Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - 10 Best Episodes Not About The Main Cast
2. The Wire
This second season episode gave the audience the greatest insight into the enigmatic tailor, Mr Garak, to that point. Andrew J. Robinson is superb in this classic spy tale, playing against Alexander Siddig as he struggles to come off the drug that has been keeping him sane for two years of living on the station. Guest star Paul Dooley is introduced as Enabran Tain as well, offering even more information about this secretive character.
Garak is by far the most developed secondary character in the Star Trek franchise, with so many twists and turns about his backstory along the way. Here, he talks of his struggles with 'Elim', his best friend and the man with whom he shared the title 'Sons of Tain'. His lies become a battlefield that Bashir has to try and navigate simply to keep the Cardassian alive.
Garak's outburst, in his quarters, about the actions that led to his exile from Cardassia are heartbreaking. In many ways, Garak is an evil man who has done many evil deeds. Yet he is also directly responsible for saving the lives of Bajoran civilians during the Occupation. This has left him in a tailspin, so much so that Bashir only discovers from Tain himself that 'Elim' is actually Garak's own first name.
The episode is one of the strongest of the season, with knockout performances all around.