History Characters / StarTrekDeepSpaceNineGulDukat

* TheScapegoat: Dukat wasn't responsible for Cardassia's decision to abandon Bajor; in fact, by the end of his tenure as Prefect, the military situation with the Bajoran Resistance and political pressure from the Federation had become so pressing that his actions, at best, only delayed the inevitable end of the occupation. Despite this, because Dukat was the last prefect, he became a convenient patsy for Cardassian Central Command to dump the responsibility for the withdrawal of Bajor on in order to save face, something he subsequently held resentment over for his stalled career and controversial reputation; it likely played a part in his decision to sell out Cardassia to the Dominion.

* TheScapegoat: Dukat wasn't responsible for Cardassia's decision to abandon Bajor; in fact by the time he was made Prefect the political situation with the resistance and pressure from the Federation had become sufficient enough that his actions at best only delayed the end of the occupation. Despite this, Dukat being the last prefect made him a convenient patsy for Cardassian Central Command to spin the fallout on to save face, something he always held resentment over for his stalled career and controversial reputation, and it likely played a part in his decision to sell out Cardassia to the Dominion.

* SexualExtortion: He was able to coerce a lot of Bajoran women into sleeping with him by promising better living conditions for their families. This includes Kira's mother.

* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:Winn poisons Dukat to become the sole inheritor of the Pah-wraiths' power, but the Pah-wraiths choose him as their Emissary instead — reviving Dukat, restoring his natural appearance, and endowing him with supernatural powers.]]

* NoFullNameGiven: Dukat's first name is never stated in canon, though the non-canonical first name of "Skrain" has been adopted by many fans. At one point he identifies himself as "Dukat, S.G." though it's been suggested by WordOfGod that this is a title (like Ph.D., M.D., or R.N.).

* BenevolentBoss: {{Subverted|Trope}} and {{Deconstructed|Trope}}; the first thing Dukat did after being made Prefect of Bajor was a sweeping series of changes to make the lives of the enslaved Bajorans better, cutting labour camp output quotas by 50%, abolishing child labour and improving food rations and medical supplies, leading to a 20% drop in the camp death rates. However, even if the Bajorans would have considered him to be "not as bad" as the Prefect he replaced, they wouldn't ''like him'' for it because he was still ''enforcing'' the Cardassian occupation, so they continued to resist. Dukat came to resent to Bajorans for not appreciating his "compassion", but in truth he never really cared for the Bajorans at all, he only wanted to be idolised by them for the sake of his ego.

** In the [[Literature/TerokNor Terok Nor novel]] ''Day of the Vipers'', Dukat was a young officer and a new father, presumably in his twenties, in the year 2318. This means that Dukat was likely born sometime in the last decade of the 23rd century (2290s). For comparative purposes, this would not only make him older than most of the [=DS9=] crew, but older than both the ''Enterprise''-D/E crew and, with the exception of Tuvok (b. 2264), older than the ''Voyager'' crew as well. Additionally, from this information, it can also reasonably inferred that most of Dukat's seven children with his wife are already adults by the time we first see him in "Emissary". However in [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E09Defiant "Defiant"]] he mentions that he's missing his son Mekor's 11th birthday party because of the current crisis, so who knows.

** In the [[Literature/TerokNor Terok Nor novel]] ''Day of the Vipers'', Dukat was a young officer and a new father, presumably in his twenties, in the year 2318. This means that Dukat was likely born sometime in the last decade of the 23rd century (2290s). For comparative purposes, this would not only make him older than most of the [=DS9=] crew, but older than both the ''Enterprise''-D/E crew and, with the exception of Tuvok (b. 2264), older than the ''Voyager'' crew as well. Additionally, from this information, it can also reasonably inferred that most of Dukat's seven children with his wife are already adults by the time we first see him in "Emissary".

->'''Played By''': Creator/MarcAlaimo

* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:Winn poisons Dukat to become the sole inheritor of the Pah-wraiths' power, but the Pah-wraiths choose him as their Emissary instead — reviving Dukat, restoring his natural appearance, and endowing him with supernatural powers]].

* BigShutUp: In "Waltz", he directs this towards the hallucination of Kira, who is both incessantly taunting and laughing at him, after which [[RageBreakingPoint he starts haphazardly firing a disruptor in random directions]] following his exclamation:

* DirtyOldMan: Given the fact that he is older than most of the [=DS9=] crew (see OlderThanTheyLook and VagueAge), and that he has a rather…''[[LoveFatherLoveSon unhealthy fascination]]'' with Kira, this trope can easily apply.

