10 MORE Greatest Battles In Star Trek

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine took a bold, new approach to storytelling when it debuted in the 90s. First, it concentrated on the efforts to rebuild the station and Bajor. While this was the foreground, the character arcs dealt with religion, race relations, growth, and the simmering tensions with the Cardassian 'allies'. Then, quietly at first and growing louder with each episode, whispers of the Dominion. 

Though not the first encounter with the Jem'hadar, the Battle in the Omarion Nebula was the first true display of the danger that they faced. Earlier engagements - and losses - to the Dominion were tragic, but generally confined to a small number of ships and crew. Here, the Obsidian Order and the Tal Shiar were all but destroyed.

These were no mere belligerants of the week. Both agencies were well established as ruthless, effective powers in their own right. The D'deridex Warbirds and the Keldon Warships had also both been shown as highly destructive ships. Seeing so many of them obliterated by the overwhelming power of the Jem'hadar was a truly frightening spectacle in The Die Is Cast. That the Defiant only survived the encounter by cloaking and running like hell served to heighten the looming threat of the Dominion. 

It was a grave day for the Alpha Quadrant, no matter how one felt about the Romulan/Cardassian Alliance. In the words of Admiral Toddman - it was like Wolf 359 all over again.