Star Trek Officially Introduces Quark's Replacement

Star Trek has officially introduced a replacement for Ferengi bar owner Quark, a role played by Armin Shimmerman in Deep Space Nine. Quark—who defined the show’s early era as one of the first recurring non-Starfleet characters—was known for holding a “gray morality” alongside moments of compassion. Shimmerman previously appeared as other Ferengi in The Next Generation, where the franchise initially tried to use the Ferengi as new “bad guys” after the Klingons became Federation allies. Audience response was lukewarm, and by the time Deep Space Nine launched in 1993, the Ferengi had earned a more established place as Quark’s story unfolded through seven seasons. The replacement arrives as something unexpected: not even Ferengi.