The Cardassians were a quasi-reptilian humanoid species native to Cardassia in the Alpha Quadrant. The name means in their native language "People of Discipline". (New Worlds, New Civilizations short story: "The Glories of the Hebitians")
They were a generally militaristic race. The Cardassian state, the Cardassian Union once occupied Bajor and later allied themselves with the Dominion before a crushing defeat that devastated their civilization. The democratic Reunion Project political group arose to power during the reconstruction process, with the authoritarian Directorate deciding for the time to play a part in the political process as an opposition party. (DS9 novel: A Stitch in Time)
Biology
The Cardassian appear to have evolved from a creature with both reptilian and mammalian traits. Standing roughly 1.8 meters tall, Cardassians tend to possess gray or grayish-green skin tones with shiny, black hair. Members of the race are barrel-chested and slightly heavier than Humans, a result of their Cardassia's thick atmosphere and slightly higher gravity. Elongated vertebrae covered in scaly plate sections extend along their necks. Segmented brow ridges extend down from the forehead and encircle the eyes, giving them a slightly "hooded" look reminiscent of a Terran cobra. An unsegmented ridge known as chufa extends upward from the tip of the nose to a spoon-shaped protrusion in the center of the forehead. Their thick skins and tough bodies allow Cardassians to tolerate pain better than most other species which meant that they possessed a higher pain threshold. (ST reference: Aliens)
The head and torso has an array of prominent ridges which are of cartilage construction and evolved as a defense against predatory attack. These ridges grow more prominent as young Cardassians develop through adolescence. Cardassians are a reptilian species but also have many features common to mammals, there skin is only scaled around their ridges and females have breast like protrusions on their chests. Cardassians have straight hair that varies in color from jet black to the less common dark brown. Males typically slick their hair back, while the females have more varying hairstyles. Unbethrothed Cardassian females have a cosmetic blue coloration in the dip of skin between ridges on their foreheads. (DS9 novel: A Stitch in Time, et al.)
The Cardassians possessed a unique enzyme which made them immune to infestation by the Bluegill parasites. However, this did not prove to be a method of making other species immune from possession as the enzyme had the side effect of dissolving the membranes present within other species bodies. As such, only the Cardassian race has proven to be immune to the Parasites infection. (DS9 novel: Unity)
Medical conditions
- Rudellian plague
- Yarim Fel Syndrome
- Viper's eye
Culture
Beliefs, Religion and Mythology
The early Hebitian people were deeply religious but the ages of hardship on Cardassia would shift the Cardassian people to more militaristic and expansionist views in order to survive. As such, the concept of religious beliefs were replaced with a patriotic duty in the state itself which results in many Cardassians being very loyal to their government which is seen as being omniscient, omnipotent and benevolent. (DS9 episodes: The Wire, Second Skin)
According to Cardassian beliefs, their race was raised to sentience from the swamps of Cardassia by their creators who watched over Ailam and Neroon; the first Cardassians. The Cardassians were gifted with both sentience and a soul by the creators who gave the race the umbilicus which marked their foreheads. (DS9 novel: Millennium Inferno)
Religion was a rare thing with the Cardassian government with suppression of certain groups such as the Oralian Way. Following the collapse of the Cardassian Union in 2376, such suppression began to be lifted and the Oralian way began to grow in popularity. (DS9 novel: A Stitch in Time)
The Mogrund was a creature in Cardassian mythology. (DS9 novel: A Stitch in Time)
Marriage, Children and Family Life
A Cardassian's family is considered one of their greatest assets, with two or three generations living within the same household. Though this is an admirable trait, the Cardassians see orphans as outcasts and are often forgotten. (DS9 episode: Cardassians)
All Cardassians receive intense mental training during childhood which helps them improve their memory and meant that they possessed an eidetic memory. (ST reference: Aliens)
Unlike Humans, Cardassians did not fear old age and in fact respected the wisdom and dignity such a position granted to the Cardassian in question. (DS9 episode: Distant Voices) Advanced age is a sign of great dignity. Cardassians respect authority and age, usually equating the two. A junior will attach himself to an up-and-coming superior or already successful elder, assisting his chosen mentor in any number of tasks intended to further their career, and presumably furthering his own, as well. This can be dangerous, however, should the mentor's fortunes turn, as the apprentice makes a convenient patsy on which to blame everything.
