How would you fix either Dax?

[sayla0079]

Got this idea from someone's post about fixing Neelix how would you fix Ezri or Jadzia?

[LittleRaven]

I'm not sure either character was really broken. Certainly not at the same level that Neelix is.

Jadzia the character was fine. To the extent that there's an issue, it's probably with Terry Farrell, who...well, she's not bad, but Deep Space Nine actually had quite a fine cast, and she struggles in comparison. Jadzia is supposed to be an ancient soul in a young, beautiful body. Terry has beautiful down, and can handle the lighter stuff just fine, but I don't think she usually pulls off the 'old soul' bit. That requires a certain gravitas that she can't usually manage.

Ezri is also a fine character on paper. A fish out of water, thrust into a situation that she never expected and never prepared for. Nicole de Boer does a much better job of capturing this character than Terry, though admittedly it's probably a much easier role. Ezri's problem is just that we run out of time. We see her in what should be her worst time - just as she's trying to figure out what's going on. Imagine if we only saw Bashir in season one. If she had be given a few seasons to mature and settle in, I think she would have been great.

[Nealithi]

To fix something you need to see what was broken first. Neelix was well defined in what was wrong. Chuck's assessment of how Janeway was written incorrectly has been tossed out by me in a few places and so far everyone nods and says they can see that. So first what is wrong with Dax?

Dax = Ancient intelligence that can live multiple lifetimes gathering knowledge and experience. Any time this symbiote is placed into a proper host the host gains all of it acting far older and wiser.
Symbiote recently put into new specially trained host that is a minor Starfleet officer. . despite just having been an ambassador. And being put as an underling to a former student.
Jadzia despite her 'brilliance' and symbiote misses science problems often. She is a security hole needing to be plugged. (Dax knows too much to be wasted as she is.) And is often written as young woman more than ancient elder.

So let's follow the pattern set by Chuck and redefine her character. Do not write science officer or young woman. Write old man ambassador and instructor. A skirt chaser to the end and now in a new body. Jadzia was studying in Starfleet when she was implanted. Her commission was suspended since the new combined person is neither the young lieutenant nor the old ambassador. She is passing through DS9 as she finds her place. Her old student Ben has gotten command and could use a hand. So he/she sticks around to help out. She is an advisor on the level of Guinan for similar reasons. Dax has been a man so long he forgets gender sometimes in his old skirt chasing. Now Sisko calling her 'Old man' has a more nuanced form and takes longer to get old. Steal the symbiote and you see the young officer out of her depth working to overcome the problems tossed on her. And maybe showing she is more than just the symbiote before getting it back. Since this role is written as Elder mentor and not old man in young woman's body. You have less ambiguity and she can come off as less an ass like repeatedly pranking Odo just to get a rise out of him.
Rom should have been doing that. Prior to getting accepted to the academy that is.

[Winter]

Compared between the two, Dax isn't all that broken as a character and it wouldn't be so hard to fix her, simply remove her more annoying habits (like going into Odo's room and rearranging all his stuff for "fun" and have her admit when she's being a hypocrite). Other then that, Dax is overall pretty likeable and useful to the rest of the cast and is actually a lot of fun to watch whereas Neelix is pretty much useless to everyone and is the most common cause for groans of annoyance from the audience.

Another way to fix her character, NEVER WATCH LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN!!! As she is at her absolute worst, (along with the rest of the cast) her and it's just a bad episode overall.

But on the whole, Dax isn't a terrible character but rather a good character with a few major flaws.

[Worffan101]

There's not much TO fix. Jadzia sometimes is written with limited gravitas, but that's just tweaking reactions to some stuff. Ezri just needs another season or two to grow into the role and fully realize the character's journey.

Oh, and burn "Let He Who Is Without Sin" from the records forever. fuck that shit

[Admiral X]

I would have made Jadzia more of a science officer/royal smart person.

[Karha of Honor]

I would have made Jadzia more of a science officer/royal smart person.

I just rewatch DS 9 episodes sometimes. Wtched it about 7-8 years ago.

She did the Data explantion for everyone a zillion times, was sex positive well balanced happy slut and had the usual Trill issues with shared cosciousness.

That is what i remember.

Any examples where she would have needed to do more explanation or science stuff?

How many more Jadzia does science sublots and main plots would you have prefered?

[Admiral X]

It seemed to me that the science officer aspect of her slowly went away after the first season.

[Yukaphile]

There's nothing wrong with Jadzia. Ezri was equivalent to Season 1 Bashir. She needed time to grow we never saw on screen.

[Meushell]

For Jadzia, we see her appreciate Klingon culture and some Ferengi culture. Add more. Instead of fighting with a Bat’leth, have her prefer a weapon from Andor, Vulcan, or her own planet, Trill. Make a point of having her eat other foods instead of falling back to Klingon and Ferengi.