I never read the wiki pages for episodes before I watch them, but in reading the notes for Part I it mentions that the Data dream subplot isn't present in Part II. I think knowing this going in made Part II a whole lot better than I remembered. As a kid I didn't really care so much about a bunch of Klingons hiding from dishonor and really just wanted more of Data transforming into a bird and flying into space around the Enterprise. The story at the prison camp got a lot more rich in this episode and I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected.
The episode opens with Worf being captured as the previous episode ended. The elders explain to him that they know what a dishonor it is to be captured and that is why they have allowed themselves to remain hidden for so long. Worf can't accept this. In the garden he encounters a young Klingon named Toq using a spear to till garden. After a confrontation Worf wants away and runs into Ba'el, the young woman he ran into in the jungle in the previous episode. From her he learns that her parents have told her there is still a Romulan versus Klingon war raging across the galaxy. Her mother shows up and yells are her for talking to Worf. After a talk with Tokath where Worf learns the Romulan has a Klingon wife which is part of why he really doesn't want to ruin what they have made. We also see Worf messing with a panel in his room. After he leaves it explodes and he uses the distraction to try and escape. He is tackled by Toq and hesitates rather than kill the youth and this allows him to be captured.
We briefly see the Enterprise and learn they have realized he is missing and have started a search. Back in the prison Worf is implanted with a tracker, but that doesn't slow him down. He starts teaching the youths mok'bara which I have previously referred to as Klingon Tai Chi. Toq see him and storms off to tell his elders. Meanwhile Ba'el finds Worf and takes him to her home to show him the collection of Klingon artifacts her mother has kept hidden. We learn Worf is falling in love with her, but just then her mother arrives. That night Worf tells the children the story of Kahless. Toq again objects but you can tell he was listening carefully. That night Worf and Ba'el sneak off, but just as he is about to kiss her he sees her pointy ear and realizes she is half Romulan. He is shocked and leaves in disgust.
The next day he makes up with her, but you can tell she hasn't ever seen things this way before, but he can't accept her father and she storms off. Outside Worf finds Toq and the boys playing a game with spears and he decides to show them how it is traditionally played. This time Toq can't resist and eventually Worf convinces him to join him on a hunt. The elders don't like the idea, but they agree that Toq will be his guard. Once he catches the smell of the prey though Toq forgets his upbringing and is a full Klingon suddenly. When he returns with the game the Romulans are outraged, but less so than when he starts the youth singing a Klingon hunting song. That night Tokath tells Worf he must either live her forever and not cause further trouble or face execution. Worf tells him he would much rather die, and that is death will awaken the rest of the Klingon youth. Ba'el arrives after and offers to help him escape but he again refuses. The next morning they gather for the execution, but just before the guards fire Toq shows up in full Klingon battle armor and stands in front of Worf. Soon the rest of the youth including Ba'el join him. Tokath is forced to allow them to leave. Worf somehow manages to get passage on a Romulan warship and tells the Federation they are the survivors of a crash and that all the Klingons at Khitomer died.
Review: This is a powerful story both about what it means to have honor, what it means to love, and what it means to be free. It is also a rare second half of a two parter that is actually as good as the first half. Other than Chain of Command I don't think that has been done.
7 out of 10
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