The Breaking and Betrayal of Gul Dukat's Character

[Nutso]

[Graham Kennedy]

What I've read is that the writers always intended Dukat (I'm convinced his first name is 'Felix') to be a "Hitler" type, and his own justifications of what he did (often "I wasn't as bad as I could/should have been") were supposed to make the audience recoil in disgust. But Alaimo played him so brilliantly and charismatically that he became extremely popular, and a major portion of the fandom started buying into his explanations and saying "yeah, he's not such a bad guy really".

People were even hoping for a relationship between Dukat and Kira, where she would wake up to the obvious good in him and fall in love with him, which appalled the writers and Nana Visitor both.

So as the end of DS9 approached the writers decided to 'put an end to it' and do everything they could to make the fans hate him. Which is why he goes crazy, starts ranting that he should have killed everyone on Bajor, then gets possessed by a demon and tries to wipe out the galaxy. A lot of fans weren't happy about it.

[Nutso]

What I've read is that the writers always intended Dukat (I'm convinced his first name is 'Felix') to be a "Hitler" type, and his own justifications of what he did (often "I wasn't as bad as I could/should have been") were supposed to make the audience recoil in disgust. But Alaimo played him so brilliantly and charismatically that he became extremely popular, and a major portion of the fandom started buying into his explanations and saying "yeah, he's not such a bad guy really".

People were even hoping for a relationship between Dukat and Kira, where she would wake up to the obvious good in him and fall in love with him, which appalled the writers and Nana Visitor both.

So as the end of DS9 approached the writers decided to 'put an end to it' and do everything they could to make the fans hate him. Which is why he goes crazy, starts ranting that he should have killed everyone on Bajor, then gets possessed by a demon and tries to wipe out the galaxy. A lot of fans weren't happy about it.

Ah, DS9. Making villains we love. Yeah, Marc Alaimo was just too damned charismatic to hate. I was heartbroken when he switched sides to the Dominion but, I understood he did it to make Cardassia strong again!

[AlexMcpherson79]

Nutso, Wasn't that an actual line of dialogue? because I have this image in my head of him saying it, to Kira.

[McAvoy]

Nutso, Wasn't that an actual line of dialogue? because I have this image in my head of him saying it, to Kira.

'I did it to make Cardassia strong again'. Dukat to Sisko.

[Nutso]

Nutso, Wasn't that an actual line of dialogue? because I have this image in my head of him saying it, to Kira.

Yep. To Sisko.

[AlexMcpherson79]

and suddenly, with trump saying those lines would be hilarious, and being trump entirely undercuts the seriousness of the scene

[McAvoy]

and suddenly, with trump saying those lines would be hilarious, and being trump entirely undercuts the seriousness of the scene

When I rewatched Enterprise, Terra Prime's Earth First was uncomfortablely close to the 'America First' rhetoric I hear from Pro Trumpers.

[Nutso]

and suddenly, with trump saying those lines would be hilarious, and being trump entirely undercuts the seriousness of the scene

I wasn't going for a Trump angle, I just remember how Marc Alaimo enunciated "strong again," and it resonated with me all these years later. Sure Trump and Dukat are evil but, Dukat had a charm and wit about him, and clearly loved his daughter in a non-sexual way.

Thinking about it, I guess the phrase "Make Cardassia Strong Again," is how the Gul Dukat Twitter account came to be.

[McAvoy]

and suddenly, with trump saying those lines would be hilarious, and being trump entirely undercuts the seriousness of the scene

I wasn't going for a Trump angle, I just remember how Marc Alaimo enunciated "strong again," and it resonated with me all these years later. Sure Trump and Dukat are evil but, Dukat had a charm and wit about him, and clearly loved his daughter in a non-sexual way.

Thinking about it, I guess the phrase "Make Cardassia Strong Again," is how the Gul Dukat Twitter account came to be.

I wouldn't say Trump is evil, far from it really. I also wouldn't say Dukat is evil either until starts messing around with the Pah Wraiths.

[Captain Seafort]

I also wouldn't say Dukat is evil either until starts messing around with the Pah Wraiths.

His behaviour as Prefect of Bajor says otherwise - don't forget that he was Gul Darhe'el's boss, and did absolutely nothing to even rein him in.

[00111010 01000100]

Irony, I’m watching “return to grace”, where dukat is so fixated on getting his power and authority back it’s almost sickening at times, yet the lines and acting are balanced just so, making him approach that edge of no return in the eyes of the audience.. then back away a few steps. Allowing us to believe he still has redeemable qualities.

[McAvoy]

Irony, I’m watching “return to grace”, where dukat is so fixated on getting his power and authority back it’s almost sickening at times, yet the lines and acting are balanced just so, making him approach that edge of no return in the eyes of the audience.. then back away a few steps. Allowing us to believe he still has redeemable qualities.

That is what makes him such a great character. It's only until the end where Dukat goes full on Dark Side. But before that he was something else.

[00111010 01000100]

Irony, I’m watching “return to grace”, where dukat is so fixated on getting his power and authority back it’s almost sickening at times, yet the lines and acting are balanced just so, making him approach that edge of no return in the eyes of the audience.. then back away a few steps. Allowing us to believe he still has redeemable qualities.

That is what makes him such a great character. It's only until the end where Dukat goes full on Dark Side. But before that he was something else.

Indeed! The moment of betrayal and everyone (including viewers) thinking he’s off on his own to attack the Dominion fleet, only to tell Maj. Kira what he’s actually doing. I don’t blame her for her next command in the least! Or —> “Lock phasers on target and fire”. Too late, he’s gone to warp...