Star Trek Expanded Universe
Star Trek Expanded Universe
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Dukat-closeup

Gul Dukat

Dukat was a gul-level officer of the Cardassian Union, former overseer of Terok Nor and prefect of Bajor during the Cardassian occupation. He negotiated Cardassia's alliance with the Dominion, leading to the Dominion War in the Alpha Quadrant, and had pivotal impact on the lives of Benjamin Sisko and Kira Nerys. Near the war's end, Dukat became the emissary of the Pah-wraiths, enemies of the Prophets, making him Sisko's arch-nemesis of sorts.

In late-2374, Dukat, possessed by a Pah-wraith boarded Deep Space 9 used one of the Tears of the Prophets stored in the Bajoran temple on the station to give the Pah-wraith access to the Celestial Temple. He killed Jadzia Dax who was in the temple at the time. (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets")

Fan continuities[]

Sigils and Unions: Catacombs of Oralius continuity[]

See Skrain Dukat (SigCat).

Star Trek: War Aftermath continuity[]

Throughout his military and political career, Dukat was something of a political pragmatist. Despite his overt opposition to the Cardassian withdraw from Bajor and his resulting decline in prominence, he agreed with the Detapa Council’s projected economic benefits of abandoning a number of the Cardassian Union’s subject worlds. In order to regain favor with the Central Command, Dukat offered full support for a series of peace treaties signed with the Federation between 2366 and 2370, stating that the Cardassian economy needed time to recover from decades of conflict. He even sought the help of Starfleet Commander Benjamin Sisko in dealings with the Maquis—first when the terrorist group’s existence became public knowledge in 2370 and then when Maquis leader Thomas Riker hijacked the USS Defiant in 2371. (DS9: " The Maquis, Part I", DS9: " The Maquis, Part II", DS9: " Defiant").

Changes in Cardassian politics and economic decline within the following year made Dukat more disdainful of the Federation. The Cardassian Underground staged a coup d’etat in early 2372 having succeeded in restoring political authority to the Detapa Council. The Council had, in theory, been the central political authority for centuries prior, but its members were merely figurehead rulers who deferred to the judgement of the military’s Central Command. The Detapa Council, as a more credible ruling body, was subsequently ill-equipped to handle economic crises in the years to follow as a result of the coup and the Klingon invasion. (DS9: " Defiant", DS9: " The Way of the Warrior", Star Trek: War Aftermath:" The True Way")

Dukat founded an organization designed to encourage patriotism among the Cardassian people. Stating the Cardassians did not resort to committing acts of terrorism, he had hoped to use more diplomatic means of gaining followers. The organization would begin take on a life of its own, the first act of terrorism being the sabotage and destruction of the Starfleet runabout USS Orinoco. Gul Revok, Dukat’s chief of staff during his time as military advisor to the Detapa Council, assumed responsibility on behalf of the anti-Federation faction, the True Way. (DS9: " Our Man Bashir", Star Trek: War Aftermath: " The True Way") Dukat requested that no more acts of terrorism be committed. Dukat changed his mind following the Klingon incident at Korma. He contacted Revok, stating that more subtle guerrilla tactics were necessary against the Klingons, as the Detapa Council was looking for a diplomatic resolution, which Dukat considered an affront to what the Cardassian people stood for. (DS9: " Return to Grace", Star Trek: War Aftermath).

Background[]

  • A personnel file seen in DS9: "A Time to Stand" identifies Dukat with the prefix initials "S.G." While this has never been explained in canon productions, it may stand for "Supreme Gul" or "Station Gul." In Pocket Books novels, Dukat's first name is Skrain.

External links[]

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