** Dukat even serves as a foil to his fellow Cardassian and [[TheDragon loyal adjutant]] Damar. On the surface, they appear to be very similar to each other: both men are [[SmugSnake arrogant and condescending]], both are seasoned military officers in the service of Cardassia, and both are willing to [[{{Determinator}} go to great lengths to achieve their goals]]. However, upon closer examination, they are quite different overall. While Dukat is an upper-echelon officer with a penchant for political intrigue in order to put himself into positions of power and dominance — such as switching sides following the civilian overthrow of the Central Command and his opportunistic alliance with the Dominion, Damar is a dutiful, forthright soldier with no political ambitions other than to serve the Cardassian Union; his tenure as Cardassia's supreme leader highlights his lack of ease in the role. Additionally, while Dukat generally acts [[TheUnapologetic without remorse or regret]], Damar is plagued with doubts and frustrations about Cardassia's alliance with the Dominion. As writer Hans Beimler said of Damar's [[DrowningMySorrows drinking problem]] that began in early Season 6: "He's not drinking because he's an alcoholic, he's drinking because he has a conscience. There's something he doesn't want to deal with. He knows Dukat's deal with the Dominion is wrong, wrong, wrong. And so he's drinking." His drinking problem lasts until the mounting losses and decreased independence Cardassia experiences in the war propels Damar into a HeelRealization and [[HeelFaceTurn rebels against the Dominion, even going as far as to seek aid from his former enemies]]. By contrast, Dukat, after going through both a [[VillainousBreakdown severe psychological breakdown]] and being confronted with his past crimes as Prefect of Bajor, rejects his HeelRealization in "Waltz" and starts pursuing a [[RevengeBeforeReason destructive agenda of revenge]] against all those he feels have "wronged" him — chiefly, the Bajorans and Sisko.

* TheGeneralissimo: He convinced himself that the Bajorans were lucky to have him as their "master" during his time as Prefect of Bajor, and that he cared for them as if they were his own children. Around ''15 million'' of them died during the Occupation, with ''5 million'' (one-third of the total) perishing during his own tenure as Prefect!

** In the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E18TilDeathDoUsPart 'Til Death Do Us Part]]", Dukat, in the guise of Anjohl Tennan, sternly encourages Damar to be a more assertive leader. Damar in turn urges Dukat to return to his position as leader of Cardassia, which Dukat rejects because of his new role as an agent of the Pah-wraiths. Had he reassumed the mantle of leadership, Dukat could have likely led the Cardassian resistance to Dominion rule, thus atoning for his opportunistic pact with them and cementing his legacy as a hero--at least in the eyes of his own people. Instead, he will go down in Cardassian history as the [[TheQuisling man who sold out his civilization]], and therefore shares responsibility for all the disasters and atrocities that befall Cardassia both during and after the war, whereas Damar [[FightingForAHomeland leads the Cardassian resistance]] and becomes that hero after dying in battle to [[OccupiersOutOfOurCountry liberate Cardassia]].

* ThenLetMeBeEvil: Dukat came to Bajor with the firm intention of offering more carrot and less stick. However, rather than shower affection on their new master, the Bajorans rose up (to Dukat's astonishment) and eventually overthrew the Cardassian occupiers. WordOfGod says that Dukat's deep-seated hatred for the Bajorans is rooted in the fact that they refused to love him.
-->They thought I was their enemy? They don't know what it ''is'' to be my enemy, but they will. From this day forward, Bajor is DEAD!

* WarHawk: Dukat saw Cardassia as destined to rule Bajor...then the Occupation ended. Then the Maquis insurgency began, and he found himself increasingly LockedOutOfTheLoop by the Central Command. Then the Klingons invaded, and he saw Cardassia's new civilian government press for a diplomatic solution. All of this flew in the face of his pride, so he waged a [[RogueSoldier one-ship war]] on the Klingons and then forged an alliance with [[TheEmpire the Dominion]]. That ''still'' wasn't enough; he was planning to take the ''entire'' Alpha Quadrant before Sisko re-took the station.

** With his character arc as the Emissary of the Pah-Wraiths in mind, it makes things more ambiguous in ''Waltz'' if he is really hallucinating due to madness, [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane or]] the Pah-Wraiths are taking the forms he sees to draw him further down the path to becoming TheAntichrist for them.

