What if Cardassia never joined the Dominion? What would have changed?
What if Cardassia never joined the Dominion?
- Thread starter Snowdrop82
- Start date
I agree with you. I think the Dominion would've found another power to join with/use.
Though I think the Klingons are fair game for them. The Changelings got to Martok, and maybe they would've really gotten to Gowron instead for real this time. That said I can't see them leaving Qo'noS in shambles at the end, and the Klingons almost wiped out. The Klingons have been Trek's bread and butter alien antagonist species and I can't see the studio agreeing to that.
The Breen, Tzenkethi, Sheliak, Tholians, and Gorn were all pretty easy to use, though I could see the special effects costs for the Tholians and Gorn being prohibitive. The Nausicaans and Chalnoth are others, but too unknown and perhaps not that powerful to really sell them as dangerous. The Romulans would also be a good pick. The audience knows them certainly, but still there was a lot of room to play with them, and to flesh out them out more. Despite the Romulans history and popularity, the creatives and studio never got behind pushing them like they did the Klingons, so that's why even today I think it was easier for them to destroy Romulus when before they found a way to preserve Qo'noS.
The downsides to all of those choices though were that DS9 hadn't established their species well enough before on the series itself to really make it matter emotionally for the DS9 characters. Looking from an emotional standpoint, I can see it having to be the Cardassians, Ferengi, Bajorans, or even Trill. Having the Maquis join the Dominion, while not as impressive, also would elicit more emotions from the DS9 characters, and therefore, perhaps the audience as well.
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I suspect that instead of just one larger power like the Cardassians, the Dominion would have brought in multiple smaller ones. Before the war started, they got the Miradorn and the Tholians in a non-aggression pact.
If the Dominion got a foothold into multiple territories, that's actually harder for the Federation to defend against than one larger territory. They would basically be surrounded.
Look at all the people that either already had a conflict with the Federation or were antagonistic toward them before DS9, not counting the Cardassians... Tzenkethi, Talarians, Tholians, Breen (I believe TNG mentioned there were a few raids by them).
I agree that between the emotional impact with the Cardassians, plus them being hit hard after the Klingon invasion, and Dukat being a total narcissist... narratively it made better sense.
I think overconfidence on the Dominion's part was a factor in them losing.
Before the war started, the Dominion could have gotten even more powers to join up... like the Tholians, Tzenkethi, Talarians, Miradorn, and the Breen. With all those resources and territories, the war might have very well have ended before Sisko brought the Romulans in.
DarKush mentioned the Maquis as a possible ally to the Dominion... that would not have happened. They valued their independence too much. If anything, they would have joined Starfleet in the fight, had any of their cells survived.
Side note: there sure were a lot of antagonists that started with 'T'. Sort of like how so many villains in the HIGHLANDER series started with 'K'.
If the Dominion got a foothold into multiple territories, that's actually harder for the Federation to defend against than one larger territory. They would basically be surrounded.
Look at all the people that either already had a conflict with the Federation or were antagonistic toward them before DS9, not counting the Cardassians... Tzenkethi, Talarians, Tholians, Breen (I believe TNG mentioned there were a few raids by them).
I agree that between the emotional impact with the Cardassians, plus them being hit hard after the Klingon invasion, and Dukat being a total narcissist... narratively it made better sense.
I think overconfidence on the Dominion's part was a factor in them losing.
Before the war started, the Dominion could have gotten even more powers to join up... like the Tholians, Tzenkethi, Talarians, Miradorn, and the Breen. With all those resources and territories, the war might have very well have ended before Sisko brought the Romulans in.
DarKush mentioned the Maquis as a possible ally to the Dominion... that would not have happened. They valued their independence too much. If anything, they would have joined Starfleet in the fight, had any of their cells survived.
Side note: there sure were a lot of antagonists that started with 'T'. Sort of like how so many villains in the HIGHLANDER series started with 'K'.
I agree with everyone saying they'd just find someone else to be their pawns. Even if that didn't work the Dominion might just wait everyone out or figure out some other scheme, like sending 10000 ships in at once to make some beachhead, set up production facilities, and start an eternal war.
Out of universe I wonder about how they were originally going to go about things with the Season 3 finale and beyond. The suits got them to bring in the Klingons and Worf, so if that hadn't happened then presumably Cardassia wouldn't have had it's ass kicked and gone running to the Dominion, but who knows what Ira and the writers would have come up with instead.
Out of universe I wonder about how they were originally going to go about things with the Season 3 finale and beyond. The suits got them to bring in the Klingons and Worf, so if that hadn't happened then presumably Cardassia wouldn't have had it's ass kicked and gone running to the Dominion, but who knows what Ira and the writers would have come up with instead.
Bringing Worf and the Klingon situation basically set Ira's plans back about a year, which might explain why it was barely half a season between Cardassia joining the Dominion and open warfare. I think they sort of fast tracked that part by compressing the time to make the war happen for season 6.
I suspect that the original plan was to have more of the paranoia and subterfuge of the Changelings infiltrating various powers. Think "HOMEFRONT"/"PARADISE LOST" but for most or even a full season.
Season 4 likely would have been the paranoia.
Season 5 likely would have been the Dominion gaining more of a foothold and getting more powers to join or have non-aggression pacts, and the Federation trying to find more allies.
Seasons 6 and 7... I don't think they would have changed much.
