star Trek: Lower Decks' funniest jokes, it revealed that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Chief O'Brien was lauded as the most important man in history. It's not made clear why, but he did move Deep Space Nine toward the mouth of the wormhole, changing history for Bajor and the Federation. If he hadn't moved the station then the Cardassians would have laid claim to the discovery of the wormhole and the Gamma Quadrant, completely changing Star Trek history, and most likely for the worst.

3 DS9's Chula Game Is Still Causing Chaos

A Wadi Chula game was later discovered in the anomaly storage room in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4. The game caused chaos on Deep Space Nine when the senior staff were trapped inside the perplexing game. Despite this, the game has clearly crossed over into the Alpha Quadrant as proved by the game board being stored in the anomaly storage room. Lower Decks revealed the darker side of the Chula game by hinting that there's a great deal of shame in not being able to complete the baffling challenges. Rutherford ended up trapped inside the game, and had to speed-run it in order to return to the Cerritos.

2 DS9's Breen Are Still A Threat

The Breen's alliance with the Dominion almost changed the course of the war for Starfleet, thanks to their superior technology. Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 revealed that the Breen are still a serious threat, despite their withdrawal after the Dominion War. Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and an away team discovered a Breen invasion force on the planet Brekka. They were lucky to escape with their lives, and it's entirely possible that the Breen are continuing their expansion across the Delos system, making them a formidable enemy in Star Trek's future.

1 Deep Space Nine Was Possessed By Badgey

In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 7, "A Few Badgeys More", the psychotic hologram uploads himself into the subspace network. This means that he is able to take control of every starship, space station, and relay satellite. One of the installations that came under Badgey's control was Deep Space Nine, which was given a glowing yellow upgrade as a result. Thankfully, Badgey's ascension to a higher plain made him realize the error of his ways, saving the station from a terrible fate. With DS9 still standing after so many years, there's still a hope that a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine revival could be expected at some point in the future.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.