It’s Hard To Imagine How Different Star Trek: DS9 Would Be With Ro Laren Instead Of Major Kira

It's hard to imagine Star Trek: Deep Space Nine without Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor), but the original plan for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine featured Star Trek: The Next Generation's Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) as the station's Bajoran First Officer. Because Forbes turned down the role as a series regular in the new Star Trek show, Star Trek writers needed to create a brand-new character to be First Officer to Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks). The result was Kira Nerys, a Major in the Bajoran Militia who also served as the station's liaison to Bajor.

In the first few episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it's clear that Major Kira's role was originally supposed to go to Ensign Ro. Kira's longer hairstyle in Deep Space Nine's premiere episode, "Emissary", seems to be modeled after Ro's. Kira being so antagonistic and cynical towards Starfleet, and Sisko in particular, makes a lot more sense when you consider she was supposed to be Ro all along. Kira changed over the course of DS9, and it's likely Ro would have undergone a similar evolution, but I have to wonder what that original show would have been like.

Star Trek: DS9 Would’ve Been Very Different With Ro Laren Instead Of Major Kira

Here's One Potential Way Ro Laren's DS9 Story Could Go

In an alternate timeline, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's First Officer was Ro Laren instead of Major Kira Nerys. With two leads in Starfleet, this version of DS9 focuses on its Starfleet characters, making it a lot more like other Star Trek shows. The Bajoran Militia doesn't have a command-level presence on the station, which makes Bajor's provisional government regard Starfleet with suspicion. Ro tries to bridge the gap as Starfleet's Bajoran liaison, but keeps getting caught between loyalty to her own people and the fact that she ran away to Starfleet instead of fighting for the Resistance.

In this alternate Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ro Laren's character arc reconciles her Starfleet career with her Bajoran roots. Intriguingly, Ro finds purpose in Starfleet espionage and peace in the Bajoran faith. Like in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Ro is tempted by the Maquis, but helps take down Michael Eddington (Kenneth Mitchell) as Sisko's woman on the inside instead of joining them. During DS9's Dominion War, Section 31 recruits Lieutenant Ro instead of Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig). Ro's shaky faith is renewed simply by being closer to Bajor and the Prophets.

Why Major Kira Was A Better Character For Star Trek: DS9 Than Ro Laren

Kira Being A New Character Gave DS9 A Proud Advocate For Bajor

Major Kira was a much better character for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine than Ro Laren, because DS9's writers created Kira Nerys to fit the story they wanted to tell about Sisko's mission to bring Bajor into the Federation. Ro revealed in Star Trek: The Next Generation that her childhood in the Bajoran diaspora made her ashamed of being Bajoran—but Kira never left Bajor, and Nerys was proud of fighting in the Bajoran Resistance. Kira's strong faith in her people and clear motive to protect Bajor made her an advocate for Bajor's independence, and a great foil for Sisko.

Chances are Ro Laren would have enjoyed a transformative character arc in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, because all of DS9's characters underwent huge changes over the show's seven seasons. Kira Nerys softened over time, but never lost her fighting spirit or her faith. Ro's cynicism and doubt about Starfleet's effectiveness probably would have melted away before DS9's ending, especially if Deep Space Nine's mix of Starfleet officers and alien characters welcomed Ro with open arms. Ultimately, there's no way to know just how different Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would have been with Ro Laren instead of Kira Nerys.