I suspect that the original plan was to have more of the paranoia and subterfuge of the Changelings infiltrating various powers. Think "HOMEFRONT"/"PARADISE LOST" but for most or even a full season.
Season 4 likely would have been the paranoia.
Season 5 likely would have been the Dominion gaining more of a foothold and getting more powers to join or have non-aggression pacts, and the Federation trying to find more allies.
Seasons 6 and 7... I don't think they would have changed much.
While you'll get no argument from me about how much the Maquis valued their independence, I was looking at their use from a more emotional perspective for the DS9 characters and audience. Them being part of the Dominion would mean more than say some random species that we might know the name of but didn't have any representative characters on the station. With the Maquis, there were emotional stakes.
Perhaps there's even some Maquis out there who saw Starfleet as a bigger danger to them than the pre-war Dominion.
Would these minor powers joining the Dominion result in their victory, in your opinion?
Very possibly, given the amount of territory around and potential resources.
The Dominion has proven to be great at building ships quickly, so if they have territory surrounding the Federation, Starfleet would have a hard time dividing all their resources to protect all areas. Or more importantly, where to focus their defenses.
The Dominion has proven to be great at building ships quickly, so if they have territory surrounding the Federation, Starfleet would have a hard time dividing all their resources to protect all areas. Or more importantly, where to focus their defenses.
They would simply need enough of a foothold to hold the wormhole (sans mines). Once that happened, their expansion would be very difficult to stop.
I don't think so. A bunch of minor powers that have no common equipment and haven't trained together are not going to be nearly as effective as a major power.
Yes. What the Dominion would have needed to win was a wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant. Either controlling the Bajoran one, finding a different one, or learning to make one of their own.
Pakleds definitely. They are strong. And smart.
And they look for things that make them go.
Clearly an asset to the Dominion.
Actually, I'm laughing envisioning Weyoun having to explain to a Pakled what the Founders' orders are.
...as Jem'Hadar weapons test dummies.
It would have to be someone local for the station to still be relevant. The Bajorans? Maybe Kai Winn invites the Dominion in after promises of Bajor having a prominent position in it – more Karemma than Dosi. The planet might be poor but it has the wormhole, and with it the Alpha Quadrant. Winn's still pissed the Emissary is an alien and doesn't like him or his Federation, so she finds her own allies. Maybe she even restyles herself as the Emissary after a "new discovery of ancient texts." Maybe Bajor then invades a Cardassia already weakened by the Klingon War. Or regardless of it; the Dominion is a powerful ally.
The Breen were barely seen until the end of the series so I don't think they'd be so much as a glimmer in anyone's eye if it's not Cardassia. Plus, they don't have eyes to look into for the drama of it all in a weekly television series.
Other options are the Tzenkethi or Miradorn...maybe the Ferengi or Talarians...
But honestly, I think the juiciest aliens to go with might be the Klingons. Both they and the Romulans (my first thought) are normally too far from the station to consider, but the Klingons were a more prominent part of the series since "The Way of the Warrior." Well, if they'd made the journey and are the new baddie anyway...
Plus, maybe it makes sense that the old warriors would be seduced by the new ones of the Dominion, ones who took off their Federation leashes and set them loose once more to be the great conquerers they once were. Making it the Klingons who join the Dominion also halves the Federation's firepower, so it's a twofer. ...I mean the situation would be quite dire for them.
Like Cardassia routing out the Klingon invaders and Maquis terrorists upon joining the Dominion, I imagine for the Klingons the first glory would be finishing the conquest of Cardassia begun in "The Way of the Warrior." That's a substantial prize that'd prove the value (and horror) of the new alliance. Lots of battles and characters (Cardassian and Klingon) and stories to play with in that invasion. Many Houses with their own agendas too – maybe the Duras try to rehabilitate their reputations by suggesting Romulus should be next.
For his part, Gowron "does not forgive or forget" Sisko and the Federation's treachery in WotW, and relishes preparations for taking the greatest prize of all.
The Breen were barely seen until the end of the series so I don't think they'd be so much as a glimmer in anyone's eye if it's not Cardassia. Plus, they don't have eyes to look into for the drama of it all in a weekly television series.
Other options are the Tzenkethi or Miradorn...maybe the Ferengi or Talarians...
But honestly, I think the juiciest aliens to go with might be the Klingons. Both they and the Romulans (my first thought) are normally too far from the station to consider, but the Klingons were a more prominent part of the series since "The Way of the Warrior." Well, if they'd made the journey and are the new baddie anyway...
Plus, maybe it makes sense that the old warriors would be seduced by the new ones of the Dominion, ones who took off their Federation leashes and set them loose once more to be the great conquerers they once were. Making it the Klingons who join the Dominion also halves the Federation's firepower, so it's a twofer. ...I mean the situation would be quite dire for them.
Like Cardassia routing out the Klingon invaders and Maquis terrorists upon joining the Dominion, I imagine for the Klingons the first glory would be finishing the conquest of Cardassia begun in "The Way of the Warrior." That's a substantial prize that'd prove the value (and horror) of the new alliance. Lots of battles and characters (Cardassian and Klingon) and stories to play with in that invasion. Many Houses with their own agendas too – maybe the Duras try to rehabilitate their reputations by suggesting Romulus should be next.
For his part, Gowron "does not forgive or forget" Sisko and the Federation's treachery in WotW, and relishes preparations for taking the greatest prize of all.
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