A look at Garak (DS9)

[MissKittyFantastico]

I don't doubt that Garak has a lot of people's favourite lines. Mine (which I think is also an excellent character sketch of him) is from 'The Wire', when Bashir asks him which of all the stories he told were true, and he says all of them: "Even the lies?" "Especially the lies."

[SlackerinDeNile]

I don't doubt that Garak has a lot of people's favourite lines. Mine (which I think is also an excellent character sketch of him) is from 'The Wire', when Bashir asks him which of all the stories he told were true, and he says all of them: "Even the lies?" "Especially the lies."

I love that quote too, but similar to the scene I was discussing before it seems to be the one that people remember most about Garak and associate with him.
Even George R.R. Martin likes it, he worked it into a dialogue between Varys and Tyrion in 'Clash of kings'.
I'm not sure if it was a nice little homage or if he just remembered the quote from the show and decided it would fit those characters, for all I know he may never have seen DS9 and didn't realise its association.

[MerelyAFan]

Garak's best line for me was his the exchange with Odo in Call to Arms which sums him his attitude so well:

Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?
Garak: It's the safest way, isn't it?

I always found Garak's relationship with the Occupation fascinating. For most of the series he's far less defined by its history than other Cardassians, and his remarks at the beginning of Things Past about preferring a dispassionate historical perspective might point to what his feelings were of it at the time. The events of that same episode though seem to crack his armor a bit as the entire brutal truth of the Occupation staring him in the face with no deception or justification to mask it makes it one of the few times he's genuinely bewildered.

I think it plays into where he ends up in the final arc where he ends up working with perhaps the other prominent member of his kind not defined (at least initially) by the Occupation in Damar. While their personalities are so very different (Damar being the most blunt Cardassian in the series and Garak being... well Garak) there is a symmetry in two patriots shaped by their respective mentors, once brought low by their addictions, eventually serving to free their homeland from the Dominion.. and both finally admitting the ugly reality of what's happened in their world's history.

The bittersweet nature of his conclusion is in fact foreshadowed by Damar's line earlier in the arc; "his Cardassia is gone, and its not coming back." Garak has lost the home he knew for good. But perhaps some form of the Cardassian state, and the Never Ending Sacrifice for it, can still continue.

[Beastro]

I'd like to see something done with the post-Dominion main Trek line before too many older figures from shows that could realistically return in guest roles die or retire for acting.

Like to see how Garak fairs in relation to Cardassia when it's now under a more Federation-like government, but he still stays in self imposed exile because of Obsidian Order past and how many now look on him and his role in history.

Or seeing Quark and what position he might have been able to take in the Ferengi Alliance, maybe being the Grey Eminence behind his brothers naive Nagasship, being as powerful and successful as he always wanted to be, but being something of an unknown in many people's eyes.

[MerelyAFan]

I'd like to see something done with the post-Dominion main Trek line before too many older figures from shows that could realistically return in guest roles die or retire for acting.

Like to see how Garak fairs in relation to Cardassia when it's now under a more Federation-like government, but he still stays in self imposed exile because of Obsidian Order past and how many now look on him and his role in history.

Or seeing Quark and what position he might have been able to take in the Ferengi Alliance, maybe being the Grey Eminence behind his brothers naive Nagasship, being as powerful and successful as he always wanted to be, but being something of an unknown in many people's eyes.

Its scenarios like those that make me wish Paramount/CBS had a production company like Big Finish to do Trek audio plays. They'd be no substitute for a TV series and would probably apocryphal canon wise, but damn it'd be enjoyable.

[G-Man]

I'd like to see something done with the post-Dominion main Trek line before too many older figures from shows that could realistically return in guest roles die or retire for acting.

I'd like to think that Cardassia, Bajor, and Ferenginar combine to form a new power in the Alpha Quadrant. The new Nagus is already married to a Bajoran, and Quark could marry Natima, who might have a position in the new Cardassia. The Cardassians might have more sympathy for the Bajorans now that they have basically thrown off a hostile occupying power that in a short time did far more damage then they did to the Bajorans.

Maybe they could even get an alliance with the Coalition of Independent Borg (or whatever Hugh's people are calling themselves).

Garak could be the spymaster for all three powers within this new alliance. Biggest condition he places on serving: Bajor allows a garrison of Cardassians with chroniton weapons stationed all around the Fire Caves, just in case Gul Dukat ever finds a way of escaping.

[Beastro]

I'd like to see something done with the post-Dominion main Trek line before too many older figures from shows that could realistically return in guest roles die or retire for acting.

I'd like to think that Cardassia, Bajor, and Ferenginar combine to form a new power in the Alpha Quadrant. The new Nagus is already married to a Bajoran, and Quark could marry Natima, who might have a position in the new Cardassia. The Cardassians might have more sympathy for the Bajorans now that they have basically thrown off a hostile occupying power that in a short time did far more damage then they did to the Bajorans.

Maybe they could even get an alliance with the Coalition of Independent Borg (or whatever Hugh's people are calling themselves).

Garak could be the spymaster for all three powers within this new alliance. Biggest condition he places on serving: Bajor allows a garrison of Cardassians with chroniton weapons stationed all around the Fire Caves, just in case Gul Dukat ever finds a way of escaping.

My own fantasy is the Dominion War created something of a Vietnam Effect in the Federation with people mostly humans, rejecting Fed society and wanting to form their own independent, rough around the edges state that looks to both the Maquis and the heroes of the Dominion War, like Sisko as inspiration.

