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The Breen were a reclusive, powerful, and warlike humanoid race native to the planet Breen in the Alpha Quadrant . Shrouded in mystery, the Breen were also one of the most underestimated races inhabiting that quadrant of space .

• 1.1 Alliance with the Dominion
• 1.2 Continued aggression
• 1.3 32nd century
• 2 Alternate timelines and realities
• 4.1 Treatment of prisoners
• 4.2 Language
• 5 Science and technology
• 6 Mirror universe
• 7 Individuals
• 8 Territory
• 9.1 Appearances
• 9.2.1 Initial references
• 9.2.2 First appearance
• 9.2.3 Interim
• 9.2.4 Return
• 9.2.5 Uncertainties and trivia
• 9.2.6 32nd century return and unmasking
• 9.2.7 Reception
• 9.3 Apocrypha
• 9.4 External links

History and politics [ ]

Historically , the Klingons were among the first to discover that the Breen did not tolerate incursions into their space. During the Klingon Second Empire , Chancellor Mow'ga ordered an entire fleet of Klingon warships to invade and conquer the Breen homeworld . The fleet never returned and was never heard from again. ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

The Romulans ' contact with the Breen led to their coining a saying: " Never turn your back on a Breen. " ( DS9 : " By Inferno's Light ")

Breen privateers during the 24th century often conducted indiscriminate raids against other Alpha Quadrant species. This included the Breen attack and capture of a Cardassian Central Command vessel , the Ravinok , in 2366 . The survivors of that attack were used for slave labor in Breen-operated dilithium mines on Dozaria . ( DS9 : " Indiscretion ")

Even by the 24th century , much was still unknown about the Breen and their government , known as the Breen Confederacy . ( DS9 : " Strange Bedfellows ", " The Dogs of War ") The Federation had limited knowledge of the Breen, however, and was aware of Breen outposts located in Sector 97 in 2368 . That same year, Starfleet feared the Breen might have attacked the science vessel SS Vico there. ( TNG : " Hero Worship ")

In 2370 , the Breen participated in a palio held at Federation space station Deep Space 3 , during which the Ferengi attempted to bribe a Breen pilot into deliberately losing the race. ( TNG : " Interface ")

In 2371 , evidence seemed to briefly indicate that the Breen may have attacked another Federation space station, the Amargosa observatory , though the true aggressors were, moments later, determined to have been Romulans. ( Star Trek Generations ) Nevertheless, by about this point, the Breen were considered one of the most warlike species known to the Federation. ( VOY : " Elogium ")

Breen in a dilithium mine on Dozaria

In 2372 , the Breen captors on Dozaria were located by Kira Nerys and Gul Dukat . Dukat stated that he didn't approve of what the Breen were doing, by employing the survivors of the Ravinok as slaves but did "admire their ingenuity." The Breen guards were ambushed by him and Kira, so that they could free one of the Breen's prisoners: Dukat's daughter , Tora Ziyal . ( DS9 : " Indiscretion ") Later that year, Breen privateers raided the Bajoran colony of Free Haven ; they were, however, successfully driven away by the USS Defiant . ( DS9 : " To the Death ")

By 2373 , the Cardassian Union maintained an embassy on the Breen homeworld. ( DS9 : " Return to Grace ") The same year, Breen settlements on Portas V , near the Demilitarized Zone , dealt with the Maquis , supplying them with cold storage units . ( DS9 : " For the Uniform ")

A Breen prisoner and a Jem'Hadar guard kill each other

Whereas a Breen individual was held captive by the Dominion at Internment Camp 371 in 2373 (before killing a couple of Jem'Hadar guards there and, in retaliation, being shot to death in that year), other species like the Ferengi had developed closer ties with the Breen by the late 24th century, as both species conducted trade negotiations in 2373. ( DS9 : " In Purgatory's Shadow ", " By Inferno's Light ", " Ferengi Love Songs ") Once, in 2374 , Ferengi engineer Rom referred to the Breen as one of the top three toughest mercenary species that he and his brother , Quark , could find (the others being Klingons and Nausicaans ). Rom suggested including the Breen in a commando team which would be sent to rescue his and Quark's mother , Ishka , who was being held prisoner by the Dominion, but Quark declined the Breen's involvement, opting for the rescue operation to be attempted by Ferengi only. Ishka's captor, Vorta clone Yelgrun , considered Breen annoying, though not as much as Ferengi. ( DS9 : " The Magnificent Ferengi ")

It was noted by Ezri Dax in 2375 , when she and Worf were captured by the Breen on the planet Goralis III , that they were a long way from Breen space . ( DS9 : " Penumbra ") The Breen interrogated Worf and Dax, but the information which the pair consequently provided was somewhat confusing. ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ", " Strange Bedfellows ") In Worf's opinion, the Breen were not only dangerous but also had no honor . ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

In 2380 , Lieutenant Barbara Brinson suspected Ensign Beckett Mariner of being a Breen infiltrator. ( LD : " Cupid's Errant Arrow ")

Alliance with the Dominion [ ]

Watched by Weyoun and Damar , Thot Gor meets the Female Changeling for the first time

Meanwhile, Breen representative Thot Gor had been extensively conversing over subspace with the Female Changeling , the leader of the Dominion, in discussions that she found to be particularly productive. ( DS9 : " Strange Bedfellows ") The Breen were of no personal interest to her other than the military advantage they could provide against the Federation Alliance in the Dominion War , in which the Female Changeling was determined to lead the Dominion to victory. ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ") In 2375, the Breen moved from a policy of low-level hostilities toward most other major powers to one of open warfare when they allied themselves with the Dominion as reinforcements. ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ", " Strange Bedfellows ") To mark the historic moment when the two parties first met in person, the Breen presented Worf and Ezri Dax as gifts to the Dominion. ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

The Breen with Damar

According to the terms of alliance , the Breen Confederacy received several planets in the Cardassian Union as compensation for joining the war. Despite being welcomed by the Female Changeling and Vorta leader Weyoun , the Breen were mistrusted by the leader of the Cardassian Union, Legate Damar , who was frustrated by the details of their treaty with the Dominion. For instance, the Breen were thereafter allowed unlimited access to the Dominion's database , whereas Damar was annoyed at them being permitted to use it at all. His frustration over how the Breen were being received led Damar to begin a Cardassian rebellion against the Dominion and enable Ezri Dax and Worf to escape back to Federation space. ( DS9 : " Strange Bedfellows ") Even for the Cardassian rebels, the addition of the Breen made the Dominion more formidable than ever. ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ")

Remains of San Francisco after the Breen attack during the Dominion War

Shortly after joining with the Dominion, the Breen attacked Earth , assaulting Starfleet Headquarters and destroying the nearby Golden Gate Bridge . Most of the Breen attack force was destroyed by Starfleet, though the majority of the damage on Earth had been done by that time.

The Breen were so secretive that the only thing Starfleet knew about them, up to then, was that they were a race of warriors , an aspect of the Breen which the Klingons learned in light of their attack on Earth, as not even the Klingons had ever attempted such a strike. Even Weyoun and Damar considered the Breen to be "full of surprises," albeit for different reasons. ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ")

Employment of a devastating Breen weapon results in the destruction of the USS Defiant

A short time later, the Breen assisted Dominion forces in breaking the lines at Chin'toka , launching a counteroffensive against the Federation Alliance there and breaking through in two places. To Rom's son , Starfleet Ensign Nog , the Breen now seemed unstoppable, though Worf refuted this opinion, believing that every foe could somehow be overcome. A major battle which followed, known as the Second Battle of Chin'toka , was won by the Dominion thanks to a unique Breen device, a kind of energy-dampening weapon which could completely drain all the main power systems of a starship . Those vessels which were destroyed by the Breen weapon during the battle included the USS Defiant . ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ") In fact, the only ship immune to the weapon was a Klingon Bird-of-Prey , the IKS Ki'tang , which serendipitously survived thanks to an adjustment the chief engineer had made to the ship's tritium intermix in the warp core . ( DS9 : " When It Rains... ") Under orders from the Female Changeling, the Breen allowed escape pods to carry Federation survivors to safety (believing they would sow fear in the enemy ranks after what they had witnessed), and the Breen were thanked for the decisive part they had served in the battle. ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ") Both this defeat and the Breen's devastating assault on Earth dealt a huge blow to the Federation Alliance's morale. ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ", " When It Rains... ") The Breen were also being used to defend numerous Dominion facilities. ( DS9 : " When It Rains... ")

Breen engineers were assigned to begin retrofitting Dominion ships with the energy-dampening weapon. The engineers were instructed to accelerate the installation program, an order that had been sent from the Female Changeling and was relayed to the engineers by Thot Pran , a Breen official. According to one report (from Kelvas V ), the Breen would start installing the weapon on Jem'Hadar fighters within a week. ( DS9 : " Tacking Into the Wind ") Although the Klingon fleet was able to make the needed adjustments against the weapon, the Federation and the Romulans were still unable to defend against the Breen. ( DS9 : " When It Rains... ", " The Dogs of War ") Hence, the Breen were prevented from acquiring final victory for the Dominion only because the Klingon vessels were present. ( DS9 : " When It Rains... ", " Tacking Into the Wind ") When the Federation finally did create a defense against the energy-dampening weapon, they forced the Dominion fleet to retreat. Thot Pran expressed an extreme distaste for surrender , and required the reassurance of the Female Changeling that, instead of surrendering, they were actually regrouping and attempting to redouble their shipbuilding and replenishment efforts. ( DS9 : " The Dogs of War ")

Thot Pran with the Female Changeling and Weyoun, reviewing plans for the forthcoming Battle of Cardassia

With the necessary countermeasures against the Breen's energy-dampening weapon obtained, the Federation Alliance was able to go on the offensive once again, choosing to try to invade Cardassia Prime itself. In hopes of raising the Breen's will to fight, the Female Changeling offered them control of Earth and Romulus if they succeeded in winning the battle. However, she then told Weyoun this was merely a political promise, designed just as motivation. While every Breen soldier on Cardassia was participating in a concerted search for Damar, the Breen, in the interest of maintaining their alliance with the Dominion, were positioned ahead of the Jem'Hadar by the Female Changeling, under pressure from Thot Pran.

During the ensuing Battle of Cardassia , the Breen were still able to inflict major casualties on the allies, even without the use of their energy-dampening weapon. Up to a third of the allies' entire fleet was destroyed during the battle, including the Romulan flagship , even though sabotage by the Cardassian rebellion resulted in the Dominion fleet being out of contact with their headquarters until midway through the battle. The Breen continued to fight for the Dominion until the end of the war, demonstrating a willingness to die for the cause which matched that of the Jem'Hadar. However, when the Cardassian forces switched sides mid-battle, the Dominion and Breen were forced to withdraw to Cardassia Prime. The Breen leaders left Dominion Headquarters in order to fight on the front lines , and both Damar and Weyoun were shot to death shortly thereafter. At the Dominion defense perimeter in orbit of the planet, the Breen were to be targeted by the Klingons, in a three-pronged attack that saw the Romulans, Cardassians and Starfleet focus on other targets.

