Various Star Trek series and movies have shape-shifting species, but do the Changelings appear in canon outside of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine? If not, has there been any reason stated for this? Major alien species often appear again in later series, but I am not aware of the Changelings appearing after Deep Space Nine.
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2Changelings, yes. Founders, no.– ValorumMar 5, 2016 at 17:55
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The main reason is presumably that one of the pre-conditions of the Dominion surrender was that they'd stay in the Delta Quadrant and mend their ways.– ValorumMar 5, 2016 at 17:56
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1@Richard The Dominion (and the Great Link) is in the Gamma not the Delta Quadrant...– BMWurmMar 5, 2016 at 18:16
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2@BMWurm - Even more interestingly, the prop treaty (pictured below) contains the same typo. The Dominion is referred to as being in the Delta quadrant, not the Gamma– ValorumMar 5, 2016 at 18:59
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9How would we know if they had?– user11521Mar 5, 2016 at 20:35
2 Answers
At the end of DS9, the Founders sign an instrument of surrender known as the 'Treaty of Bajor'. A closer view of the prop shows that one of the key stipulations is that all Founders (and their vassals) must leave the Alpha Quadrant immediately and remain in the Gamma Quadrant.
This would obviously explain the conspicuous absence of any Founders in future episodes of Voyager or the subsequent theatrical films.
All military forces of the Dominion, including Founder, Jem’Hadar, Vorta, or other allies are to withdraw from the Alpha Quadrant effective 26 hours following the general ceasefire order. No Dominion military personnel, spacecraft, or materiel are to remain in the Alpha Quadrant without the express written consent of the joint Alpha Quadrant powers.
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And no one had discovered the wormhole yet during Enterprise, so that explains their absence in that series. Mar 5, 2016 at 19:26
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3It says "all military forces", which doesn't preclude Founders per se to travel to the Alpha Quadrant though...– mb21Mar 5, 2016 at 20:06
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@mb21 - As the military leaders of the Dominion, I think you'd have a hard time arguing that any Founder could be described as non-military. My guess is that, erring on the side of caution, you'd simply bar their entire race access to the wormhole unless invited.– ValorumMar 5, 2016 at 20:09
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2@JAB - What's wrong with paper? We see a number of printed baseball cards that have survived very nicely for more than 500 years, thank you; memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Kivas_Fajo– ValorumNov 3, 2016 at 14:51
The Changelings return in Star Trek: Discovery, some 32 centuries later. They survive and cheat.
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2Welcome Sundhere. Could you provide some supporting in-universe reference for this as it's pretty bare at present. Also the 32 centuries idea, which season is that? Apr 12, 2022 at 6:05
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