Garak--the Master Spy?

[Valin]

I recently discovered a podcast that deals with Spies/Secret Agents in media. "Spies Like Us" did a two-part discussion of Elim Garak and his spy craft. It's quite thorough, and entertaining:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/spies-l...V2CFYS-PBrq2rcBx2XIW6dNexYNK0NkVOBquveed9PKHU

 

[Ensign Ricky]

Garak? Why, he's but a humble tailor.

 

[Tosk]

Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[STEPhon IT]

Was Garak a spy or a secret agent?

 

[NCC-73515]

What's the difference?

 

[STEPhon IT]

A SECRET AGENT - learn to prevent and investigate intelligence and financial crimes, such as cyberattacks, access device fraud, counterfeiting, and money laundering. Secret agents also undergo training in control tactics, physical fitness, marksmanship and continental survival.

A SPY - one that spies: one who keeps secret watch on a person or thing to obtain information. Employed by one nation to secretly convey classified information of strategic importance to another nation. One who conveys trade secrets of one company to another.

 

[GalaxyClass]

According to the above, combined with my own interpretation of Garek. I vote spy. With the ability to switch sides whenever necessary.

 

[STEPhon IT]

It's what I loved about the character he's hard to define.

 

[A Chimpanzee & 2 Trainees]

By those definitions, perhaps for most of the run of DS9, he is neither. As an exile out of favor with the government, he is not investigating crimes, nor is he there to provide information to cardassian government.

He was certainly trained as a secret agent by Tain and the Obsidian order, though the types of crimes he was investigating probably did not fall under the categories listed. It seemed clear that one of his either preferred or primary responsibilities before exile was running interrogation chambers, which seems closer to an investigative function.
He became a spy in the latter seasons when he used his connections on cardassia, and some of his training to aid Sisko/Starfleet and Damar's resistance movement.

 

[kkt]

A SECRET AGENT - learn to prevent and investigate intelligence and financial crimes, such as cyberattacks, access device fraud, counterfeiting, and money laundering. Secret agents also undergo training in control tactics, physical fitness, marksmanship and continental survival.

A SPY - one that spies: one who keeps secret watch on a person or thing to obtain information. Employed by one nation to secretly convey classified information of strategic importance to another nation. One who conveys trade secrets of one company to another.

I don't know where these definitions came from, but I think they're kind of sloppy. Spies aren't trained in physical fitness or marksmanship? Someone from the FBI who's investigating organized crime is a secret agent?

I think there's a lot of common activities between the two terms, just "secret agent" is a more formal term and "spy" is less formal.

 

[Lynx]

It's what I loved about the character he's hard to define.

I must admit that there were times and episodes when I wondered if Garak were going to end up on the Cardassian side in the long run, as in "Profit And Loss", "Second Skin", and "The Die Is The Cast".

Fortunately he didn't do that. Instead he became a valuable help to Sisko and his crew during the Dominion war.

The only time I found him downright disgusting was when he tortured Odo in "The Die Is The Cast". He was also very rude to Ezri in "Afterimage". Otherwise I found him to be a charming, cunning, mysterious and interesting character which have made him one of my favorite Star Trek characters. I have actually toyed with the idea of creating a Garak website.

By some strange coincident, I'm just re-reading the book "A Stitch In Time", a very interesting biography about Garak written by Andrew J. Robinson, the actor who successfully portrayed garak in the series.

As for his return to Cardassia in order to build up a better Cardassian society, I would like to see him return to Deep Space Nine as Ambasador to Bajor and Deep Space Nine. Then we would have him back in future books while he still could contribute and help the new Cardassia.

 

[STEPhon IT]

I must admit that there were times and episodes when I wondered if Garak were going to end up on the Cardassian side in the long run, as in "Profit And Loss", "Second Skin", and "The Die Is The Cast".

Fortunately he didn't do that. Instead he became a valuable help to Sisko and his crew during the Dominion war.

The only time I found him downright disgusting was when he tortured Odo in "The Die Is The Cast". He was also very rude to Ezri in "Afterimage". Otherwise I found him to be a charming, cunning, mysterious and interesting character which have made him one of my favorite Star Trek characters. I have actually toyed with the idea of creating a Garak website.

By some strange coincident, I'm just re-reading the book "A Stitch In Time", a very interesting biography about Garak written by Andrew J. Robinson, the actor who successfully portrayed garak in the series.

As for his return to Cardassia in order to build up a better Cardassian society, I would like to see him return to Deep Space Nine as Ambasador to Bajor and Deep Space Nine. Then we would have him back in future books while he still could contribute and help the new Cardassia.

Garak was a mystery and did some shocking things during DS9's run but the one thing I always thought about the character was his interests was always for Cardassia. He may not have liked or would link with the current powers at the time but he showed he was proud being Cardassian and if things were right he would return and represent it as he would like.

As for a website, if you ever decided to make a Garak site I would visit it, I love the care and investment you have with your Kes site and by you developing another site would be welcoming.

By those definitions, perhaps for most of the run of DS9, he is neither. As an exile out of favor with the government, he is not investigating crimes, nor is he there to provide information to cardassian government.

He was certainly trained as a secret agent by Tain and the Obsidian order, though the types of crimes he was investigating probably did not fall under the categories listed. It seemed clear that one of his either preferred or primary responsibilities before exile was running interrogation chambers, which seems closer to an investigative function.
He became a spy in the latter seasons when he used his connections on cardassia, and some of his training to aid Sisko/Starfleet and Damar's resistance movement.

Exactly. Garak was more than just a definition, he was an enigma and a valuable operative who I believe performed a lot of duties which were not for the faint of heart. He was an essential weapon for Cardassia.