I know transitioning can take some time especially with the Kazon's inferior technology but I remember watching the Seska Kazon episodes and always being baffled at how Seska didn't really look Cardassian even before her death. Seska had the ridges and the "strong" forehead but she still looked "mixed" if that makes any sense. Even Ziyal who was half Bajoran looked more cardassian than Seska. One of my cousins mentioned that Seska looked "Klingon" and I was confused until I rewatched those episodes and now I cant unsee it. She does look like she can be a Cardassian/Klingon hybrid She has the skin tone and brown hair of a typical klingon woman but with cardassian ridges and the spoon. Seska just didnt look like the typical cardassians we saw in TNG and DS9. While Seska was an enjoyable villain...it was hard to believe she was cardassian. She was not as manipulative as the writers tried to convince us she was. I feel like a true cardassian would continue to stay on Voyager especially if it means negotiating with more Delta quadrant aliens on the low. A true cardassian woman would have tried to reason with Janeway if it means staying on board longer to plot more schemes and find ways to get home faster even if she is being supervised 24/7. I dont know what Seska was trying to accomplish by joining the Kazon Nistrim when they are an inferior species that even the Borg didnt bother to assimilate them. Seska was never going to build a base of power in the delta quadrant joining forces with the Kazon. Kinda OT but I wonder how would Seska would have reacted encountering the Borg especially since she introduced new technology and Voyager secrets to the Kazon. I imagine she'd be overwhelmed with how merciless the Borg are. Its possible her and the Kazon would have eventually been assimilated if she had survived after Basics II. Anyway the writers could have done a better job with Seska. She would have been a much more interesting villain had she stay aboard on Voyager. Attempting to redeem herself in the eyes of the crew while also plotting against them *sigh*
As to Seska's appearance: I guess there is much left of the Obsidian Order's talent of messing with people's genes. Even Kira looked more Cardassian as Iliana Ghemor. Maybe the Doctor couldn't reverse all of the changes the Order did to Seska to look fully Bajoran. He mangaged to get her rid of her Bajoran nose. But there are Bajoran genes left. With the Kazon Seska picked allies who frown upon women who object and interfere in male's business. Seska's resistance against Starfleet regulation at least was credible. Her death unfortunate and didn't have the same effect like that of Suder.
I always assumed they couldn't be bothered updating her prosthetics. There are other Cardassians with similar "smooth" features, but from the way Seska spoke of her look, the procedure clearly wasn't finished yet.
And on top of that: I think the producers didn't want Seska to look too Cardassian. A matter of physical attractiveness. B'Elanna also looked more human than Klingon.....More so than K'Ehleyr.
Dawson did ask for her look to be softer and prettier, and got her way. It was apropos for a half human. I’m with her.
I did not know that. I have never been crazy about her prosthetics. I kind of wish they made her look totally human, but still struggled with, and was slightly ashamed of, her Klingon heritage.
It’s in the extras on the DVD set, something like Time Capsule- B’ellana Torres. And she did struggle in Season One, “Faces”, when the Vidiians split her into her human and Klingon selves. Love that.
I've noticed that myself. As to Seska, I just assumed the Kazon didn't have the technology to fully restore her appearance.