Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Odo-Kira Relationship Wasn't Planned

"Star Trek" has long been known as a bastion of tolerance, understanding, and unintended or unplanned relationships and dynamics between its characters. This is because the performance of actors can paint a completely different picture than what is written simply from mannerisms, facial expression, and tone. However, a good writer and showrunner will know how to read the proverbial tea leaves, and it looks like "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" never intended to have Odo (René Auberjonois) and Kira (Nan Visitor) develop such a potent relationship.

Speaking with the official Star Trek website, Auberjonois was asked directly about the dynamic between Kira and his character, and he replied that he knew for a fact that the showrunners never intended or anticipated their relationship. Auberjonois then brought up the Season 2 episode "Necessary Evil," where it is revealed that Kira has been involved with a murder. He added, "I can't remember the exact words of how they described him looking at her, but it was clear that he understood that this person who was his only real friend on the station has betrayed him in some way. I don't know what it was that I did or if it was how it was shot, but the next day, when they were looking at the dailies, the writers said, 'Oh my God, look, Odo loves Kira.'"

René Auberjonois continued, "And they went with that. Both Nana and I, when that started to become a theme, went, 'What? Oh my God, look at that. Isn't that interesting?' Ours is not to question why as actors. So we went with it. We loved working with each other, Nana and I. We still love working with each other. We have tremendous respect for each other as actors and we're very comfortable working with each other."

What's interesting about Odo and Kira is that both come from an alien species that are not only apprehensive about the intentions of the Federation, but also of each other. This is because Odo is a Changeling and Kira is a Bajoran. Changelings are essentially amorphous blobs in their natural state, and he was cruelly experimented on by Bajorans. Likewise, Kira is actually a resistance fighter who once battled the Cardassians when they occupied her home planet, and later becomes one of the highest ranking officers on the space station Deep Space Nine. Still, Odo and Kira are definitely one of the most unique interpersonal relationships in "Deep Space Nine," with some of their episodes being a part of the highest rated episodes on IMDb, and it shows that opposites really do attract — even in the farthest reaches of space.