Unveiling the Mysterious Founders of the Dominion

The Dominion, an alliance of species that waged one of the bloodiest wars in Star Trek's history, was led by a mysterious group known as the Founders. Prior to their appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the Founders were only whispered about among those who knew of them by reputation alone, earning a reputation as the boogeymen of space. Their presence was feared even though no one had ever seen them in person. In fact, they were only mentioned three times in Deep Space 9 before making their debut in the finale episode of Season 2.

It wasn't until the two-part season 3 premiere that viewers discovered that the Founders were actually Changelings. This revelation complicated matters for Constable Odo (René Auberjonois) who, up until that point, had never met another Changeling before. Unfortunately, the Founders embody all the things that 'solids' (those unable to change their physical form at will) fear in Constable Odo. They're shifty and untrustworthy, and their obsession with social order drives them to commit increasingly disturbing acts of violence. But what do the Founders represent in Star Trek, and where did they come from?

When the Dominion War erupted, it took a tremendous effort from the United Federation of Planets and their allies to eventually emerge victorious. The conflict was long and brutal, and at many points, victory seemed unattainable. This was despite the fact that the Star Trek universe is built upon a foundation of hope in scientific progress. It's difficult to comprehend how one species, the Changelings, could have been responsible for such widespread destruction across the galaxy. However, the Changelings were able to genetically engineer the loyalty of the Vorta and Jem'Hadar, who were instrumental in waging war.

While the Vorta and Jem'Hadar did much of the heavy lifting, the Changelings, who acted as the Founders of the Dominion, were ultimately in charge of the entire operation. They also had the ability to impersonate Starfleet officers, leaving their enemies unsettled and paranoid. In one particularly chilling example, Dr. Julian Bashir is replaced by a Changeling for several episodes before the horrifying truth is revealed in season 5, episode 14, "In Purgatory's Shadow".

While many Changelings are believed to act as Founders, only one is frequently seen. The Female Changeling (played by Salome Jens) is the ever-changing face of the Founders in Deep Space Nine. When the Dominion's Jem'Hadar forces Constable Odo and Major Kira (Nana Visitor) to their homeworld in the Gamma Quadrant, the Female Changeling is the first to welcome them. She later appears on the space station, making multiple unsuccessful attempts to persuade Constable Odo to switch sides, promising to reconnect him with other Changelings and restore order to the galaxy.

In this respect, the Founders are not so dissimilar to the Borg; they are just less conspicuous in their methods. The Female Changeling, above all, wants Constable Odo to return to the Changeling homeworld in the Omarion Nebula. She wishes to merge with him in the Great Link, which she describes as "a merging of form and thought [and] the sharing of idea and sensation." The Female Changeling's transition from attempting to assist Constable Odo to using violent means to impose her will on the galaxy bewildered many Star Trek fans. However, such a reversal of values is unsurprising given the Changelings' history with "solids," or non-Changelings.

Changelings were a peaceful species that had been exploring the galaxy for centuries before the events of Deep Space Nine. Their main goal was to learn about themselves and the world around them, much like the Bajorans in their ancient history. Unfortunately, humans met them with fear, anger, and hatred. This negative treatment by humans, coupled with similar experiences with other species, eventually led to the formation of the Dominion.

Despite the violence that ensued, there were still moments of unity between different species. The Vorta, initially small and timid, bravely offered their dwellings to protect a Changeling under attack. This act of kindness forged a lifelong alliance between the two, even after the Vorta evolved into a more humanoid species.

Through Constable Odo, Deep Space Nine challenges the assumption that all Changelings are inherently evil and destined to become Founders of the Dominion. Despite his ability to shift his physical form at will, Odo remained dedicated to maintaining order on DS9 and was trusted by all who knew him - even Quark, a notorious Ferengi troublemaker. This complexity highlights the danger of reducing any group of individuals to a single trait or belief system, as the Federation learned when it realized that the Founders' philosophy of "what you control can't hurt you" was the driving force behind their attack on peaceful ideologies.

The Changelings, acting as the Founders of the Dominion, lacked foresight in their objectives. They refused to acknowledge that the Humans, who had once terrorized them, had evolved into a peace-loving species. Their obsession with gaining control of the galaxy put them on the radar of Section 31, a clandestine agency within the Federation. In response to the threat, the group developed a degenerative disease targeting the Changelings' shifting abilities. Ironically, this only reinforced the Changelings' fears about humans. Rather than weakening the Founders, the morphogenic virus only made them more determined.

It wasn't until Constable Odo courageously linked with the Female Changeling to find a cure for the disease that the Founders surrendered. This, coupled with Quark's unexpected heroism, eventually led to the Dominion's surrender in the war. The Founders were once a formidable force in the Star Trek universe, driven by their desire for domination until they eventually removed themselves from the fight.