Most of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's major characters are still waiting to make their Star Trek comeback. Star Trek on Paramount+ series like Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Prodigy have brought back numerous characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager. However, only a handful of DS9 characters - Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor), Quark (Armin Shimerman), Grand Nagus Rom (Max Grodenchik), and First Minister Leeta (Chase Masterson) - have returned on Star Trek: Lower Decks.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine reuniting in live-action is difficult since a few of the actors have passed away. However, animated Star Trek makes the impossible possible. For example, Odo returned on Star Trek: Prodigy as a hologram. Despite Rene Auberjonois' death, archival footage was used to bring the heroic Changeling back to life. Unfortunately, with Star Trek: Lower Decks ending on Paramount+ and the uncertain state of Star Trek: Prodigy on Netflix, animated Star Trek seems to be halted, and DS9 has a difficult road for its characters to make live-action comebacks. This means a continuing wait to see the following favorites from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine make their return.
11 Odo
Played by Rene Auberjonois
Rene Auberjonois passed away in December 2019, and obviously, a comeback by Odo in live-action is out of the question. Although Odo is a shapeshifter and, technically, another actor could wear Odo's prosthetics, no one could replicate the cadence and gruff authority of Rene Auberjonois' performance. CGI trickery could bring back Odo in some form, but without the actor playing him, it's logical to ask what would be the point.
Outside of Odo's appearance as a hologram in Star Trek: Prodigy season 1, Captain Worf (Michael Dorn) referred to the honorable Changeling in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Another appearance by Odo in animation using archival footage of Rene Auberjonois' voice is possible, of course. However, Odo returning to the Great Link at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine will likely stand as his final live-action appearance.
10 Chief Miles O'Brien
Played by Colm Meaney
Chief Miles Edward O'Brien left the Deep Space Nine space station to start a new life as an instructor at Starfleet Academy at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Miles, his wife Keiko O'Brien (Rosalind Chao), and their daughter, Molly (Hana Hatae), haven't been seen in Star Trek since. However, Star Trek: Lower Decks hailed Chief O'Brien with a statue, calling Miles "the most important man in Starfleet history."
Meaney shows no real interest in returning to Star Trek.
Colm Meaney's acting career has continued unabated since Star Trek: Deep Space Nine wrapped, and Meaney shows no real interest in returning to Star Trek. However, never say never, and Colm could be persuaded to reprise Miles under the right circumstances. An animated Chief O'Brien comeback might be a more attractive aspect to Meaney than live-action. Hopefully, we haven't seen the last of Chief O'Brien.
9 Vic Fontaine
Played by James Darren
If there was any chance of James Darren returning as Vic Fontaine, those hopes were dashed when James passed away in September 2024. On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Vic Fontaine was everyone's favorite holographic Las Vegas lounge singer who doled out heartfelt advice and was a genuine pal to Captain Benjamin Sisko's (Avery Brooks) crew. Vic hasn't been seen or heard from since the end of DS9.
James Darren also starred in T.J. Hooker with William Shatner.
It's possible to bring back Vic Fontaine in an animated Star Trek series, but the point would be lost without James Darren providing Vic's singing voice. Archival footage could resurrect Vic, perhaps singing one of his 1960s Frank Sinatra-inspired standards, if a Star Trek animated series called for it. Sadly, Vic Fontaine's last appearance was very likely in DS9's finale, "What You Leave Behind."
8 Jake Sisko
Played by Cirroc Lofton
It's genuinely surprising that Jake Sisko has not yet returned to Star Trek on Paramount+. Jake was last seen at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine after his father, Captain Sisko, became one with the Prophets of Bajor. Remarkably, Star Trek hasn't found a way to utilize Jake, a novelist and writer for the Federation News Service, in any of its current series.
Cirroc Lofton hosts the popular Star Trek podcast, The 7th Rule, and he is a vital part of the Star Trek community. Despite this, there's been no Jake Sisko comeback yet in Star Trek. While Lofton could easily voice an animated Jake Sisko, he is also ready to play Jake in live-action if Star Trek finally calls.
7 Elim Garak
Played by Andrew Robinson
The end of the Dominion War was no victory for Elim Garak. Though he was exiled from his people, Garak is a proud Cardassian who was deeply saddened by the devastation his people's alliance with the Dominion wrecked on Cardassia. At the conclusion of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Garak returned to Cardassia Prime to help his planet rebuild.
Star Trek on Paramount+ hasn't given any update on what happened to Garak, and has only fleetingly touched upon the state of Cardassia after the Dominion War. Andrew Robinson is active on the Star Trek convention circuit and he still acts, so Andrew could potentially reprise Garak in live-action or in an animated Star Trek series.
