Although Worf is still very aggressive by nature, he is able to control his anger even when he feels he has been provoked. As a bridge officer, and the third in the line of command after Picard and Riker, Worf takes his duties very seriously. In combat situations, when the Enterprise or its crew is threatened, Worf instinctively wants to respond in kind and confront the menace head-on. The Klingon Empire does not stress cool deliberation as the preferred method for problem solving.
Worf rarely talks about himself and his culture, but in “Justice” Riker inadvertently gets Worf to talk about Klingon sexual attitudes. When Riker wonders why Worf is not enjoying the pleasures offered by the sybaritic Edo, Worf explains, quite casually, that only Klingon women could survive sex with a Klingon male. When Riker wonders if this is simply bragging, Worf is confused. He was merely stating a simple fact of Klingon life.
Eventually, Worf did renew a long-unconsummated relationship with the half-human K’Ehleyr, who came back into his life as a Federation emissary. Their encounter in “The Emissary” produced a son, but unfortunately K’Ehleyr was murdered in “Reunion,” a crime that provoked Worf to a bloody and time-honored Klingon revenge. His son now lives with his Earth grandparents, since Worf’s status in the Klingon Empire had at one point become a precarious one.
UNFAIR BLAME
Years after Worf’s rescue, the Klingons captured a Romulan ship whose records revealed the identity of the Klingon who betrayed the outpost. This Klingon was a member of a very powerful family, and his son was an important Klingon, so the Klingon High Council decided to avoid societal disruption by altering the records and blaming Worf’s father for the crime.
They did not believe that Worf still kept the Klingon ways, or that he would even learn of this dishonor. They were unaware that he had a younger brother who had been secretly raised by another family. Worf’s brother contacted Worf, drawing him into the Machiavellian intrigues of Klingon power politics. Ultimately, Worf underwent discommendation rather than let his brother be killed. This act corroborated his father’s guilt to outside eyes, but also gave him time to set matters right. He had already scored one victory, for his enemy in this matter was also the killer of his mate. Worf’s family honor was restored in “Redemption I & II” when he aided Gowron in a Klingon civil war.
It seems that Worf may turn out to be a key factor in Klingon-Federation relations. Klingons as a rule do not feel comfortable with humans, often holding them in contempt, and there may be a faction (see “The Drumhead”) that favors improved relations with the Romulans. Even though Klingons have a deeply ingrained hatred of Romulans, they understand them better than humans, whose manners and motivations often must seem strange to the warrior Klingons. Worf occupies a unique position between these two cultures, and may provide the key to future developments between them.
MICHAEL DORN
As a longtime Star Trek fan, Dorn says that this role “was a dream come true. First, because I’m a Trekkie, and second, I’m playing a Klingon, a character so totally different from the nice-guy roles I’d done in the past. Worf is the only Klingon aboard the Enterprise. That makes him an outsider, but that’s okay by me because Worf knows he’s superior to these weak humans. But he never lets the other crew members see that, because he’s a soldier first and second.”
The actor gives enthusiastic praise to series creator Gene Roddenberry for having the “genius and vision” to depict an optimistic future in which a peaceful alliance could be struck between Earth and the Klingon Empire. “Gene believed there is good in everybody—even Klingons!”
But the actor enjoys playing very different kinds of characters, and knows what it’s like to appear in a series after playing a regular on CHIPS for three years. “I love doing cop roles, and as a highway patrolman I got to drive fast and never got hurt.”
Dorn hails from Liling, Texas, but he was raised in Pasadena, California, just minutes away from Hollywood. He performed in a rock band during high school and college and in 1973 moved to San Francisco, where he worked at a variety of jobs. When he returned to L.A., he continued playing in rock bands until a friend’s father, an assistant director of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, suggested the young man try his hand at acting. Dorn can be seen in the background, as a newswriter, in episodes from that classic comedy’s last two seasons.
“I had done a little modeling by this time and had studied drama and TV producing in college. Once I started, I caught the bug.”
THE HUMBLE START
His first acting role was a guest spot on the series WEB, a show based on the satirical film Network. Dorn was introduced to an agent by the producer of the show and began studying with Charles Conrad. Six months later Dorn was cast in CHIPS. Following that series, Dorn resumed acting classes. “I worked very hard; the jobs started coming and the roles got meatier.”
Dorn has made guest appearances on nearly every major series, most notably Hotel, Knots Landing, and Falcon Crest. He has also had recurring roles on Days of Our Lives and Capitol. His feature film credits include Demon Seed, Rocky, and The Jagged Edge.
Dorn hopes eventually to direct, but for now, “I want to take one step at a time and do the best work I can do.” He’s still interested in rock music, plays in a band, does studio work as a bass player, and writes music in his spare time.
Beverly Crusher worked long and hard to secure her posting aboard the Enterprise, where she is stationed along with her brilliant son, Wesley. Beverly’s husband, Jack Crusher, was killed while serving under Captain Picard aboard the USS Stargazer. Jack Crusher died saving Picard’s life, and to show his respect for the man, Picard accompanied the body back to Earth when it was returned for the funeral.
While Beverly knows that it is not logical to blame Picard, she associated him with her loss and was not, at first, certain how she would react to working with Picard. When Picard offered to have her transferred if she so desired, she declined, since she wouldn’t have been there if she hadn’t requested the position. Any initial misgivings have given way to mutual respect and understanding.
Dr. Crusher chose to sign aboard the starship commanded by Picard because she had an enviable Starfleet record that had earned her this prestigious assignment. As demonstrated by the position held by Dr. McCoy on the Enterprise commanded by James T. Kirk, a starship’s chief medical officer is in no way regarded as a rank inferior to that of Captain. In fact, outside of a court martial, the CMO is the only force capable of removing a starship captain from his or her post.
Beverly is an intelligent and strong-willed diagnostician. She has a profound sense of medicine, the kind of skill that takes years to develop. Often she uses her diagnostic skills to confirm what she has already seen and sensed about a patient’s condition. First and foremost she is a brilliant ship’s doctor.
THE TRUTH REVEALED
In “The Naked Now” there were many truths revealed about various crew members. In Crusher’s case it was revealed that she is interested in Picard, and certainly no longer harbors the suspicion and resentment she feared might affect her job performance. Being in her late thirties to early forties, the attractive Dr. Crusher has not escaped the notice of Captain Picard, but it is doubtful that this could develop into anything, as any good officer knows that complications arise when key personnel become involved.
Dr. Crusher’s most difficult moments on the Enterprise generally involve Wesley,