star trek klingon worf

Filed under:

The final act of Worf, the Star Trek legend who deserved one most of all

Michael Dorn’s Klingon officer is Star Trek’s MVP

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Reddit
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: The final act of Worf, the Star Trek legend who deserved one most of all

In television — as in sports — some records are simply unbreakable. No one will ever pitch more complete games than Cy Young, no one will ever hold pro wrestling’s highest title longer than Bruno Sammartino, and no one will ever make more appearances on Star Trek than Michael Dorn.

Between 1987 and 2002, Dorn portrayed Starfleet’s mighty and stoic Klingon expatriate Worf in 174 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation , 98 episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and four feature films. Add in his cameo as Worf’s grandfather in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , and that adds up to 277. Even after the revival of the franchise in 2017, this still accounts for nearly a third of the entire Star Trek canon . Now, Dorn has swapped his mek’leth for a kur’leth and glued on his bumpy prosthetic forehead once more to reprise the role of Worf in the final season of Star Trek: Picard , which reunites the Next Gen cast for one last adventure. It’s the chance to give one of sci-fi’s most beloved supporting characters something that’s usually reserved only for Captains and Admirals: a glorious third act.

Though he’s now one of the franchise’s most recognizable figures, Lt. Worf was a last-minute addition to the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Series creator Gene Roddenberry hoped to avoid relying on familiar alien antagonists from the classic 1960s series , leading producer Robert Justman to suggest the addition of a Klingon to the crew of the Enterprise, symbolizing that their long Cold War with the Federation had come to an end. (It was 1987, after all.) Thus, security officer Worf was created, added into the final draft of the series pilot, and cast after the initial publicity photos for the series were shot. Thus, the early development of the character was left almost entirely in the hands of Dorn, then best known for a supporting role on the lighthearted police drama CHiPs .

“They really didn’t have a bible for Worf at all,” says Dorn of those early episodes. “In fact, one of the first things I did was, I asked the producers, ‘What do you want from this guy? You’ve just handed me a piece of paper that says Worf on it.’” With Roddenberry’s blessing, Dorn set out making the character his own, giving Worf the kind of personal investment and attachment that only an actor can provide. “I decided to make the guy the opposite of everybody else on the show. You know, everyone else, their attitudes were great, and they’re out there in space, relationships are forming. And after every mission they were like, Wasn’t that fantastic? I didn’t say anything to anybody, I just made him this gruff and surly character on the bridge. No smiles, no joking around.”

It didn’t take the show’s producers long to realize that Dorn’s gruff, joyless performance could effectively turn any bit of throwaway dialogue into a laugh line. Dorn recalls an incident while shooting the early episode “Justice,” in which Worf is welcomed to an idyllic alien world by an embrace from a beautiful, scantily clad woman, and retorts, simply, “Nice planet.” He hadn’t thought much of it, until he learned that the producers had been watching the take on repeat during dailies, laughing their asses off. From here on out, writers would attempt to insert deadpan “Worfisms” into scripts, producing some of the character’s most memorable moments, but also forcing Dorn to occasionally lay down the law about his character.

“That’s been one of the big issues about Worf’s character that I’ve tried to keep consistent,” says Dorn regarding writers’ tendency to play him for laughs. “Worf does not think he’s funny. He doesn’t say funny things. It’s the people’s reaction around him that’s funny.”

Alongside his role as the show’s unlikely comic relief, however, Worf developed into one of Star Trek’s most complicated protagonists. Roddenberry mandated that the show’s human characters had evolved beyond the sorts of interpersonal conflicts that typically drive television dramas, but Worf, an alien, was permitted to be contrarian, hot-tempered, and even malicious. Dorn recalls being taken aback after reading the script to the season 3 episode “The Enemy,” in which Worf refuses to offer a lifesaving blood transfusion to a gravely wounded Romulan soldier. The Romulan tells him that he’d rather die than “pollute his blood with Klingon filth,” and Worf obliges him, without remorse. Worf believes that saving the life of a Romulan would dishonor the memory of his parents, who were killed in a Romulan sneak attack when he was a child. This runs contrary to the ideals of Starfleet and puts him at odds with the entire crew, but it sets him apart as a character. He strictly adheres to a code of honor that does not totally overlap with that of his peers.

That is, if he can be said to have peers at all. From the beginning, Worf stands apart as the only Klingon in Starfleet, rescued by a human officer after his family is massacred. Raised on Earth by a pair of adoring, demonstrative Russian Jews, young Worf is encouraged to explore and embrace his Klingon heritage despite being isolated from his culture. His image of what it is to be Klingon is based mostly on their mythology, on tales of honorable battle and the noble wisdom of the Klingon Christ figure, Kahless. But it’s also a self-portrait, processing that which makes him different from his human family and classmates into a cultural identity. “Klingons do not laugh,” Worf tells Whoopi Goldberg’s worldly bartender Guinan in the episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” a claim that Guinan has the experience to debunk. Worf believes that Klingons don’t laugh because he himself doesn’t. In actuality, no one parties harder than a band of Klingons after a glorious battle; Worf has simply never been invited.

Worf’s reverence for other Klingons is challenged nearly every time he encounters another of his kind. Time and again, he sees Klingon warriors and political figures like the opportunistic Chancellor Gowron lie and cheat in the pursuit of power and glory. He is formally excommunicated from the Klingon Empire twice, and though both times he is eventually able to win back his citizenship, it takes a heavy toll on him. Yet, however many times “real” Klingon conduct clashes with his values, Worf never allows this to pollute his own sense of honor. He remains unfailingly truthful, loyal, and brave. And, over the years, other Klingons take notice of this and grow to admire and emulate him. His identity and self-image are based in fantasy, but his presence in the universe helps to make that fantasy seem more attainable to everyone else.

Worf’s journey runs parallel to the experience of growing up a Star Trek fan. The crew of the Enterprise (or Voyager, Discovery, etc.) represents a humanity that is more compassionate, curious, honorable, and self-sacrificing than anyone you’re likely to meet. This is a wonderful example for a young viewer to follow, but if you go out into the world expecting to find these idols, especially in positions of power and authority, you’re in for a very rude awakening. By and large, people are not like this. If they were, we’d be living in the Star Trek future right now. However, if in spite of all this, if you can hold fast to that vision of a kinder, wiser humanity and embody it as best as you can, you can make it that much more real for the people around you.

Dorn fully endorses this interpretation of the character, and also sees him as an example of someone who learns to grow beyond his initial need to define himself through the lens of “Klingon” or “Starfleet.”

“He’s always thought that humans were this way and Klingons were that way,” says Dorn, “until he realized that Klingons and humans and everybody were very flawed individuals. And in order to grow, he’s taken the best out of each culture and made it its own. He’s on his own path. He has an ego, so I think he thinks he’s better than a lot of people, but he’s also learning that you can’t judge those things. That once you start judging you’re in trouble. You have to accept them for what they are, not only accept them but admire them, and all the negative stuff you leave behind.”

After The Next Generation closed out its seven-season run and made the leap to the big screen, Worf’s path led him to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , where producers hoped that his presence would boost fan interest in the beleaguered spinoff. His arrival turned out to be beneficial for both the show and the character, as DS9 ’s darker tone and more serialized format afforded Worf more growth and development in four seasons than TNG had offered in seven. The series also dove deeper into the lore and culture of the Klingon Empire, which Dorn says offered writers (particularly Ronald D. Moore, who would go on to run Battlestar Galactica , Outlander , and For All Mankind ) the opportunity to step away from the prim and proper world of Starfleet and do some swashbuckling.

Deep Space Nine ’s finale offered Worf’s story a worthy ending when he is appointed the new ambassador between the Klingons and the Federation. It’s arguably the perfect place for his character’s journey to end, but the franchise marched on, dragging Worf along with it into the underwhelming feature film Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002, which one again reduced him to a comic foil. Despite his efforts to get a “Captain Worf” spinoff off the ground in the subsequent decade, it appeared that Michael Dorn’s service to Star Trek had finally concluded.

Twenty years later, Dorn — along with the rest of the Next Gen ensemble — has once again been called upon to revitalize a Star Trek spinoff. The third season of Star Trek: Picard reintroduces us to Worf as a wise old master, so confident in his ability to defeat his foes in combat that he rarely needs to unsheathe this weapon. Dorn has imagined the past 20 years of his character’s life in detail, taking inspiration from a source not entirely disconnected from Star Trek: the films of Quentin Tarantino. Appropriately, Dorn has patterned this version of Worf after a character from a film that opens with an old Klingon proverb: Kill Bill .

“One of the characters was Pai Mei, this martial arts killer,” says Dorn. “He’s gone so far in the martial arts, the next step is — he can defend himself and kill with a sword, but he can also do it with his bare hands. And with that comes calm, and the ability to know that sometimes you don’t have to kill. That’s how he’s grown in the past 20 years. Now he can dodge ray guns.”

Though his castmates won’t rule out further adventures for their characters, Dorn says that Picard season 3 absolutely works as a satisfying conclusion to Worf’s 35-year voyage.

“The storytellers know his journey, and everyone can see what his journey is; there’s no ambiguity about that.”

One way or another, the actor looks back at his untouchable tenure as Starfleet’s greatest warrior with warmth and appreciation.

“It’s one of those things that validates the idea that you chose the right profession,” Dorn says. “My mother would be proud of me that I had a profession that I’ve been at for the majority of my life. That’s an accomplishment, I think.”

Star Trek: Discovery is cracking open a box Next Gen closed on purpose

Star trek: discovery is finally free to do whatever it wants, the 10 horniest episodes of star trek, ranked by cultural impact.

The Best Worf Episodes Of Star Trek

The Klingons have undergone heavy changes over the course of the "Star Trek" story. They're more or less generic bad guys when they first appear in "Star Trek: The Original Series," whose only visible physical difference from humanity is their uniformly dark skin and hair. The films add ridges to their foreheads and give their attire a radical redesign, along with a new language. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" takes things further still: In this series, a Klingon serves aboard the new Enterprise. He quickly became a fan favorite. 

Worf, played to perfection by Michael Dorn , is often defined as a man split between two cultures. While he is a Klingon and feels a strong pull to Klingon culture and people, he was raised by humans. Almost all of the Worf-centric episodes of "The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" examine this inner struggle. What follows are our picks for the best Worf episodes of either of the two "Star Trek" series Worf calls home, presented in chronological order.  Spoilers ahead for various "Star Trek" shows and movies!

TNG: Heart of Glory

Airing in the latter half of Season 1 of "TNG," fans got the series' first truly Worf-centric episode with "Heart of Glory." After the Enterprise rescues a trio of Klingons from a damaged freighter, Worf discovers the survivors are lying about being attacked by Ferengi. The freighter they were rescued from was stolen, and it was damaged while battling and ultimately destroying a Klingon cruiser. The three Klingons — soon only two, as one succumbs to his wounds — believe the Klingon Empire has become weak because of its peace with the Federation, and wish to return to their people's ancient, warlike ways.

"Heart of Glory" is a critical and well-executed first step, not only in the story of Worf, but in the "TNG" era's redefinition of the Klingons. It's the first time we get to see Worf act as the warrior he's always yearning to be, and the first portrayal of the Klingons as a proud people with their own inviolate sense of honor. 

TNG: Sins of the Father

In Season 3's "Sins of the Father," Tony Todd makes his first of many guest appearances in the "Trek" franchise as Worf's brother Kurn. Kurn informs Worf that their late father Mogh faces accusations of treachery in the Klingon High Council. With Captain Picard serving as his second, Worf confronts the council, eventually uncovering the truth: It is the father of Duras (Patrick Massett), Mogh's primary accuser, who betrayed the Klingons to the Romulans. Mogh has been framed to keep the Empire from sinking into civil war. Wanting to maintain the Empire's peace while saving the life of his newfound brother, Worf accepts discommendation — basically, no longer being considered a Klingon to his people. 

For any fan of Worf, "Sins of the Father" can be tough to watch, even if you know what the future has in store for Worf and the Empire. Still, the episode is crucial in Worf's continuing story. It introduces us to Kurn, to the duplicitous Duras, and sets the stage for "Redemption," one of the best two-parters in all of "TNG." 

TNG: Reunion

First appearing in Season 2's "The Emissary," Suzie Plakson returns as the half-Klingon K'Ehleyr two seasons later in "Reunion." She's not alone: Following her brief tryst with Worf earlier in the series, K'Ehleyr has given birth to their son, Alexander. 

Meanwhile, the Klingon High Councilor K'mpec (Charles Cooper), knowing he has been poisoned and will soon die, appoints Captain Picard as the Arbiter of Succession. This is in the hopes that he will be able to ferret out which of the two Klingons vying to succeed him — Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) or Duras — has murdered him. In the investigation that follows, K'Ehleyr discovers the truth about Duras framing Worf's family for treachery in Season 3's "Sins of the Father." Duras silences her with a fatal stab.

