Worf's "child's uniform"

[indolover]

Why did several Klingons call Worf's uniform a "child's uniform"?

Do Klingon children play with uniforms or something?

[trekker670]

I think they're basically saying that he's a wuss and doesn't have the developed skills of a Klingon warrior and that he would never make it serving on a Klingon ship.

[starburst]

Its a slur against both Worf and Starfleet as they believe only serving as a part of the Klingon Empire to be a worthy task for a warrior.

[SchwEnt]

My take is that the Klingons equate uniforms with military service as warriors (naturally).

Therefore, Klingon uniforms feature armor and medals and ranks and honor badges and weaponry and all that. The uniform of a warrior.

Conversely, Worf's Starfleet uniform has none of that, barely rank insignia and Starfleet emblem and that's it. That's it??? And oh so colorful, like pajamas. Not the uniform of a warrior, more like a "child's uniform" (no armor, no weaponry, no medals of glory or honor).

Yes? No?

[Trekker4747]

SchwEnt wrote:

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My take is that the Klingons equate uniforms with military service as warriors (naturally).

Therefore, Klingon uniforms feature armor and medals and ranks and honor badges and weaponry and all that. The uniform of a warrior.

Conversely, Worf's Starfleet uniform has none of that, barely rank insignia and Starfleet emblem and that's it. That's it??? And oh so colorful, like pajamas. Not the uniform of a warrior, more like a "child's uniform" (no armor, no weaponry, no medals of glory or honor).

Yes? No?

Sort of how I took it.

[Saito S]

Trekker4747 wrote:

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Sort of how I took it.

More or less how I did as well. The whole Klingon schtick when it comes to the Federation in general, Humans in particular, during TNG and parts of DS9, was that they had a peace treaty, but they weren't always happy about that. Several of them still seemed to consider Humans honorless, weak cowards, and no amount of evidence to the contrary would really convince them otherwise. Duras was kind of a huge douche in general, so for him it makes sense, but Gowron displayed this prejudice as well, most notably during TNG's "Redemption" and DS9's "Way of the Warrior", and again as late as DS9 season 7 in "Tacking into the Wind". The latter was probably the most ridiculous instance of all, since at that point, he is trying to question the fortitude and fighting spirit of the military organization that has been fighting tooth and nail against an overwhelming foe alongside the Klingons for nearly two years. Klingons can be belligerent asshats sometimes, but they DO hold in high esteem those who have proven their worth and their honor. I'd wager that at least one of the high-level Klingon officers at the table in the "Tacking" scene has, at some point during the war, fought alongside Starfleet officers, and wouldn't take kindly to Gowron's words.

Just one minor nitpicky point:

SchwEnt wrote:

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My take is that the Klingons equate uniforms with military service as warriors (naturally).

Therefore, Klingon uniforms feature armor and medals and ranks and honor badges and weaponry and all that. The uniform of a warrior.

Technically, Klingon military uniforms don't have any armor either. All that other stuff, yes, but not armor.

[SchwEnt]

^^^Sure there's armor. Not a lot. Maybe more ceremonial than practical. But it's there.

(I'm seeing the Klingon uniforms as being essentially the same from Kruge in TSFS thru the movies up to TNG era).

Down the backside, there is a metal-plated spinal section. Also metal shoulder plates and trim and wrist gauntlets and so on. It varied between Kruge and Klaa and Vixis and Chang and Duras and Konmel and Gowron and Kurn and other warriors.

Unless all those metal parts are *not* armor. What else would you call it?

[BillJ]

SchwEnt wrote:

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Unless all those metal parts are *not* armor. What else would you call it?

Looks like armor to me...

[Saito S]

I did mean "practical armor", which I probably should have said. I was pointing out the fact that it doesn't do anything.

But yeah, "ceremonial armor" is accurate.

[Trekker4747]

Looks to me like the armor would do a good job of protecting the body. It seems when we see Klingons do battle they're pretty gentle when it comes to head. (No honor in braining your foe or stabbing him in the skull?) But there also seemed to be a need to give some female warriors an open breastplate. I wonder if that would offer certain -obvious- advantages in combat?

Is a Klingon Warrior in battle just not able to resist the temptation of cleavage? Is it not honorable to force your knife into twin bountiful boobies? Is it dis-honorable for female warriors to wear this type of breastplate (creating an unfair advantage) which is why we only see the Duras Sisters wearing this?

What is the reasoning behind the boob-revealing breastplates?! I demand an answer beyond "it's sorta sexy for TV."

[R. Star]

Trekker4747 wrote:

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What is the reasoning behind the boob-revealing breastplates?! I demand an answer beyond "it's sorta sexy for TV."

But that's the real answer. You don't think Seven's catsuit is "efficent" do you?

[Trekker4747]

R. Star wrote:

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But that's the real answer. You don't think Seven's catsuit is "efficent" do you?

No, don't think it's "sexy" either. (Not the silver one, anyway. The blue or maroon cloth-like ones weren't bad.)

[R. Star]

Trekker4747 wrote:

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No, don't think it's "sexy" either. (Not the silver one, anyway. The blue or maroon cloth-like ones weren't bad.)

Your opinion is just that, but the motivations of the TOS mini-skirts, Klingon Kleavage, Quark's scantily clad dabo girls, and Seven/T'pol's jumpsuits was to appeal to the male viewers.

Women's rights really do take a nosedive in the future.

[tomswift2002]

SchwEnt wrote:

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My take is that the Klingons equate uniforms with military service as warriors (naturally).

Therefore, Klingon uniforms feature armor and medals and ranks and honor badges and weaponry and all that. The uniform of a warrior.

Conversely, Worf's Starfleet uniform has none of that, barely rank insignia and Starfleet emblem and that's it. That's it??? And oh so colorful, like pajamas. Not the uniform of a warrior, more like a "child's uniform" (no armor, no weaponry, no medals of glory or honor).

Yes? No?

Plus I think the Klingons are also meaning that if Worf were too engage in a hand-to-hand battle while in a Starfleet uniform, they would have a political battle, instead of just a Klingon battle.

[teacake]

Because it looks like pajamas.