Birthright, Part II (episode)

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"Birthright, Part II"
TNG, Episode 6x17 Production number: 40276-243 First aired: 1 March 1993
←	142nd of 176 produced in TNG	→
←	142nd of 176 released in TNG	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 176 released in TNG Remastered
←	258th of 726 released in all	→

Written By René Echevarria Directed By Dan Curry
46579.2 (2369)
←	Arc: Birthright (2 of 2)
←	Arc: Worf's family (8 of 14)	→
	Arc: {{{wsArc2Desc}}} ({{{nArc2PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc2PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc3Desc}}} ({{{nArc3PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc3PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc4Desc}}} ({{{nArc4PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc4PartCount}}})

In the Romulan prison camp, Worf teaches the Klingon children about their culture.

1 Summary
2 Memorable Quotes
3 Background Information
- 3.1 Video and DVD releases
4 Links and References

[edit] Summary

This is Part II of a two part episode. For the first part, see Part I.

When Worf is captured, he is told he will have to stay here. He learns the story of the Klingons who were captured from L'Kor. They were knocked unconscious, and when they awoke in the prison camp, they failed to starve themselves. After being interrogated, the Romulans tried to trade them for territory. The Klingon Empire refused to believe in their existence. When Tokath, the Romulan officer who captured them, offered to let them go, they did not wish to return and dishonor their families. He took pity on them, and build this prison camp. Their own honor gone, they had nothing to lose by staying prisoners.

Worf uses his time to observe their children who they have raised here. He sees many of them not aware of their heritage, using a Gin'tak spear for tilling soil (literally making their swords into ploughshares, and not very effectively). When he asks them, they tell him the war is far away, and they are safe here. That is why their parents came here; to escape the fighting. They seem to have no interest in the outside world. When he hears this from Ba'el, he suggests she tell her father she wants to visit the homeworld, and see what he says. He tries to reassure her that the war is over, but before he gets very far, her mother, Gi'ral, calls her home. It is clear that she does not want her daughter to speak with him.

Worf's homing device goes off shortly thereafter, and he manages to escape over the wall. However, one of the Romulans sees him, and pursues him. When he thinks he has outwitted them, and arrives at the ship, Toq tackles him. When Worf is about to injure him, he is surprised to see it is Toq, and during this pause, the Romulans catch up with him.

"Captain's log, stardate 46759.2. The Yridian vessel Worf boarded at Deep Space 9 has failed to arrive for our scheduled rendezvous. It is now twelve hours overdue."

As Captain Jean-Luc Picard begins to investigate the Yridian to find Worf's whereabouts, Worf has a tracking device implanted. Toq is instructed to guard him, and make sure he does not cause trouble.

The first thing Worf does, since he feels restless, is Mok'bara practice. When Ba'el asks, he explains it to her. She soon wishes to try, and he begins to teach her. When Toq objects and places his hands on his shoulder, Worf carefully but forcefully flips him to the ground. "These forms are the basis for Klingon combat", he explains. Toq leaves to tell L'Kor about this.

Meanwhile, when her mother is out, Ba'el sneaks inside her home and shows Worf several Klingon objects, which have been in disuse, and have tarnished. She tells him she is not supposed to look at these things. He identifies them all, including a Gen'ok, a necklace given to a daughter who is old enough to take a mate.

Just then, her mother enters. She tells Ba'el these things are not needed here, and commands Worf to leave. He does, satisfied that her daughter's doubt is well-planted.

Later that night, he tells all of the children the ancient stories. Toq claims that these stories were impossible, that Worf was making it up. Worf explains these are Klingon legends, and they tell us who we are; it is not made up. L'Kor tells them it is time to sleep, and the group disbands.

Ba'el asks Worf, later, if the stories are true. He says he finds new truths in them every day. She then asks if Kahless ever took a mate, obviously asking a different question. When Worf moves to kiss her, he brushes back her hair to find a point on her ears. He reacts instantly, backing off in surprise. He is indignant; the Romulans are without honor, he growls. She defends her father, saying he is kind, generous, and settled here to escape the wars like her mother did. Worf should not begrudge the fact they love each other. He tries to ask her mother about it, but she angrily walks away.

Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, Geordi La Forge examines the Yridian's flight plan. He identifies two systems close to Romulan space, so Captain Picard tells him to head for the closest one.

Worf, in the morning, tries to make amends with Ba'el. He apologizes, saying he was surprised, but it is clear he still holds her father in contempt. She demands that he accept her for who she is, and leave the hate behind. He isn't sure if he can do that.

