Changeling Love and the Great Link in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Changelings like Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine have a complex relationship with the Great Link and their own sense of self. The Great Link is a symbiotic union that binds all Changelings together, and it is through this connection that they experience an intense sense of oneness.

Understanding Changeling Physiology and Love

Some viewers and critics have speculated that Odo may have experienced romantic feelings for the motherly but manipulative shape shifter when he linked with her. This is largely due to the series' portrayal of Odo's experiences with the Great Link and his sense of isolation. However, it is argued that such romantic feelings would not align with the typical Changeling mentality.

Odo's strong sense of self is an anomaly, created by his prolonged separation from the Great Link. In their natural state, Changelings do not distinguish between themselves and other fragments of the Great Link. When Odo linked with this particular Founder, he experienced a glimpse of a state where his sense of individuality and isolation ceased to exist, essentially becoming one with another. This experience is often likened more to a profound spiritual and emotional awakening rather than a romantic connection.

The Nature of Changeling Emotions

The producers of the show also suggest that the pleasure encountered during linking serves a deeper purpose. One of the many triggers for this pleasure is related to the act of linking itself. The sensation of being one with another being is so intense that Changelings cannot imagine leaving their "round-the-clock Silly Putty orgy." This is underscored by the fact that every Changeling ever mentioned has the capability to perform auto-fellatio, with the implication that they would never leave the house if they had to be alone.

Given the distinct physiology of Changelings, it is difficult to draw direct comparisons to human emotions. The pleasure experienced in their liquid state, during linking, or in the Great Link, might not have a direct one-to-one equivalence with human emotional experiences. Therefore, it is posited that Odo's sense of pleasure came not from a particular companion, but from the act of linking itself. This suggests that the act of linking and reproduction might be inherently linked, with new personalities budding off during group links. This aligns with the biological strategy of evolution, which uses pleasure to encourage reproduction.

Changelings as Natural Buddhists

The linkage experience can be seen as a profound state of interconnectedness, which is a key component of Buddhism. Changelings experience pleasure without attachment, which is a central tenet in Buddhist philosophy. If Changelings are not Buddhists, their natural state of interconnectedness challenges the concept of individualistic religious ideals.

The question arises: If Changelings are not Buddhists, then why does the image of Buddha so closely resemble a Changeling? This has been often humorously addressed in the show. It is suggested that the resemblance is a form of proof for Mr. Religious Skeptic, both as a reminder of the interconnectedness they embody and a playful nod to the show's ongoing themes.

Overall, the depiction of Changelings and their experiences in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine offers a unique exploration of love, pleasure, and identity, raising philosophical questions about nature, spirituality, and interconnectedness.