Product Details

• Actors: Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig, Terry Farrell, Cirroc Lofton
• Directors: Rene Auberjonois
• Writers: Gene Roddenberry, Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller, Rick Berman, Robert Hewitt Wolfe
• Producers: David Livingston
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: January 11, 2000
• Run Time: 46 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000003K7Q
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #495,671 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Prophet Motive" asks the burning question "What would happen if the wormhole aliens encountered the most profit-hungry being in the known universe?" The answer is a thoroughly entertaining display of good ol’ Ferengi chutzpah. Watch as a kinder, gentler Grand Nagus Zek horrifies his loyal subjects Quark and Rom with the Ferengi Benevolent Association. See the huge, silent Maihar'du weep over the New Rules of Acquisition. Marvel at Quark vs. the Prophets (guess who wins).

This is an episode full of firsts. It was Rene Auberjonois's first time out as full-fledged DS9 series director. It marked the first return to the wormhole with an Orb since "The Emissary." (In fact, it visually references the premiere experience almost frame by frame.) And it was the first of many times Bashir and O'Brien play darts. Cool special effects, great writing, solid acting, gratuitous oo-max, much Ferengitude. As always, Armin Shimmerman (Quark) and Max Grodénchik (Rom) work together like a well-oiled comedic machine. Wallace Shawn somehow manages to be both cunning and disgustingly cute as decrepit Grand Nagus Zek. And don't overlook the talents of the very tall Tiny Ron as his bafflingly loyal servant. In the pointless B-story, Dr. Bashir doesn't win the prestigious Carrington Award. "Prophet Motive" is an hysterically well-written episode and a favorite of Ferengi fans everywhere. --Kayla Rigney

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What You Won't Do For Love of Latinum, August 10, 2000

By 

Samantha Boyce "J. Bo" (Atlanta, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, Episode 62: Prophet Motive [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This episode is a real trip! When the Nagus comes from the wormhole with an Orb of the Prophets, that's not all he came back with. The Nagus proceeds to rewrite the Rules of Acquisition to promote a kinder, gentler way of acquiring profit; or in this case, how to give it away!

When the Nagus decides to bestow his new found knowledge to the ever-greedy Quark, he nearly hits the floor in shock (literally!)when he reads the first new rule of acquisition, he knows something is wrong: If they want their money back, give it to them.

Well, Quark does some investigating and finds that the Nagus went to the Gamma Quadrant and when he came back, the Prophets transformed him from the almighty greed to giving to those in need.

Seeing the end of the world is imminent, Quark decides to take a chance that will either bring back his Nagus, or turn Ferengi commerce into a cesspool of softies.

1.0 out of 5 stars Dull and unimaginative story and dialog, September 4, 2010

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, Episode 62: Prophet Motive [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Since I have yet to see all the episodes in all the Star Trek series, at this time I cannot state that this is the worst episode ever. However, I don't see how it could ever escape being in the top ten.
The primary plot thread is that the Ferengi Grand Nagus arrives at Deep Space Nine and moves into Quark's living quarters. While there, the Nagus rewrites the Rules of Acquisition to remove the greed and make them far less rapacious. This horrifies Quark and he works in a desperate attempt to restore the Nagus to normal so that the Ferengi way of life will remain unaltered.
A secondary and largely irrelevant plot thread is based on Dr. Bashir being nominated for the most prestigious medical prize in the Federation. This storyline seems to be nothing more than a way to make sure that most of the other regular characters in the series get some face time.
The dialog is stiff and unimaginative, the acting at times seems to be forced and the story itself is extremely dull. From my perspective, this is one episode where everyone in the production process had an "off day."