The Breen leaders witness the signing of the Treaty of Bajor

After Odo convinced the Female Changeling to surrender, the Breen and their allies stood down, finally bringing an end to the Dominion War. As allies of the Dominion, Breen representatives were present during the signing of the Treaty of Bajor . ( DS9 : " What You Leave Behind ")

Continued aggression [ ]

Despite ceasing open hostilities with other major Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers, by 2381 the Breen had made at least one incursion into the Delos system and occupied the planet Brekka . This incursion was accidentally discovered by the crew of the USS Cerritos . ( LD : " Trusted Sources ") However, it later emerged that Vice Admiral Les Buenamigo had prior knowledge of the Breen's presence on Brekka and had been setting the Cerritos up for a crisis that would "force" him to unveil the Texas -class USS Aledo . Cerritos captain Carol Freeman was outraged when she learned this, as Buenamigo's actions had needlessly put her crew in mortal danger. ( LD : " The Stars At Night ")

32nd century [ ]

The Breen remained antagonists of the Federation in the 32nd century, by which time the Breen Confederacy had been succeeded by the Breen Imperium . ( DIS : " Red Directive ")

The Imperium was ruled by a royal caste called the Yod-Thot , which included the primarch . ( DIS : " Mirrors ")

It was later revealed that L'ak , one of two couriers who was searching for the Progenitors ' technology, was actually a Breen and the nephew of primarch Ruhn . As L'ak had an erigah on him, he and Moll sought the Progenitors' technology, hoping to trade it for the release of the blood bounty , although Captain Michael Burnham warned that the Breen would be more likely to simply kill L'ak and take it for themselves. ( DIS : " Mirrors ")

Alternate timelines and realities [ ]

In an alternate timeline where the USS Discovery wasn't rescued from the time cycling in time, the Progenitor technology came into the possession of the Breen, who used it to stage a devastating attack on the Federation just a few weeks after Discovery 's rescue; Commander Rayner suggested that it had been sold to the Breen by Moll and L'ak . By 3218 , Breen ships were patrolling the wreckage of the USS Federation . After learning that L'ak was a Breen himself seeking to trade the technology in exchange for his freedom, Burnham suggested that the Breen simply killed L'ak and Moll instead and took it for themselves. ( DIS : " Face the Strange ", " Mirrors ")

Physiology [ ]

The face of L'ak in a fluid state

The face of L'ak in a solid state

In their true forms, Breen were humanoids capable of surviving in multiple environments. They also had two faces: a solid state one, where their flesh-based skin is green; and a fluid state consisting of green transulcent fluid that the Breen thought of as their true face. While L'ak argued that both were part of their true form, being half of their nature, Primarch Ruhn claimed that the Breen had evolved past their more solid state and that taking on that form just made them weak. ( DIS : " Mirrors ") It is possible the Changeling knows about such nature, as the Female Changeling, on one occasion, commented to Weyoun that under Thot Pran's helmet was "a braver man than you." ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ", " What You Leave Behind ")

The Breen had no blood or other liquid circulatory system . ( DS9 : " In Purgatory's Shadow ") The species was one of many whose thoughts and emotions were not detectable by empathic species, such as Betazoids . ( TNG : " The Loss ") The Breen had at least one gender : male. ( DS9 : " Strange Bedfellows ", et al. ) Breen appeared physically more resilient than most humanoids. When Worf struck a Breen, the Breen proceeded to incapacitate Worf with a neural truncheon , seemingly oblivious to the assault. ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

The Breen constantly wore refrigeration suits . According to Worf , no outsider had ever seen what a Breen looked like under their refrigeration suits and lived. ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

Even as late as the 32nd century , no one appeared to have seen a Breen outside of their suits, at least not without realizing it, as no one was aware that L'ak was actually a Breen due to L'ak never been seen using a refrigeration suit. Due to this, there were many rumors regarding Breen.

Even shortly before the Dominion War was concluded, their appearance remained so completely unknown to their allies that Weyoun could not avoid wondering what the Breen looked like. ( DS9 : " What You Leave Behind ") Ezri Dax once had a dream that featured a male Breen taking off his helmet to reveal he was actually Julian Bashir .

Worf firmly concluded that the species didn't have claws , although Ezri Dax wasn't sure of this belief. She, on the other hand, speculated that the Breen might be covered in fur , due to their home planet purportedly having a remarkably cold climate . ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ") Dukat expected Dozaria's climate would be about fifty degrees too hot for the species, so he expressed extreme surprise at finding Breen guards on that planet. ( DS9 : " Indiscretion ") However, while the intelligence reports available to Cardassian and Dominion leaders during the Dominion War reported their homeworld to be a frozen wasteland, Weyoun remarked (in his capacity as a diplomat) that the planet was really "quite comfortable." ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ")

Society and culture [ ]

The Breen commonly endured pregnancy at a young age. ( VOY : " Elogium ") They entertained and taught their offspring with nursery rhymes . A particular example of a Breen nursery rhyme was made up of a heterophonic, five-line verse with an alternating tetrameter and pentameter structure. These were nonsensical phrases, strung together because they rhymed (at least to the Breen). Breen music which accompanied this nursery rhyme was written on a Lyxian scale . ( DS9 : " For the Uniform ")

Based on how algae paste tasted, Ezri Dax humorously speculated that the Breen were "horrible cooks ." ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

The Breen rank structure included the title thot, which was implied to be greater than that of a Cardassian legate . ( DS9 : " Strange Bedfellows ") Other Breen worked as engineers, including at least four at the Kelvas facility . ( DS9 : " Tacking Into the Wind ") The Breen Imperium of the 32nd century was ruled by a royal caste called the Yod-Thot , which included the primarch . Ruhn was described as being "Breen Primarch of the Sixth Flight." ( DIS : " Mirrors ")

The Breen had a blood bounty called erigah which could only be released by the Breen themselves. ( DIS : " Mirrors ")

Treatment of prisoners [ ]

The Breen were known to use slave labor, and at least some of these slaves were captured in raids on other species. When the Breen were using Bajoran slaves to mine dilithium ore , there were always at least eight guards within the mines. ( DS9 : " Indiscretion ")

The Breen were very prudent when dealing with prisoners. When capturing prisoners, the Breen typically stunned them from long range with their disruptors , rather than approaching them and risking close combat. When Worf and Ezri Dax were discovered by the Breen on Goralis while sleeping , the Breen used this technique to subdue them. The Breen also fed their prisoners a diet of algae paste. ( DS9 : " Penumbra ", " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

Aboard starships, the Breen typically sent in three guards at a time when they wished to remove a single prisoner from a cell that was being shared with other prisoners. Although Worf made various attempts at escape, they all failed, including an attempt to persuade the Breen guards that Ezri was sick, as well as an attempt to short-circuit the door of their cell. When Worf attempted to attack the Breen guards, they used a type of neural truncheon to paralyze him. Even after he fell to the ground, partially paralyzed, two Breen guards continued to use the truncheons on him to ensure he would not get back up, before two guards removed Ezri from the cell. ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ") In another incident, Worf simply showed signs of anger towards Weyoun and was again shocked by the neural truncheon. ( DS9 : " Strange Bedfellows ") On the other hand, a holographic Breen , enhanced by the Hirogen and participating in Iden's Rebellion of 2377 , once helped restrain B'Elanna Torres , but did so in a way that was relatively very careful, taking Torres by the arm to a position where a force field could be activated around her. ( VOY : " Flesh and Blood ")

To extract information from captives, the Breen used cortical implants , despite the fact that they caused extreme mental and physical side effects to the recipient, including severe pain and hallucinations . ( DS9 : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

Language [ ]

See: Breen language

Science and technology [ ]

Given that most known humanoid species lived on class M planets with an average temperature far above the supposed temperature of Breen, the Breen were largely thought to have had to develop refrigeration suits in order to co-exist with others. However, if the Breen homeworld was temperate, as stated by Weyoun, then their reason for wearing refrigeration suits , if they were environmental suits at all, was much more mysterious. ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ") Underneath the suits, the Breen typically existed in their fluid state, believing that they had evolved beyond their solid state, although they were capable of taking on both. ( DIS : " Mirrors ")

The Breen were known for their knowledge of sophisticated cold storage units, summed up in a statement Captain Benjamin Sisko once made: " If anyone knows how to keep things cold, it's the Breen. " ( DS9 : " For the Uniform ")

A Breen ship

By 2373 , the Breen were among multiple species known by Starfleet to use organic-based vessels . ( VOY : " Scorpion ") Some of their vessels were even believed to be fitted with cloaking devices . ( TNG : " Hero Worship ") During the mid- 2370s , Breen interceptors utilized energy-dampening weapons. ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ", et al. ) The expediency with which the Breen could mobilize large fleets of ships surprised Damar. ( DS9 : " The Changing Face of Evil ") The Breen's piloting skills likewise impressed Nog. ( DS9 : " What You Leave Behind ")

The Breen were known to use type 3 disruptors, in common with the Romulans and Klingons. ( Star Trek Generations ) The Breen also manufactured a portable hand-held cannon , the CRM 114 , which was designed to target moving objects and surface emplacements. It was among numerous weapons dealt by Ferengi arms dealer Gaila in the mid-2370s. ( DS9 : " Business as Usual ") A holographic facsimile of a pistol was almost used by the holographic Breen in Iden's Rebellion, moments prior to that Breen being deactivated. ( VOY : " Flesh and Blood ")

The Breen made use of memory-probing technology, in the form of cortical implants, and neural truncheons for subduing prisoners. ( DS9 : " Indiscretion ", " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

Mirror universe [ ]

In the mirror universe , Intendant Kira once told Benjamin Sisko that Breen icicles were warmer than Professor Jennifer Sisko . ( DS9 : " Shattered Mirror ")

Individuals [ ]

• Unnamed Breen

Territory [ ]

• See : Breen space

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Indiscretion " ( Season 4 )
• " In Purgatory's Shadow " ( Season 5 )
• " By Inferno's Light "
• " Penumbra " ( Season 7 )
• " 'Til Death Do Us Part "
• " Strange Bedfellows "
• " The Changing Face of Evil "
• " Tacking Into the Wind "
• " The Dogs of War "
• " What You Leave Behind "
• VOY : " Flesh and Blood " ( hologram ) ( Season 7 )
• LD : " Trusted Sources " ( Season 3 )
• " Red Directive " ( Season 5 )
• " Under the Twin Moons "
• " Jinaal " (image only)
• " Face the Strange "
• " Mirrors "

Background information [ ]

In the final draft scripts of " Indiscretion " and " Return to Grace ", the term "Breen" was listed in the pronunciation guide, phonetically notated as "BREEN". [2] [3]

In the Norwegian language, the term "Breen" means glacier.

Some of the actors and stunt performers to have worn the Breen costumes are Cathy DeBuono , Todd Slayton , Max Omega , Wade Kelly , Dennis Madalone , and Tom Morga .

