Star Trek maintains two layers of canon. Anything on screen (TV or movie) is “alpha canon.” Books, comics, games, etc. are “beta canon” and generally considered below the alpha class of information, but canon until contradicted by alpha canon or statements by creators. The most commonly cited and held in highest regard pieces of beta canon are the various tech manuals which have ven been used frequently by writers, but occasionally contradicted on screen.
I thought Garak was canonically bi?
It was never said on screen.
But the actor has said that he always played Garak as if he was bi if not gay.
Yeah, for the show being made when it was, he does a great job focusing the majority of Garaks flirtation with men.
There’s lots of ways to interpret pain simple Garak. I think many of us caught that he is meant to be gay, or at least bi.
I think there’s arguably also some solid subtext about Garak probably being persecuted by Cardasian (cough - military) culture for being gay, as well.
And perhaps even that being closeted on Cardasia might be a big part of his origin as a…plain simple tailor.
I mean him being a tailor is a pretty on the nose way of hinting that he spends a lot of time in closets.
I don’t think it’s canon, but I’m pretty sure he is in some novels
Licensed novels are beta canon.
What does that mean?
Star Trek maintains two layers of canon. Anything on screen (TV or movie) is “alpha canon.” Books, comics, games, etc. are “beta canon” and generally considered below the alpha class of information, but canon until contradicted by alpha canon or statements by creators. The most commonly cited and held in highest regard pieces of beta canon are the various tech manuals which have ven been used frequently by writers, but occasionally contradicted on screen.
See: Memory Alpha (shows, movies), vs. Memory Beta (that, plus everything else)