Star Trek Confirms Dark Link Between Federation & the Cardassians

Summary The Federation and the Cardassians share a dark link, challenging Star Trek's portrayal of peace and freedom.

Ro Laren indicts the Federation, equating them with the Cardassians, showing a darker side of Star Trek.

The federation's high moral stance is questioned by Section 31, the Maquis storyline, portraying a more complex picture.

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #14!

Although the Federation and the Cardassians are bitter enemies in the Star Trek universe, a dark link between the two exists. Star Trek: Defiant has not shied away from exploring the darker corners of the franchise. The Federation, the “good guys” of Star Trek, portray themselves as peaceful and freedom-loving. However, in Star Trek: Defiant #14, Ro Laren makes a less than kind connection between the Federation and the Cardassians.

Star Trek: Defiant #14 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. B’Elanna Torres, a former Maquis and a member of Worf’s crew, has been infected with a parasite. The infected Torres fights Ro Laren, another former Maquis. Under the influence, Torres tells Ro “you will submit or perish.”

The Bajoran, Ro Laren, tells her the Cardassians said the same thing when they came to colonize their world.

Finally, Ro indicts the Federation as well, equating them with the Cardassians, saying they hate having their supremacy questioned.

Star Trek's Federation Only Glitters on the Surface

Agencies Like Section 31 Shows How Low the Federation Can Go

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Such a statement may seem to fly in the face of accepted Star Trek wisdom. The United Federation of Planets and Starfleet are often portrayed as noble and morally upright. In an early episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wesley Crusher declared, in a moment of naïveté, that Starfleet did not lie. Beginning with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, however, the veneer started to come off the Federation. The Maquis storyline was one of the first to call the Federation’s high moral stance into question. Later developments in the show, such as Section 31, continued this trend.

Ro Laren’s viewpoints in relation to the Federation are jaded, informed by growing up on colonized Bajor and later by bad experiences in Starfleet. This may seem to take credibility from what she said about a connection between the Cardassians and the Federation. However, numerous episodes of Deep Space Nine, as well as subsequent “nu-Trek” shows have demonstrated the Federation is not above playing dirty to get what it wants. This puts them in league with the brutal and colonizing Cardassians. However, according to critics, the Federation puts on a much more positive and happy spin on what they do.

Related Star Trek Names The One Society More Brutal Than Cardassians Star Trek has revealed there is one society more brutal than the infamous Cardassians--but human beings aren't going to like the answer.

The Federation Does Not Seem to Learn From Its Mistakes

The Federation is More Benign In Their Imperialism

In Defiant’s sister title: Star Trek, the Cardassians are poised for a new beginning, one that could take them down a better path. The Federation, on the other hand, is destined to continue its trend of morally questionable decisions. In season one of Star Trek: Picard, the Federation was in danger of losing its values thanks to an unfair ban on synthetic life. Although they seemingly learned from this mistake, the fact it nearly got to that point is alarming. The Cardassians and the Federation have both made horrible decisions, but somehow the Federation comes out looking respectable every time.

Star Trek: Defiant #14 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!