Initial references [ ]

Ira Steven Behr once described the Breen, considering the references to them on Star Trek: The Next Generation , as "sort of a running joke" in TNG. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 277)) Marco Palmieri similarly reasoned that contemplating all the canonical facts about Breen biology is " enough to give the impression that as each new tidbit about the Breen was being conceived, little thought was given to the composite picture being created. And it may well be that this is exactly how the Breen started. " ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 156 , p. 49)

The first evidence of the Breen was in the TNG Season 4 episode " The Loss ", in which Data , during a meeting of the USS Enterprise -D 's senior staff , mentions the Breen as one of "many races that are not empathically detectable." Both in that episode and the next installment to mention the Breen, TNG Season 5 's " Hero Worship ", the Breen are cited as a possible culprit by Data, firstly in regard to Deanna Troi losing her empathic Betazoid abilities and secondly concerning the destruction of the SS Vico . In both cases, the Breen are found not to be the cause.

Jeri Taylor proposed exploring the Breen in an ultimately abandoned season finalé that would have ended TNG Season 6 . [4] [5] In a memo which initially outlined the story (a document which was sent from Taylor to Michael Piller on 21 January 1992 ), the Breen were described as "a bellicose, brutal species who inhabit a distant but expanding empire." In the narrative, a Breen delegation was to be met and escorted to Earth by the Enterprise -D, formally establishing diplomatic relations between the Breen and the Federation. Although the Federation had long been happy that the Breen lived far from Federation space and had been expecting the species to be adversarial, the Breen had recently made the first tentative step toward establishing ties with the Federation. The unpleasantness of the species, however, became apparent to the Enterprise -D crew when the two groups met. They arranged an initial joint mission, whereby Starfleet scientists were sent on a Breen vessel to investigate a recently discovered phenomenon, but the ship suddenly vanished without explanation. In response, the Breen volatilely accused the Enterprise of being duplicitously responsible for the ship's disappearance, but the Enterprise then discovered the Breen ship, caught in an anomaly, and attempted to rescue it, the Starfleet crew jeopardizing their own vessel in the process. Jeri Taylor was of the opinion that using the story as an opportunity to introduce the Breen as a new adversary "would infuse new energy into the 7th season ." [6] In a revised version of the plot (relayed by Taylor to Piller in a memo dated 16 February 1992 ), she suggested that the Breen delegation meet with the starship Indiana , under Riker 's command, rather than the Enterprise , though the latter still undertook the rescue attempt (much to Riker's chagrin). When Riker opted to go to the aid of the Enterprise while it was endangered due to the anomaly, the Breen were unsettled by this decision. The volatile Breen were thereafter encountered by Captain Picard , when he came aboard the Indiana , moments before he was blown out of the ship, through a rupture in its hull, and out into space. [7]

Although the Breen and their involvement in the palio on DS3 are discussed as essentially smalltalk between Picard and Vice Admiral Marcus Holt in TNG Season 7 entry " Interface ", the Breen's function as suspects was not finished. They weren't referenced at all in the first draft script of Star Trek Generations , despite being mentioned on-screen in the final version of that film , wherein Riker cites them as potentially responsible for the attack on the Amargosa observatory, though this is later determined not to have been the case.

First appearance [ ]

When the DS9 writing staff required a villain for DS9 Season 4 episode "Indiscretion", an opportunity to physically depict the Breen presented itself. " We just struck on the idea to use the Breen, " stated Robert Hewitt Wolfe . ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 277))

In the script of "Indiscretion", the Breen were described as " tall, well-armed humanoids in dark, armored pressure suits which protect them from [...] harsh atmosphere. " [8]

The hidden manner in which the Breen were portrayed – fully clothed, wearing masks and helmets – was influenced by the fact "Indiscretion" came very soon after episodes which featured large numbers of Klingons and Jem'Hadar (namely, " The Way of the Warrior " and " Hippocratic Oath " respectively). " I wasn't really in the mood to come up with a new alien race, " explained Ira Steven Behr. " So I said, 'Let's not see them. Let's just put them in costume because they normally live in the cold.' " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 277)) An additional motive for Behr deciding that the Breen should appear in fully enclosed costumes was that this would cut down on make-up expenses. ( Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection , issue 69, p. 17)

When the Breen helmets were being designed for "Indiscretion", it was decided that they would give viewers the suggestion of a snout, like that of an Arctic Wolf . ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 277)) Terry J. Erdmann recalled about the Breen, " They were never supposed to be important at all, so when the wardrobe department first made Breen costumes, they were kind of simple; they just made a mask and put them on some guys who were going to stand in the background. " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 17 , p. 93)

Interim [ ]

The word "Breen" was listed in the pronunciation guide for the final draft script of DS9 Season 5 installment " Let He Who Is Without Sin... ", which noted that it "rhymes with 'green'." However, the term wasn't actually used anywhere else in that teleplay. [9]

The Breen were not referenced in the first draft script of fifth season outing " For the Uniform ", despite the species being talked about in the final version of that episode.

In the first draft script of DS9 : " Sons and Daughters ", the Breen were referenced, by Jake Sisko , as having fought Bel Torthap , a writer whom Jake respected. This reference to the species lasted at least two versions of the first draft script: the original (dated 1 July 1997 ) and a revision (dated 8 July 1997). However, the Breen weren't mentioned at all in the final draft of the script for "Sons and Daughters" (issued on 11 July 1997). [10]

Thus, as of the start of DS9 Season 6 (in September 1997 ), the show's writing staff didn't have any plans to feature the Breen in the series. However, Ronald D. Moore didn't rule out such a possibility, remarking, " We could explore them in the future. " ( AOL chat , 1997 )

Mentioned above , a Breen named " Aaioa Uree " was originally to have appeared in DS9 Season 7 outing " Field of Fire ", but this idea was ultimately scrapped.

At the start of a nine-episode arc that was designed to bring an end to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the Breen were brought into the Dominion War by the show's writers. Thus, the species went from having been used only "a handful of times" prior to DS9 Season 7 to becoming "major players" (as worded by First Assistant Director B.C. Cameron ) in the first of those installments, " Penumbra ". Their introduction into the conflict was motivated by the writers feeling sure that the Breen would heighten the stakes of the war. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (pp. 685 & 702)) Christopher L. Bennett observed that there was probably an additional reason why the Breen were introduced into the Dominion War. " I think the main reason for bringing in the Breen, " he said, " was to establish that the Dominion saw Cardassia as disposable – not the partners they'd promised, but just a stepping-stone toward their conquest of the quadrant, to be tossed aside as soon as they'd outlived their usefulness (if you'll pardon the mixed metaphor). It was a motivator for Damar's – and Cardassia's – journey toward rebellion. " [11] As the writing staff didn't have the entire war worked out when they brought the Breen into it, they were uncertain how much would ultimately be learned about the Breen in the series. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 685)) Nonetheless, the Breen ended up as the last major villains to be introduced in DS9. Also, the fact that so little had been established about them, thus far, gave Designer John Eaves a feeling of particular freeness while designing the Breen ship, for "Penumbra". ( Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection , issue 69, pp. 10 & 11)

The DS9 writing staff wanted to make the Breen seem highly mysterious. " We wanted to give these guys something special, " commented Ira Steven Behr. " I couldn't make them the toughest guys in the galaxy – that's the Jem'Hadar. Or the most arrogant guys – that's the Cardassians. Or the most untrustworthy guys – that's the Vorta. So we decided to make them the most mysterious guys in the galaxy, with voices that really grate on the audience. " Behr has also said that the Breen's distinctive, scratchy voice, which was first spoken in " 'Til Death Do Us Part ", was inspired by the guitar feedback on Lou Reed 's album Metal Machine Music . ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 703))

When they decided to bring the Breen back, DS9's creative staff had to reuse the same costumes which had already been created for the species. " One day, the wardrobe department gets this call. 'Guess what? We're going to use the Breen,' " Terry J. Erdmann related. " Well, those masks that those poor actors are wearing have a long bill on the front, with only a tiny hole at the end for them to breathe. They snap on to the back, so they are difficult to put on and off, and the eye holes were in the wrong place, so they really couldn't see. But these almost unusable costumes were established, so they were stuck with them. " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 17 , p. 93) Not only did the costumes hamper breathing and seeing (the latter of which caused background extra Wade Kelly, when B.C. Cameron asked him to walk across a room, to repeatedly stumble noisily on set, during production on " Strange Bedfellows "), but wearing them also brought a host of other problems too. B.C. Cameron pointed out, " They're wearing big, clumsy boots, and their outfits are layered like an armadillo, making it very hard for them to move. " Regarding the difficulties of using the Breen helmets, Steve Oster explained, " They're held together with magnets and they fall off any time someone bumps them. And before we redesigned them, the switches for the little blinky lights were on the inside of the helmet. " This meant the helmets had to be removed from the actors every time the lights needed to be turned on. " And for some reason we never did figure out, " continued Oster, " the nine-volt batteries only lasted minutes before they burned out. " Thot Gor actor Todd Slayton considered "the biggest problem with the Breen mask" was the tiny hole for breathing, which he estimated was about eight inches away from the wearer's nose. He also noted that the viewing lens in the mask often steamed up quite quickly. ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 702))

During the course of writing the Dominion War, the DS9 writers were very intent on establishing the Breen as extremely formidable, tough aliens. This inspired the introduction of the Breen energy-dampening weapon and the destruction of the USS Defiant , in " The Changing Face of Evil ". ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 693))

The final Breen to be depicted (in live action) was the holographic individual in VOY : " Flesh and Blood ". The final draft script of "Flesh and Blood, Part I" called for multiple holographic Breen to appear in the episode, although only one is present in the final version.

