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Published Aug 4, 2023

Dynamic Duos: Lursa and B'Etor Duras

Dive in the sinister Klingon sisters' delicious history!

Illustrated banner featuring the Duras sisters, Lursa and B'Etor

StarTrek.com

Who doesn’t love a good villain? Or in this case, a pair of villainesses? The Duras sisters — Lursa and B’Etor — may not be the first characters to come to mind when one thinks of Star Trek ’s dynamic duos, but while they might be a less obvious choice, they’re certainly among the franchise’s most delightful pairs.

Lursa and B’Etor first appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “ Redemption, Part I ” to challenge the Klingon Leader of the High Council, Gowron. Their brother, Duras, had previously tried to claim the position but died in disgrace after his and his family’s corruption was exposed. Lursa and B’Etor aren’t willing to give up so easily, though.

The Duras Sisters - Lursa and B'Etor - stands before the Klingon High Council in 'Redemption'

"Redemption"

Through their recurring appearances on The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek Generations , they doggedly pursue power over the Klingon Empire by any means necessary, with actors Barbara March and Gwynyth Walsh joyously chewing the scenery with every memorable appearance. They also become a recurring nemesis for Picard, who’d been named the Arbiter of Succession for the council and who’d rejected the House of Duras’ claim to leadership, and Worf, who’d killed Duras in a duel after the latter murdered Worf’s mate, K’Ehleyr.

While the Klingon civilization is built around ideals of honor, Lursa and B’Etor embrace corruption to achieve their goals by any means necessary. And boy, is it fun to watch them at their worst! Shamelessly scheming, cheating, and plotting, Lursa, with her snarling power hungriness, and B’Etor, with her unabashed use of her sexuality as a weapon, embody a rejection of what a Klingon woman should be. It makes them villains, sure, but it also frees them from the constraints of their society.

The Duras sisters Lursa and B'Etor in 'Firstborn'

"Firstborn"

For all its futuristic technology, the Klingon Empire is decidedly retrograde in its views toward females. Klingon women may be strong, powerful and sexually liberated, but they’re ultimately still treated as second-class citizens compared to the men. The Duras sisters encounter this old-fashioned bias firsthand in their attempt to take over the Empire. After their brother’s death, they have no choice but to pursue power through another male relative, a teenaged illegitimate nephew, Toral, who was made the head of House Duras and inherited his father’s claim on the leadership position solely for being born male.

After that last attempt to claim power in an (at least nominally) legitimate way failed, it’s little surprise that Lursa and B’Etor turned to increasingly unsavory ways to seize power. Though their actions are despicable, I found it hard not to root for them a little. In a world where even powerful women are expected to be subservient to men, the Duras sisters embraced their independence in all its glory and weren’t afraid to use men as tools to get what they wanted. They let nothing hold them back — not circumstances, not morality, not traditions, and certainly not the odds. Their scheming may have been undone in each episode (and in the film) they appeared in, but they never let that stop them or even slow them down.

Picard communicates with Lursa and B'Etor Duras sisters on the viewscreen in 'Star Trek Generations'

Star Trek Generations

It was refreshing to see a pair of women in positions of power working together to achieve a common goal, even if that goal made them the bad gals. As I’ve written about before, female friendships have historically been underrepresented on-screen (something Star Trek ’s been rectifying since Deanna and Beverly started hanging out in the late ‘80s). The Duras sisters may have antagonized the Federation, the Klingon Empire, and the-Prophets-know-who-else, but they were always in sync with each other.

Lursa and B’Etor’s dogged, whatever-it-takes approach to their pursuit of power and revenge — and their brazen willingness to wreak havoc along the way — ultimately proves to be their undoing. But let’s not mourn them as just another set of villains brought down by the good guys of Star Trek . Let’s celebrate them for the strong-willed, clever, relentless and delightfully wicked rebels that they were.

This article was originally published on January 21, 2019.

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Mary Fan is a sci-fi/fantasy writer hailing from Jersey City, NJ. She is the author of the Jane Colt sci-fi series, which comprises ARTIFICIAL ABSOLUTES (2013), SYNTHETIC ILLUSIONS (2014), and VIRTUAL SHADOWS (2015), and STARSWEPT (2017), and FLYNN NIGHTSIDER AND THE EDGE OF EVIL (2018), a YA dark fantasy and the first novel of the Flynn Nightsider series. Due out in 2019 is STRONGER THAN A BRONZE DRAGON, a YA steampunk fantasy. Check out her official page at www.maryfan.com.

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Duras, son of Ja'Rod is a Klingon and a supporting antagonist in Star Trek: The Next Generation .

He was portrayed by Patrick Massett . 

  • 1 Personality
  • 5 Navigation

Personality [ ]

Duras is a cruel, aggressive, treacherous, and unscrupulous Klingon. He is ready to destroy the integrity of the House of Mogh just to save the honor of his own House even if this one is indeed dishonored by the betrayal of his father, showing that Duras is above all a corrupt hypocrite who places no real value on honor. To achieve his goal, Duras does not hesitate to resort to blackmail, intimidation or murder. He rarely attacks head-on, letting a henchman do the dirty work or employing underhanded techniques himself to eliminate those in his path. Despite his unparalleled cruelty and lust for power, Duras proved to be mostly a coward, trying to buy his survival as he began losing to Worf in a duel by truth only he knew.

Biography [ ]

A member of the influential House of Duras and the son of Ja'rod, Duras was a powerful and ambitious man. In 2366 he captured a Romulan vessel, which had records providing proof that his father had betrayed the Kithomer outpost to the Romulans , resulting in the deaths of over 4,000 Klingons - including Worf's father Mogh and mother Kassin.

Under Klingon law Duras was responsible for the treason of his father. Unwilling to face the music, and feeling that if the truth was known it would cause a civil war K'mpec and the rest of the council buried the truth. Needing someone to blame for the attack they decided on Ja'rod's rival Mogh. They thought that with Worf living in the Federation and serving in Starfleet he would not even be aware of the decision. However what they didn't know was that Mogh had a second son named Kurn , who had been hidden with a friend of the family before the other members of the family went to Khitomer.

Duras Worf

Duras accusing the House of Mogh for the Khitomer Massacre

Returning to Qo'noS Worf challenged the decision of the council. Duras proceeded to prosecute Worf for the supposed crimes Mogh had committed. Meanwhile, learning that Kurn - who was standing with Worf as Cha'DIch - was a second son of Mogh he arranged to meet Kurn nearby, and tried to assassinate Kurn. With Kurn seriously injured in the attack, Worf chose Captain Jean-Luc Picard as his Cha'DIch. 

Learning that Worf's nursemaid Kahlest had survived the attack on Khitomer and was living again on Qo'noS, Picard went to see her to see if she could help. She informed Picard that Mogh was not the traitor - that he was loyal to the Emperor, but she didn't know who the traitor was nor could she testify. After Picard left he had to fight off two assassins sent by Duras to kill him. Impressed with Picard's bravery and feeling Worf chose well Kahlest changed her mind and accompanied Picard to the council chambers. Seeing her K'mpec ordered Worf, Picard, Kahlest, and Duras into his chambers.

Duras Traitor

You are the son of a traitor.

There it came out that it was Duras's dishonor the council was protecting. Unwilling to have her testimony heard in open council Kahlest was allowed to return home. There K'mpec admitted that Mogh was not the traitor, but Ja'rod was. Worf decided to accept discommendation from the Empire as long as they left Kurn alone. Before leaving Worf backhands Duras and calls him a "son of a traitor."