In one of the most shocking moments in all of "TNG," Worf claims the right of vengeance and kills Duras on his own ship. It's one of the few moments in all of "Trek" in which Worf weighs the choice of acting as a Starfleet officer against acting as a Klingon warrior, and chooses the latter. 

TNG: Redemption

In "Redemption," a two-parter bridging the Season 4 finale and the Season 5 premiere, Worf fans finally get the payoff they've been waiting for since Season 3's "Sins of the Father." As the Arbiter of Succession, Captain Picard returns to Qo'noS to finalize the installment of Gowron as Klingon Chancellor . But when the sisters Lursa (Barbara March) and B'Etor (Gwynyth Walsh) challenge Gowron's claim with young Toral (JD Cullum), son of the late Duras, the seeds of civil war are planted. Worf takes the opportunity to reunite with his brother Kurn and convince Gowron to restore his family's name. An epic war story unfolds, eventually involving not only the Klingons and the Federation, but their shared foe, the Romulans. 

Of all the Worf-focused "Trek" episodes, "Redemption" is one of the heaviest in terms of how it impacts the overall narrative. Not only is Worf's discommendation finally reversed, we're introduced to recurring villains Lursa and B'Etor, who go on to bother the crew of "DS9," as well as appear in the 1994 film "Star Trek: Generations." Denise Crosby also makes her first appearance as Sela, the half-Romulan daughter of the late Tasha Yar.

TNG: Ethics

Worf's always known that he risks death every moment he serves as a Starfleet officer, but in Season 5's "Ethics," he faces something he finds much more terrifying: paralysis. When Worf and Geordi investigate strange readings in a cargo bay, a heavy container falls on Worf and crushes his spine, paralyzing him. Believing, as a Klingon, that life is no longer worth living, Worf asks Riker to help him commit Hegh'bat, Klingon ritual suicide. At the same time, Dr. Crusher and neurology specialist Dr. Russell (Caroline Kava) clash over the ethics of the radical procedure Russell wants to perform on Worf.

The "Star Trek" franchise is known for tackling difficult issues, and this episode is no exception. Out of all the episodes that focus on Worf, "Ethics" is doubtlessly the most controversial. Worf's story deals with euthanasia, while the conflict between Crusher and Russell tackles medical and scientific ethics. At the same time, considering Worf seems more willing to die than live with a disability, the issue of ableism is present as well. If there's any great weakness to the episode, it's that the futuristic new spine Worf receives offers a sci-fi easy button to a reflection of real life dilemmas. 

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

TNG: A Fistful of Datas

12 years before the Western series "Deadwood" premiered on HBO, Worf, Alexander, and Counselor Troi find themselves in the town of Deadwood in "A Fistful of Datas" ... or at least a holographic facsimile of it. Initially, it's just meant as a setting for Alexander's playtime. But a malfunction makes things a lot more dangerous as a number of characters on the holodeck become Western copies of Commander Data, including the ruthless villain Frank Hollander. 

While there are a good number of fans who groan at the mention of malfunctioning holodeck episodes, it's tough not to love "A Fistful of Datas." One of the half-dozen "TNG" episodes directed by Patrick Stewart, the story is lighthearted, fun, and packed with memorable moments. It's impossible not to laugh at Worf in his ridiculous hat, or Brent Spiner's perfect caricatures of Western archetypes. Considering the strange and often heartbreaking relationship between Worf and his son, it's also one of the most touching Worf-Alexander episodes in the franchise.

TNG: Parallels

In "Parallels," an episode from the final season of "TNG," Worf returns to the Enterprise from a bat'leth tournament and becomes unsettled by increasingly strange occurrences. Decorations in his quarters shift around, the guest list of the surprise birthday party he's dreading keeps changing, and, most shockingly of all, he learns Counselor Troi thinks they're a romantic couple. 

We eventually learn that on his way back from the tournament, Worf unintentionally piloted his shuttlecraft through a quantum fissure, which is causing him to shift through different realities. We see this reflected from scene to scene, and sometimes even from shot to shot. Decorations all over the ship change, different characters hold different positions, and in one case, Worf discovers Wesley Crusher still serving aboard the Enterprise, even though he hasn't been seen on the show since two seasons previous. 

"Parallels" give us a lot of fun alternate reality shots of the Enterprise crew, including a grizzly-bearded Will Riker from a universe where the Borg are the dominant lifeforms. But beyond that, of all the best Worf-centric episodes, "Parallels" is one of the few that doesn't revolve around Worf's inner struggles as a Klingon. 

DS9: The Way of the Warrior

In Season 4 of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Worf joins the series as its newest regular cast member. Still mourning the loss of the Enterprise-D in "Star Trek: Generations," Worf is summoned to DS9 to find out why a large Klingon fleet has arrived at the station. When he discovers the fleet's commanding officer General Martok (J.G. Hertzler) plans to invade the neighboring Cardassian Empire, Worf once again finds himself choosing between his loyalty to his people and his duty as a Starfleet officer.

"The Way of the Warrior" is not only a great Worf episode, it's a game-changer for "DS9" and "Trek" as a whole — perhaps the only Worf episode to cause more ripples across the franchise's continuity than "Redemption." It lays the foundation for Cardassia's entry into the Dominion in Season 5 of "DS9," sets up a rivalry between Worf and Gowron that doesn't end until the latter's death in the final season, and temporarily ends the long peace between the Federation and the Klingons . It also introduces us to Martok (though this version ultimately proves to be a Changeling in disguise), and gives us one of the franchise's most impressive portrayals of a large-scale space battle. Not to mention, it's a start-to-finish love letter to fans of the Klingons.  

DS9: Rules of Engagement

Things get even more tense between the Federation and the Klingon Empire in "Rules of Engagement," which sees Worf accused of purposely destroying a Klingon transport filled with defenseless civilians. Ron Canada plays the cunning Klingon advocate Ch'Pok who arrives on DS9 to argue for Worf's extradition to the Klingon Empire. Captain Sisko represents Worf in the proceedings, which ultimately reveal the entire incident was staged in order to win a propaganda battle against the Federation.

Even though the plot proves to be a frame job, the details uncovered by Ch'Pok bring to light just how close violence waits beneath Worf's surface. Not only does Worf physically attack Ch'Pok, we learn that during one of Worf's favorite holodeck simulations, which recreates a famous Klingon battle, he regularly orders the slaughter of the (albeit holographic) women and children of the conquered city. Worf gets a well-deserved dressing down from Sisko, and takes an important step in his personal evolution.

DS9: Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places

In the "DS9" Season 3 episode "The House of Quark," Klingon Grilka marries Ferengi bartender Quark in a desperate bid to keep control of her family's house. When she returns two seasons later in "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places," Worf is smitten by her, but she only has eyes for Quark. In an homage to Edmond Rostand's 1897 play "Cyrano de Bergerac," Worf takes it upon himself to teach Quark how to woo Grilka. He writes poetry for the Ferengi, and even uses tech to manipulate Quark's body during a bat'leth match.

Not only is the episode hilarious, "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" diverts wonderfully from its source material. By the end of the episode, Worf finds himself with his true love: Jadzia Dax, who has been waiting for the Klingon to make a move since the previous season. 

DS9: Soldiers of the Empire

In Season 5's "Soldiers of the Empire," Worf and Jadzia Dax are loaned out to the Klingons to serve under General Martok aboard the Rotarran, where they learn Martok's long imprisonment by the Dominion has made him skittish. Time and again, Martok refuses to act correctly according to Klingon standards, eventually going so far as to order the ship to abandon survivors of a damaged Klingon cruiser. With the crew close to mutiny, Worf has no choice but to challenge Martok to a death duel for leadership. In the ensuing melee, Worf purposely allows Martok to win, risking a killing blow to help jumpstart his friend's warrior instincts. 

"Soldiers of the Empire" is a perfect example of what a smart choice it was to add Martok to the series. Not only does it give Worf a chance to interact with more Klingon characters, it gives us the opportunity to see Worf unburdened by the constraints of Starfleet, acting as a Klingon officer would be expected to act on any imperial ship. When Worf challenges Martok, it's not for ambition or bloodlust — it's as much a part of his job as it would be to run practice drills or submit crew assessments.

DS9: You Are Cordially Invited

In Season 6's "Sacrifice of Angels," Starfleet takes DS9 back from the Dominion. In the following episode, "You Are Cordially Invited," Worf and Jadzia take advantage of the break in fighting to get married.  

This blessed event is endangered when the ritual demands of Martok's stern wife Sirella (Shannon Cochran) prove too much for Jadzia. In the meantime, Bashir and O'Brien, who believed they'd be enjoying the Klingon version of a bachelor party when Worf invited them to join him on the ritual path of Kal'Hyah, endure four days of fasting, bloodletting, and other forms of torture.

When it comes to Jadzia's resistance to Sirella, "You Are Cordially Invited" offers one of the few examples of Worf butting heads with his Par'Mach'kai and proving to be the one acting more like a grown-up. Moreover, the yearning for vengeance Bashir and O'Brien express for the tortures of Kal'Hyah is hilarious. Finally, not only is this the last time we get to see Worf's grown son Alexander (Marc Worden) in the flesh, it's one of the only times we get to see him happy. 

DS9: Change of Heart

When a Cardassian spying on the Dominion for Starfleet needs extraction in Season 6's "Change of Heart," Worf and Jadzia must rendezvous with him on the planet Soukara and bring him safely to Federation space. In order to avoid enemy detection, they need to land 20 kilometers from the rendezvous, then make their way through dense jungle. Along the way, the pair ambush and kill a Jem'Hadar patrol group, but Jadzia is badly wounded. They try to journey together regardless, but it soon becomes clear Worf either must leave Jadzia to die and complete the mission, or abandon the mission and save Jadzia . In the latter case, the spy — and his intel — will be lost.

The fact that "Change of Heart" works as well as it does is a testament to Worf's evolution. If this were about any other character in the franchise, there would never be a question as to whether or not they would leave their romantic partner behind. But when "Change of Heart" aired in 1998, fans had known Worf for 11 years, through two series and two major motion pictures. Knowing how seriously Worf takes his duty, you know what it means for him to make the choice he ultimately does, rendering it that much more powerful.

DS9: Once More Unto the Breach

The first named Klingon to ever appear in "Star Trek: The Original Series" is Kor, played by John Colicos. Not only does Kor reappear in "Star Trek: The Animated Series" (voiced by James Doohan), Colicos reprises the role three times in "DS9." His final, heroic appearance arrives in Season 7's "Once More Unto the Breach."

As Worf is about to leave with Martok on a new campaign aboard the Ch'Tang, Kor visits Worf and asks for his help finding a place in the Klingon fleet. Unfortunately, Martok holds a fierce grudge against Kor for barring him from the Klingon Defense Force when he was younger. Regardless, Martok grudgingly allows Worf to appoint Kor as third officer. Most of the Ch'Tang's crew idolize Kor at first, but things change when it becomes clear Kor is suffering from dementia, often forgetting where and when he is. 

Along with taking a harsh look at how the elderly can be made to feel obsolete by the young, "Once More Unto the Breach" delves deeper into the character and history of Kor and acts as a wonderful send-off for the franchise's first Klingon. If you're a "Trek" fan who doesn't feel something as the Klingons sing in honor of Kor's sacrifice at the episode's end, then you need to turn up the temperature in your chest, because your heart is frozen solid. 

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Star Trek: Picard ‘s Michael Dorn Opens Up About Playing Worf Again and the Klingon Warrior’s Newfound Pacifism

Dave nemetz, west coast bureau chief.

• Share on Facebook
• Show more sharing options
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Share on WhatsApp
• Print This Page

Worf is back on duty in the new season of Star Trek: Picard … although he might look a little different than you remember.

“Well, he has white hair now. That’s new,” Michael Dorn tells TVLine with a chuckle. Dorn returned as the fearsome Klingon warrior and Next Generation fan favorite in last week’s episode of Picard , marking his first appearance as Worf since the 2002 movie Star Trek: Nemesis . The actor admits he initially balked at the producers’ idea to give Worf a little seasoning up top: “My little ego went, ‘I don’t want to have gray hair! I still want to be young!'” But then Dorn remembered that in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies, “there was a character who was a martial arts guy who had white hair, and he could kill you in a second. So I went, ‘I can deal with that.'”

It is a little easier these days for Dorn to look like Worf, too, he says: “The Klingon makeup hasn’t evolved much, but the way they put it on has. They have two guys working on me at the same time, so it takes considerably less time. Before, it was three hours, two hours, and now it’s like an hour.”

“I was talking to LeVar, and I said, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m going to go on the set when they’re shooting this, to hang out with Patrick, Jonathan, and Marina,’ and LeVar goes, ‘Hey, I want to come.’ I said, ‘Great!’ So we arranged it, and they were all very excited about us being there.” Things even got a little rowdy on set, Dorn reveals: “We were laughing and making fun of each other. It was a blast. I mean, they were shooting about a hundred yards away in this house, and they could hear us, like making noises. They were like, ‘Really? You guys!’ That’s what happens, you know?”

