Star Trek Characters That Must Return (2026)

13. Garak

Andrew Robinson crafted one of the most intriguing, unsettling, and enjoyable performances in Star Trek's long history with his portrayal of Garak. Like T'Pol, a version of everyone's favourite tailor and spy returned in Fissure Quest, though he swapped his measuring tape for a dermal regenerator. 

In Starfleet Academy, Ambassador Garak is one of the few non-Starfleet names on the infamous Wall Of Heroes, thus raising the question, what happened in his time to qualify him for the list? Expanded media has depicted him both leading the new Cardassian government and representing it in talks with the Federation. The online series that Robinson and Alexander Siddig produced in 2020 expanded on this, teasing fans with a taste of what could be. 

Robinson has expressed interest in returning to this role. With the recent Deep Space Nine celebrations via Starfleet Academy, this could be the perfect time to bring him back. While we are aware that relying on holographic versions of legacy characters may be a bit of a cheat, there is also freedom there to take the story in whichever direction one cares to. 

Imagine an instructive Garak, teaching young Starfleet cadets about the finer ways to hem a dress, negotiate with a Tholian, and tell the difference between perfume and poison. We have the EMH as a full-time instructor, so it is hardly outside the bounds of possibility!

With only one season available to us, and that already filmed, we can only hope that someone at Academy HQ had this idea, too.