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What was the Great Trek?

The Great Trek was a perilous exodus of pioneers into the heart of South Africa, looking for a place to call home.

When the British took control of Cape Town and the Cape Colony in the early 1800s, tensions grew between the new colonizers of British stock, and the old colonizers, the Boers, descendants of the original Dutch settlers. From 1835, the Boers would lead numerous expeditions out of the Cape Colony, traversing towards the interior of South Africa. Escaping British rule would come with a host of deadly challenges, and the Boers, seeking their own lands, would find themselves in direct conflict with the people who resided in the interior, most notably the Ndebele and the Zulu.

The “Great Trek” is a story of resentment, displacement, murder, war, and hope, and it forms one of the bloodiest chapters of South Africa’s notoriously violent history.

Origins of the Great Trek

The Cape was first colonized by the Dutch , when they landed there in 1652, and Cape Town quickly grew into a vital refueling station between Europe and the East Indies. The colony prospered and grew, with Dutch settlers taking up both urban and rural posts. In 1795, Britain invaded and took control of the Cape Colony, as it was Dutch possession, and Holland was under the control of the French Revolutionary government . After the war, the colony was handed back to Holland (the Batavian Republic) which in 1806, fell under French rule again. The British responded by annexing the Cape completely.

Under British rule, the colony underwent major administrative changes. The language of administration became English, and liberal changes were made which designated non-white servants as citizens. Britain, at the time, was adamantly anti-slavery, and was enacting laws to end it.

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Tensions grew between the British and the Boers (farmers). In 1815, a Boer was arrested for assaulting one of his servants. Many other Boers rose up in rebellion in solidarity, culminating in five being hanged for insurrection. In 1834, legislation passed that all slaves were to be freed. The vast majority of Boer farmers owned slaves, and although they were offered compensation, travel to Britain was required to receive it which was impossible for many. Eventually, the Boers had had enough of British rule and decided to leave the Cape Colony in search of self-governance and new lands to farm. The Great Trek was about to begin.

The Trek Begins

Not all Afrikaners endorsed the Great Trek. In fact, only a fifth of the Cape’s Dutch-speaking people decided to take part. Most of the urbanized Dutch were actually content with British rule. Nevertheless, many Boers decided to leave. Thousands of Boers loaded up their wagons and proceeded to venture into the interior and towards peril.

The first wave of voortrekkers (pioneers) met with disaster. After setting out in September 1835, they crossed the Vaal River in January, 1836, and decided to split up, following differences between their leaders. Hans van Rensburg led a party of 49 settlers who trekked north into what is now Mozambique. His party was slain by an impi (force of warriors) of Soshangane. For van Rensburg and his party, the Great Trek was over. Only two children survived who were saved by a Zulu warrior. The other party of settlers, led by Louis Tregardt, settled near Delagoa Bay in southern Mozambique, where most of them perished from fever.

A third group led by Hendrik Potgieter, consisting of about 200 people, also ran into serious trouble. In August 1836, a Matabele patrol attacked Potgieter’s group, killing six men, two women, and six children. King Mzilikazi of the Matabele in what is now Zimbabwe decided to attack the Voortrekkers again, this time sending out an impi of 5,000 men. Local bushmen warned the Voortrekkers of the impi , and Potgieter had two days to prepare. He decided to prepare for battle, although doing so would leave all the Voortrekker’s cattle vulnerable.

The Voortrekkers arranged the wagons into a laager (defensive circle) and placed thorn branches underneath the wagons and in the gaps. Another defensive square of four wagons was placed inside the laager and covered with animal skins. Here, the women and children would be safe from spears thrown into the camp. The defenders numbered just 33 men and seven boys, each armed with two muzzle-loader rifles. They were outnumbered 150 to one.

