10 most disliked Star Trek characters, ranked
5. Keiko O'Brien (Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine)
Keiko O'Brien is a character who somehow managed to earn the dubious honor of being one of the franchise's most disliked characters. Imagine cruising through the galaxy, encountering bizarre new life forms, and engaging in thrilling space battles - suddenly, the scene shifts to Keiko, a botanist, who's more likely to be found grumbling about wilted plants than firing photon torpedoes. While the rest of the crew is dealing with interstellar crises, Keiko's dramas often revolve around the decidedly less exciting world of space botany and domestic squabbles. It's like switching from an action-packed movie to a slow-paced gardening documentary - jarring, to say the least.
Then there's her relationship dynamic with Chief Miles O'Brien, her husband, who's an awesome character. In a universe brimming with compelling romances and intriguing character dynamics, Keiko and Miles' marriage often feels like a series of never-ending arguments about trivial domestic issues. It's like watching your neighbors bicker over whose turn it is to take out the trash.
While other characters are exploring strange new worlds and boldly going where no one has gone before, Keiko seems stuck in a mundane loop of botany and bickering. This stark contrast with the exciting theme of space exploration might just be why many of us find her less than stellar in the Star Trek universe.
There was potential with her character for sure but it was just never explored beyond surface level, and that's a real shame.