What if the Cardassians featured more prominently?

[Snowdrop82]

What if the Cardassians were featured more prominently throughout TNG as an overt antagonist from earlier on in the show instead of the Ferengi? With the general show having this overtone of Cardassian-Federation tensions constantly lingering in the background?

 

[Oddish]

We might not have gotten the Borg, given that the Cardassians were a much more satisfying "big bad" than the Ferengi.

 

[Arpy]

Lots of things would be different. No Quark and possibly no DS9; at least not as we know it.

I think maybe the Klingons would also be different. The show would have this new baddie to play with and wouldn't revisit some of the older ones that they purposely stayed away from. The Klingons might be full Federation members as suggested earlier on and not revisited except for a couple times when Worf went to see his parents or something. The Romulans might be out entirely too, having only been brought in at the end of the first season when it was obvious to everyone the new Ferengi weren't working out as planned. Heck, maybe we find out Reunification happened decades ago between TUC and TNG, and they're all logical now.

The focus would be this new Cardassian threat, one that was more powerful than the one we know, as it would be a match for a Federation that absorbed the Romulan and Klingon empires. And it certainly seemed scary enough after "Chain of Command, Part II."

If you've got all that, the whole series is different. Would we ever meet the Borg? The Talarians or Sheliak? Would the Jarada and the Breen be more of a thing? How would Q storyline go differently? ...Mirror Universe episode?

 

[Snowdrop82]

@Arpy
I had the idea that this much more fearsome Cardassian Union would control many species and systems. Other species within their territory would be treated well as long as they obeyed and carried out whatever the Cardassians wanted them too. I can see them being portrayed as extremely intelligent and able to back up every viewpoint, talking circles around whoever disagreed with them.

When the Borg would come, I like the idea of the Borg being even more of a fearsome threat. Perhaps the Borg would invade the Cardassian Union, and the Federation and Cardassians would have some sort of brotherhood moment against the borg.

If the Klingons were in the Federation, they would still probably use their warships as Federation ships.

 

[Arpy]

@ArpyWhen the Borg would come, I like the idea of the Borg being even more of a fearsome threat. Perhaps the Borg would invade the Cardassian Union, and the Federation and Cardassians would have some sort of brotherhood moment against the borg.

Maybe; in this alternate Trek the Borg could be very different, if present at all. You know, if you really wanted to paint the Cardassians as baddies, what you could do is have the "Conspiracy" aliens come back and be a terrible problem for both the Federation and especially the Cardassians and have the Federation help the Cardassians out. Then when the Borg invade the Federation and with the circumstances dire, have the Cardassians ultimately not return the favor. The scorpion adhere to its nature. Would certainly paint a different picture after peace with the Klingons and reunification with the Romulans.

If the Klingons were in the Federation, they would still probably use their warships as Federation ships.

That might make for some interesting visuals. Imagine a K't'inga with blue nacelles or a Vor'cha painted Federation white (maybe capped with a saucer?) in some of the fleet shots or in a random episode.

 

[Snowdrop82]

@Arpy

I would have the Borg be present. Though instead of one Cube, it would be several. With many attacking Cardassian and federation systems. The Federation would be much stronger in this alternate universe, though the Borg Invasion itself I imagine is much more prominent and deadly, resulting in the Federation being severely "Wounded".

Klingon Ships of that kind I think would exist, Klingons would likely have a special "class" within Starfleet as elite warriors who remain true to their ways, within "Reason", more or less. I imagine Klingons would still be somewhat rowdy, challenging the rules, etc, but when the Borg come, they'll have an excuse to die honorably in battle.

I imagine the Cardassian Ships in this alternate universe are on-par with the most advanced Federation tech. Imagine the Cardassians successfully stealing the Prometheus in that one Voyager episode.

 

[Finn]

What if the Cardassians were featured more prominently throughout TNG as an overt antagonist from earlier on in the show instead of the Ferengi? With the general show having this overtone of Cardassian-Federation tensions constantly lingering in the background?

When did they even invent the Cardassians?

I just looked it up...half way through season four, long after the Ferengi were introduced (hell, the Ferengi was mentioned in Encounter at Farpoint).

If the creators somehow thought of them while developing TNG. we may have never seen the Borg, as the Cardies worked better as villians than the Ferengi.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

They'd be hard to keep up with.

 

[Ragitsu]

They'd be hard to keep up with.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh!

 

[MikHutch]

What if the Cardassians were featured more prominently throughout TNG as an overt antagonist from earlier on in the show instead of the Ferengi? With the general show having this overtone of Cardassian-Federation tensions constantly lingering in the background?

As in from the beginning of TNG?