Episode of the Week: 4x07 "Reunion"

Discussion in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' started by Jeyl, Feb 11, 2014.

  1. Jeyl

    Jeyl Commodore Commodore

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    TNG's Reunion is the third part in Worf's continued storyline where it combines two seemingly separate episodes by following up on both. One part featuring the return of K'Ehleyr from "The Emmisary" and the other part being the story that continues the events from "Sins of the Father". On one hand, we have to deal with the usual "Klingon Honor" schtick that is continuing to plague the Klingons of TNG. On the other hand, Yay! K'Ehleyr is back and she delivers the best response to this whole situation.

    It's so good to have her back, but unfortunately her return has come with a price. A price that I'm sad to say was totally not worth paying. She brought Worf's illegitimate son!

    :klingon: (Of course it had to be a son.)

    Moving on, "Reunion" is also the first episode of TNG to introduce Star Trek to one of it's most memorable reoccurring Klingon characters, Gowron! Not only will he play an important roll in Worf's continuing story in TNG, but will play a much larger one in the later seasons of Deep Space Nine. Robert O'Reilly plays the role of Gowron with such energy and commanding presence that it's impossible not to be intimidated by him. And that stare... :eek:

    After a bunch of nonsense about who should rule the Empire and who follows the real way of the Klingons, K'Ehleyr decides to investigate into what actually happened with Worf during his discommendation, and Picard thinks she should mind her own gawddang business. So, in-universe we now have Picard to thank for what is about to come.

    She soon snoops around some Klingon files and discovers the truth about Duras in his role on selling out the Klingons to the Romulans. When Duras comes into her quarters and confronts her about this, she makes the dumb decision by telling him that she knows everything. So off screen he proceeds to beat her to death, but not before both Alexander and Worf come to have one more family moment. Man, for medical emergencies, they really are slow. And poor Beverly. She's the ship's number one physician and even here she gives one tricorder reading and shakes her head.

    So Worf, ticked off beyond known decides to go onboard the Klingon vessel and kill Duras. Riker tries to stop Worf from delivering the final blow, but Worf pays no attention and finishes Duras off. Back on the Enterprise, Worf gets lectured at by Picard, has a reprimand put on his record and is sent back to duty. Picard asks now that Duras is dead if he should finally come out with the truth about his family's innocence. Worf says it isn't time yet and the episode ends with a father and son bonding moment.

    CONCLUSION:
    A good continuation of Worf's story that started in with Season 2, but there's one element that still ticks me off to this day and I think everyone knows what that is. K'Ehleyr's death plays the "Women in refrigerators" trope the absolute "T". Her death is solely meant to motivate the male character into action and it's used even further to give us another father/son bonding moment, because we haven't had enough of that in this one season alone, haven't we?

    STINGER:
    Picard: mev yap! Sit down. We will begin the ja'chuq.
    Gowron: What???
     
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  2. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    Using a one- or two-appearance character to motivate action on the part of a main character! I am shocked and appalled!
     
  3. Trekker4747

    Trekker4747 Boldly going... Premium Member

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    Is it possible to have *one* of these without the feminist bullshit?
     
  4. Jeyl

    Jeyl Commodore Commodore

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    We can talk about other stuff if you want. I forget to mention that this episode is the first time where the change that occurred in "Yesterday's Enterprise" begins to show itself with the Romulans involvement.
     
  5. PaleMoonlight

    PaleMoonlight Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

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    You will die. Slowly. Durasssssssss
     
  6. Jeyl

    Jeyl Commodore Commodore

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    There are many methods of motivating a character into action that doesn't have to resort to killing a character. I thought K'Ehleyr was one of the rare highlights of Season 2 and thought she brought a lot of needed charm to what I'd consider a joyless season of TNG. Without her, we're now stuck with the same old "A Klingons Honor is more important to him than his life!" crap that she was openly dismissive of.
     
  7. Mutai Sho-Rin

    Mutai Sho-Rin Crusty Old Bastard Moderator

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    Damn close to trolling, dude. If you don't like it, jut keep it to yourself.
     
  8. The Old Mixer

    The Old Mixer Mih ssim, mih ssim, nam, daed si Xim. Moderator

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    Picard didn't make K'Ehleyr persist in investigating the matter; Picard didn't make Duras kill K'Ehleyr; and most importantly...

    ...Picard didn't make K'Ehleyr stupid.
     
  9. jimbotron

    jimbotron Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I love that! O'Reilly's eyes are hilarious.

    I also liked Duras' line delivery "It was a bomb!"
     
  10. jimbotron

    jimbotron Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    So no one figured it would be dangerously obvious to have an explosive go off from inside someone's body? Forensics in the 24th century are obviously pretty good at catching that sort of thing.
     
  11. FormerLurker

    FormerLurker Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Duras was ever transparent in his arrogant stupidity.

    And he both beat and *stabbed* K'Ehleyr to death. That's how she got so bloody.
     
  12. Armored Saint

    Armored Saint Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    1-In TNG, most the of guest stars didn't have more than one appearance, male or female.
    2-Welcome in 1990! Saving or avenging the beloved, the children ore the best friend was a pretty common motivation for an action hero.
     
  13. Use of Time

    Use of Time Commodore Commodore

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    Does anyone ese feel like Alexander was just treated like this unfinished side project to the writers. He was on the show for a pretty long time and I just don't feel like his character went anywhere. It was like the writing staff would pick him up every once in awhile just to play with him but then drop him where they left him. DS9 made some effort too but I'm not sure if anyone even cared at that point. There were times where he actually had some halfway decent character developement but any pogress seemed to be forgotten down the road.
     
  14. Jeyl

    Jeyl Commodore Commodore

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    While Alexander certainly had a couple of episodes to his character, his overall development through the course of the TNG era did feel like it didn't amount to much. Which again, is a shame because his character came at the expense of K'Ehleyr, a character who I would much rather have more episodes followed up on than Alexander.

    On that point, did anyone really care that much about Alexander? I'm not trying to start a lynching mob on the character, I'm honestly curious. To me he was just an angry brat who kept stealing the spotlight, but I'd like to hear what others think about him.
     
  15. Kevman7987

    Kevman7987 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Alexander was kind of a waste of a character. The only episode with him that I enjoy at all is "A Fist Full of Datas," and that is only because of how ridiculous it is with Worf as a sheriff in the "ancient" west.
     
  16. The Old Mixer

    The Old Mixer Mih ssim, mih ssim, nam, daed si Xim. Moderator

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    Alexander wasn't meant to be a developing character in his own right, he was meant to be an aspect of Worf's character development.
     
  17. Use of Time

    Use of Time Commodore Commodore

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    Yeah, that is exactly my point. They only dug him up when they needed something to bounce off of Worf, which is fine but I just don't see why they had to sacrifice one for the other. It doesn't bother me that much though. I was never really a big of Alexander anyway.
     
  18. HIjol

    HIjol Vice Admiral Admiral

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    <?permission to come aboard>...
    I could not agree more with Commodore Jeyl on a couple of points regarding the slant of male/female in the above-mentioned episodes, but mostly I think it was a darned shame that they wrote K'Ehleyr out...she could have been more...like a Ro?...and, yes, Alexander was an unfinished piece of work...I wonder if it was seen as just too hard to backstory properly! and go forward with the Klingon "Father/Son" relationship...now, a daughter???...hmmmm...fascinating...