Founder Confusion

[stitch626]

Odo has stated that he cannot mimic Humans perfectly. And whenever we saw the main Founder, she looked just like Odo (except female).
Yet, on occasions, Founders could imitate humanoids near perfectly, such as the one who "replaced" Martok and Bashir.

Is it that only a few can mimic really well, while the others are just so-so?

[Sionnach Glic]

I imagine it would take a fair degree of skill to perfectly mimic an individual.

[Captain Seafort]

Don't forget that the female Founder was able to mimic Kira well enough to fool Odo. I think the likeliest solutions are either a) maintaining that somewhat ill-defined form is a lot less tiring, b) she was deliberately copying Odo.

[stitch626]

Ok, well I was just a little confused.

[Nutso]

The A+ mimickers are the special forces of the Founders. Espionage, reconnaissance, infiltration, sabotage. Only the best of the best are sent on these missions.

[thelordharry]

Frankly, I always thought that ALL the 'Great Link' Founders were perfect mimickers because, well, they were all part of the Great Link. However, Odo having been sent out on Recon as a infant, never had the support and nuturing of the GL and therefore, never developed to his true potential as a shapeshifter.

As for the Founder 'leader' female, I agree with Seafort. Kind of like every time you see Q with a Captain's uniform with Picard, Janeway or Sisko or a Commanders with Riker, so she mimicked the appearance of Odo and his limitations.

[Teaos]

I always thought she choose to look like Odo to make him feel beter and allow them to be spotted easiy.

But Seafort makes a good point that it may also be less effort to hold that shape.

[Mikey]

I don't recall where, but I thought it was mentioned that Odo's ability to mimic humanoids was impaired due to his separation from the Link, which would lead one to believe that the Founders of the Great Link would all be able to mimic a humanoid pretty well.

[Bryan Moore]

I don't recall where, but I thought it was mentioned that Odo's ability to mimic humanoids was impaired due to his separation from the Link, which would lead one to believe that the Founders of the Great Link would all be able to mimic a humanoid pretty well.

This might have been from The Search, in fact. Why Odo never decided to change afterwards, who knows. Still uncomfortable? Wanted to remain familiar to the crew?

[Mark]

Yet he could mimic other things perfectly. Never quite understood that.

[Captain Seafort]

He probably could have mimmicked a human form more accurately if he'd wanted to but didn't, either to make it easier for everyone else, or because he was used to that "default" humainoid form and didn't want to change it.

[Mikey]

I'd swear that I'd heard onscreen that his mimicry of humanoids was somewhat retarded due to basically being self-taught. Don't have chapter and verse, though.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

I'd swear that I'd heard onscreen that his mimicry of humanoids was somewhat retarded due to basically being self-taught. Don't have chapter and verse, though.

I heard something like that, too. Maybe it's also a mental block?

[Mikey]

Maybe it's also a mental block?

Odo's, or ours?

[Teaos]

Maybe he could only mimic a look, that why he could turn into a bird fine but he couldnt turn into a human since he would be stealing someone else's image.