Dorn’s Picard debut came as a surprise, with Worf swooping in to slice up some underworld foes of Raffi’s, revealing himself to be her mystery Starfleet handler. It also surprised fans when Worf declared himself a pacifist in the Season 3 trailer, but Dorn says it’s part of a natural evolution for Worf: “He’s discovered a lot from The Next Generation to Deep Space [ Nine ]. There’s been a huge shift in who he is… He’s discovered that life isn’t about a goal or reaching a particular place. It’s about the journey.”

Worf now understands that “he doesn’t know everything, and he’s glad not to know everything. He wants to be on this particular journey, and part of his journey now is pacifism. There’s another outlet besides slicing people up.” But that doesn’t mean he won’t flash his fighting skills when it’s called for, Dorn allows: “The only issue with him is he really likes the combat… He is good at it, and he practices at it, too.” Hey, we wouldn’t have it any other way. ( Additional reporting by Jennifer Vineyard )

Cancel reply

Email * Your email address will not be published. We will notify you when someone replies.

“Pacifist”. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. Maybe he’s a “Pacifist” compared to a Klingon. But there sure are a lot of dead bodies on the floor because of him. I don’t usually associate extreme violence with “Pacifism”.

My thoughts exactly!

I really adore these guys and their characters. Just glorious relationships. I miss them.

Most Popular

You may also like.

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published Sep 23, 2022

How Love Changed Our Favorite Klingon Worf

'Worf’s growth throughout the series explores questions of honor, pride and what it means to 'be a man.''

StarTrek.com

In the Star Trek Universe, Klingons are presented as being hyper-masculine, exemplifying all the unhealthy views of “traditional masculinity” in western society. They are highly patriarchal and prideful warriors singularly focused on maintaining a reputation of strength. Any signs of emotions that aren’t antagonistic or hostile are considered weak and unbecoming. This mentality permeates to every level of their culture from their dislike of bathing and doctors to the fact that there’s no Klingon word for “jolly.” Chances are that you’d never encounter a Klingon ship willing to ask for directions either.

When we first meet Worf he is the epitome of toxic masculinity. Born on the Klingon homeworld but raised by humans, he is insecure about his heritage and constantly feels the need to prove his “Klingon-ness.” This insecurity manifests as constant suggestions to Captain Picard to be more aggressive in his actions and an initially detached demeanor with his crewmates.

His first significant romance is with K'Ehleyr , a half-Klingon, half-human woman, who similarly feels trapped between two cultures. However, unlike Worf, she rebuffs Klingon values and embraces her human side. She even refuses multiple proposals from him that she believes are made to appease his arcane concepts of obligation. Although she is eventually killed by Duras — a political figure in the Klingon empire — she secretly gives birth to their son Alexander.

Her devastating demise shows Worf the consequences of holding on too rigidly to concepts of “honor.” The reason they had ultimately not wed was because Worf was disgraced in the Klingon culture, and he did not want to bring shame to his son. Now, suddenly a single parent, he is forced to question his views on manhood while raising a young boy.

It is his son's presence on the ship that becomes the catalyst for his relationship with Counselor Deanna Troi . Since Alexander wasn’t brought up with Klingon values, she acts as a mediator and surrogate mother for the two. Worf eventually asks her to formalize this arrangement and become Alexander’s “Sol-Chim,” or godmother. While helping raise his son, she encourages him to be more vulnerable and consider the effects of his egocentric actions on others.

Her influence is best exemplified in the Season 5 episode “Ethics'' where Worf is thought to be permanently paralyzed after an accident. He decides it would be preferential to be put to death than continue to live in this new reality. Deanna is the one who pushes him to reevaluate his priorities and consider his son’s well-being above his own selfish pride.

At the end of the episode, after a miracle treatment of course, we see Worf acquiesce to letting Alexander assist him when he struggles with his physical therapy. It’s through Deanna's guidance that he comes to realize there's more strength in dealing with your emotions than in suppressing them and lashing out. Although their connection is further explored in “Parallels,” where the two are married in an alternate timeline, they pursue a short-lived relationship which ends off-screen.

Finally, we come to Jadzia Dax , who can arguably be called the love of his life. Unlike his previous romantic partners, Jadzia did something that no one from his past truly did. Instead of pushing him to accept the morality of human culture, she embraced Klingon heritage. Although, during much of the show, most Klingons are focused on maintaining their image instead of the ethical demands of honor; Jadzia saw the nobility in their traditions. Her previous host, Curzon Dax, was a top Ambassador during numerous negotiations with Kllingons and had earned the respect of their people. As a Trill, Jadzia inherited his memories and admiration for their heritage. We see her commitment to this in the episode “Blood Oath,” when she follows through with a promise Curzon made to a group of Klingons. She does this not out of obligation, but because she genuinely feels it is right and honorable. This way, much like Worf, although she is “othered” among the Klingons, she is still immersed in its culture.

When Worf arrives on DS9, Jadzia welcomes him with advice, companionship, and Klingon Opera. She also earns his respect by continuously challenging his more sexist beliefs. When he mistakenly assumes her Klingon training Holo-program belonged to her previous male host, she assures him it’s hers. When she challenges him to a bat’leth match in “The Way of the Warrior” and notices he’s holding back, she tells him not to. Even in their courtship, it’s Jadzia who makes the first move and is a constant source of support in Klingon matters. When Worf is temporarily given command of a Klingon bird-of-prey in “Soldiers of the Empire,” she joins him after noticing the tense dynamic of the crew and expertly handles those on board.Through their relationship, we see Worf evolve; and once they decide to get married, he is the one planning their dream wedding for months beforehand. This illustrates his sense of security both in their relationship and his masculinity to take on something usually considered to be the bride’s prerogative.

We also see a shift in his understanding of “honor” while with Jadzia. On a mission, where she is severely wounded, he has to make a choice between saving his wife or completing his duty. Instead of abandoning her and pursuing “victory in battle” — which is certainly the Klingon way —  he decides to rescue her instead. This results in a blemish on his record, a blow to the war, and a loss at the chance of ever getting a command position. In that moment, he decided that sometimes the most honorable thing to do is perhaps not what a traditional Klingon might do. Unfortunately, as Jadzia and Worf were planning on starting a family, she was suddenly attacked and died just the same. But their relationship left him changed for the better.

Worf’s growth throughout the series explores questions of honor, pride and what it means to “be a man.” While initially conforming to the mandates of masculinity prescribed by Klingon culture, he slowly evolves his beliefs through the emotional connections he makes with others. Ultimately, these relationships allow him to reexamine his values and create his own understanding of honor. It is the love he receives, and in turn, gives to others that transforms his beliefs and we could all learn a lesson through his experiences.

This article was originally published on May 14, 2021.

Zoe Malik (she/her) is a lifelong Star Trek fan and writer based in New York. She is currently the News Producer at Full Frontal with Samantha Bee and occasional producer/writer for YouTube channels including TheTryGuys. Before pursuing her passion for writing she was the Science Researcher Coordinator at NYU Langone Medical Center.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

Get Updates By Email

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Memory Beta articles sourced from episodes and movies
• Memory Beta articles sourced from video games
• Memory Beta articles sourced from games
• Memory Beta articles sourced from short stories
• Memory Beta articles sourced from RPGs
• Memory Beta articles sourced from novelizations
• Memory Beta articles sourced from reference works
• Memory Beta articles sourced from comic adaptations
• Memory Beta articles sourced from websites
• Memory Beta articles sourced from eBooks
• Memory Beta articles sourced from Star Trek Online
• Memory Beta articles sourced from novellas
• Political leaders
• Klingon chancellors
• Starfleet personnel
• Starfleet personnel (24th century)
• Starfleet command division personnel
• Starfleet operations division personnel
• Starfleet security personnel
• Starfleet security chiefs
• Starfleet tactical personnel
• Starfleet lieutenants
• Starfleet commanders
• USS Enterprise-D personnel
• USS Aldrin (NCC-398) personnel
• Deep Space 9 personnel
• USS Defiant (NX-74205) personnel
• IKS Rotarran personnel
• USS Enterprise-E personnel
• USS Defiant (2375) personnel
• Ambassadors
• Klingon tactical personnel
• Klingon tactical officers
• Klingon military personnel
• Klingon lieutenants
• Klingon generals
• IKS Ch'Tang personnel
• Time travellers
• 2340 births
• House of Martok
• Starfleet captains
• View history

Worf was directly responsible for the ascension of two Chancellors of the Klingon Empire , Gowron in 2367 , and Martok in 2375 . Worf was also responsible for the installation of Emperor Kahless in 2369 .

The first Klingon in Starfleet , Worf served notable tours of duty aboard the USS Enterprise -D , the USS Defiant , IKS Rotarran , and Starbase Deep Space 9 before being appointed Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire in 2375. In 2378 , Worf resigned from his ambassadorial post and returned to Starfleet, serving on the USS Enterprise -E as first officer. He was later promoted to the rank of Captain and named commanding officer of the USS Enterprise after the promotion of Jean-Luc Picard to the rank of Admiral. Picard novel : The Last Best Hope )

• 1.1 Early life
• 1.2.1 K'Ehleyr
• 1.3.1 USS Aldrin
• 1.3.2 Enterprise -D
• 1.3.3 Deep Space 9 and the Defiant
• 1.4.1 The Wardens
• 1.5 Back with Starfleet
• 1.6 Promotion
• 1.7 Path to the 25th century
• 2.1 Other alternate realities
• 3 Interests
• 4 Worf's service record
• 5.1.1 Appearances
• 5.2 External links

Biography [ ]

Early life [ ].

Worf was born on the Klingon homeworld Qo'noS on May 23, 2340 . He was named after his grandfather, General Worf .

His father, Mogh , head of a noble house , was an influential starship captain who served as first officer under K'mpec , and became a friend and ally during K'mpec's career on the Klingon High Council ; his mother, Kaasin , was a master of the mok'bara art of combat. He had one younger brother, Kurn .

By the age of six, Worf was already proficient with the bat'leth , a traditional Klingon bladed weapon . When his father and mother were given the task of rooting out a traitor on the outpost on Khitomer , Worf insisted on accompanying them.

Mogh did not find the traitor in time to save the Khitomer outpost from being devastated in a brutal and unprovoked assault from the Romulan Star Empire , in response to false intelligence indicating weapons of mass destruction were being developed on Khitomer. Worf was one of the few survivors of the massacre. His infant brother, Kurn , was left behind on Q'onoS in the care of a family friend and Klingon Imperial Intelligence agent named Lorgh .

The first vessel to respond to the outposts distress call was the Federation starship USS Intrepid . Worf was discovered buried in the rubble of his family's residence by a Starfleet officer named Sergey Rozhenko , and it was determined that he had suffered some brain damage, losing part of his memory. Rozhenko spent much of his off-duty time with Worf, aiding in his recovery. After learning from another survivor, Worf's nursemaid Kahlest , that the boy's life may be in danger if he stayed in the Klingon Empire , Rozhenko convinced his wife Helena that they should adopt the boy. Lorgh used his connections in the Empire to ensure the adoption's legality, and began to raise Kurn himself. ( TLE novel : The Art of the Impossible )

The Rozhenkos raised Worf on the farming colony of Gault and on Earth in Russia and the city of Minsk , with their own son Nikolai "Simon" Rozhenko . In his childhood, Worf saved Nikolai from drowning in a river. ( TNG - Starfleet Academy novel : Worf's First Adventure ; TNG - Shadowheart comics : " My Brother's Keeper ", " The Prince of Madness ")

While living on Gault, Worf, alongside his brother Nikolai, was active on the local soccer team, serving as team captain. Worf was often mocked by other players, but was held back by his brother, who defended him.In 2353 , during a tense game, a crucial play caused Worf and an opponent named Mikel to leap up and attempt to hit a high-flying ball with their heads. The two impacted, and force of the impact was such that, while Worf did not even feel the hit, Mikel's neck was broken. Mikel died the next day; the tragic accident prompted Worf to become very restrained in his behavior and emotional outbursts for the rest of his life, mindful of Human frailty. ( DS9 episode : " Let He Who Is Without Sin... "; TNG - Shadowheart comic : " My Brother's Keeper ")

In 2355 , when his foster parents arranged for him to stay at his cousins on the Klingon homeworld. He visited the Great Domes of Qo'noS and upon gazing at them, he stated that he felt that he had finally came home even if his cousins didn't want to have anything to do with him.( DS9 episode : " The Sword of Kahless ")

Starfleet Academy [ ]

Cadet Worf in 2357.

In the year 2357 , Worf and Nikolai enrolled in Starfleet Academy . Upon arriving at the Academy, a Brikar cadet named Zak Kebron picked a fight with Worf believing that Klingons had no right to join Starfleet. Rather than expel the two students before they could even report to their first classes, the Academy decided to make the pair roommates, forcing them to work out their differences.

