When this episode began all I remembered was that it is the one that introduces Worf's son and I recalled that not being the greatest of story lines. But what I forgot is that this is also the episode where Worf decides the next chancellor of the Klingon Empire by killing one of the candidates with his bat'leth. I know the Klingons are down with it, but it does seem a little unrealistic that a member of Starfleet could leave his ship and kill a member of the ruling council of another government and get away with only a reprimand on his record.
The Enterprise is studying a radiation anomaly when unexpectedly a Klingon cruiser decloaks and hails them. It is the ambassador K'Ehleyr who you will recall had a thing with Worf in The Emissary. She tells them there is an urgent matter to be discussed and requests to beam aboard. Picard sends Worf to greet her which he is less than pleased with, but of course he does it and it isn't just her, their son Alexander beams over as well. Worf is shocked to learn he has a son but there are even more important matters. She meets with Picard and tells him the Klingon empire is near civil war and Chancellor K'mpec is dying and needs Picards help. Picard beams to the cruiser and meets with K'mpec who tells him he needs Picard to act as arbiter of succession, there are two rival factions: one lead by Duras and the other Gowron. One of them has poisoned K'mpec and he wants Picard to figure out which one and stop them from becoming Chancellor. Picard doesn't want to do it, but he doesn't have any choice in the matter.
K'mpec dies and both Gowron and Duras arrive and there is after the ceremonial jabbing of the dead guy with pain sticks to prove he is dead they get ready for the rights of succession, but it is interrupted by a bomb going off. Back on the Enterprise Worf and K'Ehleyr meet and discuss their future. Worf can't accept being with her since he is discommendated and she doesn't care about that or any other Klingon tradtitions. Picard decides to do the slow and traditional rights of succession which neither of the candidates is happy about, but neither can they do much. Gowron goes the K'Ehleyr and tries to get her to speed things up by offering her a seat on the council, but she refuses.
Data investigates the bomb and discovers it had a Romulan trigger. Picard tells this to both candidates who insist on their own investigations. Meanwhile K'Ehleyr is investigating the Khitomer massacre and coming close to the truth about Duras' father. Duras finds out and confronts her in her quarters. And by confronts I mean he murders her. Worf and Alexander find her just in time for her to tell him who killed her before dying. Worf does the Klingon death scream and runs off. Dr. Crusher arrives too late and tells the captain. He asks the computer where Worf is but he isn't on the ship. He is on Duras' ship and demands the right of vengance. He is told his discommendation disqualifies him, but Duras didn't know K'Ehleyr was his mate. They fight and just as Worf is delivering the killing blow Riker arrives, but not in time to stop him. Picard is disappointed in Worf, but since the Klingons aren't upset by this and Worf wants to stay on the ship he just gives him a written reprimand and sends him on his way. Worf sends Alexander off to live with his human parents after a heartfelt goodbye.
Review: This is a better episode than I remember and that is good especially after the last few. Klingon politics are are brutal as ever and Worf is about as good as he gets.
7 out of 10
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