Cardassians
We all knew Garak had to be more than the "plain and simple" tailor he claimed to be, and in this episode, we start to get a hint about his ties to Cardassia. Garak and Dr. Bashir become ensnared in political intrigue involving a Cardassian boy and his Bajoran adoptive father. The enigma of Garak gets a lot of set-up, as Bashir finds himself questioning his Cardassian friend's background and motives — Garak only shares as little information as is absolutely necessary, and the information he does give is suspect. We also get a taste of the intriguing conflict between Garak and Gul Dukat.

Profit and Loss
Garak is given the chance to end his exile from Cardassia — and we witness yet another shade of gray to this intriguing character. When Garak spies a group of Cardassian rebels on the station, he informs Sisko, and later meets with Gul Toran. Toran tells Garak that in order to end his exile, he must kill the rebels. We get a sense of how desperate Garak is to return home (he does intend to kill the rebels), but we also witness his compassionate streak (in the end, he can't follow through). Truly, he is a character you can't pin down.

The Wire
This is Andrew Robinson's favorite episode, and with good reason — "The Wire" is the hour that best highlights exactly how enigmatic and multi-faceted this character is, while giving us a tantalizing glimpse at Garak's true identity. When a powerful implant in Garak's brain appears to be killing him, Bashir is determined to learn its origin. It is here that we meet the mysterious Enabran Tain, the former leader of the Obsidian Order and (as we will learn much later) Garak's father. Though Garak reveals many conflicting stories of his exile in this episode, in the end, Bashir is left with more questions than answers — an excellent way to tease us with the truth of Garak while maintaining his mystique. We also learn Garak's first name: Elim.

Improbable Cause
When an attempt is made on Garak's life, Odo is determined to unravel the truth behind the mysterious Cardassian. This episode features the reemergence of Tain, who is, in fact, responsible for the assassination attempt. However, when Garak tracks him down, he reveals that the Tal Shiar and the Obsidian Order are joining forces to take on the Dominion, and that Tain plans to resume his post as head of the Order. Garak jumps at the chance to rejoin his former mentor, and we get yet another glimpse at how nebulous Garak's loyalties are — he puts his trust in the wily Tain and abandons Odo to an uncertain fate.

The Die is Cast
In this sequel to "Improbable Cause," Garak is ordered by Tain to torture Odo to obtain information about the Founders. The powerhouse scenes between Garak and Odo (Garak interrogates Odo by using a device that keeps the changeling from shape-shifting) are the center of the episode, and the duo plays off of each other wonderfully. These two share a common bond, as both are somehow considered outcasts to their respective people, and it's chilling to watch Garak torture someone he might consider a friend. Perhaps most heartbreaking is the moment wherein Garak, watching as Odo begins to crumble, begs his friend to just talk. In the end, however, Garak saves Odo and these two disenfranchised souls head back to their home on DS9.

In Purgatory's Shadow
When Garak receives a distress call from Enabran Tain, he and Worf head out to track it down. They are taken prisoner by the Jem'Hadar and imprisoned in a Dominion detention center. Here, they encounter a dying Tain, who chastises Garak for being taken prisoner. In the end, we finally learn of the nature of the bond between Tain and Garak — they are father and son. This is a fitting end to this particular arc, and allows Garak some nice, emotional scenes as he says good-bye to the mentor and father he's looked up to for years.

By Inferno's Light
In this conclusion to "In Purgatory's Shadow," Garak, Bashir and Worf attempt to escape the Dominion detention center. This outing is more action-driven than the emotional "Purgatory," but it does feature at least one nice little bit for Garak, who must confront his fear of small, enclosed spaces when he is forced to spend hours in a tiny crawlspace in order to reconfigure a transmitter that will beam the trio back to their runabout. The Cardassian's claustrophobia is made especially palpable by an intense performance from Robinson.

In the Pale Moonlight
This episode features Garak at his crafty best, and expertly plays him off of a character he hasn't had much screen time with: Sisko. The war is looking grim for the Klingon/Federation alliance, so Sisko enlists Garak to help him devise a way to bring the Romulans into the fray. In the end, Garak accomplishes this by utilizing his skills of deception, even going so far as to lie to Sisko to get the job done. These two characters are on opposite sides of the spectrum as far as the truth goes, and it's wonderful to see that dichotomy explored.

Afterimage
Though this outing is squarely focused on the newly-joined Ezri Dax, it offers an excellent Garak-related storyline: one of Ezri's first assignments is to counsel the Cardassian, as he has been experiencing an incapacitating series of claustrophobic attacks. We eventually learn that Garak feels guilty about working against his own people during the war. Yet again, we get a sense of the strange dilemma this complex character faces in being separated from his fellow Cardassians.

Dogs of War
In one of the major Dominion war arc episodes, Garak gets the chance to jump fully into the fray alongside Kira and Damar. Their teamwork is wonderfully plotted, action-packed, and gives this arc a great deal of juice. The unlikely trio displays surprising chemistry, and this episode leads directly into DS9's excellent finale, "What You Leave Behind," which features another intense moment for Garak: he kills Weyoun in the final moments of the war.

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