Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Cardassians

[@bulletmccarthur]

Thanks. I've had a hard time keeping up with the Cardassians.

[@charlesjohnson7458]

I see what you did there.

[@susansokoloski2233]

😉👏🖖

[@Alex.H.B.1970something]

Funny 😂

[@KingOfDoma]

... booooooooooo

[@victorialawhon2251]

You can let yourself out now ... 😂

[@randallphobia8698]

Dukat was played as if he always believed that he was a noble hero, and that was brilliant. Damar had one of the best character arcs in ST history. He went from a brutish thug to the failed leader of his people, to a brave rebel who recognized the evils that his people had committed. Garak was a wonderful enigma from the pilot to the finale. All three were wonderfully written and acted.

[@chrisharris529]

💯 Exactly 💯 👏

[@math_7911]

I will never forgive Damar for killing Ziyal 😢

[@Mothman156]

Yup, when I think about, DS9 made Cardassians one of Star Treks most fleshed out Alien species with some of the most complex characters. DS9 really fleshed out the Ferengi too, albeit relagating them to essentially comic relief.

[@larryiscreating]

​@@math_7911I found it interesting that Garak seemed to forgive him.

[@grpowell]

I must give HUGE recognition to the video editor for this video. The inclusion of clips of choking starfleet officers during the description of smelly prosthesis: chef's kiss.

[@pxrays547]

"And when I realized it wasn't actually a prosthesis!"

[@danaripley1200]

Elim Garak is still my favorite Cardassian.

[@werefrogofassyria6609]

But Gul Dukat did nothing wrong

[@GabePuratekuta]

@@werefrogofassyria6609 Why did you vote for him, then?

[@werefrogofassyria6609]

@@GabePuratekuta When was there a vote?

[@johnord684]

Kourtney is my favorite

[@darahdoyle3176]

Garak, possibly one of the best characters on any ST series ever. Was he a simple tailor? Was he a spy? The utter scene chewing of Andrew Robinson (who played the psycho in Dirty Harry!) was spellbinding.

[@sbk123411]

“Possibly?!”

[@comentedonakeyboard]

He was also a gardener, on Romulus, at the time someone had a fatal accident. Coincedence i'm sure.

[@yourstruly4817]

He was just plain, simple Garak. Unless you ask Romulan senators or self-respecting Starfleet officers

[@chrisharris529]

His ark was supposed to go a bunch of places, he reprised his role in Lower Decks and explored one of the arcs with Bashir. Great stuff!

[@samsignorelli]

Robinson stole every scene he was in....in episodes he wasn't in....in SHOWS he wasn't in!!

[@mitcharcher7528]

Marc Alaimo’s neck is one of the greatest things to happen to televised sci-fi.

[@chrisharris529]

He wasn't acting when hitting on Kira, Marc wanted to date Nana badly, still mentions it in What You Leave Behind.

[@chloesmithwalker7565]

They actually did date

[@Vadimaster]

The Cardassians evolved into the most interesting antagonists in any Star Trek series. The writers, producers and actors involved did a great job there.

[@SO-ym3zs]

The Cardassians were some of the very best characters in Trek (especially DS9) played by gifted actors (David Warner, Andrew Robinson, Marc Alaimo, Paul Dooley, etc) with great lines and story arcs. The producers understood that good villains (or frenemies) can make or break fiction. No one much cares what your good guys are doing if they can't go toe to toe with genuinely smart, scary adversaries at least once in a while.

The main architect of the Cardassian demise was Dukat's ego and his people's belief in their own superiority so that they should rule all. Sound familiar? "Gul Dukat is a preening, egotistical fool." - Holographic Weyoun

[@michaelbond0074]

Thanks, Keeping Up With The Cardassians Always Gave A Headache

[@detectivewiggles]

90s Trek is so good at establishing and then humanizing villains, subverting their initial portrayal and the assumptions it created. Loved seeing Cardassians fleshed out so much in DS9!

[@barrygeistwhite3474]

The recipe for improving modern Trek? More talking, less explosions. Star Trek is at its best when you're watching competent people solve problems at the edge of their reach. And, yes, sometimes that involves the odd polaron beam or quantum torpedo.

[@PatLane2814]

"Cardie" is a slur in the Star Trek universe. Miles recently got reprimanded at his teaching job for using it in the Defiant comics. Honestly, it makes sense.