Fed though is too used to being the dominant power in the AQ to permit that and it goes to a civil war that splits both Section 31 and has all it's bad laundry aired that also alienates the Fed with regard to many powers. War ends when the rebels start using dirty tactics and the Fed finds it's too much hassle for what they're worth and lets em go.

Focus of a new series is from the new states perspective set a generation or two after the civil war as they work to undermine Federation hegemony while paradoxically finding they have more in common with the Fed than everyone else so the cast winds up working with Federation ships more often than they butt heads. Rebels are supported by the Romulans, who have it in for the Fed for failing to help prevent the loss of Romulus as well as finding out they were manipulated into the Dominion War, but the alliance is one of common interest, no love loss between them with both looking on the other with a ton of suspicion. Could get a Romulan on board as a liaison to replace the typical Vulcan, or have one of each to explore their two races relationship.

New state is big on cloaks and has a fully fledged military and the culture of the new country is very anti-Federation where realpolitik is in vogue, but they still maintain a liberal democracy and all round have the same values, they won't screw people over just to do it, but their self-interest comes first.

Big foe is the Klingon Empire who sees them as an isolated, weak target they could expand into as the warrior culture takes over too too much. New state works to embolden the Ferengi to be the main challenger to the Federation in that they are an alternative to the Fed everyone could agree on. Cardassians are now the big ally of the Fed, they rebuilt under a federation Marshall Plan and really against their old ways seeing the Federation in much the same way post-war Europe looked upon the US to lead NATO.

Dominion is wary of the AQ still, but is giving them a chance until suddenly they start testing that by asking for some help - they've finally bumped into the Borg along their border with the Delta Quadrant and aren't doing too well. Ask for whatever help the AQ can lend and get zilch from Klingons, a lot of talk from a weary federation that is tired of international antics with the Cardassians following their lead, Romulans are too busy on revenge to do more besides back the New States plans, New State wants to help, but doesn't want to take center state itself because of how weak it is especially against Klingon sabre rattling, so begins to encourage the Ferengi to become a coalition leader and military power that they and other minor powers, like the Gorn, Tholians and First Federation can get behind that send a expeditionary force into the GQ to help out, or to open a second front against the Borg in the AQ.

While that goes on the new State works to destabilize the Klingon Empire by encouraging a civil war and the Klingon people's loss of faith in the Chancellorship and Emperor that winds up with many military factions and noble houses declaring their own Emperor with the aim or restoring an Absolute Monarchy with the New State and the Romulans supporting whoever is weakest in order to maximize the damage done to the Empire and make the civil war last as long as possible.

Maybe have Worf in his elder years stand out as a larger than life figure in Klingon culture that is seeking to moderate the civil war and have it end soon, but with the pro-representative government and anti-militarist faction winning to make the closest thing to a "Federationalized" Empire as possible which he has always stood as a living representation of.

In the end, the point of the series is to present more counter-parts to the Federation, to make the Federation decline in power and influence to stop the tired triumphalism of it always winning and continually unifying the galaxy and all around to present it with new challenges, above all when it finds itself no longer than trend setter and instead has to deal with a large segment of humanity that no longer seeks utopianism.

[FaxModem1]

IE, 'I don't like the idea of a progressive Utopia where people try to get along, and help others in need. I'd much prefer for it to all fall apart and for them to regress to the level of only looking out for themselves.'

That sounds utterly dreadful. I much prefer that the Federation is awakened to the fact that there are bad guys out there, so they don't lower their guard, but they do always TRY to make friends first, and do the right thing. Thank goodness we know from Voyager and Enterprise that the UFP survives centuries from the Dominion War, making it all the way to the 31st century.

That said, I'd have loved to have seen the Post-Dominion War tensions, as the Romulan Empire and the United Federation of Planets start vying over who is the top dog in the Alpha Quadrant, namely over who controls Cardassian space. The Klingons don't really have a voice, as they're too beat up and their empire is in shambles.

Garak, intelligent as ever, plays them against each other to receive the most amount of support possible in rebuilding Cardassia. Maybe have Cardassia be a Cold War Berlin, with their being Federation-leaning Cardassians and Romulan-leaning Cardassians.

It's probably inevitable that the Cardassians will join the UFP. Question is how long that will be. I wouldn't be surprised if they became an ally within a generation of the Dominion war.

[FakeGeekGirl]

I would love to see Garak return, at least as a guest star, in a post-DS9 series. (Let's hope Discovery does well so that becomes an option.) I haven't read very many of the novels but I know that Garak plays a significant role in those, helping lead the new Cardassia.

A Stitch In Time gets into it somewhat - Garak helps clear the bodies and rubble from the massacre at the end of the series and tentatively moves towards a leadership position in the immediate aftermath.

[The Romulan Republic]

I would love to see Garak return, at least as a guest star, in a post-DS9 series. (Let's hope Discovery does well so that becomes an option.) I haven't read very many of the novels but I know that Garak plays a significant role in those, helping lead the new Cardassia.

A Stitch In Time gets into it somewhat - Garak helps clear the bodies and rubble from the massacre at the end of the series and tentatively moves towards a leadership position in the immediate aftermath.

Eh, everything I've seen about Discovery lately seems to say it'll be another prequel show (which isn't really doing it any favours, both because it ties the writers' hands somewhat and, more importantly, because it will cause people to instantly associate it with the much-reviled Enterprise). If so, Garak is out unless in a time travel episode.