Hilarious Star Trek DS9 Outtake Straight Out of Fan Fiction
While it has moments of hilarity and even a dedicated comedy show (we’re going to miss you Lower Decks), Star Trek isn’t a franchise that is well-known for its comedy. However, every series has bloopers that transform the most serious scenes into ones fans can’t help but laugh at. Below, you’ll find a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine outtake that feels straight out of fanfiction in the most hilariously unhinged way.
The Pairing Of Avery Brooks And John De Lancie
So you can appreciate what makes this particular Star Trek outtake so funny, we need to provide a refresher on the episode it is from. “Q-Less” is a Season 1 episode of Deep Space Nine in which (you guessed it) the TNG villain Q makes a memorable appearance. At one point, he goads station commander Sisko into a boxing match, resulting in Q getting knocked on his butt and petulantly noting that “Picard never hit me,” leaving a stone-faced Sisko to reply, “I’m not Picard.”
A Vicious Thrashing
The Star Trek outtake in question is based on that scene, showcasing the moment that led up to the boxing match. In the finished episode, Sisko demands that Q return the various station personnel that he just snapped out of existence. When Sisko barks, “bring them back, Q,” the godlike being responds with, “or what, you’ll thrash me,” leading to their infamous boxing match.
De Lancie Went Off Script
This was a very memorable moment for a (let’s be honest) forgettable episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and we wouldn’t have wagered any latinum on any outtake making the moment any better. However, John de Lancie proves in this clip that he can be just as unexpectedly hilarious as Q. Instead of reading the line as written, de Lancie responded to the commander’s threat by asking, “or what…you’ll ravish me?”
Avery Brooks Gave As Good As He Got
A large part of what makes this Star Trek outtake so funny is that de Lancie cracks himself up and begins laughing at his own amorous ad-lib before apologizing to Avery Brooks. However, the Sisko actor was far from offended by this moment of levity. Instead, warmly embraces the other man and responds to the ravishing request with two words: “I might.”
Part of what makes this scene fascinating is that we will never know what the exact motivations of each Star Trek actor was when it came to this outtake. Obviously, they could just be two professionals having a bit of fun.
Armin Shimerman Wasn’t A Big Fan Of De Lancie
However, Quark actor Armin Shimerman later claimed he enjoyed watching these two in scenes together because Brooks “is the lead and so he has the responsibility and that recognition” but that de Lancie “came on the set with his own agenda” where the Q actor performed as if “he was the guest star…and we were the visitors.
If you have a bit of paranoia (just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean Section 31 isn’t out to get you!), it’s easy to imagine this Star Trek outtake as a subtle clash between a guest trying to assert control and a series lead reminding the guest who’s really in charge.
Star Trek And Fan Fiction
Regardless of any behind-the-scenes Star Trek drama, the main reason we love this outtake is that it feels like it came straight out of someone’s fanfiction.
If that sounds weird, consider this: Diane Merchant’s 1974 fanfic story “A Fragment Out of Time” normalized fan speculation about Kirk and Spock hooking up, and Paula Smith’s 1973 Trek parody “A Trekkie’s Tale” is where the term “Mary Sue” comes from (no, really!). Fanfic has been keeping this franchise alive for more than half a century, and it’s not surprising at all to see two of the franchise’s biggest stars jokingly creating their own slash fiction.
