Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Garak Predicted Seven of Nine's Starfleet Career

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) predicted Seven of Nine's (Jeri Ryan) future Starfleet career in Star Trek: Picard. Seven joining Starfleet seemed unlikely during Seven's time on Star Trek: Voyager, but Star Trek: Picard revealed that Seven had actually attempted to join Starfleet. Even with Captain Kathryn Janeway's (Kate Mulgrew) sponsorship, Starfleet turned Seven down on account of being an ex-Borg drone. In Star Trek: Picard season 2, Seven of Nine earned a field commission from Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), with 20 years of Fenris Ranger experience qualifying Seven for the rank of Commander.

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5, episode 14, "In Purgatory's Shadow", Lieutenant Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) accompanies "plain, simple tailor" Garak on a trip to the Gamma Quadrant. On the way, Garak asks if Worf would be willing to sponsor Garak's admission to Starfleet Academy. Worf is understandably skeptical, but Garak points out that Worf himself is Starfleet's first Klingon, and fellow DS9 resident Nog (Aron Eisenberg) was recently sponsored by Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) to become Starfleet's first Ferengi. A Cardassian in Starfleet wouldn't be that unusual, would it?

DS9's Garak Imagines A Starfleet Career Just Like Seven of Nine's in Star Trek: Picard

Garak Wants To "Go Straight To Commander" Just To Outrank Worf

The career trajectory that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Garak imagines for himself as a Starfleet officer is surprisingly similar to Seven of Nine's Starfleet career in Star Trek: Picard. After using Worf and Nog as examples of non-Federation citizens who successfully joined Starfleet, Worf reluctantly admits a Cardassian in Starfleet might not be that unusual. Satisfied with that answer, Garak goes on to suggest that he might "skip the lower ranks and go straight to Commander", which is exactly how Commander Seven of Nine became First Officer of the USS Titan-A.

Of course, Garak is only kidding about wanting to join Starfleet, whereas Seven of Nine's intention was genuine. Garak is good enough at mixing lies with truth that Worf really believes Garak wants to join Starfleet, until Garak admits he's just messing with Worf. It's just feasible enough that Garak's years of experience with the Cardassian Obsidian Order might actually qualify Garak for an advanced rank in Starfleet, if Garak were actually being honest about wanting to join. The fact that Seven of Nine's years with the Fenris Rangers let her skip several Starfleet ranks supports that.

Why Seven Of Nine's Starfleet Career Was So Unusual

Events Between DS9 And Star Trek: Picard Made Seven Of Nine's Starfleet Career Possible

Seven of Nine's Starfleet career in Star Trek: Picard was an unusual one due to the way Starfleet changed before Seven received her Starfleet commission in 2401. Garak's suggestion of skipping all the lower ranks sounded ridiculous in 2373, during DS9's fifth season. Star Trek: First Contact's Borg attack was still fresh, and DS9's Dominion War was about to kick off. Even after sustaining heavy losses fighting the Dominion, Starfleet still had enough officers to staff their fleet for the next decade. Like Worf judging Garak, Starfleet was understandably skeptical about an ex-Borg joining after the USS Voyager's 2378 return.

The next two decades changed both Starfleet's needs and public opinion toward the Borg. The 2385 synth attacks on Mars spread Starfleet's resources thinner than ever. More former drones were de-assimilated during Star Trek: Picard's first season, making Seven of Nine less of an anomaly in the Alpha Quadrant. By joining Admiral Picard's La Sirena team, Seven of Nine proved she wasn't the liability that made Starfleet reject her initial, Janeway-sponsored application. The circumstances made it possible for Seven of Nine's Starfleet career to actually resemble what Garak imagined as a joke in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.