Uncertainties and trivia [ ]

Ultimately, it was never made clear how the Breen actually looked, inside their costumes. Whereas First Assistant Director Lou Race "always" suspected the Breen looked similar to Donald Duck (owing to the beak-like part of their helmets), Make-Up Supervisor Michael Westmore admitted that he wasn't really sure how they looked. However, he also reflected, " I actually had an unused head in the lab that would have been great. I thought we could put a little bit of a snout onto it, so we could justify the snout on the helmet. But we never had the opportunity to show one of them. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (pp. 701-702))

It was also left unclear whether anyone had ever seen a Breen and survived the experience. In "'Til Death Do Us Part", Worf states, " No one has ever seen [a Breen] and lived to speak of it. " However, "Indiscretion" implies that Kira and Dukat must have gotten a look at a pair of Breen whose uniforms they stole. Compounding the continuity problem, Kira is implied as having dispatched another Breen, again for his uniform, in DS9 series finalé " What You Leave Behind ". In hindsight, Ronald D. Moore regarded this continuity glitch as one of numerous frustrating details that, due to their sheer quantity, the creative team hadn't managed to keep track of. On the other hand, Ira Steven Behr proposed an in-universe explanation, saying, " There's nothing in those helmets. I don't think there's a guy in there, which is something we never got around to saying. " After a pause, he added, " Or maybe there's a little slug, some tiny little creature in there. I never wanted them to be humanoid in any way. " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 702)) Despite this, not only did the aforementioned script of "Indiscretion" regard the Breen as "humanoid" but so do the reference works Star Trek Encyclopedia  (3rd ed., p. 54) and Star Trek: Star Charts (p. 35) as well as the StarTrek.com database entry about the species. [12]

The model for the Breen helmet closely resembles a Ubese Bounty Hunter suit that Princess Leia wore to Jabba the Hutt 's Palace in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi . [13]

32nd century return and unmasking [ ]

Glenn Hetrick of Star Trek: Discovery expressed an interest in the Breen appearing in that series without their masks. Hetrick commented, " No one in the universe, as per Worf, has ever seen what they look like under the refrigeration suits. So, that is definitely – as many times as I can put it forth – I want to get one of those refrigeration suits off and see what the Breen look like. " [14]

Carlos Cisco lobbied hard for the Breen to appear in DIS Season 5 . " The Breen were one of my strongest pushes for the season. Early on a couple of us who were really into the lore were asked for ideas on the season big bads and [staff writer] Eric [Robbins] was pushing for the Vidiians and I was like we should do the Breen.” Because, A: They’re not going to have horrible makeup, and B: We can just put a bunch of big guys in suits and they don’t need to talk. Being mindful of the COVID protocols , the suits and masks would be really great. And then there were all the possibilities for the Breen because in every season Discovery is trying to do something we have never seen before. And getting to unmask the Breen was a really big privilege. "

Regarding their appearance, Cisco said, " I don’t remember where in the process we landed on “gelatinous” but when we hit the art team with that they came back to us with deep sea fish like the Barreleye Fish with a see-through head. We got really excited about that. So we started talking about what is this species? Why do they wear the suits? So, the thing we landed on is they have this soft gelatinous form and also a hardened form. Our thinking was that the Breen came up on a very harsh planet with a harsh environment. So they developed a way to protect themselves which was hardening their outer shell into basically a skin, but that takes an immense amount of concentration and energy, making them slower, more sluggish, less intelligent, basically. Over time, they compensated for that by creating the refrigeration suits. Then culturally, it became anathema for them to display that solid face, especially to outsiders, because it was essentially a sign of weakness. " [15]

Reception [ ]

The writers of Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection (issue 69, pp. 16 & 17) approved of the Breen. They regarded them as "vitally important to the Dominion War" and further remarked, " Despite the hazards of the costume, the Breen proved a tough and formidable adversary that ratcheted up the threat to the Federation in the final months of the Dominion War. Without them, the final story arc would not have been so tense and compelling. "

Marco Palmieri wrote, " You have to hand it to the Breen: For a civilization that started out as a sometimes-mentioned but never seen running gag on The Next Generation , they eventually came incredibly close to handing the Founders a decisive victory in the Dominion War. Along the way, the Breen not only destroyed the Starship Defiant , they succeeded where no other enemy empire had before: attacking Starfleet Headquarters on Earth. Even the Klingons had reason to fear them [...] [considering] an Imperial fleet sent to conquer the Breen homeworld was never heard from again. That's not a bad résumé as Star Trek villains go. " ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 156 , p. 48)

Gary Russell cited the Breen as his favorite race. ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 30 , p. 63)

Apocrypha [ ]

In the novel Zero Sum Game , the Breen are revealed to be comprised of several different species, with "Breen" as the name of a society, rather than a single species. The primary reason for this is to judge individuals on their skills and abilities rather than their physical appearance. In reality, however, this approach was taken by Zero Sum Game author David Mack because he believed that trying to reconcile all the canonical "facts" about the Breen's physiology would otherwise be impossible, as he thought there were too many discrepancies. ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 156 , p. 50)

Among the species in the Breen Confederacy mentioned in Zero Sum Game , only four were mentioned by name and described in some detail, and an additional fifth species was described in the novel Plagues of Night . Two more species were named in the novels Disavowed and The Hall of Heroes . They include:

• The Silwaan ( β ) , a humanoid species and a founding species of the Confederacy, who possessed (in the case of the character Chot Nar) bronze-tinted skin , white hair , and jade-colored eyes .
• The Fenrisal ( β ) , a furred , lupine humanoid species whose snouted facial structure served as the inspiration for the archetypical Breen helmet design.
• The Paclu ( β ) , a large, powerful humanoid species who often served in the Confederacy military thanks to their strength. They are noted to possess four-lobed brains that make their minds difficult to read, as well as an unspecified number of hearts .
• The Amoniri ( β ) , a humanoid species whose bodies possessed no blood and evaporated when exposed to normal M-class atmospheres, requiring them to wear actual refrigeration suits to function outside of their regular environment. They also served commonly in the Confederacy military alongside the Paclu.
• The Vironat ( β ) , a humanoid species with cleft arms and legs with highly accurate sensory organs located along their lengths that granted them exceptional tactile abilities, making them highly effective engineers. The enhanced sensory abilities of the species also rendered them prone to motion sickness .
• The Silgov ( β ) , a humanoid species that can easily mingle among the peoples of the Federation. Author David Mack has said that this is actually a mistake, which is meant to refer to the Silwaan. [16]
• The Kalystarians ( β ) , a humanoid species with no nose and a pale, scaly complexion.

The Breen were members of the Typhon Pact, an alliance of several powers antagonistic towards the Federation, which allied them with the Romulans, the Tholians , the Gorn , and the Tzenkethi .

Decipher 's Star Trek Roleplaying Game supplement Aliens explained the discrepancy over whether anyone had seen a Breen and lived by establishing that the Breen disintegrate upon exposure to atmosphere .

The video game Star Trek: Conquest features Breen as one of the people groups which players can assume the role of. Of the three types of commanders available – attack, defense, and movement – the Breen only have defense (2) and movement (1) available.

In Star Trek Online , the Breen were the main antagonists in a short episode arc. During the arc, the Breen invaded Deferi ( β ) space, hoping to acquire Preserver ( β ) technology.

External links [ ]

• Breen at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Breen at Wikipedia
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Den of Geek

Star Trek Just Addressed One of Deep Space Nine’s Biggest Unanswered Questions

The Star Trek: Discovery episode "Mirrors" includes a HUGE reveal about the Breen, an odd alien species from Deep Space Nine.

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This Star Trek: Discovery article contains spoilers.

“I wonder what the Breen look like under those helmets?” asks Ezri Dax in the Deep Space Nine season seven episode “‘Till Death Do Us Part.” That’s a strange question, given that Ezri and Worf had been captured by the Breen and interrogated for some time. But despite their close and uncomfortable contact with the hostile alien species, neither hostage learned much about them.

“They say no one has ever seen one and lived to speak of it,” Worf answers.

Ezri continues in her usual lighthearted manner. “Maybe they’re all furry. It’s supposed to be very cold on Breen.”

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“One thing is certain.”

“They’re horrible cooks?”

“They are dangerous,” responds Worf, with even greater gravity than the Klingon usually assumes. “They do not tolerate incursions into their space. During the Second Empire, Chancellor Mow’ga sent a fleet of Klingon ships to conquer their homeworld, and they were never heard from again.”

Until today, that bit of dialogue encapsulated everything that Trekkies knew about the Breen. First mentioned in The Next Generation, the Breen appeared most prominently in the final season of Deep Space Nine , in which the Breen presented a threat that undid whatever gains the Federation had made in the Dominion War.

When the Dominion first entered the Alpha Quadrant through a wormhole from the Gamma Quadrant, they threatened to immediately overwhelm the Federation. As a result, the Federation had to align with longtime antagonists the Klingon Empire and the Romulan Star Empire. That confederation was more than a match for the Dominion/Cardassian alliance, but then the Dominion upped its hand by enlisting the terrifying Breen. It would take a miracle for the Alpha Quadrant forces to win. Fortunately, the Federation had a miracle on its side in the form of the Prophets (and the morally flexible Section 31 ) and won the war.

The Breen rarely appeared after Deep Space Nine concluded, and it’s easy to see why. They felt like they came from another universe, even moreso than the alien oddities that often appeared on Star Trek . With their monocular helmets and gravelly, indistinguishable voices, they felt like something out of Star Wars — specifically, they felt like riffs on Princess Leia’s bounty hunter disguise at the start of Return of the Jedi . Although they get a couple of nods in Voyager and, of course, Lower Decks , the Breen were largely relegated to a handful of non-canon novels.

That is, until the Star Trek: Discovery season five episode “ Mirrors .” In that episode, we finally learn that L’ak, a courier who has been chasing past Discovery in a search for Progenitor tech with his partner Moll, is a Breen who doesn’t wear helmet that hides his face, showing us for the first time what the species actually looks like under the armor. That’s a surprise because L’ak appeared to be just a regular green-skinned alien, a little lizard-esque in appearance, almost like a Reptilian Xindi from Enterprise .

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In fact, “Mirrors” does a lot more than just show us the face of the Breen. We also learn more about their culture, getting a sense of why they refuse to use a Universal Translator in conversation with other races and of their political system. In a move that recalls another Star Wars property, The Mandalorian , the Breen consider their helmets their true faces, and in fact have a transparent look when they remove that helmet.

But as L’ak makes clear, the Breen have the capacity to change, something hinted by the warmth and softness performer Elias Toufexis brings to his imposing character. Not only has L’ak made his skin non-translucent, but he’s adopted Federation Standard (aka English) and moved beyond his hierarchical culture.

Those changes are a good thing, because the Breen have always created problems for Star Trek canon. As many fans have noted, although Worf insisted that no one had seen the Breen under their costumes, Kira and others stole Breen uniforms to move behind enemy lines at one point on the series. They must have gotten a glimpse of the Breen then, right?

For Ronald D. Moore , one of the key creatives during the ’90s Star Trek era, that’s not necessarily the case. “There’s nothing in those helmets. I don’t think there’s a guy in there, which is something we never got around to saying,” Moore said in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion . “Or maybe there’s a little slug, some tiny little creature in there. I never wanted them to be humanoid in any way.”

“Mirrors” goes against Moore’s wishes then, but that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Discovery started its life by radically altering the Klingons. Looks like it will be ending its life by radically altering the Breen. But this time, it’s for the better.

Star Trek: Discovery is streaming now on Paramount+.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

Star Trek: Discovery Finally Gave Us A Closer Look At The Franchise's Most Mysterious Villain

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Discovery."

"Star Trek" might represent an idealistic vision of a bolder and brighter future, but the last few seasons of "Discovery" have proven that there will always be bad guys with a penchant for muddying up those ambitions in unexpected ways — even in the 32nd Century. While the Borg, Romulans, and the warlord Khan often have a stranglehold on the title of "Best 'Trek' villains," one alien species in particular has remained shrouded in mystery for decades. First mentioned in foreboding whispers in "The Next Generation" and finally seen in the flesh (well, so to speak) in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," the Breen have played a significant role throughout the franchise in the years since ... yet Trekkies still had to wait until now to actually see what lies underneath their distinctive helmets.

The advantage of never showing us a Breen's face, as it turns out, is that "Discovery" was able to hide one in plain sight all along.