Over the next year Duras began poisoning K'mpec slowly with Veridium Six. Eventually the poison killed K'mpec, but not before he met with Picard and got him to be his arbiter of succession after he died between the two strongest candidates - Duras and Gowron .

On board K'mpec's ship while Picard, Gowron, and Duras were certifying the death of K'mpec, a bomb went off. Planted by one of Duras's men, it was a Romulan device.

While Picard was evaluating the worthiness of Gowron and Duras to fight each other for the office of Chancellor, Federation Ambassador and Worf's girlfriend K'Ehleyr became suspicious of why everyone on the Enterprise was so put off by Duras. While not going into specifics, Picard told her that they had prior dealings with Duras that made him untrustworthy.

K'Ehleyr decided to do some research into Duras. Using her diplomatic access to the Klingon Imperial information net - the main database of the Klingon government - she attempted to access the records of the last high council inquiry into the Khitomer attacks. However the information was sealed by Duras so the computer would not give her the records. She then tried a different route, and requested all information available on Duras. K'Ehleyr was able to piece enough information together to realize that Ja'rod was the traitor, not Mogh.

Unfortunately her attempted access of the restricted materials generated an alert which was sent to Duras. Confronting K'Ehleyr in her quarters, Duras attacked her and stabbed her, and she died a short time later in Worf and their son Alexander's arms.

Duras Death

Death of Duras.

Furious over the loss of his love, Worf boarded Duras's ship. Brushing him off as a traitor, Duras turned away. But Worf then claimed the right of vengeance, and publicly claimed K'Ehleyr as his wife. The two men fought. Meanwhile the Enterprise crew realized what Worf was doing. Commanders William Riker and Data went to stop Worf, but as they got to where the two men were fighting Worf got the upper hand and killed Duras. 

Picard was less than pleased and put a reprimand in Worf's record for killing Duras. Afterwards Picard gently suggested to Worf that the time to keep the secret was over. With Duras having died in disgrace Picard thought it wasn't necessary to keep up the illusion that Mogh was the traitor. Worf responded that it was not just Duras who used his father as a scapegoat, but the other members of the high council as well, and that he and Kurn would need to wait until the time was right to put things right.

Even though Duras was dead his influence continued to reach from beyond the grave. As the time approached to install Gowron as the new chancellor, his sisters Lursa and B'Etor put forward Toral - the illegitimate son of Duras - as a claimant on the office of Chancellor. Picard rejected this claim, stating that Toral was too young and that the claim to the office died with Duras.

The House of Duras started a brief civil war within the Empire. Eventually the Federation was able to expose the Romulan involvement in the war. Along with Gowron's forces conducting a full scale attack news of the Romulan ties resulted in the defeat of the Duras forces. Toral was captured but his aunts beamed away. Toral got off lightly, with Worf being unwilling to kill him as Toral had never harmed Worf. Meanwhile the sisters continued trying to take over the Empire until they died in combat against the Enterprise in 2371. In 2372, Total tried to claim the mythical Sword of Kahless for himself in order to take control of the Klingon Empire but his efforts were foiled by Worf, Jadzia Dax and Kor .

  • Toral's physical appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is much more similar to Duras compared to his appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation .
  • In Star Trek: Picard set over thirty years later, Duras can be seen in a file photo of the events of "Sins of The Father" during Picard's interview in the first episode. In season three, Duras is indirectly mentioned by Worf when he introduces himself to Raffi Musiker, using the title "Bane to the Duras family".
  • Duras was Patrick Massett's first screen role.
  • He is probably the descendant of Duras, Son of Toral who appeared in Star Trek: Enterprise , which takes place two hundred years earlier.

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Den of Geek

Star Trek: The Next Generation Essential Episodes

These 25 Star Trek: The Next Generation stories are the series’ unmissable episodes…

duras star trek next generation

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Enterprise NCC-1701-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation

This article comes from Den of Geek UK .

Leading the charge back to television for the Star Trek franchise, and paving the way for three further series to follow, Star Trek: The Next Generation ‘s seven seasons had some very high points, and a couple of very low ones (that some would simply call “Season 1….”, not that I’m one of them.)

These are the top 25 “must-watch” episodes, not necessarily the top 25 for quality, or indeed my 25 favorites, but the 25 stories that give you the best flavor of the series and its relatively unplanned story arcs. Just don’t forget that, like The Original Series , The Next Generation is a product of its time, and as such certain issues that writers wanted to bring to the screen not only necessitated allegory, but sometimes stretched it thin so as not to raise issues with censorship.

read more: The Original Series — How it Changed From Pitch to Execution

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If you only ever watch 25 stories from Star Trek: The Next Generation , these are the ones to do it with, at least in my opinion. The only rules in place are that they have to be from the TV series (no films), and multi-part episodes count as one story (even if an episode is pretty much an epilogue). If you get a chance, try to watch the majority of all 7 seasons at some point… but by the Great Bird of the Galaxy avoid Shades Of Grey (S2). And Justice (S1)… A “10 episodes to avoid” might have legs actually… But I digress.

If you are able, I would also recommend watching episodes of The Next Generation in remastered form on Blu-ray, even with the minor changes to the effects shots, as in more than one case this has corrected an actual error. As with most episodes of Star Trek TV shows, the live-action footage was captured on 35mm film, and thus the restoration work done on the negatives looks fantastic in HD.

This list is presented in a viewing order I would suggest, and is primarily in production order as they flow better that way, rather than in a rank order.

Season 1 Episode 23: Skin Of Evil

The episode is memorable for not only killing off a member of the main cast (one not even wearing a red shirt!) but also for the almost inconsequential way in which the death occurs.

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The story sets up quite a bit that comes afterwards, and fortunately comes towards the end of the generally lackluster first season. As such, it’s quite obvious things have settled down and both cast and crew are more confident in what they are doing. I warn you though, this episode has a complete lack of any light-heartedness and is very much a dramatic presentation.

Season 1 Episode 25: Conspiracy

Though the themes of this episode are hinted at in Coming Of Age (season one’s nineteenth episode) this episode also works well as a stand-alone story. Though Coming Of Age isn’t a bad episode by any means, it falls way outside of the top 25. Starfleet seems to have taken a turn for the weird, and an old friend of Captain Picard summons him for a secret meeting. Data also, through the analysis of comm traffic has discovered a disturbing trend in Starfleet orders…

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read more: Star Trek Timeline Explained

This is the episode where phasers appear to be a little bit tortuous and not as efficient as they should be (though to be fair in early Next Generation they do look like Dustbusters) and do an awfully good impression of the Veron-T Disruptor (see Season 5’s The Most Toys ). Overall, this is a well-written episode with some effects that look a little… well ’80s now –  exploding meat-pack included.

Season 1 Episode 26: The Neutral Zone 

Data finds a long-lost Earth capsule that literally has the past inside in the form of three easily cured cryogenically frozen patients from the early twenty-first century. The trio attempts to acclimatize to the twenty-fourth century, and the massive change in human culture. Meanwhile the Enterprise is to rendezvous with a Romulan vessel after decades without contact, only for the results of shared data about attacks along the neutral zone to usher in a serious sense of foreboding.

read more: The Most Important Star Trek Original Series Episodes

’80s serial guest star Peter Mark Richman makes the most of his scenes, while the appearance of the Romulans in the form of Commander Tebok, played by Marc Alaimo, who would go on to be not only the first Cardassian we’d see, but then Gul Dukat in Deep Space Nine .

