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From SCIFIPEDIA
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Miles Edward O'Brien is a fictional character on the series Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine played by Colm Meaney.
Character History
Miles was born in Ireland in September 2328 to father Michael O'Brien.
O'Brien has always had an aptitude for the mechanical. He served as tactical officer on the U.S.S. Rutledge under Captain Maxwell. There he fought Cardassians in a battle that left him with a deep dislike for them that he has had to deal with later in his career.
O'Brien served as the transporter chief on board the USS Enterprise under Captain Jean-Luc Picard. While serving on the Enterprise, he met and fell in love with Keiko, a biologist and a botanist. The two were married there as well. He was transfered with a promotion to Chief of Operations on board the station Deep Space Nine, and moved their with his wife Keiko and their daughter Molly. They later had a son, Kirayoshi.
The Character
O'Brien is a fun character. He's a salt of the Earth everyman, a soldier and working man. In this way, he is different from most Starfleet Officers that we have met in the franchise over the years. Though Chief of Operations sounds like a executive position (and it is), O'Brien is a non-commissioned officer who has never attended Starfleet Academy. He spends most of his time dealing with and managing the repair and maintenance work of the station. He's an uncomplicated man who is loyal to his family and his country (or The United Federation of Planets,, in this case). He's a dedicated working man. As a man who deals with the nuts and bolts with his own hands, he balances a healthy respect with a natural frustration and exasperation with commissioned officers up the chain of command. His problems, frustrations, and pleasures were ones to which we can all relate.
For these reasons, viewers identify with him, and series writers liked to see put through the ringer at least once a season. He has been kidnapped, tortured, arrested and tried in Cardassian court, had direct threats to his family, become time displaced, etc.
Another endearing quality is his unusual friendship with Julian Bashir. Bashir is a well-meaning, vain, naive, condescending, educated, know-it-all. As such, he is O'Brien's polar opposite in terms of personality and sensibilities. In the early episodes, we can see that Bashir, just being himself, drives O'Brien to distraction. And yet, these two end up bonding like true pals in a way that is memorably human.
2008, SCI FI. All rights reserved.
