Why Weyoun Might Actually Be Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Best Villain

[@admanios]

One of the underrated moments of Weyoun's character is when he interacts with Jake Sisko in "A Time to Stand". Weyoun is courteous, but firm, almost pitying Jake for his naïveté about "Freedom of the Press". He isn't spiteful or cold. He pretty much gaslights Jake into apologizing to him. It's a masterful bit of Vorta diplomacy that I think only Jeffrey Combs could pull off.

[@NaanProphet]

This is one of my all time favorite Weyoun moments and I thought for sure Steve would bring it up. I also enjoy that his Jem'Hadar guards go immediately into kill mode by Jake's intrusion and Weyoun so casually dismisses any action like it happens all the time

[@betterday2570]

I just now commented that I have used the. I never dreamed of asking you. As weyoun in my professional life

[@pauljohnson271]

I remember that! Never forgot it. What a bastard he was, yet reverent and deferential to Odo. Glorious.

[@markh995]

"Jake, please tell me you're not that naive."

[@kazemizu]

So, how did he describe the occupying force??

[@samrizzardi2213]

She may not be the best villain, but the female changeling is definitely one of the scariest just because of how utterly callous she is.

[@DrTssha]

How quickly she resorts to "kill them all, I don't want to deal with it!", it's just...she's so above it all, and she knows it. Every moment she has to spend among the solids is a moment she doesn't spend in the great link, and she bears it with equanimity and grace...and a callous indifference to the suffering and deaths of others. Truly chilling.

[@woogha]

@@jasonjones7461 Odo was the first of the changelings to return home. They took his chosen form.

[@tenkenroo]

The funny thing was she was the reason the dominion failed as soon as she put more control over the planning and everything. Weyoun was an extremely competent diplomat and strategist who was winning the war in spite of the lack of reinforcements from the wormhole. The female changling is so blatantly evil she is incompetent

[@LuisVillanuevaCubero]

“Cardassian survivors? There were no Cardassian survivors. They’re dead, you’re dead, Cardassia… is dead. Your people were doomed the moment they attacked us. I believe this answers your question.”

[@travismcgreat3823]

They founders are changeling supremacists and have zero qualms about outright genocide. They're too realistic.

[@demonicusa.k.a.theblindguy3929]

Damar's belly laugh after Worf kills Weyoun 7 is a gem That never fails to give me as big a laugh.

[@jasonbourneistreadstone]

"Well, Heelloooo!"

[@Anon451ymous]

"Maybe you should go ask Worf again." We don't get alot of LOL moments in the Trekisphere but this was one.

[@matthewdunham1689]

You should have killed me. There is only one Damar ❤.

[@FTZPLTC]

I'm a huge fan of Weyoun. I just love how gosh-darned disappointed he is that you don't want to be subjugated by his gods' empire.

[@tarazieminek1947]

He's like a missionary for the founders

[@sarahscott5305]

Did anyone else notice a parallel between Weyoun-7 rationalising that it's OK to send a ship to blow up Odo because "he doesn't think of himself as a Founder" etc. and Winn Adami, seeking power, rationalising "the Prophets didn't help Bajor during the Occupation, so it's OK for me to betray them?" Or am I reading too much into that?

[@BirthquakeRecords]

Maybe it’s because the writers knew that people who are capable of twisting and betraying *their own* most firmly-held beliefs are the most morally repugnant people of all. Seeing someone be a douchebag is one thing, but seeing someone be a douchebag *against their own moral code which they’re usually preaching obnoxiously to anyone in earshot*? That’s just completely despicable. Come to think of it, Dukat shares some of those qualities too. They’re all awful hypocrites! Damn, DS9 is so good.

[@eparigon]

“we are nothing alike….. nothing at all.”

[@Kairamek]

NOW I have. I couldn't say it was an intention parallel but it sure is there!

[@lostbutfreesoul]

That scene bothered a little, not a lot because the established 'bad brains' are a thing in clones. Possibly they sour more and more as they go down the chain, or something like that? The reason it annoyed me was - boarding actions still exist, they could have tractored and captured. Drop their shields with low level shots and make another 'teleporter accident' happen.... So many other options then betraying the one element that shouldn't even be possible to betray!

[@puddingpops1000]

Not at all. DS9 is full of parallel story telling

[@tedpair8219]

One scene I kind of liked was that one time Weyoun thought Jake and Nog were up to some kind of plot against him. He brings them in to question them, Jake tells the truth but Weyoun doesn't believe it. So then Jake tells him an over the top lie of the sort that wouldn't be too far out of place in an actual episode. "I believe you," Weyoun said. "That is, your first story." And he returns the card, sends the boys off. It shows he's a villain, but a smart one.

[@pauljackson3491]

That's one of my favorite episodes. Especially because everyone wins, good and bad. Well except for Leeta who lost Bashir's bear.

[@OzPiggy87]

@@pauljackson3491 "What's a Kukulaka?" LMAO

[@segevstormlord3713]

It's a good illustration of Weyoun's unique characteristics as a villain. He truly isn't in this for his ego. Insult the Founders, and he'll burn your world to ash in his personal fury. (Well, he'll want to.) But he truly has no ambition of his own other than to please the Founders. And to live; he really does like being alive, and he's not above the pleasures of life. But those _are_ secondary to pleasing the Founders. So, when Jake and Nog are proven to be doing nothing against him or the Founders or the Dominion, he holds no grudge. Also, I think, to some extent, Weyoun genuinely liked Jake.

[@SaulofTarsis]

and the fact that Vorta are designed to be brilliant at spotting lies for diplomacy., so, of course he tells the difference instantly when Jake tells truth then tries a lie instead.

