We flatter you, sir, we flatter you!: The best Cardassians in Star Trek
By Ames
We’re wrapping up our series of alien species discussions with one of our favorite Star Trek races: the Cardassians! These are a people that are so varied that it’s a relief from more monocultural societies. Instead, we get to see all kinds of individual motivations that make our reptilian friends tick. Whether they’re fascinating villains, redeemed heroes, or (more likely) a little bit of both, these are the best of the best that A Star to Steer Her By has compiled for you!
Cardassians concoct some of the best-laid schemes of the show, even outdoing the best Romulans we discussed previously. Check out our favorite spoon-headed friends below, listen to our discussion on this week’s podcast episode (Cardi chatter at 1:00:08), and pour yourself some kanar as we toast the Cardassian Union!
How could I not pick some of the most villainous, secretive, manipulative characters we’ve met in all of Star Trek? I’ll start things off with our favorite gul whose layered portrayal, self-serving motivation, and sexy swagger drive him head, neck, and shoulders (but especially neck) above the competition. Let’s also give some praise to Tain’s housekeeper who has hinted depths that Andy Robinson makes canon in A Stitch in Time, and to the nefarious Orwellian agent from TNG who had Picard seeing who knows how many lights?
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Chris – Shades of obsidian
Garak
Damar
Marritza
We see in Chris’s favorite Cardassians how a character can go from toady in an evil government to rebel for a good cause on their way to redemption, or at least as close as they can get with the number of literal skeletons in their closets. There is a thick grey area for characters like the former Obsidian Order operative turned simple tailor, for the right-hand man to a tyrant turned revolutionary leader, and to the file clerk turned martyr for the people his kind nearly obliterated, and we salute them!
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Jake – A few good lizard men
Marritza
Damar
Ghemor
Jake’s picks turn out to be good people at heart, contrary to the totalitarian nature that drives most Cardassians. Early in DS9, we were fans of the lowly file clerk who concocted a needlessly elaborate scheme to bring about some much warranted justice. Later, we got to watch the full realization of one character who sees the Dominion for what they truly are and sacrifices himself for the cause. And pour one out for the rebellious father who tries to save his daughter only for someone who looks like his daughter to save him.
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Caitlin – Wanna spoon?
Ghemor
Rejal
Garak
Caitlin put together a list of Cardassians who follow their hearts and do what they do for the love of family, romance, and maybe just some lunch with a cute Starfleet doctor. We were fully sympathetic to the secret rebel who formed a fatherly kinship with Kira through their couple episodes together. DS9 gave us some great awkward tomfoolery when a young Cardassian scientist got the hots for O’Brien of all people. And what else can we say about Gar/shir that slashfic all over the internet hasn’t already planted in our wildest imaginations?
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Those are all the alien races we’re covering for this blog series, so thank you for taking this trip through the galaxy’s family tree with us. There will be plenty more topics for us to explore as we get through more Trek, so continue following along here, keep up with our trip through the Delta Quadrant on SoundCloud, hail us on Facebook and Twitter, and count how many lights you see. We’ll wait…
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Trek, Star Trek: Picard, TMNT (2007), Star Trek Online
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Cardassian Character(s), Madred (Star Trek), Elim Garak, Original Starfleet Character(s), NightWatcher - Character
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Star Trek Fusion, Team Medi Universe, Star Trek: Picard - Freeform, Nightwatcher (TMNT)
Series: Part 4 of Team Medi: Resurgence
Summary:
No one knows that Ardan is the Nightwatcher on Cardassia Prime. And that's how Elim Garak wants it. However, someone in Starfleet wants to hire him away.
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