Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Miles O'Brien

5. Trials And Trauma

Star Trek Deep Space Nine Miles OBrien Tribunal
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We have a video available where we list the times that O'Brien suffered in Star Trek. The writers for Deep Space Nine knowingly tried to put the man through hell at least once per season. While that makes them eligible for 'Sadist Of The Franchise Awards', both Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe explained their reasons. 

For Behr, via the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion:

Every year in one or two shows we try to make his life miserable, because you empathize with him.

Though every main character in Star Trek is generally likable in their own way, O'Brien was quickly established as the more relatable person on screen. Hewitt Wolfe said:

...O'Brien was just a guy, trying to live his life and so if you tortured him that was a story.

There are plenty of examples of this - Tribunal, Whispers, Armageddon Game, and The Assignment all spring to mind - where this affable working man is put through seven levels of hell. It may be evil, but hey, it made for good television.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"