This may be a debatable inclusion in a pure top 25 episodes by quality alone, but the groundwork laid in this episode, for more than one foe of the Federation, is vital to the vast majority that follows in not only Next Generation , but Deep Space Nine and Voyager , too. 

Season 2 Episode 9: The Measure Of A Man

From one episode that is crucial to others but considered purely on its own merits is a debatable entry on this list, to an episode that absolutely belongs in the top 2 stories – and one that rivals even Best Of Both Worlds (yes, I said it!)

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Data is ordered to undergo dismantling so that Commander Maddox of the Daystrom Institute can study him. Data is not comfortable with that and refuses, only to find his final recourse to resign isn’t an option to him as he is seen by Starfleet as property. Cue the best courtroom drama episode of Star Trek ever produced including an astonishing performance from Patrick Stewart backed up by an understated but incredibly potent interaction with Whoopi Goldberg, and superb work from Jonathan Frakes, especially in the Blu-ray exclusive extended versions of the story.

Season 2 Episode 16: Q Who

Q arrives, has a stand-off with Guinan and requests to join the crew of the Enterprise much to the annoyance of Commander Riker and Microbrain (aka Worf). Captain Picard makes the mistake of stating his belief that his crew and Starfleet as a whole is ready to meet whatever is out there. So Q clicks his fingers and throws the Galaxy class Enterprise to the solar system designated J-25 to discover a planet with readings identical to those found in The Neutral Zone . Not only that… but a cube shaped ship enters orbit.

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It turns out that resistance is futile and your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to that of Trek fandom, as this is one of the episodes that really will grab you – though its direct sequel is still to come.

Season 2 Episode 20: The Emissary

An old flame of Worf, in the form of the half-human, half-Klingon, Ambassador K’Ehleyr, arrives on the Enterprise in a unique way. At the behest of Starfleet Security, the Ambassador is on board to warn and assist the crew of the Enterprise regarding the threat posed by a K’Tinga class Klingon Cruiser, the crew of which have been in suspended animation for 75 years. The crew of the IKS T’Ong are on a secret mission to attack the Federation, and are, of course, unaware that peace has broken out between the former enemies. 

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Susie Plakson’s turn as K’Ehleyr cements her position as a go-to actress for the franchise after her superb debut as Doctor Selar earlier in the season ( The Schizoid Man ) and would go on to reprise this part and manage to take on two further alien races in roles as the female Q in Voyager and Lt. Tarah of the Andorian Imperial Guard in Enterprise , making four in total. No other actor has played a Vulcan, an Andorian, a Klingon, and a Q!

Season 3 Episode 4: Who Watches The Watchers

Foreshadowing Star Trek: Insurrection , a Federation research team has been revealed to the indigenous lifeforms on a planet with a (very) pre-warp civilization, causing a breach of the Prime Directive, necessitating Commander Riker and Counsellor Troi to go undercover as the Vulcan-eque Mintakans to rescue a researcher. Hilarity ensues. That is, if you find Picard being referred to as a God and having people sacrificed to him hilarious.

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This one’s such a good foundation for new viewers as to quite why the Prime Directive is so important in the Star Trek universe that it was drawn upon for the opening sequence of Star Trek Into Darkness . It shows Next Generation at its thoughtful best.

Season 3 Episode 15: Yesterday’s Enterprise

You know something major has occurred when the end of the pre-credit sequence involves Worf being replaced by Lt. Yar… The USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C, the Ambassador Class predecessor to the Galaxy Class Enterprise-D, turns up after going missing and being presumed destroyed for 22 years. Unfortunately Guinan’s extra-normal perception detects that the timeline has changed.

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This story sets up a few things, as well as being downright brilliant in its own right, and is every bit as much a must-watch as Best Of Both Worlds .

Season 3 Episode 16: The Offspring

Jonathan Frakes graduates Paramount Academy with his directorial debut here, bringing the best out of Patrick Stewart and Bent Spiner in particular, as Data struggles to understand why he has to inform the Captain of his attempts to procreate when none of the other crew have to.

read more: Star Trek: Picard — Everything We Know

A great performance from Hallie Todd as Lal which, literally, is the heart of the story, elevates this into the top 25.

Season 3 Episode 17: Sins Of The Father

Mogh, father of Worf is accused of betraying the Klingons to the Romulans, and thus instigating the Khitomer massacre. Starfleet’s only Klingon officer isn’t going to just let it lie, only to find he has a brother he knew nothing about.

read more: Captain Picard’s 7 Biggest Fails

This is the first time Worf interacts with the Klingon High Council, at least on-screen, and comes into conflict with the Duras family for the first time – the actions in this episode would reverberate through Next Generation , DS9 , and into Star Trek: Generations .

Season 3 Episode 23: Sarek

From one father, to another. Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan, whose son is none other than Ambassador and formerly Captain Spock, comes aboard the Enterprise much to the delight of Captain Picard. Unfortunately it seems that Sarek is incapable of visiting the Enterprise in good health, and is suspected of being the cause of heightened tension and conflict aboard ship.

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Once again Mark Lenard is outstanding, and Patrick Stewart’s performance as he grapples with Sarek’s erratic emotional state is a slightly uncomfortable highlight.

Best Of Both Worlds/Family (Season 3 Episode 26, Season 4 Episode 1 and 2)

J-25 turns out to be a solar system not far enough from the Federation, and the readings from The Neutral Zone are forgotten as a single Borg vessel prepares to cut a swathe through Federation territory, with Captain Picard and anyone else in their way becoming little more than collateral damage.

read more: Why Star Trek: Picard Won’t Be Like The Last Jedi

Guest star Elizabeth Dennehy shines as Lieutenant Commander Shelby, lighting a fire under Riker. The cliff-hanger, Star Trek ‘s first as a season closer, drove fans up the wall for months, with the main story wrapped up in the first episode of season 4 and an epilogue in the second episode of the season, Family , that underlined quite what the Captain went through as Locutus, once again proving who was leading the cast in more ways than one.

Season 4 Episode 7: Reunion

K’Ehleyr returns to the Enterprise with not only the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council in tow, but also her son, Alexander. It turns out that 3 to 4 year old Klingon children grow up really fast as Alexander was conceived during his mother’s last visit to the Enterprise, and he looks like he’s about 5. The episode also returns Duras to the screen and introduces Gowron. Unfortunately Alexander loses his mother, after she investigates Worf’s dishonour and the Khitomer massacre, when Duras murders her. Worf doesn’t take that lying down and ensures that the candidate for Chancellor got the point, dis-commendation or not.

read more: Star Trek: Picard and the Mystery of Data

This story continues Worf’s journey into Klingon culture which doesn’t really conclude until at least DS9’s What You Leave Behind… or perhaps the “canon” 2009 film prequel comic story, Countdown .

Season 4 Episode 12: The Wounded

A veteran Captain of the Cardassian/Federation War, Ben Maxwell has taken it upon himself to launch his Nebula class starship, the USS Phoenix, into a one-ship war against the Cardassian Empire, believing that they are rearming to challenge the Federation once more. A Cardassian Gul (Captain) and two aides join the crew of the Enterprise to stop the Phoenix destroying further Cardassian vessels and outposts.

read more: 50 Best Star Trek Episodes

This is the first appearance of the Cardassians on screen with Marc Alaimo staking an early claim to the de-facto portrayal of a Cardassian commanding officer, Gul Macet, in advance of landing the regular role as Gul Dukat in Deep Space Nine . We also learn a bit about Chief O’Brien’s background in the process – giving Colm Meaney some decent room to show what he can do.

