Kira’s Complete Star Trek: DS9 Timeline Explained

Like many Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters, Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) underwent a complex character evolution throughout DS9's seven seasons. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's First Officer was originally supposed to be Star Trek: The Next Generation's Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), but when Forbes declined to return as Ensign Ro, DS9 created Major Kira instead. Unlike Ro Laren's Starfleet-adjacent point of view in TNG, Kira's backstory in the Bajoran Resistance placed her closer to the front lines of the conflict between the Bajorans and their Cardassian oppressors.

Born in 2343 in Bajor's Dahkur Province, Kira Nerys grew up in a refugee camp with her parents, Kira Taban and Meru; and her brothers, Reon and Pohl. When Nerys was three years old, her mother was taken to be a comfort woman for the camp's Cardassian overseers, and Meru became Gul Dukat's (Marc Alaimo) mistress. Dukat ensured that Kira's family was safe, but the Gul's measures barely tempered the harsh conditions of the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. Nerys' belief that Cardassians had killed her mother was a reasonable assumption, given the violence that was a fact of life in the camps.

Kira Nerys’s Life In The Bajoran Resistance Before Star Trek: DS9 (2356–2369)

Kira Joined The Resistance When She Was 12 Years Old

After facing numerous injustices during her refugee camp childhood, Kira Nerys joined the Bajoran Resistance in 2356, when she was just 12 years old. The leader of the Shakaar Resistance Cell, Shakaar Edon (Duncan Regehr), was hesitant to admit a child so young, but others vouched for Kira's abilities. Early on, Nerys only ran errands and cleaned weapons; as a teenager, Kira proved herself and was welcomed as a full member of Shakaar's cell. The Resistance took care of Kira's father, Taban (Thomas Kopache), as he died, but Nerys feared losing him and intentionally avoided Taban's death.

As a Resistance fighter, Kira's paths crossed with other Star Trek characters. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 8, "Necessary Evil" flashed back to Kira meeting Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois), Quark (Armin Shimerman), and Gul Dukat on a 2365 mission to Deep Space Nine, when it was the Cardassian mining station Terok Nor. Kira raided the Haru Outpost alongside Star Trek: Lower Decks' Lt. Shaxs (Fred Tatasciore). After the Bajoran Resistance successfully ousted the Cardassians to end the Occupation, Kira joined the Bajoran militia, with her Resistance experience translating to the rank of Major.

Major Kira Became Star Trek: DS9’s First Officer (2369–2375)

Kira's Character Arc Focused On Breaking Down Barriers

Major Kira Nerys became Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's First Officer in 2369, when Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) specifically requested a Bajoran militia officer as his second-in-command. Initially, Major Kira had difficulty working within the system instead of against it and objected to the Federation's involvement in helping to rebuild Bajor. Kira soon adapted to her new role as DS9's official liaison to Bajor, hoping to represent her people's best interests. Kira Nerys' numerous accomplishments helped to usher in Bajoran independence amidst infighting, misinterpreted prophecy, Federation meddling, and Bajor's part in a second major war.

A major element of Kira Nerys' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character arc was about deconstructing long-held beliefs and confronting one's own prejudices. Dealing with the self-serving Kai Winn Adami (Louise Fletcher) and the Bajoran terrorist ring, The Circle, tested Kira's faith in Bajoran institutions. One-on-one conversations with Cardassian sympathizers like Aamin Marritza (Harris Yulin) and Tekeny Ghemor (Lawrence Pressman) helped break down Kira's deep-rooted hatred of all Cardassians. Kira befriended Tora Ziyal (Melanie Smith), Dukat's half-Bajoran daughter, while still holding Dukat in the highest contempt.

Kira Nerys’ Romances On Star Trek: DS9

Nerys Had Three Major Love Interests In DS9

Romance was rarely Kira Nerys' top priority, but Nerys welcomed romantic relationships while serving on Deep Space Nine. Kira was involved with Vedek Bareil Antos (Philip Anglim), a progressive Bajoran religious leader, from 2369 until Bareil died in 2371. The accident that took Bareil out of the running for Bajor's next Kai was likely orchestrated by rival Vedek Winn. From 2372 to 2373, Kira and her former resistance leader, Shakaar Edon, were in a romantic relationship that ended amicably when Shakaar was elected Bajor's first minister.

In 2373, an alternate timeline version of Constable Odo told Major Kira that he had been in love with her for years. Unsure how to proceed with this, Kira kept the revelation secret and maintained her friendship with Odo. Kira and Odo's feelings for each other built slowly as they worked together, culminating in Odo's confession that he loved Kira in 2374, which Nerys reciprocated. Kira and Odo remained together as a couple until Odo's 2375 departure to lead the Founders from within the Great Link at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Nerys Becomes Colonel Kira To Win Star Trek: DS9’s Dominion War (2374–2375)

Colonel Kira Taught The Cardassion Rebellion How To Fight Oppressors

When Deep Space Nine fell into Dominion hands at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5, Major Kira stayed on DS9 as a representative of Bajor, which had signed a non-aggression pact with the Dominion. For Kira, actually remaining neutral was impossible, and Nerys formed a resistance against the Dominion occupation, which helped Starfleet re-take DS9 in 2374. Kira was promoted to Colonel in 2375, and took command of DS9 during Captain Sisko's brief leave of absence.

Colonel Kira's experience with guerrilla tactics in the Bajoran Resistance made her the perfect person to help the Cardassian Rebellion against the Dominion. Kira accepted a temporary Starfleet field commission from Captain Sisko to show Legate Damar (Casey Biggs) that Kira truly was acting in the best interests of winning DS9's Dominion War, and harbored no ulterior motive against the Cardassians, despite her past. In the final battle of the Dominion War, Colonel Kira took the Dominion's Cardassian command center, neutralizing Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) and the female Changeling (Salome Jens).

What Happened To Kira After Star Trek: DS9

Colonel Kira Remained In Command Of Deep Space Nine

At the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Sisko's ascension as Emissary of the Prophets meant Colonel Kira stayed in command of Deep Space Nine. The Dominion War had put a temporary hold on Bajor's efforts to join the United Federation of Planets, and the resulting peace left Bajor ready to continue the process. Colonel Kira appeared in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, episode 6, "Hear All, Trust Nothing", which took place in 2381. At the time, Bajor still hadn't joined the Federation, and DS9's operations remained a cooperative effort between Starfleet and the Bajoran militia.

Although Star Trek audiences were introduced to Kira Nerys through her bitter, justified anger, Nerys was never a one-note character. Kira was a complex character with a difficult past who was allowed to express a full range of emotions and desires. As a Bajoran, Kira's faith—in the Prophets as well as the Bajoran people—was integral to her development, and helped Kira stand firm in her values while interrogating her own motives and prejudices. Far from being just a replacement, Kira Nerys practically defined Star Trek: Deep Space Nine from day one and continues to represent its future.