Star Trek: 10 Crazy Facts About Ferengi
The greediest species in the galaxy on Star Trek is also its most endearing.
When the Ferengi first appeared in The Next Generation, the intention was to create another villainous species on par with the Romulans. The attempt was necessary as the Klingons had transitioned to allies in the time between TNG and The Original Series. Things didn't quite work out as planned.
As the Ferengi evolved as characters, they became increasingly comedic through various appearances on TNG. Deep Space Nine was the first, and only, series to features a Ferengi as a regular member of the main cast. Quark was part of most DSP stories on some level, and the focus several.
Through Quark and the series of secondary Ferengi characters around him, fans got deeper look into Ferengi culture. What they saw showed how absurd it truly is. Their focus on greed runs much deeper than anyone could have suspected, with a lot more weirdness related to women wrapped around it.
The Ferengi are honestly one of the oddest species on Star Trek and that's not just due to their desire for profit. They have a lot of idiosyncrasies and and traits that set them apart from everyone around them.
10. Non Violent...Kind Of
The general focus of the Ferengi as fans have come to know and love them has been primarily on profit. They're not exactly known for their prowess in combat. In fact, they're known for avoiding it, as evidenced by the fact that they never seem to send warships into any of the major conflicts.
That being said, it wasn't always this way. When the Ferengi first appeared early in The Next Generation, they looked like they were ready for a fight. They wore furs and carried what can best be described as laser whips. To clarify, these were not whips made of energy. They were awkwardly thick whips that shot lasers. Big difference.
While individual Ferengi have gotten involved in altercations on occasion, they avoid it as a species. The hypocrisy of this is that they don't mind profiting off of it, frequently by selling arms to both sides of a conflict. Ferengi might not like to fight but they certainly don't have any issues operating in the shadows of it.