6 Chancellor Martok
Played by J.G. Hertzler
Martok became Chancellor of the Klingon Empire at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The former General was the closest friend and mentor of Worf, who killed Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly), but passed the leadership of the Klingon Empire to Martok. DS9's ending was the last live-action appearance by J.G. Hertzler as Martok.
However, Star Trek: Lower Decks revealed that Martok is still Chancellor in the early 2380s, and J.G. Hertzler even voiced a version of Martok that hosts a Klingon board game. Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 also gave an update that Martok is continuing the Klingons' war against the Tribbles. Chancellor Martok is still waiting for his official Star Trek comeback, although an animated return is more likely than live-action.
5 Dr. Julian Bashir
Played by Alexander Siddig
One of the biggest names from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine who has shockingly not returned is Dr. Julian Bashir.DS9's genetically engineered Chief Medical Officer was last seen starting a romance with Lt. Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer). While Star Trek: The Next Generation's Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Star Trek: Voyager's The Doctor (Robert Picardo) have made comebacks, it's baffling that Dr. Bashir has not.
It seemed a natural fit for Bashir to appear in Star Trek: Section 31 , but that apparently also isn't happening
The lack of Dr. Bashir in current Star Trek is even more surprising considering Alexander Siddig continues to act and has appeared in series like Game of Thrones, Gotham, and Peaky Blinders. Given his ties to Section 31, it seemed a natural fit for Bashir to appear in Star Trek: Section 31, but that apparently also isn't happening. When and if Dr. Bashir will return to Star Trek is anyone's guess.
4 Lt. Ezri Dax
Played by Nicole de Boer
Lt. Ezri Dax accomplished a miracle by replacing the popular Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7. Ezri was such a success that, looking back, it's remarkable that she was only in one season of DS9. Unfortunately, Ezri hasn't been seen since the end of DS9.
Star Trek: Discovery has explored Trill culture in the 32nd century.
Last seen with her love interest, Dr. Julian Bashir, Ezri presumably remained Deep Space Nine's station counselor. Ezri's story feels incomplete, and there's more her character could have done. Nicole de Boer could easily voice Ezri in a Star Trek animated series or reprise the Trill in live-action.
3 Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax
Played by Terry Farrell
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax died at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 6, a decision resulting from the behind-the-scenes turmoil that saw Terry Farrell exit DS9. However, that was nearly 30 years ago under a different Star Trek regime. Terry Farrell could reprise Jadzia, and all it would take is for Star Trek to creatively work around the whole 'Jadzia is dead' thing.
Terry Farrell, who contributes to The Delta Flyers podcast hosted by Star Trek: Voyager's Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang, could easily voice Jadzia Dax in a Star Trek animated series. Jadzia is also eternally part of the Dax symbiont, which currently belongs to Ezri Dax, so there are ways Jadzia could reappear. Star Trek could even find a way to have Jadzia and Ezri finally share the screen.
2 Lt. Nog
Played by Aron Eisenberg
Aron Eisenberg passed away in September 2019, and this means Lieutenant Nog can't return in live-action. Like Odo on Star Trek: Prodigy, it could be possible to use Aron's archival voice footage to have Nog return in a Star Trek animated series. Nog was last seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's series finale, now a Lieutenant after fighting most of the Dominion War as a Starfleet cadet and Ensign.
Nog is the first Ferengi in Starfleet, and he has become a Starfleet legend. In Star Trek: Discovery's 32nd century, the Eisenberg Class USS Nog honors the trailblazing Ferengi hero. While it would be a challenge to bring back Nog without Aron Eisenberg, there are still further ways for Star Trek on Paramount+ to update audiences on what Nog has done since the end of Deep Space Nine.
1 Captain Benjamin Sisko
Played by Avery Brooks
Perhaps the biggest open question Star Trek: Deep Space Nine left behind is when and if Captain Benjamin Sisko will return. The Emissary of the Prophets, Sisko fulfilled his destiny and became a non-linear being alongside Bajor's gods. While Patrick Stewart has reprised Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and Kate Mulgrew returned as Admiral Kathryn Janeway, there seems to be little chance Avery Brooks will come back as Captain Sisko.
Avery Brooks has retired from acting and left Star Trek behind. This seems to close the book on Captain Sisko, either in a live-action or animated return. Still, there are always possibilities in Star Trek, and perhaps, one day, Star Trek on Paramount+ could persuade Avery Brooks to come back or give the fate of Captain Sisko a definitive answer. But it's safe to say there's no one Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fans want to see again more, or hear more about, than Captain Benjamin Sisko.
