Jem'Hadar

A genetically engineered humanoid race from the Gamma Quadrant, the Jem'Hadar are the military arm of the Dominion and one of the most powerful military forces in the galaxy.

The Jem'Hadar are bred in hatcheries. (DS9: "Penumbra")

This fact, and their reptilian appearance, indicates that they are likely hatched from eggs. For humanoids, the Jem'Hadar have an incredibly fast metabolic rate due to modifications made on their genetic structure by the Founders. The Jem'Hadar are bred in birthing chambers and have been known to be placed in stasis chambers until their awakening. Because of this, there are only males in the Jem'Hadar species.

A Jem'Hadar baby is born looking almost mammallian and is mature within three days of leaving its birthing chamber, allowing for very rapid replacement of casualties. Within a day of maturation, Jem'Hadar children already have advanced language skills and cognitive reasoning. Adolescent Jem'Hadar require food for consumption. When they are older they begin to take on a reptilian appearance. (DS9: "The Abandoned", "To the Death")

Adult Jem'Hadar do not require either sleep or nourishment; any form of relaxation is shunned on the belief that it would only make them weak. Like the Vorta, they are genetically engineered to be loyal to the founders and see them as gods, however, this genetic engineering isn't without its flaws, and sometimes despite this Jem'Hadar are disloyal (DS9: "To the Death") to supplement it, the founders have omitted an isogenic enzyme which is supplied by the drug ketracel-white, the only form of sustenance required by adult Jem'Hadar. Without large quantities of the white, Jem'Hadar circulatory systems begin to shut down, beginning with muscle spasms, and they become violent, killing first their enemies, then their allies, then finally each other. (DS9: "The Abandoned", "Hippocratic Oath", "To the Death", "Rocks and Shoals")

As a result of advanced genetic engineering and combat breeding, the Jem'Hadar have excellent vision, and are several times stronger than Humans. (DS9: "Favor the Bold") All Jem'Hadar have a built-in ability to "shroud" themselves, a form of camouflage which effectively hides them from both sensors and the naked eye. (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar", "The Abandoned")

Ronald D. Moore stated: "The [phaser] stun setting has no effect on the Jem'Hadar." [1] Most Jem'Hadar die young in battle; as such, it is rare for them to live past 15 years of age. Few ever live to the age of 20. Those who do are awarded the title "Honored Elders." No Jem'Hadar has ever lived to the age of 30. (DS9: "To the Death")

Cut off from reinforcements in the Gamma Quadrant during the Dominion War, the Founders began to breed Jem'Hadar soldiers in the Alpha Quadrant known as "Alpha" in 2374. The Alphas were regarded - largely by themselves - as being superior to original "Gamma" Jem'Hadar, so their introduction led to considerable friction with their Gamma Quadrant counterparts. The primary difference between the two was that the DNA and psychological profile of the Alphas were specifically designed for combat in the Alpha Quadrant. The Founders believed this made them better leaders over the Gammas. (DS9: "One Little Ship")

Culture and tradition

Although the Jem'Hadar worship the Founders as gods, the vast majority of the Jem'Hadar have never actually seen a Founder, and some doubt that they even exist. (DS9: "Hippocratic Oath") Yet they have built their service to the shapeshifters into a religion, literally regarding the Founders as living gods, to the extent that the Jem'Hadar ritualistically commit suicide if they fail to protect a shapeshifter from harm. (DS9: "The Ship")

The Vorta, as the representatives of the Founders, are also given immense loyalty by most Jem'Hadar – even when such loyalty seems unwarranted. Absolute obedience from the Jem'Hadar is further guaranteed by the Vortas' control of the ketracel-white. (DS9: "The Abandoned", "Hippocratic Oath", "Rocks and Shoals")

Although the glory of the Founders means everything for the Jem'Hadar, they also show a strong sense of honor for themselves. Ikat'ika, First of Dominion Internment Camp 371 showed this, when he refused to kill Worf, whom he could not defeat without killing him, even after he was ordered to by his superior Vorta. He chose rather to yield the fight than to kill Worf because it "no longer ... [held his] interest". He was ordered to be shot for this insubordination. That means, a Jem'Hadar might prefer insubordination and therefore death to doing something he considers to be dishonorable (DS9: "By Inferno's Light").

Jem'Hadar combat units follow a very specific hierarchy. Normally, a Vorta commands one or several units. Every unit contains a Jem'Hadar First, who is in command. Each Jem'Hadar after the First is also given a number rank (Second, Third, Fourth, etc.). In the event the First is killed, the Second shall take over for the First, the Third will take over Second, and so forth. Although the succeeding Jem'Hadar will take over the duties of his superior, he will only receive the higher number rank if his Vorta commander allows it. (DS9: "Hippocratic Oath", "Rocks and Shoals")

Before each battle, the First states the following speech to his unit:

"I am [Rank] [Name], and I am dead. As of this moment, we are all dead. We go into battle to reclaim our lives. This, we do gladly, for we are Jem'Hadar. Remember - victory is life." The rest of the unit then responds:

"Victory is life." (DS9: "To the Death") A similar exchange states: "Obedience brings victory, and victory is life." (DS9: "Rocks and Shoals", "One Little Ship")

The dispensing of Ketracel-white has a ritual statement, spoken between the Vorta and the First. The Vorta presents the vials of white and asks:

"[Rank] [Name], can you vouch for the loyalty of your men?" The First responds:

"We pledge our loyalty to the Founders from now until death." The Vorta then replies:

"Then receive this reward from the Founders. May it keep you strong." (DS9: "To the Death") Jem'Hadar Firsts were also capable of distributing the white among those under their command. By 2374, Alpha Jem'Hadar no longer recited the ritual dispersal statement, as they demonstrate their loyalty by their actions, not their words. (DS9: "One Little Ship")

Technology

The uniforms Jem'Hadar soldiers wear allow them to be almost completely unaffected by many forms of anti-personnel force field. (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar") Their energy weapons contain anti-coagulants that are designed to slowly kill their enemies if the energy discharge did not. The rifle and pistol weapons used by the Jem'Hadar have at least three settings, able to stun, deliver a generally lethal pulse laced with the anti-coagulants, and a more powerful pulse capable of vaporizing a humanoid target. (DS9: "The Search, Part I", "The Ship", "Change of Heart", "By Inferno's Light")

The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual claims that the Jem'Hadar pistol and rifle weapons have only a single setting, and this is a lethal pulse. This is entirely inconsistent with what has been seen in the series. In "The Search, Part I", Major Kira most definitely takes a direct hit to the chest from a Jem'Hadar weapon on a stun setting. Lethal to semi-lethal pulses that leave behind anti-coagulants have been seen in episodes such as "The Ship", "Change of Heart" and "The Siege of AR-558". A higher setting was seen to vaporize humanoid targets, such as Jem'Hadar and Breen, in "By Inferno's Light".

The Jem'Hadar prefer a kar'takin for close combat. (DS9: "To the Death", "Sons and Daughters")