Thursday, May 24, 2012

The Nagus

***** (5 stars out of 5)
The leader of the Ferengi Alliance drops by: Grand Nagus Zek. He's a superannuated bundle of filthy habits, hedonistic appetites, and ear hair.

Unable to produce his homework essay on ethics, Nog tries to cast the blame on some Vulcans. Substitute teacher Miles O'Brien is dubious. "You're saying Vulcans stole your homework?"

Speaking of work, are things so bad for the Chief that he'd rather be a sub? Really?

Nog's home life as Toothpick Boy for the Nagus gets worse when Zek discovers Rom lets his kid attend Federation school at all. In the finest tradition of 21st Century America, spineless Rom forbids his son any further book learnin'.

In front of Ferenginar's finest, Zek declares he's ready to retire. "The fire dims. I'm just not as greedy as I used to be!" Bypassing his misbegotten son Krax, Zek names his successor... wait for it... QUARK.

Then Zek dies in mid-rant while plotting his first vacation in 85 years. There is no autopsy: Ferengi of high status are vacuum desiccated and the pieces are sold as collectibles. (Even in mint condition, they smell nothing like mint.)

Krax and Rom conspire to kill Quark with all the skill and cunning of BeBop & Rocksteady from the Ninja Turtles cartoon.

I love the scene where the gouge miner pleads for the Gamma Quadrant synthehol franchise while Quark as Brando sullenly pets his Gilvos lizard.

Rom is reaching for the button to blast narcissist Quark out an airlock when Zek shows up. G-g-ghost? Nope. Zek faked his death to test Krax.

There are no consequences to Rom's attempt to murder his brother. Apparently, being Rom is punishment enough.

"The Nagus" is ideally cast in the personage of Wallace Shawn. The king of the money-grubbing space goblins is exactly what devoted capitalists are itching to be... but loath to end up as.

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