Worf soon joined a study group that originally included his brother, cadets Mark McHenry and Tania Tobias of Earth, and Soleta of Vulcan . After Worf and Kebron came to state of mutual understanding and respect (if not actual friendship), Kebron joined the group as well.

When the squad was told that they were going on a training exercise on Prometheus Station , the cadets had no reason to believe that anything was amiss. They unexpectedly came under attack from a Romulan warbird and, suddenly without a commanding officer , were forced to work together to save each other's lives. In the end, however, none of it was real. The real training exercise was not on Prometheus Station , but on an Academy holodeck .

During his time at the academy, Worf's overshadowing behavior to help his brother caused friction between them, especially during fights with other cadets.The experience made Worf's brother realize that Starfleet was not the place for him, and he returned to Russia and eventually Gault. ( TNG - Starfleet Academy novel : Worf's First Adventure ; TNG - Shadowheart comics : " The Lion and the Lamb ", " Dealers in Darkness ")

During his time at the academy, other people would give Worf a hard time regarding his heritage. This led his ancestry to become a "sensitive issue." ( TNG video game : The Transinium Challenge )

K'Ehleyr [ ]

Cadet Worf and K'Ehleyr on Dantar IV.

A few months later, Worf's squad (dubbed the " Dream Team "), were assigned as liaisons to the colony world of Dantar IV , a Federation/Klingon co-venture that was having troubles. Once on Dantar, Worf met a Klingon emissary named K'Ehleyr , to whom he formed an immediate attraction.

When an unknown force attacked the colony, there were not enough evacuation ships for everyone. Worf, his squad, and a squad of Klingons under the command of K'Ehleyr stayed behind so the civilians could escape. Worf and K'Ehleyr worked together and got their respective squads to work together as well. During this time, Worf's attraction to K'Ehleyr grew. ( TNG - Starfleet Academy novel : Line of Fire )

After Soleta captured one of their attackers, a Brikar named Baan , Worf would not allow the Klingons to incarcerate Kebron simply because of his ancestry. After rescue came in the form of the USS Repulse , it was revealed to the cadets that the Brikar government had briefly declared war against the Federation.

Worf and K'Ehleyr parted company in the transporter room of the Repulse , and Worf said that he did not believe that the two of them would meet again. K'Ehleyr disagreed. ( TNG - Starfleet Academy novel : Survival )

It turned out that K'Ehleyr was correct. The two would meet more than once in the coming years, and engage in a physical relationship. K'Ehleyr hid from Worf the fact that she became pregnant and gave birth to his son, Alexander .

Starfleet officer [ ]

Uss aldrin [ ].

Worf served as an ensign aboard the USS Aldrin from the years 2361 to 2364 . Also on the Aldrin were "Dream Team" alumni Soleta and Tania Tobias.

In 2363 , Worf was a part of an away team on the planet Kalandra Minor that was attacked by Romulans . This was the first time Worf had encountered the race since his parents' deaths all those years ago, and he did not hesitate to use lethal force against those that he encountered. ( NF - No Limits short story : " Revelations ")

Enterprise -D [ ]

In 2364, Worf transferred to the Federation's new flagship, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) with the rank of Lieutenant, junior grade under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard . ( TNG episode : " Encounter at Farpoint ") Although he had applied for a position in security, Picard initially appointed Worf bridge watch officer, whose duty would be to fill in where needed on other stations, reasoning that such a role would give Worf important experience for his future career in Starfleet. ( TNG novel : The Buried Age )

Worf's life changed quickly aboard the Enterprise . In late 2364, he became the ship's Chief of security after the death of the previous position holder, Lieutenant Tasha Yar . ( TNG episodes : " Skin of Evil ", " The Child ") By 2366, he was given the rank of full Lieutenant . ( TNG episode : " Evolution "; WizKids module : Attack Wing )

In 2365 , Worf was briefly reunited with K'Ehleyr on her mission to prevent a Klingon sleeper IKS T'Ong from attacking lightly defended Federation colonies. After the mission, Worf and K'Ehleyr parted ways with Worf saying he would not be complete without her. ( TNG episode : " The Emissary ")

Earlier that same year, Picard learned that Worf carried 14 weapons (mostly hidden) on his person while on duty. ( TNG novel : Strike Zone )

In 2366 , he was reunited with his brother, Kurn, who was now serving in the Klingon Defense Force . Kurn informed Worf that their father, Mogh, was accused of being the traitor that aided the Romulans at Khitomer all those years ago. Mogh's accuser was Duras, son of Ja'rod . It was later revealed that Ja'rod himself had been the traitor, and that the Klingon High Council was covering up the truth behind Khitomer to protect Duras' politically powerful family, the House of Duras . Worf accepted discommendation to protect the Klingon Empire and prevent a civil war. ( TNG episode : " Sins of the Father ")

When K'Ehleyr discovered the truth in 2367 , she confronted Duras and Duras murdered her, leaving Worf with the young son that he only just discovered that he had. Worf slew Duras under the Klingon Right of Vengeance aboard Duras' ship; only by virtue of the intervention of Captain Picard, then serving as Klingon Arbiter of Succession, was Worf spared a court-martial and dishonorable discharge from Starfleet. ( TNG episode : " Reunion ")

Worf was then part of the Commander Riker's shuttle crew of the Albert Einstein to Beta Hydros Four to help treat the Zelaznan fever breakout. When the Albert Einstein was sucked into a vortex, Riker was seriously wounded, and Worf was left in charge of the shuttle crew. He then ordered Ensign Crusher to proceed at best speed back to Federation space. Five days later, Worf and the crew came across a structure composed of various ships. Worf was cautious about approaching the structure. When the shuttle got caught in a tractor beam Worf suggested reversing engines, but then had the crew arm themselves. When they were taken aboard, Worf and the crew met a Betazoid man named Darios Appolene . Worf demanded an explanation of the structure and its people.( TNG - The Star Lost comics : " The Flight of the Albert Einstein ", " Mourning Star ", " Trapped ")

Worf was then assigned as a liaison to the nation of Dorossh on Allios IV to look over their history. Unfortunately, after his tour, Worf voluntary allowed himself to be taken prisoner by Worikk and the Dorosshians for supposedly assassinating elder Kalkass . During his time there, Worf was brutally tortured by the Dorosshians even as the Enterprise -D negotiated his release. Worf saw that he was becoming dishonored and that he would be sent to Gre'thor . Worf then attempted to fight his way out but was subdued. Just as he was about to be executed, Worf was saved when Captain Picard and elder Kalkass appeared before his executioners. ( TNG - Ghosts (TNG) comics : " Ghosts, Issue 2 ", " Ghosts, Issue 3 ", " Ghosts, Issue 5 ")

While the Enterprise was escorting Captain Morgen to Daa'V to ascend to his new position as king of the planet, Worf was troubled by the presence of some of the Stargazer crew, as the Klingons had a long history of tension with Daa'V and Worf was personally troubled by Idun Asmund , a human raised by Klingons as a 'counter' to Worf's own history. Events occurred to suggest that Idun was attempting to kill Morgen after her sister Gerda had tried the same thing on the Stargazer , but Worf accepted Idun's argument that the methods being used for these murders reflected a lack of honor. Eventually, the true culprit was exposed as Doctor Carter Greyhorse , the former CMO of the Stargazer and Gerda's secret lover. In acknowledgement of the bond he had formed with Worf during the crisis, Morgen invited Worf to join his chosen honor guard on Daa'V after Greyhorse's actions rendered two of Morgen's original choices impractical. ( TNG novel : Reunion )

Worf and Kurn were instrumental in the accession to power of Chancellor Gowron, son of M'Rel , over Toral, son of Duras , in the years 2367 and 2368 . For their assistance, Gowron restored their family name and gave Kurn a seat on the High Council. He then temporarily resigned his Starfleet commission and joined Gowron's Klingon Defense force as weapons officer aboard the IKS Bortas ( TNG episode : " Redemption ")

In late 2368, he began a romantic relationship with ship's Counselor Deanna Troi that lasted close to two years. ( TNG episodes : " Ethics ", " Parallels ")

Late in 2368 (stardate 45934.7), Worf was set on the diplomat's path when Picard chose him to handle negotiations in a dispute between Rigelians and Kaylar on the Federation colony of Votar VII . After choosing Ensign Ro Laren to assist him, Worf spoke with the involved parties to little gain and made a failed non-lethal assault on a Kaylar-held dam. Using the early French diplomat Talleyrand as example, Picard suggested Worf try an alternative approach. After uncovering Rigelian duplicity, Worf threatened to abandon them to it and to cut future Federation contracts with the Rigelian group. Administrator Pahtel yielded and both sides returned to negotiations ( TNG comic : " A Matter of Dates ").

Worf and Ro fighting the monks

In early- 2369 Worf, Geordi and Ro Laren took the shuttlecraft Goddard to receive Starfleet briefings. On their return journey the shuttle was forced to drop out of warp due to solar flare activity and crash-landed on the planet Riat . The shuttle damaged beyond immediate repair and the planet inhospitably cold the away team sought shelter in a nearby Dracon monastery . Unfortunately the order of monks in the monastery had become violent and cannibalistic due to radiation from the solar flares causing a mutation in an algae in their water supply. The team was forced to fight the monks off several times before another shuttle from the Enterprise arrived to rescue them. ( TNG - The Space Between comic : " Light of the Day ")

In 2369 , Worf was instrumental in having the clone of the original Kahless the Unforgettable installed as Emperor of the Klingon Empire . ( TNG episode : " Rightful Heir ")

In 2370 , the Enterprise -D rendezvoused with the Goddard , carrying retired Captain Montgomery Scott . Scott utilized the old logs of the original USS Enterprise and recreated the gravity slingshot that propelled the Bounty 2 back through time, with the Enterprise following. Although they were able to determine the ship was in the late 23rd century , Worf was unable to detect any subspace traffic on any frequency used by the Federation, Klingons, or Romulans. Later, after assuming the Borg were controlling an officer aboard the Alliance vessel they encountered, the Wisdom , Worf and two of his ensigns, Porfirio and Houarner , waited to take the spy into custody. The Borg Queen -controlled Narisian Balitor was able to take a phaser from Porifio, but Worf and Houarner were able to subdue her, allowing the Enterprise to return Captain James T. Kirk to the Nexus and undo this reality. ( Star Trek novel : Engines of Destiny )

Later that year, Worf defied orders to report to the bridge when the Enterprise came under attack, instead going straight to Deanna Troi's quarters. Fortunately his instincts were correct and his actions saved Deanna's life, he was reprimanded by Captain Picard for defying orders never the less. Later when Deanna had recovered, he walked in on her and Commander Riker having a pillow fight, dropping the flowers he had bought her in the process, the two were able to reassure Worf they were just acting as friends as Riker departed on a date leaving Worf and Deanna to their romantic evening. ( TNG - The Space Between comic : " Strategy ")

By the time the Enterprise was lost on the planet Veridian III in 2371 , Worf had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Commander . ( TNG movie : Star Trek Generations )

Shortly after the destruction of the Enterprise -D, Worf proposed marriage to Deanna, and she accepted. The engagement was short lived. After a harrowing experience involving Romulan known as Sela , Deanna realized that she still had feelings for her first love, Commander William T. Riker , while Worf concluded that he was emotionally unsuitable as a long-term partner for Deanna. The two broke off their relationship, but remained friends. ( TNG novel : Imzadi II )

Deep Space 9 and the Defiant [ ]

Worf faces the Klingon attack.

After the destruction of the Enterprise and his break-up with Deanna, Worf took a leave of absence from Starfleet and traveled to the Klingon monastery on Boreth . It was there that he received his orders to report to Starbase Deep Space 9 in the Bajor sector in early 2372 . Klingon Chancellor Gowron had amassed a large fleet of ships for reasons unknown, and the station's commander, Captain Benjamin Sisko , had requested Worf's assistance in discovering the truth behind the Klingons' paranoia and to talk sense into them.

When Worf discovered that the Klingons were planning on attacking Cardassia , Worf relayed this information to Sisko. Gowron was willing to forgive Worf for this, but only if he accompanied Gowron for the assault on Cardassia. When Worf refused, Gowron stripped his family of land and title, effectively restoring his state of discommendation.

Sisko offered Worf the position of station's strategic operations officer , coordinating Federation assets throughout the bustling Bajor sector, as well as the position of first officer of the USS Defiant -- a switch to the command track. Worf accepted. ( DS9 episode & novelization : The Way of the Warrior ; ST reference : Star Trek 101 ).