As the battle commenced, the Voortrekkers rode out on horseback to harry the impi . This proved largely ineffective, and they withdrew to the laager. The attack on the laager only lasted for about half an hour, in which time, two Voortrekkers lost their lives, and about 400 Matabele warriors were killed or wounded. The Matabele were far more interested in taking the cattle and eventually made off with 50,000 sheep and goats and 5,000 cattle. Despite surviving through the day, the Battle of Vegkop was not a happy victory for the Voortrekkers. Three months later, with the help of the Tswana people, a Voortrekker-led raid managed to take back 6,500 cattle, which included some of the cattle plundered at Vegkop.

The following months saw revenge attacks led by the Voortrekkers. About 15 Matabele settlements were destroyed, and 1,000 warriors lost their lives. The Matabele abandoned the region. The Great Trek would continue with several other parties pioneering the way into the South African hinterland.

The Battle of Blood River

In February 1838, the Voortrekkers led by Piet Retief met with absolute disaster. Retief and his delegation were invited to the Zulu King Dingane ’s kraal (village) to negotiate a land treaty; however, Dingane betrayed the Voortrekkers. He had them all taken out to a hill outside the village and clubbed to death. Piet Retief was killed last so that he could watch his delegation being killed. In total, about 100 were murdered, and their bodies were left for the vultures and other scavengers.

Following this betrayal, King Dingane directed further attacks on unsuspecting Voortrekker settlements. This included the Weenen Massacre, in which 534 men, women, and children were slaughtered. This number includes KhoiKhoi and Basuto tribe members who accompanied them. Against a hostile Zulu nation, the Great Trek was doomed to fail.

The Voortrekkers decided to lead a punitive expedition, and under the guidance of Andries Pretorius, 464 men, along with 200 servants and two small cannons, prepared to engage the Zulu. After several weeks of trekking, Pretorius set up his laager along the Ncome River, purposefully avoiding geographic traps that would have led to a disaster in battle. His site offered protection on two sides by the Ncome River to the rear and a deep ditch on the left flank. The approach was treeless and offered no protection from any advancing attackers. On the morning of December 16, the Voortrekkers were greeted by the sight of six regiments of Zulu impis , numbering approximately 20,000 men.

For two hours, the Zulus attacked the laager in four waves, and each time they were repulsed with great casualties. The Voortrekkers used grapeshot in their muskets and their two cannons in order to maximize damage to the Zulus. After two hours, Pretorius ordered his men to ride out and attempt to break up the Zulu formations. The Zulus held for a while, but high casualties eventually forced them to scatter. With their army breaking, the Voortrekkers chased down and killed the fleeing Zulus for three hours. By the end of the battle, 3,000 Zulu lay dead (although historians dispute this number). By contrast, the Voortrekkers suffered only three injuries, including Andries Pretorius taking an assegai (Zulu spear) to the hand.

December 16 has been observed as a public holiday in the Boer Republics and South Africa ever since. It was known as The Day of the Covenant, The Day of the Vow, or Dingane’s Day. In 1995, after the fall of apartheid , the day was rebranded as “Day of Reconciliation.” Today the site on the west side of the Ncome River is home to the Blood River Monument and Museum Complex, while on the east side of the river stands the Ncome River Monument and Museum Complex dedicated to the Zulu people. The former has gone through many variations, with the latest version of the monument being 64 wagons cast in bronze. When it was unveiled in 1998, The then Minister of Home Affairs and Zulu tribal leader, Mangosuthu Buthelezi , apologized on behalf of the Zulu people for the murder of Piet Retief and his party during the Great Trek, while he also stressed the suffering of Zulus during apartheid.

The Zulu defeat added to further divisions in the Zulu Kingdom, which was plunged into a civil war between Dingane and his brother Mpande. Mpande, supported by the Voortrekkers, won the civil war in January 1840. This led to a significant decrease in threats to the Voortrekkers. Andries Pretorius and his Voortrekkers were able to recover Piet Retief’s body, along with his retinue, and give them burials. On Retief’s body was found the original treaty offering the trekkers land, and Pretorius was able to successfully negotiate with the Zulu over the establishment of a territory for the Voortrekkers. The Republic of Natalia was established in 1839, south of the Zulu Kingdom. However, the new republic was short-lived and was annexed by the British in 1843.

