Worf’s 10 Smartest Decisions In Star Trek: TNG

Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Lieutenant Worf might have had Klingon blood in his veins, but his Starfleet training and his adoptive human parents instilled in him a sense of forethought that served him well. He knew that not every challenge could be solved with his fists, or his trusty Bat’leth, which meant brainpower would have to do the trick.

Worf made a number of incredibly smart decisions during the course of the show that not only averted catastrophes, but helped him grow as an officer, a father, and a Klingon warrior. As such, he became one of the most unique of his kind; a man who could fight to the bitter end and just as easily as outthink his enemies.

10 Killing The Klingon Fugitives

In the season 1 episode “Heart of Glory,” audiences got a crash course on Klingon culture when the Enterprise brought three on board. Worf soon learned that they had commandeered a freighter in an attempt to strike out on their own, in direct opposition to the Empire.

Rather than fall prey to their promises of glory and battle, Worf stuck to both his Starfleet training and his honor as a Klingon warrior. When it became clear that he couldn’t talk their leader down, he shot him dead, much to the approval of a Klingon commander who had come to take them back to the homeworld.

9 Bonding With Jeremy Aster Through Klingon Custom

When young Jeremy Aster’s mother was killed during an away mission accident in the season two episode “The Bonding,” he withdrew into himself out of grief. He was later approached by what appeared to be his mother, but it was in fact an alien entity that had taken pity on him, and wanted to ease his sorrow.

Picard convinced Jeremy that the illusion of his mother would bring him nothing but emptiness. Later, Worf encouraged Jeremy to bond with him as a blood-brother, under his family’s name. This act gave a young boy a sense of belonging, and societal support.

8 Accepting Discommendation And Exile

When Worf’s father was accused of collaborating with the Romulans during the infamous Khitomer Massacre, he set out to clear his family’s name. In the process, he discovered that Worf’s father had been scapegoated by the Klingon Empire, to cover up the actual collusion between the Romulans, and the House of Duras.

Knowing that if the secret got out, that it could trigger a civil war within the Empire, Worf decided to accept discommendation, which effectively meant exile from his people. It was the hardest decision of his life, but it saved the quadrant from plunging into a costly and violent war, making it one of Worf’s most badass moments on the show.

7 Raising Alexander On Board The Enterprise

After being exiled, Worf was reunited with his lover K’Ehleyr, who also brought Alexander, his young son, on board. A shocked Worf struggled with the notion of his son being forced to accept blame for his father’s dishonor, though K’Ehleyr insisted that she didn’t care.

When K’Ehleyr began poking around classified Klingon files to find out why Worf was exiled, she drew the attention of Duras, who killed her in cold blood. Worf got his revenge, but Alexander was suddenly left without a parent. Alexander went to live with Worf’s adoptive human parents for a short time, but they realized he needed a father and a role model. The decision to raise him on board the Enterprise was turbulent and challenging, but Worf ended up cementing one of the most important relationships of his life.

6 Fighting In The Klingon Civil War

When the Klingon Empire was threatened with civil war, Worf decided to leave Starfleet, and serve on his brother’s vessel under Chancellor Gowron’s banner. The decision was a smart one, as the Romulans were ready to seize a key moment, and gain a foothold on the sector.

Thanks to Worf’s bravery, his honor was reinstated, his discommendation lifted, and his father’s name cleared of the lies that Duras had spread. It also brought stability back to the Empire and drove out the Romulans who were collaborating with the Duras family.

5 Refusing Commander MacDuff’s Orders

When the crew of the Enterprise had their memories wiped by alien technology, they were left in disarray. The aliens then deposited one of their own, disguised as Commander MacDuff, a fictional character designed to manipulate them into destroying their greatest enemy.

MacDuff tried to play on Worf’s warrior instincts in an effort to gain his loyalty, but when the time came to fire on their vastly inferior enemy, he refused. This was a test of character for Worf, who was prone to going on the offensive during the slightest threat. Here, he stayed his hand, and kept his cool, saving many lives in the process.

4 Choosing Life Over Suicide

When Worf’s spinal column was shattered during an accident, he was left permanently paralyzed. Under Klingon culture, ritual suicide was the only answer, which many considered one of his worst moments on the show. The trouble is, Worf had a young son to think of; one who wasn’t interested in adhering to notions of Klingon warrior honor, or duty.

A morally ambiguous doctor convinced Worf to undergo a radical, and dangerous procedure that would replace his spinal column. He nearly died during the procedure, but managed to recover. He then went through a difficult rehabilitation period in order to learn how to walk again, with Alexander at his side, happy to help.

3 Having Fun On The Holodeck

Worf was all business, almost all of the time, and the concept of leisure was a rather foreign one. He did spend time on the Holodeck, but mostly to hone and sharpen his exceptional combat skills by fighting a series of aliens and monsters. To Worf, it was a way to sate his Klingon bloodlust, without taking any innocent lives.

Alexander, on the other hand, was fascinated with fictional interactive stories, including one that took place in Earth’s wild west. Though initially reluctant, Worf joined him on the Holodeck, pretending to be the Sheriff of a local town. He quickly grew to love the role and managed to bond with Alexander at the same time, even if a computer glitch nearly got them killed.

2 Allowing The Kahless Clone To Represent The Empire

When the extremely influential Klingon named Kahless had seemingly returned to lead the Empire, nobody was more shocked than Worf, who was going through a bit of a spiritual crisis at the time. Gowron was enraged, believing this character of Klingon legend to be an imposter sent to supplant his authority, and claim the Empire for himself.

Eventually, the truth came out – Kahless was a clone of the original Klingon folk hero. Rather than expose the farce, Worf convinced Gowron to use him as a figurehead to inspire the entire Klingon people, and give them hope for a new age. Gowron reluctantly agreed, and another potential catastrophe was averted.

1 Working With His Brother To Relocate An Alien Race

Worf’s human brother Nikolai Rozhenko was a loose cannon, but a good man at heart. He loved Worf but had fallen out of favor plenty of times due to his recklessness. It came to a pinnacle when Nikolai violated the Prime Directive by integrating himself too closely to the Boraalan people, including fathering a child with one of them.

When the Boraalan world was threatened, it became necessary to relocate them to another planet. This involved a careful smoke and mirrors game that took place entirely on the Holodeck, masquerading itself as a perilous trek to a new land. Worf decided to aid Nikolai by pretending to be a fellow Boraalan in order to save the people from annihilation.

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