Following a time-travel mission to DS K-7 in 2268 , Worf then participated in removing DS9's tribbles using a phaser rifle. ( DS9 episode & novelization : Trials and Tribble-ations , DS9 comic : " Nobody Knows the Tribbles I've Seen ")

Worf served in those positions for four years, throughout the Dominion War . He also commanded the Defiant during the Second Borg incursion where the Defiant was almost destroyed but still salvageable. ( TNG movie , novelization & comic adaptation : Star Trek: First Contact )

Worf helped rescue General Martok, son of Urthog , who had been replaced by a Founder , from a Dominion internment camp in 2373. The two became fast friends, and Worf eventually underwent a ritual making himself Martok's brother by blood and a member of the House of Martok .

He briefly commanded his son Alexander, who had joined the Defense Force, when Worf was temporarily attached to General Martok's vessel, the IKS Rotarran . In early 2374, Worf married Starfleet Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax , a Joined Trill ; the union lasted until her untimely death in late in December of that year. During the war, Worf and Jadzia served together on an important mission to extract a Cardassian defector; when Jadzia's life was endangered, Worf chose to save her instead of the defector, earning a major reprimand /permanent demerit due to "dereliction of duty". It was Captain Sisko's opinion the reprimand might prevent Worf from ever earning command of his own ship, but that as a man Sisko could not fault Worf for rescuing his wife. On stardate 51604, a disciplinary note was entered into Worf's record, stating that he was therefore "ineligible for any further promotion or any permanent command position." ( DS9 episodes : " You Are Cordially Invited ", " Change of Heart ", " Tears of the Prophets ", ST video game : Starship Creator , ST website  : StarTrek.com )

Ambassador Worf [ ]

Towards the end of the war, Worf was instrumental in the installation of Martok as the new Klingon Chancellor, after Gowron's dishonorable actions caused the deaths of many Klingon warriors. Gowron had taken personal command of Defense Force assets on the front lines, and was purposefully launching suicidal and wasteful attacks in an attempt to discredit the popular Martok, whom Gowron had come to see as a threat to his power base. Worf challenged Gowron to a duel for his actions and killed him; Worf then had the right to become Chancellor himself, but instead chose to bestow the office upon Martok.

After the war was over in late 2375 , Martok 'thanked' Worf by requesting that he be named as the new Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire . Worf had lived in between the two societies for his entire life. He was responsible for the installation of the last two Chancellors and an Emperor. Furthermore, both K'Ehleyr and Jadzia's previous host, Curzon Dax , had held the position. He was the perfect choice. ( DS9 episode & novelization : What You Leave Behind )

Before Worf could take on the position, he had to assist Martok in securing his position as Chancellor. A coup engineered by the Klingons Morjod and Gothmara destroyed the Great Hall and threw Qo'noS into chaos in early 2376. It was only when Ezri Dax brought the legendary Sword of Kahless into Martok's possession that Martok's position was solidified. ( DS9 - The Left Hand of Destiny novels : Book One , Book Two )

Worf's first assignment as Ambassador brought him to the world of taD , Klingon for "frozen," to settle a dispute between the indigenous population, who had appealed for recognition from the Federation after overthrowing the local Klingon government, and the Empire, who wished to have taD back under their own control.

With the assistance of his new attache, Giancarlo Wu , and the crew of the IKS Gorkon Worf, adapting to the needs of his new post, came up with a solution that pleased all parties and avoided bloodshed, installing a Klingon engineer from the Gorkon crew as a ceremonial emperor while granting practical autonomy to the populace. His new career was off to a good start. ( TNG novel : Diplomatic Implausibility )

Following the discovery of a Tholian attack on a Klingon colony in 2268 , Worf oversaw the first peace talks between the Tholian Assembly and the Klingon Empire. ( SCE eBook : Foundations, Book Three )

Worf's time as ambassador was shortlived. During the time post-war, Worf's duties as ambassador slowed to managerial and Targ Hunts. While awaiting the arrival of a liaison to Andor for a suitable punishment for an altercation, he was confronted by Ezri Dax. As it turns out, the day she approached him was the day that Jadiza had perished and Worf was acting strange. Through her role as psychologist, she gets Worf to admit that he only took up the position of ambassador to run away from his lingering feelings of Jadiza within Erzi. Ultimately, after rebuking the liaison, Worf decided to return to Federation space, intending on contacting both Martok and Picard. ( Waypoint 2019 Special )

During 2376, Worf was given temporary command of the Defiant-class USS Avenger , at first to protect the Ba'ku and later to stop Sela in assisting Toral. ( ST video game : Armada )

The Wardens [ ]

Also in 2377 Worf was one of the many victims of the Wardens plot to take over the galaxy . Whilst the Klingon High Council , under Warden control, prepared to go to war with the Federation, the Wardens kidnapped Worf in an effort to prevent him from defusing the situation. Fortunately, the crew of the USS Incursion were at hand and promptly rescued Worf from captivity, delivering him to the Council chambers where he quickly moved to dissuade Chancellor Martok from launching the planned attack. ( ST video game : Away Team )

Back with Starfleet [ ]

When Captain Benjamin Sisko and the crew of the USS Theseus witnessed the death of numerous Crystalline Entities , they detected a particle trace found only at Sarkadesh , a planet deep in Klingon space. They traveled to Qo'noS to ask permission to visit said planet, but their request was denied. Seeing no other alternative, Sisko disobeyed the Emperor and went there anyway, asking that Worf would accompany him. While Sisko and an away team beamed up to the planet, Worf was left in charge of the bridge, having to handle a horde of Klingon ships that had been sent to arrest them. Thanks to his cunning, Worf was able to avoid any casualties, and, upon the Captain's return, he decided to resign from his post as ambassador and officially rejoin Starfleet. ( ST - Godshock comic : " Part 2 ")

Promotion [ ]

After serving as the Captain of the Enterprise for many years, Captain Picard was promoted to the rank of Admiral in order to lead the mission to assist the Romulans in evacuating their home system. After his own promotion Picard suggested that Worf be promoted to Captain and given command of the Enterprise . Some in Starfleet objected due to Worf's reprimand for his actions on Soukara many years ago, but Picard argued that the experience had made Worf a better officer and that his service since then had been exemplary. Starfleet agreed with Picard, and promoted Worf to Captain right after Picard's promotion. ( Picard novel : The Last Best Hope )

Path to the 25th century [ ]

After leaving Starfleet and returning to the Klingon homeworld, in 2385 Worf began a relationship with Grilka. The next year, he married Grilka . ( ST website  : The Path to 2409 )

In 2387 , Worf accepted a provisional commission in the Klingon Defense Force, and was eventually granted the rank of general. He led a task force to stop Nero 's quest for vengeance following the destruction of Romulus . The task force was quickly overwhelmed and Nero demanded that Worf deliver himself as a captive. Worf agreed, but uses the surrender as cover to lead an EVA mission onto Nero's vessel. The Klingons met with initial success, while Worf made his way to the command center to find Nero. Worf rejected Nero's attempts to persuade him, and was impaled by the vessel's Borg-enhanced mechanisms. Alive but only tenuously, Worf was beamed to the Enterprise as part of a ploy to lower the Starfleet vessel's shields, and was immediately transported to sickbay. ( TNG comic : " Countdown, Number Four ")

It took some time for Worf to fully recover from the wounds received onboard the Narada . On stardate 65548.43, Grilka gave birth to Worf's second child, a boy named K'Dhan . ( ST website  : The Path to 2409 )

Worf, circa 2409.

Sometime prior to 2401 , Worf again became a Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire . In that year, he was among a number of retired and current Starfleet officers who urged the Federation Council to reconsider their position on the Klingon-Gorn War . These veterans argued that the UFP should join the Klingons in fighting the Undine , but the Council was not swayed. After the session closed, Worf resigned his position and returned to Qo'noS for the final time, saying that he could no longer serve a regime who would willingly endanger its people and that he must follow the path of honor. ( ST website  : The Path to 2409 )

In 2409 , Worf was often found in the First City , seeing to the business of the House of Martok and assisting young warriors. Later, he traveled to New Romulus to act as a liaison between Klingon and Federation forces assisting the Romulan Republic with the activation of an Iconian gateway discovered there. ( STO missions : " Friend or Foe ", " Bringing Down the House ", " Sphere of Influence ")

In 2410 , after the defeat of an Undine planet killer over Qo'noS by a joint Federation/Klingon/Romulan fleet, Worf was present for the signing of the armistice that ended the Federation-Klingon War of 2405-2410 . ( STO mission : " Surface Tension ")

Alternate realities [ ]

A major tangent of the prime timeline was created in 2373 . Called the First Splinter timeline , this alternate reality 's Worf was an influential player in Federation politics and also the battle to stop the Devidian temporal apocalypse . ( Coda )

Other alternate realities [ ]

In an alternate timeline created when the USS Enterprise -C was accidentally sent through a temporal rift from 2344 to 2366 , the Federation had been at war with the Klingon Empire for almost 20 years as the Enterprise -C's disappearance resulted in the destruction of the Klingon colony Narendra III . In this timeline, Worf was not a member of the Enterprise crew. The positions of tactical officer and security chief were held by Lieutenant Tasha Yar in 2366. ( TNG episode : " Yesterday's Enterprise ")

In an anti-time future experienced by Jean-Luc Picard , Worf was the governor of the H'atoria colony in 2395 . He held great antipathy for Admiral William T. Riker in that timeline, stemming from the death of Deanna Troi in 2375 . ( TNG episode & novelization : All Good Things... )

In another alternate timeline, Worf was serving as Chancellor of the Klingon Empire in 2402 . ( TNG short story : " Staying the Course ")

In another alternate timeline in which Captain Sisko became trapped in a subspace field in 2372 , Worf was an influential member of the Klingon High Council in 2422 . ( DS9 episode : " The Visitor ")

In another alternate timeline created by the USS Defiant being sent back in time to the 22nd century , the ship's crew, including Worf, settled on Gaia IV . He and Jadzia eventually married and had several children. By 2373 , they had numerous descendants, including Yedrin Dax , Brota and Lisa . ( DS9 episode : " Children of Time ")

In another alternate timeline, Worf was murdered in the Klingon High Council chamber in 2410 in front of his son Alexander Rozhenko . ( TNG episode : " Firstborn ")

In another alternate timeline in which Doctor Noonien Soong 's dream of widespread acceptance of artificial life in the form of Soong-type androids was realised, Worf transferred from the Enterprise -D to Deep Space 9 in 2372 . ( TNG - Myriad Universes novel : Brave New World )

Commander Worf in an alternate reality.

While returning from a bat'leth tournament on Forcas III in 2370 , Worf's shuttle, the Curie , encountered a quantum fissure and its warp engines caused a rupture in the barrier which separated one quantum reality from another. Consequently, Worf began switching places with his counterparts in different alternate realities.

In one of these realities, Worf only achieved ninth place in the bat'leth competition while, in another, he was unable to attend and his younger brother Kurn participated in his stead.

In two realities, Worf was married to Deanna Troi . In one of these, they had two young children, Eric-Christopher Rozhenko (born 2367 ) and Shannara Rozhenko (born 2368 ), while his son Alexander Rozhenko had never been born. In the latter reality, he was a commander and the first officer of the USS Enterprise -D , which was under the command of Captain William T. Riker as Jean-Luc Picard had been killed during the Borg Incursion of 2366-2367 .

Multiple Worfs from different alternate realities

In another reality in which the Borg Collective had succeeded in conquering the Federation and much of the Alpha Quadrant by 2370, the Enterprise , under Riker's command, was one of the last surviving ships. Along with Riker, Worf was one of its few remaining crewmembers. After it became one of the approximately 285,000 different Enterprise s to be sent to the same reality, Worf was killed when the Borg -infested Enterprise was accidentally destroyed by the Enterprise indigenous to that reality. ( TNG episode : " Parallels ")

In another reality, Worf was the Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire in 2380. By this time, he and Deanna were married and lived on Qo'noS .

In another reality, Worf was a general in the Klingon Defense Force . Prior to 2380, he had captured the United Earth Space Probe Agency vessel Enterprise for the Klingon Empire and renamed it the IKS Qu' . He executed the entire crew with the exception of Captain Picard, who became a slave and was kept in shackles on the ship's bridge. After the Qu' arrived in the primary universe , he opened fire on the Enterprise indigenous to that reality.

In another reality, Worf was the captain of the USS Enterprise -E in 2380. He referred to himself as "Worf Rozhenko" and spoke an ancient Klingon dialect . ( TNG novel : Q & A )

Chancellor Worf of the Klingon colony of Earth.

In the alternate reality created by Nero and a future in which Q brought the USS Enterprise a hundred years into the future, Worf was Chancellor of the Klingon colony of Earth in the 24th century. Worf was then introduced to Captain James T. Kirk . However, Worf was then killed by his brother Kurn and his guards, who revealed themselves to be Changeling infiltrators. ( TOS - The Q Gambit comics : " Part 2 ", " Part 3 ")

Interests [ ]

One of Worf's interests/hobbies was poetry reading. Another interest of the Klingon's was Parisi Squares . His other interests included the Mok'bara martial arts , Klingon opera (his favorite singer being traditionalist Barak'karan ), culture and mythology and building models of Klingon sailing-ships . Worf liked to command in the Battle of Tong Vey holographic program. ( TNG video game : Echoes from the Past , ST video game : Starship Creator , ST website  : StarTrek.com )

Worf's service record [ ]

• Personal log , Worf

Appendices [ ]

Connections [ ], appearances [ ], external links [ ].

