Was killing K'Ehleyr the right decision?

[PTRACER]

I don't know whether it was the quality of Suzie Plakson's acting, but K'Ehleyr felt like a well-established character despite only appearing in two episodes and when she was killed in Reunion, I thought the TNG writers had made a mistake.

I felt she was a very strong character and could have made a return from time to time in future plot lines, even as a minor character in the odd episode - definitely not as a regular though.

I suppose the only problem that could have arisen from not killing her off was that the ending of Reunion would have to be completely different (any suggestions?).

 

[rahullak]

She could get kidnapped by the Romulans....

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

It was the right decision for the story they were telling - had K'Ehleyr not been killed, Worf would not have killed Duras. Had Duras not been killed, Gowron would not have become Chancellor. Had Gowron not become Chancellor, the Klingon Civil War would not have begun.

Likewise, without K'Ehleyr's death, Alexander would not have been left in Worf's care. I'll grant that there are still stories that could have been told with K'Ehleyr alive, but it served Worf's character better for her to die - her death allowed him the opportunity to both reclaim his family honor and become a father, both of which were more difficult to show with her still alive.

 

[DevilEyes]

It was the right decision for the story they were telling - had K'Ehleyr not been killed, Worf would not have killed Duras. Had Duras not been killed, Gowron would not have become Chancellor. Had Gowron not become Chancellor, the Klingon Civil War would not have begun.

Likewise, without K'Ehleyr's death, Alexander would not have been left in Worf's care. I'll grant that there are still stories that could have been told with K'Ehleyr alive, but it served Worf's character better for her to die - her death allowed him the opportunity to both reclaim his family honor and become a father, both of which were more difficult to show with her still alive.

Yes, they needed her to die for the story.

Besides, it seemed to be an unwritten rule that TNG couldn't have a regular in an actual relationship.

But it was a shame since I liked her and found her more interesting than Worf, or the majority of TNG regulars.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Yeah, I know, the TNG characters needed a bit of a kick in the pants on a good day, and it would have been fun to see her stick around and deliver one to a character who needed it (to me, that was part of the fun of the Worf/Jadzia relationship on DS9).

Still, the story they wanted to tell needed her death to motivate it. While it could have been told a bit better in some aspects, I can't see how she couldn't have been left alive and still give Worf the same desire - when it was just his honor at stake, he didn't have a problem with leaving his family honor tarnished, knowing it was for a good cause, keeping the Empire together. But with K'mpec dead, Duras close to getting his job, AND now a son, who he has to take care of with K'Ehleyr's death, he wants his son to be able to be accepted in Klingon society. If K'Ehleyr had lived, she could give him a life that didn't tie back to the Klingon beliefs, but Worf doesn't think like that - you are a Klingon, you must be raised Klingon. And the Klingon beliefs said that with the House of Mogh dishonored, Alexander too would be dishonored and unable to survive in Klingon society. Worf accepted that, but he wanted Alexander to have the option to join Klingon society.

 

[Doug Otte]

K'Ehleyr used to be a favorite character of mine. In fact, we named a parakeet after her. It was nothing about the species; just an honest homage.

Anyway, I agree w/ everyone. While it would have been nice to keep her, her death was shocking and made Reunion truly outstanding when we see Worf's reaction. And, as DGCat wrote so well, it became fertile ground for so many more good Klingon scripts.

BTW, I met Plakson at a convention many years ago. As with many people, she was even more stunning in person than on the screen.

Doug

Edit: Oops, I forgot one of the main points I wanted to make. I guess I've changed a lot since TNG was first aired. Although I originally loved the 2 K'Ehleyr episodes, when I tried to watch "The Emissary" again a year or so ago, I found Plakson's acting to be annoying.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

It was the right decision for the story they were telling - had K'Ehleyr not been killed, Worf would not have killed Duras. Had Duras not been killed, Gowron would not have become Chancellor. Had Gowron not become Chancellor, the Klingon Civil War would not have begun.

Likewise, without K'Ehleyr's death, Alexander would not have been left in Worf's care. I'll grant that there are still stories that could have been told with K'Ehleyr alive, but it served Worf's character better for her to die - her death allowed him the opportunity to both reclaim his family honor and become a father, both of which were more difficult to show with her still alive.

Yes, they needed her to die for the story.

Besides, it seemed to be an unwritten rule that TNG couldn't have a regular in an actual relationship.

But it was a shame since I liked her and found her more interesting than Worf, or the majority of TNG regulars.

Hmm what can I say? I thought she was a great character ~ strong, independant and humourous. She would have made a great addition to the crew.

Yeah, I know, the TNG characters needed a bit of a kick in the pants on a good day, and it would have been fun to see her stick around and deliver one to a character who needed it (to me, that was part of the fun of the Worf/Jadzia relationship on DS9).

Still, the story they wanted to tell needed her death to motivate it. While it could have been told a bit better in some aspects, I can't see how she couldn't have been left alive and still give Worf the same desire - when it was just his honor at stake, he didn't have a problem with leaving his family honor tarnished, knowing it was for a good cause, keeping the Empire together. But with K'mpec dead, Duras close to getting his job, AND now a son, who he has to take care of with K'Ehleyr's death, he wants his son to be able to be accepted in Klingon society. If K'Ehleyr had lived, she could give him a life that didn't tie back to the Klingon beliefs, but Worf doesn't think like that - you are a Klingon, you must be raised Klingon. And the Klingon beliefs said that with the House of Mogh dishonored, Alexander too would be dishonored and unable to survive in Klingon society. Worf accepted that, but he wanted Alexander to have the option to join Klingon society.