[@victorialawhon2251]

He was also grilled about saying that on DS9 when he was on trial for a crime he didn't commit

[@ursusbavaricus4761]

"Spoonheads"

[@XanCrews]

You know, as a veteran though, I get it. I’ve seen it happen in real time. I don’t approve of its usage, but it is something that happens. Someone comes up with a name to call the enemy, something short and easy for your tongue because invariably the enemy uses another language entirely and the words are hard to say, it becomes prevalent and people use it. It always came with a negative connotation because they’re the enemy but it isn’t quite a slur until hatred works its way in. When Chief O’Brien first started saying “Cardies” it probably wasn’t seen as a slur but time moves on and the word evolved.

[@stevenbooker8688]

Kanarr with Darmar

[@1978rharris]

*Kanar with Damar

[@kashattack]

That rhymes

[@werefrogofassyria6609]

"Translate into English?" However, The Werefrog have a bottle of Kanar signed by Damar.

[@thechillhacker]

On the other hand, the visceral discomfort Nana had in the makeup probably also helped make Nerys' visual disgust at being in "her own skin" that much of a better sell.

[@Jplays23]

The cardasians are a fantastic example of how to beat the monoculture trope you often find in sci-fi, even star trek. But because they started the same, fairly one dimensional way, they and by extension our understanding of them, grew the way it does in real life. First we see the way they/their government wished to seem, then we saw rhe stereotypes, then the sudden paragons of virture. Only to realise it was all true (even the lies, especially the lies) and that they were fully fleshed out, flawed, conplex "real" people. The fact we can see echoes of ww2, of resistance and complex political corruption in them, an alien race, is testament to the writers and actors who brought them to life

[@yvesboutin5604]

I think Gul Dukat was the most complex villain to play in Star Trek. Alaimo's performance was always a cut above and aided by great writing. Thanks !!

[@toddkurzbard]

11. THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!!!!!!

[@HowIamDriving]

Major Kira was the cutest Cardassian. change my mind.

[@LB-yg2br]

She was definitely pretty easy on the eyes despite the prosthetics.

[@LORD2FireBut2]

Love keeping up with the cardassians.

[@dinomonzon7493]

Andrew J. Robinson's Elim Garak is my fave Cardassian. A spy who isn't afraid to do what has to be done and very pragmatic, as seen in In The Pale Moonlight. Plus, he was the perfect foil to Dr. Julian Bashir, and... he finally rid DS9 of Weyoun. Founder Leader: "I wish you hadn't done that. That was Weyoun's last clone..." Garak: "I was hoping you'd say that." - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine- What You Leave Behind.

[@mygaffer]

Duet was a great episode.

[@lovipoekimo176]

I dunno, one would think the Borg makeup would be more claustrophobic than Cardassians

[@chrisharris529]

Same, same*

[@infowarriorone]

Andrew Robinson did more than anyone to humanize the Cardassians. And you couldn't help but wonder why Garak was so interested in Bashir. He brought a sense of intrigue to DS9.

[@siskodefiant4275]

Man, I love this channel. Excellent stuff and great presenters. 👍🏽

[@patrickstewart3446]

Honorable Mention: Cardassians are bad at math. There were only four lights

[@Chrisbert1977]

I love how on Lower Decks, Mariner's Cardassian Prison Escape holoprogram had Boimler as a prisoner, who said, "they keep showing me lights!"

[@ThatGuy182545]

I think the worst part of the Cardassians is that they’re an offshoot of the true villains of the universe: The Kardashians.

[@ratedtriplex]

Gul Dukat baby!! One of my favorite characters of all time

[@SO-ym3zs]

Beautifully written character, and Marc Alaimo played him brilliantly.

[@victorialawhon2251]

I found Marc Alaimo as Dukat rather - appealing - and found out I'm not the only one on Reddit - and then found out wasay more than I wanted to 😂😂

[@DavidNash1948]

Quite the "Ladies' Man", that Gul Dukat. At least, he thought so...

[@SaberToothBicycle]

Snakey scary schemey space thugs... That was the first impression. Made for great villains, and I think the fleshing out by the the actors and writers made their potential for duality all the more sinister. Cardassians have got to be among the top ten scariest humanoid Star Trek species.

[@Nomad77ca]

Could that be true because they came to remind us of us?

[@kalimaxine]

Cardassians have always been one of my favorite species in Star Trek.

[@MLAGGIONE]

there should be a reality tv show set in Star Trek universe. Keeping up with the Cardassians in which we will follow the family of Gul Dukat during the ocupation of Bajor.

[@HB-C_U_L8R]

I loved how Captain Lochley thought that Chief O'Brian being his usual grumpy self was him hitting on her.