Redemption (Season 4 Episode 26 & Season 5 Episode 1)

Gowron attempts to take his place as Chancellor of the Klingon High Council but the sisters of Duras, Lursa and B’Etor reveal the deceased candidate’s son and challenge the succession. The result is a Klingon Civil War, and Worf’s loyalties are split between the Federation and his own people. It seems the Duras are also getting help, as they have done before, from another race with cloaked ships. Leave it to Captain Data to sort out the situation.

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Will someone please tell me how Picard isn’t a Fleet Captain or Commodore at this point, when he’s in command of a fleet? Though the season cliff-hanger is nowhere near as compelling as that in Best Of Both Worlds ,  this two-part story serves to delve into Klingon culture and set a few things up for both Next Generation and Deep Space Nine .

Season 5 Episode 2: Darmok

How do you talk to a race that appears to speak in gibberish, even with the universal translator doing its best? According to the Children Of Tamar, the best solution is to beam your Captain and that of the vessel you are trying to communicate with down to a planet with a dangerous creature, give each officer a knife and see if they can work out their differences. Paul Winfield (who also played Captain Terrell in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan ) does a superb job as the Tamarian Captain who communicates with Captain Picard by metaphor – it turns out that knowing the story of the example you’re citing helps quite a bit.

read more: Star Trek: Enterprise and the Importance of Its Characters

The late, great Michael Piller remarked of this episode “I just think Darmok is the prototype of what Star Trek should be.” It has also be used by Linguistic teachers as an example of how language can develop while the premise alone in the form of the billing blurb for the episode inspired Russell T. Davies to write Midnight , from the fourth season of Doctor Who ‘s revival.

Season 5 Episodes 7-8: Unification

A bit of Sarek again, as Spock goes undercover on Romulus conducting cowboy diplomacy, prompting Picard and Data to pretend to be Romulans, and get transported to Romulus aboard a Klingon Bird Of Prey. There’s a reference to ear licking. There’s a discussion between Data and Spock. Tasha’s daughter, the Romulan commander, turns up. Jonathan Frakes sings the Next Generation theme tune in a blooper.

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Do I really need to say any more? The great and much missed Leonard Nimoy on Next Generation is all the recommendation this one needs.

Season 5 Episode 17: The Outcast

As potent today as The Original Series ‘ Let That Be Your Last Battlefield , this episode now appears to  tackle gender identity and uses the metaphor of a member of an androgynous race, the J’naii, who leans towards being female as a mirror for the struggle of those who are gender fluid or transgender, though it wasn’t the original intent.

read more: The Influence of Forbidden Planet on Star Trek and Star Wars

Riker becomes involved romantically with the female-leaning Soren, only to find such a person is viewed as a throwback in need of therapy by their own people. It’s equally heart-breaking and brilliant. Bizarrely it appears that our wider knowledge of the human condition as a whole has caught up with this episode which was originally conceived to provide an allegory for different sexualities, and was criticised for not being awfully successful in that endeavour at the time. The horror of Soren being forced to undergo mental alteration for her perceived “criminal perversion” of being female rather than without gender, is now all too real.

Season 5 Episode 23: I Borg

It’s not a person damn it, it’s a Borg ! Except it is a person, even though it’s a Borg, it transpires. A single-minded Captain Picard is determined to introduce a virus-like problem into the collective using a teenaged Borg an Enterprise away team has rescued from a crash site as the conduit. Guinan, even being one of the last remnants of a race all but wiped out by the Borg, disagrees and convinces the Captain to actually talk to “Hugh.”

read more: Star Trek’s 12 Best Morality Plays

This one is a wonderfully written and executed episode which lays a path for later developments – Borg can indeed become individuals again.

Season 5 Episode 25: The Inner Light

Captain Picard is ensnared by an alien probe which as far as the rest of the crew is aware, forces him unconscious. They are unaware that another man’s life is being experienced by Jean-Luc, which we the viewer get to experience with him.

read more: The Best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Stories

Patrick Stewart excels (as he often does) in a great bit of science fiction that won a Hugo award and was nominated for an Emmy. Jay Chattaway’s score for this one is also unforgettable.

Season 6 Episode 10-11: Chain Of Command

Take one Patrick Stewart and one David Warner, put them in a torture room with 4 lights. Put Patrick in chains and make David a Cardassian who is torturing Picard for information, while Dick Jones, ahem, I mean Captain Jellico (Ronny Cox) is running the Enterprise. Some say this is Patricks Stewart’s finest performance as Captain Picard, and considering the actor actually researched with Amnesty International for this role, it’s not surprising. The bold interactions between Jonathan Frakes and Ronny Cox are great scenes.

read more: Why the Star Trek: Voyager Pilot Is Worth a Rewatch

Great as the episode is, however, it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.

Season 6 Episode 15: Tapestry

Picard is dead. Q is God. The universe, fortunately, is not that badly designed. Q gives Jean-Luc the option to go back and fix what ails him (his reliance on an artificial heart) by avoiding his injury at the hands of a burley Nausicaan in the first place. Unfortunately it turns out that the result would be a very different man.

read more: Exploring the Political Themes of Star Trek V

Okay, so this one is basically the Next Generation version of It’s A Wonderful Life , but it also has Q to recommend it, as well as the fact that you learn more about Jean-Luc’s youth and why he laughed when he was stabbed through the back and heart.

Season 6 Episode 21: Frame Of Mind

Riker appears to find himself in an insane asylum on an alien world, with his known history as a Starfleet Commander on the Enterprise seemingly all a delusion… except he appears to be slipping between realities, or are they delusions too?

read more: Star Trek II – IV are an Overlooked Movie Trilogy

Jonthan Frakes is allowed to show his acting chops in this reality-bending tale – and he conveys Riker losing his grip on reality very well. This story does the idea better than Sucker Punch ever could, not to mention a lot earlier.

Season 7 Episode 15: Lower Decks

This one provides a rare glimpse into the lives of junior officers aboard the Federation Starfleet flagship, two of whom are up for promotion. Meanwhile something is going on, involving a rescued unknown from the border with the Cardassian Empire, and the Bajoran ensign who was part of the Nova Squadron cover-up at the academy with Wesley Crusher (see season 5’s The First Duty ).

read more: The Star Trek Movies You Never Saw

This is possibly the most popular episode of season 7 and deserves to be. It gives a different perspective on the daily lives of those aboard the Enterprise. At one point Sito Jaxa (the Bajoran ensign) was due to reappear in Deep Space Nine , and this rumor developed at one point to include Thomas Riker, but alas, it never happened.

Encounter At Farpoint/All Good Things (Seasons 1 & 7)

The trial of the human race that Q instigates in Farpoint is seemingly ongoing, and it appears that Captain Jean-Luc Picard may be the destroyer of humanity itself, in the time-jumping finale to Star Trek: The Next Generation on television.

read more: 57 Things You Didn’t Know About the Original Star Trek Movies

Okay, I am cheating here a bit. Encounter At Farpoint in itself, isn’t great, but without it the splendor that is All Good Things makes no sense. Thus you have to watch the first episode of Next Generation for the last to work. However, even with all the introductions and John DeLancie being frankly fantastic as Q, Farpoint doesn’t deserve to be in the top 25 on its own merits… All Good Things really does, though, and as the conclusion to the story that Farpoint starts, forgive me the conceit of putting them together as one story here.

Of course, like any other list of this nature, everyone will have alternative selections and to be utterly fair my ‘almosts’ include some brilliant episodes such as Ensign Ro, Second Chances and The Most Toys . Then again,  Next Generation is my favorite TV show of all time, so there is very little of it I don’t enjoy or wouldn’t show to a friend.

