Elim Garak - Notes

Universe :	Prime Timeline
Name :	Elim Garak [1]
Species :	Cardassians

Data regarding Garak must be regarded as entirely suspect; virtually the only thing known with certainty about Deep Space Nine's tailor is that he is an expert liar who is fond of sayings such as "The truth is just an excuse for a lack of imagination". [2]

It was long suspected that Garak had some sort of connection with the Cardassian government, and that he remained on Deep Space Nine after the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor because he had been exiled from his own planet for political reasons. He eventually confessed that he had been a member of the Obsidian Order, the Cardassian intelligence service and secret police. It appeared that he had been a leading member of the organization, but that he had been exiled after its leader, Enabren Tain, had become convinced that Garak had betrayed him - an accusation Garak hotly denied. [3]

Garak had volunteered to have a cranial implant whilst working for the Obsidian Order. Once he was left on Deep Space Nine he took to using the device more and more in order to allow him to tolerate the Human-standard environmental conditions there, until he eventually turned it on and left it on. The device finally malfunctioned in 2370, leaving Garak suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms. Dr. Julian Bashir, who had come to regard himself as a friend of Garak's, helped him through this period but was disturbed by the tales of torture and brutality that Garak told him about his actions during the occupation of Bajor. Garak claimed that he had betrayed and murdered his partner Elim because he had shown mercy to the Bajorans, but on investigating his past closer Bashir found that Elim was actually Garak's first name. After his recovery Garak refused to clarify his ramblings any further. [4]

In 2371 Tain allowed Garak to return to the Obsidian order, an opportunity the tailor greeted with enthusiasm. When he was ordered to torture Odo for information about the Founders prior to the joint Obsidian Order / Tal'shiar assault against their home world, Garak was less enthusiastic but forced himself to complete his task. Once the attack itself began Garak realized that his true loyalties no longer lay with the Order, and helped Odo to escape before the fleet was destroyed by the Jem'Hadar. [3]

When a message, apparently from Tain, was received through the wormhole Garak and Worf attempted a rescue mission to release his former mentor from a Dominion prison camp. Unfortunately, they were quickly captured themselves. [5] Garak found Tain close to death in the prison, and the two managed a reconciliation shortly before Tain's death - a moment rendered more emotive for Garak because Tain finally admitted that Garak was in fact his son. [6]

Garak had a long standing hatred of Gul Dukat, but nevertheless developed a close friendship with his daughter Ziyal during her time on Deep Space Nine. [7] He was deeply saddened when Ziyal was killed by Damar during Starfleet's recapture of the station for assisting in the Dominion's loss. [8]

Once the station was back in Starfleet hands Garak served Starfleet as a code-breaker, assisting in various operations. When the allies launched began the invasion of Cardassian space, Garak began to suffer signs of a mental breakdown as a result of the stress involved in helping with the extermination of his own people. With the assistance of Ezri Dax Garak was able to face up to the burden he was under and regain a measure of composure. [9]

As the war neared its end Garak travelled to Cardassia with Colonel Kira in order to assist the Cardassian underground. [10] During the last hours of the fighting he took part in a raid on the Founder's headquarters in which he killed the final Weyoun clone and captured the Founder herself, thus helping to set up her meeting with Odo and ending the war before the final battle. Garak remained on Cardassia after the war to assist in rebuilding the planet's shattered society. [11]

Colour key

Canon source

Backstage source

Novel source

DITL speculation

Associated with

Associated with Deep Space Nine

Played by

Series	Season	Actor	Film / Episode Title
DS9	1	Andrew J. Robinson	Past Prologue
DS9	2	Andrew J. Robinson	Cardassians
DS9	2	Andrew J. Robinson	Profit and Loss
DS9	2	Andrew J. Robinson	The Wire
DS9	3	Andrew J. Robinson	The Search, Part 2
DS9	3	Andrew J. Robinson	Second Skin
DS9	3	Andrew J. Robinson	Civil Defense
DS9	3	Andrew J. Robinson	Distant Voices
DS9	3	Andrew J. Robinson	Improbable Cause
DS9	3	Andrew J. Robinson	The Die is Cast
DS9	4	Andrew J. Robinson	The Way of the Warrior
DS9	4	Andrew J. Robinson	Our Man Bashir
DS9	4	Andrew J. Robinson	Body Parts
DS9	4	Andrew J. Robinson	Broken Link
DS9	5	Andrew J. Robinson	Things Past
DS9	5	Andrew J. Robinson	In Purgatory's Shadow
DS9	5	Andrew J. Robinson	By Inferno's Light
DS9	5	Andrew J. Robinson	Empok Nor
DS9	5	Andrew J. Robinson	Call to Arms
DS9	6	Andrew J. Robinson	A Time to Stand
DS9	6	Andrew J. Robinson	Rocks and Shoals
DS9	6	Andrew J. Robinson	Favor the Bold
DS9	6	Andrew J. Robinson	Sacrifice of Angels
DS9	6	Andrew J. Robinson	In the Pale Moonlight
DS9	6	Andrew J. Robinson	Tears of the Prophets
DS9	7	Andrew J. Robinson	Afterimage
DS9	7	Andrew J. Robinson	Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
DS9	7	Andrew J. Robinson	When it Rains...
DS9	7	Andrew J. Robinson	Tacking into the Wind
DS9	7	Andrew J. Robinson	Extreme Measures
DS9	7	Andrew J. Robinson	The Dogs of War
DS9	7	Andrew J. Robinson	What You Leave Behind

References

#	Series	Season	Source	Comment
1	DS9	1	Past Prologue
2	DS9	3	Improbable Cause
3	DS9	3	The Die is Cast
4	DS9	2	The Wire
5	DS9	5	In Purgatory's Shadow
6	DS9	5	By Inferno's Light
7			Various Deep Space Nine episodes
8	DS9	6	Sacrifice of Angels
9	DS9	7	Afterimage
10	DS9	7	When it Rains...
11	DS9	7	What You Leave Behind, Part 1

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Last updated : 23 Oct 2025

Series :	DS9 Season 1
Episode :	Past Prologue

Series :	DS9 Season 3
Episode :	Improbable Cause

Series :	DS9 Season 3
Episode :	The Die is Cast

Series :	DS9 Season 2
Episode :	The Wire

Series :	DS9 Season 5
Episode :	In Purgatory's Shadow