• Worf article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• Worf article at the Star Trek Timelines Wiki .
• Worf article at Wikipedia , the free encyclopedia.
• Worf article at Tardis Data Core , the Doctor Who wiki
• 1 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
• 3 Odyssey class

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Best Crossover Character Changed the Show Forever

It also results in some of the best relationships within the Star Trek universe.

The Big Picture

• Worf's arrival on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine deepened the exploration of Klingon culture and his personal identity.
• Worf's relationship with Jadzia adds depth to his character and highlights his humanity.
• Worf's struggles adjusting to life on DS9 test his loyalty, friendship, and honor.

Worf, son of Mogh ( Michael Dorn ), is a beloved character initially introduced to audiences in Star Trek: The Next Generation , known for his battle-hardened stoicism and the comedic relief that his upright and rigid demeanor brings. Worf crossed over to Deep Space Nine in the fourth season, much to the delight of Star Trek fans. Initially, his arrival on DS9 allowed the show to explore the Klingon Empire in-depth by extrapolating his inner conflict between his roles as a dutiful Federation Officer and a fierce Warrior of The Klingon Empire.

However, Worf's presence on DS9 would also forever change the series , allowing a deep exploration of the machinations of the Empire through its saga with Gowron ( Robert O'Reilly ). His relationship with Jadzia ( Terry Farrell ), a Trill learned in the ways of the Klingon, would help highlight Worf's humanity, act as a romantic counterpoint to his rigidity, and provide context for the curious observer. Jadzia and Worf are similar in some respects, as they both have multiple identities to reconcile. Jadzia would be the first non-Klingon woman that Worf could be with in the traditional sense, giving a vulnerability to the character that would carry on throughout the series and provide a deep richness to DS9 that helped cement it as a critical series in the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

In the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, the Federation space station Deep Space Nine guards the opening of a stable wormhole to the far side of the galaxy.

What Is 'Deep Space Nine' About?

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is the fourth series in the Star Trek universe, created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller . Deep Space Nine ran from January 3, 1993, to June 2, 1999, for 176 episodes over seven seasons. It was the first Star Trek series to be created without the involvement of series founder Gene Roddenberry , the first to be set on a space station, and the first to boast a Black captain in Benjamin Sisko ( Avery Brooks ). The series follows the exploits of a hybrid crew of Starfleet and Bajoran officers on the titular space station, in orbit above Bajor and adjacent to a wormhole leading to the distant and mysterious Gamma Quadrant. Starfleet has come to oversee the transfer of power from the oppressive Cardassian Empire to the Bajoran civilian government, which has been under the heel of the Cardassians for some time.

The series is much darker than its predecessors . At one point, Major Kira Nerys ( Nana Visitor ), the first officer of Deep Space Nine, is a Cardassian prisoner of war, and even Sisko himself saw his wife killed during a Borg raid on a space station. The currents of trauma that run through the ensemble invoke feelings of loneliness, desperation, and fear, which the characters must overcome in typical Starfleet fashion. The well-roundedness of the characters makes them very compelling and adds a layer of sophistication to the series, which, while present in its predecessors, came into its own during DS9 and became a recurring theme on the show.

One particular theme that runs through Deep Space Nine is the duty to one's station and the duty one has towards one's individuality. This exploration of where duty and individuality meet is present in many characters. Take Odo ( René Auberjonois ) , for example, a Founder separated from his people and planted firmly in the camp of the Alpha Quadrant. In contrast, his people wage war on the planets of the Federation. Odo must choose between his people, Starfleet, and his cultural identity and individuality. So, too, must Kira, whose hatred for the Cardassian is a defining feature of her character, and who has to learn to overcome this so that it does not interfere with her duties to Starfleet. This war between the Founders, their allies, and Starfleet is the primary conflict in the series . They are a formidable race of shapeshifters backed by the Jem'Hadar, a warrior race of beings whose soul existence is to crush opposition. They are a tough, genocidal race, terrifying in their methods and fearsome enough to give the Klingon Empire a run for its money.

Worf's Arrival Changed 'Deep Space Nine' for the Better

Worf joins the crew of Deep Space Nine during the feature-long premiere episode of Season 4 in "The Way Of The Warrior." At the beginning of the episode, the Klingon Empire, led by Gowron, shows up at the space station to aid them in their fight against the Founders. This is a serious boon for Starfleet and the Alpha Quadrant, as the Klingons are such fearsome and brutal fighters that they may tip the balance of power throughout the war. But they push things too far, illegally searching Bajoran ships and starting a war with the Cardassians, whom they believe to be comprised of the shapeshifting Founders. Worf is brought to gather intelligence by reaching out to the Empire. He is very close with Gowron, who has absolved Worf and his family of their generations-long disgrace. Worf learns of the Klingon plans to invade Cardassia and must choose between fulfilling his duties to Starfleet or joining Gowron in battle. Worf's choice to maintain his honor by remaining in Starfleet is a moral choice that tests his individuality against those of his bloodthirsty cultural traditions.

Throughout the series, Worf meets Deep Space Nine's chief science officer, Jadzia Dax, a Trill and the host of the symbiont that once belonged to Curzon Dax . Due to the Dax symbiont carrying all its previous hosts' memories, Jadzia can tap into Curzon's familiarity with Klingon customs. The characters are exciting foils to one another. Worf is glib, stoic, and utterly humorless, while Jadzia is more irreverent and open, owing to the many past lives she recalls through her symbiont. However, the two also have more in common than one might think ; they are both people who have multiple identities. The critical difference is that Jadzia has reconciled her identities, while Worf remains at odds with his.

Jadzia is the only person aboard Deep Space Nine who can genuinely understand Worf , and it is this factor that blossoms their innocuous meeting into what may be one of the most fantastic love stories ever told in the Star Trek universe. Their connection is marvelous as their conflicting natures are both points of contention that allow for humorous moments where Jadzia's tenderness assuages the beast within Worf. It is delightful to watch Worf babysit chief operations officer Miles O'Brien's ( Colm Meaney ) daughter, paving the way for the couple to conceive a child of their own — which is made all the more tragic by Jadzia's murder and Worf's spiral into despair.

Worf Had a Difficult Time Adjusting To Life On Deep Space Nine

Initially, Worf has his former Enterprise crewmate O'Brien to help ease his transition into life on the space station. The two were close, and their relationship strengthened on The Next Generation , after Worf helped O'Brien's wife Keiko ( Rosalind Chao ) give birth to their daughter. When Worf joins the crew of DS9, O'Brien is among the first to receive him to help him acclimate — introducing him to Doctor Julian Bashir ( Alexander Siddig ), a rival suitor for Jadzia's affections and eventual boyfriend to Ezri ( Nicole de Boer ), who becomes the host of the Dax symbiote after Jadzia's untimely death.

O'Brien is the only person Worf can genuinely confide in after the death of his wife, and he heartbreakingly confesses to his friend that he fears Jadzia's soul may never make it to Klingon heaven because she hadn't eaten the heart of her enemy after a night of too much blood wine. Worf longs to be with his wife in the afterlife, making Ezri's relationship with Bashir a sore point for the commander. But Worf eventually becomes a friend to Ezri, who, in effect, helps Worf to properly grieve Jadzia's death so that he can move on and step up to be the man that the Klingon Empire needs.

It isn't an easy transition for Worf after he accepts the commission of Special Operations Officer on Deep Space Nine — yet Captain Sisko has incredible foresight when he offers Worf the position. He sees Worf as a profoundly knowledgeable and capable military strategist whose intuition and extensive knowledge of warfare, particularly Klingon warfare, would greatly benefit the station and Starfleet. This position puts Worf in direct opposition to his people and weighs heavily on his mind. By siding with Sisko over Gowron, Worf again sees himself as an outsider among his people . His frustrations are palpable, but he can sublimate these into his work and subsequently earn a place of deep respect in Sisko's heart. It is summed up rather nicely between the two with a hearty handshake when Worf accepts the role of Ambassador to the Klingon homeworld.

Until this point, Worf wants to restore his family's honor, and ironically, he loses it again while pursuing what he believes to be honorable. Here is the show's crux: how far someone is willing to go to do what they believe to be correct. Sisko tests the bounds of his morality while making difficult choices about defeating the Founders. Odo turns his back on his people. On the fringes of the known universe, a brave crew of deeply traumatized heroes will learn exactly that. Worf's crossover on Deep Space Nine marks the point where the series descends into a dark rabbit hole spurned on through the fog of war, but it also results in some of the best character relationships within the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

Michael Dorn (I)

IMDbPro Starmeter Top 5,000 14

• Contact info
• 2 wins & 2 nominations

• Lieutenant Worf
• Commander Worf
• Risa Tourist
• 1987–1994 • 175 eps

• Dr. Michael Moghson
• Post-production

• Pistachio Soup (voice)

• Asar (voice)

• Battle Beast (voice)

• Dr. Deystrum

• Ravannavar (voice)

• Ferdinand (voice)

• Bupu (voice)

• Kalibak (voice)

• I.M. Weasel (voice)

• Atrocitus (voice)

Personal details

• 6′ 2¾″ (1.90 m)
• December 9 , 1952
• Luling, Texas, USA
• Parents Allie Lee Nauls
• Other works TV commercial for Neutrogena T-Gel (1996)
• 1 Portrayal
• 9 Interviews
• 13 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

• Trivia Made a grand total of 282 "Star Trek" appearances. He appeared in 175 of the 178 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) , 102 of the 176 episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) , Star Trek: Generations (1994) , Star Trek: First Contact (1996) , Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) . He also directed the following episodes: In the Cards (1997) , Inquisition (1998) , When It Rains... (1999) and Two Days and Two Nights (2002) . The 277 episodes of Star Trek he appeared in means he has appeared in more episodes of Sci-Fi Television than any other actor.
• Quotes But now they have the series down to a real science where it's about an hour.
• Trademarks Deep resonant authoritative voice
• How old is Michael Dorn?
• When was Michael Dorn born?
• Where was Michael Dorn born?

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Add demo reel with IMDbPro

How much have you seen?

Recently viewed

Star Trek: Starfleet Had a Forgotten Klingon Officer BEFORE Worf

Although Star Trek: The Next Generation's Worf is the most famous Klingon Starfleet officer, he was not the first alien to take the position.

As the main antagonists of the original Star Trek series, Klingons were a feared warrior race without many redeeming qualities. With Star Trek: The Next Generation , fans gained more insight into Klingon culture. The newer series also introduced Starfleet's first Klingon officer, Worf. However, a Klingon officer did appear prior to Worf in DC's 1984 Star Trek comic book series, three years before The Next Generation 's debut.

The comic series took place right after the events of the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . In Star Trek #1 -- by Mike W. Barr, Tom Sutton, Ricardo Villagran, John Costanza, and Michele Wolfman -- Captain James T. Kirk and his crew are traipsing around the universe when they discover a group of Klingon's in Federation space hidden behind a wormhole. Through this encounter the first, albeit non-canon, Klingon officer was introduced: Konom.

In many ways, Konom was an ideal Klingon. His history was marked with all the great and respectable ideals of Klingon culture. He was pushed by his powerful family to become the best of the best. While still young, his brightness showed as he became highly adept at Klin zha -- a Klingon strategy game. When he began his first tour of duty, he found a disconnect with certain Klingon practices. During a raid, he found that he did not want to be a killer but was pushed to do it anyway.

Related:  Star Trek: Why Tuvok Is The Franchise’s Most Important Vulcan

Konom first encountered Captain Kirk and Ensign Nancy Bryce as a member of the Klingon crew behind the wormhole. As a result of this meeting, he decided to join Starfleet. Konom found battles and war interesting on a strategic level but was appalled by the continual loss of life. Starfleet would provide mental stimulation while, hopefully, avoiding fatalities.

After joining the crew of the Enterprise, Ensign Konom had mixed encounters with his fellow officers. Some of the humans on board were not comfortable with a Klingon living as one of their own. Because of their fear of other cultures, they targeted Konom with bigoted attacks. However, he did make several human friends on board. He grew especially close with Nancy Bryce. Their relationship blossomed from friendship into romance and the two were married. Konom also became the guardian of a young half-human/half-Klingon named Bernie. Bernie later took the name "Kobry," a combination of Konom and Bryce, to honor his friends.

