Why a prequel about Worf should be the next Star Trek series

Star Trek has a plethora of shows just waiting to be created.

With the upcoming Star Trek: Lower Decks as well as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on the horizon, the franchise shows no signs of slowing down. New shows are delving into the past of Christopher Pike and Spock, and there are plenty of other characters to be explored. But there is one in particular that needs to be the next Star Trek series.

Lt. Commander Worf, who appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, was one of the most fascinating characters in the Star Trek franchise. With a rich history and a strong sense of duty and honor, the Klingon put a face to the enemy we first met in the original Star Trek series, allowing fans to accept him as a core part of the new century.

Through the two series, we got glimpses of Worf’s past, stories told by the Klingon himself, but watching the scenes unfold onscreen would allow us the chance to see Worf being shaped into the Klingon he became.  Worf was never the main character in either series or in the movies. Occasional full episodes would be devoted to the Klingon, but just enough to make us realize it wasn’t enough. There were so many stories left untold, scenes left unshared.

Worf’s painful past

Having lost both of his parents at Khitomer, Worf lived with the Rozhenkos on Gault, along with his brother, Nikolai, who was the Rozhenkos’ biological child. He didn’t know anything about being a human. As such, his anger came easily, especially when he felt he hadn’t been treated with respect. Add to that the accidental death of a thirteen-year-old soccer player as a result of a collision with Worf, and the pain the Klingon carried must have been a heavy burden. But we saw little of it onscreen.

Becoming a warrior

Worf’s journey to becoming a warrior began at fifteen, and he was subsequently rejected by his own kind because of human traits. Watching the boy grow into a man through the painful trials of his life would be impactful, made even more so if portions of the series could be narrated by Michael Dorn, who portrayed Lt. Commander Worf.

The first Klingon in Starfleet

As the first Klingon in Starfleet Academy, Worf has secrets that have yet to be brought to the screen. As someone who doesn’t suffer fools easily, how did he handle the cadets who irritated him? Starfleet was his first time under a strict rule, and though he learned to adapt, fans still saw he struggled with obeying orders even as a Lt. Commander. So the first years at Starfleet Academy must have been a challenge for him.

It’s these things and more that would make a mesmerizing television series, and there’s enough history to carry it for quite some time.