Star Trek Needs to Bring Back the Cardassians in DS9

It's time for Star Trek to revisit the Cardassians, the xenophobic species that defined the conflict at the heart of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

It's time for Star Trek to revisit the Cardassians, the xenophobic species at the heart of the conflict in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Introduced in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the Cardassians are described as formidable opponents of the Federation, having fought a bitter frontier war with Starfleet for years. Unlike the Romulans, TNG established the Cardassians as a paranoid, arrogant, and highly secretive people.

Cardassian lore and society will grow exponentially on DS9. The titular space station was formerly known as Terok Nor, a Cardassian outpost in orbit around the planet Bajor that the Cardassians had forcibly occupied for years. The unspeakable atrocities committed by the Cardassians against the Bajoran are a global trauma that will haunt the entire series. The Cardassians would allege with the Federation in the War of Dominion in DS9, but they were eventually betrayed by their Dominion allies and their home planet, Cardassia Prime, was destroyed. The Cardassians were at a pivotal turning point in their history at the end of DS9, and now is the time to explore what happened next.

Why Star Trek Needs To Bring Back DS9's Cardassians

The Cardassians are DS9's stand-in for the real-world fascist regime. Similarities between the Cardassian/Bajor/Federation conflict and the Nazis Germany's brutal treatment of European Jews was palpable, but DS9 reversed that by making the Cardassians a galactic force after the occupation ended. The show also made sure not to paint them with thick strokes. For every hopeless tyrant like the odious Gul Dukat (Mark Alemo), there's a handful of Cardassians who are genuinely upset about the direction their people are taking, like ex-spy Ilim Galak (Andrew Robinson). The excellent DS9 season 1 episode "Duet" is one of the more compelling depictions of how war brutalizes people on all sides.

Apart from Dukat and Garak, the most famous Cardassian is probably Legate Damar (Casey Biggs). Originally just another fascist thug in Dukat, Damar underwent a remarkable transformation during his run at DS9. A fervent Cardassian nationalist, Damar was disillusioned with the Dominion's treatment of its people and sparked a Federation-backed uprising on Cardassia Prime. He ends up sacrificing his life for his people, a martyr for the cause. Dharma's change of heart seems to have opened the door to a more peaceful and benevolent Cardassian.

What Happened To The Cardassians After DS9?

Cardassia Prime nearly wiped out by Jem'Hadar In the final days of the Dominion War, another enemy of the Federation, the Bollingers. DS9 ends before the Earth and its people become clear after the war. Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 will give viewers a look at the path chosen by Cardassia Prime after the war, as the 32nd century Confederacy President, Chelah Horsdal is a descendant of humans, Bajor and Cardassians .

There is however an 800 year gap in the history of the Cardassians. Unfortunately, the rise and fall of the fascist regime is a timely question, and while the story takes place after the events of Star Trek: Picard explores how the Cardassians recover from social catastrophe, it would be a great opportunity to tell the story of Star Trek That kind of real-world fable in the Trek often thrives. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine left the Cardassians' story largely up in the air, and it's time for their second act.