Retro TV Review: Star Trek DS9 SSN Six Episode Twelve: Who Mourns For Morn?

Happy New Year folks and welcome to today’s entry of Retro TV Review.  If you just happened by please check out the rest of this series here.  If you have been following along for a while, welcome back! Let’s get started shall we?

Quark’s life takes an unexpected turn when Morn dies.  Originally airing on February 4, 1998  this is Who Mourns for Morn?

The Episode:

Station Log Stardate Undetermined: Who Mourns for Morn?

After the death of Morn, Quark is shocked to discover that he is the sole beneficiary to his former patron’s estate.  However, the windfall doesn’t come without some obstacles.

The Breakdown:

Odo enters Quarks bar to ask Morn to take care of a rotting shipment of Livanian Beets only to discover that the Lurian Patron is nothing more than a hologram.  Quark quickly explains that Morn is out of town and his customers are used to seeing Morn so he installed a fill-in in his absence.   They are both shocked when Jadzia and Sisko enter informing everyone that Morn died when his ship was destroyed in an ion storm.

That evening Quark hosts the memorial service for their fallen friend asking everyone to keep Morn’s chair warm in honor of the Lurian patron. After the ceremony, Captain Sisko informs Quark that Morn has left all of his belongings to the Ferengi Bartender. However, it soon becomes clear that Morn didn’t have much in the way of assets with the exception of some rotting beets, a matador painting and a pool of heated mud.  Quark is shocked when an attractive woman emerges from the pool of mud identifying herself as Morn’s ex-wife Larell. He is further shocked when she informs him that Morn has 1000 bricks of Gold Pressed Latinum that the deceased had won in the Lissepian Lottery.

Immediately, Quark begins his search for his newfound treasure with the help of ‘Morn’s Ex-Wife’.  It is clear that she is using Quark to obtain Morn’s treasure and, even though Quark is no fool, she convinces him to agree to a share in the fortune in exchange for not tying it up in court.  Later, Quark is shocked to find  two men, Krit and Nahsk, claiming that Morn owed them 1000 bricks of gold pressed Latinum.  After some haggling, and threats on his life, Quark comes to a deal and the two leave.  It seems that Quark’s inheritance is getting smaller by the moment.  Quark’s luck takes a turn, however, when he discovers a claim slip to a storage locker behind the painting of the Matador.  Opening the Storage Locker with Odo, Quark is suprised to find a single bar of Gold Pressed Latinum with a note claiming that the remainder is in the Bank of Bolias.

Pleased with his gains, he soon encounters Larell who promptly steals the Bar of Latinum during their encounter.  Quark ignores the theft having memorized the bank account number and, after a second encounter with Krit and Nahsk, Quark encounters Hain who claims to be a member of the Lurian Security force and has been sent to reclaim the money for the Royal Family or Luria of which Morn was a Crowned Prince.  After learning that others are after the money as well, Hain agrees to give Quark a reward for his help in retrieving the Royal Fortune.

After contacting the bank to arrange for a shipment to DS9, Quark finds Larell waiting for him in his room.  Soon Krit and Nahsk arrive causing Larell to hide and, not long after Hain arrives as well causing the brothers to hide as well.  It soon becomes apparent that the four know one another when they all emerge.   They soon inform Quark that they were all members of the gang, Morn included, who pulled off the Lesepian Mother’s day Heist of which 1000 bricks of Gold Pressed Latinum was stolen.  The four waited until Morn was dead and the statute of limitations had passed before coming for their ill gotten gains. After convincing them to let him in on the money, Quark takes them to the bar to wait on the shipment of latinum.

The shipment soon arrives and, upon seeing the stacks of Latinum, the four criminals turn on each other. Soon a firefight erupts and Quark dives into the treasure transport hiding from the fight until Odo arrives taking the four into custody.  Freeing Quark from the transport, Quark is shocked that the the Gold Pressed Latinum is nothing but worthless Gold without any latinum in it.  Distraught over his loss, he is shocked to learn that Morn is in fact alive and well having faked his own death.  Although Quark is disappointed in his favorite patron, he realizes that Morn is more like Quark than the bartender ever believed.  Morn pays the Ferengi back by regurgitating a cup of liquid latinum and giving it to him.  It turns out that he has been keeping the riches in his second stomach all these years.

Is this a ‘Good’ Episode:

Yet another light hearted stand alone episode carefully balancing out the already intense sixth season.  You have to give the writers some credit, knowing the crazyness to come they have been really good about filling in with some upbeat and fun episodes.

Morn has been a regular on the show since the first episode and it is simply amazing that he had no lines in this one.  I swear, every episode he is in it seems that he does not stop talking, much to the dismay of the rest of the crew.  Just kidding.  There is a great running joke with our favorite silent character that he is one of the most talkative on the station.  In many ways Morn is the original ‘Most Interesting Man in the world’ meme and frankly was doing it well before Jonathan Goldsmith appeared on the Dos Equis ads.  This is a character who was not only a keen sparring partner for Worf but was also quite the ladies man aboard the station.  What makes this character so interesting is that everything he is said to have done occurs off screen and is only through word of mouth that we learn of his antics.  Interestingly, this reputation has made him out to be one of the most loved characters on the series who is not part of the primary cast.

Overall, this was a very fun and enjoyable adventure giving the character of Morn a little more back story.  Personally I love how the writers took the time to tell a tale about one of the side characters giving him his moment in the sun.  Here’s to The Most Interesting Man in the Universe.

Gleanings and Cool Bits:

• We learn that Morn and Worf regularly sparred in the holosuite and that Jadzia once asked him out.
• We discover the reason for Morn’s baldness,  a negative reaction to having liquid latinum in his second stomach.
• We learn that Morn sleeps in a pool of mud.
• Morn is actually an reference to Norm from the tv series Cheers who was also a regular at a popular bar.

---

Thanks for reading the Retro TV Review,  I look forward to discussing the rest of the series with you, one episode at a time every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!  Next Review: Ferengi Love Songs

If you would like to read more reviews I have a weekly series called Key Movies Of My Life that comes out every Thursday and for more retro TV goodness check out the rest of the Retro TV Reviews here.

As always,  please feel free to comment below and share your experiences with these episodes as well. If you just happened by, tell me what you think! Don’t Forget To Follow me if you like the blog!

Late To The Game 2/20/2022 (Originally published 1/1/2020)

Special Thanks to Memory Alpha as they are one of the best sources for details on Star Trek information available.  Although I have a pretty deep knowledge on the subject, they have proven invaluable as a regular resource.

“Star Trek and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan production is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made production intended for recreational use.  No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.”