The Orb 9: Atlas With a Smile

Miles O’Brien. One of the longest-running characters in Star Trek, we first met Miles O’Brien in the TNG pilot episode “Encounter at Farpoint” in which he was the conn officer on the Battle Bridge. He went on to appear in 51 more episodes of The Next Generation before moving over to Deep Space Nine as Chief of Operations. By the time we got to DS9 his character had a full background, yet there is still a lot to be found in how his upbringing and 20+ years of service made him a stabilising factor for the DS9 crew and the calm in the eye of the storm. In this episode of The Orb, hosts Christopher Jones and Matthew Rushing look at Miles, his hands-on approach to life, his loyalty to friends and family, and why if there is anyone who could hold the world on his shoulders it’s Miles O’Brien—and he’d do it with a smile.