[@leodouskyron5671]

Adding to #10. There is something to say about the idea that they (as other leadership and the populations inability to stop them) brought their own destruction on themselves because they trusted a group that hated them. You missed the scene where Graek talked to the founder and she made it clear that as far as she was concerned the end of the road for the Cardasians was them all being killed - and she nearly did it.

[@darylspencer3918]

I'd love to see a nice examination of phasers (unless I missed that one). We've seen all kinds of different designs of hand and rifle phasers. We've seen all kinds of uses from stunning people, to killing people leaving the body intact, to heating things up, to vaporizing things, to transferring energy to other equipment, to shooting as either a beam or a pulse (both hand and ship), to cutting through objects, the ultimate result of a phaser on overload, ship phasers being set to stun a crowd from space or digging tunnels into the crust of a planet and the list goes on. Personally, I think the phaser technology really deserves a nice 20-30 minute look!

[@rmdodsonbills]

You can't really say that "The Cardassians" brought it upon themselves. A lot of the tragedy that befell Cardassia and it's people was a direct result of choices made by Dukat and others in the leadership, but, like in any other society, there were individuals who had nothing to do with that and yet paid the price. Just like decisions by the Kaiser and his chancery (or whatever his advisor council was called) led directly to the meatgrinder battles, Treaty of Versailles, and War Reparations, the mom & pop grocery store, the small factory, and the loads of frontline troops paid the price of those decisions despite having no voice in making them. It's complicated.

[@NediSafa]

It's a statement about prejudice in general. When you get close and get to know an individual, the stereotype falls apart.

[@gamemasteranthony2756]

Nice vid! Have some Kanar on me! Mix 8 oz of honey with a shot of cinnamon Schnapps until fully mixed. Gradually add Jagermeister until the mix has a syrup like consistency. (Estimated amount is about 0.35 L of the Jagermeister.) Bottle and chill for 2 hours before serving. Serving size: Shot. (This was a recipe to make an approximation of Kanar that I found online.)

[@prismaticbeetle3194]

DS 9 was peak star trek

[@TomBelknapRoc]

Honestly, I've always seen the blue tear as a cosmetic thing. It always looked less like tinted skin than skin with paint on it.

[@michaelvargas5144]

Thanks, It Was Always Difficult For Me Keeping Up With The Cardassians

[@Emperorvalse]

Absolutely loved the T-shirts.

[@LadyLenaki]

Garak is the best character on DS9. Always my favorite.

[@DavidLee-df888]

I LOVE the Kardashians. That's what they're called right? I mean if it continually says that in the subtitles it must be the case😂

[@LB-yg2br]

Turned on subtitles…yup…definitely kardashians…guess Kim and Dukat are cousins

[@donkdat]

​@@LB-yg2brthey look similar

[@SheringtonMalta]

One thing I do know about them is that their background music on Star Trek: Armada II is superb 🙂

[@DavidNash1948]

"Duet" could be translated into many situations and time periods. Which is why it is so powerful. But as for Mark Alaimo's Dukat, please to recall that he wasn't even a "normal" Cardassian. As shown, he always had a certain egomaniacal lunacy about him. Enebran Tain, however, was a cold calculating villain, even if he was Garak's daddy. In a way, considering they slipped into a militaristic society because of severe resource depletion on Cardassia Prime, their end is to be pitied. No bloodwine toasts to celebrate their fall. Instead offer a libation for the dead.

[@grahamcann1761]

I'd like to "see one" on the Orions, and the "Q". As always, thank you all so very much for the videos. And shout out to my friend, whom I saw "Star Trek: Wrath of Kahn" with, and who went on to work on many of the "Trek" series, and who, like many "Trek" actors and crew members lives in the Los Angles area.

[@Promses2Keep]

The Cardassians are like Earth's Italy in the 20th century: always switching sides to whichever power they felt would benefit them the most, and then suffering the consequences of their short-sightedness.

[@chefdean7257]

Timely video. I've had difficulty, Keeping Up With The Cardassians.

[@surfingrazeil]

The neck trick was supposed to me a neck flair up similar to that of cobra’s in a defensive/aggressive posturing. It was stated in a book, I don’t know which. You can link this together with Cardassian’s being reptiles

[@tobiwalker7145]

It's nice that the Cardassians had a character arc as a species. It made them much more realistic.

[@toddfraser3353]

Trek TNG and DS9 did an great job at making the Cardassisns a complex species. A threat to our protagonist, but understandable in their actions, capable of great cruelty and kindness, and the aggressors and victims. For the most part they were good people in a bad system.

[@vickialschuler816]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that T shirt!

