They don’t have what we would recognize as an economy, but they do have resources and are on rare occasions willing to trade them with outsiders. (See: Voyager) I can imagine some particularly risk-inclined ferengi trying to strike a deal. Gives me a “goodlife” from Saberhagen’s Beserkers kind of vibe.

Martok is such an ally icon

Oh god, it’s time for a meme I made 2 years ago

hissss it burns ussss

He even did the full chest bump thing. And then in case there was any doubt, he did the whole gesture again.

I don’t remember them being reformed at all in TNG, but I admit it’s been awhile. I picture them as capering caricatures in TNG. But I’m thinking specifically of that moment where Quark argues with Odo that he can save them a bunch of small dangers by making one big gamble; it shows the Ferengi way of thinking about things as not just allegory, but as an actual culture that succeeds in some ways and fails in others.

Edit: Which I liked since the federation is ostensibly all about interacting with new and different cultures.

Edit edit: Not to say any of that invalidates your own feelings about it. I care about and find meaningful some stuff; you are under no obligation to feel the same way, nor are you wrong for not doing so. I only share because sometimes it’s fun to hear other’s perspectives, and I appreciate you sharing yours with me.

Not every character moment has to be climactic. You gotta mix in some slow-burn stuff there too. And also remember that early episodes like this had to do a lot of heavy lifting to reform the Ferengi from their disastrous TNG appearance.

To me, it felt like the episode mattered because you got character development. It’s the first time we get to see exactly how Odo and Quark’s relationship works, and we also get to see Quark’s…“unorthodox” problem solving style, in contrast to how federation weenies go about things.

Today is a good day to die.

Tell Bashir to get the cortical simulator ready, I’m going in.

They’ve all programmed their replicator profiles to include “Ethanol, 22.5ml, Chilled” in all orders they place containing the word “synthehol”

Definitely the worst thing that happened during those years.

What’s more fun, demoting pluto or announcing the discovery of a new planet every week for a couple years?

I see, thank you. That sounds like the kind of common-sense thing that I will never be able to convince a manager of XD

ELI5?

I’m not confident I’m remembering correctly, but didn’t she have a line to the effect of “They can courtmarshall me if we make back”

<3

I understand, but also, please don’t. As bad as it is right now, the world is still a better place with you in it. Call or text 988 if you’re feeling suicidal, there are people there ready to listen and help.

My headcanon is that it’s entirely perception. Kind of like how plating the same food in a pretty way can affect how you rate it’s taste. The replicated food can be identical down to the molecule, but the knowledge that Sisko’s Dad handmade your dinner makes you think it’s tastier.

May I direct you to the first two words of your post?