How Star Trek Wasted Its Best Supporting Character

According to Chris Snellgrove
| 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 precocious child of the only Klingon in Starfleet. He later appeared on Star Trek: Deep Space Ninebut the show effectively wasted this wonderful supporting character as we saw Alexander become nothing more than a fake version of his father Worf.

Alexander becomes Worf

If it’s been a while since you watched Star Trek: The Next GenerationYou may need a brief introduction to the relationship (familial and otherwise) between Alexander and Worf. Despite serving in Starfleet, Worf he was very dedicated to maintaining the Klingon way of life and tried to raise his son in the same way. Unfortunately, Alexander is one-quarter human, and between his genetic heritage and his upbringing on a ship full of humans, he grew up playing anything. but Klingon. When later Alexander appeared on Deep Space Ninethough he became a Klingon soldier (albeit a somewhat 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 punchline and still had a terrible relationship with Worf. However, my problem with this story is much simpler. Alexander should never became a Klingon soldier because it shows that the writers gave up on developing his character into anything other than a crappier version of his father.

A disappointed Klingon

For this Star Trek fan, Alexander’s evolution (or rather devolution) into a Worf clone is especially disappointing, as we rarely see non-warrior Klingons. Sure, there’s the occasional scientist here and there, but mostly we see warriors who want nothing more than to die an honorable way. Since something as vast as the Klingon Empire would need countless other kinds of citizens (farmers, engineers, diplomats, and even writers) that we so rarely see, it would be great to see Alexander explore one of those options.

More specifically, Star Trek: The Next Generation he spent a lot of time making sure Alexander was completely different from Worf. Quite honestly, his entire arc led to him being perhaps the most unique Klingon we’ve ever seen. By the time DS9 ended, however, he was just another soldier fully devoted to the warrior culture of his race.

Moreover, if Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had Alexander explored a different path, Worf’s beliefs about the Klingon way of life could have been challenged in some beneficial way. The writers got some great stories out of the natural tension between Worf’s warrior heritage and the Federation’s hippie ethos. LPGWe saw that strain reflected in his relationship with his son. But in DS9, the family drama was replaced by Alexander trying to follow in Worf’s footsteps, and while a son desperately chasing his father’s approval may be realistic for many viewers watching at home, the whole story it stinks wasted potential.

That is possible Star Trek: Deep Space NineThe writers couldn’t think of another way to bring Alexander back…it sure took a lot of creative effort (including breaking the uneasy 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 awesome supporting character return at all than be absolutely devastated by his return. Plus, the kid was already left with Worf as a father…that was punishment enough for a lifetime, and sticking him with a horrible characterization and forgettable arcs on top of that seems cruel and unusual.