User Reviews

My main takeaway from this episode is that it is not a good idea to annoy the prophets as they have the ability to completely change your personality and make you do things you would not normally do.

I like the Ferengi episodes as a whole and the exploration of greed as being the primary motivator for a society. Open your eyes and really look around in western society --- we are not far off from the Ferengi and the gap is further apart then it was in the 90's.

I love the idea that the ultimate salvation for Zeke and Quart in this episode is a result of Quark annoying the Prophets to such a degree that they compromise on the condition the Ferengi never return to the celestial temple.

I am struggling to make a comment on the B-Plot with Bashir. He didn't end up winning a lifetime achievement award and he ended up feeling extremely bad about not winning despite spending the episode maintaining how it was extremely unlikely to win at his age? Am I missing something here? Was there more to this? I have nothing. Is it to establish that Bashir is a highly talented Doctor?

When the Grand Negus arrives Quark thinks the worst aspect of the visit is that he must give up his room for the Negus and stay with Rom. He soon discovers that something much worse is happening; the Negus has rewritten the Rules of Acquisition and Quark does not approve of the changes at all; they seem to turn Ferengi ideals on their head suggesting that profit isn't everything and even advocates charity. The Negus tells Quark that he is planning to give a gift the the Bajoran people but refuses to tell Quark what it is. Not taking no for an answer Quark goes onto the Negus's shuttle and discovers an Orb of the Prophets. This leads him to believe that they are the cause of the strange changes in the Negus's personality so he must find away for them to restore him before anybody else learns of the new rules and Ferengi society is ruined. In a secondary plot Julian is surprised to find himself nominated for a prestigious medical award, he gets somewhat fed up of everybody asking him which of the favourites he thinks will win... he is not one of the favourites.

While I think Quark is a great character the Ferengi led episodes tend to weaker and this one was no exception, the Negus was never a particularly good character. It didn't help that the secondary story wasn't too exciting either; this wasn't bad but it was not up to the standard Deep Space Nine usually reaches.

Don't remember this episode from when it originally aired -- or even from the *last* time I binge-watched the series. Even in terms of there being a lot of REALLY odd episodes as the series continues through its run.... The Grand Negus arrives on the station acting very peculiarly (bringing his attendant to tears at times) and Quark is convinced that something is VERY wrong with him. Turns out that Zek has had an interaction with one of the Bajoran Orbs -- and then Quark accidentally does as well! One thing I particularly noted -- when returning through the wormhole, Zek and Quark have something in front of and between them -- a cut off lit up semi-sphere which seems to look a LOT like the top of R2D2.... So, NOW wondering if this is a nod to _Star Wars_ and the concept of "May the Force be with you!"... (or is it just a case of me not having enough sleep the night before?) :-o Of course I'm also thinking (since this series took cues from the multi-season story arc concept of _Babylon 5_, which originally aired about the same time as this series) if it pre-figures Zek retiring as Grand Negus....

Quark is receiving Ooomoks from an attractive young alien woman, to whom he is selling a large amount of Self-Sealing Stembolts, when he is interrupted by Rom and— The Grand Nagus! (And Maihar'Du.)

The Grand Nagus is behaving oddly, acting uncharacteristically benevolent, and he was re-written the entire Ferengi Rules of Acquisition!

Meanwhile Dr Bashir is up for a medical life-achievement award, one which is normally endowed to a Federation Doctor at the end of a long career. Bashir, outwardly rejecting the possibility of getting this award, is secretly writing an acceptance speech!

Quark desperately tries to figure out why Grand Nagus Zek is acting like a "Hooman"— He even has Dr Bashir try to find out if he has some disease. But there is nothing physically wrong with Zek.

After Zek ruins Quark's chances with the young, wealthy alien girl, who Zek sold Stembolts to for Wholesale, Quark and Rom are highly motivated to find out why Zek is acting crazy— That's when they discover, that Zek had procured a Bajoran Orb and was going to GIVE it to The Bajorans. After accidentally opening the Orb, Quark realizes that the best people to talk to about Zek are the Prophets themselves.

So he brings Grand Nagus Zek to the Celestial Temple, where he convinces The prophets (Including one of them who has taken Maihar'Du's form and is actually SPEAKING) to return Zek to his normal, beloved, and Greedy state.

The Prophets argue among themselves about De-evolving Quark as well, who quickly promises that they will never meet any more Ferengi, but if they were to change him as well as Zek, many more Ferengi would pounce upon the Celestial Temple like a pack of... Ferengi.

And so they change Zek back to Zek and he tosses the "new" Rules of Acquisition "out the nearest Airlock." But not before Rom embezzles a lot of Latinum from "The Ferengi Benevolent Fund" which had Zek's personal fortune backing it up.

"If Never keep Profit, a good smile: Honesty!"

Meanwhile, Bashir watches the Award ceremony with the rest of the Ops crew: Fortunately for us, he does not win.

And so, just another day in the life of Deep Space Nine passes, a galactic threat is thwarted, and The Prophets (And The Ferengi) are left "In Piece, Er, Peace." Besides, can anyone imagine if Bashir HAD won that award? He would have been smug, snobbish and imperious for another year of DS9! Thank The Prophets for THAT.