Nevertheless, the Great Trek could continue, and thus the waves of Voortrekkers continued. In the 1850s, two substantial Boer republics were established: The Republic of the Transvaal and the Republic of the Orange Free State . These republics would later come into conflict with the expanding British Empire.

The Great Trek as a Cultural Symbol

In the 1940s, Afrikaner nationalists used the Great Trek as a symbol to unite the Afrikaans people and promote cultural unity among them. This move was primarily responsible for the National Party winning the 1948 election and, later on, imposing apartheid on the country.

South Africa is a highly diverse country, and while the Great Trek remains a symbol of Afrikaner culture and history, it is also seen as an important part of South African history with lessons to learn from for all South Africans.

6 Crazy Facts about Cape Town

By Greg Beyer BA History & Linguistics, Journalism Diploma Greg specializes in African History. He holds a BA in History & Linguistics and a Journalism Diploma from the University of Cape Town. A former English teacher, he now excels in academic writing and pursues his passion for art through drawing and painting in his free time.

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The movement northwards in the 1830s by Boers to escape from British administration in the Cape Colony. From 1835 onwards parties of Voortrekkers reached Natal, where in 1837 Zulu resistance provoked them to kill some 3,000 Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in revenge for the death of their leader, Piet Retief. Natal became a British colony in 1843 and migration continued northwards into the Orange River country and the Transvaal.

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The Great Trek

The Great Trek was the emigration of the Cape of Good Hope colonists in the 1830’s. This followed previous isolated treks of Dutch colonists who moved inland almost from the beginning of European Settlement in South Africa .

There were a number of reasons that caused the colonists who were mainly of Dutch origin to leave their homes and settle themselves inland and away from British rule.

One of the causes was that the British Colonial Office and their representatives did not have any understanding of the difficulties and problems of the Frontier farmers .  These farmers were also disgruntled by the inadequate compensation paid for the slaves that had been liberated under the Emancipation Law . They were also dissatisfied about the return to the local Native tribes of the buffer territory called the “Province of Queen Adelaide” and of course their dislike of the tax laws that had been set up. Many British settlers sympathized with the Voortrekkers protests symbolized by the bible presented to a Voortrekker leader Piet Retief by the British colonists of Grahamstown.

One of the first organized parties of Voortrekkers to leave the Cape was that of Louis Trichardt who led a party together with a group under Jan Van Rensburg (about 30 wagons in all), across the frontier and moved north. Along the way Van Rensburg’s party separated from the original group and moved east and disappeared.  Louis Trichard’s party after many hardships reach Lourenco Marques in Mozambique but most died from fever and the survivors returned back to Natal by ship.

In spite of dire warnings by Dutch Reformed clergy and Government officials other groups also began the long Trek to find a new home in the hinterland of South Africa. Among the chief leaders was Andries Hendrik Potgieter who reached what is present day Potchefstroom. Other groups settled in what is now the Free State where they established the town of Winburg.

P ieter Retief and Gerrit Maritz were leaders of the most important groups. In April 1837 Retief reached Thaba N’chu where he was elected Commander of 1000 emigrants and 6 months later he led an advance party across the Drakensberg into what is now Kwazulu-Natal and signed a treaty with Dingaan the Zulu chief at the time. They were invited to Dingaan’s Kraal where his party were murdered and an attempt was made by the Zulu’s to kill the survivors of his party at Blaauwkranz.

In December of 1838 the Voortrekkers defeated the Zulu warriors at the Battle of Blood River when Andries Pretorius defeated a Zulu army of 10,000 with a force of 460 Boers. After that the Great Trek would have ended if it were not for the fact that the British dispatched a force from the Cape and asserted British authority which resulted in further treks being undertaken by the Boers which led them to establish independent republics in the Free State and Transvaal .  When the British Colony of Natal was set up this marked the end of the Great Trek.

