The Outsiders

[Tracey]

Hi Flatmates and welcome to another edition of the Poll of the Week!

As I am sure we are all aware by now, our favorite television shows and movies that portray life in the Star Trek universe(s) revolve around those who work in Starfleet, the space navy of the future. Most of the characters we have watched are involved in one form or another directly in the space naval military culture of whatever era of the Star Trek universe we happen to be watching that day. But not all.

Except for the original series, there are also many civilians who were regulars on the other incarnations of the Star Trek television episodes. For example, in Enterprise we were introduced to Doctor Phlox, who was not a member of Starfleet at that time. In the Next Generation, we are immediately introduced to the boy wonder Wesley Crusher, who will eventually become a Starfleet officer at a really early age based on several factors which I personally have alot of issues with to begin with, but which can be held out for another debate. In Deep Space 9 we have a much larger group of civilians running around, and who can forget the civilians on board Voyager starting with Neelix and Kes?

So that brings us to this week's Poll of the Week question. Who are your favorite non-Starfleet officers in the Star Trek universe? I have left the door open to multiple responses, so go ahead and vote away and tell us why you chose the way you did and if there is anyone you wish to add to the list, let us know!

[Brek]

It would have been so easy for me to choose Quark. But I'm too well placed to see how annoying Ferengi can be at times ;p. So in that long list, my absolute fav. character is Guinan. I even wish we had seen her a bit more in TNG. Imagine for instance what a little less of Wesley and a little more of Guinan would have achieved for the series...

[+ Rune Jolara]

I had to pick one from each series.

Garak... well he was such a wonderfully complex character. Both bad and good. I just loved him.

Neelix was my fav from Voyager. Funny and smarter than given credit. And a true survivor.

Guinan... Who can't like a soft spoken, wise woman who put the fear of god into Q? Seriously though, I wish they would have done much more with her and the El-Aurians.

T'Pol... I suppose I liked the struggle they showed most of all between her being a good little Vulcan and fighting those pesky little emotions that would break through. Again, I think there was so much more they could have done with her.

I think the thing with all of these are, they are actually complex characters if you look beyond what's on the surface.

[Sal Taybrim]

I'm fond of almost all the outsiders.

But my all time favorite character in Star trek, ever, is and always will be Garak.

[Rahman and Rivi Vataix]

Oh Garak... I loved how he respected and could work with our Starfleet heroes but was always still a proud Cardassian who enjoyed mocking Starfleet and the Federation just the same.

[+ Salkath]

Rom for the win!

I mean, when we first meet him, he's meek and downtrodden. But throughout DS9, we see him grow exponentially. Despite the abuses of his brother, he eventually stands toe to toe against him and becomes a model of a progressive Ferengi. He maintains excellent relations with his son, and contributes meaningfully to DS9 and the Dominion war. He even gets the girl and becomes Nagus!

The perfect Star Trek example of the ordinary person becoming the extraordinary.

[Randal Shayne]

Garak for the win!
That man was absolutely awesome.

[+ Eerie]

Garak!

So many layers to the character. And the question that one is always asking. When is he telling the truth.

[T'Mar/Mel]

I really liked Kes. She started out like a little child, but was really starting to grow into a complex and fascinating character. I was really upset when they brought Seven onto Voyager to amp the sex appeal and Kes was booted. I thought Kes brought so much more than Seven ever did. Having said that, I think Seven could have been a decent character had they written her differently.