Sven Harvey

Sven Harvey

The Duras Sisters

Fusion Crew Exclusive Not in the portal

Attack

The Duras Sisters is a Super Rare [4-star] crew member.

The Duras Sisters is a version of B'Etor and Lursa from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Redemption" (4x26) .

The Duras sisters prosecuted a civil war to replace Gowron as Chancellor with their nephew Toral.

The Duras Sisters can be fused from the " Fusion of Different Characters ".

Obtaining The Duras Sisters

duras star trek next generation

The Duras Sisters can't be obtained from the time portal. Lursa Duras and B'Etor Duras must be fused into one.

Rare

Immortalized crew can't be fused into The Duras Sisters .

The Duras Sisters can also be obtained from the Dabo Wheel .

Advancement

These items are required by The Duras Sisters in order to advance through groups of levels.

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  • The Duras Sisters gained the trait Villain on 27-Jun-2018.
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  • Variant of B'Etor Duras (Character)
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The 10 Best 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Villains, Ranked

Star Trek had many formidable villains, but these are the best.

There are a lot of staples in TV, but none more infamous than The Villain Of The Week. Whether it's cop procedurals or gernas shows like Doctor Who and Smallville , this formula has been the backbone of network TV for decades. With several episodes a season, a fresh antagonist can shake up the monotony of watching the same core cast doing the same thing from week to week.

If there's one show known for its iconic Villains , it's Star Trek Nex Generation. This Iconic show and its more methodical villains laid the foundation for the influx of serialized sci-fi shows that followed in the 90s. Legendary antagonists like Q and the Borg are renowned by fans for intellectually challenging the crew of the Enterprise and viewers alike. This made for some of the most memorable moments in the franchise that fans still debate over two decades later.

10 The Duras Sisters

Lursa and BEtor_Star Trek Next Generation

These mischievous sisters, made famous for showing that Klingon women are just as ruthless as their men , were so popular they're featured in multiple Trek series and a big-screen film for their lovably evil onscreen presence.

RELATED: Star Trek: The 10 Best Villains, Ranked

This diabolical duo is beloved for doing whatever it takes to achieve their selfish ambitions. In their first appearance, they take advantage of their own and force their young nephew to try and take control of the Klingon Empire. Instead of immediately going to violence, they try seducing Picard to gain Starfleet's support, making for a memorable franchise moment and showing these sisters play chess, not checkers. They also offer their cunning by doing the unthinkable and teaming up with Klingon's mortal enemies, The Romulans, showing how resourceful the sisters are. Naturally, the sisters abandon their innocent cousin without remorse when caught. Ironically, their unlikability is what makes fans adore them. The Duras sister's commitment to going for what they want by any means necessary is oddly admirable.

Armus threatening crew members_Star Trek Next Generation

When a race of Titans extracted evil from within themselves and abandoned it on a planet, it became the entity known as Armus. While he may seem like an angry oil slick, he goes down in TNG history for killing off a major character and fan favorite, Lieutenant Yara.

RELATED: 10 Sympathetic Movie Villains From Candyman To Carrie

Armus is cruel; his every action is evil and for his amusement. This makes it oddly self-serving when Picard defeats him with cruelty of his own, telling Armus that he'll always be alone and miserable no matter who he kills. Astonishingly, viewers feel sympathy for this murderous creature speaking to the brilliant writing of this episode.

Nagilum_Star Trek Next Generation

This immortal being outside the universe capable of creating illusions is one of the creepiest villains the Enterprise crew has ever faced.

His nightmarish appearance aside, Nagilum is so terrifying because of his indifference towards human life. He creates seemingly life-threatening phantom obstacles for the crew to overcome just so he can study how they'll react. To him, they are no more than rats in his experiment; he even kills a bridge member just to see what death looks like. Even more disturbing, Nagilum plans to kill a third of Picard's crew for observation, only stopping after Picard threatens to destroy the Enterprise, prematurely ending his experiment.

7 Gul Madred

Gul Madrid scowling_Star Trek Next Generation

When Cardassians capture Captain Picard, he's tortured for information by a master manipulator that makes Guantanamo Bay look like a summer camp.

David Warner brings a Shakespearean gravitas to this character, that could have been just another tough guy villain. While eloquent and seemingly pleasant, there's a menace behind everything he says as he puts Picard through a rigorous assortment of mental and physical tortures. Madred does what no villain has done before breaking Picard's will , which Picard admits only after being rescued. However, Madred is quite complicated, being almost friendly at times and a devoted father. This makes him one of TNG's most head scratching villains.

Lore shooting someone_Next generation

In a much-maligned first season, Data's evil twin brother is one of the high points starting an epic seven-season-long rivalry.

Lore is one of those recurring villains that always leaves an impact, no matter the episode. Whether it's impersonating Data so he can offer up the Enterprise to intergalactic entities or teaming up with Starfleet's sworn enemies, the Borg, Lore is known for being featured in memorable episodes . Perhaps none more than the Brother's episode where Lore has no diabolical plans but is jealous of Data being his father's favorite. However, the best thing about Lore is seeing Brent Spiner , who's usually confined to playing the stoic Data, get to be animated and fun for a change.

Borg about to assimilate_Star Trek Next Generation

This enslaved hive-minded group of cyborgs have become known by some fans as Picard's number one nemesis. Even non Trekkies are familiar with these colonizing antagonist.

There's something just extremely off-putting about these villains who have no feelings or sympathy. They have a one-track mind, and it's to assimilate as many species as possible. The fact that they're merely victims under mind control makes them even more haunting. Their determination to assimilate Earth almost drives Picard to the brink, leaving the usually resilient captain with PTSD after being assimilated himself.

Denise Crosby_ Star Trek Next Generation

After just one season, Denise Crosby left TNG, finding her character, Lieutenant Yara, uninteresting. Ironically, she would return to play Yara's villainous Romulan daughter, arguably becoming one of the series' most memorable characters.

As if Sela's backstory of being the daughter of both Yara from an alternate timeline and a Romulan general wasn't interesting enough, she's now determined to destroy the organization her mother gave her freedom to protect. Her cunning and military strategy in Romulus and Starfleet's Cold War makes her one of Star Trek's best villains, always pulling strings from behind the scenes. More importantly, Sela allows fans to see Crosby in the show even after her premature exit from the series.

Patrick Stewart_Next Generation

The only thing worse than a Borg is a Borg with the knowledge of one of the best captains in Starfleet.

After Captain Picard is assimilated into the Borg, he becomes known as Locutus. Locutus stands out from your typical Borg because he has a sense of individuality. This individuality helps him almost bring down Starfleet because of his military knowledge taken from Captain Picard and the technologically advanced Borg ships. With every move Starfleet makes, Locutus can predict and thwart them. Only when Captain Riker stops thinking like his mentor is he able to defeat him.

Danei Davis_Next Generation

This Hologram of the famous Sherlock Homes character may not sound threatening. However, like the book, Moriarty ends up being one of Picard's most formidable and intellectual opponents while not even being real.

This Frankenstein-like villain is created as a character on the Holedek for fun when he begins questioning his existence. He then battles Picard for the right for him, and eventually, his girlfriend exists outside the Holodeck. Moriarty is a Trekkie favorite for always being ten steps ahead of Picard, even trapping Picard in a hologram program, unbeknownst to him or the audience. However, his moral conundrum is even more fascinating because he yearns and fights for what people have for thousands of years: a right to live and love.

Q (John de Lancie) sits above Picard looking down on him in a judging manner.

