Cardassians

[La Patience]

hello all

as yall may know my faverite race in Star Trek is the Cardassions. from the thread about yall faverite race i have come to the conclusion that only i like them alot hee .

anywho i just wanted to know your oppinions on this race. i believe that although they may be big headed, i think underneath they are a very big haerted race towards each other. i mean as evil as Dukat was he really did love his daughter and even though Damar killed her he too was a really emotionaly powerful charicter um er what i mean is he cared very much for his poeple and thats how i see them.... as a vaery proud and protective race ( protective of themselves but still protective ).

i appoligise if the above is slightly ungrammered sorry but anywho i would love to here your views on this race hee and as always i thank all those who read this and again all those who reply hee

 

[Atlantis]

I agree. I think the Cardassians are possibly the easiest race for us to understand. I mean, most of the races' way of life is so different and exotic from our own, we can't really see through their eyes, but the Cardassians are definitely understandable for us. Not that we've been through anything like what they have, but we can see it and understand it.

When Gul Madred had captured Picard in "Chain of Command" (TNG), we learn a lot about the Cardassians from what he spoke of; how Cardassia was once full of artists, musicians, etc... but the Cardassia system and local area of space are extremely low on resources, so the military had to take over to keep the race alive.

They are an aggressive race, because they have had to fight to stay alive for so long, to do whatever it takes to win. And now they have got this reputation as 'bad guys' because of all the races they had to subjugate, they have forgotten how to be anything else.

It's a "lesser of two evils" thing, really. There were two possible outcomes:
- A militaristic, powerful but secure, race of "badguys",
- An extinct race of architectural/artistic legacies.

They still have the strong emotions (for family, etc), and with time will hopefully be able to return to how they used to be, unless races like the Klingons and Bajorans destroy them, for various reasons.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Since DS9 was in some ways parallel to "Desert Storm" one could easily draw parallels betwenn the Cardassians and the people from whom basically our entire society comes.

3000 years ago (or something like that) the Orient was quite a prosporous place. Architecture, Arts and the like were growing. The first fonts were developed and people learned to write (aside the Egyptians with their hyroglyphes.)
King Nebukadnezar brought Mesopotamia (what is now Iraq) to glory and a certain level of wealth. Until the Crusades and continuing the Middle Eastern peoples where superior to the western civilizations in terms of technology, achitecture etc. Optical instruments, NUMBERS (we use Arabian number system) etc where brought to Europe (during and long before the crusades).

So, now the theatrical part, comparing Trek with reality.
As Atlantis pointed out already, the Cardies had a wealthy growing society until they ran out of resources or their neighbouring powers began building up, much like with the Middle East and Europe. They did not ran out of oil (yet), but climatic changes etc made life harder...

And in the 20th century (after imperialistic colonialism and two brutal World Wars there were also fought in the Middle East) the militiaries took over, of course also in the shadow of the Cold War etc....


I actually think that Trek contains many hints like this. The Cardassians are one of them.

 

[La Patience]

Totally agree

I totally agree lol its one of the reasons i like them hee.
I mean if you get past what they have made themselves out to be after the ilitary stepped in they are not that bad at all its just as you say they had no choice if they wanted to survive.

anywho thank you both of you for your graet views hee

 

[Creed]

don't think those parallels are entirely valid, any more than calling romulans/ klingons russians was when they were the enemy of choice.

The cardies did have a really interesting and deep backstory in TNG, prodcing a really great episode, but i think that their character had fundamentally changed by the time they were in DS9...

they are just badguys then, evil nasty people who might be a little misunderstood but basically were just in it for themselves...

Which makes them really fun badguys, (much easier to boo than say the hirogen etc from voyager) but not a race I could say i particularly liked, or thought they respected the complexity of.

 

[Majestic]

Most major races from TOS and TNG series had a basis in real life especially in the TOS. A good example is the Klingons from TOS who were modelled after the Japenese, with their looks and honour based society. But not so much in TNG as they became something a lot different.

 

[Aerilon]

I would have had the Cardassians down as a Military based race (which they are), but as we've come to establish time and time again, they are a very proud people. Dammar said that himself.