When he leaves, he sees the other children, including Toq, playing a game. A line of short spears are set up, a row of spears, Qa'vaks, resting on top of several pairs and a large hoop is rolled between them. The object appears to be to knock off all the spears resting on the others. Worf, however, when the hoop is rolled, throws one of the spears and hits the hoop through the middle.

He explains that these spears are used in The Hunt, a ritual which tells Klingons where they came from. He sighs, and says perhaps Toq is too young to master the skill. He cannot resist this challenge. His first throw is strong, but inaccurate. Worf suggests he aim along his arm, and that works. He suggests they go on the ritual hunt, and Toq agrees, but protests that Worf is not allowed to leave the compound.

When he talks to Tokath, he considers the idea ludicrous. Worf protests that he cannot just sit in the compound, and offers his word that he will not try to escape. Tokath does not care, but L'Kor points out that Worf gave Tokath his word, and that he has never broken it. He should be set free. Tokath says that L'Kor will be the one who is taking the risk. L'Kor allows them to go, but tells Toq to take a weapon, and kill Worf if he tries to escape.

Toq is amazed by the ritual hunt, able to smell the prey, and feeling more alive than he has ever before. He was never taught this, he said. Worf tells him it is the first of many things he was never taught.

When Toq and Worf return, Toq has a dead creature in his arms, which he triumphantly drops at the head table before L'Kor. Tokath orders him to get that off his table. Toq boldly states that he will get rid of it, but not until it's been cooked. Toq then triumphantly explains that the Klingons here have forgotten themselves, and sings a song of Victory. All of the Klingons, including L'Kor and Ba'el, slowly join in, as the feeling builds in the room. Tokath stares at Worf, and knows he has to deal with him.

He later takes Worf aside, and tells him that he has given up his career to create something wonderful and unique -- a place where Romulans and Klingons live together in peace -- and Worf is about to destroy all that. Worf argues that they live in harmony, because they have never learned what it is to be powerful. Otherwise, they would leave. Tokath considers the argument futile, and instead offers Worf an ultimatum: live here and don't cause any more trouble, or be put to death. Worf chooses death. That death, he says will show the young people the last thing he wants them to see: what it is to die as a Klingon.

Ba'el cannot stand the idea. She wants him to escape. She believes her father was wrong, that Worf doesn't deserve to die. Worf refuses. "They will kill me", he says, "but they will not defeat me." She wants to know if he loves her, despite everything. He says he does, and he didn't think it possible. If he could leave with her, he would, but he can't.

The next day, when he stands against the wall, staring at the firing squad, Tokath gives a short speech about how he has agonized over this decision, but has concluded that this is absolutely necessary. He cannot allow Worf to destroy what everyone else has built. Worf, with his final words, explains the truth: he has brought something "dangerous" to the children, knowledge of their origins and the reasons they are here.

As the two Romulans are about to fire, Toq appears, in a full suit of warrior's armor with a Gin'tak spear. If they kill Worf, he says, then they will have to kill him. He, too, would rather die than accept this way of life. There are many others, who he will have to kill to keep here.

When Toq does not move, L'Kor stands by them. One by one, a dozen others also come beside and behind them, including Ba'el. Gi'ral has him call it off. The hope was to avoid dishonoring their children back on the homeworld, she says, but they have lost sight of the children they have raised on this planet. They should be set free if they wish to go.

Worf explains to them that their parents are making a great sacrifice. The children must honor them, and promise them not to reveal their secret.

"Captain's log supplemental. Our search for Lt. Worf was cut short when we received a cryptic message from him requesting a rendezvous with a Romulan vessel. He has informed us we will be taking on passengers."

When Picard asks Worf if he found what he was looking for, Worf answers no; there was no prison camp. The young people, he says, are survivors from a vessel that crashed several years ago. The captain says he understands.

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"You found what you were looking for, Mr Worf?"
"No sir. There was no prison camp. Those young people are survivors of a vessel that crashed in the Carraya system four years ago. No one survived Khitomer.
"I understand."

- Worf and Picard

[edit] Background Information

Although James Cromwell (Jaglom Shrek) appears in the episode, he has no lines. This was, in part, due to an injury suffered by the actor in the course of filming, which entailed cutting most of his lines. The lost dialog would have revealed Shrek's sympathy with Worf's plight, as he had been in a prison camp himself.
Listen to the Klingon war song^file info