Among the Best Villains in Star Trek—Bar None Gul Dukat
Actor Marc Alaimo's Dukat once oversaw Deep Space Nine (then Terok Nor) under the Cardassian conquest of Bajor. The station turned over to the Federation when the Cardassians left Bajor. But Dukat did not want to give up so readily, particularly considering the discovery of the Bajoran wormhole. Dukat would flutter toward atonement for the next seven seasons, but finally his aspirations would overwhelm him. Dukat linked the Cardassians with the Dominion, therefore securing their fate as a galactic power.
Jake's account of Dukat's atrocities supports the horrors he carried out during the run of Deep Space Nine. Dukat killed Jadzia Dax in addition to despining the Cardassians. Dukat went insane when he knew the game was over; his later possession by the Pah Wraiths made him even more lethal. Evil permeates Dukat's legacy in the Star Trek world. Even above Khan and the Borg Queen in some fans' opinions, Dukat is often seen as one of the worst enemies of the franchise.
Star Trek Reinvents Dukat as a Legitimate Starship Hero
Gul Dukat is the only Star Trek villain who really stands out, however in an other reality the tyrant is a famous Starfleet hero. Q Jr. has flung Jake Sisko and his buddies into a clearly other universe in IDW's new Sons of Star Trek. Here, Dukat is not only a Starfleet captain but also, based on Sons of Star Trek #3, maybe one of its best.
Morgan Hampton wrote Sons of Star Trek #3, which Angel Hernandez illustrated. Over the course of the novel, Jake has been in disbelief that Dukat serves in Starfleet in this other universe. Jake and Dukat chat once their shouting match ends. With cooler heads generally in place, Jake tells Dukat why he is so bothered. Including being a genocidal dictator, Jake informs Dukat all his Prime counterpart accomplished.
Dukat may have been a Star Trek hero.
Although it was stunning enough to see Dukat as a Starfleet captain, his humanitarian demeanor in this episode may be even more startling. It evidence the "nature versus nurture" argument: In every world, Dukat is a leader; but, in the one shown in Sons of Star Trek, he is kind and profoundly concerned about people around him. Growing up under the Federation's influence, Dukat recognized he could really be somebody. In many respects, it renders Dukat a sad figure in the Star Trek universe. Another time and place, he was a great hero.
Now on sale from IDW Publishing is Sons of Star Trek #3!
Though it might seem to contradict conventional Star Trek knowledge, the Federation has a sinister relationship with the Cardassians.
This surprises this Dukat, but he pledges to Jake he will do all in his ability to get him back to his own universe.
Sons of Star Trek #3 (2024)
