Like many Star Trek: Deep Space Nine characters, Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) underwent a complex character evolution throughout DS9's seven seasons. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's First Officer was originally supposed to be Star Trek: The Next Generation's Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), but when Forbes declined to return as Ensign Ro, DS9 created Major Kira instead. Unlike Ro Laren's Starfleet-adjacent point of view in Tng, Kira's backstory in the Bajoran Resistance placed her closer to the front lines of the conflict between the Bajorans and their Cardassian oppressors.

Born in 2343 in Bajor's Dahkur Province, Kira Nerys grew up in a refugee camp with her parents, Kira Taban and Meru; and her brothers, Reon and Pohl. When Nerys was three years old, her mother was taken to be a comfort woman for the camp's Cardassian overseers, and Meru became Gul Dukat's (Marc Alaimo) mistress. Dukat ensured that Kira's family was safe,...