RIP René Auberjonois and Odo
A Changling Who Taught About Being Human
*This story contains spoilers from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine*
Last night, I sat watching an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as I wrote this. I was sad to learn that René Auberjonois passed away yesterday, December 8, from Lung Cancer. He had a long acting career that I honestly knew very little about until reading more. I knew him best as Odo, the shape shifting Changing security office of the space station Deep Space Nine.
I love Star Trek; I remember watching Star Trek: The Night Generation with both my Dad and Stepdad. I watched some Deep Space Nine and Voyager but re-watched and gained appreciation for both as I grew older. But, I have to say, I almost love Deep Space Nine more than TNG, I know, blasphemy. But there was something special about a Star Trek show that was a little more stationary, allowing for the series to deeply explore social, political, and religious issues. And, like most Star Trek series, it featured a non-human who taught us lessons about being human.
In Deep Space Nine, that was Odo, portrayed by René Auberjonois. He was a shapeshifter, also called Changlings, who had been raised by, lived alongside, and worked with humans and humanoids his entire life. He served as chief of security, affectionately called “Constable,” for the space station Deep Space Nine. Through the series, he struggles to define what love means to him and discover his full identity, as a non-humanoid that has lived with Bajorians, Cardassians, Humans and other humanoid species his entire life. At times, he hid behind his security position to avoid being vulnerable around his crew mates (really, his family).
His story really unfolds and his character evolved over the entire series taking a special turn in the episode “Children of Time” (Season 5, Episode 22). When the USS Defiant is stranded on a gamma quadrant planet, the crew discovers their own descendants after being tracked 200 years in the past on the same planet. Odo from the alternate timeline finally admits his love for Kira Nerys and manages to save her life, leaving Nerys with the knowledge of Odo’s love in the original timeline. Confused yet? Time travel and Star Trek!
But there were other profound moments that Auberjonois protrayed as Odo. In episode 3 of the first season, he portrays Odo’s isolation from the rest of the crew as the lone shapeshifter on the station. A commentary on the mental effects of cultural isolation and othering. In a moment of transcending cultural differences and embracing vulnerability, he lets himself return to his gelatinous in front of Lwaxana Troi aftering being trapped in a turbolift for far too long (Season 1, Episode 17). And when The Federation learns of a Changing threat to Earth, Odo advises Captain Sisko to forgo extraordinary security measures on Earth during Changing infiltration in order to preserve the Federation’s utopia (Season 4, Episodes 11 and 12).
And then there’s his longtime romantic feelings for Major Kira Nerys. In attempting to learn how to love Nerys from a hologram (another non-human who teaches about humanity), he discovers that the most important thing is to love her in his own way, rather than how others expect him to love her (Season 6, Episode 20). In the final season, he shapeshifts for her, in a way showing his truest self for her in a moment of deep love and self-acceptance (Season 7, Episode 14).
Towards the end of the series, we really see how much Odo is able to evolve, embracing both his Changing self and what he learned from humanoids, showing a deep cultural integration. And in a powerful ending, when he persuaded the Changing leader of the (Founders) Dominion to declare peace against The Federation, returning to his home planet to heal his people, leaving behind his found family and Kira Nerys (Season 7, Episode 25 & 26).
And really, so many more.
Odo is one of my favorite Star Trek characters. Rest in Peace René Auberjonois.
Here are some more beautiful tributes to him through Star Trek co-stars and actors from other series.
René Auberjonois Remembered by ‘Star Trek’ Castmate Nana Visitor: https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/rene-auberjonois-remembered-by-star-trek-deep-space-nine-castmate-nana-visitor-1203429855/
Star Trek Actors From Every Generation Mourn Deep Space Nine’s René Auberjonois, Dead at 79: https://slate.com/culture/2019/12/star-trek-rene-auberjonois-death-tributes.html
