Odo

This article is about the Star Trek fictional character. For historical people named "Odo" see Odo of Bayeux or Odo of Cluny (also known as "Saint Odo")

Odo is a shapeshifter played by Rene Auberjonois on the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

One of the hundred sent out by The Founders long ago to explore the galaxy, Odo was found adrift in the Denorios Belt by Bajorans in 2356 who (indirectly) gave him his name: since Odo had not yet learned how to adopt a humanoid appearance, he appeared in his natural gelatinous form. The Bajorans, not sure of what Odo actually was, put him in a container and labelled it "unknown sample". The Cardassian overseers translated this into their own language as "odo'ital" - literally, "nothing". The Bajorans took to using this as a Bajoran name - 'Odo Ital'. Even after it became clear that Odo was sentient, the scientists kept calling him by that name - which eventually was shortened to Odo. He was studied by a Bajoran scientist, Dr. Mora Pol; Odo modelled his humanoid appearance on Dr. Mora, but could not duplicate humanoid features with precision, making his humanoid appearance an approximation.

He later worked for the Cardassians during Occupation of Bajor aboard the orbiting Terok Nor ore-processing space station and later for the Bajorans/Federation aboard Deep Space Nine (the Federation name for Terok Nor), in both cases as chief of security. During the occupation, Gul Dukat had originally enlisted Odo in order to investigate the murder of one of the Bajoran station workers; since Odo was seen as a neutral observer, sympathizing with no one, he was considered a valuable security officer.

Odo's predecessor as security chief was Thrax, a Cardassian officer. Odo's early career on Terok Nor hit a snag when he investigated an assassination attempt on Dukat. Three Bajoran workers were initially linked to the attack, and Odo - eager to ensure the rule of law and quickly conclude the investigation - hurriedly convicted them and allowed them to be executed. Soon after, Odo discovered that all three men were innocent and that Odo's lax investigative procedures caused a serious miscarriage of justice, prompting Odo to be much more insistent on actual justice (not necessarily the actual letter of the law).

Up until this time, Odo was unaware of his people and his ancestry. A criminal showed him a necklace containing a non-sentient shapeshifter in the episode "Vortex." Later, in the episode "The Alternate", Dr. Mora visited Odo at Deep Space Nine and went with him to the Gamma Quadrant to investigate a planet with a similar life-form. It wasn't until later that Odo learned that his people are the leaders of the Dominion.

In 2372, Odo married Lwaxana Troi in accordance with Tavnian law as a favor to her, so that her child would not be taken away from her at birth. Although Odo had been annoyed by Troi in the past, he came to appreciate her company. However, he still did not love her in a romantic way, so after her ex-husband witnessed the marriage, Troi went back to Betazed.

Because he had at one point killed another Changeling, the Founders punished him by taking away his shapeshifting abilities and making him into a human being. He retained his physical body for several months. Eventually, an infant shapeshifter who was dying integrated itself into Odo's physical makeup. This integration caused Odo's body to revert back to normal, and he regained all his shapeshifting abilities.

Odo remained loyal to the Bajoran and Federation people throughout the Dominion War. At the end of the war, Odo went back to the Great Link. He did this to cure the other Founders of a disease that Section 31 had infected them with, and to teach the Founders how to trust other races again.

He entered a romantic relationship with Kira Nerys with the help of Vic Fontaine. They remained involved until Odo left to rejoin the Great Link.

He is often referred to as Constable Odo, as he is a member of the Bajoran Constabulary and the Chief Constable aboard DS9.

External links

• StarTrek.com: Odo (http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/DS9/character/1112442.html)
• Template:Memoryalphasl:Odo