[@nolagale]

Weyoun: "All this talk of gods strikes me as superstitious nonsense." Damar: "You believe the Founders are gods, don't you?" Weyoun: "That's different." Damar: "Ha! In what way?" Weyoun: "The Founders *are* gods." Damar: "..........."

[@wsconsn]

It’s like talking to a Christian about Greek Mythology.

[@TheJamiesg]

Not to be a founder apologist but to the vorta the founders are for all intents and purposes gods are they not? They took a monkey equivalent out of the trees and engineered them into what we see in the series. Their lives, civilization, and social order is something literally given to them by the founders. Or do god have to fit the monotheistic traditional framing as omnipotent or omniscient beings which created the entire universe?

[@johnpotts8308]

@@TheJamiesg As Sisko puts it, "You only worship them because that's what they made you to do" "Of course they did - that's what Gods DO!" (He does have a point)

[@literatiglee]

@@TheJamiesg Interesting question. I don't think they do, but that conversation is lols. Weyoun points out that the Bajoran gods are nothing more than superstition and immediately comes back to Damar's skepticism by doubling down on his own obstinacy.

[@oliverhug3]

@@wsconsn lmao

[@Clone683]

Weyoun literally asks for Odos blessing while dying in his arms. Even after basically being cast off by the Dominion, he is still loyal to the founders.

[@eparigon]

its heartbreaking

[@jawstrock2215]

I liked that he asked Odo to do(or be present) for his debreafing, to make it much easier for him to basically betray the dominion. It fit so much. without Odo, he would revert to his manipulating(maybe less then others) but half truth and what not, with Odo, he would feel compelled to tell all as it is.

[@woogha]

That moment was what solidified Weyoun as the wife's favorite character.

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

The face he makes at his death, which Odo reminisces about later, is really so fantastically acted by Combes, he looks so happy to be blessed and peaceful and content. Its all the best sort of tragedy, you completely feel for this Weyoun.

[@seventhcyborg]

"My country, right or wrong - But when wrong, to be set right."

[@barricade643customs]

When Weyoun drinks the poisoned Kanar in the episode Ties of blood and water and says “oh that really is quite toxic isn’t it”, the look on Gul Dukat’s face just cracked me up and is priceless. Weyoun then says “Vorta are immune to most poison’s”.

[@TheBoriskuehn]

I'm gonna resurrect an ancient thread just to post that that exact scene is one of my favorite ds9 moments!

[@CeartGoLeor86]

That was a great scene and I'm glad someone had mentioned it. And it's not just an entertaining quippy moment. Weyoun expertly uses his "party trick" to deescalate the confrontation that seems to be on the verge of boiling over between Sisko and Dukat.

[@DKNguyen3.1415]

Still tastes gross though.

[@stevenjlovelace]

One of the more interesting scenes of DS9 is when we find out that Weyoun (and other Vorta) can't appreciate art. I think that's a good metaphor about how slavish devotion to authority destroys your individuality and creativity.

[@ethinos2719]

I always felt like the Vorta were genetically modified to not have any interest in material possessions and the like. You can't bribe, sway, distract, or tempt the Vorta with things like money or art or small Ferengi moons. That makes them both devoted as you mentioned and completely, utterly loyal. It's both ingenious and terrifying.

[@laurakb196]

And that he can’t really taste anything but whatever berries the Vorta’s ancestors ate.

[@DrTssha]

@@laurakb196 The Vorta really just exist to serve the Founders, don't they? Not to feel pleasure, not to build communities or raise the next generation, not to distinguish themselves in the eyes of their fellows...they just exist to serve their masters. That's kinda horrifying.

[@nomanor7987]

But most, if not all, art in human history was created by servitors to authority figures like kings, emperors and popes, and todays oligarchs. All religious art is by definition created by “slavish” devotees to gods, God and buddhas.

[@timt5381]

@@nomanor7987 really just a small part of art has been for authorities though, hasn't it? People have made a thousand doodles and daisy chains and collages for themselves for every painting of whichever holy figure or king. Of all the paintings that even survived most are not religious or of kings or generals, galleries in every city are full of them, and that's after the states and monarchies and religions had the means to preserve most of theirs, while everyday people had to let most of the art ever created go to rot. And very nearly all religious and authoritarian art is pretty terrible, it may be competent, but it's more propaganda than art! The communist brutalist stuff may be an exception, horrifying propaganda again, but it's quite creative. There's a LOT more music that's not religious or in service to authority.... Statues, though. I think authority does have an edge in statue numbers. Prob coz they're kinda expensive....

[@ghostpenguins3]

Jeffrey Combs really makes the difference here. Weyoun wouldn't have worked nearly as well without his amazing work. He's always a pleasure to watch.

[@SirMarshalHaig]

I´d love to see him and Ed Wasser in the same room talking one day.

[@thefollowingisatest4579]

Another reason Weyoun is such a stand out villain is we see little reflections of the Dominion and the tyranny of the founders through him, even the tyranny over their own subjects. The scene where he regards Ze'al's art and tries to, through sheer force of will, gain an understanding of aesthetics is actually a little tragic. It is a window into how unless something servers the founders, they considered it not only unimportant but a distraction, and will use a combination of indoctrination and genetic tampering to prevent their followers from accessing it. The Jem'hadar and Vorta are terrible tools of the fascist Changelings, but they are tools nonetheless, with little agency in what they ever could have done. They are victims of the founders as well, who have been forged into oppressors. Like when Sisko asked Remata'klan "Do you really want to give up your life for the 'order of things'?" "It is not my life to give up, Captain - and it never was."