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Great Trek Centenary Celebrations commence

Cameron, T. (ed) (1986) An Illustrated History of South Africa. Johannesburg, pp.258-259.|

Gilliomee, H. & Mbenga, B. (2007)  New History of South Africa . Cape Town, pp.290-291.

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The Great Trek Facts & Worksheets

The great trek was the mass emigration of dutch, german and french huguenot (boers) colonizers of cape colony in south africa from cape colony towards the interior areas of the continent that took place from 1835 until 1840., search for worksheets, download the the great trek facts & worksheets.

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Table of Contents

The Great Trek was the mass emigration of Dutch, German and French Huguenot (Boers) colonizers of Cape colony in  South Africa from Cape Colony towards the interior areas of the continent that took place from 1835 until 1840. The trek was done as a form of resistance against the British government and as an attempt to live independently from British rule.

See the fact file below for more information on the Great Trek or alternatively, you can download our 25-page The Great Trek worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Leading to the great trek period.

• Boers were the Dutch, German and French Huguenots who were the first colonizers of Cape Colony. They arrived in the area during the early 1650s.
• The Boers disagreed with policies the British government implemented. Policies minimizing slavery of native Africans and land colonization for white settlement were some policies implemented that the Boers protested against.
• Boers believed that British authorities favored protecting the rights of native Africans instead of theirs. As a result, rebellions were staged against British authority and in 1815,  British authorities hanged 5 rebel Boers because they attempted to start an uprising against the British government for its bias towards African rights.
• The Boers believed that they would find land on the interior parts of the continent and be able to establish their own colonies that would be free from British rule.
• January 1832 Dr. Andrew Smith, a British zoologist sent to Cape Colony, and a Boer farmer went on an expedition to scout Natal as a potential colony. Natal, along with the other land areas in its radius, was portrayed as a promising area to colonize due to its topography and nearly complete absence of inhabitants.
• Around 12,0000 Boers of Cape Colony , predominantly the Dutch, decided to leave the area as a result of the rising tension with British authority
• The first group of Boers who left Cape Colony were recognized as Voortrekkers meaning early migrants. These Voortrekkers left Cape Colony in 1835 and migrated to the interior Highveld north of the Orange River. Their movement led them to be recognized as the pioneers of the mass emigration of the Boers from Cape Colony or The Great Trek.

THE GREAT TREK PERIOD

• Boers were emigrating from Cape Colony from 1835-1840.
• The Voortrekkers traveled by oxen-drawn wagons.
• Piet Retief, a prominent Voortrekker leader and commander, published a manifesto that stated reasons as to why the Boers were emigrating from Cape Colony. It  was published on February 1837 in  Grahamstown’s Journal
• Boers who left Cape Colony always traveled in groups consisting of families, servants, and livestock. They brought with them cases of water, dried food, clothing, some brought weapons such as spears and guns. These groups traveled under the guidance of a leader
• Some well-known leaders were Andries Potgieter, Gert Maritz, Piet Retief, and Piet Uys.
• The expedition was harsh not only because of the geographical obstacles such as the Orange and Vaal rivers that intercepted their path and the Limpopo river delta that was infested with Malarial Mosquitoes,  but also because of native African kingdoms they came in contact with such as the Zulus, Matebeles, and Xhosas. The Boers and leaders of African states disagreed about land ownership and settlement resulting in several battles.