** The conversation between Dukat and Weyoun near the climax of "Sacrifice of Angels" highlights the differences between the former's ego and the latter's pragmatism. Dukat toasts himself for a victory that he hasn't won yet, while Weyoun warns him that their fortunes can still go south. Weyoun then wants to annihilate Earth's population to prevent any rebellions from starting there, while Dukat would rather keep everyone alive so that they can acknowledge his greatness. This builds upon their established character traits — Dukat is motivated by self-aggrandization, while everything Weyoun does is in service to the Founders.

* {{Foil}}: The conversation between Dukat and Weyoun near the climax of "Sacrifice of Angels" highlights the differences between the former's ego and the latter's pragmatism. Dukat toasts himself for a victory that he hasn't won yet, while Weyoun warns him that their fortunes can still go south. Weyoun then wants to annihilate Earth's population to prevent any rebellions from starting there, while Dukat would rather keep everyone alive so that they can acknowledge his greatness. This builds upon their established character traits — Dukat is motivated by self-aggrandization, while everything Weyoun does is in service to the Founders.

* HeelRealization: He actually embraces it, and generally becomes a less complex villain afterwards.

-->'''Sisko:''' Don't remind me.

* VagueAge: While Dukat's age and birthdate have never been stated in canon, it can be reasonably assumed that in "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E17WrongsDarkerThanDeathOrNight Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night]]", which largely takes place in 2346, where he appeared to be a fully-grown adult already at the rank of "gul" (captain) by the time he became Prefect of Bajor, that he is older than most of the [=DS9=] crew, whose ages and birthdates are known in canon. In 2346, Kira (b. 2343) would have been 3 years old; Bashir (b. 2341) and Jadzia (b. 2341) would have both been 5 years old; Worf (b. 2340) would have been 6 years old; Sisko (b. 2332) would have been 14 years old; and O'Brien (b. 2328) would have been 18 years old. Additionally, he appears to be at least as old as Kira Meru (b. 2314), which would roughly set his birthdate either in the early 2310s or sometime in the 2300s.
** In the [[Literature/TerokNor Terok Nor novel]] ''Day of the Vipers'', Dukat was a young officer and a new father, presumably in his twenties, in the year 2318. This means that Dukat was likely born sometime in the last decade of the 23rd century (2290s). Thus, for comparative purposes, this would not only make him older than most of the [=DS9=] crew, but older than both the ''Enterprise''-D/E crew and, with the exception of Tuvok, older than the ''Voyager'' crew as well. Additionally, from this information, it can also reasonably inferred that most of Dukat's seven children with his wife are already adults by the time we first see him in "Emissary".

* DeadAlternateCounterpart: In the [[Series/StarTrekPicard Confederation timeline]] [[spoiler: his skull is one of many displayed in Picard's trophy case. He died fighting for Cardassia, suggesting he was a better person in that timeline, or at least a much lesser of two evils]].

* DoWrongRight: In "The Maquis, Part I", while Dukat is bothered that a Maquis member died in Cardassian custody, he apparently has no qualms about how an interrogation is carried out as long as the subject doesn't die. And given what is known about [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand Cardassian interrogation techniques]]…
-->'''Sisko:''' No one is going to buy your suicide story. I don't care what he did. This kind of barbaric disregard for life will gut this treaty.\\

** {{Lust}}: Dukat compelled multiple Bajoran women to sleep with him during his time as Prefect. His lustful behavior gave the Bajorans yet another reason to hate their Cardassian occupiers. Furthermore, one of his comfort women bore him a half-Bajoran, half-Cardassian daughter, a fact that alienated his family and created public scandal when it came to light years later. Even his downfall as leader of the Pah-wraith cult is due to this because of his indiscretion with one of his followers.

* OffWithHisHead: In an [[Recap/StarTrekPicardS2E02Penance alternate timeline where the Federation never existed]], the Cardassian Union is conquered by the brutal Terran Confederation. Dukat's skull can be seen in Picard's trophy room alongside other aliens executed by the Confederation.

