Star Trek 256: Rightful Heir

256. Rightful Heir

FORMULA: The Savage Curtain + Redemption

WHY WE LIKE IT: Smart about both Church and State.

WHY WE DON'T: A short, stubby Kahless.

REVIEW: A story on religion offers a stark contrast with the Federation's secular humanism, but a character like Worf, heavily into tradition and ritual, always carried that potential. It still took almost 6 years for TNG to really address the issue. Before Rightful Heir, religion was a component of culture (usually Klingon or Bajoran), but never was it really discussed in terms of faith. Worf has a faith, Starfleet characters do not. Given what was happening in the new-born Deep Space 9 at the time, I think it was time for TNG to venture into that territory, as treacherous as it can be.

They succeed by opposing Star Trek's universe of science and proof to the very idea of faith, both in the absence and presence of proof (and proof of the contrary, at that). Data's own "leap of faith" gives Worf advice from an unexpected source, but provides a secular context for "belief" as well. Star Trek's humanism is a set of beliefs, just as any religion (real of fictional) is. Rightful Heir isn't a trite exploration of the concept either - it fits squarely in the Klignon Arc, with Worf once again a mover and shaker in the society in which is he is basically an exile.

Priests tired of waiting for their Messiah (which shows their lack of faith) decide to clone him (who's to say that wasn't the promised return, right?), which gives Ron Moore the chance to indulge in his brand of world-building. The Klingons legends and parables told here are fascinating (though it's a stretch that the one story not known by the population at large is that of the first Bat'leth). Note also the first mention of Klingon Valhalla, Sto-Vo-Kor. But by bringing in Gowron, we get to see the political ramifications of this event, and Worf's solution is actually clever and well thought out.

There are some weaker elements, such as Picard basically rewarding Worf for failing in his duty, a more obvious than usual miniature, and the somewhat miscast Kahless. Yes, he has to fail as the superwarrior of legend, but shots of Worf and other Klingons towering over him don't help sell that he is actually genetically identical to the legendary hero. Sadly, very little is done with the idea of the Emperor in future Klingon stories, and it doesn't seem like his moral compass did much to cut down on corruption in the Empire.

LESSON: Klingons must now learn about constitutional monarchies in Civics class.

REWATCHABILITY - Medium-High: Since Rightful Heir has little impact on the Klingon storyline and is a bit of a talky, I can't quite give it full marks, but Worf in the Thomas role is a fine exploration of his innate duality, and the look into Klingon culture is insightful.