[@laurakb196]

Great comment. Sisko develops respect for the Jem’Hardar because despite their entire being genetically manipulated for the Founders they have a sense of honor, something Weyoun does not have at all.

[@anselmvondahl2881]

There was one line from that scene that I always felt added real depth to Weyoun's character: "Gods don't make mistakes... though, I think it would be nice to be able to carry a tune."

[@andrewdevita629]

It is the Order of Things.

[@hank_says_things]

Weyoun is the GOAT. The smarm. The absolute devotion to the Goo Nazis. The barely-concealed contempt for everyone *but* Goo Nazis. Every Weyoun episode - every line - is to be treasured.

[@silentotto5099]

Sounds like Trump and Putin...

[@lostbutfreesoul]

@@silentotto5099 , If that is the extent of your real-world knowledge, that so many other people who fit the model better do not come to mind, shows why I hold such regrets for today's educational systems.... Weyoun was at least competent.

[@kdandsheela]

Smarmy is the perfect adjective for Weyoun 😂

[@helenwheels3270]

@@lostbutfreesoul see my other comment. I liken Weyoun to a Soviet political commissar in WW2.

[@hank_says_things]

@@silentotto5099 except Weyoun is *fictional* which means it’s okay to appreciate these qualities, because they’re also *fictional* - as are Goo Nazis and all the people they hurt and what’s your point anyway

[@InfernalRamblings]

One of the moments that really captures Weyoun's two-faced villainy is when he confronts Sisko about deploying a minefield at the entrance to the wormhole. He starts with threats and indignance, trying to intimidate Sisko. But when he realizes that Sisko isn't going to back down, he immediately changes tack, spinning a yarn about how the Dominion is "peaceful" and just trying to help Cardassia rebuild. Sisko plays along in the moment and of course, doesn't buy anything Weyoun says, but it's a great little moment that shows exactly how Weyoun operates.

[@thecynicaloptimist1884]

Weyoun even tries to use "starving children" to manipulate Sisko.

[@JK-Visions]

He is very scary actually.

[@albizu75]

Jeffrey Combs is a real treasure. I hope he will be in future Star Trek projects. Great video!

[@drewhubbard4459]

He was just in an episode of Star Trek Lower decks.

[@albizu75]

@@CarolineIronwill I'm not. I'll check him out.

[@johnchedsey1306]

his recent voice role in Lower Decks is a thing of beauty. I hope Strange New Worlds can at least get him a guest part of some sort. He's just too much of a treasure to not use at least once more.

[@sarahkinsey5434]

I was so excited to see him in an episode of Criminal Minds as the bad guy, but in that episode the case was the b story line. The episode was focused on Garcia and her past. Such a waste of his talent

[@williamsteveling8321]

Don't forget about his role as The Question in the old Justice League cartoons. As far as I'm concerned, he's in the top 20 voice actors of the last 30 years

[@nyuzotturunk]

Honestly, I think Weyoun Six is more consistent with the other Weyouns, than Weyoun Seven. Treachery, Faith and the Great River is one of my favorite episodes of DS9 (and of all ST), I saw it countless times, and I came to the realisation that W6 is a perfectly good clone, and W7 is the faulty one. After his activation, W6 learns about the diseas of the Great Link. He realize that all changeling will die expect Odo. If he wanna serve his gods in the long run, he has to serve Odo. And if he wanna serve Odo, he has to except Odo's viewpoint about the war, the Dominion, the universe and everything. So he does. But he is still that manipulative, two-tongued Weyoun we all love. I think all other Weyoun could do the same thing in his place. (Well, maybe not Weyoun Four, but he was really only a proto-Weyoun, as a character). On the other hand, W7 does something in the episode, what no other Weyoun would do: he try to get Odo murdered, and than he lying about it to the Female Founder. I think he is the Weyoun, who exceeds the literal interpretation of "serving the Dominion". W6 disobeying the Founders, but he obeying Odo; he chosses the god who will live over the gods who will die. Yes, at the and he disobeying Odo too, but only to save him from death. But W7 disobeying the Founders AND disobeying Odo. He willing to sacrifice Odo for the good of the Dominion - despite the clear intent of the real rulers of the Dominion. And when he lieing to the Founder, he does it to save himself only - not her, or the Founders, or the Dominion. This is why I think W7 was a faulty clone, and this is why I can genuinely like Weyoun Five and Eight (and off course Six), but I can't like Seven. They are bad guys, but they competly and perfectly loyal to their gods, and they sincerely believes that what they do is good (or at least necessary), because their gods told them so. They are predetermined to think that way; from this viewpoint, they are one of the Dominion's victims. But not W7: he somehow can put his own interest before the honesty with a Founder. And when you lost that complet loyalty, there is nothing left, just that dispicable, "very killable" bad guy.

[@winespringinc.9447]

I agree on your point about Weyoun 7. Especially his shift in the interaction with Damar after the alliance with the Breen. He is openly cruel towards him and does a good job of alienate him, something the pervious Weyouns would have been cautious of. On the other hand its quite hillarious how he seems to enjoy every time the Breen says anything and for all we know they could have just said "I hate your eyes!"

[@robinsnestart]

definitely agreed. it seems like weyoun 6 was actually uniquely gifted in that he was able to consider things in the long term rather than just the short term. with odo and the survivial and the founders of course, but also more broadly. war may be good for short term gains of the people in power but is terrible for the long term health of a society, and weyoun 6 realized this.

[@CESmith]

Makes sense to me that 7 needed to be different. The founders realized that the genetic recipe wouldn't work with the knowledge that they were dying. All Wayuon, if they stuck with their original recipe, would put Odo above the rest of the founders. So, they had to tweak the recipe. They just didn't get it right the first time.

