Iconic television characters are usually born out of the mix of a transcendent performance from an actor and a pronounced relationship with the audience that creates a lot of buzz. One underdiscussed element that helps a lot of TV favorites is their signature look, and that stylistic bond is absolutely crucial when you go back and remember standout characters from many series. “Star Trek’s” set design, costume design, and makeup absolutely play a part in how the show has been able to persevere over all this time. Through different iterations, on multiple networks, and even streaming, there’s an effective promise that you’re going to see the full effort of these film units on-screen each season. But, sometimes, a single actor’s choice can affect the trajectory of the show’s lore and approach to an entire race of characters. That’s definitely the case for Marc Alaimo’s iconic turn as Gul Dukat in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”

Gul Dukat appears in 33 episodes of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” In fact, the character is the first alien of the Cardassian race viewers see during the first episodes of the show’s run. In a lineage of movies and TV that is flush with villains that still get referenced daily on the Internet, Dukat is a fan-favorite among “Star Trek” devotees. He feuds with Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and then finds himself fighting alongside him on occasion, which helps lend credence to the idea that all of these different alien races have their own motivations and customs outside of what we see from our Federation protagonists. All of that is true, but the real cheat code for Dukat is Alaimo’s performance.

Alaimo’s entire frame proved to be an inspiration for the makeup team, as his unique physiology prompted them to go big for the Cardassian head profile. It’s not hard to argue that, between Alaimo being the perfect actor for Dukat, and the physical traits of the alien race, the Cardassians wouldn’t be such a popular choice for cosplay or enduring fandom among the “Star Trek” viewers out there.

Marc Alaimo was a personal favorite of “Star Trek” makeup artist Michael Westmore. He talked about creating the look for the Cardassians based on Alaimo’s features, and one thing really popped for the designer. People who watch the show are well aware, but man has a long neck, and that made showcasing the scales of the alien race that much easier. After all, there’s some room to work with there! And, Westmore called it “the perfect canvas.” Pair that kind of serendipity with an actor who absolutely owns the role, and you’ve got something special cooking. In fact, the future Cardassians would all have to measure up to the “best neck in sci-fi.”

Alaimo also wants to be clear, in his eyes, the character is more grey than outright evil. He told StarTrek.com, “Dukat is not evil. And he is not a villain.” He felt like all of the motivations for the fan-favorite were absolutely understandable when you zoomed in on them. As he said:

“The thing I love about Dukat is that you never know what he’s going to do next,” Alaimo previously said. “He never does anything that’s truly unredeemable or completely black. Dukat doesn’t eat children, you know what I mean? … Cardassians have a pretty dominating presence. They’re great, and incidentally, they’re the best-looking aliens.”

It would be easy to point to a rabid fanbase as why “Star Trek” has endured over the years, and the viewers have absolutely helped keep the fire alive in more lean periods. But the engrossing worlds and stories are what keep those individuals invested and coming back for more. Alaimo’s Cardassian brethren are one of those antagonists that immediately jump out as something other sci-fi shows can struggle with on occasion, and they are pulled off flawlessly in “Deep Space Nine.” Moments like his introduction and growth throughout that series help show how elastic the world of “Star Trek” can be when they’re allowed to deviate from common patterns.

Viewers have to give it up for a performer like Alaimo as well, because his performance isn’t easy to carry off either. Under a lot of rubber and makeup, he manages to make Dukat likable in moments and take some fans inside his head to illuminate his thinking. “Star Trek” has always excelled at pondering the question of how exactly the Federation would be received by other governing bodies. Making the other cultures and beings feel closer to our experience is the secret sauce that makes the whole thing go. Yes, they might have different necks, but they have the same motivations as you or me when you really get down to it.