In the series's first episode , the Enterprise crew meets an all-powerful celestial being that puts them and humanity on trial, kicking off one of the greatest TV rivalries.

This fan-favorite villain is so intriguing to fans because of how he straddles the line between good and evil. Even at his most villainous, he's challenging humanity's own vicious nature, leaving audiences and Picard with much to think about. Even with good intentions, he puts the crew in life-threatening danger. Q even forcefully teleports them to Borg Space so Starfleet can see what they're up against, with a crew member dying as a result. John De Lance's charismatic portrayal of this villain adds to his appeal. He plays him like a bored, rebellious child who happens to be omnipotent, making Q hilarious and scary. The most exciting thing about Q is that neither fans nor the Enterprise ever know what will happen when he shows up.

NEXT: 10 Modern Sci-Fi Villains Destined to Become Icons

Screen Rant

Every starship enterprise saucer separation in star trek & why.

As seen in TNG, some versions of Star Trek's Enterprise can conduct a saucer separation to gain a tactical advantage or flee emergency situations.

  • Saucer separation was a tactical maneuver used in extreme circumstances to protect innocent lives on the USS Enterprise.
  • Only the USS Enterprise-D from Star Trek's prime timeline has conducted a saucer separation, despite early consideration in production.
  • The Kelvin timeline's USS Enterprise conducted a saucer separation in Star Trek Beyond, but it was too late to make a difference.

In extreme circumstances, Star Trek 's starship Enterprise can carry out a saucer separation for both tactical and emergency purposes. The Enterprise's first saucer separation maneuver was seen in the Star Trek: The Next Generation pilot, "Encounter at Farpoint", and though used sparingly, it wouldn't be the last time that Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) gave such a command. While the TNG version of the starship Enterprise was the first to use the saucer separation, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) theorized a similar "nacelle removal" maneuver was possible in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Apple".

During a saucer separation, a full-evacuation of non-essential personnel would be conducted as the senior staff made their way to the battle bridge, located in the starship's drive section. Once preparations were complete, the docking clamps would retract, separating the saucer section from the ship's primary hull. The concept of a saucer separation in Star Trek had been under consideration since early production on the abandoned Star Trek: Planet of the Titans movie . However, to date, the USS Enterprise-D is the only ship from Star Trek 's prime timeline to conduct a saucer separation, but the Kelvin Timeline's USS Enterprise had similar abilities.

The USS Enterprise-E and Enterprise-A above a planet

Only 5 Star Trek Movies Didn’t Destroy The Starship Enterprise

5 the enterprise-d separated to avoid q's forcefield, star trek: the next generation, season 1, episode 1, "encounter at farpoint".

After a less than cordial first meeting with Q (John de Lancie), the crew of the USS Enterprise-D attempted to outrun the cosmic trickster by fleeing his forcefield. Q's forcefield gave chase, which forced Picard to order a saucer separation to protect the innocent lives of the many civilians aboard the Enterprise . Picard put Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) in charge of the saucer section until the crisis was over. Despite trying to outrun Q from the Enterprise-D's stardrive section from the battle bridge, Picard and his senior staff soon found themselves in Q's courtroom.

After Q agrees to let Picard prove that human beings are not savages, the two halves of the starship Enterprise are reunited in orbit above the planet Deneb IV. The remainder of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast are introduced at Farpoint Station, too. One of Picard's first orders to his number one, Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) is to conduct a manual docking of the Enterprise's stardrive and saucer sections .

Saucer separation was planned to be a regular feature in Star Trek: The Next Generation , but was abandoned due to the costs involved, and the fact that the process of separating the Enterprise's saucer section slowed down the story.

4 Geordi Ordered A Saucer Separation Above Minos

Star trek: the next generation, season 1, episode 21, "the arsenal of freedom".

In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, episode 20, "Heart of Glory", two Klingon warriors plotted to hijack the Enterprise by conducting an illegal saucer section. They were foiled in their plans by Lt. Worf, who chose his Starfleet colleagues over his fellow Klingons. In the following episode, "The Arsenal of Freedom", the Enterprise did conduct a saucer separation, ordered by Lt. Geordi La Forge. Geordi was placed in temporary command of the Enterprise while Picard and Riker's away team were pinned down by an automated weapons system on the planet Minos .

The Enterprise's chief engineer, Lt. Commander Logan (Vyto Ruginis) objected to Geordi's plan to stay and rescue the away team, and tried to pull rank. Geordi stood his ground and reminded Logan that only Picard or Riker could relieve him of command. Later, when preparations for the saucer separation were underway, Geordi ordered Logan to take command of the saucer, and pilot it to Starbase 103. After Picard, Riker, and the away team were rescued, the Enterprise captain allowed Geordi to remain in command until he had reconnected the stardrive with the saucer section.

Geordi would later replace Logan as Chief Engineer of the starship Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2 onward.

Scotty, Pelia and Geordi in Star Trek

Every Starship Enterprise Chief Engineer In Star Trek

3 riker used a saucer separation to rescue picard, star trek: the next generation, season 4, episode 1, "the best of both worlds, part ii".

The USS Enterprise-D carried out a saucer separation during the epic Star Trek: The Next Generation two-parter, "The Best of Both Worlds" . Commander Elizabeth Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) suggested to Captain Picard and Commander Riker that a saucer separation could create a significant distraction in encounters with the Borg Collective. Riker opposed the strategy because he felt that it would take away valuable resources during a battle, namely the power used by the saucer's impulse engines. However, Riker and Shelby later had cause to revisit this strategy once Picard was captured by the Borg.

Riker knew that Locutus of Borg would retain the tactical information held in Picard's brain, so he used it to the Enterprise's advantage. Riker ordered the USS Enterprise-D to engage the Borg Cube, and initiated a saucer separation. Picard's knowledge of the saucer separation maneuver meant that the Borg directly engaged the stardrive section and ignored the saucer for long enough that it could launch a shuttle craft which contained a rescue team. The distraction enabled Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and Lt. Worf to beam aboard the cube and capture Locutus, giving Starfleet a huge tactical advantage.

2 Escaping A Catastrophic Warp Core Breach In The Enterprise-D's Saucer

Star trek generations.

There were a handful of attempted saucer separations between "The Best of Both Worlds" and the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation , but they were abandoned due to their dangerous implications. The Enterprise-D's next saucer separation was also its last, as it was necessitated by a catastrophic warp core breach in the stardrive section . In Star Trek Generations , the Enterprise was ambushed by the Duras sisters in the Veridian system, causing severe damage to the ship, resulting in a coolant leak in the warp containment system. With the drive section compromised, Commander Riker ordered a full evacuation of personnel to the Enterprise's saucer section.

The starship Enterprise's saucer section made it to relative safety before the stardrive section exploded. However, the shockwave of the explosion knocked the saucer out of orbit, sending what was left of the Enterprise-D hurtling toward the surface of Veridian III. The crew made a crash landing, but the damage to the Enterprise's saucer was so extensive that the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew needed a new starship by the end of Star Trek Generations .

The destruction of the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek Generations is the opposite to what Gene Roddenberry wanted in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . The Star Trek creator believed that the Enterprise's saucer should have been destroyed, rather than the whole ship.

Star Trek Enterprise destroyed

Star Trek: How Every USS Enterprise Was Destroyed (& Which Weren't)

1 saucer separation during krall's attack on the enterprise, star trek beyond.