[@serge00storms]

"Have they agreed to cooperate" "No…Maybe you should talk to Worf again" shows how Damar really can't stand Weyoun

[@kingbeauregard]

Damar is, hands down, the funniest Cardassian. He cracks three pretty good lines in quick succession when the new Weyoun enters the room. (I shall count them: "well hellloooooo", "oh you misjudge me, I miss him deeply" and "maybe you should talk to Worf again".)

[@mjjoe76]

The best part of that line is the delivery. Damar laughs as he says it. Besides being a very funny joke, it further drives home the hatred you mentioned; the idea of Weyoun dying again fills Damar with glee.

[@DrTssha]

And in the Resistance's first strike against the Dominion, they take out a seemingly random cloning facility that *just so happens* to be the place where the data/material needed to make Weyoun clones is stored. When Weyoun says "I'm the last of the Weyouns", you can see the horror on his face...along with the realization that Dumar hates him enough to doom him to never be cloned again. He REALLY hates Weyoun! 😆

[@Nimmo1492]

The interplay and barely concealed mutual hatred between Weyoun and Damar is simply glorious.

[@kvoltti]

Weyoun is a great villain because he knows exactly what his power is and because he doesn’t want more he can wield it like a knife. He never makes threats he can’t follow up. There’s no bluster of bluffing. And there never feels like there is any malice in his actions.

[@TheHopperUK]

This is what I love too! The only time you really see him mean is with Damar whom he just can't stand. He isn't malicious. If the Founders said 'okay call off the war we love solids now' he'd throw himself behind that completely. He's amoral in the truest sense-- incapable of being any other way. The Vorta in general are so tragic to me and the Founders treat them like disposable tools.

[@MB-sq7yn]

If it helps any I think your version of the Female Changelings line is much better, as while "That was the last clone of Weyoun" gives the original some status of importance, "That was my last Weyoun" would have really nailed in how the thrall races of the Founders were seen as mere tools rather than actual people that ever really mattered.

[@edinscot56789]

He was the quietest voice, yet he commanded the biggest stick. I mean the fact that the Female Founder trusted him implicitly meant he had the whole Dominion military at his beck-and-call.

[@krisaaron5771]

Or he was slick enough to convince everyone he had the whole Dominion military at his beck-and-call. Of such skills are legends made...

[@arnezbridges93]

Will the founder ALSO knew when NOT to trust him as well which is when you can trust someone like that.

[@TheAnalyticalEngine]

As the length of any Star Trek series increases, the likelihood of Jeffrey Combs appearing approaches one I'm okay with this

[@mikeschultz5551]

They don't even cast him anymore he just shows up on set and Make-up gets to work. He's so good no one notices the random character who doesn't have any lines in the script.

[@ericmartin9412]

@@mikeschultz5551 I like to think he was in full Shran Makeup for his lower decks voice work.

[@wildsmiley]

I keep waiting for him to pop up on Discovery or Picard.

[@frankfoster6088]

Yeah I'm shoked he hasn't been on discovery yet.

[@andrewbullock4665]

Weyoun, "the lickiest bootlicker who ever licked a boot." Well said, my friend. He is one of my favorite characters in all of Star Trek, second only to Garak. Despite all of this, one of my favorite things about him was the multitude of ways he dies, Vaporized by his Jem-Hadar First with a Federation Phaser Rifle, a "totally random" transporter "accident" that conveniently missed Damar, Suicide implant, Worf, and Garak. Such an honor. Weyoun 5 plays Dabo and drinks poison, Weyoun 6 ate pizza with chopsticks, and Weyoun 7... Death by Worf! Yes he is the best villain DS9 has to offer. You say two-faced, I say dynamically complicated, either way Jeffrey Combs brought him to life and just made it work! Looking forward to Weyoun 9, lol.

[@SD-ud5rn]

I read that quote just as the guy in the video said it, most uncanny! :D

[@Peregrin3]

Jeffrey Combs is an amazing actor, he usually plays such despicable characters but he also plays my favorite character in ST Enterprise as Commander Shran, his rivalry with archer is hilarious.

[@DrTssha]

I love how he delivers the phrase "pink skin", and how it changes throughout the series. At first there's condescension, then there's grudging respect, or sometimes annoyance...and then there's a sort of camaraderie, like it's turned into an affectionate barb, only deployed as a sign of admiration and support. It's funny, how an actor's delivery can mark the progress of another, different actor's character's story arc.

[@willvgo2950]

Tell Archer we're not even anymore, he owes me.

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

Thought the Re Animator movie series with his performances were pretty good.

[@russc788]

Oh I didn’t know he did both…. Cool

[@justinaclayburn2248]

One of my favorite Weyoun lines is when he’s looking at a painting that Dukat’s daughter made (if I remember correctly) and asks him if it would be more aesthetically pleasing in blue.

[@alexkaen1701]

The scene with Odo asking Weyoun to reinstate Bajoran Security is even more perfect, because after he gives in to the request Weyoun has one of his own, that Odo join the meetings to run DS9. This brings Odo into the muddy waters of politics, where Weyoun can manipulate even the Founder he claims to worship.

[@Stardust_7273]

I choked on my juice with laughter when you said, "He's just so killable". Because that is so very true, and the way you said it is hilarious. No wonder they're already on #5 and by the end of the series, they run out of Weyouns lmao.

[@DrTssha]

I also love the additional "Fuck you" delivered by Dumar who, in the first coordinated strike of the Cardassian Resistance against the Dominion, strikes a cloning facility that contains the data/material necessary to clone Weyoun specifically. The look on Weyoun's face when he says "I'm the last of the Weyouns" is priceless, a look I'm sure Dumar wishes he'd been able to see (along with Weyoun's death, but he died before Weyoun), but nonetheless probably took great pleasure in. ...anyway, care for a cup of cinnamon tea? I'm thirsty all of a sudden...