BATTLES OF THE GREAT TREK PERIOD

• On October 20, 1836 as a group of Voortrekkers led by Hendrik Potgieter made their way out of the Tarka area, they were attacked by roughly 5,000  Ndebele warriors. Under the command of Potgieter, the Voortrekkers retreated and left their livestock, specifically their cattle, behind. This is known as the Battle of Vegkop.
• Piet Retief, one of the most important leaders of the Great Trek, struck a deal with with Dingane, the Zulu king, that stated that an area of land in Natal will be given to the Voortrekkers in exchange of Retief and his troops recovering the herd of cattle stolen by  Sekonyela (the chief of the Tlokwa). Despite agreement on the settlement, Dingane killed Retief and all of his comrades on February 1838
• April 1838, because of the massacre of Piet Retief and his group of trekkers, assistance from Piet Uys and Hendrik Potgieter were called for. Uys and Potgieter led their parties for battle against the Zulu to the capital of the Zulu king, Umgungundlovu. Potgieter’s troops retreated from the battlefield immediately, leaving Uys uncoordinated and alone. This led to their defeat. This is known as the Battle of Italeni.
• December 16, 1838, after several defeats from the Zulu kingdom and to end the disparity, Voortrekker forces led by Andries Pretorius entered Zululand. Positioned near the Ncome River, Pretorius’s troops were able to successfully attack the Zulu warriors. The Ncome river was red with the blood from Zulu warriors, coining the name Battle of Blood River.

The Great Trek Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Great Trek across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use The Great Trek worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Great Trek which was the mass emigration of Dutch, German and French Huguenot (Boers) colonizers of Cape colony in South Africa from Cape Colony towards the interior areas of the continent that took place from 1835 until 1840. The trek was done as a form of resistance against the British government and as an attempt to live independently from British rule.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• The Great Trek Facts
• You’re Out of Here
• Backpacking Through Time
• The Ultimate Match
• You Give Me Meaning
• Lead the Way
• Get in Line
• The Outcome
• Compare and Contrast

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• the Great Trek the Great Trek history the migration of Boer farmers with their slaves and African servants from the Cape Colony to the north and east from about 1836 to 1845 to escape British authority

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Definition of 'Great Trek'

Great trek in british english, browse alphabetically great trek.

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Definition of trek

 (Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

Definition of trek  (Entry 2 of 2)

• peregrinate
• peregrination

Examples of trek in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trek.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Afrikaans, from Dutch trecken to pull, haul, migrate; akin to Old High German trechan to pull

Afrikaans, from Dutch treck pull, haul, from trecken

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 2

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Dictionary Entries Near trek

Treitz's muscle

Cite this Entry

“Trek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trek. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of trek.

Kids Definition of trek  (Entry 2 of 2)

from Afrikaans trek, "to travel by ox wagon," from Dutch trecken "to haul, pull"

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• Odo's relationships with Quark and Kira define many episodes, showcasing his softer side and developing romantic connections.
• Odo's characterization shines in episodes like "The Begotten" and "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" with emotional depth.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's best episodes about Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) focus on his criminal investigations, the search for his origins, and his ideological clash with the Changeling Founders. Played by acclaimed actor Rene Auberjonois, Odo's best episodes of DS9 are characterized by some incredible acting, delivered from underneath heavy layers of prosthetics . Across seven seasons, the beloved Star Trek: DS9 character had to grapple with prejudice, unrequited love, and the sins of his past in episodes that showcased the thematic heft of the Star Trek: The Next Generation spinoff.

Odo's relationships with Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) also define many of the Constable's best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes . As DS9's Chief of Security, Odo was the perfect foil for the Ferengi bartender, but Quark and Odo's rivalry had an undercurrent of mutual respect that bordered on affection . Odo also had a close friendship with Kira, formed by a fateful moment from years earlier. Odo and Kira's friendship eventually developed into a romantic relationship, and that progression can be seen in some of the Constable's best DS9 episodes.

Every Star Trek: DS9 Episode Directed By Rene Auberjonois

Star trek: ds9 season 1, episode 17, "the forsaken", teleplay by don carlos dunaway & michael piller, story by jim trombetta.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 17, "The Forsaken" is one of the more successful DS9 and Star Trek: The Next Generation crossover episodes . The episode paired up the unlikely duo of Constable Odo and Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett) for a two-hander that revealed the insecurities of both characters. Odo's relationship with Lwaxana allowed DS9 's gruff Chief of Security to show his softer and more vulnerable side , improving the character as a result.

