Jem'Hadar

• Appearance: Reptilian; pebbled skin, horned facial ridges
• Dominion subject race
  • Genetically engineered by Founders as warrior servitor race
    • Related to Tosk
• Biological notes
  • Genetically dependent on ketracel-white to ensure obedience to Vorta
    • Dependence seems to reduce over age 10 (DS9 Novel: Avatar, Book Two)
    • Ketracel-white additionally serves as an adult Jem'Hadar's soul source of nourishment (DS9: "To the Death")
      • Prior to maturity, solid food is required (DS9: "The Abandoned")
    • Lack of ketracel-white leads to circulatory failure, increased aggression, death
    • Rare mutation can result in a lack of dependence on ketracel-white (DS9: "Hippocratic Oath")
      • As such Jem'Hadar are still provided with it and able to gain sustenance from it, such mutations almost always go undiscovered (DS9: "Hippocratic Oath")
  • No physical need to sleep, but they do have the capability to (DS9: "To the Death"; S31 Novel: Rogue)
  • Innate capability to shroud oneself, becoming invisible to most forms of vision (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar", "To the Death", "Rocks and Shoals")
    • White-withdrawal impedes ability to shroud (DS9: "Rocks and Shoals")
  • Wholly male; reproduction only via technological birthing chambers (DS9: "To the Death", "The Abandoned")
    • Rapid growth following production leads to adulthood within weeks (DS9: "The Abandoned")
    • Estimated lifespan unknown due to nearly all recorded deaths being through combat
      • Individuals as old as 20 known
• Cultural notes
  • Social status derived via strength of character as revealed through actions, decision-making (DS9 Novel: Avatar, Book Two)
  • Genetically bound to service to the Founders, viewing them as gods, in order to maintain obedience (DS9: "To the Death")
    • No such genetic allegiance is present for other Dominion subject species, including Vorta (DS9: "To the Death")
      • Obedience to Vorta granted by order of the Founders, as well as position of Vorta as keepers of ketracel-white (DS9: "To the Death")
    • Circumstantial evidence suggests that genetic programming weakens in Jem'Hadar with age (DS9 Novel: Avatar, Book Two)
  • Kar'takin (DS9: "To the Death", "Sons and Daughters"; DS9 Novel: Avatar, Book Two)
    • Traditional hand-to-hand weapon
    • Short polearm with a sharp bladed tip, for both slashing and stabbing