Firstborn tells yet another story in the ongoing troubles between Worf and his son, Alexander. It tries to break the mold and offer an avenue of eventual reconciliation between the two individuals — fitting, considering its proximity to the end of the series. And the underlying premise is certainly intriguing enough. Unfortunately, the much of the episode never really transcends the criticisms that have plagued nearly every other Worf-Alexander story line.

The episode begins with Alexander telling Worf, in no uncertain terms, that he does not want to be a warrior. Worf, who had been prepared to lead Alexander through a sacred rite, the first Rite of Ascension, is crushed. Picard offers some assistance to Worf by way of travel to a nearby Klingon outpost so that Alexander can observe his culture first hand. Once there, Alexander becomes engrossed in the proceedings, even participating in a battle ceremony. But the situation turns ominous that evening when the two are attacked.

Worf and Alexander are aided by an unknown Klingon who claims to hold the title of gin’tak — a trusted advisor to the House of Mogh. He claims that his name is K’mtar, and that he was sent by Kurn to watch over Worf and Alexander after hearing about threats on the House of Mogh. Indeed, an assassin’s dagger left at the scene bears the markings of the Duras family. And so the Enterprise goes off in search of Lursa and B’Etor — with a little help from Quark of DS9 in a blatantly gratuitous crossover scene that was barely serviceable.

As they go in search of the Duras sisters, K’mtar does his best to assist Worf in convincing Alexander to become a warrior. At first K’mtar’s arguments are compelling and compassionate. But they soon become desperate and overbearing. Alexander takes a few tentative steps toward becoming a warrior, but through a combination of his own inner desires and K’mtar’s fanaticism, Alexander quickly distances himself from the training.

After tracking their illegal mining operation, the Enterprise does finally catch up with the Duras sisters (Riker’s idea to expose the Duras sister’s cloaked Klingon ship was rather ingeneous). The sisters are then invited on board the Enterprise to see the evidence that they have plotted to kill Worf. Once there, they gasp in amazement at the symbols on the dagger. The symbols do indeed represent the House of Duras, but there is one symbol that signifies Lursa’s child — unborn and, until days ago, unknown.

Worf catches up with K’mtar who was on the verge of killing Alexander. About to kill K’mtar, Worf is stopped short when the man calls him “father” and claims to be Alexander, from forty years in the future. With the evidence of the dagger, and after K’mtar recounts the death of K’Eyhlar, Worf accepts K’mtar as Alexander. The elderly Alexander recounts how he went back in time to stop a terrible tragedy: the death of Worf in the distant future. He explains that he never became a warrior. Instead, he was a diplomat and was, therefore, unable to stop Worf’s assassination on the floor of the Klingon Council.

Alexander bemoans the fact that he was unable to alter his younger self’s course in life. But Worf quite correctly points out that, with the foreknowledge of Alexander’s true destiny, perhaps events can unfold in a less tragic way. K’mtar then departs.

Firstborn is an interesting way to get Alexander and Worf to come to an understanding and reconciliation. But for much of the episode, their relationship unfolds the same as it always has — Alexander being annoyingly impetuous, and Worf being annoyingly, well, annoyed.

As for major mistakes, what ever happened to Lursa and B’Etor after the revelation about the dagger. Were they prosecuted for their illegal mining business? The episode never says one way or the other.

Topics: Klingons
Filed under: TNG Reviews