Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) committed a crime inStar Trek: Deep Space Ninethat Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) was framed for inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.BothStar Trek VIandDS9 after Worf joined in season 4 dealt with Klingonsand their politics. The mid-24th century Klingon Empire under Chancellor Gowron (Robert O’Reilly) sought to reassert itself as a fearsome galactic power but, at the end of the 23rd century, the Klingons under Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner), sued for peace with the United Federation of Planets after suffering a catastrophe that threatened the Empire’s existence.
Worf and Captain Kirk’s issues with the Klingons are legendaryinStar Trek. Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise faced downKlingons inStar Trek: The Original Series. But the murder of Admiral Kirk’s son, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), by Kruge (Christopher Lloyd) inStar Trek III: The Search for Spockearned the Klingons Kirk’s hatred. Corrupt Klingon politics by the House of Gowron and the House of Duras made Worf’s life miserable onStar Trek: The Next Generation, which carried over intoStar Trek: Deep Space Nine. But Worf finally did something that Captain Kirk never did, although Jim briefly went to prison for it.
Captain Kirk Was Framed For Assassinating Klingon Chancellor Gorkon In Star Trek VI
Kirk was the victim of a vast conspiracy
Captain Kirk was framed for assassinating Klingon High Chancellor Gorkon inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.Of course,Kirk was innocent;he and Gorkon were the victims of a conspiracy led byGeneral Chang (Christopher Plummer) involving Klingons, Romulans, and Federation officials who dreaded peace. Chang’s cloaked Klingon Bird-of-Prey fired on Gorkon’s flagship, Kronos One, while Starfleet assassins beamed aboard and killed the Chancellor. When Kirk and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) arrived to help, they were arrested for killing the Chancellor.
Ironically, Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy were defended in a show trial by a Klingon lawyer named Colonel Worf (Michael Dorn), who was Lt. Commander Worf’s ancestor.
After Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy were sentenced to life imprisonment in the Klingon penal planet Rura Penthe, Gorkon’s true assassins were murdered by one of the conspirators,Lt. Valeris (Kim Cattrall). Still, Kirk and Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) pieced the conspiracy together to deduce who really killed Gorkon, and why. The Starship Enterprise crew teamed with Captain Hikaru Sulu’s (George Takei) USS Excelsior to fully uncover the conspiracy so peace between Klingons and the Federation prevailed.Kirk also began to move beyond his personal animosity towards Klingons.
Worf Did Murder Klingon Chancellor Gowron In Star Trek: DS9
Worf wasn’t Klingon Chancellor for very long
Lt. Commander Worf killed Chancellor Gowron inStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 7, episode 22, “Tackling Into The Wind.” Gowron’s ambition and corruption as he personally led the Klingon Empire during the waning days of the Dominion War pushed Worf too far. Worf, who acted upon instructions from Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) to remove Gowron from power, challenged the Chancellor to one-on-one combat. After Worf dealt Gowron the killing blow,the Starfleet Officer still showed his foe honor by performing the Klingon death ritual.
27 Klingons Worf Killed In Star Trek (& Why)
Worf has one of the biggest kill counts in the entire Star Trek franchise, including 27 Klingons from high-profile politicians to unnamed warriors.
Worf’s defeat of Gowron instantly made him the new Klingon High Chancellor, but Worf immediately passed the rule of the Klingon Empire toGeneral Martok (J.G. Hertzler). Unlike Captain Kirk inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,Worf wasn’t punished for killing Gowron, and he accepted Martok’s appointment as Federation Ambassador to Qo’noS. Interestingly, Worf did follow in Captain Kirk’s footsteps afterStar Trek: Nemesiswhen the Klingon became Captain of the USS Enterprise-E, succeeding Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). But, inStar Trek VI,Captain Kirk was falsely found guilty of aStar Trek: Deep Space Ninecrime Worf would later commit.
