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Klingons - Warrior race of
aliens who first appeared on the sci-fi series STAR
TREK/NBC/1966-69. The Klingons who lived on the home world of
Qo'noS, were much like outer space Viking barbarians. Their
culture was always at odds with the Federation and never
seemed to respect boundaries or peace treaties. There
mentality was simple: "Laws were made to be broken."
Inhabiting a planetary system of limited resources, the
Klingons traveled throughout the galaxy looking for anything
that wasn't hammered down. Physically, the Klingons were ugly
humanoids with heavy bifurcated eyebrows, and a button-tipped
spine that ran the length of their back and over their head.
The Klingons premiered on episode No. 27 "Errand of Mercy"
written by Gene Coon and has since been featured in the series
of STAR TREK spin-offs. In 1987 the series STAR TREK: THE NEXT
GENERATION/SYN/1987-94 (based 85 years in the future 24th
century), the Klingons were portrayed as a much more peaceful
group of aliens who had joined the Federation. Serving
on-board the newly commissioned USS Enterprise-D was a
towering, anti-social Klingon warrior, Lt. J.G. Worf (Michael
Dorn) responsible for environment and propulsion science
sections and later Security. Raised by humans, (supposedly his
family killed by Romulans) Worf was unfamiliar with many
facets of his Klingon heritage. He often struggled to keep his
savage side in check when working with his fellow crew
members. Later in the series, Worf (son of Mogh) discovered
that his parents were actually killed by the treachery of
members of the Klingon High Council. He also discovered he had
a brother named Kurn. (Tony Todd) Together they challenged the
council to make the truth known. However, the fact that the
truth of his parents death could cause political upheaval,
Worf decided to become an exile from his home world, accepting
disgrace ("Discommendation") rather than upset the stability
of his planet. Worf's former mate K'Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson) who
refused the traditional subservience of a Klingon bonding,
bore Worf a son named Alexander (Brian Bonsall) whom later in
his life followed the path of peace rather than that of the
warrior (in one timeline). K'Ehleyr was killed by Klingons who
attempted to keep secret the truth relating to Worf's family
disgrace. Worf avenged her death and gave his young son to his
human foster parents to raise while he continued to serve
onboard the starship Enterprise. At the end of the 1991
season, Worf resigned his commission with the Federation to
take up arms against renegade factions who threatened the
Klingon empire. After the controversy wherein he regained
status as a loyal Klingon, he returned to serve on the
starship USS Enterprise. On episode No. 116 "Ethics" the
Klingon physiological trait known as "brak'lul" was discussed.
The term referred to the redundancy features of the Klingon
anatomy (23 ribs, 2 livers, 8 chambered hearts) where almost
every function in their body was duplicated in case any
primary organ or system failed. TRIVIA NOTE: For those
interested in this alien culture, Marc Okrand's authoritative
English-Klingon/Klingon-English Dictionary (Pocket
Books, 1990) can provide additional information. Example: The
Klingon's equivalent to our "Hello" is "N'uk, N'ek" which
loosely translated means "What do you want?" See also -
"Jadzia Dax" and
DEATH
- MISCELLANEOUS: "Klingons" and
CEREMONIES & CELEBRATIONS - "Age of Ascension"
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