So far, the addition of scavengers Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) has felt like a shoe waiting to drop. The close-knit pair continue to frustrate Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the rest of the Discovery crew (nowhere more dramatically than in last week's time-traveling bottle episode ), remaining one step ahead of our heroes in their quest to recover whatever Progenitor technological treasure hides at the end of this galaxy-spanning rainbow. About midway through episode 5, titled "Mirrors," the writers unleashed their big twist. L'ak, thus far considered an unknown type of extraterrestrial, actually reveals himself as a Breen. Or, rather, an emotional Moll lets this information slip by accident during a particularly fraught moment. In the process, "Trek" finally unmasked its most enigmatic aliens.

Putting on a brave face (or two)

In the span of one episode, "Discovery" officially made "Star Trek" history.

Long treated as a mystery that left everything up to our own imaginations, the Breen reveal puts a specific face to what had previously only been a name ... actually, make that two faces. While Moll and L'ak come to a tense faceoff with Burnham and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) on board the mirror-universe version of the USS Enterprise while trapped in multidimensional space (it's a long story), the writers treat this as the perfect opportunity to delve into the scavengers' shared past. In a series of flashbacks, we find out that L'ak was part of the Breen royal family and disgraced by his powerful Primarch uncle. Hoping to earn his way back to his people's good graces, all his plans are upended by a torrid romance with then-courier Moll. With their backs against the wall and nowhere else to turn, the lovers choose their own path altogether and, along the way, L'ak reveals his most private aspect of himself: his Breen face.

Of course, the episode adds another twist and introduces the concept of the Breen having two  faces — a solid, corporeal form they can present to others if they so choose, and a more translucent one. (Really, it can only be described as  squishier. ) In fact, this creepy and altogether unique visage symbolizes a much more meaningful difference, as we learn when L'ak's uncle calls his chosen face an "insult to your heritage." Apparently, most Breen have moved beyond this "weak" form and consider this some sort of societal faux pas. In just a few minutes, we discover more about Breen culture than we've ever known before.

New episodes of "Star Trek: Discovery" stream every Thursday on Paramount+.

I Wish The Breen Had Kept Their Helmets On In Star Trek: Discovery

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors"

• "Star Trek: Discovery" reveals Breen's true form, undermining DS9 mystery of enigmatic warrior race.
• The Breen design in "Discovery" is a missed opportunity for alien creativity, as they just turn out to be green humanoids.
• L'ak's face reveal in "Discovery" challenges perception of secretive Breen aliens from DS9, adding complexity.

Star Trek: Discovery has finally revealed what a Breen looks like underneath all its armor, but Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Breen should have kept their helmets on. In Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco, and directed by Jen McGowan , audiences learn more about Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis), and their motivations for seeking the Progenitors' treasure. "Mirrors" also contains a number of reveals about DS9 's Breen aliens , including that L'ak himself originates within the Breen Imperium.

For the first four episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, audiences saw L'ak as a hulking green villain, determined to protect his lover Moll at any cost. Now, Discovery season 5, episode 5 reveals that audiences have been seeing the true face of one of the enigmatic Breen aliens from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . In DS9 , Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) stated that no outsiders had seen what a Breen looked like under their armor and lived to tell the tale. Barring Fred (J. Adam Brown) and his guards from Discovery season 5, episode 1, "Red Directive", this is no longer the case.

Jelly Breens: Star Trek Writer Deep Dives Into Discovery Season 5s Breen Villains

Discoverys breen reveal undermines a big ds9 mystery.

There's no question that updated 32nd century design of the Breen refrigeration suits is a great upgrade for Star Trek: Discovery season 5 . The loss of the helmet's odd beak from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine design makes them look sleeker and more like the armored warrior race that their reputation suggested. The main issue with the Breen in Discovery is that what's underneath the mask undermines the huge mystery that has surrounded the Breen since their introduction in DS9 . For years, Star Trek fans have speculated about what a Breen looks like underneath their armor, and now they discover it's a creature made of green Jell-O .

Worf's assertion that nobody had ever seen the face of a Breen and lived is undermined by Star Trek: Discovery season 5's love story . While the Breen remain secretive in "Mirrors", the very fact that L'ak shows his face out of love for Moll undermines the idea of an isolationist and secretive warrior race. Instead, it suggests that these implacable Star Trek: Deep Space Nine villains just need someone to love. This, combined with the confusing physiology of the newly-revealed Breen, means that the DS9 aliens in Discovery don't solve the mystery satisfyingly.

An abandoned plot for Star Trek: The Next Generation 's season 6 finale would have introduced the Breen as major antagonists for TNG 's final season.

Star Trek: Discoverys Breen Design Is A Missed Opportunity

Star Trek: Discovery 's Breen design is a missed opportunity when compared to some of its other work in creating alien species. For example, Discovery season 4's antagonists, the non-humanoid Species 10-C felt alien in a way that Star Trek aliens had rarely felt since the days of TOS . With that in mind, Discovery could have really thought out of the box when it came to what was inside the Breen's refrigeration suits. Sadly, that isn't the case, as they're revealed to be that most enduring of sci-fi archetypes; the green man from outer space.

In an interview with The 7th Rule , Carlos Cisco spoke of the design of the Breen being inspired by " transparent deep sea fishes ."

The fact that the Breen are green humanoids is a missed opportunity, because the teases of the Breen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine always hinted that they may not be a humanoid species at all . Their lack of circulatory system and reliance on refrigeration suits implied they were potentially higher beings that forced themselves into a humanoid form. While that's sort of the case with the gelatinous beings that have " evolved " past a solid form in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, it's hard not to feel underwhelmed by the Breen turning out to be yet another humanoid alien species in the canon.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

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

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

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, Ren Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Screen Rant

L’ak’s star trek: discovery identity reveal was foreshadowed in season 5’s premiere.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 solved the mystery of what species L'ak is, but a big clue was dropped in his first scene in the premiere.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 - "Mirrors"

• L'ak is revealed as a Breen in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, which is foreshadowed in season 5's premiere.
• L'ak's remark about disliking his helmet in Discovery season 5's premiere was a clue that he is a Breen.
• L'ak and Moll need to find the Progenitors' treasure in hopes the Breen will lift their blood bounty in exchange for it.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors," revealed L'ak (Elias Toufexis) is a Breen, but it was foreshadowed in the season 5 premiere. Written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 sends Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) into interdimensional space after L'ak, Moll (Eve Harlow), and the next clue to the ancient treasure of the Progenitors. The foursome are stranded on the derelict ISS Enterprise from the Mirror Universe where Burnham and Book learn L'ak is a Breen without his helmet.

The Breen were introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation but became cult fan-favorite alien villains on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . The Breen allied themselves with the Changelings in the waning days of DS9 's Dominion War, and the fearsome adversaries even attacked Earth. The Breen are recognizable for their distinctive helmets, refrigeration suits, and their unique language . Before Star Trek: Discovery season 5, no one had ever seen what a Breen looked like before, but it turns out audiences have been watching a Breen - L'ak - all along since Discovery season 5's premiere .

The Breen also appeared in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks .

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Star trek: discovery season 5’s premiere foreshadowed l’ak is a breen, l'ak really doesn't like helmets..

Star Trek: Discovery season 5's premiere, "Red Directive," cleverly foreshadowed that L'ak is a Breen. When Moll and Lak first arrived on the 24th-century Romulan starship of Doctor Vellek (Michael Copeman) seeking the first clue to the Progenitors' treasure, the lovers were wearing spacesuits with helmets. When Moll and L'ak shed their headgear, Moll complained about the smell of the ship, but L'ak replies, "It's better than wearing a helmet."

L'ak violated one of the Breen's fundamental laws when he showed his true face to Moll.

L'ak's remark flew over audiences' heads at the time, but it was the seed planted for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5's revelation that L'ak is Breen. In fact, L'ak is the nephew of the Breen Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo), who relegated L'ak to working in the shuttle bay. L'ak fell in love with Moll, who was a courier selling dilithium to the Breen Imperium, but L'ak violated one of the Breen's fundamental laws when he showed his true face to Moll, an offworlder and a "lesser being" according to the Breen.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Breen Bounty On Mol & L’ak Explained

Moll and l'ak are desperate for the breen to lift the erigah.

The flashbacks in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", told the backstory of Moll and L'ak's romance, and why they are seeking the Progenitors' technology. Moll and L'ak are a forbidden love , and L'ak turned his back on the Breen for Moll. Worse, when they were discovered and confronted by Primarch Ruhn, L'ak defended Moll and shot his own uncle. For his crimes, the Breen placed an Erigah - a blood bounty - on Moll and L'ak's heads. This is an irreversible condemnation, and it means that the Breen will never stop hunting Moll and L'ak.

All L'ak wants is to be free to live his life with Moll without the Breen hunting him.

L'ak and Moll are actually desperate to find the Progenitors' treasure, which they hope to turn over to the Breen in exchange for them lifting the Erigah . There is no guarantee that the Breen would abide by this request, but it's the only chance Moll and L'ak have to be free. L'ak already had conflicts with the Breen's laws and culture, and it's unlikely L'ak would ever be allowed to return to the Imperium, not that he wants to. All L'ak wants is the freedom to live his life with Moll without the Breen hunting him. L'ak's dislike for his helmet in Star Trek: Discovery season 5's premiere was a hint of his true story as an outcast from the Breen Imperium that was told in "Mirrors".

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

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Published Jul 3, 2013

One Trek Mind -- A Tip of the Cap to the Breen

“To seek out new life and new civilizations.” The phrase is part of the ethos of all that is Star Trek . Of course, right before it in the opening narration there's the even more famous use of three oft-repeated words: “strange new worlds.”Gene Roddenberry and the original producers of Star Trek were far too polite to cast aspersions on any of our cousins from beyond the farthest star – but what they really were implying was this: weird aliens.

There's a theory that the Breen's alliance with the Dominion is actually more Founder subterfuge. In “ In Purgatory's Shadow ,” when Garak and Worf come to Internment Camp 371, there is a rather tame Breen there alongside Martok and Dr. Bashir. One could interpret this to mean that this was a high-ranking Breen who, like the others, had a Changeling in its place, bending fate to the Dominions' whim.And that's what's so great about the Breen is that we'll never really know for sure. For those that go deep, David Mack's book from 2010, Zero Sum Game , is a big, fat wet kiss for Breen fans. In it he digs into (non-canon, of course) Breen culture, explaining that the Breen are actually made up of multiple species hailing from the same planet who appear the same to us because of their refrigeration armor. To me, the complete distance with which the Breen is kept from the audience is something of a breath of fresh air, in a way. In Star Trek , no one is all evil. Even the Jem'Hadar, who are BRED to be killing machines, are shown in a light that captures our sympathy. Their dependence on Ketracel-white, it is implied, is all that's keeping them mindless instruments of violence.

Jordan Hoffman is a writer, critic and lapsed filmmaker living in New York City. His work can also be seen on Film.com , ScreenCrush and Badass Digest . On his BLOG , Jordan has reviewed all 727 Trek episodes and films, most of the comics and some of the novels.

