Favorite Garak Episode

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-04-25 01:52pm

Over the course of the seven years that made up DS9, the simple Cardassian tailor evolved from a simple guest-star to one of Trek's most complex and fascinating characters. What was your favorite episode to feature the former Obsidian Order agent?

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2004-04-25 01:55pm

DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight".

Mlenk · Post by **Mlenk** » 2004-04-25 02:48pm

I don't know the episode name but my favorite is the one where he and Sisco trick the Romulans into declaring war on the Dominion.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-04-25 02:53pm

Mlenk wrote:I don't know the episode name but my favorite is the one where he and Sisco trick the Romulans into declaring war on the Dominion.

That would be "In the Pale Moonlight". I also agree that is his best episode.

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-04-27 10:41am

It's a no-brainer for "In the Pale Moonlight" since not only was it one of the heaviest Garak episodes, but it also was probably the best DS9 episode ever.

However, "In the Pale Moonlight" does NOT contain the best one-liner ever spoken by Garak. I can't remember the episode the did (I believe it was "Call to Arms") but the line went something like this:

Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?
Garak: Oh, it's the safest way.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-04-27 02:08pm

The Kernel wrote:It's a no-brainer for "In the Pale Moonlight" since not only was it one of the heaviest Garak episodes, but it also was probably the best DS9 episode ever.

However, "In the Pale Moonlight" does NOT contain the best one-liner ever spoken by Garak. I can't remember the episode the did (I believe it was "Call to Arms") but the line went something like this:

Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?
Garak: Oh, it's the safest way.

It is Call to Arms.[/i]

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-04-27 07:49pm

Of course my favourite is In The Pale Moonlight, it features what I think the best Garak line.

Sisko: Where's Tolar?
Garak: I've locked him in his quarters, and I've left him with the distinct impression that if he tries to force the door open, it may explode.
Sisko: I hope that's just an impression.
Garak: It's best not to dwell on such minutae.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-04-27 08:03pm

For me, it's a tie between In the Pale Moonlight and Improbable Cause/The Die is Cast.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2004-04-28 01:23am

In the Pale Moonlight, or the two-parter where they go to save Enabran Tain from the Dominion.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-04-28 03:49am

Iliked Garak's comment in the Way of the Warrior. He said You are either lost or looking for a good tailor to the klingons beaming aboard DS9.

Lord Pounder · Post by **Lord Pounder** » 2004-04-28 04:28pm

evilcat4000 wrote:Iliked Garak's comment in the Way of the Warrior. He said You are either lost or looking for a good tailor to the klingons beaming aboard DS9.

Better than that, after they beat the shit outta him and hes in with bashir he's so proud that he insulted the Klingons as they near killed him.

"My wounds will heal, but i cut them with a few stinging remarks that will stay with them forever" orwords to that effect.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-04-28 07:04pm

in the pale Moonlight. i loved that episode!

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2004-04-28 07:30pm

2000AD wrote:in the pale Moonlight. i loved that episode!

Indeed, one of the best. Though I couldn't stand Sisko's boring monologue, Garak and his cheeky ways more than made up for it. And of course, having the Romulan walk in and say "It's a FAAAAAKE!" was pure icing on the cake.

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2004-04-28 08:24pm

"In the Pale Moonlight"

Sisko: Where's Tolar?
Garak: I've locked him in his quarters, and I've left him with the distinct impression that if he tries to force the door open, it may explode.
Sisko: I hope that's just an impression.
Garak: It's best not to dwell on such minutae.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-04-28 08:28pm

Stofsk wrote:
2000AD wrote:in the pale Moonlight. i loved that episode!
Indeed, one of the best. Though I couldn't stand Sisko's boring monologue, Garak and his cheeky ways more than made up for it. And of course, having the Romulan walk in and say "It's a FAAAAAKE!" was pure icing on the cake.

Garak's speech to Sisko at the end rocked too.

Chris OFarrell · Post by **Chris OFarrell** » 2004-04-28 08:32pm

Gandalf wrote:
Garak's speech to Sisko at the end rocked too.

So did the end of Siskos Personal Log.

SISKO
You killed him.

GARAK
That's right.

SISKO
That's what you planned to do all
along. You knew the data-rod
wouldn't hold up to scrutiny, you
just wanted to get him on the
station so you could plant a bomb
on his shuttle.

GARAK
It wasn't quite that simple. I
did have hopes that the rod would
somehow pass inspection. But I
suspected that Tolar may not have
been up to the task.

SISKO
What about Tolar? Did you kill
him too?

GARAK
Think of them both as tragic
victims of war.

Sisko throws a punch, Garak blocks, but Sisko follows
up and lands another blow to Garak's face, rocking him
back, but not flooring him.

GARAK
If you can allow your anger to
subside for a moment, you'll see
that they did not die in vain --
the Romulans will enter the war.

Sisko glares at him, his fury just barely restrained.

SISKO
There's no guarantee of that.

GARAK
Oh, but I think there is. You
see, when the Tal Shiar finishes
examining the wreckage of
Vreenak's shuttle, they'll find
the burnt remnants of a Cardassian
optolythic data-rod which
miraculously survived the
explosion. After painstaking
forensic examination, they'll
discover that the rod contains a
recording of a high-level Dominion
meeting at which the invasion of
Romulus was being planned.