** His expertise and competence in both close and grand tactics are evident in several episodes. In "The Maquis, Part II" and "The Way of the Warrior", he shows he can handle himself well in hand-to-hand combat. Additionally, he was able to survive for about a year conducting hit-and-run attacks while using a hijacked Klingon Bird-of-Prey. In "Defiant", he competently coordinated Cardassian ships and outposts from the main war room on Cardassia Prime to successfully track and subdue Thomas Riker. In "Call to Arms", he successfully directed Dominion forces in retaking Deep Space 9, and in "Sacrifice of Angels", he oversaw and directed the Dominion response to the Federation Alliance's Operation Return.
** However, when it comes to grand strategy, he is utterly deficient. This is most evident during the early months of the Dominion War, when he wasted crucial time by using precious resources and ships on battles that didn't need to be fought rather than prioritizing the disabling of the minefield at the wormhole to allow both a constant flow of supplies and reinforcements from the Gamma Quadrant, which would have likely ended the war in his favor much sooner. Furthermore, in "Sacrifice of Angels", because he can't even entertain the notion that he might lose, he makes no contingency plans to potentially avert abrupt changes in fortune.

** Everything he does in regards to the Bajoran people is a twisted attempt to get them to see why they should adore and worship him. He tries it with the Bajorans during the Occupation, then with Kira, later with the Bajoran followers of the Pah-wraiths, and then finally with Kai Winn. All of them reject him when his charm ultimately fails and they come to recognize him for the vile monster he really is. It's doubly damning when in "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E11Waltz Waltz]]", Dukat admits that he'd always hated the Bajorans with a white hot fury because he could never charm them into loving him.
* ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou: Dukat can't comprehend that Kira doesn't return his feelings. After all, he managed to [[spoiler:woo her mother, turning her into one of his comfort women.]]

* IncestSubtext: Dukat's long-term "interest" in Kira has a disturbing aspect after [[spoiler:the reveal that her mother was his mistress.]]

** WordOfGod says that Dukat was unraveling long before [[spoiler:Ziyal's death]]. His obsession with vindicating himself and reclaiming [=DS9=] led to many costly and unnecessary battles for Cardassia and the Dominion. Later, a drunk Dukat starts complaining, yet again, about how little the Bajorans appreciated the ways in which he "advanced" their planet -- and how, in a just universe, there would be statues of himself erected on the planet. ''Then'' Weyoun realizes he's nuts.

'''Dukat:''' And you'd be right. ''([[TensionCuttingLaughter Both laugh]])'' Take Captain Sisko, an otherwise intelligent, perceptive man. [[ItsAllAboutMe Even he refuses to grant me the respect I deserve]].\\

** After the Klingons invade, Cardassia's new civilian government pressed for a diplomatic solution, which flew in the face of Dukat's pride. He actually has the gall to tell Major Kira [[NoTrueScotsman "I am the only Cardassian left!"]], apparently refusing to consider that there are other Cardassians, including those from his crew, that also have a strong desire to fight the Klingons and liberate their space.

** His conversation with Weyoun in "Sacrifice of Angels" is also insightful, where Dukat all but admits that what he resents the most about the Bajorans is that they're not grateful for [[TotalitarianUtilitarian all the things he did for them during the Occupation]]—irrespective of the suffering he caused.

* KneelBeforeZod: The Bajorans stubbornly refused to, which enraged him. [[spoiler:In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E25E26WhatYouLeaveBehind What You Leave Behind]]", Dukat uses his newly-acquired telekinesis to force the Emissary -- Bajor incarnate -- to bow before him.]]

* LegacySeeker: Dukat is not only concerned with [[SlaveToPR his image in the present]], but he is equally concerned with how people have viewed him in the past and how people will view him in the future. He is frustrated that the Bajorans haven't "honored" him with statues for his "kinder and gentler" methods during the Occupation, and he is thrilled that monuments are being built in his honor on Cardassia following his [[TheUsurper assumption of power]] there.

* MagicPlasticSurgery: While masquerading as "Anjohl Tennan", a Bajoran farmer. [[spoiler:However, it literally happens in the series finale, when the Pah-wraiths restore his Cardassian features with a puff of fire.]]

* MoralMyopia: Dukat is, first and foremost, [[KnightTemplar a hero in his own mind]], believing that the Occupation (and ''especially'' his actions therein) actually helped the Bajorans. He also sees himself as a staunch patriot fighting to strengthen Cardassia by handing it over to the Dominion. Upon his breakdown, Dukat notably tells [[spoiler:a dead]] Ziyal that he "forgives" her for helping the resistance against his regime. [[spoiler:Dukat eventually realizes that he was never a hero and, rather than recognize the scope of his atrocities, [[HeelRealization largely embraces]] his self-imposed destiny as Emissary of the Pah-wraiths and would-be destroyer of Bajor.]]