[@hankrearden20]

Hello there! Maybe you should talk to Worf again.

[@Stardust_7273]

@@DrTssha Poor, poor Dumar. He really should have been able to kill the last Weyoun himself. And yes, I'll take some cinnamon tea 😉🍵 thanks

[@Stardust_7273]

@@hankrearden20 LOL yeah, Worf could have killed himself another Weyoun if Garack didn't finish off the last one.

[@sarahscott5305]

"What's in this, cinnamon?" Uh oh... I've always been really fascinated by the Jem'Hadar for lots of reasons. They're slaves that have been so thoroughly subjugated that they make their bondage, not only a matter of honour, but a full blown religion. They have *ONE* chance to seize freedom (To The Death) and they fail. It takes more than a year (Rocks And Shoals) for Sisko to start to see them as another victim of the Dominon, and even a potential ally.

[@JessYoutubeAccount]

I haven't subscribed to someone in the first 55 seconds of a video in years, let alone after 1 video. What a compelling and thoughtful yet lighthearted script. Thank you for the video.

[@villelahde959]

"Dominion takes a dim view of terrorism" was perhaps the most chilling line written for Weyoun, it still gives me the creeps.

[@lifotheparty6195]

Considering that there isn’t much that the dominion DOESN’T take a dim view of, the implied perspective is ominous.

[@falkenvir]

Dominion is an Authorotarian Imperialist regime, it comes with the package.

[@gronank]

I feel Steve does a dirty to middle managers here. Granted, they're rare, but the great middle managers are something to behold. Or rather, you hardly notice them because they shield the underlings from upper management's yearning for relevance and just gets everyone to get on with things.

[@Bluetree0502]

Thanks for this 👆. As a former middle manager-turned-Director it is indeed a tough task to protect your crew against corporate forces while still encouraging productivity. In my current role it is really hard to find these kinds of personalities, and we now refer to them as Facilitators or Project Leaders. Privately, I refer to them as the air traffic controllers of our industry.

[@FTZPLTC]

Kinda reminds me of what Terry Pratchett says about Sergeants in Monstrous Regiment. They're in a good position to mediate and filter, and can have a lot of power for the good if they play it right.

[@thegreenmanofnorwich]

Some of the other Vorta (maybe Kilana) come across as a bit better. I've had some decent middle managers, but they have been hit and miss

[@SalinaMoonfall]

Nothing more dangerous to productivity and morale than a member of upper management who consciously or subconsciously knows their position is redundant or irrelevant, and throws their weight around and makes noise in the desperate pursuit of trying to make themselves seem relevant and/or useful because their afraid their bosses higher up the chain will realize they're not worth the salary.

[@nfspbarrister5681]

Or just want to do their jobs and hoped they dont blow gasket

[@eberwald4438]

My favorite line of the entire series: Damar to Weyounn 8: "Maybe you should talk to Worf, again. *snicker*" 🤣😂🤣😂

[@oliverhug3]

Damar and Weyounn are like a married couple who hate each other but stuck together.🤣

[@d.lloydjenkinsjr]

Your from here but u are here. I couldn’t WAIT for you to say a term like FLUNKY definitely from this gen and area. Salute

[@CallumFinlayson]

A great ST villain can often be seen as an anti-Kirk, an anti-Picard, etc. Weyoun is, in many regards, an anti-Sisko. Of course, I'm writing this 1/10 of the way through the video, Steve might be about to spend the next 30 minutes saying this...

[@qgde3rty8uiojh90]

Steve, I haven't yet watched DS9's "Treachery, Faith And The Great River". Now I feel I have no choice but to watch it, since your rundown of the episode is just abso-f**k!ng-lutely FANTASTIC !!! Thanx for the tip.😉

[@kilimachevsk623]

The thing I like about Weyoun, is how much he clearly wants to better himself. He doesn't understand art, but he WANTS to understand it. He can't really taste new foods, but he still wants to experience them, going through the runabout's entire stock of dishes so he can at least learn their textures. They're small things, but they're there- and they're a bit tragic. It's a shame, that despite wanting to expand his boundaries, he's incapable of doing so due to the limitations the Founders put on him, and he completely refuses to recognize that an injustice was done to him. I also like to think that, for Weyoun 6... it's less that he found the violence and the war distasteful.... but more that he learned the Founders are dying. If they're dying, then that means the only one of his gods left, would be Odo. Which means, he HAS to serve Odo, in order for him to feel like he has a use. So he doesn't care about the war, actually, he's just saying what he knows Odo wants to hear. Or, he started from 'I need to do what Odo wants' and THEN decided the war was unjust. Which is why the changelings changed 2 things for Weyoun 7; first, they lowered his slavish devotion to Odo, which is why he's willing to kill him, using the justification that Odo doesn't technically consider himself a founder- and second, keeping him FIRMLY in the dark about the sickness that the Founders are suffering.

[@snowblood74]

I just love how you improvise the dialogues in these videos xD

[@OpinionsNoOneCaresAbout]

That and Dukat's straight up racism, like when he wondered why the Bajorans couldn't accept their inferiority and submit to Cardassian occupation...

[@laurakb196]

And build statues to him in gratitude on how benevolent he was to them when he could have killed millions more than he did.

[@nataschavisser573]

But Dukat did nothing wrong...

