Few Star Trek characters have had quite as much longevity as Worf. Introduced in The Next Generation, the Klingon quickly became a fan-favorite for his strength, bravery, unwavering commitment to honor, and occasional tendency to be the butt of jokes.
Over the course of The Next Generation, viewers watched Worf evolve, becoming a better Starfleet officer and growing into his own personal ideal Klingon. He navigated the challenges of parenthood with his son Alexander, dealt with the constant clash between his own interpretation of honor and that of other Klingons, and had his values challenged many times, from dealing with violent, rogue Klingons in “Heart of Glory” to learning to accept vulnerability in “Ethics.” He even developed a relationship with shipmate Deanna Troi, who proved to be his most trusted friend and advisor in the many emotional challenges he faced.
But Worf’s journey was far from over when TNG concluded, as he joined Deep Space Nine in its fourth season, offering a whole new array of adventures. Siding with the Federation over his fellow Klingons, Worf became an instrumental member of the DS9 crew, even finding himself in another relationship, this time with the experienced Jadzia Dax (a Trill symbiont who had lived many lifetimes). She became his guiding light, mentoring him through the new challenges he faced in his post-Enterprise career.
The future of Worf
Michael Dorn, who portrays Worf, has long been interested in a spin-off series. His own proposals for a Captain Worf show date back years, and he even wrote an entire pilot script. In 2012, it was announced that such a series may be in the works. But sadly, fans would not see Worf again until finally, earlier this year, the third season of Star Trek: Picard resurrected Worf to a warm reception from viewers.
Dorn was perhaps one of the most impressive returning actors in Star Trek: Picard, showing his ability to effortlessly re-embody Worf despite last doing so over two decades ago. Not only did he explore new emotional angles for the character through his adoption and mentorship of the troubled Raffi, but he also proved to be as badass and combat-ready as ever.
It’s fair to say that, throughout Dorn’s career as Worf, the character has benefitted immensely from the actor’s enthusiasm. Even on occasions when the scripts were of lesser quality, Dorn’s commitment to portraying Worf as a complex and textured character always came through on screen. Dorn was so invested in his character that he even called the writers to debate Worf’s actions in the classic TNG episode “The Enemy.” His investment in and obvious love for the character, combined with his impressive display in Star Trek: Picard, mean that the time is most certainly ripe for the long-discussed Captain Worf series to come to fruition.
And Dorn appears to still be up for it — in March, he told TrekMovie that “there is a Worf show out there. And if they have the will to do it, I think they would be totally shocked at how popular the character is. Jesus, I have done almost 300 Worfs. I think the character is pretty popular.”
