The Nagus

"The Nagus" is the 11^th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Retiring Grand Nagus Zek announces Quark as his successor (over his own son); Sisko frets over his son's devotion to his friend Nog, a known troublemaker.

Plot

Zek, the Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance, arrives on the station and seems to take an interest in Quark, but it is not clear why. He tells Quark that he wants to use Quark's bar for a conference, where he announces that Quark will be his successor. The Nagus then dies, apparently making Quark's appointment permanent.

Quark has a hard time adjusting to his new position, but he becomes popular among the Ferengi entrepreneurs by giving away lucrative business opportunities. Zek's son Krax and Rom attempt to kill Quark and are stopped by Zek, who appears before them still very much alive. Quark's appointment was a test to see how his son would respond in his absence, and as Zek says, "You failed! Miserably!" Quark congratulates Rom for having the lobes to try to kill him.

Meanwhile, Sisko is trying to cope with the friendship between his son Jake and Rom's son Nog. His problem is seemingly solved when Rom orders Nog not to attend school; however, Jake and Nog begin spending even more time together. Jake will only tell Sisko that what they are doing is "private." In the end, Sisko finds he has nothing to worry about when he finds Jake teaching Nog how to read.

Arc significance

• First appearance of Grand Nagus Zek and first mention of his plans to expand Ferengi business into the Gamma Quadrant.

Notes

• In this episode, there is an homage shot to the Godfather.^{[citation needed]} Shortly after Quark is "Made" Grand Nagus, the shot of the following scene is a near-exact duplicate of the opening of the movie, with a client come to seek a favor. Quark is even reclining in a chair as did Brando and petting an alien creature (Presumably a popular pet of Ferenginar, just as cats are on Earth) the way Don Corleone held his cat. In his following line as well he paraphrased Brando: "And now you call me Nagus..."
• This is the first episode Max Grodénchik plays Rom, Quark's younger brother and Nog's father. In the first episode of ST:DS9, Grodénchik's plays an unnamed Ferengi. In another episode, Grodénchik plays a Ferengi who is Nog's father - but the character is unnamed. In another episode, when Rom's name is first mentioned - Quark refers to him as "his assistant".

References

• P. Farrand, Nitpicker's Guide for Deep space Nine Trekkers New York: Dell (1996): 48 - 51

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Nagus

• The Nagus at the Internet Movie Database
• "The Nagus" at TV.com
• The Nagus at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• The Nagus at StarTrek.com