The older a Cardassian, the more feared he is because he is likely to know many secrets and maintains an extensive, and hidden, web of connections. When a Cardassian dies, he leaves his secrets to his relatives, so they can gain the benefit of his knowledge, use the information to preserve the family's fortunes, and exact revenge on his rivals. Family is very important to Cardassians, with several generations living under one roof. (ST reference: Aliens)
Psychology, Society and Interactions with Others
Cardassians were noted for their love of trickery and pranks that they played on both enemies as well as allies. They often did such jokes in order to gloat upon the misfortunes of others. (DS9 novel: Vengeance)
Within Cardassian society, men and women are treated equally and both are allowed to participate within the military. However, only men were drafted into service while women were given the optional choice to enter the military or not. Women often opted to enter the field of science working for the Science Ministry. (TNG episode: Journey's End; DS9 episode: Destiny)
The Cardassian people tended to favor the triumvirate and tended to arrange things in groups of three. (TOS novel: Captain's Blood)
A typical Cardassian is xenophobic, arrogant and paranoid. They believe theirs is the greatest civilization in the universe; other, lesser species are intent on preventing Cardassia from taking its rightful place as the most powerful empire in the quadrant. (ST reference: Aliens)
Certain Cardassians tended to think their species were superior to other races. This was particularly the case with the Bajorans with many Cardassians claiming that they were victims to terrorist attacks while they were attempting to "uplight" the Bajoran people. This went as far as certain Cardassians claiming that the Bajoran race was genetically inferior, with studies claiming that their brains were not very advanced. (DS9 novel: Millennium The Fall of Terok Nor)
The Cardassians valued efficiency, Cardassian mines were almost always on class M worlds, as the expense of excavating in other non-native environments was not cost effective. (DS9 novel: Devil in the Sky)
Sayings
- "There are ways to die....and there are ways to die." quoted by Garak (DS9 game: The Fallen)
- "Anger is a tool. Use it; do not let it use you." quoted by Gul Verden. (TNG novel: Debtors' Planet)
Rituals
Foods and drink
- See Cardasian cuisine.
History
- See main article: Cardassian history.
The Cardassian First Republic existed during the latter part of the 21st century. (DS9 episode: Destiny)
The Cardassians had entered space relatively near to future Federation space as early as the 2150s. And at least one Cardassian resided on Vulcan as early as the 2240s. (ENT episodes: Dead Stop, Observer Effect; DS9 episode: Destiny)
Nevertheless, by the early 24th century the Cardassians were still an unknown entity when initial moves were made to form diplomatic relations with the species. Within the next 20 years of the opening of official diplomacy, peace talks would fail, leading to the Federation-Cardassian War. (TOS comic: Enter the Wolves; ST novel: Articles of the Federation)
The Cardassians later allied themselves with the Dominion, an act which would eventually cause disaster as the Dominion attempted genocide in the final hours of the Dominion War. On the wreck of Dominion devastated Cardassia, a new democratic government arose. (DS9 episode: What You Leave Behind; novel: A Stitch in Time)
Later on, the Cardassians had revolted under Gul Kentar, who attacked the Federation's Reserve fleet while the Federation was counterattacking the Borg, built a technology that allowed Species 8472 to enter "our" realm. The Klingon Battle Fleet then brutally put down the rebellion, and Chancellor Martok personally killed Gul Kentar. (Star Trek: Armada II)
Alien perception
Cardassian cuisine was something of a unique taste, following the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor Quark had a great deal of foods and drinks, such as Kamoy syrup, which he found impossible to sell. (DS9 novel: Devil in the Sky)
A common slur used when referring to Cardassians is Spoonheads. (DS9 novel: A Stitch in Time, et al.)
Connections
- Cardassian article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Cardassian article at Star Trek Expanded Universe wiki, the wiki for fan-authored Star Trek.