Deeр Sрасe Nіne’s Endіng Left Stаr Trek’s Gаlаxy Sаfer, But Only For 10 Yeаrs

The Star Trek galaxy was left safer after Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ended, but that hard-won peace only lasted for 10 years. After the ending of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the USS Voyager returned home to Earth in the 2001 series finale of Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Nemesis happened one year later. Nemesis' dismal box-office showing backburnered the Star Trek: The Next Generation era for 18 years, when Star Trek's modern era caught up with the "present" in Star Trek: Picard.

Although Star Trek: Picard season 1 takes place in 2399, Picard's first episode, "Remembrance", cleverly includes a flashback to the 2387 Romulan Supernova from J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009), making the supernova a pivotal event in the Prime Timeline. Modern Star Trek shows Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy, which take place in the 2380s, show what happened in the Star Trek timeline between the ending of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Picard's 2387 flashback. The peace that seemed to follow the United Federation of Planets' victory in DS9's Dominion War wouldn't actually last as long as expected.

The Federation Won The Dominion War In Star Trek: DS9

DS9's Dominion War Lasted From 2373 to 2375

The Federation won Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Dominion War with the help of the Klingons and Romulans in a previously-unthinkable alliance of galactic powers. These former enemies came together to defend Star Trek's Alpha Quadrant from the Gamma Quadrant's Dominion after the discovery of the Bajoran Wormhole connected the two quadrants. The Dominion sought to conquer the Alpha Quadrant as easily as they'd gained control of the Gamma Quadrant and made strong headway thanks to Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) pledging the Cardassians' loyalty to the Dominion early in the war.

Allied Alpha Quadrant powers were led to victory by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor). Colonel Kira's assault on the Dominion's Cardassia Prime stronghold clinched the decisive win for the Federation. Following the capture of the female Changeling (Salome Jens), Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) returned to the Great Link to heal the Founders, who had been infected with Section 31's morphogenic virus. Although the Dominion ceased to be a threat, the war left scars on the Alpha Quadrant that would not fully heal.

Star Trek: Lower Decks begins in 2380, five years after the end of the Dominion War. Most of Lower Decks' main characters would have been at Starfleet Academy during the war, but Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) graduated from the Academy before the Dominion War, in 2371. Mariner was stationed on Deep Space Nine sometime during the 2370s, placing her on the front lines of the Dominion War right as tensions flared between the Federation and Dominion. Mariner's PTSD from the war manifests as self-sabotage, which may be a fairly common experience among Starfleet's junior officers in this era.

The Klingon High Chancellor Is A Federation Ally

Dominion War Hero General Martok Became The Klingon High Chancellor

After Lieutenant Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) slayed Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, episode 22, "Tacking Into the Wind", Worf handed the title of Chancellor over to General Martok (J.G. Hertzler). Martok was a far better choice to lead the Klingon Empire than Worf, thanks to Martok's humble origins, experience as a Dominion prisoner of war, and keen ability to connect with others as a high-ranking leader. Worf, to his credit, became the Federation Ambassador to Q'onoS.

Martok is still Chancellor of the Klingon Empire as of Star Trek: Prodigy season 2, episode 13, "A Tribble Called Quest", which takes place in 2384. Prodigy's USS Protostar crew encounter Klingon geneticist Dr. K'ruvang (Jorge Gutiérrez), on a mission from Chancellor Martok to expose weaknesses in Tribble DNA that would make the Klingons' sworn enemies easier to defeat. K'ruvang must make good on his promise to restore his honor so he can return home. Martok commands his scientists with the same respect he has for Klingon warriors, signaling a positive shift in the Empire's attitudes towards other professions.

The Ferengi Grand Nagus Is A Friend Of The Federation

Grand Nagus Rom Is A Progressive Ferengi Leader

After a less-than-menacing debut in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine changed the Ferengi into a capitalistic philosophical foil to the idealistic Federation. DS9's best Ferengi characters, especially Armin Shimerman's Quark, reflected a nuanced culture at odds with Federation ideals. Ferengi society took a surprising leap forward at the end of Deep Space Nine when Grand Nagus Zek (Wallace Shawn) named Rom (Max Grodénchik) as his successor. Rom looked up to Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney), and embraced Federation ideals, making Rom an interesting—and surprisingly progressive—choice to lead Ferenginar into a new era.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 6, "Parth Ferengi's Heart Place" shows Ferenginar has changed in the years since Rom took office as Grand Nagus. While the Ferengi still have a ways to go before their candidacy to join the United Federation of Planets can be fully considered, Grand Nagus Rom has opened the door to Ferenginar's Federation membership. Rom's broad changes to Ferengi culture in Lower Decks include more rights for Ferengi women. Under Rom's guidance, the Ferengi are hardly the threat to the Federation they tried to be in TNG.

DS9’s Peace Only Lasted For 10 Years Until Star Trek: Picard

The Romulan Zhat Vash Orchestrated The 2385 Synth Attacks on Mars

Ten years after the Federation won the Dominion War in 2375, a Star Trek: Picard flashback to the Mars Attack of 2385 reveals the tragedy that struck Starfleet's Utopia Planitia shipyards on Mars. Synthetic lifeforms employed by the shipyards revolted, killing the organic workers and destroying the fleet that was under construction on Mars. This fleet was destined to aid in the evacuation of Romulus prior to the Romulan Supernova of 2387, but after the Synth Attack, construction ceased. The Federation banned synthetics and was forced to retreat within its own borders, putting Starfleet's primary mission of exploration on hold.

The 2385 Synth Attacks on Mars were secretly orchestrated by the Romulan Zhat Vash, a secret cabal within Romulus' already secretive Tal Shi'ar intelligence agency. The Zhat Vash was dedicated to wiping out artificial intelligence and synthetic lifeforms, including androids, with such fervor and disdain that wiping out the Federation's synths was more important than saving the Zhat Vash's own people. The Zhat Vash's Mars attack destabilized the Federation by reducing Starfleet's numbers because starships that were already in use were also destroyed, in addition to those that were under construction.

Starfleet had little recourse after Star Trek: Picard's Synth Attack on Mars. Retired Starfleet officers, like Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), were pulled out of retirement and put back into service. Cadets were fast-tracked through Starfleet Academy in order to bolster Starfleet's numbers. Starfleet itself became more insular and guarded, with fewer resources to spare for exploration, and a stronger focus on defense. With no plans to go back to Star Trek's 24th century post-Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it remains to be seen whether this new era of tension in the Star Trek universe will be properly explored.