[@trunkage]

And the fact he cannot understand anything he does as racist

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

9:20 One of the things that I loved about this moment is that once Weyoun finishes his "The Dominion honors its treaties and as a *member of the Dominion* you and Cardasia will do the same" line, you can see the Jem'hedar shift in the background, clearly ready to take Dukat out if he tries anything. It really did help to cement who was *actually* in charge aboard that ship

[@JagoHazzard]

I think people defend Dukat because he's a compelling villain. That, and all those "villains who had a point" clickbait articles that act as if a villain having a positive/relatable/laudable aspect makes them the hero.

[@sarahkinsey5434]

Exactly, it’s ok because they had a bad childhood/something traumatized them to make them bad

[@Inscriptions37]

One of my favorite lines of dialogue in the whole series comes from Weyoun 6. Odo accuses him of "just being paranoid" in his assertions that Dominion leadership wants him dead, and he says, "Of course I'm being paranoid! Everyone's trying to kill me!"

[@JBX07]

I firmly believe that "Dukat did nothing wrong" posters exist ironically to annoy Steve and people who share his proclivities. Also acting is fun and it's fun to roleplay a horrendous person.

[@acerumble]

As a role-playing game GM, can confirm wholeheartedly

[@sarahkinsey5434]

@@TheAnimeAlliance right, the writer has to be able to get what is in their head on paper well enough so others can perform as close to their vision as possible. But then the actor reads it from a different point of vie and add their own flavor, and then the directors and others give their input as well. It really is a blending to get what we eventually see on screen. With something like Star Trek, the writers look at the performance to influence what they write, Weyoun and Garak being the perfect examples. They were both supposed to be one off characters but they were so good they just HAD to come back

[@deadeyecpt.7765]

I agree, they're most likely ironic comments. In the remote chance they are serious, I see it as proof of how good both the writers and actors were in bringing to life these characters.

[@Pratalax]

"what's in this, cinnamon?" ahhhhhhh, man i love coming back to these vids xD

[@GamesNTech]

I love that the Jem'hadar ships don't have front monitors only the top ranking people can see what's going on because loyalty is so important. Its a nice piece of story telling and it probably saved on the budget too.

[@MattRumm]

I came here for inspiration in writing a D&D villain. But that random, tangential train of thought about editing made me subscribe.

[@grumpyveterannewsservice8605]

He is Jeffrey Freaking Combs, which gives him huge points.

[@gozerthegozarian9500]

Everything is better with Jeffrey Combs. That's just a fact.

[@DLZ2000]

Thanks for the shoutout. I actually found out from my brother. And you pronounced my last name correctly! I've been watching and sharing the videos for a while, but finally started contributing. Eric

[@atalcot1]

Jeffery Combs did such a great job on DS9 and Enterprise. Every character he played was unique and layered, I really hope he gets a guest role in Strange New Worlds (maybe a really old Admiral Shran).

[@tails0420ify]

Pffft! Mr. Combs deserves his own series. Captain Combs has a nice ring to it. Don't you think?

[@hanley13]

Dude, once again you knock it out of the park! I love this video, very witty. Keep up the great work

[@greglong7170]

If they had added Jeffery Combs' Andorian to the regular cast as a part of the crew somehow, I don't think Enterprise would have been canceled when it was. I know there were plans in future seasons but if they had moved that up it would have helped immensely.

[@Crusader3010]

Youre character interactions and dialog are cannon to me. No exceptions.

[@cath1589]

I always found Weyoun to be such a lovable villain, one who makes you think there's something truly good and sincere deep down fighting to get out from under his genetically engineered traits, even if it wasn't true. He wanted to understand art, he loved a party, he was curious about everything and seemed to genuinely enjoy people. There seemed to be something actually innocent and confused about him at times. (too much messing with his genetics I guess). Weyoun 6 was a good guy. All the Weyouns seemed to truly love (as well as defer to) the founders, But Dukat...I hated him. He did everything for his own personal glory. Jeffrey Combs portrayal of Weyoun was a thing of beauty, deft and artful, and a delight to watch and listen to.

[@hodgeelmwood8677]

Oh he was! I haven't even started the video and I know he was. He made my skin crawl. Kudos to the actor, he was brilliant!

[@dsillsevans]

“On Star Trek they do Star Trek shit” needs to be converted into merch immediately.

[@calichahta]

"I LIVE to serve the Founders!" That's some hilarious commentary, thanks for the laughter this morning!

[@redhandsoftheviii588]

I wanna say thank you Steve, I absolutely love your Star Trek videos. I work for the nhs in the uk, your in-depth reviews got me though a lot of hard times with the covids. Thank you again and I still wanna say “shut up wesley”

[@Jehayland]

omg, I was chuckling throughout and had two belly laughs from this one. Well done.

[@MrAtncc1701]

Thanks, Steve. I love these videos and appreciate your insight and humor. Nice way to start the day.

[@stevengeorges9046]

The Ensign's Log podcase. I was all set to subscribe to it. No Apple Podcast?!?!?

[@marckrieger3277]

Weyoun is one of the best villians of all star trek and combs best role, at least for me. Unlike Dukat he does not enjoy beeing cruel, he just want to do his job as best as he can. And like Steve said he did everything with a smile. If he is not flat out ordered to force his will (more the will of the founders) on others he allways try to do diplomacy.

[@Redwizard26]

I'm new to the channel, this video was on my homescreen. But the Jokes in the first 2 minutes made me subscribe. And then you continued throughout. Keep at it you wonderful lunatic.

[@pyrolick2]

I just finished my first watch of DS9 a few months ago and Weyoun was always my favorite villain. The Jeffrey Combs was perfect.

[@lenchpwner]

I just watched the episode where Odo meets Weyoun and your re-enactment was so funny!