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Star Trek: 10 Things We Now Know About The Breen

Green-eyed monster or great big softie? What's beneath the mask of Star Trek's coolest species?

We wanted to give these guys something special. I couldn't make them the toughest guys in the galaxy — that's the Jem'Hadar. Or the most arrogant guys — that's the Cardassians. Or the most untrustworthy guys — that's the Vorta. So we decided to make them the most  mysterious  guys in the galaxy.

10. Not To Be Indiscreet, But May I Have Your Helmet?

I wasn't really in the mood to come up with a new alien race. So I said, 'Let's not see them. Let's just put them in costume because they normally live in the cold.'

Jack Kiely is a writer with a PhD in French and almost certainly an unhealthy obsession with Star Trek.

Star Trek: Who Are The Breen?

It is often overlooked how this reclusive humanoid race from the planet Breen is one of the most powerful species in the Alpha Quadrant.

Originally meant to be just a one-off species of the Star Trek franchise, the Breen were first mentioned in the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1990. Even though they were referenced in several other episodes from then on, they did not actually appear on-screen until the episode "Indiscretion" of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 1996.

The writers admitted that they had previously used the name "Breen" whenever they needed a random alien species for a storyline. Hence, not much was known about them up until much later on. So, who exactly are the Breen, and where do they fit into the expansive universe of Star Trek ?

RELATED: Star Trek: Exploring The Deep Space 9 Problem

What Do the Breen Look Like?

There is a lot of speculation on what these bloodless creatures actually look like, as the Breen are always seen in environmental suits that cover them from head to toe. It is suggested that this is because their home planet experiences extremely low temperatures. During the Dominion War, the Dominion and Cardassian leaders receive intelligence reports that describe the Breen planet as "a frozen wasteland." However, the Vorta field supervisor Weyoun describes it "quite comfortable" later on.

The Breen’s suits feature metal armor and a detachable and 'vented snout,' giving the impression they are a snouted species. The top of the helmet has a visor that either glows green, or has green and red lights on it. The suits are of two types: a standard suit that most of the Breen wear, and a more elaborate suit worn by Thots, the authority figures of the Breen Confederacy. (The Thots are comparable to the Legate of the Cardassian military in terms of rank, according to the Cardassian leader Damar.) With distinct gold lines running across the helmet, this decorative suit reinforces the elevated status of the Breen leaders.

They are also more resilient than other humanoids. For example, when a Breen is struck by the Klingon warrior Worf , the Breen seems to be completely unaffected by the attack and proceeds to assault him instead. The Klingons have famously coined the phrase: "No one has ever seen [a Breen] and lived to speak of it." This is partially in reference to the fact that Breen are extremely territorial; a fleet of Klingon warships had been sent to conquer their home world during the Klingon Second Empire, which never returned and was never heard from again.

The Breen also have an unusual and incomprehensible speech, further adding to their mysterious image. The scratchy, electronic warbles cannot even be deciphered by the universal translator, which is not the case with most of the other species in the franchise. Empathic species such as Betazoids are also unable to sense the Breen’s feelings and emotions, much like the Ferengi .

What Role Did the Breen Play in the Dominion War?

The Dominion, a planetary alliance in the Gamma Quadrant , came into conflict with the Alpha Quadrant powers, ultimately leading to the Dominion War seen throughout much of the Deep Space 9 series. Although the Breen have never been inclined to make political alliances, the writers felt that their involvement could heighten the stakes of the war. Thus, talks with the Female Changeling, the head of the Dominion, led to Breen leader Thot Gor agreeing to provide reinforcements in 2375. The Dominion were interested in the Breen’s military weapons , and made a deal with them: they would hand over the control of several Cardassian and Federation planets once the war was won. However, it is later implied that this was a false promise.

To honor their partnership, the Breen ‘gifted’ Worf and the Deep Space 9 counselor Ezri Dax to the Dominion. They went on to win the Second Battle of Chin'toka, after destroying most of the ships that belonged to the Federation and causing major damage to Earth. A highly advanced weapon called the energy dissipator, which can drain a starship’s power systems, enable the Breen’s victory. Only the Klingon’s ship turned out to be immune to the device, while the rest were defeated.

The growing relations between the Breen and the Dominion caused the Cardassian Union, another major ally, to become bitter. Cardassian leader Damar was not pleased with the terms of the alliance between the two parties, which gave the Breen full access to the Dominion’s database — which wasn't permitted to the Cardassians. This turned out to be one of the major reasons why Damar eventually chose to switch to the other side and lead a rebellion to free Cardassia .

This major development, combined with the fact that the Federation have created a defense against the energy-dampening weapon, led to power shifts in the war. Thot Pran, who succeeded Thot Gor as military commander, asked the Female Changeling for confirmation that the Dominion were not surrendering, but strategizing for another attack instead. This, once again, showcases how the Breen are ruthless fighters. The Romulans, much like the Klingons, have a saying regarding this race: "Never turn your back on a Breen." This is demonstrated when a captive Breen takes a disruptor from the holster of a guard when his back is turned, and uses it to kill two guards at once.

In the Battle of Cardassia, the Breen fought on the front lines, even ahead of the tough and devoted Jem'Hadar forces of the Dominion. They proved to be a tough adversary for the Federation once again. Even though they lost the war, the story arc could not have been as compelling without their formidable strength and their willingness to die for the cause till the very end.

As allies of the Dominion, the Breen are present at the signing of the Treaty of Bajor. Though their status after the war has not been discussed in any later media, the treaty has no implications regarding the Breen, seemingly leaving them in the clear.

MORE: Star Trek: What Happened To The Dominion After The War?

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• Memory Beta articles sourced from RPGs
• Memory Beta articles sourced from games
• Memory Beta articles sourced from video games
• Memory Beta articles sourced from Star Trek Online
• Breen starship classes
• Memory Beta articles sourced from short stories
• Memory Beta articles sourced from reference works
• Memory Beta articles sourced from novelizations
• Memory Beta articles sourced from eBooks
• Memory Beta articles sourced from novellas
• Humanoid species
• Races and cultures
• Alpha Quadrant races and cultures
• Dominion races and cultures
• Typhon Pact races and cultures
• View history
• 1.1 Subsidiary species
• 1.2 Biology
• 1.3 Culture
• 1.4.1 Starships
• 1.5.1 Early contact with other races
• 1.5.2 23rd century
• 1.5.3 24th century
• 1.5.4 The Dominion War
• 1.5.5 25th century
• 1.5.6.1.1 Postwar
• 1.5.6.1.2 Typhon Pact
• 2 Known individuals
• 3.1.1 Appearances
• 3.1.2 References
• 3.2 External links

History and specifics [ ]

Subsidiary species [ ].

Starfleet Intelligence analysts concluded in 2382 that Breen society might be comprised by members of as many as a dozen species, all of which were thought to be humanoid , and which appeared to be of typical humanoid height and build. ( ST - Typhon Pact novel : Zero Sum Game )

As of April 2382 in the First Splinter timeline , Starfleet was aware of at least four subspecies, the Amoniri , Fenrisal , Paclu , and Silwaan . ( ST - Typhon Pact novel : Zero Sum Game )

Another of the Breen species were the Vironat . ( ST - Typhon Pact novel : Plagues of Night )

Biology [ ]

Very little is known about the Breen. They are thought to be humanoid , as they appear to be of typical humanoid height and build, though Ezri Dax speculated that they had a wolf-like appearance. ( DS9 episode : " Strange Bedfellows ")

Xenologists speculated that the Breen could be a silicon-based lifeform . No one has seen the Breen outside of their sealed, refrigerated suits of armor; it is said that those who have, did not live to tell of it. ( DS9 episode : " Strange Bedfellows ")

Since it had been reported that the Breen homeworld was a frozen wasteland, it was thought that the refrigerated suits were intended to keep them comfortable in warmer alien climates, though Weyoun once mentioned that Breen is "actually quite comfortable", leaving the purpose of their suits a source of speculation. ( DS9 episode : " The Changing Face of Evil ")

It was speculated that the Breen body may be composed of ammonia and gelatin, which are held together in freezing temperatures but evaporate in warmer temperatures. Evaporation upon contact with warm temperature would account for why Gul Dukat and Major Kira failed to report on the Breen appearance after stealing the suits of two Breen guards. ( DS9 episode : " Indiscretion ")

They likely have a skeletal structure but, as they have no blood, contain few organs. The internal structure of the Breen body is said to consist of layers of gelatin-filled chambers, with the gelatin serving a similar function to blood, as it transfers chemicals vital for bodily functions. Therefore, when a Breen sustains an injury, a layer of gelatin will clot around it and seal the wound, which will leave a scar if left untreated. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

The Breen are often regarded as ruthless and devoid of humanoid compassion, a depiction that is augmented by their lack of blood. During the Dominion War, their unprecedented attack on Starfleet Headquarters was seen as a symbol of their ferocity. The Romulans have a saying: "Never turn your back on a Breen" ( DS9 episode : " By Inferno's Light ").

Like the Ferengi, the Breen were immune to telepathy. ( TNG episode : " The Loss ", DS9 episode : " In Purgatory's Shadow ")

This resistance to telepathic intrusion had led many to speculate that the their brains were multi-lobed, thus preventing any such technique from working. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

It was not until 2382 that definitive information was obtained relating to the Breen and their biology. Initially it was believed that the Breen were a single race; however, as detailed by Sarina Douglas and Julian Bashir , the name Breen is a name taken on by the member species of the Breen Confederacy. It has been claimed that the individual races (the Amoniri , Fenrisal , Paclu , Silwaan ) take on the singular name and the concealing uniforms in order to prevent any biases and prejudices to interfere with the development of their society. The uniform design has been designed to support the distinctive features of the individual races. ( ST - Typhon Pact novel : Zero Sum Game )

Culture [ ]

Breen doing business with the Ferengi.

Little was known about the race as they tended to keep to themselves. What was known was that they were both secretive and aggressive, though it must be stated that they did not exalt violence for its own sake and that it was aggression that served a purpose. Furthermore, they were known to intentionally keep their motives and feelings hidden from other races which, when combined with the fact that they cannot be sensed by Betazoids, further adds to the mystery of the Breen. Common speculation among other races was that the Breen were more open to their own kind but this was never confirmed. Their spoken language (at least to non-Breen) sounds like uncomprehensive static, although this electric chatter is understood by Vorta and Founders .

