10 Star Trek Moments You Never Saw Coming

The horrors of war were something that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine attempted to depict, long before Enterprise or Discovery ever got a chance. With the exception of some Original Series and Next Generation episodes that dealt with shades of PTSD, Deep Space Nine was the first to truly showcase the lasting impact of injury from combat. That it would be Nog, everyone's favourite little Ferengi, who would suffer was a masterstroke on the writers' parts.

Aron Eisenberg brought an earnest nature to the role that endeared him almost immediately to audiences. This was quickly followed by his honest imploring of Sisko to sponsor his application to Starfleet Academy. The scene shows him expressing his hope to become more than what he is. He succeeds and gains the field rank of Ensign by the outbreak of the Dominion War.

He serves aboard the Defiant on many engagements, but it is The Siege of AR-558 that shows the true impact of war catching up to him. He is selected to join an away team, as his Ferengi ears will give them the advantage in the field. Unfortunately, it's not enough against the Jem'hadar, as one soldier is killed and Nog is shot in the leg. Though he is saved, Bashir has to remove the limb. Quark's speech to Sisko, berating the captain for sending his nephew on a dangerous mission is tough enough, but watching Nog struggle to recover during It's Only A Paper Moon is even harder.

We may have expected to see the actual impact of war. We just didn't expect it to happen to Nog.