* MoralityChain: Ziyal kept Dukat from turning completely evil. In fact, he deluded himself to think of Ziyal as a sort of stand-in for the Bajorans as a whole, and that his generally benevolent treatment towards her was a way to further reinforce his [[BelievingTheirOwnLies delusion]] that the Occupation actually ''helped'' the Bajorans, both to subvert his conscience and satisfy his huge ego. Nonetheless, he did truly adore his daughter, and [[spoiler:Ziyal's death is the tipping point for his madness.]]

* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Despite all of his affability and charm, Dukat is a cruel, sadistic, bigoted sociopath who will go to any lengths to achieve what he wants, up to and including genocide.
* PragmaticVillainy: As the Prefect of Bajor. He did genuinely try to improve the life conditions of the Bajorans, but his MotiveRant in "Waltz" makes clear that it wasn't out of benevolence but because it was the prudent thing to do to quell insurrections (and thus ensure his career). Most of his self-delusions are born of his inability to tell the difference between this trope and actual heroism.

* SlidingScaleOfAntagonistVileness: At his most "friendly", he comes across as an AffablyEvil AntiVillain — partaking in FriendlyEnemy scenarios, doing his utmost to convince others that he's NotEvilJustMisunderstood, that during the Occupation he was a WellIntentionedExtremist who had to take [[NecessarilyEvil unfortunate actions for the "greater good"]], and wants to be seen if not as a potential friend, then a WorthyOpponent by his occasional Federation associates; at his least "friendly", he comes across as a self-centered, insufferable SmugSnake. At his most vile, he wavers in-between least sympathetic to permanently unsympathetic — being a PoliticallyIncorrectVillain who, at his most depraved, is a potentially AxCrazy, OmnicidalManiac.
* SlidingScaleOfVillainThreat: Zig-Zagged. He starts off as a Planetary Threat, having previously been the ''de facto'' dictator of Bajor during the Occupation. This is then subverted when he is KickedUpstairs by the Central Command during the first several seasons and becomes a sort of FriendlyEnemy towards the [=DS9=] crew. It is then further subverted when he is [[ReassignedToAntarctica demoted to a freighter captain]], but he soon becomes a low-level Stellar Threat once he begins a [[RogueSoldier guerilla campaign]] against the Klingons. He eventually becomes a lower-level Galactic Threat during both his dictatorship of the Cardassian Union and the early months of the Dominion War. It is then subverted yet again when he loses a decisive battle, loses his station (again), [[spoiler:witnesses the death of his daughter]], and becomes a prisoner of war. However, after he escapes from the Federation, his threat level slowly rebuilds throughout the remainder of the series, particularly when he aligns himself with the Pah-wraiths. [[spoiler:He finally, and briefly, becomes a Major Galactic Threat -- possibly even a Universal Threat -- when he becomes Emissary of the Pah-wraiths during the series finale.]]

** In "Indiscretion", Kira is not happy at all to have to take Dukat along with her on the search mission for survivors from the ''Ravinok''. Dukat, however, is [[VillainousCrush a lot more pleased about it]]. This specific dynamic is again apparent later in "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E14ReturnToGrace Return to Grace]]" when Kira helps Dukat and his freighter crew capture a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, much to her displeasure.

** During the series' nine-episode final arc, [[spoiler:after Dukat's cover identity of Anjohl Tennan is exposed by Solbor, Kai Winn is [[EvenEvilHasStandards utterly horrified that she is working with the infamous Dukat]] and, despite their continued collaboration in advancing the Pah-wraiths' agenda, have a noticeably more tense working relationship from then on.]]

** In the [[Literature/TerokNor Terok Nor novel]] ''Day of the Vipers'', Dukat was a young officer and a new father, presumably in his twenties, in the year 2318. This means that Dukat was likely born sometime in the last decade of the 23rd century (2290s). Thus, this would not only make him older than most of the [=DS9=] crew, but older than both the ''Enterprise''-D/E crew and, with the exception of Tuvok, older than the ''Voyager'' crew as well. Additionally, from this information, it can also reasonably inferred that most of Dukat's seven children with his wife are already adults by the time we first see him in "Emissary".

* WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency: He is arguably the poster boy for this trope, given his continual resentment that neither the Bajorans nor Sisko give him credit for being [[DamnedByFaintPraise more merciful than other prefects of Bajor during the Occupation.]]

