Rightful Heir

"Rightful Heir" is the 149th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. The 23rd episode of the sixth season.

In this episode, Lieutenant Worf, the Klingon Chief of Security of the Federation Starfleet starship USS Enterprise-D, suffers a crisis of faith which leads him to an encounter with the seemingly resurrected messiah of ancient Klingon religious beliefs. He soon finds himself caught between supporting the religious figure and the more secular leader of the conventional Klingon political power structure.

Plot

As the episode begins, Lt. Worf fails to report to his bridge duty station and Lt Commander Data and First Officer Commander William Riker become concerned. Riker finds Worf's quarters filled with incense and burning candles while his chief of security sits before a small fire nearby in a nearly trance-like state.

A repentant Worf explains to Picard that he was attempting to reconnect with his Klingon spiritual beliefs by performing a Klingon ritual in an attempt to summon a vision of Kahless, the original messianic warrior who founded the Klingon Empire.

Picard responds to Worf's crisis of faith by suggesting he immerse himself in Klingon culture, and grants him leave to journey to the Temple of Boreth, core of Klingon beliefs concerning Kahless.

After ten days of doubt-filled rituals, he sees what he thinks is a vision of Kahless. It is not, it is an actual being.

Worf brings the prospective spiritual leader to the Enterprise, but is troubled that Kahless doesn't remember how Klingon warnog tastes, or what Sto-Vo-Kor, the Klingon afterlife is like.

Klingon Chancellor Gowron arrives, saying he has a test which will indisputably prove if Kahless is genuine. Gowron is displeased with the prophet's return, convinced he is an imposter foisted by the priests to gain power and could incite a civil war. Gowron requests that the Federation genetically test the sacred dagger he brought which was stained with the blood of the original Kahless in antiquity, but is disappointed when the test indicates a match.

Gowron provokes a D'k tahg duel with Kahless and wins, leaving a dispirited Worf to ponder how the supposed "greatest warrior of all" could be beaten.

Worf demands an explanation from Koroth, the High Priest of the Boreth Temple, who disconsolately replies that Kahless isn't a resurrection, only a clone of the original, offering the rationale that the legend of Kahless's return didn't specify the exact manner. He adds that such a legend is desperately needed to rally the people's faith and guide them.

Chief Operations Officer Lt. Commander Data advises the uncertain Worf that once during a crisis of his own he made the leap of faith to "assume that he was a person", and thus could grow beyond the sum of his programming.

Gowron is outraged when Worf tells him the truth and prepares to execute the clone and priests. Worf tells Gowron he has decided to support Kahless, explaining that he has made a leap of faith as Data once did, adding that the clone's origins don't matter. He suggests the Klingon High Council appoint Kahless to the ceremonial position of Emperor; while only a figurehead, he might be able to unite the Klingon people. In conclusion, Worf observes that while not the "true" Kahless, this man is at least the "Rightful Heir" to Kahless; opposing him might lead to civil war. Seeing the wisdom of cooperation, Gowron offers his devotion.

Departing soon after for the Klingon homeworld Qo'noS, Kahless notes the troubled demeanor of the "Son of Mogh" and reassures him by observing that the personal belief systems espoused by Kahless made the ancient Klingons what they were, the man was not important; even if the real Kahless never returned it might not matter, as his spirit lives within the hearts of all true Klingons.

Broadcast

"Rightful Heir" was originally released in broadcast syndication on May 15, 1993. It received Nielsen ratings of 10.6 percent, placing it in third place in its timeslot. This was part of a brief decline in ratings towards the end of the season; "Suspicions", the episode broadcast prior, received ratings of 11.3 percent. The episode broadcast after "Rightful Heir", "Second Chances", received a rating of 9.7 percent.^[1]

References

External links

• Rightful Heir at the Internet Movie Database
• Rightful Heir at StarTrek.com
• Rightful Heir at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)