The idea of Kirk's Enterprise having the ability to separate the saucer was first mooted by legendary Star Wars designer Ralph McQuarrie for the abandoned movie, Star Trek: Planet of the Titans . However, it wouldn't become a reality until 2016's Star Trek Beyond , when Chris Pine's Captain Kirk ordered a saucer separation maneuver while under attack from Krall (Idris Elba) and his swarm ships. The Enterprise was devastated by the onslaught, losing the warp nacelles and the majority of its secondary hull. In a desperate attempt to restore power to the impulse engines, Kirk tried to initiate a saucer separation but was interrupted by Krall.

Lt. Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana) finished the sequence for Kirk, and separated the saucer from what was left of the Enterprise's hull. However, much like the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek Generations , it was completed too late to make any difference. With the starship Enterprise's saucer caught in the gravitational pull of the planet Altamid, it crashed on to the surface, damaged beyond repair. The saucer separation and Enterprise crash landing was a thrilling start to Chris Pine's third, and to date, last Star Trek movie.

At the time of writing, all episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the movie Star Trek Beyond are available to stream on Paramount+, while Star Trek Generations is available on Max.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation

Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before. Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before. Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

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Jonathan Frakes and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

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  • Trivia When the cast decided to lobby for a salary increase, Wil Wheaton 's first offer from the producers was to instead have his character promoted to Lieutenant. His response was, "So what should I tell my landlord when I can't pay my rent? 'Don't worry, I just made Lieutenant'?!"
  • Goofs It is claimed that Data can't use contractions (Can't, Isn't, Don't, etc) yet there are several instances throughout the series where he does. One of the first such examples is heard in Encounter at Farpoint (1987) , where Data uses the word "Can't" while the Enterprise is being chased by Q's "ship".

[repeated line]

Capt. Picard : Engage!

  • Crazy credits The model of the Enterprise used in the opening credits is so detailed, a tiny figure can be seen walking past a window just before the vessel jumps to warp speed.
  • Alternate versions The first and last episodes were originally broadcast as two-hour TV movies, and were later re-edited into two one-hour episodes each. Both edits involved removing some scenes from each episode.
  • Connections Edited into Reading Rainbow: The Bionic Bunny Show (1988)

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  • September 26, 1987 (United States)
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Delays Pave the Way for “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

A n intriguing past paved the way for the inception of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” As recounted by D.C. Fontana, a seasoned writer from the original “Star Trek” series as well as “The Next Generation,” the concept for what would eventually become “TNG” was first conceived as “Star Trek: Phase II.” In intention, the series pilot “Encounter at Farpoint” was written to usher in “Phase II,” but a twist of fate in the form of the phenomenal success of “Star Wars” led Paramount to rethink their strategy. Tapping into the lucrative market of space operas on the big screen seemed more promising, thus casting “Phase II” aside in favor of creating “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.”

It took the establishment of “Star Trek” as a popular cinematic franchise for Paramount to reconsider a new television series, which evolved from the initial “Phase II” ideas into “The Next Generation.” With a fresh lineup of characters and the new starship Enterprise, “TNG” stood on the legacy of its predecessor while venturing into new territories. Gene Roddenberry, the revered creator of the “Star Trek” universe, eventually took the helm of “The Next Generation,” upon realizing the show was to proceed with or without his involvement. The series truly stepped out from the shadow of “Phase II” and into its own iconic status in later seasons, particularly under the guidance of writers like Ronald D. Moore, lasting an impressive seven seasons.

Ronald D. Moore, whose credits now include co-creating “For All Mankind,” an alternate history series involving the space race, subtly tips his hat to this “Star Trek” historical snippet within his show. In the alternate reality of “For All Mankind,” “Phase II” did go into production, “The Wrath of Khan” marked the franchise’s first film outing, and “The Next Generation” is framed as the concluding series in the “Star Trek” saga. Imagining a reality devoid of “Deep Space Nine” stirs a certain uneasiness for fans attached to the extensive “Star Trek” lineage.

FAQs About the Delay and Evolution of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

Why was “Star Trek: The Next Generation” put on hold?

“TNG” was initially delayed because Paramount shifted its focus to capitalizing on the movie market following the success of “Star Wars,” which resulted in the creation of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” rather than continuing with “Star Trek: Phase II.”

How did “The Next Generation” emerge from “Phase II”?

After the success of “Star Trek” as a film series, Paramount revisited the idea of a new “Star Trek” TV show, evolving the concept of “Phase II” into “The Next Generation,” featuring a new crew and starship Enterprise.

Who was responsible for “The Next Generation” finding its own identity?

Gene Roddenberry took charge of the series, and later writers, notably Ronald D. Moore, were instrumental in differentiating “TNG” from its predecessor and “Phase II.”

Did Ronald D. Moore make any references to “Star Trek” in his other works?

Yes, Moore’s series “For All Mankind” includes nods to “Star Trek” history, particularly the evolution of “Phase II” into “The Next Generation.”

The journey of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” from conception to realization is a fascinating story of industry shifts, cultural influences, and visionary leadership. The series not only managed to build upon the storied legacy left by the “Original Series” but also to chart its own course in television history, captivating audiences for seven seasons. The indirect yet significant impact of “Star Wars,” the strategic decisions at Paramount, and the commitment of creators like Gene Roddenberry and Ronald D. Moore were all part of the tapestry that led to the success of “TNG.” The reverberations of the show’s legacy are felt not only in its subsequent spin-offs and sequels but in its creative influences on other genre works. “Star Trek: The Next Generation” serves as a prime example of how delays and reimaginings can lead to iconic television series that outlive their rocky beginnings and continue to inspire fans and creators alike.

Delays Pave the Way for “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

Memory Alpha

Toral, son of Duras

  • View history

Toral , son of Duras , was a Klingon warrior in the 24th century and a member of the House of Duras .

  • 1 Biography
  • 2.1 Appearances
  • 2.2 Background information
  • 2.3 Apocrypha
  • 2.4 External links

Biography [ ]

Likely named for his 22nd century ancestor , he was the illegitimate son of Duras , kept in the custody of his aunts Lursa and B'Etor . In late 2367 /early 2368 , Toral was used by his aunts in an attempt to gain control of the Klingon Empire . After it was revealed that the House of Duras was receiving help from the Romulans during the Klingon Civil War , Toral's claim was severed, and he was convicted of treason . Gowron offered to let Worf kill the boy, but Worf refused, unwilling to kill him as he was only a pawn of his aunts. ( TNG : " Redemption ", " Redemption II ")

Toral attempted to take over the Klingon Empire again in 2372 , this time on his own, as his aunts had been killed in the Battle of Veridian III the prior year . He met the Dahar Master Kor on Torna IV , where Kor drunkenly told him he had discovered the Shroud of the Sword and that it would lead him to the Sword of Kahless . Toral sent Soto , a Lethean , to probe Kor's mind on Deep Space 9 . Using the information Soto retrieved and in believing that if he could wield the sword he could take over the Empire, Toral traveled to the Gamma Quadrant . However, Kor, Worf and Jadzia Dax had already discovered and retrieved the sword and managed to escape Toral and his henchmen. The sword was later jettisoned into space, thwarting another attempt of the House of Duras to conquer the Empire. ( DS9 : " The Sword of Kahless ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

  • " Redemption "
  • " Redemption II "
  • DS9 : " The Sword of Kahless "

Background information [ ]

Toral was played by two different actors : J.D. Cullum on TNG and Rick Pasqualone on DS9 .

In the first draft script of Redemption , his name was Tardat.

Apocrypha [ ]

In the computer game Star Trek: Armada , Toral returns in yet another attempt to take over the Empire, but is defeated by Sela with help from the Borg and was killed.

