Changeling

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference

Odo and Laas

Odo and the female Changeling link together

For the Earth legend regarding a Changeling child see Changeling (folklore); for the TOS episode see "The Changeling".

The Changelings are liquid-based, shapeshifting lifeforms native to the Gamma Quadrant of the Milky Way Galaxy. Their homeworld was, apparently, a rogue planet within the Omarion Nebula (which has since been rendered uninhabitable by the Obsidian Order and the Tal'Shiar in the Battle of the Omarion Nebula in 2371). (DS9: "The Search, Part I", "The Die is Cast")

[edit] Physiology

A Changeling's natural state is its liquid form, which it must revert to every sixteen hours (Odo's example) in order to regenerate. (DS9: "The Forsaken", "The Storyteller", "The Alternate", "In Purgatory's Shadow")

Changelings can take virtually any form, ranging from humanoid aliens to fog to reflective surfaces. They, or at least the Founders, also have the ability to closely mimic humanoid personalities to the point where even close friends and family often cannot distinguish them from the originals. (DS9: "By Inferno's Light", "Apocalypse Rising", "Paradise Lost") They can transform parts of themselves into smaller electric devices, like a combadge and make it operational, and are also capable of at least mimicking the shape and operation of a computer. Changelings can also mimic the form of fire and clouds. The Obsidian Order created a prototype of a device which emitted a quantum stasis field that could prevent a Changeling from shapeshifting. Two characteristics of Changelings include two terms referring to its biomolecular structure and its morphogenic matrix.

The thoughts and emotions of Changelings cannot be read by Betazoids. (DS9: "Fascination")

Changelings can survive in the vacuum of space, and are highly resistant to disruptor fire. (DS9: "Chimera", "Apocalypse Rising")

Changelings – or at least Odo – have no sense of smell. (DS9: "If Wishes Were Horses", "Improbable Cause") But, Laas stated that if his hands had Klingon blood on them, they would emit a stench, showing that after living among solids for years, he was at least familiar with the concept.

Changelings have the ability to sense, in most cases, the presence of other Changelings. (DS9: "The Search, Part I", "Homefront", "Chimera")

Changelings have been suggested to be biologically immortal and therefore never die of old age. (DS9: "Children of Time", "Behind the Lines")

A telepathic energy matrix (which caused the crew of Deep Space 9 to fight for control of the station) was rejected by Odo's lack of a humanoid brain. It did have the ability to warp his face and knock him unconscious, though he retained his humanoid shape. (DS9: "Dramatis Personae")

The Founders of the Dominion are Changelings, and make up the majority of the Dominion's leadership. Changelings prefer to think of themselves as a drop (the individual) in the larger ocean (what they call the Great Link). A Changeling, therefore, typically has little sense of individual identity. Being a liquid-based lifeform, in order to link with other Changelings they simply revert to this state and the liquid blends together, creating a link between them. (DS9: "The Search, Part II")

[edit] History

Eons ago, Changelings were monoforms like solids, limited to one shape and according to the Founders, at one time they were peaceful and explored the galaxy. But they were persecuted by some of the solids, and they came to believe that the only way to protect themselves was to conquer those around them. It isn't stated how they feel about other shapeshifting species. Solids (mono-form humanoids) called the Founders "Changelings" as an insult, but the Founders took the name for themselves as an act of defiance. (DS9: "The Search, Part II") The story came from one of the Founders herself.