Members of this race were not excessively individualistic and were in fact commonly encountered in groups. Furthermore, the level of secrecy that they have maintained about their society and homeworld hints at a high level of clan cohesion or possibly even a government structure. This form of society has yet to produce any form of rebel that was willing to break the silence about their customs, culture or homeworld. When alone, Breen tend to act unpredictably, with displays of neurosis due to the fact that they are working apart from their group. While this hinted that Breen are incapable of working alone, xenologists have stated that this behavior may in fact be faked in order to produce the illusion of such traits in order to fool other races. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

The Breen were disliked by the Romulans , who had a saying: "Never turn your back on a Breen" . ( DS9 episode : " By Inferno's Light ")

The nature of why the Romulans distrust the Breen so much remains unknown. They, however, earned this reputation through their opportunistic tendencies of preying on the conflicts of other species while at the same time, rarely interacting directly. This was because they wished to profit on such activities which included slavery . ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens , DS9 episode : " Indiscretion ")

Ultimately, the Breen acted for their own self-interest and thus engaged in ruthless actions without caring for other species. Their motivations for doing so were always a secret and the Breen never revealed what their next actions were going to be. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

What was known about the Breen race was that they tended to act out of their own self-interest with little weight placed on the hardships by those that stand in their way. They appeared callous to the suffering of others and in fact do not heed calls for aid unless there was something to gain from such an endeavor; be it monetary, technology or simply territory. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

While the Breen were quite capable of acts of deceit, Elias Vaughn thought it unlikely they would attempt to build up a military presence in hiding-as it did not fit with their cultural psychology. ( DS9 - Avatar novel : Book One )

It's known that they are not above using others in their schemes where the relationship was that of a pawn rather than a partner. Regional conflicts among other empires was noted to result from Breen provocation, with the race being blamed for activities that they themselves have not committed even. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

Their society also was believed to contain some aspects of a manifest destiny. ( TNG novel : The Buried Age )

Though elements of their society remain a mystery, it was known they possessed two genders and that it was typical for them to bear children at a young age. The reason for this puzzled xenologists who conclude that the Breen possibly suffer from a high mortality rate and that they encourage this behavior in order to ensure their population remains at a steady level. Another theory was that they had a shorter lifespan compared to Humans and simply reached maturity quicker. However, the truth of the matter continues to be unknown. ( DS9 episode : " For the Uniform ", VOY episode : " Elogium ")

The Breen were politically nonaligned and did not take part in official treaties or alliances, though their representatives on occasion visit certain diplomatic gatherings. However, the selection process of which gathering they do attend was a mystery to other races. What was determined, however, was that they seek to gather information in such meetings, not to participate in them. The fact that they do not appear to be an expansionist race has meant that other races typically leave the Breen alone.

The government itself appeared to resemble a form of primitive tribalism, except that all Breen were a member of the same tribe. Members were noted to form into groups where different individuals assume different roles on a voluntary basis rather than an autocratic dictate. Their leaders rule as long as their groups allow them to do so. Their starship tactics follow a similar role, with each vessel seeming to possess a high degree of autonomy. These ships appear to only work with others through mutual consensus or agreed-upon tactics. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

The Breen employ slave labor , capturing and enslaving many Deferi citizens. ( DS9 episode : " Indiscretion "; STO mission : " Breen Invasion ")

Those Breen in command of starships were referred to as masters instead of the commonly used captain . ( ST - Typhon Pact novel : Plagues of Night )

Technology [ ]

Breen warship in a battle with Starfleet.

Breen refrigeration suits appear to be of military issue, as they have different designs to signify various ranks. Command officers wear golden lining on the shoulders and arms, as well as distinctive gold stripes that run down the center of the top of the helmet and down the top of the "snout" section of the helmet.

Their technology consisted of an element of biotechnology that was based on the algae on their homeworld. The Breen learned to manipulate the algae's genetic structure and use it to create biomaterials with special properties such as metal, plastic, silicon as well as other such substances. Such a key trait meant that every Breen vessel included its own hydroponics bay where damage components could be regrown. ( TNG module : Star Trek: The Next Generation Core Game Book )

Breen ground troops make extensive use of Cryogenic weaponry. Breen refrigeration suits may be capable of firing a "cryo beam" from a helmet-attached emitter. Breen starships use polaron weapons and transphasic torpedoes . ( STO video game : Star Trek Online )

The Breen were also known to use type-3 disruptors . ( TNG movie : Generations )

Starships [ ]

• Breen fighter ( TNG - Strange New Worlds 9 short story : " Home Soil ")
• Bleth Choas -class fighter ( STO episode : " Breen Invasion ")
• Plesh Brek -class frigate / heavy raider ( STO episode : " Breen Invasion ")
• Breen destroyer ( TNG novel : Immortal Coil )
• Chel Grett -class cruiser (a.k.a. Gor Taan -class, Warship -class, Breen battlecruiser ) ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7)
• Reikin -class fast-attack cruiser ( ST novels : Section 31 , Disavowed )
• Sarr Theln -class carrier ( STO episode : " Breen Invasion ")
• Rezreth -class destroyer ( STO episode : " Breen Invasion "

History [ ]

Early contact with other races [ ].

During the 22nd century , the Breen were largely confined to their own home system with few forays being outside their region of space due to refrigeration technology being too primitive to allow them to survive on other worlds. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

The Vulcan race were aware of the existence of the Breen before the year 2155 , though the Vulcan Security Directorate knew little beyond the fact that they made use of disruptor technology, and kept to themselves. ( ENT novel : Kobayashi Maru )

The Breen also had early contact with the Ferengi , and were responsible for selling that race modern warp drive technology. ( ST - New Worlds, New Civilizations short story : " A Dry Day on Ferenginar "; DS9 reference : Legends of the Ferengi )

The two races became regular trading partners, with the Breen purchasing iced tube grubs , frozen icoberry juice , and snow-themed holographic programs from the Ferengi Alliance . ( DS9 reference : Legends of the Ferengi )

In the time of the Second Klingon Empire , Chancellor Mow'ga sent a fleet into Breen space to conquer the race, but they were never heard from again. ( DS9 episode : " 'Til Death Do Us Part ")

23rd century [ ]

By the 23rd century , the race had improved their environmental suits to the point that they had the capacity to travel far greater distances. It was during this period that the race offered their services to other governments that required covert agents or mercenaries. Despite this expansion into space, the Breen generally kept to themselves, with the Federation not being aware of the existence of the species. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

The Romulans made first contact with the Breen in 2268 and were soon using them in covert operations and illegal work. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : All Our Yesterdays: The Time Travel Sourcebook )

First contact between the Breen and the Federation came in 2275 when the Andorian crewed starship USS Eagle encountered a Breen Confederacy ship on routine patrol. Captain Igrilan Kor reported that the Breen were peaceful though somewhat withdrawn. However, the uncertainty in his report meant that further diplomatic overtures were not conducted. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

While the Federation avoided contact with the Breen, a minor clash erupted between the two in 2283 . ( Last Unicorn RPG module : All Our Yesterdays: The Time Travel Sourcebook )

During this time, the Breen made a reputation for themselves in both the Alpha and Beta Quadrants by working as mercenaries, pirates as well as freebooters. They were considered valuable hired help as well as fearsome brigands who were augmented by the use of cloaking technology as well as other advanced forms of weaponry. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

24th century [ ]

In the 24th century , they had fully developed the means to join the galactic community but remained inscrutable with their goals being enigmatic to other empires. They tended to enter specialized markets to leverage skills in intelligence work, mining and technology that dealt with survival on colder environments. The Federation had become fully aware of this empire's existence and recognized that they had developed several technologies like the disruptor from trade with the Romulans or other races. ( TNG movie & novelization : Generations )

However, it was concluded that the mysterious insular species were neither a threat or potential ally. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

In 2328 , the Federation constructed Deep Space 3 to monitor the Breen and those species that resided in their space. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Core Game Book )

Relations between the Federation and the Breen were described as tenuous at best by the year 2360 . ( TNG novel : The Buried Age )

During Benjamin Sisko 's time on the USS Saratoga , the starship encountered a hostile Breen ship near Guldammur IV . In a plan devised by Sisko and Zar , a narrow-gauge phaser spread was fired from the weapons of the Saratoga , making several small gaps in the Breen's shields. This allowed the Saratoga crew to beam unwanted items into the Breen's weapon banks, clogging them and leaving the Breen unable to fire. ( DS9 novel : Saratoga )

In 2366 , the Breen attacked the Ravinok and forced it to crash on Dozaria . The Bajoran and Cardassian survivors were forced to mine dilithium for the Breen. ( DS9 episode : " Indiscretion ")

Following the discovery of this incident, the Cardassian government was unwilling to open a potential conflict with another power as they were already engaged in conflict with the Federation. Thus, the Cardassian Central Command registered a diplomatic protest to the Breen over the attack on the Ravinok , though they later let the matter go when the Breen chose the ignore it. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

In 2372 , Breen privateers were operating near Bajor . ( DS9 episode : " To the Death ")

Some years prior to 2377 , Captain Marcus Refelian distinguished himself in defending a group of Federation colonies from attacks by Breen raiders. ( TNG video game : Away team )

The Dominion War [ ]

At some point in 2374 , the USS Enterprise on one of its first mission's encountered a Breen destroyer commanded by Thot Vog who intended to attack the Starfleet vessel. However, he was convinced to withdrawn after a speech by Rhea McAdams after she explained the destructive power of quantum torpedoes . ( TNG novel : Immortal Coil )

The Dominion made attempts to forge an alliance with the Breen as early as 2374. It was the possibility of finding themselves on the same side as the "accursed" Breen that made the Romulan Star Empire reticent to ally itself with the Dominion. ( DS9 episode : " The Magnificent Ferengi ", ST short story : " Blood Sacrifice ")

At the same time, the Federation was engaged in talks, and by 2375 , Starfleet Admiral Marcus Holt reportedly made some progress in improving Federation/Breen relations. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Core Game Book )

San Francisco following the Breen attack.

However, in the same year, the Confederacy allied themselves with the Dominion in the Dominion War and shortly after launched an attack on San Francisco on Earth . ( DS9 episodes : " Strange Bedfellows ", " The Changing Face of Evil ")

This was a surprise to many military strategists, as the Breen were considered strategically unimportant, even though their fleet strengths had never been charted, the ferocity and boldness of the attack caused Klingon General Martok to mention that even his people had never attempted such a move. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

Thot Pran led the Breen forces at the Battle of Cardassia . However, after the Cardassians broke ranks with the Jem'Hadar and began fighting alongside Federation Alliance forces, the Breen ships fled from the battle and retreated back into their space. ( DS9 episode : " What You Leave Behind ")

Following the signing of the Dominion War Accords , the Federation Alliance were put under pressure from the Cardassians who demanded war reparations for the Breens involvement in the conflict. Ultimately, the Cardassians were forced to settle for less than they had desired, and payments continued to reach Cardassia by way of the Cardassian representative on Breen. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

25th century [ ]

In 2409 , Breen forces attacked the Deferi in search of artifacts left by the Preserver for use as weaponry. Their efforts, led by Breen commander Thot Trel, were foiled by both Starfleet and Klingon forces in the region. ( STO - Cold War missions : " Cold Comfort ", " Cold Case ", " Cold Storage ")

Alternate realities [ ]

First splinter timeline [ ], postwar [ ].