Granted they've been a pain in the ass, specially thoughout DS9, but they're got their hearts in the right place if you ask me.

I'd have thought they'd have great potential when they sort themselves out.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

i thought i read somewhere that roddenberry referred to the klingons as russians and the romulans as the chinese. i could be wrong... during TOS timeframe.

 

[CrazyFrog1903]

The Cardassions are a very interesting race. They are shown as powerful in the begining. Then it is shown that the reason they are so strong is that they did it on the backs of other races. In the end though. They themselves become subjects to someone even more powerful. Now they are a race dependant on the help of others to rebuild from the ashes. I think they are a good example of the phrase, "What goes around comes around."

 

[Avon]

Cardassians with their hearts in the right place???? lol, now I've heard it all.

Tell that to the Bajorans that died in the forced labour camps durin the 'occupation'. !!!

Even Nazis were proud people, and cared for their childern, you know...........

 

[CrazyFrog1903]

Now if you want to compare the Cardasians to Nazi Germany. There are many similarities. It does prove a very good point. After Germany was torn apart by war. The nazis were gone. The German people were not bad but the nazis were. The Germans now contribute to the world and all past hatred from the war is all but gone. So, the country of Germany now can not be viewed in the same light as "nazi" Germany of WW2. They are completely different. In contrast, The cardasians are not bad people but thier leaders were. By the end of DS9 you saw a changing of the guard. So to speak. So, it is possible that within 50 years from DS9. The Cardasians might have a great and peaceful society. It will be interesting to see if the idea is ever expanded on in the Star Trek universe.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

The German people were not bad but the nazis were. The Germans now contribute to the world and all past hatred from the war is all but gone.

The Nazis were Germans... and elected by them etc pp. But that is a point that has not been concluded satisfyingly yet (in 60 years of history... )

Plus what I want to point out:
The Nazis came to power in Germany itself and during the whole war they were not supported by any larger force (like the Trek Dominion). It is the other way around, actually. Nazi Germany supported other nations... like Iraq, for example.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

i can see the similarities too. i think that the cardassians were an interesting race. i hope someone elaborates on them sometime soon. i too would like to know what happens to them... i'd love a ds9 mini-series or something.

rick

 

[La Patience]

Ok the bajoran thing is bad but throughout history here people of all modern nations have forced others to work for the benefit of there nation. im not saying its ok because it is most definetly not but im just saying that it has been done before and the bajorans should stop thinking there the only ones that have ever had something done to them.

i just think that there like many other races, they will use others for there own gain and even though its wrong its to be expected, for whos to say it could of been the other way round had the cardys not moved first lol. anything is possible.

also a DS9 mini series would be brill lol i mis the old station. maybe a apisode about what the people are doing in there lives now.

 

[CrazyFrog1903]

The Nazis were Germans... and elected by them etc pp. But that is a point that has not been concluded satisfyingly yet (in 60 years of history... )

Plus what I want to point out:
The Nazis came to power in Germany itself and during the whole war they were not supported by any larger force (like the Trek Dominion). It is the other way around, actually. Nazi Germany supported other nations... like Iraq, for example.

Not everything in Trek is an exact match. And wether leaders are elected or not. You don't really know how they will do until atleast 10 years after they are gone. Also, seeing as your location says Berlin. I would be willing to bet you know more on Germany then I do. I do admit there are a few strange similairities between Cardasia and Germany of the past. But beyond those similarities they are far apart. I just wanted to ensure the separation between Nazi Germany and the current Germany. Best way to avoid any possible tensions or flame wars. If that happened I would have to switch to Moderator mode. I would rather just make sure it avoids anything like that. This is a good discussion. I would like to see it continue. And now back to the proper subject...

I do like the designs the Cardasians had for ships. I thought they were pretty cool

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Not everything in Trek is an exact match.

Good point.

As for the rest, I think we will manage to get along nicely

I do like the designs the Cardasians had for ships. I thought they were pretty cool

I agree here. They were something different to the style of the "older" races from Trek.