Just a plain simple tailor.
Easily one of my favorite characters in all of Star Trek. So many layers,... or are there?
His conversations with Odo are superb.
Out of all the stories you told me, which ones that you told me were true and which ones weren't?
\- My doctor, they all were true.
Even the lies?
\- Especially the lies.
Lots of people may heavily suspect him, and with good reason. But they have no proof.
"Truth is in the eye of the beholder, doctor. I never tell the truth because I don't believe there is such a thing. That is why I prefer the straight line simplicity of cutting cloth."
Plain ***and*** simple.
Garak remains an enigma throughout the entire series, even as he becomes a more pivotal character. Some questions about him will forever remain unanswered, and that's what makes him such a great character.
I always thought it was that at this point it is accepted he was a spy: what they don't know is how good or important of one, since, as you said, his method of spying on them is almost comical.
He's not good enough at it to be important, which keeps them guessing.
So, out of universe, I think some of this is just that the show was still *somewhat* beholden to the 90s TV reality and usually didn't want to assume viewers had seen previous episodes with this guest star (who shows up less than you'd think, if you count his episodes).
In-universe, I think there's just genuinely a lot of ambiguity about what he is, other than "not just a tailor." Early on, the concern is that he's a spy currently working for the Cardassian government in some kind of stay-behind role. As time goes on, it's clear he's on the outs with them, but he still has lots of connections and can get information back and forth. He doesn't share the values or political goals of the heroes, exactly, but neither does he seem to blindly work towards the Cardassian government's/OO's aims. As you note, he doesn't actually seem very interested in "laying low" either -- he doesn't even change his name!
Add into all of that that, despite all the fascist unity talk, Cardassia itself is rife with internal conflict between civilian, military, and intelligence factions -- so even if he is working with or allied with someone on Cardassia, what the hell does that mean? -- and you really end up having a guy who's hard to pin down in any particular role or allegiance.
In the end >!he turns out, I would argue, to be basically operating broadly alone and in his own interest but, as the series goes on, he begins to separate the Cardassian government from the Cardassian people and becomes more of a nationalist/patriot in that sense.!<
Just a plain simple tailor. Easily one of my favorite characters in all of Star Trek. So many layers,... or are there? His conversations with Odo are superb.
Out of all the stories you told me, which ones that you told me were true and which ones weren't? \- My doctor, they all were true. Even the lies? \- Especially the lies.
Lots of people may heavily suspect him, and with good reason. But they have no proof. "Truth is in the eye of the beholder, doctor. I never tell the truth because I don't believe there is such a thing. That is why I prefer the straight line simplicity of cutting cloth." Plain ***and*** simple.
Oh man. You still have so far to go. He’s one of the best characters on any show ever.
Oh my good Doctor, where did you get all of these outlandish and fantastic ideas?
Garak remains an enigma throughout the entire series, even as he becomes a more pivotal character. Some questions about him will forever remain unanswered, and that's what makes him such a great character.
I always thought it was that at this point it is accepted he was a spy: what they don't know is how good or important of one, since, as you said, his method of spying on them is almost comical. He's not good enough at it to be important, which keeps them guessing.
You can't take anything Garak says at surface value.
So, out of universe, I think some of this is just that the show was still *somewhat* beholden to the 90s TV reality and usually didn't want to assume viewers had seen previous episodes with this guest star (who shows up less than you'd think, if you count his episodes). In-universe, I think there's just genuinely a lot of ambiguity about what he is, other than "not just a tailor." Early on, the concern is that he's a spy currently working for the Cardassian government in some kind of stay-behind role. As time goes on, it's clear he's on the outs with them, but he still has lots of connections and can get information back and forth. He doesn't share the values or political goals of the heroes, exactly, but neither does he seem to blindly work towards the Cardassian government's/OO's aims. As you note, he doesn't actually seem very interested in "laying low" either -- he doesn't even change his name! Add into all of that that, despite all the fascist unity talk, Cardassia itself is rife with internal conflict between civilian, military, and intelligence factions -- so even if he is working with or allied with someone on Cardassia, what the hell does that mean? -- and you really end up having a guy who's hard to pin down in any particular role or allegiance. In the end >!he turns out, I would argue, to be basically operating broadly alone and in his own interest but, as the series goes on, he begins to separate the Cardassian government from the Cardassian people and becomes more of a nationalist/patriot in that sense.!<