Star Trek: The Next Generation — 6x17 — Birthright, Part II

Aired 1993-03-01

SpaceOpera.com rating:4

Average reader rating:4.66

Synopsis

Worf risks his life to inspire younger Klingons.

Remarkable scenes

Worf trying to teach the people of the compound the Klingon ways.
Worf taking offense to the existence of a Romulan Klingon hybrid.
Toq: "Tonight, we eat well!"
Toq: "You do not kill an animal unless you intend to eat it!"
Ba'El: "They will kill you!" Worf: "Yes, but they will not defeat me."
Worf: "No one survived Khitomer." Picard: "I understand."

Review

A rather underwhelming sequel to the two parter. It focuses exclusively on Worf with the DS9 crossover having been completely wasted. Further, it's hard to believe that Tokath didn't go to greater lengths to ensure the secrecy of his little utopia. It is nice to see all this emphasis on Klingon culture, which makes this an episode to remember. But the timing was just terrible and I have to take off points for this.

5 reader comments

Worf finding the idea of a Romulan mating with a Klingon "an obscenity" was hilarious
I liked this episode alot, but I found the ending largely inconclusive
by Pete Miller | 05/16/2006 at 3:55 am

This episode is a bit of a dud despite an intriguing premise.
For one thing, it's constructed badly, as Data's issue with his father and the dreams is wrapped up in part I, while Worf's issue with his father and the Klingon prisoners takes up both episodes. Data's exploration of his dreams is intriguing, but the execution was pretty lame and new age-y.
I thought the whole idea of the Klingon prison was great, and Tovak's character was interesting, a mix of idealism and control; he was willing to become a jailer in order to preserve the peace he's created. The scene where Worf's disciple comes in with the freshly killed meat is cool (are the Romulans vegetarians like their cousins the Vulcans?) but it quickly descends into cliche when the song and the speech begin to mimic the civil rights movement and African-American spirituals. Still, the idea is solid enough to carry through, and this one is decent if you overlook some of its problems.
by JRPoole | 09/22/2008 at 5:27 pm

Another Klingon theme, which - in my opinion - stands against everything Star Trek should be about. Romulan achieved impossible - created peaceful asylum with Roms and Klings living together. But it's bad. Let's destroy it. Because Klingons are honorable and won't tolerate compromises and such disgusting things like peace with enemies. Ugh… We can learn only one thing here - there is no peace with culture based on warrior ethos. So you can only shoot them, because peace is impossible and "dishonorable" for true warriors.
by McCoy | 01/27/2018 at 12:56 pm

I am with you, McCoy.
I've never had a Trek character I had good reason to dislike…
But here, now I find Worf acting like a fucking fool.
Yeah, Worf, there was no prison. The dumb-assed "warrior" aspects of Klingon culture was what kept those original Klingon cowards from walking to freedom. There was no prison, indeed. And not because of the lie you told; but in fact.
What a mess of specious, stinking shit this all this "honor" sets itself upon only to sink into. No principle at all.
A persistent hour of this! Worf, FFS, you had better redeem yourself! (~I'm pretty pissed-off at the moment, but do realize, in truth, that I'm watching Worf only maybe half-way through his entire arc… so I still love him, of course, overall… it's just jezbisinfuriating, this episode!)
by QuasiGiani | 06/27/2018 at 11:55 pm

Some of these comments miss the point. Worf's goal wasn't to ruin this "utopia". He originally wanted to find his father. He found other survivors. Tokath then forced him to stay to keep the community a secret. Worf didn't want to stay, but if forced, he wanted to at least live like a Klingon. The young people saw his lifestyle, became curious, and wanted to leave. So he helped them. Tokath tried to stop it.
I think Tokath had very good reasons for wanting to preserve the community, and didn't anticipate someone would stumble into town sparking interest among the young Klingons in their culture. But I also don't think you can knock Worf for his actions here.
by Cthulu | 02/06/2023 at 5:31 am