I’m Amаzed At How Stаr Trek’s Most Powerful Bаjorаn Isn’t Kіrа On Deeр Sрасe Nіne

When I first watched Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, I assumed that Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) was the most powerful Bajoran I would ever see in Star Trek. Looking at the timeline of Colonel Kira's life, it's not hard to see why. Colonel Kira grew up under the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor, and, despite all the hardships she endured during the occupation, she was able to rise to the occasion and fight for her freedom in the Bajoran resistance. And after the Occupation, Colonel Kira never stopped fighting for a better future for Bajor.

By the end of Deep Space Nine and the Dominion War, Colonel Kira's unflinching faith in the people of Bajor was tested and proven right. She was in command of the station and confident in the newly reforged Bajoran government. Colonel Kira also won considerable personal victories after confronting Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo). But when I think about the ending of Deep Space Nine, and the glimpses of Bajor's future we got in Star Trek: Lower Decks, I am forced to conclude that Colonel Kira is not, in fact, Star Trek's most powerful Bajoran.

Leeta Is Star Trek’s Most Powerful Bajoran, Not Kira

Kira May Be In Charge Of DS9, But Leeta Leads An Entire Alliance

Lower Decks makes it clear that Leeta (Chase Masterson), former Dabo Girl and amateur sociologist, is, in fact, the single most powerful Bajoran in Star Trek. While the Kai is the religious leader of Bajor, that role almost certainly lost a lot of its prestige after Kai Winn Adami (Louise Fletcher) sided with Gul Dukat and the Pah-Wraiths. First Minister Shakaar Edon (Duncan Regehr) may be the leader of Bajor, but Bajor is just one planet - Leeta has power over the entire Ferengi Alliance.

Over the course of Deep Space Nine, Leeta met, and fell in love with then-restaurant worker Rom (Max Grodénchik). But times and circumstances changed for Rom, and the once-lowly Rom eventually rose to become the Ferengi Grand Nagus. Leeta always had a better head for numbers than Grand Nagus Rom, and the Lower Decks episode "Parth Ferengi's Heart Place" makes it clear that Leeta has immense power to shape Ferengi treaties and policy.

Given that the Ferengi are the center of commerce for the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, the Nagus controls Ferengi financial interests, and Leeta apparently controls the Nagus, it is by no means a stretch to say that Leeta is the most powerful Star Trek Bajoran. So, no matter how much I love Colonel Kira, I have to admit that the force behind the throne of Ferenginar is more powerful than the leader of Deep Space Nine. In Star Trek, Leeta's name means power.

Leeta Has Star Trek’s Most Amazing Rags To Riches Story

From The Bajoran Occupation, To Dabo Girl, To De-Facto Ruler

What makes Leeta's power all the more incredible is just how much she had to overcome in order to rise so high. Although we don't know specifically how old Leeta is, it is safe to say that Leeta suffered under the Cardassian Occupation like every other Bajoran. Furthermore, episodes like "Wrongs Darker than Death or Night" make it clear that Leeta's beauty could easily have made her more of a target for Cardassian violence. After the occupation, Leeta worked as a Dabo girl at Quark's (Armin Shimerman) bar, where she was overworked and under-paid.

Even before Leeta rose to power over Ferenginar, she did manage to gain some additional power at Quark's as one of the founding members of the "Guild of Restaurant and Casino Worker Employees."

Although Leeta genuinely loved Rom, when they got married Ferengi women had no rights - Leeta couldn’t have been certain what her future would hold. But it was Leeta’s refusal to back down that helped inspire Rom, and, in turn, helped develop Rom into the type of Ferengi perfect to lead the Alliance into a new era. No one will ever be able to convince me Colonel Kira isn't absolutely iconic, but by the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, even I have to admit that Leeta is by far and away the most powerful Bajoran in Star Trek.