It took Kira a while to acknowledge Odo’s feelings for her in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but a season 1 episode hinted that she knew all along.

There’s a subtle moment in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1 that secretly confirms Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) always knew that Constable Odo (René Auberjonois) was in love with her. Odo and Kira were one of DS9‘s many great love stories, but the course of true love never ran smooth for the Changeling security officer and Bajoran commander. Kira became romantically involved with two high-profile Bajoran political figures, while Odo stood aside and pined after his lost love. It was never entirely clear when Odo first fell for Kira, but Star Trek: DS9 season 1, episode 18, “Dramatis Personae”, suggests their unspoken mutual attraction.

In “Dramatis Personae”, Odo is the only Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character left unaffected by the effects of the Sahl’tanas’ telepathic archive. While Kira plots a mutiny against Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), it’s up to Odo to figure out why everyone is acting strangely and prevent a bloody coup aboard DS9. Interestingly, the scenes between Kira and Odo are charged with flirtatious energy, which isn’t necessarily explained by the influence of the Sahl’tana.

Star Trek Actor Stopped A Horrible DS9 Love Story From Happening

Gul Dukat tried to seduce Major Kira throughout Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Nana Visitor tells The Shuttlepod Show she stopped it from happening.

DS9 Hinted At Kira And Odo’s Romance In Season 1

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 18, “Dramatis Personae”, the crew re-enacted the historic power struggle that had previously brought a Gamma Quadrant society to collapse. The telepathic archive picks Sisko and Kira as the two opponents, due to their senior roles aboard DS9 and their ongoing disagreement over a Valerian freighter. This suggests that the archive has some way of recognizing the appropriate character traits to ensure the authenticity of the re-enactment. If that’s the case, then Kira’s flirting with Odo takes on a slightly different meaning. Kira also flirts with Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), but unlike Odo, she’s also under the influence of the telepathic archive.

Kira still flirts with Odo to gain his backing in her mutiny against Sisko. This suggests that the archive can adapt its approach to those unaffected by its influence. If that’s the case, then it could be drawing on Kira’s subconscious acknowledgment of Odo’s feelings for her. By offering Odo what it believes that he wants, the telepathic archive can get the Constable on board with the mutiny and continue playing out the devastating historical events. Thankfully, but heartbreakingly, Kira’s flirtatious approach to Odo is one of the many red flags that suggest to him that all is not as it seems.

Odo And Kira Is One Of Star Trek’s Most Tragic Love Stories

Of all Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s love stories, Odo and Kira’s is one of the most bittersweet and borders on tragedy. When they finally get together, thanks to the encouragement of holographic lounge singer Vic Fontaine (James Darren), it’s in the midst of the Dominion War. Kira nearly loses Odo to the Morphogenic Virus engineered by the nefarious Starfleet intelligence agency, Section 31. No sooner does she have him back and the Dominion War comes to an end, Odo makes the hard decision to return to the Great Link.

It’s a bittersweet ending for Kira and Odo because they both reconcile their traumas, but lose each other. Odo knows where he comes from and, inspired by the love of Kira and his closest friends, he can convince the Changelings that the Solids are worth saving. Seven years after attempting to wrestle control of the station from Sisko in “Dramatis Personae”, Kira is promoted to Colonel and is placed in charge of the station. Both Odo and Kira have played integral roles in their respective character arcs, so while they’re sadly parted in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s finale, they will never forget each other.