SISKO
And then they'll discover it's a
fraud.

GARAK
I don't think so. Any
imperfections in the forgery will
appear to be a result of the
explosion.
(building, forceful)
So, with a seemingly legitimate
data-rod in one hand and a dead
senator in the other, I ask you
captain, what conclusion would you
draw?

Sisko takes a beat, tries to let his temper subside.

SISKO
That Vreenak obtained the rod on
Soukara and that the Dominion
killed him to prevent him from
returning to Romulus with it.

GARAK
Precisely. And the more the
Dominion protests their innocence,
the more the Romulans will believe
they're guilty... because it's
exactly what the Romulans would've
done in their place!

Sisko glares at him, but it's clear that he sees the
logic of what Garak's saying, as much as he doesn't
like to hear it.

GARAK
(continuing)
That is why you came to me, isn't
it, captain? Because you knew I
could do the things you weren't
capable of doing yourself? Well,
it worked. And you'll get what
you wanted -- a war between the
Romulans and the Dominion. If
your conscience is bothering you,
you should soothe it with the
knowledge that you may have just
saved the entire Alpha Quadrant.
And all it cost was the life of
one Romulan senator, one criminal,
and the self-respect of one
Starfleet Officer. I don't know
about you, but I'd call that a
bargain.

CUT TO:

46 INT. SISKO'S QUARTERS

Sisko is toying with a full glass of scotch.

SISKO
This morning, at oh-eight-hundred
hours, station time... the Romulan
Empire formally declared war
against the Dominion. They've
already struck fifteen bases along
the Cardassian border.
(beat)
So it's a huge victory for the
good guys... perhaps the turning
point of the entire war. There's
even a "Welcome to the Fight"
party in the wardroom tonight.
(beat)
I lied. I cheated. I bribed men
to cover up the crimes of other
men. I was an accessory to
murder. But most damning of
all... I think I can live with it.

SISKO (Cont'd)
And if I had to do it all over
again... I would. Garak was right
about one thing -- a guilty
conscience is a small price to pay
for the safety of the Alpha
Quadrant. So I'll learn to live
with it.

He almost takes a drink, then firmly sets it aside and
pushes it away.

SISKO
Because I can live with it.

He glares into the lens and we're not sure if he's
trying to convince us or himself.

SISKO
I can live with it.

Sisko stares into the camera for a long beat.

SISKO
Computer -- erase that entire
personal log.

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2004-04-28 09:57pm

I'd have to say that "In the pale Moonlight" was in fact my favorite Trek episode of all time. For one thing, it was a refreshing change from the usual preachy "We must do the right thing no matter what" attitude of Trek (Voyager, and to a lesser extent TNG, absolutely reeked of this). Which is why on the other hand, I hate that TNG episode "I Borg", for example.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-04-30 03:01am

"I, Borg" was really bad. It was more like a Voyger Borg episodes. Picard made a bad decision by not using the virus.

Icehawk · Post by **Icehawk** » 2004-04-30 03:51am

In the Pale Moonlight is the obvious winner.

However, I always liked this line: "Oh on the contrary, I always hope for the best, history on the other hand, has taught me to expect the worst."

Cant remember the episode name for that one. I remember he said it on the Defiant just before they were going into battle though.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2004-04-30 11:05am

Icehawk wrote:Cant remember the episode name for that one. I remember he said it on the Defiant just before they were going into battle though.

I seem to recall it being in the Favour the Bold/Sacrifice of Angels two-parter, but I can't remember which one. It was before the big battle, though.

I could be wrong though.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2004-04-30 01:59pm

For me, "The Wire", where Bashir had to cure Garak from his dependency on an implant which stimulated the pleasure centres of his brain and in the process heard three different versions of Garak's life story.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-04-30 04:40pm

Stofsk wrote:
Icehawk wrote:Cant remember the episode name for that one. I remember he said it on the Defiant just before they were going into battle though.
I seem to recall it being in the Favour the Bold/Sacrifice of Angels two-parter, but I can't remember which one. It was before the big battle, though.

I could be wrong though.

It was Favor the Bold.

Trogdor · Post by **Trogdor** » 2004-04-30 09:19pm

I haven't seen "In the Pale Moonlight" yet. In fact I haven't seen a whole lot of DS9 yet, but I love Garak's line when he helps stop the Jem Hadar who are assaulting the station.

Jem Hadar: Plan?

Garak: Yes, first I pretend to be their friend, then, I shoot you.

Sothis · Post by **Sothis** » 2004-05-08 05:01pm

Trogdor wrote:I haven't seen "In the Pale Moonlight" yet. In fact I haven't seen a whole lot of DS9 yet, but I love Garak's line when he helps stop the Jem Hadar who are assaulting the station.

Jem Hadar: Plan?

Garak: Yes, first I pretend to be their friend, then, I shoot you.

Hehe, that was indeed a classic Garak moment.

He was perhaps the most amoral character in Star Trek. At least, I am hard pressed to think of any like him.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-05-09 12:45am

Sothis wrote:He was perhaps the most amoral character in Star Trek. At least, I am hard pressed to think of any like him.

I wouldn't say he was amoral.

He always did the right thing. Just a little differently.