Star Trek: 10 Crazy Worf Theories That Were Actually Confirmed

While all Star Trek characters have their own corners of the Trekkie fandom, few are as popular as Worf, son of Mogh. As the first official Klingon in Starfleet, he was stationed in the Enterprise under Captain Picard. However, later he moved to Deep Space Nine during the Dominion War.

Starring into two different series, Worf is one of the most prolific Trek characters. For his popularity, though, he still manages to have a lot of holes in his story. That includes the stories of his people. Plot holes always get sci-fi fans theorizing, and few theorize as incessantly as Trek fans.

However, it only gets wilder when some of those theories are proven.

Here are 10 Crazy Worf Theories That Were Actually Confirmed.

10 The Writers Hated Worf

There's a running joke among the Star Trek community that the writers hate Worf. Between the countless jokes at his expense, all the horrible or fatal romances, and his terrible relationship with his son, there's more than enough tragedy on the screen. Off-screen, though, the theory continues. Michael Dorn, who played Worf, has been lobbying for a "Captain Worf" show for years. While the theory started off as a joke, clearly there's some merit to it. Despite being a fan-favorite who spanned multiple Trek series, writers chose to revive a Picard series instead of giving "Captain Worf" a shot.

Better luck next time, Mr. Dorn.

9 Klingons Experimented With Genetic Re-Sequencing

Fans used the genetic manipulation theories to try to explain the countless, differing looks for Klingons over the years. However, Star Trek: Discovery confirmed this with their first season. In it, Ash Tyler passed away and they genetically manipulated the albino Klingon, Voq, to take on his appearance and his place on the Discovery.

With that kind of serious genetics capabilities, of course the Klingons are pretty advanced in that way. It definitely proves that they might have done some genetic enhancements to alter their own people. It can account for a lot of the inconsistencies in Klingon looks, styles, and mannerisms.

8 Worf's Version of Klingon Culture Is Warped

When TNG started, Worf was the only modern window into Klingon culture. However, as time went on, the Enterprise crew interacted more and more with the warrior species. Fans became very aware that Worf revered Klingon culture but didn't seem to act anything like other Klingons. They theorized that Worf idolized being a Klingon, but for various, probably "raised by humans" reasons, didn't digest the more fun-loving, revelry side of it.

Eventually, the writers confirmed this in DS9. While on a vacation with Jadzia, fans learned that Worf was more reserved because of a specific childhood experience. Growing up on Earth warped his perception, but breaking another child's neck on accident because of his Klingon strength made him pull back every Klingon part of himself.

7 Worf's An Incarnation of Kahless

Ever since the clone of Kahless was exposed, fans have been creating crazy theories about Worf actually being the the reincarnation of Kahless. Later Star Trek books have even partially confirmed the theory by saying the clone isn't even Kahless, but his brother.

The theory is rooted in Worf's past: a son loses his family in a tragedy, he grows up and does things no one else does, and then when he goes back to his people he immediately wins battles and brings people together. Whether he actually is a reincarnation or not isn't the truest part of the theory, it's the fact he emulates Kahless' ideals. Many other Klingons adore and know the legends, but Worf knows every bit of their history by heart and lives them every day.

6 L'Rell's Empire Fell Before He Was Born

By the time that L'Rell took power in Star Trek: Discovery, fans were already perplexed about the different looks that Klingons were sporting. Creators tried to remedy the whole thing by making L'Rell look more like a classic Enterprise era Klingon. However, the true, easy reason that helps explain the phenomenon already laid around in fan theories.

Fans, looking between TOS Klingons and TNG ones, theorized that maybe there were different subsects of the Klingon race that constantly overpowered each other. This would not only explain why TOS Klingons looked so different, but why the ENT Klingons looked like TNG and others didn't.

Furthermore, it seems these different subsects ignore one another, and the best proof of that is that in TNG, Worf tells Gowron that no one has united the many houses before. However, in Discovery, L'Rell has. Best way to explain that away is with the "superseding subsects" theory (that'd basically been proved, let us have this one).

5 Worf Isn't Actually The FIRST Klingon In Starfleet

TNG makes a big deal about Worf being the first Klingon in Starfleet. However, for anyone watching the show, that's easy to doubt. There are so many people in the universe and it's hard to believe there's only one Klingon, and only one raised by humans, that would want to join Starfleet. Fans surely theorized that Worf was the only one the show liked talking about, understandably.

However, Star Trek: Discovery proved any fans wondering about that right.

While it wasn't exactly in an official capacity, Worf was not the first Klingon in starfleet. The first, actually, was Voq as Lieutenant Ash Tyler. Maybe he wasn't a good officer, maybe he actually was a shady spy, but he did get there first and he deserved that recognition.

4 A Second Chance For Captain Worf

Even though Star Trek creators have been denying Michael Dorn a Captain Worf series for years, fans always theorized that he still has a chance. It seems with the new Picard series, those theories have some merit to them. If the writers are willing to bring back old Trek captains and Seven of Nine, then Captain Worf still definitely has a chance.

Much like before, Michael Dorn is totally still up for the challenge. While fans adore the character, no one seems to love Worf as much as the actor who played him. There's a fair shot he'll show up in the Picard series, but even if he doesn't, his own show seems plausible again.

3 The Clone Of Kahless Isn't Kahless At All

When the "Rightful Heir" episode happened, fans were already speculative about the validity of Kahless' claim. His creators already admitted to him being a clone, but was he even a clone of the right man? After all, the original Kahless was a great fighter who naturally brought people together. This one was a terrible fighter and caused dissent among his people until Worf got involved.

Eventually, the Star Trek continuation books confirmed this wild fan theory. The novel, Kahless, said that the blood found wasn't actually Kahless', but his brother, Morath's. It explains not only all the inconsistencies, but also the flaws in the original plan. How would they have ever known it was really Kahless in the first place?

2 Klingons Have Had A Wild Evolution Path (And Worf Doesn't Want to Talk About It)

Fans have always had serious questions about Klingons, but none raised so many as TNG's episode "Genesis". Between the questions about genetic engineering science, cloning capabilities, and all the different evolutionary paths Klingons have taken, their history has always been a mystery.

Well, TNG all but confirmed the fact that Klingons have a unique, complex, and violent genetic history in Genesis. Like all other crew mates, Worf devolves into a much older version of his species. But unlike the others, Worf's new form is that of a plated, merciless predator that stalks the halls and destroys anything it finds.

If Troi was just a Betazoid but with gils, there has been some serious, unaccounted for genetic evolution between the Klingons nowadays and that. They must have manipulated their genes in the mean-time.

1 The Generation-Spanning Feud Wouldn't Die With Duras

One of Worf's earliest and most beloved arcs involved K'Ehleyr, a half Klingon woman that he falls in love with. They don't stay together, but a few years later she reappears with a son (Worf's) in tow. By this time Worf already learned that the Duras family framed his father for a horrible massacre, to keep their name clean. And that fued only worsened when Duras shot K'Ehleyr, leaving Alexander mother-less. Worf takes revenge by cutting him down, but fans knew that the fued wouldn't end there.

Their theories were correct and the Mogh/Duras confrontations lasted for years. After Duras, Worf clashed with his sisters and his son. All three of them would do anything for power, and Worf felt obligated to his father and the empire to stop them.

Source: screenrant.com