[@xileets]

Great choice in otherwise non-related clips for this video. A+ entertainment.

[@titos2x]

Fun fact: Alaimo is not liked by most of his colleagues and is generally considered a creep, not unlike his character of Dukat, how befitting.

[@michaelarulanantham8833]

So it wasn't Gul Dukats breath that smelt ..he is owed an apology

[@andrewkosmowski3985]

😂

[@Omegaroth666]

Duet is such a powerful episode. 8:45

[@casual_polaroid]

I always found the Cardassians very interesting. I wonder what they did after the Dominion War. How quickly were they able to stabilize? Did they rebuild a good military? Or were they rather very passive after the war and withdrew from all conflicts? I would love to see them in a good Star Trek series again.

[@SoSezTheDude]

I've heard the "Cardassian Neck Trick" is when one can turn their head almost 180 degrees, like an owl swiveling its head around. That feat would be pretty hard to achieve with a human neck, let alone with a Cardassian neck and those thick neck ridges! Doing so would be near impossible, and in the few who could, I bet it would make an interesting spiral pattern around the neck from the ridges that would add to the "trick" of it.

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

Mark Alaimo: I'm gonna manifest the depth of a whole species! Andrew Robinson: You have my Tailor's Kit! Casey Biggs: And my Kanar!

[@JamesShow]

I stuck around to see #2... which I *thought* was going to be #1. Well done.

[@told2stop]

For a second there it sounded like you said Ensign Ro had a beard. lol

[@calamitysi]

There's something so...satisfying about hearing the word 'Cardie' spoken in an Irish accent...Can't imagine why...🤔

[@KitaRisti]

Excellent video. I got so much new avenues to consider. However, at the beginning, where you sort of played with language, that Cardassians didn't like light. Actually Dukat did comment the weather "A bit sunny perhaps, but this heat feels wonderful." (DS9: Indiscretion)

[@holgerz1241]

Thanks for the video. Which Emilia did You thank at the end and at the lasts video end?

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

After appearing in a number of roles in Star Trek Online, Cardassians were finally made available as a playable species in the "Victory is life" expansion released in June 2018, purchasable from the in-game store. They are able to serve in either Starfleet or the Klingon Defense Force.

[@sheridan140]

THERE. ARE. FOUR. LIGHTS! Well done mates! Always assumed the blue teardrop was makeup (as i think they usually had some lipsti k too), hadn't considered it might be natural pigment. Brilliant t-shirt!

[@Brentsvideojournal]

Great video

[@Bil-k8c]

As many have already said, I think the Cardassians are one of the best races in Trek. There are so many different characters and personalities, they are as far from one dimensional as you can get. We've seen them at their best and worse - and sooooo much in between. DS9 did an amazing job with this species thanks to the writers as well as the actors. The DS9 relaunch novels continue to add so much to Cardassian culture. They even brought back Macet as a relative of Dukat, continuously pointing out how much they look alike (having, of course, been played by the same actor). My favorite Cardassian? C'mon, like most people, it's Garak! Easily in my top five Trek characters, probably top ten of all TV characters.

[@0SgtRoadkill0]

I wish we'd had a female cardassian regular on DS9. I feel z'yal and seska on voyager are special cases.. Glad Ocett and Lang survive the Dominion War in the extended canon

[@spookerredmenace3950]

love your keeping up with .... shirt! thats awesome!

[@Charlessthill]

I know it's only in the novels. but you didn't mention , science officer Ensign Cabal on the federation starship Titan!!! ✔️✔️✔️ great channel , thanks!

[@kelmacett2456]

Ds9 did a phenomenal job with the Cardassians and the Ferengi both species and cultures became incredibly fleshed out and in spite of their one-dimensional aspect (autocracy and greed) they became all too real. Cardassians on Ds9 however have been utterly spoilt for choice with fantastic actors playing amazing villains (Alaimo, Paul Dooley, Robinson), tragic heroes (Harris Yulin, Lawrence Pressman) and anti-heroes (Robinson, Biggs) with great character development. Ferengi were mostly relegated to comic relief but even so they had a lot of development. So much so that the comedy gave way to better stories and humanised (fleshed out) our understanding of Ferengi society. I do wish however that they could've somehow retained an aspect of the threat they were trying to achieve in TNG because as far as species go one has to be surprised that they did not get conquered right away since most of the time when it comes to violence Ferengi are portrayed as rather inept. A shame because we can see the Ferengi are a very intelligent race, good with their hands, numbers and technology so it is not far-fetched to think they are more than capable of defending themselves. Having seen Ds9 multiple times i know there was little narrative space to add in a serious and efficient Daimon but it would've been cool to see nonetheless.