* BadSamaritan: Dukat promises Commander Sisko that he'll ''always'' be watching... just in case Starfleet needs help maintaining the station... sure. Somewhat [[ZigZaggingTrope zig-zagged]] as Dukat does comes to the crew's aid on numerous occasions. However, in the long run, this just makes him bitter towards them for not respecting him more despite all he did for them, ignoring all of the terrible things he ''also'' did to them and to others.

* BondVillainStupidity: Lays it all out in "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E06SacrificeOfAngels Sacrifice of Angels]]", when Weyoun suggested that they [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim just eradicate Earth's population and be done]]. And skip all of the genuflecting and begging? No way!

* CantTakeCriticism: Whenever he's criticized or accused by anyone, Dukat's tone of voice becomes noticeably more irritable. By the time of "Waltz", he claims to be the "[[PlayingTheVictimCard victim]]" of MaliciousSlander since the Occupation of Bajor ended, [[BelievingTheirOwnLies believing his own delusion]] that he was a benevolent administrator during his time as Prefect:

* DeadAlternateCounterpart: In the [[Series/StarTrekPicard Confederation timeline]] [[spoiler: his skull is one of many displayed in Picard's trophy case. He died fighting for Cardassia, suggesting he was a better person in that timeline, or at least a much lesser of two evils.]]

** This particularly defines Dukat with regards to Bajor. Ever since he became Prefect, he increasingly attached his identity with the planet and its people, occasionally bordering on [[BecauseDestinySaysSo believing it to be his destiny]] to "guide" and "uplift" the Bajorans. He very reluctantly gave up his position and was forced to evacuate his old station when the Occupation ended. After the Bajoran system became a more valuable and strategic location following the discovery of the wormhole, the blame for the withdrawal was [[TheScapegoat largely heaped on his shoulders]]. To add insult to injury, not long after taking over Deep Space 9, Sisko was almost immediately recognized as the [[MessianicArchetype Emissary of the Prophets]] and becomes increasingly beloved by the Bajorans. Thereafter, Dukat increasingly seizes upon almost any opportunity to regain his influence over Bajor. Although not above using underhanded methods, such as being involved in [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E01TheHomecoming supplying arms]] to a [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E02TheCircle Bajoran extremist group]] with [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E03TheSiege ties to Central Command]], Dukat preferred being more overt, often coming to the aid of the [=DS9=] crew [[KeepingTheEnemyClose to work with them]] on a variety of regional/political issues while still pursuing his ulterior motive of regaining his influence. Once he gains ultimate political power following [[DealWithTheDevil his alliance with the Dominion]], his first major offensive military action is to retake his old station, with the hopes of eventually reestablishing control over Bajor. Even after he loses both his political position and the station, suffers both a mental breakdown and HeelRealization, and even after aligning himself with the Pah-wraiths, Dukat still finds rationalizations to see himself as integral to Bajor's destiny. [[spoiler:This obsession ultimately leads to his downfall when he is forever trapped in the Fire Caves]].

* DidntSeeThatComing: Only four times in the show is he ever really taken by surprise. The first is is when he tries to beam off a station while a "Bajoran riot" was in progress (actually an automated defense system the [=DS9=] crew accidentally activated), only for the defense system turn out to have been hacked by his former superior, who calls him a coward, revokes his access, and tells him to die with some dignity. The second is when [[ItMakesSenseInContext he's informed Major Kira is pregnant with O'Brien's baby]]. The third when Weyoun chugs down some poisonous kanar (Weyoun then informs him [[AcquiredPoisonImmunity Vorta are immune to most poisons]]). And, of course, when the Dominion ships he was expecting fail to emerge from the wormhole.

* DisneyVillainDeath: Tackled into a pit in the Fire Caves. When the furnace burned up the TomeOfEldritchLore he was holding, Dukat's power vanished and he burned up, too.
* DisproportionateRetribution: From "Waltz" onward following his HeelRealization, in retaliation for the Bajorans not returning his "affections" after what he did to "help" them during the Occupation, Dukat vows an [[ApocalypseHow apocalyptic vengeance against Bajor and all Bajorans]].

