From Chris Snellgrove
| Published
As great as the main characters of Star Trek: The Next Generation were, the supporting characters often stole the show. This includes Alexander, the precocious child of the only Klingon in Starfleet. He later appeared on Star Trek: Deep Space Ninebut this show practically wasted this great supporting character because we saw Alexander become nothing more than an imitation of his father Worf.
Alexander becomes Worf
If it’s been a while since you’ve seen it Star Trek: The Next Generationyou may need a brief introduction to the relationship (familial and otherwise) between Alexander and Worf. Although he served in Starfleet, Worf was very anxious to maintain the Klingon way of life and he tried to raise his son in the same way. Unfortunately, Alexander is a quarter human, and due to his genetic heritage and the fact that he grew up on a ship full of humans, he grew up around all sorts of actors But Klingon. When Alexander showed up later Deep Space NineHowever, he had become a Klingon soldier (albeit a rather clumsy one).
There are many reasons Star Trek Fans didn’t like what happened to Alexander Deep Space Nineincluding the fact that he was now just a clumsy punchline and still had a terrible relationship with Worf. However, my problem with this plot is much simpler. Alexander should never has become a Klingon soldier because it shows that the writers have given up on developing his character into anything other than a worse version of his father.
A disappointing Klingon
For this Star Trek fan, Alexander’s evolution (more like a devolution) into a Worf clone is particularly disappointing, since we rarely see Klingons who aren’t warriors. Sure, there are the odd scientist here and there, but mostly we see warriors who want nothing more than to die with honor. Considering that something as large as the Klingon Empire would require countless other types of citizens (farmers, engineers, diplomats, and even writers) that we so rarely see, it would have been great to see Alexander explore any of these options .
More suitable: Star Trek: The Next Generation spent a lot of time trying to determine that it was Alexander complete different from Worf. Honestly, his entire career led to him being perhaps the most unique Klingon we’d ever seen. By the time DS9 was over, however, he was just another soldier, fully committed to his race’s warrior culture.
Plus, if Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Had Alexander taken a different path, Worf’s beliefs about the Klingon way of life could have been challenged in a worthwhile way. The writers have pulled some great stories out of the inherent tension between Worf’s warrior heritage and the hippie ethos of the Federation TNGwe saw this tension reflected in his relationship with his son. But with DS9, the family drama has been replaced with Alexander trying to follow in Worf’s footsteps, and while a son desperate for his father’s approval may seem realistic to many viewers watching at home stinks of wasted potential.
That is possible Star Trek: Deep Space NineThe writers couldn’t think of any other way to bring Alexander back. Certainly it took a lot of creative effort (including disrupting the shaky peace between the Klingons and the Federation) to bring Worf back in a convincing way. But as a fan, I’d rather not see this great supporting character come back than be completely ruined by his return. Plus, the boy was already bonded to Worf’s father…that was punishment for life in itself, and to keep him tied to terrible characterization and forgettable storylines just seems cruel and unusual.