[@blockmasterscott]

"Time to pack!" Weyoun's greatest line.

[@coreyhonkonen7670]

Dumarburg?! I UNDERSTOOD THAT REFERENCE

[@jpaw1965]

I’ve always taken exception with the term “female changeling.” It reminds me of “lady doctor.” As if we know they’re all supposed to be guys, so when there’s a girl one, that’s how we’ll identify her. She’s actually the leader of the changelings, but we’ll just call her “female.”

[@JDoors]

🤔

[@charlesatanasio1622]

Or you could take the double title of the "Lady Doctor" as a compliment and get over yourself...

[@bethy4212]

She didn't have a name. That's the only way to differentiate her from the others, really.

[@LegacyArkGames]

What were they supposed to do? She didn't give them her name, if she even had one; she was technically just part of a collective consciousness which had separated from the whole ("the ocean becomes the drop"). She never identified herself as the leader of the Changelings, she was just representing the Great Link during their efforts in the Alpha Quadrant. The only thing which distinguished her was the fact that she's the only Changeling we see who assumes a female identity. It sets her apart.

[@WastePlace]

I just thought it was a way of identifying her from the other changelings we’ve seen. I’ve never heard a name given for her so idk what else people would call her, I don’t think it’s as deep as you make it out to be

[@crystalheart9]

Thanks for explaining this stuff about Weyoun and the Jem'Hadar etc. I have a heck of a time following all this. I enjoyed the video and learned a lot I didn't know about the story lines on this show. Great job on the video.

[@Bluetree0502]

Treachery Faith and the Great River is one of my all time favorite Trek episodes.

[@duncansouthern2255]

Love your channel Steve. Keep up the good work!

[@ringo8410]

The fact that Weyoun is a killable lickspittle makes him more dangerous, because his enemies will underestimate him and assume that he's just a sniveling toady. Then they find themselves outmatched when he makes a bad deal with them or stabs them in the back. He's a brilliant villain; better than Dukat.

[@hairyteddy2]

Jeffery Combes is a great actor. His portrayal of Weyoun makes him so unlikable, but so lovable at the same time. I have to agree with you Steve, that Deep Space 9 was the best Star Trek series ever. The way the main characters develop as the series progressed really made it stand out, especially when compared to Voyager.

[@agent_meister477]

I cannot articulate how much I love Jeffrey Combs in this role. He'd make a great Bond Villain.

[@seandowning4944]

Great video Steve! I personally view Weyoun much like you said as a "Company Man", however I don't consider him as big as villain as others because just following orders does not qualify for a personal drive to do evil or villain arc. What is true is that Weyoun is the perfect conniving sycophant. He's doing what he is ordered to do by his deity which he was genetically engineered to not question. Jeffery Combs did such a terrific job acting. From a Hollywood standard people are conditioned to think that psychopaths make the best villains a simple black and white demonstration of no thinking involved. Real villains are more complex and have many shades of grey. To be fair the writers delivered that fan expectation with Gul Dukat and in many ways over delivered with how easy it was to make their point with such a ruthless, self narcissistic, and self diluted individual. Dukat clearly drank his own kool aid and constantly hammed it up and reminded people of just that. However by all merits of writing what a true villain is that title would belong to Kai Winn. The reason is she has strong convictions that she changed for what she selfishly began viewing as the greater good. You have to compare these to understand what makes the Core of a villain. Winn was much more interested in gathering power than serving the Prophets, who were at the center of Bajoran faith. To a villain they must view their deeds as the greater good for personal drive. She went as far as to justifying making a deal with the devilish Pah Wraiths. Following orders is not on the level. Where the true Saint to be objectively fair was actually the Weyoun who realized that Peace and Cooperation was in the best interests of everyone. The ingenious writers paradoxically wrote DS9 to appeal to a wider base with Dukat because he's easy to follow and a likeable heel because he's blatantly evil. He's not trying to hide it at all like the real villains pulling strings do. Interestingly enough Major Kira plays a pivotal roll for the villains that is central for them to revolve around. Kai Winn however is the arc of a true villain. A villain turned to the good side or former villain, is usually the end result of a villain exposed to a Purely Good hero, a Messiah, a Hope Bringer, and occasionally a Charismatic Hero. This is reflected in her helping Sisko the Prophet when she dies. Although not as flashy her character arc deserves recognition because if we were simply telling the story of DS9 from Bajor we can imagine that the good guys are actually not portrayed as the Federation or Dominion but the Bajorians and that Kai Winn would do anything to deliver actionable results for what she believed was right. Even if it meant corrupting herself for power and that is the mark of a true villain.

[@rnhtube]

I always imagined Weyoun, Dukat, and Damar as the mad scientists from Mystery Science Theater 3000. Every episode in the last three seasons or so cuts back to them + the changeling commenting on the episode at hand every other commercial break. Weyoun and Damar were especially humorous.

[@cmataira]

Deep space nine certainly has many levels, many dimensions, it’s more complex that the others. Appreciated.

[@jaksida300]

Who could forget the real villain of DS9, the person who threw a Klingon Dictionary at a random writer and asked them to translate all the Klingon lines.

[@joeyrsl]

When Worf twists Weyoun's head to break his neck, and then the next clone shows up and Damar starts laughing: "Maybe you should talk to Worf again." Dude. That is one of the funniest moments in all of Star Trek to me.

[@nickjeffery536]

Back when my mother was still with me, she always shuddered whenever she saw Jeffrey Combs in any tole, because she had found Weyoun so much of a creep - he did such a great job of selling that character that Mum's feelings about Weyoun carried over to other shows and films!