In the episode, the incorrigible Lwaxana Troi falls in love with Odo, and tries to woo the irascible Constable. Lwaxana's attempts are hindered by an alien intelligence that saps Deep Space Nine's power, stranding her in a lift with Odo. "The Forsaken" was one of Rene Auberjonois' favorite episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Discussing the episode in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , Auberjonois stated that:

" It helped to establish Odo and give him more dimension than he'd had up to that point "

Star Trek: DS9, Season 7, Episode 22, "Tacking into the Wind"

Written by ronald d. moore.

"Tacking into the Wind" is one of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's best Worf episodes , as it primarily focuses on his attempts to bring Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) into line. However, there's also some very strong and emotional material for Odo and Kira as the morphogenic virus continues to ravage the Changeling's system . Kira, Odo, and Garak (Andrew Robinson) are sent on a dangerous mission to retrieve information about a devastating Breen weapon.

By infecting Odo, Section 31 effectively prove the Founders' belief that the "Solids" are barbaric and cruel.

Odo's determination to continue the mission despite his worsening health is heartbreaking. However, it speaks to the strength of Odo's character that he never lets Section 31's betrayal cloud his feelings about the "Solids". By infecting Odo, Section 31 effectively prove the Founders' belief that the "Solids" are barbaric and cruel , but despite the cruelty meted out to him by Section 31, Odo knows that it's wrong to reduce all of Starfleet to the actions of some rogue operatives.

Section 31s 5 Worst Crimes During Star Trek DS9s Dominion War

Star trek: ds9, season 7, episode 6, "treachery, faith and the great river", teleplay by david weddle & bradley thompson, story by philip kim.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , season 7, episode 6, "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" explores Odo's status as a god . Odo is shocked to discover that Weyoun ( Jeffrey Combs ) wishes to defect from the Dominion to the Federation. However, the Dominion and the Cardassians are determined that Odo and Weyoun 6 never return to DS9.

What follows is an exciting prisoner transport thriller that also tackles some big themes around religious belief. "Treachery, Faith and the Great River" showcases Odo's courage under fire , as he tries every trick in the book to avoid the combined forces of the Cardassians and the Jem'Hadar. Weyoun 6 eventually sacrifices his life to save Odo in the episode's heartbreaking climax, forcing the Changeling to confront how his people have turned themselves into deities.

Star Trek: DS9, Season 3, Episode 14, "Heart of Stone"

Written by ira steven behr & robert hewitt wolfe.

For the majority of "Heart of Stone", Odo believes that Kira has become trapped in an expanding silicon rock formation. The more the formation increases in size, the more it consumes Kira, slowly crushing her to death. Tragically, Odo realizes that he's not trying to save the real Kira when the Major professes her love for him , revealing that it's an elaborate ruse by the Female Changeling (Salome Jens).

"Heart of Stone" is a great Odo episode because the impossible situation forces him to confront, and finally vocalize, his feelings for Kira . That journey is fascinating to watch, and Rene Auberjonois' performance of Odo, recognizing that he's been duped, is incredible. Veering from pragmatism about how Kira sees him as a friend to fury at the Female Changeling's plan, it's exactly the sort of multi-faceted performance that audiences have come to expect from Rene Auberjonois at this point in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Nana Visitor wasn't a fan of the rock prop in "Heart of Stone", telling the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion that it made her look " like a big old hot fudge sundae ".

DS9's 7 Best Love Stories & Romances Ranked

Star trek: ds9, season 2, episode 12, "the alternate", teleplay by bill dial, story by jim trombetti and bill dial.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 12, "The Alternate" is an early episode that sheds more light on Odo's origins. It introduces the character of Dr. Mora Pol (James Sloyan), the Bajoran scientist who first discovered Odo in his liquid form . Dr. Mora believes that he's found clues as to where Odo originated from, but their research mission is cut short when the away team are stricken by some noxious gas, triggered by the removal of an ancient monument. The gas also has an adverse effect on Odo, turning him into a terrifying monster.

[Odo] comes to realize that this problematic scientist is actually the closest thing he's ever had to a father figure.

