Bleeding orange and green...or what?

[Myasishchev]

Well, deoxygenated human blood is brown.

 

[TiberiusMaximus]

To me the Union symbol looks like someone (the brown/orange part) cowering in front of a warrior-figure (the green maskish part.) Cardassia WILL crush it's enemies and they know it. And so do their enemies. Fits the Cardassian Union's personality But I like everyone's theories.
I love Cardassians. They're also my six-year old brother's favorite species. I don't think I could even have said 'Cardassian' when I was six...but I digress.
I'm sure Cardassian blood is red. And I've always been baffled by the apparent ease with which different Trek species interbreed, it certainly shouldn't be possible. On the other hand...if they all were originated by the same Progenitor, I guess the different DNA's ability to decide what traits to take from what parent would be part of the 'programming', which seems no more difficult than forcing the galaxy's inhabitants to all smile and kiss with their mouths and walk upright and like pretty colors. And that's an interesting point about Spock's birth.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

There are certain expressions and sounds we make that have been studied and are actually ubiquitous to the human race. If those are somehow genetically programmed into us, the idea that a common Progenitor would have deliberately programmed those into all of the related species makes sense...it facilitates communication and interspecies relations if there is some kind of common, understandable basis between them all.

 

[Myasishchev]

^Actually, that reminds me, I was going to specifically ask you what the Cardassian emblem actually is, since I figured if anyone knew, you would. Is it a dude in a hood?; if so, what dude?

 

[apenpaap]

It's a Galor-class starship.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

The Treklit sources say it's a guy in a hood.

Personally, I disagree with that. I say it represents an animal from Cardassia Prime. Why? Look VERY carefully at the tail of the Cardassian vole.

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/File:Cardassianvole.jpg

For whatever reason, this sort of tail appears in nature on Cardassia Prime. I therefore tend to suspect that the design of the Galor-class starship, and the design of the Cardassian sigil, is inspired by some sort of animal, which in my opinion is probably a form of undersea life not unlike the manta ray. The irony of that is that I see Cardassia Prime's oceans as being depleted and full of anoxic zones, so I'm not sure how common this ray is anymore. (But remember, the bald eagle was a symbol of the US even during the period when the bird was endangered.) It may have even gone extinct. If so, its rarity or extinction may well serve to galvanize the Cardassians to TAKE what their world has lost from others.

Not sure, but I think it fits the design a lot better than Treklit's "hooded warrior" theory.

 

[Sal'ira]

Having a link would help, wouldn't it? (:

Link: http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Blood

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Interesting that someone put that in Memory Alpha--but I notice they didn't source it and there ARE multiple interpretations of what was seen onscreen.

 

[Sal'ira]

I was only throwing in my drachma. I like to think it's brown, though.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

You know, I went with the Trek lit version of the hooded galor, but I must say I missed the tail of the vole, which is a really good catch. My take on the emblem, based on the Trek lit hooded-warrior, is below (I already reproduced it once up thread, but here it is ):

The Galor Banner is the symbol of the Cardassian Union. It is named for the Galor, a semi-mythical warrior-king. The Galor was greatly respected among his people for leading his army of masked shadow-warriors to complete victory on numerous occasions. His prowess in battle was respected and feared across Cardassia, as was his dark power of “magic”. Of course, the fearsome, powerful military politician was an image greatly inspiring to the Central Command. It is an even more appropriate emblem when one considers the Galor was originally also a religious figure; Central Command exterminated followers of the Cardassian church in order to establish itself as the supreme moral authority; citizens of the Union were then encouraged to identify with the state in an almost religious manner. Note that the Galor’s “eyes” are always watching and judging.

The Galor Banner resembles the Galor standing upright, dressed in the traditional cloak and mask of several obscure religions from ancient Cardassia (now no longer recognized, see above). The figure is placing the symbolic mask upon his face, and he stands tall and straight, reflecting the ideals of strength and discipline. The Banner is not just one man, however; it also represents the Cardassian civilization as a whole, reminding those who view it that the ethical citizen lives only for the good of the state. The anatomy of the Galor thus corresponds to an abstract representation of Cardassian ideals. The “legs” are a pillar planted firmly in Cardassian soil, drawing strength up from the native land into the mask, while the cloak encompasses the sky, spreading the glory of Cardassia to the stars above. On one side of this widely-spread cloak/sky is a circular representation of the sun or moon- exactly which is no longer relevant, as the old moral binary of day and night has been replaced by the absolute morality of Central Command. On the other side is positioned a symbolic image of a weapon held under one arm. The cupped forearms placing the mask upon the face feature two layers, one inside the other, and are themselves “inside” the cloak, making three layers. This symbolizes the trinity of body, mind and soul; soul inside mind, mind inside body, all here dedicated to the greater good of Cardassia. The “legs” also feature three pieces, further reflecting the significance Cardassians place on that number."

Though I do like the tail explanation, which as I said is something I missed.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Well, since we have no canon explanation, neither of us is more "right" than the other.

But once I saw that tail, at least in my own little "world" I started having it show up on other animals of Cardassia Prime.