Dr. Bashir’s idealized vision of Jadzia Dax in DS9 season 1 exposed some character flaws that were fixed for one of Star Trek’s greatest love stories.

The idealized fantasy version of Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “If Wishes Were Horses” highlighted the changes required to make her the perfect match for Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn). In the episode, a race of aliens bring the fantasies of the DS9 crew to life, which proves embarrassing for Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) and Jadzia Dax. Bashir’s imagination conjures up a besotted, sex-mad version of Jadzia who proves too much for the young doctor to handle, and also irritates the real Dax.

It’s another early Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode that plays on the supposed will-they-won’t-they romance between Bashir and Dax. However, Julian’s inability to act on his fantasies, and Jadzia’s criticisms of her imagined counterpart’s shortcomings prove that they weren’t right for each other. Both characters would continue to circle each other, however, until the arrival of Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s Worf in Star Trek: DS9‘s acclaimed season 4. The attraction between Worf and Dax was immediate, and the change to Jadzia’s DS9 love story was predicted by season 1’s “If Wishes Were Horses.”

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DS9 Changed Jadzia Dax To Make Her Worf’s Perfect Mate

In “If Wishes Were Horses,” Dax observes that Julian’s imagined version of her is “a little submissive” and asks Dr. Bashir if that’s really how he sees her or wants her to be. He’s adamant that he doesn’t see her like this, but the imaginary Dax is a fairly good example of Bashir’s emotional immaturity in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1. Bashir claims to be in love with Jadzia, but ultimately, it’s a physical attraction, embodied by the sexualized fantasy version conjured by Bashir’s imagination. Dax says as much to him before the imaginary Jadzia arrives, pointing out his numerous dalliances and flirtations with other DS9 residents and visitors.

Thanks to Dr. Bashir’s friendship with Chief Miles O’Brien (Colm Meaney), Julian eventually becomes a more mature and rounded character. Dax changes too, becoming less like the cold and distant version implied by the more gregarious, idealized Jadzia. Jadzia Dax is a charismatic and intelligent woman who’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She’s a Warrior, not a submissive woman that Dr. Bashir fantasizes about. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would bring these qualities to the fore as the show continued into season 2, teaming her up with the three Klingons from Star Trek: The Original Series and eventually setting up her marriage of equals with Lt. Commander Worf.

DS9’s Bashir And Dax Got Together Eventually – With A Twist

Although Jadzia Dax and Julian Bashir weren’t quite right for each other in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, they did get together eventually. When DS9 killed off Jadzia Dax in season 6, the symbiont was transplanted into a new host body. Ensign Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer) arrived on DS9 in season 7, and struggled to fit in with Jadzia’s friends and colleagues. As a younger woman who hadn’t gone through the training to be a Trill Host, Ezri was less confident than Jadzia.

However, this made her a perfect match for Dr. Julian Bashir, who knew exactly what it was like to be young and inexperienced and thrust into the far frontiers of the Alpha Quadrant. Ezri Dax and Julian Bashir get together at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, with the blessing of a still-grieving Worf. It’s a beautiful ending to the Dax-Worf-Bashir love triangle, as it gives Julian his happy ever after ending, while still respecting how important Jadzia and Worf were to each other.