"The Alternate" is a brilliant take on Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde , that gives Odo actor Rene Auberjonois some challenging material to perform. The scenes between Odo and Mora are incredibly powerful, as the Changeling comes to realize that this problematic scientist is actually the closest thing he's ever had to a father figure. The scene in which Odo implies that he doesn't trust Mora while becoming the monster is an incredible moment .

Star Trek: DS9, Season 6, Episode 20, "His Way"

Written by ira steven behr & hans beimler.

When Odo hears that holographic lounge singer Vic Fontaine (James Darren) gave Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) some helpful pointers on love, he decides to seek the singer's advice about Kira. Fontaine helps to bring Odo out of his shell, turning him into a suave pianist, while also making him more at ease socially. Eventually, Vic orchestrates a first date for Kira and Odo, albeit under false pretenses .

"His Way" was the first appearance of Vic Fontaine in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

By showing a completely new side of Odo in "His Way", Star Trek: Deep Space Nine showrunner Ira Steven Behr and writer Hans Beimler make this one of the character's best episodes. The transition from the drab brown Bajoran security uniform into a sharp tuxedo is a hugely positive one for Odo , not least because it finally allows Kira to see just how charismatic and charming he can actually be.

Nana Visitor and Rene Auberjonois never wanted Kira and Odo to become a couple in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , preferring their bond to be purely platonic.

Star Trek: DS9, Season 5, Episode 12, "The Begotten"

Written by rené echevarria.

For the first half of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Odo is turned into a "Solid" . It's fascinating to see how Odo contends with the frailty of a humanoid body, but it's equally fascinating to see how this plot thread is resolved. After he buys an ailing Changeling infant from Quark, Odo teams up with Doctors Bashir and Maura to cure the sick child and teach it to shapeshift. Odo becomes a doting father, and it's a strong sequel to "The Alternate", as he seeks to avoid the mistakes made by his own surrogate father.

Tragically, the infant Changeling in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is too sick to live, but it does give Odo a parting gift. By bonding with the infant, Odo regains his shapeshifting abilities, giving him a renewed sense of purpose. It's a touching metaphor for parenthood that finally allows Odo and Mora Pol to reconcile their differences. "The Begotten" is a standout episode for Rene Auberjonois in a strong season for the character of Odo .

Star Trek: DS9, Season 5, Episode 9, "The Ascent"

"The Ascent" is the best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode about Quark and Odo's antagonistic relationship. Transporting Quark to testify against the Orion Syndicate, Odo's runabout explodes and strands the two old enemies on a barren planet. Watching Odo and Quark work together to survive is an absolute joy , and Rene Auberjonois gets some fine opportunities to deploy his dry wit. The scene in which Odo requests his ashes be tossed into his bucket and launched into the Gamma Quadrant is darkly funny.

The final scene of "The Ascent" is one of the best moments, as it sees Odo and Quark come closer than ever to telling each other how they feel. While they both say they hate each other, it's very clear from their laughter that the two Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters love each other. "The Ascent" is also a great Odo episode because it shows a new side to him, as he has to deal with the fragility of his humanoid body , succumbing to the cold and breaking his leg.

Star Trek: DS9, Season 5, Episode 8 "Things Past"

Written by michael taylor.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5 has two classic Odo episodes in a row, as "The Ascent" is preceded by "Things Past". The episode sends Odo, Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) and Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) back in time to when DS9 was Terok Nor . They're forced to live through a brutal tragedy from Odo's past, when he accidentally condemned three Bajoran men to death .

Rene Auberjonois is excellent as a repentant Odo, who is realizing with gut-churning inevitability what's about to happen. The final scene, in which Odo and Kira discuss his culpability in the execution is a quietly devastating exchange between the two friends. "Things Past" is, therefore, a spiritual sequel to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Necessary Evil" , which revealed how Odo and Kira first met.

Star Trek: DS9, Season 2, Episode 8, "Necessary Evil"

Written by peter allan fields.