Toral was also mentioned in the backstory of the the computer game Star Trek Online and in the Strange New Worlds 9 TNG short story "Staying the Course".

External links [ ]

  • Toral, son of Duras at StarTrek.com
  • Toral, son of Duras at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • 1 Kenneth Mitchell
  • 3 Kol (Klingon)

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COMMENTS

  1. Duras, son of Ja'rod

    Duras, son of Ja'rod, and leader of the House of Duras, was a powerful and ambitious political figure in the Klingon Empire during the late 24th century. He and his family gained notoriety for their use of dishonorable and sometimes treasonous tactics in order to accumulate and maintain power, which culminated in the Klingon Civil War of 2367-2368. Duras was a member of the Klingon High ...

  2. Duras, son of Toral

    Duras, son of Toral, the wiki for licensed. Star Trek: The Next Generation. Duras, son of Toral, was a Klingon soldier and commanding officer of the IKS Bortas in 2152. In that year, Duras was commanded to locate and retrieve a group of rebels which had fled the Klingon protectorate at Raatooras, but was prevented from doing so by the ...

  3. Dynamic Duos: Lursa and B'Etor Duras

    Lursa and B'Etor first appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode " Redemption, Part I " to challenge the Klingon Leader of the High Council, Gowron. Their brother, Duras, had previously tried to claim the position but died in disgrace after his and his family's corruption was exposed. Lursa and B'Etor aren't willing to ...

  4. House of Duras

    Appendices [] Background information []. Duras is the name of the penultimate king of the ancient Kingdom of Dacia from 68 - 87 AD.. Makeup Supervisor Michael Westmore made attempts at making Lursa and B'Etor's cranial ridges similar, indicating they were from the same house. "Especially in later episodes of The Next Generation, when Worf's brother Kurn and their rival Duras were stirring up ...

  5. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Redemption (TV Episode 1991)

    Redemption: Directed by Cliff Bole. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn. Both Captain Picard and Lt. Worf must decide where their priorities lie as the Klingon Empire descends into a bitter civil war.

  6. List of Star Trek: The Next Generation characters

    NASA Astronaut Mae Jemison, shown here on a Space Shuttle mission, played a Lieutenant on the Enterprise-D. Physicist Stephen Hawking also appeared on an episode as himself.. This is a list of characters from the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.Characters are ordered alphabetically by family name, and only characters who played a significant recurring role in ...

  7. Sins of the Father (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

    Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 3) List of episodes. " Sins of the Father " is the 65th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the 17th episode of the third season . Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D.

  8. Reunion (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

    "Reunion" is the 81st episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is the seventh episode of the fourth season.. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D.In this episode, ambassador K'Ehleyr returns to the Enterprise to advise Captain Picard, who has been ...

  9. Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series 1987-1994)

    Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series 1987-1994) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Menu. ... Duras 2 episodes, 1990 Alan Scarfe ... Adm. Mendak / ... 2 episodes, 1991-1993 Malachi Throne ... Senator Pardek 2 ...

  10. Duras

    Duras, son of Ja'Rod is a Klingon and a supporting antagonist in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He was portrayed by Patrick Massett. Duras is a cruel, aggressive, treacherous, and unscrupulous Klingon. He is ready to destroy the integrity of the House of Mogh just to save the honor of his own...

  11. Star Trek: The Next Generation Essential Episodes

    Season 5 Episodes 7-8: Unification. A bit of Sarek again, as Spock goes undercover on Romulus conducting cowboy diplomacy, prompting Picard and Data to pretend to be Romulans, and get transported ...

  12. Barbara March (1953-2019), played Lursa Duras in "Star Trek: The Next

    6.4K. Barbara March was an actress best known for playing Lursa, one of the Klingon Duras sisters, in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and the feature film ...

  13. Patrick Massett

    Patrick Massett (born 6 March 1962; age 61) is the actor, director, writer, and producer who portrayed Duras in the Star Trek: The Next Generation third and fourth season episodes "Sins of The Father" and "Reunion". Massett is married to Marybeth Massett, who had a guest role as Parell on the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fifth season episode "Children of Time". He also guest-starred in two ...

  14. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Reunion (TV Episode 1990)

    Reunion: Directed by Jonathan Frakes. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn. When the leader of the Klingon High Council dies, Picard finds himself in the middle of the struggle for the now-vacant position. Meanwhile, Worf reunites with a past love, only to find he now has a son.

  15. The Duras Sisters

    The Duras Sisters is a Super Rare [4-star] crew member. The Duras Sisters is a version of B'Etor and Lursa from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Redemption" (4x26) . The Duras sisters prosecuted a civil war to replace Gowron as Chancellor with their nephew Toral. The Duras Sisters can be fused from the " Fusion of Different Characters ".

  16. 10 Best 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Villains, Ranked

    The Duras sister's commitment to going for what they want by any means necessary is oddly admirable. 9 Armus When a race of Titans extracted evil from within themselves and abandoned it on a ...

  17. Redemption (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

    Star Trek: The Next Generation. ) " Redemption " is a two-part episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Parts I and II of "Redemption" comprise the 100th and 101st episodes of the series, also being the fourth season finale and the fifth season premiere . Set in the 24th century, the series ...

  18. B'Etor

    B'Etor was a female Klingon officer of the 24th century Klingon Empire and member of the House of Duras. She was the younger of the two Duras sisters, herself and Lursa, sister of Duras and daughter of Ja'rod. Through Duras, she had a nephew, Toral. As sister to Lursa, B'Etor was one of the Duras sisters responsible for the start of the Klingon Civil War in early-2368. She was the younger ...

  19. Every Starship Enterprise Saucer Separation In Star Trek & Why

    In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, episode 20, "Heart of Glory", two Klingon warriors plotted to hijack the Enterprise by conducting an illegal saucer section.They were foiled in their plans by Lt. Worf, who chose his Starfleet colleagues over his fellow Klingons. In the following episode, "The Arsenal of Freedom", the Enterprise did conduct a saucer separation, ordered by Lt. Geordi ...

  20. Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series 1987-1994)

    Star Trek: The Next Generation: Created by Gene Roddenberry. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Marina Sirtis. Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

  21. Delays Pave the Way for "Star Trek: The Next Generation"

    A n intriguing past paved the way for the inception of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." As recounted by D.C. Fontana, a seasoned writer from the original "Star Trek" series as well as ...

  22. Lursa

    Lursa and B'Etor are feared, and fear is power.Gowron Lursa was a female Klingon officer of the 24th century Klingon Empire and member of the House of Duras. She was the elder of the two Duras sisters, herself and B'Etor, sister of Duras and daughter of Ja'rod. Through Duras, she had a nephew, Toral. She was the mastermind behind her family's fight to head the Klingon Empire. Together with B ...

  23. Barbara March

    Barbara March (born Barbara Jean Maczka; October 9, 1953 - August 11, 2019) was a Canadian actress best known for her portrayal of the Star Trek character Lursa, one of the Duras sisters.She appeared as Lursa in Star Trek: The Next Generation ("Redemption" and "Firstborn"), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("Past Prologue"), and Star Trek Generations.

  24. Star Trek Next Generation

    Star Trek Next Generation"Firstborn"

  25. Toral, son of Duras

    More Fandoms. Sci-fi. Star Trek. Toral, son of Duras, was a Klingon warrior in the 24th century and a member of the House of Duras. Likely named for his 22nd century ancestor, he was the illegitimate son of Duras, kept in the custody of his aunts Lursa and B'Etor. In late 2367/early 2368, Toral was used by his aunts in an...