Juicy Behind-the-Scenes Scoop: Star Trek Actor's Heroic Intervention Saves DS9 Love Story

Summary

Nana Visitor personally prevented a love story between her character Kira and Gul Dukat on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

The visitor effectively contested the show's writers regarding this storyline and managed to prevent its execution. She strongly opposed her character engaging in an affair with Dukat, considering him to be the epitome of evil. As a result, the storyline was modified to incorporate Kira's mother instead.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actress Nana Visitor successfully prevented a disturbing romantic storyline between her character, Major Kira Nerys, and Gul Dukat (portrayed by Mark Alaimo). Throughout the seven seasons of DS9, the detestable Dukat relentlessly attempted to seduce and pursue a relationship with Kira, despite her firm resistance against the manipulative advances of her archenemy. In the sixth season episode of DS9, titled "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night," Kira found herself transported through time, discovering that Dukat had been involved in a clandestine affair with her mother, Kira Meru (played by Leslie Hope).

During an appearance on The Shuttlepod Show, where she engaged in a discussion about Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and her acting career, Nana Visitor shared the instances when she disagreed with the show's writers regarding certain storylines. One particular disagreement that Visitor successfully argued against involved Major Kira becoming involved in a romantic relationship with the manipulative Gul Dukat. To learn more about her perspective on this matter, refer to her quote and watch the relevant segment of The Shuttlepod Show video, starting at the 41:49 time stamp below.

Dukat, a Cardassian, belonged to the dominant species on my planet, and he personified the epitome of malevolence. Among the dreadful Cardassians, he stood out as the worst. Astonishingly, they expected me to engage in a romantic affair with him. My response was unwavering, "I would willingly consider other Cardassians, but never him." Surprisingly, I managed to prevail in this matter. Perhaps, they had hoped to reform his character... However, it was my mother who ended up in a relationship with him.

Star Trek: DS9's Gul Dukat Relationships With Kira & Her Mother Explained

Gul Dukat's character in Star Trek is incredibly intriguing due to his utterly twisted and malevolent nature. As the former leader of the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor, Dukat showed no remorse in exploiting Bajoran women, amongst whom was Kira Meru. Kira Meru found herself becoming Dukat's "comfort woman" in order to protect her husband and children, including her young daughter Nerys. This fact remained unknown to Nerys until the sixth season of DS9. Concurrently, Dukat persistently pursued Major Kira, attempting to seduce her, despite the revolting revelation that he had been involved with her mother. This revelation amplifies the repugnance of his romantic advances towards her daughter.

Nana Visitor made the right decision to refuse the idea of romantically pairing Major Kira and Dukat in order to preserve the integrity and character of Deep Space Nine's First Officer. However, the creative team of DS9 created an even more disturbing romantic connection for Gul Dukat in season 7, where he and Kai Winn Adami became lovers, both plotting to take down Captain Benjamin Sisko. Fortunately, Nana Visitor's intervention saved Major Kira from the distasteful role of being Gul Dukat's girlfriend in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.