Related:  Star Trek: One of the Original Series' Best Episodes Almost Had a Different Ending

In contrast to Konom's traditional Klingon upbringing, Worf's early life was much different. As a child, Worf was orphaned and adopted by a human couple. Raised by humans in a farming community, Worf had a unique life experience compared to many other Klingons. Although Worf was separated from others like him, he still tried to adhere to the Klingon ways. At the age of 15, he went through the Rite of Ascension coming of age ceremony. During the ceremony, Worf had a vision of the great Klingon warrior Kahless the Unforgettable who told him to do something that no other Klingon had done. Ruminating on the meaning of the vision, Worf decided it meant he should join Starfleet. Eventually, when he joined Jean-Luc Picard 's Enterprise crew, Worf had reached the rank of Lieutenant junior grade and was a bridge officer.

Beyond the fact that they shared the same heritage, there were a few similarities between Konom and Worf. Both were father figures to mixed-species children, although Worf's child was his biological son. Konom and Worf both married women from different planets who were Starfleet officers. Konom married the human Nancy Bryce and Worf married the Trill, Jadzia Dax. Both men had complicated relationships with their Klingon ancestry. While they tried to adhere to the ways set by their ancestors, there were some things they could not reconcile with their personal moral codes. They sought something more by familiarizing themselves with other cultures and other ways of life. Konom and Worf proved that Klingons are a deep, layered people, and not much different from the humans who once feared them.

KEEP READING:  Star Trek: The Next Generation: How Q Gave Captain Picard the Ultimate What If?

• View history

K'Ehleyr , the daughter of a Human mother and a Klingon father , was an ambassador and special emissary of the Federation in the 2360s .

• 1 Biography
• 2.1 Appearances
• 2.2 Background information
• 2.3 Apocrypha
• 2.4 External link

Biography [ ]

K'Ehleyr described herself as being "trapped between two cultures" with bi-racial parents. Having the humor of her mother and the temper from her father, she preferred her Human side and exercised tight control of her Klingon tendencies. Her Klingon side nevertheless gave her strength, even if terrifying. ( TNG : " The Emissary ")

Though K'Ehleyr knew much about Klingon culture and fighting techniques, she never showed much respect for Klingon values, which was sometimes a cause of great fury for Worf. Consequently, she never taught Alexander about the Klingon way of living before her death. ( TNG : " Firstborn "; DS9 : " Sons and Daughters ")

In 2359 , she had a relationship with then Lieutenant Worf , but neither felt ready to engage in a deep relationship, so they separated.

K'Ehleyr about to beam over to the T'Ong

In 2365 , she traveled from Starbase 153 to the USS Enterprise -D on an urgent mission to intercept the Klingon sleeper ship IKS T'Ong , which was about to become active. The mission was considered so urgent and time-sensitive that K'Ehleyr agreed to be transported to the rendezvous with the capital ship in a Class 8 probe , capable of speeds of Warp 9, modified for space travel purposes. The Klingon vessel would have been unaware of the Federation-Klingon alliance , therefore posing a threat to Federation establishments in the Boradis system . While searching for the T'Ong , she renewed her relationship with Worf, but refused to marry him when he asked her. Due to this short renewal, however, she gave birth to a son a year later . On the mission, she tried to persuade Captain Picard to destroy the Klingon ship as soon as possible, but thanks to an idea of Worf's, this could be prevented: to convince the T'Ong 's crew of the Alliance, Worf posed as the captain of the Enterprise , with K'Ehleyr as his first officer . After the T'Ong 's crew had agreed to lay down their weapons, K'Ehleyr beamed aboard the T'Ong to prepare the crew for the 24th century while waiting for the IKS P'Rang . Before transporting over, Worf told her that he would never be complete without her. ( TNG : " The Emissary ")

K'Ehleyr dies in Worf's arms

In 2367 , she accompanied Klingon chancellor K'mpec , who had chosen Picard as Arbiter of Succession , to a meeting with the Enterprise . When she came aboard, Worf learned of his son Alexander for the first time. K'Ehleyr expressed her desire to become Worf's mate at this time, but he refused, saying that he did not desire to share his discommendation with her and Alexander. After K'mpec's death , she assisted Picard in the Rite of Succession , briefing him about Klingon rituals and tradition. As she therefore had much influence on the Rite, Gowron tried to bribe her with the command over a Klingon ship or a seat in the Klingon High Council , but she refused. Later, she discovered evidence that proved Duras was involved in the conspiracy that led to Worf's discommendation; on learning of her search through attempts to access Klingon High Council records he sealed, Duras attacked K'Ehleyr in her quarters and killed her. Worf transported to Duras' ship shortly later and killed him in vengeance. Afterwards, Worf claimed Alexander as his son and placed him in his adoptive parents' care on Earth . ( TNG : " Reunion ")

Alexander kept a picture of his mother next to his bed aboard the Enterprise . ( TNG : " Firstborn ")

In 2374 , Quark joked that Alexander must have gotten his looks from his mother's side of the family. ( DS9 : " You Are Cordially Invited ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Emissary "
• " Reunion "
• " Firstborn " (picture only)

Background information [ ]

A costume sketch for K'Ehleyr by Durinda Rice Wood

K'Ehleyr was played by Suzie Plakson .

The role of K'Ehleyr was originally offered to actress Robin Curtis , but her commitment to another film project prevented her from taking the role. [1]

The script pronunciation guide for "The Emissary" notes that K'Ehleyr is pronounced "kay-LAHR". [2]

K'Ehleyr, Worf and Alexander promotional shot

According to a reference cut from the script of "The Emissary", K'Ehleyr met Worf on Samrin's Planet in 2359. When they were reunited six years later, K'Ehleyr was disappointed at how much Worf had changed since their initial encounter.

Ronald D. Moore commented regarding K'Ehleyr's death: " I am happy to pass the buck on this one to Michael Piller . It was his idea to kill K'Ehleyr during the story break because it would be a great dramatic turn and would provide Worf with ample reason to go stick a bat'leth into Duras' guts. " He also mentioned that bringing back K'Ehleyr had come up a number of times. ( AOL chat , 1997 )

Apocrypha [ ]

In Peter David 's Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series, Worf and K'Ehleyr first meet while Worf is attending Starfleet Academy .

In the novel A Time for War, A Time for Peace , K'Ehleyr became Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire not long after Alexander was born. When she was on Qo'noS , she always stayed at the Federation embassy. In fact, in the time that Alexander lived with her, he never set foot anywhere else on the planet.

A subtle reference was made to K'Ehleyr in the Q Continuum series, which featured the female Q , another character played by Suzie Plakson; when the two are first introduced, Picard found her features slightly familiar, but could not place exactly where he recognized her from. Additionally, in the Star Trek: Voyager episode " The Q and the Grey ", the same female Q, when told off by B'Elanna Torres over an engineering problem, says she's always liked Klingon females as they are "spunky."

In the Pocket TNG novel Diplomatic Implausibility placed K'Ehleyr's grave site as Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City ; by coincidence, Lt. Marla Aster , whose son Jeremy Aster became a member of Worf's family after her untimely death, is buried there as well.

The mirror universe novel Rise Like Lions introduced K'Ehleyr's mirror universe counterpart ( β ). K'Ehleyr joined the Terran Rebellion , becoming first officer of the Rebellion's Enterprise under the mirror Picard.

The Star Trek: Coda finale Oblivion's Gate saw mirror-K'Ehleyr meet Worf and Alexander of the "First Splinter" timeline when they retreated to the mirror universe to find allies to stop the Temporal Apocalypse. K'Ehleyr and Worf had a brief but passionate relationship before the final confrontation to save the multiverse, K'Ehleyr fighting alongside Worf and Alexander on the Borg-controlled alternate Earth and dying before the timeline was reset.

External link [ ]

• K'Ehleyr at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Star Trek: Is Worf A Real Klingon?

The first main character from this iconic warrior race has a complicated history with his own heritage.

One of the big selling points of the Star Trek franchise is its theoretically infinite room for expansion. New writers and crew members could come in to come up with new worlds, species, and storylines until the end of time, but fans prefer to see their favorites keep coming back. The Klingon race is one of the most iconic and its abnormal prodigal son happens to be Worf.

The Klingons were introduced as a fairly stereotypical planet of hats . They're all honor and combat, devoted entirely to the pursuit of violence and strength. Worf was the first proper main character to come from the Klingon race, and he's added a lot to their perception in the fanbase.

RELATED: Star Trek: Things You Didn’t Know About Worf

Where did Worf Grow Up?

Worf was born on the Klingon home planet of Qo'noS. At the age of five, his parents moved the family to the Khitomer colony. That choice would prove disastrous the following year. Worf lived a normal life on Khitomer. He had a pet, he started his training, and he went on hunting expeditions. One such trip left Worf with a scar he would carry for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, when Worf was six, the Klingon Empire was betrayed by the Romulans, who attacked Khitomer. Nearly the entire population was brutally slaughtered, leaving young Worf a homeless orphan. Luckily, a kind Federation officer found Worf among the rubble and brought him home.

Worf was raised on a quiet farming colony called Gault. His adoptive parents Sergey and Helena Rozhenko brought him up like any other child. He was treated as a sibling by their son Nikolai and grew up in a loving home. Tragedy gave way to new opportunities as Worf learned the ways of his new home. He was a gifted athlete and a great student, but he struggled to control himself around his frail new neighbors. Worf accidentally killed a kid in a soccer game, so the Rozhenko family finally made the move to Earth. He lived somewhere in Russia and frequently camped with his family in the Ural Mountains. Worf tried to return to his original homeland , but the Klingons rejected him for his exposure to humans. He wasn't welcomed home, but a legendary warrior of his species appeared in a vision to tell him he'd break new ground. He eventually did so by becoming the first Klingon to join Starfleet.

Worf Chose to Be More Klingon

Worf spent the lion's share of his life feeling pulled between his human upbringing and his Klingon blood. However, he gradually came to grips with both identities as crucial parts of his life. In many ways, he was an integral bridge between the Federation and the warlike people. Some twenty years after his birth family's death, the rival House of Duras made heinous accusations against Worf. Worf appeared in his family's stead to plead their case and presented evidence to exonerate them. The local chancellor knew the truth and laid the blame at the feet of the House of Duras. Worf had only two options. He could either lie and accept the black mark against his blood or tell the truth and incite a civil war. Wisely, he chose to allow his reputation to fall to ruin.

Worf's sacrifice only delayed the war. When it finally broke out, Worf entreated Starfleet to join the conflict and won back his family's honor. From his position of power, Worf was instrumental in rebuilding the Klingon Empire after the war. Worf discovered a world of Klingons and Romulans living in peace. This shook his belief system to the core and forced him to re-evaluate everything he thought he knew about his culture. Worf chose to consult a familiar voice, the legendary warrior that initially told him of his heroic destiny. He swiftly discovered Kahless the Unforgettable, but he also found several holes in his story. This Kahless was weak and unable to recall many of his legendary tales. Sure enough, Worf had discovered a clone of Kahless who sought to be installed as emperor. Over time Worf decided to place clone Kahless in the largely ceremonial role to guide his people toward the old teachings that made them great.

Worf was born of one culture and raised by another, locking him in a permanent state of conflict. The day he joined Starfleet, he became an anomaly among his people and bridged a gap that lasted for centuries. He's one of the most important Klingons who ever lived, and he's long outlived the days when his people rejected him. From humble beginnings, Worf became more Klingon than any other member of his species. Though humans taught him how to live among them, he's always been a member of the rubber-foreheaded race from the beginning. Worf earns every one of his epithets and deserves just as much Klingon cred as the rest of his species.

MORE: Star Trek: Exploring Worf’s Unusual Relationship With Klingon Culture

Screen Rant

Why worf looked different after tng season 1.

TNG’s Lieutenant Worf would eventually become the most celebrated Klingon in all of Star Trek, but he looked a little bit different in TNG season 1.

Star Trek: The Next Generation 's iconic Klingon Lieutenant Worf looked a bit different in season 1 of the hit show. Played by Michael Dorn, Worf was not originally supposed to be a member of TNG 's core cast, but rather a recurring character who would only appear in a handful of episodes. Dorn's performance impressed the show's producers, however, and Worf was quickly made an essential part of the Enterprise-D's senior staff.

The look of the Klingons had been slowly evolving since Star Trek: The Motion Picture , the first story where they appeared with their now trademark forehead ridges and sharp teeth. Their look was slightly refined for Star Trek III: The Search For Spock ; Worf's initial design borrowed heavily from that film's interpretation. However, Worf would undergo a further refinement in appearance between TNG seasons 1 and 2.

Related: Every Explanation For DS9's Worf Joining The TNG Movies

Why Worf's Klingon Makeup Changed After TNG Season 1

In TNG season 1, Worf's head ridges were veiny and a bit undefined, not really suggesting any sort of pattern. After season 1 of TNG wrapped production, Worf's facial prosthetics were either lost or stolen. This presented Michael Westmore, TNG 's primary makeup designer, with an opportunity to improve the look of the character.

