Summary
InStar Trek,the Breen have a particular reputation among Starfleet officers, which starts with the occasional mention throughoutThe Next Generation. Dr. Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) points out in Season 4 that her empathic abilities as a Betazoid can’t detect these armored aliens. Then, in season 5, they’re accused of having attacked a small, Oberth-class Starfleet ship. The Breen later receive a passing reference in season 7 as targets of Ferengi bribe attempts.
Their first appearance inDeep Space Nine, however, establishes them as fierce adversaries. Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) and Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) take them on in season 4, episode 5, “Indiscretion.” Their clandestine conflict gets personal when Dukat realizes they’re holding his daughter Tora Ziyal (Cyia Batten) captive. It’s not the last time the Breen find themselves sharing a battlefield with the Federation and their allies. They take their warmongering to another level inStar Trek: Discovery,when an attempt to uphold an erigah almost turns into an all-out war with the Federation. This time, though, they’re attempting to capture reluctant passengers on the USS Discovery to carry out a blood bounty, or “erigah.”
The Breen & Erigah
Star Trek: Discoveryhas a knack for introducing new concepts, like the erigah. This blood bounty is basically a hit of the highest order, which is placed on enemies of the Breen state. This isn’t a run-of-the-mill grudge, like the one Captain Kirk (William Shatner) used to hold against the Klingons for the murder of his son. It’s a promise of a never-ending chase through space that can only end when the target is dead. Not even the emperor of the Breen can lift an erigah once it’s been placed.
It makes sense that this militaristic group of beings would have such intense customs. When they’re not shrouded in mystery, they’re maintaining a level of combat readiness even Cardassians might envy. In fact, the two joined forces when they partnered up withthe Dominion inDeep Space Nine. They go so far as to attack the Starfleet Headquarters on Earth in season 7, episode 20, “The Changing Face of Evil.” They also deck out Dominion vessels and manage to turn an already-intimidating force into an even more formidable foe. The Breen may be shrouded in mystery, but their passion for violence is no secret.
Other Types of Bounties in Star Trek
The Breen aren’t the firstStar Trekcharacters to carry out a bounty. Truth be told, there’s a kind of tradition around it at this point.Enterprisehas a whole episode around a fugitive being chased down for monetary gain in season 2, episode 25, “Bounty.”The USS Protostar crew ofProdigyfind themselves with a price on their heads in season 1, episode 16, “Preludes.” Not to mention all the hubbub around Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson) in season 1 ofDiscovery.
The Hazari peoples ofVoyagerhave a reputation for bounty hunting, but it’s not part of their identity, and it doesn’t define them as people. However, the Breen have a cultural meaning around fulfilling a bounty, also known as an erigah. Usually, it’s just the person targeted and the person hunting them down. It’s easy enough, right? But the Breen’s sense of honor makes the act of collecting an erigah much deeper, because they’re an unstoppable force once their wrath is activated. And a surefire way to do that is when a member of Breen royalty runs off with his human girlfriend to play Bonnie and Clyde.
Moll & L’ak vs The Breen
Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis) form an intense bond after the two meet on a Breen ship, as seen inStar Trek: Discoveryflashback scenes. He’s the Breen in charge of inspecting shipments. She’s the human who’s been cutting her dilithium deliveries with impurities. Their clash over her sneaky tactics quickly turns into flirting, and before long, they’re plotting to run away together. The only problem is that L’ak is a descendant of the Breen emperor.
His uncle, Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo), plans to use L’ak as an asset on his path to grabbing the throne. L’ak running off with Moll puts a serious cramp in his schemes, so he puts an erigah on their heads in retaliation. Somehow, the two get the idea that stealing Progenitor technology can save them. The series doesn’t explain why, but sometimesStar Trekis just mysterious that way. Too bad this puts them in the path of the USS Discovery, as they also search for these life-creating tools.
In season 5, episode, 7, “Erigah,” the Federation finally catch up with Moll and L’ak. Here’s whereStar Trek: Discoveryonce again shows its passion for ramping up the action. The crew takes the pair into custody just in time for the Breen to catch up and begin laying down heavy threats in response to theFederation’s attempts at democracy. President T’Rina (Tara Rosling) tries to teach them the importance of diplomacy, but to no avail. The erigah has been cast, the bounty is within reach, and Primarch Ruhn will stop at nothing to gain him the power he so desperately seeks.
AStar Trekstandoff hasn’t been this intense since Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) went toe-to-toe withthe Maquis inDS9. L’ak ends up giving his life for Moll’s chance at survival, and Moll eventually ends up in a Federation prison. She’s later courted by the peculiar Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg) as a potential recruit for whatever odd jobs he has in store. One can only assume L’ak’s demise lifted the erigah, since he was its intended target. Hopefully, though,Star Trek: Discoverywon’t be the only series to explore this peculiarly ruthless custom.
