Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's history?

[Myasishchev]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

Definitely a good choice for that title.

O'Brien would be fun to scrutinize as well. How does a man go through so many traumas and still be basically okay? His life was turned into an unending hell on DS9 and he's got a big smile on his face.

 

[MorganScorpion]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

Definitely a good choice for that title.

O'Brien would be fun to scrutinize as well. How does a man go through so many traumas and still be basically okay? His life was turned into an unending hell on DS9 and he's got a big smile on his face.

No sense, no feeling, as they say.

 

[Gotham Central]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

One of the things that makes Garak so interesting is the fact that he is one of the few characters that calls the Federation out on their sanctimonious BS. He's a pragmatist and a survivor.

My fav Garak line: Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back...Garak: Well that is the best way.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, its simply shocking that one of DS9's secondary players manages to be better developed and more interesting than most of the main cast on Voyager and Enterprise.

 

[Rii]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

Garak is definitely up there, certainly the most interesting secondary character in all of Trek.

 

[M'Sharak]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

One of the things that makes Garak so interesting is the fact that he is one of the few characters that calls the Federation out on their sanctimonious BS. He's a pragmatist and a survivor.

My fav Garak line: Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back...Garak: Well that is the best way.

The safest way.

And he's quite correct.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

One of the things that makes Garak so interesting is the fact that he is one of the few characters that calls the Federation out on their sanctimonious BS.

I have a roleplaying character I do that a lot with. It's fun cause everyone else gets offended or shocked : P.

 

[Captain Pike]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

No, he's not. Not by a long shot. Spock is.

 

[Tachyon]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

Garak was so wonderfully written and portrayed by Andrew J. Robinson. Everytime I saw Robinson's name on the opening credits, I knew the episode couldn't possibly be a stinker. And it never was. I enjoyed Garak storylines tremendously.

 

[MyCylon]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

Garak was so wonderfully written and portrayed by Andrew J. Robinson. Everytime I saw Robinson's name on the opening credits, I knew the episode couldn't possibly be a stinker. And it never was. I enjoyed Garak storylines tremendously.

I agree. Though I would exempt The Emperor's New Cloak...

 

[Tachyon]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

^I have not seen season 7 of DS9, but once I saw a the two words of "mirror universe" on Memory Alpha, I know that the episode ""Emperor's New Cloak" might be an exception to my "Garak episodes won't stink" rule. I absolutely dislike mirror universe episodes. Yuck.

 

[Thor Damar]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

^ Well, Mirror Garak is one of the LEAST interesting characters in Star Trek in my personal opinion. He has the thuggery of early Damar, the cruelty of Gul Dukat and the slimy arse licking of legate Broca, with none of their redeeming qualities. Damar's loyalty to the people of Cardassia, Dukat's charisma, and Broca's ....

 

[trevanian]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

No, he's not. Not by a long shot. Spock is.

McCoy is, because he has enough life experience to figure Spock out.

 

[JustKate]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

The Mirror Garak really does...cringe...in that episode, doesn't he? And when he isn't cringing, he's fuming impotently. He's like a whipped but still vicious dog, only a lot more underhanded and obsequious and lots slimier. It's almost uncomfortable to watch, and I otherwise really enjoy those episodes.

I do overall love the character (as he is in the non-Mirror episodes), but I have to agree with those who picked Spock as "most fascinating," because if I had to pick one most fascinating character, he'd be the one. But fortunately, I really don't have to give up one to enjoy the other.

 

[plynch]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

plynch--I think you've got Garak confused with Dukat.

yup - typo - apologies . . . I still stand by my DUKAT cool-character claims though. Until those stupid wraiths.

As for my substituting "Garak" for "Dukat": how many Trek names have hard K sounds? Much more than is typical in English, I'd posit.

 

[plynch]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

Garak was so wonderfully written and portrayed by Andrew J. Robinson. Everytime I saw Robinson's name on the opening credits, I knew the episode couldn't possibly be a stinker. And it never was. I enjoyed Garak storylines tremendously.

I second this. Writers must have really enjoyed writing for him.

 

[Ziz]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

I'd always prefer to see a show that has folks operating without the umbrella of an organization to direct and protect them.

Firefly.

 

[Tom]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

All i can say it was a DAM CRIME Andrew was not added to th main cast after season 4, Jake should have been demoted as re-occuring and Andrew promoted to the main cast.

 

[trevanian]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

I'd always prefer to see a show that has folks operating without the umbrella of an organization to direct and protect them.

Firefly.

Yep, FF really proved to me that my couple drawers full of story bible for such a show, which I put together in 91 and 92, could be terrific if well executed. My notion was somewhat different in that it actually had some science and science fiction content, but even though I liked my characters a lot, I gotta admit the FF ones were fantastic. God I miss that show.

 

[Myasishchev]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

As for my substituting "Garak" for "Dukat": how many Trek names have hard K sounds? Much more than is typical in English, I'd posit.

A good third, probably.

 

[Anika Hanson]

Re: Is Elim Garak the MOST FASCINATING character in Star Trek's histor

I agree, just when you think you had him worked out, you find out something new which throws into doubt everything you believed before. Garak told so many tales in the end I didnt know what to believe. In a sense he was as much a mystery at the end of the show as he was when it first began.