Weyoun

Weyoun

Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun
Species	Vorta
Affiliation	Dominion
Posting	Cardassia Prime Terok Nor
Position	Second in command of Dominion forces in the Alpha Quadrant
Portrayed by	Jeffrey Combs

The name Weyoun refers to a number of fictional characters from the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in which they are portrayed by Jeffrey Combs. These characters are, however, almost exclusively referred to in the singular as simply Weyoun, because each Weyoun is a clone of the original, and there is usually only one Weyoun at any one time; subsequent Weyouns are activated following the death of the previous clone.

In the series, Weyoun is a diplomat and advisor of the Vorta species who is a member of the ruthless and militaristic Gamma quadrant state the Dominion. Like all Vorta, Weyoun serves as an administrator, is officious and sycophantic, always deferring to the Founders and relaying their orders without question or delay, yet dealing with enemies and those under his command with equal ruthlessness.

Combs, who also played the recurring character of Brunt on Deep Space Nine, stated that he preferred playing Weyoun.^[1]

Overview

The Weyoun clones first appeared in "To the Death" in the guise of Weyoun 4. He was killed by his own Jem'Hadar First after questioning his men's loyalty. Weyoun 5 first appeared in an attempt to convince a Cardassian defector to return home and support the regime (episode "Ties of Blood and Water"), and was the first to serve as commander of Dominion forces in the Alpha Quadrant. At some point between the episodes "Shadows and Symbols" and "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River", he was killed in a transporter accident that may have been arranged by Legate Damar.

Weyoun 6 tried to defect to the Federation but sacrificed his own life to prevent Odo's death. This defection was chalked up as an error in the cloning process, and Weyoun 7 was activated after Weyoun 6's attempt to defect was discovered. Normally there is only one clone (of any given Vorta operative) operating at a time, but when Weyoun 6 defected, Weyoun 7 was immediately activated. Weyoun 7 was killed by Lieutenant Commander Worf ("Strange Bedfellows"). Worf is later mocked for this, as he had killed a mere clone instead of an enemy that was less replaceable.

Elim Garak killed Weyoun 8 during the Cardassian underground's assault on Dominion headquarters during the Battle of Cardassia ("What You Leave Behind, Part II"). Upon his death, the Female Changeling observes that Weyoun 8 was the last Weyoun clone, a fact that Garak, who loathed Weyoun, finds most gratifying, remarking: "I was hoping you'd say that!" This would be the last of the Weyoun clones, as a result of the destruction of the cloning facility on Rondac III ("The Changing Face of Evil").

A ninth Weyoun appeared in the non-canon novels of the Deep Space Nine relaunch, thus implying that the Female Changeling was referring only to Weyouns available in the Alpha Quadrant, while Weyoun's original genetic records were still available in the Gamma Quadrant.

References

1. Combs, Jeffrey. "An Interview with Jeffrey Combs - Part 2" (Interview). Interview with startrek.com.

External links

• Weyoun at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

• Kevin Mulkahey at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)