The Breen continued to be a source of some concern following the war. In April 2376 the USS Enterprise -E was sent to investigate the Badlands for a Klingon reported Breen presence. Nothing was found and Elias Vaughn thought it unlikely the Breen would build up a military presence in hiding, though it was consistent with other, need-to-know only, reports he had received not long before. ( DS9 novel : Avatar, Book One )

Cole of Section 31 told Julian Bashir several weeks later that he thought it likely the Breen would be watching the Federation's borders and would make raids when they found a weakness. However, Cole also told Bashir he thought the Breen could be useful in fighting off a future Borg attack. ( DS9 novel : Abyss )

An unusual amount of Breen activity was detected along the Federation-Cardassian border near Starbase Deep Space 10 in mid 2377 . They were briefly considered as possible culprits in a series of malfunctions that had plagued the station, but eventually ruled out. ( CoE eBook : Troubleshooting )

In 2379 , a contingent of Starfleet Special Operations personnel was able to capture a Breen vessel in the Ravanar system , although their actions were officially denied by the Federation Security Council . Ambassador Worf was able to obtain these schematics to trade to Imperial Intelligence agent Lorgh in exchange for blackmail information against Klingon Councilor Kopek . ( TNG - A Time to... novel : A Time to Kill )

Typhon Pact [ ]

In 2381 , there were fears that the Breen might get involved in a possible Romulan Civil War following the devastation and death of Praetor Shinzon of Remus . ( TOS novel : Captain's Blood ) During the Borg Invasion , the Ferengi Alliance , acting on behalf of the Federation, hired a large number of Breen warships to assist in the defense of the Azure Nebula , precluding the possibility that the Tholian Assembly would hire them to attack the weakened Federation. Unfortunately, every Breen ship was destroyed by a Borg armada of over 7,000 cubes ( ST - Destiny novel : Mere Mortals )

After learning of the behind-the-scenes deal-making, the Confederacy joined with the Tholians, along with four other local powers, to form the Typhon Pact . ( ST novel : A Singular Destiny )

In 2382 , the Breen accepted a mission on behalf of the Pact and sent an operative to Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards to capture data pertaining to the quantum slipstream drive . The Breen were soon after contracted to build the first Typhon Pact prototype slipstream vessel . The lead researcher of the project, Thot Keer, intentionally withheld information from the other members relating to the drive's development in order to promote the Breen to a level of authority within the Pact as equals to the Romulans. Shortly before the initial trials, however, the prototype, its designer, and all information relating to the project was destroyed. ( ST - Typhon Pact novel : Zero Sum Game )

Known individuals [ ]

• Masked Breen

Appendices [ ]

Appearances and references [ ], appearances [ ].

• DS9 episode : " Indiscretion "
• DS9 episode : " In Purgatory's Shadow "
• DS9 episode : " By Inferno's Light "
• DS9 episode : " Penumbra "
• DS9 episode : " 'Til Death Do Us Part "
• DS9 episode : " Strange Bedfellows "
• DS9 episode : " The Changing Face of Evil "
• DS9 episode : " Tacking Into the Wind "
• DS9 episode : " The Dogs of War "
• DS9 episode : " What You Leave Behind "
• DS9 - Strange New Worlds V short story : " Fear, Itself "
• TNG - Cold Equations novel : The Persistence of Memory
• TNG - Cold Equations novel : Silent Weapons
• VOY episode : " Flesh and Blood " (hologram)
• LD episode : " Trusted Sources "
• DIS episode : " Red Directive "
• DIS episode : " Under the Twin Moons "
• DIS episode : " Face the Strange "
• DIS episode : " Mirrors "
• ST - Typhon Pact novel : Zero Sum Game
• ST - Typhon Pact novel : Plagues of Night
• ST - Typhon Pact novel : Raise the Dawn
• ST - The Fall novel : A Ceremony of Losses
• ST - Section 31 novel : Disavowed

References [ ]

• TNG episode : " The Loss "
• TNG episode : " Hero Worship "
• Star Trek Generations
• DS9 episode : " To the Death "
• DS9 episode : " For the Uniform "
• DS9 episode : " The Magnificent Ferengi "
• DS9 novel : The Never Ending Sacrifice
• VOY episode : " Elogium "
• VOY novel : Fusion
• VOY - Myriad Universes - Infinity's Prism novella : Places of Exile
• DSC episode : " Rubicon "
• PIC novel : Stardust City Rag

External links [ ]

• Breen article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• Breen (Star Trek) article at Wikipedia , the free encyclopedia.
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Star Trek Just Quietly Brought Back Deep Space Nine’s Most Underrated Villains

Never turn your back on a Breen.

One of the deadliest alien species in all of Star Trek has never been fully revealed. After an offhand reference in The Next Generation , the Breen appeared in the Deep Space Nine episode “Indiscretion,” encased in suits that felt like they borrowed from Princess Leia’s bounty hunter disguise in Return of the Jedi. The Breen are infamous but seldom seen, a tradition which Star Trek: Discovery is subtly rebooting in Season 5.

Amid an episode about time jumps and flashbacks to the beginning of the series, Discovery quietly snuck the Breen in and positioned them as possibly the most important factor in the fate of Star Trek’s future. Here’s why the Breen matter, and how this comeback could expand on the canon laid down by Deep Space Nine almost three decades ago. Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 4, “Face the Strange.”

Who are the Breen?

A member of the Breen in Deep Space Nine.

The Breen began life as a random, hostile race tossed around in dialogue only. In 1990, in the TNG episode “The Loss,” Data lists alien races who “are not empathically detectable,” including the Breen. In the 1994 film Generations , when Riker and Worf investigate an observatory that’s been raided by people using a “type-three disruptor,” Riker notes only three alien races could be suspects: “Romulan, Breen, and Klingon.”

While TNG was still airing, writer Ira Steven Behr described the Breen as a “running joke” since they never appeared. Although TNG writer Jeri Taylor wanted to reveal the Breen for a storyline in TNG’s sixth season in 1993, it wasn’t until 1995, in DS9 Season 4, in the episode “Indiscretion,” that the Breen actually showed up in those iconic helmets. As DS9 went on, the Breen became major players in the Dominion War, and were responsible for attacking Starfleet Headquarters on Earth in 2375, seriously damaging the Golden Gate Bridge in the process.

The Breen are Back in the 32nd Century

Rayner is a member of another deep-cut DS9 species, the Kelleruns.

Mentioned offhand in the Discovery Season 5 debut episode, “Red Directive,” the Breen became a big deal in the time-jump episode “Face the Strange.” After being hit by a temporal weapon called a Time Bug, Burnham and Rayner find themselves jumping to different moments in time aboard the USS Discovery. This takes them to the pivotal moment where Discovery jumped to the future at the end of Season 2, as well as all the way to very early in Season 1, before Burnham gained the trust of the crew.

Burnham and Rayner also end up in 3218, which Rayner notes is “almost 30 years in the future” from their current home timeline. In this future, Discovery’s friendly AI Zora is alone on the ship and tells Burnham and Rayner, “You all died years ago.” Zora then reveals the Breen destroyed the entire Federation.

Zora explains the Breen weaponized the secret Progenitor tech and “launched a devastating attack” on the Federation. Rayner suggests the Breen must have been “Moll and L’ak’s highest bidder,” meaning that in one timeline, the mercenaries Starfleet is so keen to apprehend sold what they found to the Breen.

The future Burnham and Rayner see echoes what actually happened in Deep Space Nine , when the Breen decimated Starfleet and the Federation way back in 2375. While the good guys recovered then, the Federation and Starfleet are on shakier ground in the 32nd century of Discovery post-Season 3.

As of Episode 4, Discovery still hasn’t revealed what the Breen look like under those helmets. But by introducing this doomsday outcome for the Federation, Discovery has made one thing very clear for the rest of Season 5. The Breen are back, and this time, they may truly live up to their deadly reputation.

Star Trek: Discovery streams on Paramount+.

• Science Fiction

Star Trek Discovery’s L’ak Actor Told Us About Learning His Character's Most Exciting Details At A Point When He Couldn't Immediately Freak Out

I would be losing my mind too.

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Discovery episode "Mirrors." Watch the episode with a Paramount+ subscription before hopping in!

Star Trek: Discovery snuck in a significant reveal in its latest episode, and it answered a question that many fans have wondered for decades. We finally know what the Breen look like, and it turns out we've been looking at one almost the entire season. L'ak has the honor of being the first Breen face for fans to see, and actor Elias Toufexis had a great story of geeking out when he first learned about it.

For those who follow him on X , Toufexis is a massive Star Trek fan, but he didn't find out how significant his role as L'ak in the final season was until he was in a spot where, understandably, wild reactions and jerky movements are discouraged. The actor shared the details of when he first found out he was going to be a Breen and how he felt about it:

When I went to the makeup test I had, I had to go put on the whole plaster where you sit there for 20 minutes and try not to pass out, try not to freak out. But I said, ‘Can I look at what I'm going to look like?’ And they showed me some concept art and I said, ‘What is he?’ And they said, ‘Oh, he's, he's gonna be a Breen.’ And I was like, ‘Breen don't take their helmets off.’ That was the first thing I said, that's a much of a nerd I am. And I'm like, ‘Are you telling me I'm gonna be the first Breen that takes his helmet off?’ …The makeup guys are geeks too. So it's like, ‘Yeah, it's gonna be cool. It's gonna be the first time in Star Trek!’ And so that really got me excited.

I can't express how much I love it when a big fan of Star Trek finds themselves in a role for the franchise. Being the first unmasked Breen may not mean a ton to every actor who would get the honor, but I know Elias Toufexis was as enthusiastic as he stated in the quote above. At the same time, what awful timing to figure it out when you're in the makeup chair and have to contain your excitement physically for a set period of time!

The Breen were first mentioned Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1990, and then six years later, the species would make its debut in the Deep Space Nine episode "Indiscretion" but remained unseen until just recently. According to a quote from showrunner Ira Steven Behr from the Deep Space Nine Companion , Breen were originally fully covered up because he "wasn't in the mood" to design a new alien race.

Fast forward to now, we've seen an unmasked Breen on the run from his species with his lover, Moll (who is nothing like Ahsoka 's Shin Hati ). The couriers are searching for the Progenitors' device in hopes they can exchange it with the Breen for freedom and no longer have to live as fugitives.

I'm getting really excited about this.

Michael Burnham, being the inspiring captain that she is , offered to protect L'ak and Moll from the Breen, but her offer was rejected. The two made their escape, are off to continue to search for more clues and, hopefully, evade the Breen capture.

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It is cool to see Star Trek still surprising fans with reveals decades later, and I wonder if we'll see more unmasked Breen in upcoming Star Trek projects going forward. Perhaps whatever comes out of this conflict with the Breen will play a part in the story of the upcoming Starfleet Academy series , which is also set in the 32nd century. I can imagine we'll see at least one or two members of the Discovery cast there, though Mary Wiseman wouldn't spill the beans when I asked. Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying!

Star Trek: Discovery streams new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. We're officially at the midpoint in the final season, so now would be a good time to remember what we've learned so far and gear up for the final episodes.

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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