Colonel Kira Nerys was a character on Deep Space Nine. A Bajoran officer in the Bajoran Militia, she served as Captain Benjamin Sisko's first officer and Bajoran liaison officer on space station Deep Space Nine.

Per Bajoran custom, her surname, Kira, typically precedes her given name, Nerys. The character was played by actress Nana Visitor.

Overview

Kira Nerys was born in Dakhur province, Bajor, during the 50-year Cardassian occupation of the planet. After the death of her father (Kira Taban), Kira was recruited to the Shakaar resistance cell, an underground resistance movement which carried out terrorist attacks against Cardassian military and civilians.

After Cardassia withdrew from Bajor, Kira became an influential figure in its reconstruction and the politics of the region, due to her assignment (and holding the rank of major) to Deep Space Nine, and her closeness to Captain Benjamin Sisko, whom the Bajorans believed to be an emissary from the Bajoran Prophets.

Initially, Kira was opposed to the Federation presence on DS9, feeling that the Bajoran people should have nothing to do with the United Federation of Planets. Over time, her sentiments changed and she became one of the strongest supporters of Bajor joining the Federation.

For a long time, Kira believed that her mother Kira Meru had died when she was a child (she also had two brothers, Reon and Pohl, seen briefly as infants during the series. Their ultimate fate was unknown). Later, Kira used the Orb of Time to travel back in time (in the episode "Wrongs Darker than Death or Night"), and discovered that her mother was taken as a comfort woman by the Cardassians. Meru had even willingly been the lover of Kira's arch enemy Gul Dukat, who treated her with kindness. Learning that fact now as an adult, Kira became resentful toward her mother. Calling herself "Luma Rahl", she joined the resistance cell on the station and planted a bomb in the quarters shared by Dukat, in the hope of killing him, then setting Meru free. At the last minute she changed her mind and urged Dukat, as well as Meru, to leave the room. In the end, Kira realized that although her mother enjoyed Dukat's love and attention, everything she did kept the rest of her family together, and safe from the Cardassian soldiers.

Major Kira had a relationship with Vedek Bareil Antos until his death in a shuttle accident. She later had a brief romantic liaison with her former cell commander, later first minister of Bajor, Shakaar Edon. During this time, she also agreed to carry, then give birth to the baby of Miles and Keiko O'Brien, when Keiko was wounded and nearly miscarried during an away mission (actress Nana Visitor was pregnant in real life). Doctor Bashir monitored her condition closely, as well as that of the baby. Bashir had concerns over the baby's gestation, because of the differences between human and Bajoran physiology. She gave birth to the O'Briens' son Kirayoshi in 2373. After she and Shakaar broke up, she started a relationship with Odo during the Dominion War.

She was eventually promoted to Colonel in 2374 during Captain Sisko's personal leave. Later that year she also received a Starfleet field commission as Commander in order to assist the Cardassian Resistance. She was instrumental in ending the Dominion War, and later took command of DS9 after the disappearance of Sisko at the war's conclusion.

Kira Nerys also existed in the mirror universe first discovered by James T. Kirk in the classic episode "Mirror, Mirror." In the DS9 episode "Crossover," Kira encountered her mirror self, who is Intendant of Terok Nor, with Garak as her first officer. The bisexual mirror-Kira fell in love with the "real" Kira, and counted the mirror universe versions of Benjamin Sisko and Ezri Dax among her lovers.

Trivia

• When DS9 was first conceived, " The Next Generation" character Ensign Ro Laren was to have played a major role in the new series. "Major Kira" was created when actress Michelle Forbes declined the offer to appear in the new series.

• Nana Visitor and Alexander Siddig (Dr. Bashir) were married during the series's run. Nana's pregnancy with their child, Django, was written into the story when Kira accepted the O'Briens' unborn child into her womb after an accident aboard a runabout. The actors have since divorced.

• In the non-canon Deep Space Nine relaunch, Colonel Kira remains in command of the station following Captain Benjamin Sisko's disappearance. Commander Elias Vaughn arrives to replace her as first officer and commander of the USS Defiant. She plays a key role in the events leading to Sisko's return from the Celestial Temple. Following Bajor's integration into the Federation, Starfleet absorbs the Bajoran Militia; Kira receives the Starfleet rank of captain.

External links

• Star Trek.com: Kira Nerys

Fictional colonels | Fictional commanders | Fictional heroines | Fictional warriors | Fictional majors | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters | Time travelers in Star Trek

Kira Nerys | Kira Nerys