How Star Trek Wasted Its Best Supporting Character

The author Chris Snelgrove
| Published 25 seconds ago

Just as great as the main characters Star Trek: The Next Generation were, the supporting characters often stole the show. This includes Alexander, the only Klingon child in Starfleet. He appeared later in Star hike: Deep Space Ninebut the show effectively wasted this great supporting character as we saw Alexander become nothing more than a knockoff version of his father Worf.

Alexander becomes Worf

If it's been a while since you watched it Star Trek: The Next Generationyou may need a brief background on the relationship (familial and otherwise) between Alexander and Worf. Despite serving in Starfleet, Worf was very dedicated to maintaining the Klingon way of life, and he tried to raise his son the same way. Unfortunately, Alexander is one-quarter human, and between his genetic heritage and growing up on a ship full of humans, he grew up doing anything. but Klingon. When Alexander later appeared 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 nothing more than a clumsy hit 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 gave up on developing his character into anything other than a crazier version of his father.

A Klingon of disappointment

For this Star Trek fan, Alexander's evolution (more like devolution) into a Worf clone is particularly disappointing because we rarely see non-warrior Klingons. Sure, there's the occasional scientist, but mostly we see warriors who want nothing more than to die with honor. Considering that something as vast as the Klingon Empire would require countless other citizens (farmers, engineers, diplomats, and even writers) that we so rarely see, it would have been great to see Alexander explore one of these options.

more correctly, Star Trek: The Next Generation spent a lot of time trying to figure out that Alexander is completely different from Worf. Frankly, his entire arc led to him being possibly the most unique Klingon we've ever seen. However, by the time DS9 was over, he was just another soldier fully immersed in his race's warrior culture.

In addition, if Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Had Alexander explored a different path, Worf's views on the Klingon way of life might have been challenged in some rewarding ways. The writers got some great stories out of the inherent tension between Worf's warrior heritage and the hippie ethos of the Federation, and LPGwe saw the strain reflected in his relationship with his son. But DS9 replaced the family drama with Alexander trying to follow in Worf's footsteps, and while the son desperately chasing his father's approval may be real to many viewers watching at home, the whole story stinks of wasted potential.

It is possible that Star Trek: Deep Space NineThe writers couldn't think of another way to bring Alexander back… of course, it took a lot of creative effort (including disrupting the fragile peace between the Klingons and the Federation) to bring Worf back in a convincing way. But speaking as a fan, I'd rather not see this great supporting character return at all than be completely devastated by his return. Besides, the kid was already stuck with Worf as a father…that was enough of a life sentence, and sticking him with terrible characterizations and forgettable arcs on top of it all seems cruel and out of character.