Spotlight On: Bajorans

by Charlie Plaine, Chairman

13th April 2008

I read about the achievements of the ancient Bajoran civilization in my fifth grade reader. They were architects and artists and builders and philosophers, when humans were not yet standing erect." - Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Story

The Bajoran people (also known as the Bajora) are an ancient, highly-spiritual race that has suffered greatly in recent times. With the help of the Federation, and the discovery of a stable wormhole, they have become a major power in the Alpha Quadrant. For millennia, the Bajorans were scholars and explorers, becoming one of the first species in the Alpha Quadrant to reach another star system - in ships that used solar sails to travel. Their culture was based largely on their belief in the Prophets - gods that looked down upon Bajor and watched over them. The Prophets were believed to touch gifted Bajorans and inspire the prophecies, which became the religious texts for the Bajoran's faith.

In 2328, the Cardassian Union invaded Bajor and began a decades-long occupation. Starved for resources, the Cardassians pillaged Bajor's natural resources and enslaved the Bajoran people. In response, the Bajoran Resistance was formed to oppose the occupation. Small pockets of resistance fighters struck back against the Cardassians, causing sabotage, chaos and freeing Bajorans. Through it all, the Bajorans persevered largely on the strength of their faith. In spite of this inner strength, many Bajorans left Bajor and became refugees throughout the quadrant.

After forty-one (41) years of cruelty and brutality, the Cardassians abandoned Bajor and left them with a stripped world. The Bajoran government contacted the United Federation of Planets and requested assistance. To facilitate, they offered the abandoned space station - Terok Nor - to the Federation as a base. When the Federation accepted, they took over the formerly Cardassian station and renamed it Deep Space 9. Shortly after, the Federation discovered the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant, and Bajor immediately became a key location, central to trade, exploration, and eventually - The Dominion War.

Episodes

Though the Bajorans made their first appearance in The Next Generation (TNG), they were primarily featured in Deep Space Nine (DS9). Kira Nerys - a Bajoran female - was a main character in DS9 and Bajorans appeared in almost every episode of that series. Only a few Bajoran characters appeared in TNG and in the subsequent Voyager. Bajorans do not appear in The Original Series nor in Enterprise.

Great Bajoran Episodes:

• TNG's "Ensign Ro"
• DS9's "Emissary"
• DS9's "Duet"
• DS9's "The Collaborator"
• DS9's "Shakaar"
• DS9's "Ties of Blood and Water"
• DS9's "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night"

In-Game

Bajorans made their debut in Second Edition as one of the six original affiliations. They gained a significant boost in the (now out of print) Necessary Evil and again in Reflections 2.0. Recently, Bajorans have made strong appearances in Dangerous Missions and In a Mirror, Darkly. Every set contains something for the Bajoran player, however.

Head over to our Spotlight Series forum and discuss your favorite Bajoran episodes, vote in our Bajoran polls, and talk about your favorite Bajoran decks and strategies. Stay tuned this week for lots more Bajoran content!