| Cardassian | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek race | |
 Gul Dukat (portrayed by Marc Alaimo), a prominent Cardassian character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | |
| Created by | Jeri Taylor |
| In-universe information | |
| Quadrant | Alpha |
| Home world | Cardassia Prime |
The Cardassians (/kɑːrˈdæsiənz/) are a fictional extraterrestrial species in the American science fiction franchise Star Trek. They were devised in 1991 for the series Star Trek: The Next Generation before being used in the subsequent series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager.
The writers of The Next Generation introduced the Cardassians for the fourth season episode "The Wounded" as new antagonists for the crew of the USS Enterprise-D to interact with on a personal level, as the Borg lacked personality or individuality, hindering interpersonal drama.
In the series, set in the 24th century, the Cardassians are presented as living under a military government controlling the Cardassian Union, an interstellar empire occupying other planets, most notably Bajor. When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was launched in 1993, its writers set its events in the vicinity of Bajor in the aftermath of the Cardassian occupation.
The Cardassians grew into major antagonists throughout the series, with several recurring characters developed, including Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) and Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo).