Legacy of Gul Dukat
- Thread starter Photon
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Actually, think about if you were in Dukat's position. Cardassia has been invaded and nearly taken over by the Maquis and the Klingons, and a huge power from the other side of the Galaxy says "hey, we've crushed the Federation and Klingons every time they come near us, we will drive them from your borders if you give us an area to stage our invasion of the Alpha Quadrant. Oh yeah, we will appoint YOU leader of Cardassia."
My question is: Why did Dukat like Sisko so much????? Why did he hold him with such high respect? Why was Sisko's opinion of him so important?
^
It's because all that Dukat really wants is to be respected as a good & important man, which is something that he doesn't often receive even though he needs it.
Sisko being another important man of similar position to Dukat made Sisko's opinion of Dukat especially important to Dukat.
It's because all that Dukat really wants is to be respected as a good & important man, which is something that he doesn't often receive even though he needs it.
Sisko being another important man of similar position to Dukat made Sisko's opinion of Dukat especially important to Dukat.
Kind of a bad question... but did Dukat consider Sisko a friend? Obviously that is his nemesis, but it just seemed to me like he thought of Sisko as a friend that he was just competing against in the war.
Yup, Dukat definitely considered Sisko to be a friend. Sisko was kind of a prick about it and didn't return his friendship, though. You'll find out better when you get to the episode "Waltz" which is an amazing episode that explores the Dukat/Sisko relationship. However, Waltz had a different ending originally than the one they ended up putting in the episode. The ending they chose to go with was a really bad decision. Unfortunately it pretty much sabotages the integrity of the Dukat character, which is almost universally regarded as the biggest & most-hated fubar of the series. But you'll understand that better after you've seen the whole series.
And this is the problem. I don't think Dukat was a villain until he finally lost his marbles. People criticise that he became "evil", but it really was insanity. Up until the death of his daughter, he was a patriot, admittedly interested in power, but still doing what he believed in for the good of Cardassia.
My own viewpoint is that in "Waltz", it was his insanity speaking, and before his descent into madness, he did not honestly wish he should have wiped all the Bajorans out.
If someone developed madness and suddenly started referring to himself as The Messiah, does that mean that he always thought he was?
Behr was wrong about Dukat. There was nothing evil about Dukat until Behr made a concerted pro-active effort to fubar him against Alaimo's (and once they knew about it, the fans') much better judgement. I usually have a lot of respect for Behr's decisions, innovations and general thoughtfulness & TLC he put into DS9. But when it comes to the Dukat fubaring he screwed up really badly big-time. That was a decision of the 'quality' Berman might typically make, but not Behr.
Well, I personally can't stand Bajorans so IMO I'd say yeah, sure, Dukat remains 100% fine regardless of how many Bajorans he dispatched. 
But seriously though, Dukat didn't make it his mission to go around killing Bajorans. He tried to help them and his presence made their lives better. If they died, it wasn't his fault. He was just a policy Administrator.
But seriously though, Dukat didn't make it his mission to go around killing Bajorans. He tried to help them and his presence made their lives better. If they died, it wasn't his fault. He was just a policy Administrator.
I think that gave his character the right background. The question I liked to play with was whether Dukat was (a lying about his current motives/character b)lying to himself c) genuinely seeking forgiveness and redemption - questions which Waltz (the aforementioned "Enemy Mine" scenario) put to bed. After Waltz, his character was committed to the black-hat. Which, in one way, was a kind of growth, but in another way, was trite. But when I watch this episode, I admire his newfound conviction (while deploring his attitude and behavior). I think he deserved that realization of selfhood, evil though it was. In the end, he would not be defined by those from whom he sought approval, but would assert his own brand of reality on the universe. What an excellent and sympathetic villain.
Yes he will.
DS9 had tremendous villains like Dukat, the Founder, Weyoun and Kai Winn.
The only characters in Star Trek who come close to those four are Gul Madred (the dude who tortured Picard) and General Chang.
Dukat felt that he was helping the Bajorans, and although he could be ruthless, could he be counted as a "moderate" Gul? He did give the Bajoran Workers opportunities to surrender with his booby trap in case of rebellion, would another Gul simply have flooded the Work Area with gas immediately, killing them all? After all, it wasn't much of a stretch to assume they couldn't simply bring in more workers, and wiping out the entire workforce would certainly make an example to others on the cost of rebellion.
he should be but that crown of thorns will probably go to Khan.
you mean, he was almost... human?
I love Dukat: he's easily the most entertaining and longest lasting "bad" guy in Trek.
When it comes to the occupation, Dukat did horrible things. Killed many senselessly. He was not as brutal as some would have been, but only he honestly believed he was ever trying to "help" the Bajorans.
while he may have showed pity or mercy on occasion, in my mind he was always a bad guy, just an extremely real and sympathetic one...
while he may have showed pity or mercy on occasion, in my mind he was always a bad guy, just an extremely real and sympathetic one...
And this is the beauty of Dukat's characterisation. He was not evil; as with most three-dimensional villains, they believe they're the hero of the story, doing what is best for everyone.
The Shadows of Babylon 5 are seen as evil, but they simply see that strife is the best way to advance the younger races, and believe what they're doing is for the good of the younger races.
Khan honestly believed that humanity would be better off as only someone with his superior intellect could rule.
General Chang wanted the Klingons to thrive and survive, feeling that they would become a subject race of the Federation.
Well, I think Q is Star Trek's best recurring antagonist; but he's more of a foil than a bona fide bad guy. So yeah, Dukat would be the best; his rather lousy Pah-wraith period notwithstanding. If that was the writer's reaction to people sympathising with Dukat, it did something worse - made him uninteresting.
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