As for comparing him to Snape, I think its their loneliness that stands out most. There's also the fruitless grasping for the approval of a father figure - as you point out with Garak and Tain. Snape also wants a sign of some sort of recognition or care from Dumbledore, I think.

I agree! That's so astute of you. And I, too, love Garak's one-liners. I did read A Stitch in Time, and thought it well done. It offered a bit more hope, for Garak and his world, than the final episode did.

Like someone who commented on youtube, I would rather have seen a movie or serial dedicated to Cardassia and its rebuilding than a silly reboot that destroyed the "Star Trek" universe as I knew and loved it.