* DrivenByEnvy: This especially defines his relationship with regards to Sisko. Having been Prefect of Bajor for nearly a quarter-century, Dukat becomes one of the most reviled figures in Bajoran history, whereas Sisko, not long after taking over Deep Space 9, is almost immediately recognized as the Emissary of the Prophets and is increasingly beloved by the Bajorans. Dukat, of course, [[TheResenter deeply resents]] Sisko for this (in addition to commanding his old station), and this jealousy becomes increasingly apparent as the series progresses, culminating in [[spoiler:their showdown in "What You Leave Behind".]]

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Dukat cannot understand why the Bajorans wouldn't submit to his "kinder and gentler" implementation of Cardassian rule during his time as Prefect of Bajor.

** Even the fates of the two men mirror each other: [[spoiler:Dukat becomes the Emissary to the Pah-wraiths as Sisko is to the Prophets, and like Sisko, he ends the series in the company of the gods to whom he owes allegiance; Sisko ascends to join the Prophets in the Celestial Temple, while Dukat is trapped in the Fire Caves with the Pah-wraiths for an eternity.]]

* ExplosiveDecompression: In "Waltz", while he and Sisko are passing the time waiting for someone to pick up their distress signal, Dukat mentions an incident early in his career in which he had to clean up the mess when this happened to some other Cardassians on a ship he was serving on, and how he couldn't sleep for a week afterward.

* FalseFlagOperation: As depicted in the [[Literature/TerokNor Terok Nor novel]] ''Day of the Vipers'', in 2323, the Cardassians initiated an elaborate false flag operation against Bajor, framing the Tzenkethi. Utilizing captured Tzenkethi ships, the Cardassians attacked Bajor, during which many Bajoran ships were destroyed or severely damaged, causing massive damage to the Bajoran Militia. The Cardassians then came in and destroyed the Tzenkethi ships. This allowed them to gain a military base in the Bajoran system in order to "protect" it, and relegated the Bajoran Militia to a minor role until it was disbanded at the beginning of the Occupation of Bajor several years later. Dukat, as a young officer in the Cardassian military, took part in this false flag operation that led to increased Cardassian control of Bajor, eventually leading to the planetary occupation he would one day oversee.

** {{Lust}}: Dukat compelled multiple Bajoran women to sleep with him during his time as Prefect. His lustful behavior gave the Bajorans yet another reason to hate their Cardassian occupiers. Furthermore, one of his comfort women bore him a half-Bajoran, half-Cardassian daughter, a fact that alienated his family and created public scandal when it came to light years later.

* FightingForAHomeland: Subverted. While Dukat ardently [[BelievingTheirOwnLies believes himself]] to be a Cardassian patriot first and foremost, it's evident from both his actions and words that his own interests and ambitions ultimately come first. This is contrasted with both [[PatriotInExile Garak]] and [[OccupiersOutOfOurCountry Damar]], whose support for Cardassia is more genuine and selfless.

* GoodCopBadCop: During the Occupation, Dukat encouraged or at least ignored bad behavior from his underlings so that he came off better and more reasonable by comparison towards the Bajorans.

* HazyFeelTurn: Introduced as an AffablyEvil AntiVillain of sorts who was genuinely charming and likeable and often helped to save the day; at the same time, most of the crew were wary of him at best due to his past as the ''de facto'' dictator of Bajor, and many of his actions post-Occupation were still self-serving and in some cases downright villainous, not to mention he was [[TheUnapologetic largely unrepentant]] about everything he had done. It comes to a head when he sold out his people to the Dominion, both to finally defeat the Klingons and the Maquis and also to obtain the level of personal power he felt he deserved, putting him firmly and unambiguously in "Heel" territory for the remainder of the show. WordOfGod is that audiences found him to be far more AmbiguouslyEvil than originally intended, and that at the end of the day he was always a bad guy.

* HeroKiller: [[spoiler:Dukat has the distinction of being the first recurring villain in ''Star Trek'' to kill off a major character (i.e. one listed in the opening credits) in the franchise (in this case, Jadzia Dax) in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E26TearsOfTheProphets Tears of the Prophets]]".]]

* HopelessSuitor: Essentially, this is his relationship with Kira Nerys in a nutshell. Despite his delusional pursuit of her affections, he is simply [[MoralMyopia unable to grasp]] that Kira, who sees him as a brutal dictator responsible for many crimes against her people, would never even consider a mere friendship with him, much less a romantic relationship. [[spoiler:And all of this is before the reveal that her mother was one of his comfort women.]]

* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: Probably the worst thing to happen to Dukat was becoming Prefect of Bajor. Before then, he was just a promising gul in search of distinction. Not only did the blame for Cardassia's withdrawal [[TheScapegoat fall on his shoulders]], but the added humiliation of giving up the wormhole added insult to injury. In his selfish drive to regain everything he has "lost", Dukat continues to [[HumiliationConga lose and lose and lose]] until, finally, he has nothing at all--save his vendetta toward the individuals he blames for ruining his life.

* AxCrazy: In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E11Waltz Waltz]]", Dukat is shown in the throes of psychosis. He fires weapons at his hallucinations and [[PipePain beats an injured Sisko with a pipe]].

** After the Klingons invaded, Cardassia's new civilian government pressed for a diplomatic solution, which flew in the face of Dukat's pride. He flat out tells Major Kira [[NoTrueScotsman "I am the only Cardassian left!"]], apparently refusing to consider that there are other Cardassians, including those from his crew, that likely feel the same way about liberating their space from the Klingons.

** His revealing conversation with Weyoun in "Sacrifice of Angels" is also insightful, where Dukat all but admits that what he resents the most about the Bajorans is that they're not grateful for [[TotalitarianUtilitarian all the things he did for them during the Occupation]]—irrespective of the suffering he caused.

** In the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E18TilDeathDoUsPart 'Til Death Do Us Part]]", Dukat, in the guise of Anjohl Tennan, sternly encourages Damar to be a more assertive leader. Damar in turn encourages Dukat to return to his position as leader of Cardassia, which Dukat rejects because of his new role as an agent of the Pah-wraiths. Had Dukat reassumed the mantle of leadership, he could have likely led the Cardassian resistance to Dominion rule, thus atoning for his opportunistic pact with them and to finally be seen as a hero, at least in the eyes of his own people. Instead, he will go down in Cardassian history as the [[TheQuisling man who sold out his civilization]], and therefore shares responsibility for all the disasters and atrocities that befall Cardassia both during and after the war, whereas Damar [[FightingForAHomeland leads the Cardassian resistance]] and becomes that hero after dying in battle to [[OccupiersOutOfOurCountry liberate Cardassia]].

** In the episode [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E18TilDeathDoUsPart 'Til Death Do Us Part]]", Dukat, in the guise of Anjohl Tennan, sternly encourages Damar to be a more assertive leader. Damar in turn encourages Dukat to return to his position as leader of Cardassia, which Dukat rejects because of his new role as an agent of the Pah-wraiths. Had Dukat reassumed the mantle of leadership on Cardassia, he could have likely led the Cardassian resistance to Dominion rule, thus atoning for his opportunistic pact with them and to finally be seen as a hero, at least in the eyes of his own people. Instead, he will go down in Cardassian history as the [[TheQuisling man who sold out his civilization]], and is thus indirectly responsible for all the disasters and atrocities that befall Cardassia both during and after the war, while Damar [[FightingForAHomeland leads the Cardassian resistance]] and becomes that hero after dying in battle to [[OccupiersOutOfOurCountry liberate Cardassia]].

** It can even apply on other matters. He takes Kira carrying Kirayoshi O'Brien as a [[GreenEyedMonster ''personal insult'']] to him, by Kira.

** In the episode [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E18TilDeathDoUsPart 'Til Death Do Us Part]]", Dukat, in the guise of Anjohl Tennan, sternly encourages Damar to be a more assertive leader. Damar in turn encourages Dukat to return to his position as leader of Cardassia, which Dukat rejects because of his new role as an agent of the Pah-wraiths. Had Dukat reassumed the mantle of leadership on Cardassia, he could have likely led the Cardassian resistance to Dominion rule, thus rectifying his opportunistic pact with them and to finally be seen as a hero, at least in the eyes of his own people. Instead, because of this rejection, he will go down in Cardassian history as the man who sold out his civilization, and is thus indirectly responsible for all the misfortunes and atrocities that befall Cardassia, while Damar leads the Cardassian resistance and becomes that hero after dying in battle to liberate Cardassia.

* RedemptionRejection: From Sisko's point of view at least, he thought that despite Dukat's arrogance and generally unapologetic attitude towards the Occupation, because the latter was largely helpful to Sisko and his crew over the past several years in several instances that resulted in lives being saved, that it could have potentially opened Dukat up to an [[TheAtoner atonement]] down the road. However, by the middle of Season 5, all such illusions have been shattered:
-->'''Sisko:''' You know, Dukat, I thought you'd changed in the last five years. I see I was wrong.\\