Long ago, the Founders sent out one hundred infant Changelings in order to gather information and explore, to return later and share what they have learned. The Founders did not expect any to return until the late-27th century. Odo and Laas were among the hundred. (DS9: "The Search, Part II", "Chimera")

The Great Link was soon infected by a morphogenic virus that threatened the Changelings with extinction. The Federation's secret police, Section 31, intended to wipe out the Founders, leaving the Dominion powerless and wavering. This was cured by Odo. (DS9: "Extreme Measures", "What You Leave Behind")

No Changeling ever harmed another until Odo killed one to save his crewmates in late 2371. (DS9: "The Adversary")

[edit] People

• Female Changeling
• Laas
• Odo
  • Mirror universe Odo
• The Changeling that took Julian Bashir's form
• The Changeling that took Krajensky's form
• The Changeling that took Lovok's form
• The Changeling that took Martok's form
• List of unnamed changelings

[edit] Mirror universe

In the mirror universe, the Bajoran wormhole remained undiscovered as late as 2375, therefore Changelings and other species native to the Gamma Quadrant remained unknown to the peoples of the Alpha Quadrant. The only exception was Odo, who was killed on Terok Nor during a workers' revolt in 2370. (DS9: "Crossover")

[edit] Background Information

• Changelings other than Odo were first mentioned in DS9: "Vortex". They were referred to again in DS9: "Shadowplay", before being introduced in DS9: "The Search, Part I".
• DS9: "Chimera" suggests Changelings have a lifespan of at least two hundred years, although if Odo was indeed two hundred years old when he traveled back with the USS Defiant in an alternate timeline in DS9: "Children of Time", that would indicate Changelings could live for at least four hundred years. It has also been suggested that Changelings might be immortal with the Female Changeling remarking "you are a Changeling, you are timeless" – a logical assumption, given that Changelings don't appear to have any cells that might decay over time.
• Though Odo and Laas have been described as male and the Female Changeling as female, it is unclear what anatomical differences, if any, exist between male and female Changelings. Also, although an infant Changeling appeared in DS9: "The Begotten", it was never made clear exactly how Changelings reproduce. The most popular theory is that they reproduce asexually, and simply maintain a male or female form to make it easier for other species to relate to them. Indeed, at one point, Odo assumed the form of the Female Changeling, which would support this hypothesis. (DS9: "Tacking Into the Wind") However Odo had sexual affection for some female humanoids, most notably Kira Nerys. He was able to have sexual intercourse with humanoids, immitating male sex organs in humanoid form, but wasn't able to reproduce. He even had a sexual intercourse with the Female Changeling, suggesting that two Changelings can mate sexually in humanoid form. However the Female Changeling considered this version of intimacy unnecessary for their race, and pale compared to the Great Link. (DS9: "A Simple Investigation", "Favor the Bold")
• The Changelings frequently assumed a form similar to that of Odo; however, Odo's unique appearance was the product of his difficulty with assuming convincing humanoid forms, not mandated by his racial makeup. Since other Changelings have no difficulty in convincingly assuming humanoid forms, they must therefore assume an "Odoid" form out of choice. This may be because before meeting Odo and the races of the Alpha Quadrant, they had no need to reveal themselves individually to outsiders, and thus had no need for a unique humanoid form to differentiate themselves from other species. Odo would have provided them with a useful template. Ronald D. Moore commented: "Odo modeled his look after Dr. Mora and the Founders then modeled their look after Odo. They did this initially as a compliment and way of reaching out to their long-lost Changeling, and later they kept doing it as a dig and reminder to him of his own limitations." (AOL chat, 1997)
• Although much older than Odo, Laas also seemed to have similar facial features, probably because of the same reason. Having been found by the Varalans it can be assumed that the unique bumps on his forehead are typical Valaran features. (However Odo doesn't have Mora's (or others') Bajoran features.)
• The Female Changeling appears to be left-handed in "What You Leave Behind", however Odo seems to be right-handed during the course of the series. It is unclear that when assuming humanoid form, a Changeling has a dominant hand, or simply chooses which hand to use for different tasks.
• Odo assumes this shape of a computer in Paradise lost, but it is unknown whether he could simply mimic the computer's function (displaying graphics on the screen) or whether he could truly act as one and perform calculations and actions as fast as a real computer or Data could.
• Changelings do grow and become larger and more massive, to a point. Is it unknown where the new mass and atoms come from, if they don't eat or drink. At one point Julian Bashir asked Odo for a sample of the biomimetic substance Odo is made of. Odo agreed, which begs the question how would ever recover that part of himself.