All of these Star Trek misadventures have something in common: if Quark had been a good Ferengi who obeyed the sacred Sixth Rule of Acquisition, he would have let the family members suffer and die before risking his own neck (certainly, the opportunity to live is one family shouldn’t disrupt in Ferengi society). Instead, Quark consistently rose to the occasion, putting his life and reputation on the line again and again in the name of helping those he loves.
It’s always possible, of course, that Quark kept violating this rule out of love, but he might have just wanted to keep the family members around as potential resources. It’s like the 111th Rule of Acquisition always says: “Treat people in your debt like family… exploit them.”