"Necessary Evil" is the best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode about Odo , because it firmly establishes the Constable's moral code. While investigating the attempted murder of Quark, Odo discovers that the crime is linked to his first case. Through flashbacks, "Necessary Evil" reveals how Odo came to Terok Nor, employed by Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) as a security officer. Tasked with investigating the murder of a Bajoran collaborator, Odo was unable to close the case, letting the killer walk free.

The killer is revealed to be Major Kira Nerys, and in one of the most complicated scenes in all of Star Trek , Odo and Kira contend with this new information. It's a crucial episode in Odo's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine story. Not only does it establish his origins as Chief of Security, it also reveals the depth of Odo's relationship with Kira, and how it's strong enough to weather the storm of her past crimes.

All episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are available to stream on Paramount

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Cast Cirroc Lofton, Rene Auberjonois, Nicole de Boer, Michael Dorn, Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Colm Meaney, Armin Shimerman, Alexander Siddig

Release Date January 3, 1993

Network CBS

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Showrunner Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller

Elon Musk is a pigeon CEO, ‘he comes, sh*ts all over us, and goes’, says former Tesla manager

Elon Musk was described as a “pigeon CEO”: “he comes, shits all over us, and goes”, said a former Tesla employee.

Now, the CEO is signaling a focus on Tesla.

Musk has always been an interesting case of a CEO as he has been both CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, two major companies, for nearly two decades.

This is highly unusual, especially when one of those companies is a major public company where the CEO has a fiduciary duty to many retail shareholders.

But things have evidently gotten even wilder in recent years as Musk is now the defacto head of 6 companies: Tesla, SpaceX, X, xAI, Neuralink, and the Boring Company.

Even considering Musk’s known long days, it’s impossible for him to be a full-time CEO at Tesla. Several shareholders have expressed concerns about this fact and former Tesla employees who were recently let go in a wave of layoffs last week also confirmed to Electrek that the CEO has indeed been spending a lot less time at the automaker as of late.

A former manager described Musk as a “pigeon CEO”:

“He comes in, shits all over us, and then leaves.”

For example, a former employee described how the CEO came in one day to see a newly finished section of Gigafactory Texas, which workers had just finished in a rush that came from Musk’s own accelerated timeline, just to be told to change the whole wall to glass – for seemingly no reason.

There’s a real concern that Musk is not as much in touch with Tesla since buying Twitter and trying to turn the social media platform around.

But the CEO is signaling a change.

Musk is believed to be behind the massive wave of layoffs at Tesla last week that, as we reported, also hid several moves that reshaped programs at Tesla .

The CEO also said yesterday that he is postponing a trip to India to focus on some “very heavy Tesla obligations”:

Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year.

Coincidently or not, this is happening just as Tesla is asking its shareholders to vote on reinstating Musk’s massive $55 billion compensation package and the vote is seen as a sort of vote of confidence for the CEO.

Electrek’s Take

Top comment by damon ekstrom.

There was a great piece that John Oliver did on Musk on Last Week Tonight that summed Musk up perfectly. The entire episode was devoted to Musk, and many of the employees that spoke in that piece echoed the same sentiment that this employee did within this article.

Musk treats these companies like they're his own personal toys; his own sandbox if you will, and the way he treats his staff is reprehensible. The fact that he laid off 10% of Tesla's staff, and yet wants shareholders to approve a $54 billion dollar incentive package tells you all you need to know of where his priorities lie.

I think it’s very fair to say that Musk has been spending a lot less time working at Tesla in recent years, especially since his acquisition at Twitter. I also think it’s fair to say that he seems to be coming back to it, for better or worse, in the last few weeks.

It might be because Tesla had a bad quarter, and he thinks that he needs to right the ship, or it might be because an important shareholder vote is coming, and he wants to look like he is spending time on Tesla right now.

Tomorrow’s earnings call should say a lot.

So far, Musk has blamed Tesla’s bad performance almost entirely on external factors. It will be interesting to see if that changes and he takes some responsibilities in the future.

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