Worf's new season 2 head ridges were much more striking, now featuring a distinctive triangular pattern. The prosthetics were also much more comfortable for Star Trek 's Worf actor Michael Dorn and could be applied in a shorter amount of time. Additionally, Worf's gold baldric, which had been a borrowed prop from Star Trek: The Original Series , was replaced with a new metallic design. Worf's look would change a bit over the years, notably his hairstyle, but the TNG season 2 redesign set the overall look of Worf for decades.

Worf's TNG Season 2 Makeup Was The Klingon Template Until Discovery

Worf's TNG season 2 look was not only the iconic interpretation of the Enterprise-D's chief of security, it served as the template for virtually all Klingons in the franchise until they were radically altered for Star Trek: Discovery season 1. From TNG in the '80s all the way through Star Trek: Enterprise in the early '00s, the Klingons reflected Worf's general aesthetic: patterned head ridges, manicured facial hair, and largely human skin tones. The non-Worf Klingons also embraced a sort of galactic biker gang fashion sense, with lots of leather and silver.

This look was completely abandoned for Discovery season 1. Discovery 's Klingons were hairless, featured decidedly non-human skin tones, and had exaggerated head ridges and teeth. Discovery's Klingon was incredibly divisive , and the warrior race has not appeared in Discovery or any other live action Star Trek show since season 2. Along with the remaining members of the Enterprise-D crew, Worf is set to return in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Production stills and promotional images have confirmed Worf will still feature his classic look, perhaps even serving as a soft reset for the Klingons, as they're finally able to return to the Star Trek: The Next Generation look that so defined them.

More: Why Didn't Picard Save His Family In Star Trek Generations?

8 Alpha Quadrant Things Star Trek: Voyager Found In Delta Quadrant

• Star Trek: Voyager finds familiar things from the Alpha Quadrant in the Delta Quadrant, sparking important questions and connections.
• Encounter with Ferengi negotiators leads Voyager crew to stop their interference in a pre-warp civilization for profits.
• Janeway and crew discover humans abducted by aliens in the 1930s living in the Delta Quadrant, including Amelia Earhart.

For a show with the conceit of being so far from home, Star Trek: Voyager found a surprising number of things in the Delta Quadrant that originated in the Alpha Quadrant, including several from Earth itself. The USS Voyager, commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), and Commander Chakotay's (Robert Beltran) Maquis raider Val Jean were both brought to the Delta Quadrant in 2371 by the Caretaker (Basil Langton). After Janeway destroyed the Caretaker's array to save the Ocampa , Voyager and the Val Jean were left without a ticket back to the Alpha Quadrant, and banded together to make the long journey.

Finding something familiar in an otherwise totally alien corner of the galaxy brought a sense of familiarity to the USS Voyager crew and viewers at home alike, but the presence of something from the Alpha Quadrant in the Delta Quadrant inevitably raised important questions , like how familiar people and objects traveled 70,000 light years from home in the first place, and whether the find could lead Captain Kathryn Janeway towards a quicker path home to Earth.

Star Trek: Voyagers 20 Best Episodes Ranked

A pair of ferengi negotiators, arridor and kol, star trek: voyager season 3, episode 5 "false profits".

The USS Voyager encounters a pair of Ferengi negotiators, Arridor (Dan Shor) and Kol (Leslie Jordan), who claim to be the prophesied Great Sages of the Takarians, a society with Bronze Age level technology. The Ferengi have no Prime Directive to deter them from interfering with the Takarians' development , so they're performing "miracles" with a standard replicator to reap the monetary benefits of the Takarians' worship. Voyager's crew know the Ferengi reputation well enough to know they're no Sages, so they must figure out how to put a stop to Arridor and Kol's grift.

"False Profits" serves as a Star Trek sequel episode to Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 8 "The Price", as Voyager catches up with Arridor and Kol (formerly played by J. R. Quinonez) seven years after their Delta Quadrant arrival. The Ferengi took a test flight through the supposedly stable wormhole near Barzan II, which was supposed to emerge in the Gamma Quadrant, but instead stranded the Ferengi in the Delta Quadrant, where they made the best of their situation as only Ferengi can.

Star Trek: Voyager Season 3, Episode 23 "Distant Origin"

"Distant Origin" opens on Forra Gegen (Henry Woronicz), a scientist who discovers that his people, the Voth, share certain genetic similarities with the humans aboard the USS Voyager. While this confirms Gegen's theory that the Voth are the descendants of a species brought to their homeworld millions of years ago , religious leader Minister Odala (Concetta Tomei) refuses to accept the truth. Even with Commander Chakotay present as a living specimen of humanity, Odala pushes Gegen to recant, because Gegen's theory goes against the Voth Doctrine that keeps Odala in power.

After meeting Gegen's assistant, Tova Veer (Christopher Liam Moore), Janeway and the Doctor use the holodeck as a research guide to extrapolate how hadrosaurs might look in the 24th century if they'd been able to evolve into a humanoid form with comparable intelligence. The result resembles Veer, so Janeway and the Doctor conclude, like Gegen, that the Voth evolved from hadrosaurs into a highly advanced species on Earth , then fled to the Delta Quadrant in spacefaring vessels instead of being wiped out with the other dinosaurs.

The Friendship One Probe

Star trek: voyager season 7, episode 21 "friendship one".

By Star Trek: Voyager season 7 , the USS Voyager is in regular contact with Starfleet Command, and Starfleet gives Voyager a mission to retrieve a 21st-century Earth probe, Friendship One . The probe proves difficult to find, but once discovered on an alien planet suffering devastating climate collapse, the implications of Friendship One's launch become clear. Besides the irreversible damage to the planet's climate, the inhabitants are all suffering from radiation sickness, and bear understandable hostility towards Earth, because the aliens believe humans orchestrated their destruction with the Friendship One probe.

The United Earth Space Probe Agency was one of the early names for the organization the USS Enterprise belongs to in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "Charlie X".

Friendship One was launched in 2067 by the United Earth Space Probe Agency with the intention of making friends with whomever found it, as the name implies. Although Friendship One, the 400-year-old Earth probe, traveled for centuries carrying messages of peace, musical recordings, and ways to translate languages, the people who discovered Friendship One in the Delta Quadrant took a greater interest in the antimatter it used to travel across space. Without the proper knowledge of its use, antimatter proved devastating to the planet and its people, resulting in death and disease for generations.

Dreadnought, a Cardassian Missile

Star trek: voyager season 2, episode 17 "dreadnought".

The USS Voyager discovers a dangerously powerful, self-guided Cardassian missile in the Delta Quadrant, which Lt. B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) recognizes as one nicknamed "Dreadnought" . When B'Elanna was with the Maquis, Torres had actually reprogrammed the missile herself, with the intention of turning the Cardassians' own weapon against them. Without a Cardassian target in sight, the artificially intelligent Cardassian Dreadnought targets a heavily-populated Class-M planet , Rakosa V. B'Elanna determines she must be the one to keep Dreadnought from hurting anyone else, and boards the missile to convince it to stand down.

While no concrete reason is given for exactly how the Dreadnought wound up in the Delta Quadrant, its last known location in the Alpha Quadrant was the Badlands, the same rough patch of space where Voyager and the Val Jean, Chakotay's Maquis raider, fatefully met. Because of this, Torres theorizes that Dreadnought arrived in the Delta Quadrant the same way that Voyager and the Val Jean did , courtesy of the Caretaker.

Star Trek: Voyagers BElanna Is More Klingon Than TNGs Worf Ever Was

A klingon d-7 class cruiser, complete with klingons, star trek: voyager, season 7, episode 14 "prophecy".

The USS Voyager certainly never expected to find a Klingon ship in the Delta Quadrant, but more surprising is the fact that the crew of the Klingon D-7 Class Cruiser believes their savior, the prophesied kuvah'magh, is aboard Voyager . Janeway assures the Klingon captain, Kohlar (Wren T. Brown), that the Federation and Klingon Empire have been allies for the past 80 years, and offers Voyager's own half-Klingon, Lt. B'Elanna Torres, as proof their societies are working together now. The kuvah'magh is Torres' unborn daughter, who does save the Klingons, but not the way they expected.

Centuries ago, Kohlar's great-grandfather set off on a quest to find the kuvah'magh, and the Klingon D-7 Cruiser became a generation ship that is now crewed by the descendants of its original crew . The quest begun by Kohlar's great-grandfather brought Kohlar and his crew to the Delta Quadrant after four generations of searching. Whether B'Elanna's child is actually the kuvah'magh or not, Kohlar desperately wants the baby to be their savior, so that his people may finally rest.

Amelia Earhart

Star trek: voyager season 2, episode 1 "the 37s".

The discovery of a 1936 Ford truck, seemingly disconnected from any parent vehicle, leads the USS Voyager to a nearby Class-L planet, where they find eight humans who have been in cryo-stasis since they were abducted by aliens in the 1930s. Among them are one of Janeway's personal heroes, legendary American aviator Amelia Earhart (Sharon Lawrence) , who disappeared without a trace while attempting to fly around the world, and Earhart's navigator, Fred Noonan (David Graf). Earhart and the other preserved humans are known by the planet's inhabitants as "The 37s", and revered as sacred.

Originally thought to be aliens, the natives of the unnamed planet are the descendants of humans. A species called the Briori abducted the natives' ancestors, along with Earhart and the other 37s, from Earth centuries earlier , and took them to the Delta Quadrant. Once held as slaves, the humans who weren't in stasis revolted to free themselves from the Briori, and developed a thriving, Earth-like civilization in the Delta Quadrant. Voyager's crew consider staying with the humans in their little slice of home, while Janeway also offers a ride back to Earth to anyone who wants it, including Amelia Earhart.

The USS Equinox

Star trek: voyager season 5, episode 26 & season 6, episode 1 "equinox".

The crew of the USS Voyager believe they're the only Starfleet vessel in the Delta Quadrant until they find the USS Equinox, five years into their journey home. Captain Rudolph Ransom (John Savage) and the Equinox crew have had a harder time in the Delta Quadrant than Voyager, with more damage, fewer starting resources, and fewer opportunities to make friends along the way. Ransom's survival tactics include sacrificing innocent nucleogenic life forms for a more efficient form of fuel, which Janeway finds hard to stomach, and decides that Ransom needs to be held accountable for defying Federation ideals, regardless of how badly the Equinox is damaged.

Although Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) suggests that the Equinox might be in the Delta Quadrant on a rescue mission to find Voyager, the USS Equinox's specs don't fit the profile of a starship that would be assigned to a long-range mission. The explanation of how the Equinox arrived in the Delta Quadrant in the first place seems fairly simple, because Captain Ransom tells Janeway that the Equinox was also abducted by the Caretaker , just like Voyager, but the Equinox has only been in the Delta Quadrant for 2 years, and Janeway destroyed the Caretaker's array 5 years earlier.

Seven of Nine

Debuts in star trek: voyager season 4, episode 1 "scorpion, part 2".

When Captain Kathryn Janeway allies with the Borg in order to secure safe passage across Borg space, Janeway refuses the cursory assimilation that the Borg want to use to communicate with Janeway and Voyager's crew, and instead requests a speaker for the Borg, citing the existence of Locutus (Patrick Stewart) as precedent. Seven of Nine , Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01, is selected as the Borg drone to act as liaison between the Collective and Voyager, likely because Seven of Nine had once been a member of Species 5168, like most of Voyager's crew -- in other words, human.

Voyager season 5, episodes 15 & 16, "Dark Frontier" provides even more detail of the Hansens' fateful journey.

After Seven's link with the Collective is severed, more information about Seven's human origin comes to light. In Voyager season 4, episode 6 "The Raven", when Voyager nears the Hansens' ship, the USS Raven, memories of Seven's early life surface, revealing that Seven had been six-year-old human Annika Hansen , the daughter of Magnus Hansen (Kirk Baily) and Erin Hansen (Laura Stepp), Federation scientists who were studying the Borg when they were assimilated. Voyager season 5, episodes 15 & 16, "Dark Frontier" provides even more detail of the Hansens' fateful journey, showing the Raven arriving in the Delta Quadrant by following a Borg Cube through a transwarp conduit.

10 Ways USS Voyager Changed In Star Treks Delta Quadrant

Star Trek: Voyager links back to the greater Star Trek universe with people and starships from the Alpha Quadrant. Connections to the familiar were especially important early on, because Voyager 's place in the Star Trek franchise was established and aided by the legitimacy these finds offered. Later, when the USS Voyager used the Hirogen communications array to communicate with Starfleet Command, links back to the Alpha Quadrant were plentiful again, not only to prove that the USS Voyager was closer to home, but to help Star Trek: Voyager maintain connections to Star Trek and carry the franchise in its final years.

Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Voyager

Cast Jennifer Lien, Garrett Wang, Tim Russ, Robert Duncan McNeill, Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo

Release Date May 23, 1995

Genres Sci-Fi, Adventure

Network UPN

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Showrunner Kenneth Biller, Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga

Rating TV-PG