I'm sure they could have created a story-line that still included K'Ehleyr. Worf and she did not have to stay together, and the arguements they would have had about Alexander's upbringing would have been epic. It could have been a brilliant 'on going star-crossed lovers story'!

 

[Forbin]

Besides, it seemed to be an unwritten rule that TNG couldn't have a regular in an actual relationship.

My pet peeve exactly. It's like the show was written by people who'd never had a serious relationship in their lives and didn't know how to have one. (Which probably describes most people in the entertainment industry).

K'Ehleyr was a fantastic character and Suzi is a charismatic actress who is a delight to watch. They missed the boat by not having bothe K'Ehleyr and Dr. Selar as regular recurring characters.

 

[FormerLurker]

It's Michael Dorn's fault. As he has said at conventions many times, when asked he told the writer(Ron Moore?) that Worf would only be willing to kill Duras if Duras had killed K'Ehleyr. He said he regretted that that would end the Worf/K'Ehleyr relationship, but that's the way it had to be.

 

[GhostFaceSaint]

It does make sense however for Worf to be only willing to kill the crepe after his mate was killed. It was sad but it worked really well and made Worf out to be sympathetic and a bad ass too!

 

[Forbin]

It does make sense however for Worf to be only willing to kill the crepe after his mate was killed.

What would Worf possibley have against French pancakes?

 

[K'Ehleyr]

It does make sense however for Worf to be only willing to kill the crepe after his mate was killed.

What would Worf possibley have against French pancakes?

Possibly because he got his spelling fuddled

 

[NiteTrek]

I don't know whether it was the quality of Suzie Plakson's acting,

No, it was the quality of Suzie Plakson's rack.

 

[Doug Otte]

It does make sense however for Worf to be only willing to kill the crepe after his mate was killed.

What would Worf possibley have against French pancakes?

Possibly because he got his spelling fuddled

Well, what word was really intended? I can't figure it out.

Doug

Edit: Oh, I just figured it out - "creep."

 

[K'Ehleyr]

What would Worf possibley have against French pancakes?

Possibly because he got his spelling fuddled

Well, what word was really intended? I can't figure it out.

Doug

Edit: Oh, I just figured it out - "creep."

...and you missed the bit where he spelt 'possibly' wrong... but anyway instead of being pedantic let's turn it into a french pastry pun thread ~ or would that be too much of a pain o'chocolate?

 

[CybexAl]

One of the biggest errors a writer can make is killing a character to fulfill a plot point in a story. Especially when that character has so much potential for future stories. K'Ehleyr was certainly one of these characters. The same could be said for Duras. Killing him at that time meant the Klingon arc peaked too early. It would have been much more interesting to have some of Duras's significant minions meet their end instead with him escaping and Chancellor Gowron then having to fight a greater threat alongside the Federation. Considering their capacity for duplicity, why would any of Duras's followers allow Worf the opportunity to avenge his mate's death when they were all complicit, with the Romulans, in trying to overthrow the empire? They would have ganged up on him and done him in. The story, as played out, does not follow its own inherent logic.

 

[R. Star]

Sometimes people die. I have no issue with that. I do wonder how Duras expected to get away with walking into her quarters, killing her, and walking out. He'd have left enough of his DNA for today's CSI to figure out he was in those quarters and it was him, especially with K'heylar's computer looking up his info and crimes. Yet this master of subtlety was somehow going to rule the Klingon Empire?

 

[Forbin]

I think two of TNG's greatest missed opportunities were both Suzi Plakson. Having her as frequenty recurring characters K'Ehleyr and Dr. Selar would have been wonderful.

 

[Praetor]

Agreed with that, Forbin. I think having K'Ehleyr alive, either on the Enterprise or not, would have made for good story potential. On the Enterprise, not married to Worf but not exactly not in a relationship with him either, would have been an interesting exploration.

And having watched "The Schizoid Man" a few days back, I wholeheartedly agree that a Vulcan doctor is hilarious. I found myself wondering about the ability of a Vulcan physician to have a bedside manner. The manner of fact way she gives Graves the news is outstanding... but probably the best for a man like Graves.

 

[Timo]

I do wonder how Duras expected to get away with

...I wonder whether he expected Worf to come after him or not. He certainly had no real problem engaging in a duel with Worf, and may well have been counting on such a thing, as the death of Worf would be a necessary second step to stop Starfleet, and thus the Council, from learning the whole truth. He apparently caught K'ehleyr before she could divulge any secrets; he could also count on Worf rushing to avenge the death before reporting anything.

Duras would have nothing to fear from Federation justice as such. His qualifications for leading the Empire would not be brought to question by his killing of the half-breed and her weak lover, either. Indeed, all the better if the Federation is enraged, as this puts an end to the nonsense of Picard being allowed to interfere in Klingon affairs.

They would have ganged up on him and done him in.

Why hurry? Plenty of time for that after Worf has tired himself in the fight with Duras...

Timo Saloniemi