Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Cardassians
3. Playing The Devil
Marc Alaimo is the man most directly responsible for informing how we, the audience, view the Cardassians. Not only did he originate the look, via Michael Westmore's incredible talents, but as Dukat, he became the archetype for Cardassian leadership.
When interviewed by the Official Star Trek Magazine during Deep Space Nine's second season, Alaimo admitted that, at that point, he hadn't had the chance to truly explore what made the Cardassians tick. He believed that they were a race who believed in order, and honour.
He said that they should be played with a 'certain classical sense of importance', something that he drew theatrical inspiration for. He saw them as possessing a dogged sense of determination, believing that their philosophy was such that they would never stop fighting until victory had been achieved.