Worf and Martok

[BarryWaddle]

I was watching "Shadows And Symbols" today, the ep where Martok led a mission (that Worf, O'Brien, Bashir and Quark volunteered for) that would get Jadzia into Sto-vo-kor, and I began thinking about the Martok/Worf relationship...Worf essentially "lost" his brother Kurn in "Sons Of Mogh", as we all remember...Is the Worf/Martok relationship brotherly, or that of a mentor and his protege? Martok is a General, after all, and presumably has years of life experience on Worf.

What do we think people?

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

I was watching "Shadows And Symbols" today, the ep where Martok led a mission (that Worf, O'Brien, Bashir and Quark volunteered for) that would get Jadzia into Sto-vo-kor, and I began thinking about the Martok/Worf relationship...Worf essentially "lost" his brother Kurn in "Sons Of Mogh", as we all remember...Is the Worf/Martok relationship brotherly, or that of a mentor and his protege? Martok is a General, after all, and presumably has years of life experience on Worf.

What do we think people?

Like that of a mentor and protege I'd say. Worf is a member of Martok's House, and that means a relationship that's also like an Uncle and Nephew. I think the relationship became cemented after Worf showed his mettle battling the Jem'Hadar in Soldiers of the Empire.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

It's a brotherly relationship. Worf hardly needs mentoring, and has taught Martok a thing or two at times.

I'm sure they've even described the relationship as brotherhood.

 

[Timo]

One wonders if Klingons really respect the patina of age as such. A wise man may be considered a mentor, but a wise old man might gain no added value from being old, and might in fact be in need of mentoring from a more rapidly moving young upstart. Kang supposedly already was a Dahar master in his tender TOS years, for example.

Of course, it's possible that simply surviving to a ripe age is a recommendation as such. But it's far from said that when a young Klingon meets an old one, the former becomes the pupil of the latter; as said, Worf had a thing or two to teach to Martok.

Also, by the time of DS9, Worf might already be considered at least a fully established adult if not a respected elder. The additional years Martok has to show might not make that much of a difference even if the Klingon culture respected the ability to stay alive for a long time.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

Yes, but. Martok still remained head of House. Along with the Lady Sirella, they led and governed the House and still had the right to direct those in the house. Worf certainly was given deference as any respected and valued member of a "team" would be, to air his opinions, but if Martok put his foot down, as he did when Worf asked him to challenge Gowron, that was that.

That's why I think of it as a familial relationship, but they were not equals. Even the relationship of Worf and Kern were not strictly as of equals, though they were brothers. In family matters, by Klingon tradition, Kern deferred to Worf as the elder son.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Always liked this relationship. Previously, they wisely developed Worf, they had him be outcast from his society while simultaneously being its most honorable member. By the time DS9 rolled around, it was time to give him a real friend, a Klingon who would respect him and recognize how honorable he really is. Martok might outrank him and be older, but he sees Worf as the best fighter he's ever seen both in terms of skill and heart. It all added so much texture to Worf's character

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

I saw it as Worf and Martok developing essentially what becomes a fraternal relationship. When Worf arrives at the prison camp and learns Martok is there, Worf clearly has respect for him purely as a warrior, and then Worf impresses Martok by never standing down to the Jem'Hadar combat ring. At that point, I think they pretty much become the brothers the other never had. I mean, Worf and Kurn didn't seem to have much of a relationship, even after the family honor was returned. And then of course, there's 'Sons of Mogh,' which effectively leaves Worf again without a brother.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Mainly brotherly, with a bit of father-son thrown in.

 

[Red Ranger]

Peeps:

I think the Worf/Martok relationship is one of the better Klingon characterizations in all of the ST series. I like to think of them as Godfather and Godson, although as some of you mentioned, Worf the Godson had a few things to teach Martok. That's because his status as a Starfleet officer gives Worf a slightly different viewpoint than the traditional Klingon, and this is in spite of his efforts to be an uber-Klingon. I would say Martok values Worf's unique perspective since he seems more receptive than the average Klingon to other, non-Klingon ideas.

Martok's Godfather role is assumed when he admits Worf to his house, adopting him into his family. He is granting Worf his beneficience, since at this point, Worf is a Klingon without a house, an outcast in many respects. A Godfather assumes the role of surrogate parent when the actual parents die. Although Worf loves his foster parents, they can't give him the acceptance into Klingon culture that Martok can.

And when Worf kills Gowron, he repays Martok's act of accepting him into his family by immediately giving him the chancellorship he earned by killing Gowron. Worf also realized that only the most Klingon of Klingons could, at that time in history, assume the mantle of leadership of the council. This is especially because of Martok's role in the Dominion War as a successful military commander.

So I see the Worf/Martok friendship as one that is mutually beneficial.

Red Ranger

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

In, When It Rains. . . , Gowron puts the difference between he and Worf aside by saying, "What's past is past. If Martok considers you his brother, that's all I need to know."

 

[KlingonZ]

Worf looks up to Martok and if he displeases Martok Worf reacts. I think Worf thinks of Martok as a mentor, friend and leader of the house that he now belongs to.

Worf did give Martok to cloak that he won from conquering Gowron making him the leader of the Empire. After Ezri gave Worf that talking to before the fight with Gowron I believe that he thinks Martok is the first truly honorable klingon to rule in recent memory.

 

[Odon]

It's interesting to see the first meeting between Worf and Martok. One thing that sticks out is that, even though Martok is angry at Worf for humiliating his son, he's the first Klingon we see who doesn't throw Worf's Starfleet upbringing in his face. It says a lot about Martok as a man, that he accepts people on their own merits.

 

[Frodo Lives]

It's interesting to see the first meeting between Worf and Martok. One thing that sticks out is that, even though Martok is angry at Worf for humiliating his son, he's the first Klingon we see who doesn't throw Worf's Starfleet upbringing in his face. It says a lot about Martok as a man, that he accepts people on their own merits.

You realise that wasn't actually Martok in Way of the Warrior, right? It was a changling. Worf and Martok don't actually meet until In Purgatory's Shadow.

 

[Odon]

You realise that wasn't actually Martok in Way of the Warrior, right? It was a changling. Worf and Martok don't actually meet until In Purgatory's Shadow.

Yes I do realise that, but watching their first meeting again from the point of view of "Martok's actually a shapeshifter!" it was the above-mentioned aspect of his character that really came across. Keep in mind that the writer's or the actor playing Martok probably hadn't thought up the shapeshifter plotline at the time.

It just really stuck out that Martok didn't make the usual snide Klingon comments about Worf working for Starfleet or being raised by humans.

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

I too remember that fact, and somehow can't accept that it's quite real. He doesn't fit the profile of a changling under cover somehow. Yet going to war against Cardassia, to weaken it for the Dominion advances to come, does. I do regret the change in storyline because it clouds the relationship and makes Martok more of a mystery.

Martok not cracking on Worf about Starfleet, didn't seem out of character. Worf's brother was on the council, and he had his family name. He was held in high esteem by Gowron, at the time.

 

[SoM]

You realise that wasn't actually Martok in Way of the Warrior, right? It was a changling. Worf and Martok don't actually meet until In Purgatory's Shadow.

At the same time though, Changeling Martok's behaviour must have been representative of the real Martok, or the impersonation would have been noticable - remember how Changeling Bashir was indistinguishable from the real Bashir*in behaviour (and knowledge, considering the surgery he performed on Sisko in Rapture).

*Yes, I know that's because the writers & actor didn't know it wasn't the real Bashir at the time either