[@justanotheryoutubechannel3102]

"Cardassian neck trick" I clearly remember SOME Trek episode showing a Cardassian's neck ridges flairing like a cobra's hood. I think it might have even been Gul Dukat using it as a threat. I remember saying "there it is!" Has anyone ever wondered if Cardassians and the Vaadwaur are related? They have very similar neck ridges. I always thought they were offshoots, or the originators of Cardassians in the same way Romulans came from Vulcans GARAK and his sarcasm ware the MAIN THING I liked DS9 for.

[@Elvertaw]

Wonderful video! And I think k the Cardassians were like the Germans in WWII. Victims who got carried away. I love them!!

[@vladquebec]

I'm a big Trekkie and for some reason, the Cardassians are my favourite race.

[@deadlymouse7033]

The Cardasians are one of my favorite Star Trek races. Andrew Robinsons 'A Stitch In Time' is a great book that really bring the Cardasians to life, as well as Una Mcormacks "Enigma Tails".

[@Daedriclord23]

...did you buy that shirt and decide to make this video from that? cause i 101% believe this and find it hilarious.

[@strells]

Wish you had something about the chocolate uniforms in The Wounded. They looked delicious!

[@icosthop9998]

TY 🖖

[@tyalmonivol2765]

Who was the editor? My god those 4 light kept flashbanging me. I can't help but keeping to see 4 lights

[@Soul-cry1]

I wish they could have been depicted in vairis skin tones from light to very dark grey as well as the pink they started off with, it would have made them more visually interesting

[@billnotice9957]

I got the distinct vibe at the end of Dominion war Cardassia and it Citizens looked and reminded me of Germany at the end of ww2. America like the federation bringing hope an individual rights. The Romulans like the old empire of Britain. Finally once again as portrayed so many times in Star Trek the Klingons were the Russians. Unforgiving warriors. A war-torn and shattered BERLIN with the Fuhur bunker drama as the female changeling playing the evil demonic mustache man. GOOD WORK !!!!

[@derrickrobbins8100]

Love the tee shirt 😂

[@breacat]

Love the shirt! Where can I get one like it?

[@hashmun6969]

Top 10 idea, worst secondary story plots. Remembering The Chief and Kira almost getting together still gives me the chills

[@sterlingpratt5802]

This confirms my theory: that for all that I love the Cardies, they stole all of the Romulans' best plotlines.

[@mygaffer]

Wow, Berman did have some good ideas after all!

[@speciale517]

Garak is one of my favorite characters

[@carlpeters8690]

Every appearance of most alien species changes them somewhat. Most often they come closer to Human common ideals and tech levels.

[@SonicSlicer]

Like, I know STO does a fair bit involving the Founders and the Dominion, and we see Garak from time to time, but I do wish they did a fair bit more with the Cardassians other than the bit with the Orb from the Mirror Universe's Bajor.

[@iamjmph01]

Didn't really watch this one, just wanted to add this. The Cardassians are the Kazon of the Alpha Quadrant.

[@andrebrynkus2055]

Not even close.

[@bbartky]

What’s the point of commenting on something you didn’t watch?

[@iamjmph01]

@@bbartky I like TrekCulture, I don't like the Cardassians. I wanted to let them know I disliked the content of the video. I did not want to downvote it and possibly mess with the algoriithm.

[@jessedejong4685]

Perfect antagonist for DS9.

[@sinswhisper9588]

Sean i NEED that shirt ... and all your other 'themed shirts ... would you mind terribly if i asked where you get them and if you know whether or not they ship to canada??

[@zooropa04]

I want that shirt!

[@lynngreen7978]

Duet was the moment I saw DS9, and Kira, had more potential than the first season had offfered so far.

[@MonarchRigel]

Personally, i want to see more complex hybrids in ST Academy to see Cardassian acceptance on a social level as well as professional.

[@frankharr9466]

One of the things I wished they'd explored was the time of famine and difficulty that had happened a generation before and how that lead to their current authoritarian government and attitudes regarding the outside galaxy.

[@danielbyrne5402]

This was actually a decent video, was informative instead of just opinion (usually very bad ones, seriously im still not over u putting cassidy so high up in the best ds9 characters list)

[@matthewtompsett6006]

Its a little sad that the brief reintroduction to the Cardassians in Enterprise that humanity had set them on their militaristic path wasnt mentioned

[@breckfreeride]

Mark and andrew made ds9 the best startrek