[@segevstormlord3713]

One thing I like about the interactions between Weyoun and the female Founder is that, even when she is short with him, the female Founder never questions Weyoun's loyalty. When he does question her - couching it in apologies and assurances that he is only asking to bask in her wisdom, etc. etc. - if she has the time, she generally doesn't mind answering and explaining herself to him. To a degree, the Founders are similarly patient with solids they deign to interact with at all. After all, if they're interacting with a solid, there's no reason to make it more contentious than it needs to be. But the Founders aren't needlessly, pointlessly paranoid around the Vorta. Weyoun is what they made him to be, and they know it and trust their own work. And Weyoun is happy to live up to those expectations. The turn-around of "shut up, Dukat, Odo says he wants this" is spectacular writing and acting, too.

[@tails0420ify]

Well yeah Weyoun keeps coming back. I heard the guy knows how to "reanimator" his body.

[@azamtiger]

I think that line you were recalling by the Female Changeling about Weyoun is the following: "My loyal Weyoun. The only solid I have ever trusted." (episode: "What You Leave Behind")

[@nothingruler14All]

My husband and I used to cackle with glee and bounce up and down in our seats when Weyoun first appeared in an episode. He is definitely one of the greatest Star Trek characters of all time. Bonus: they did not overuse him.

[@Vitacus]

Lex Luthor - "Otisburg? .... OTISBURG?!"

[@ideasinthegord3915]

A great addition/celebration of Weyoun Wednesday! I honestly found Weyoun to be really full of humor, even though it was mostly the dissonance between the situation and his reactions.

[@patriciabristow-johnson5951]

Lol it had never occurred to me that Damar may have been responsible for Weyoun 5's death. I should rewatch that episode with that in mind. Excellent video btw

[@YesILoveLegos]

Jeffrey Combs played his role well. I would have loved to have see an Deep Space 9 movie tho.

[@Chris-mj3ql]

Me too!

[@chrisborland6787]

I was totally thinking 'middle manager' as he was describing the character!! :D

[@JRMcCarroll]

One of my favorite small Weyoun moments is the bit where Jake is trying to get him to transmit his news articles to Starfleet while the Dominion has control of the station.

[@RHETT2K]

Dude. Rare form in this one! Kudos!

[@RobbieDBobbet]

"James Kirk was a great man, he went on to captain the Enterprise... But that was another life, a life I will deprive you of... Like i did you're father... YES JT... it was ME all along... My ship... it can hop through time... bet you hadn't figured THAT little nugget of information out yet had you... For you its been decades... but for me... its been roughly the length of like... i don't know... If this conflict was a movie... I Feel like they would open with that shot but then in the closing moments of the third act probably get me to do a callback just in case people had forgotten how the film ... JT... You've gone limp... Why are you rolling you're eyes at me? This is just like the Romulan mining facilities in house therapist once used to say... actually... funny story.. this ship... was a state of the art mining ship for its time... Too bad your times running out... just like your father did... Okay so technically he died and didn't walk out... but you're still the child of a single mother and i guess it kind of...well there IS a through line to my thoughts on that last one... Why do my hands hurt"?

[@TheSpaceDiddys]

I love that tiny Tom Servo in the background

[@isntyournamebacon]

To me one of the funniest moments in all of Star Trek was when Weyoun 8 is talking to Demar after Worf killed Weyoun 7 and Demar says something like "why dont you ask Worf?" Weyoun 8 just shoots him a LOOK! My last watching i had to pause to finish laughing.

[@bronzeageancientone4844]

Jeffrey Combs is a great actor. He killed it as Shran too.

[@dweller132]

A good example of Weyoun's two-face is in his first appearance, he mostly appears rather concerned about the rogue Jem'Hadar and deceitfully courteous when poking and prodding Sisko. Then he's like "The Dominion will survive long after the Federation has crumbled into dust" when Sisko insults the Dominion, and then brushes it off with a courteous quip. Simultaneously, he's concerned, courteous, and intimidating in that one scene.

[@kairon156]

I actually really enjoy your reenacting of star trek moments quite a bit. Makes me wonder if you tried narrating a book before.

[@christopherdavis3424]

When I was younger, I didn’t start watching DS9 on a weekly basis until I was in middle school and by then the Dominion War had ready pretty much started. So I always viewed Weyoun as THE villain of DS9 more than Dukat.

[@brianjoe5418]

Thanks Steve. I forgot how much I loved the Demar and Weyoun show!

[@tbgold07]

The turn from Dukat to Odo didn’t seem exaggerated from what I remember.

[@danielmcdonagh1693]

Weyoun is absolutely not one to be underestimated. The whole crux of the augment's plan to save the Federation was to surrender to the Dominion because they predicted a rebellion would start on Earth that would lead to an even stronger Federation forming in the aftermath. Couple of episodes later, Dukat and Weyoun are casually chatting over their plans for after defeating the Federation and Weyoun nonchalantly states that they'll have to destroy Earth just to make sure no rebellions come out of there. The show doesn't draw your attention to it, but it just shows how Weyoun thinks long term and outsmarts the genetically superior humans. Of course Vorta are genetically engineered themselves, so there's a nice symmetry even there.

[@fightermcwarrior7391]

Do you think one of the first orders of new Cardassia was to rename all bathrooms as Weyouns.

[@superzentredi]

That scene in Call to Arms where Weyoun and Sisko are bullshitting and placating each other knowing full well that the other was bullshitting and placating them is one of my favorite scenes in Star Trek history. The Dominion were never going to start that war, they however did everything they could to force the Federation to do something that would lead to it. The convoys to Cardassia were an obvious provocation and the Dominion knew it. The show was so well written, and has aged like fine wine.... or canar.