As Kurn sobers up, he chastises Worf for his Federation loyalties and for bringing dishonor to their house through his opposition to Gowron. Worf tries to defend his actions, but Kurn only gripes that Worf has everything he wants, while Kurn, the loyal Klingon, has nothing. After a conversation with Quark about Worf's recent purchase of Klingon incense, Dax figures out that he's going forward with the Mauk-to'Vor. She arrives just too late to prevent Worf from plunging a dagger into Kurn's chest, but Kurn gets beamed to sick bay and his life is saved. Sisko chews out Worf for breaking Starfleet rules whether or not it's Klingon tradition.
Meanwhile, O'Brien and Kira are in a runabout investigating a mysterious explosion when they happen upon a Klingon bird of prey that sternly announces that they are conducting military exercises and warns them not to approach. Not wanting to pick a fight, the Starfleet officers obey but find the situation highly suspicious. They inform Sisko, who has them take the Defiant out to scan the area. Due to recent events, he keeps Worf grounded.
Worf goes to the infirmary to visit Kurn, who is displeased to still be alive. Realizing that his brother needs something to live for, Worf asks Odo to put Kurn on his security force. Odo is dubious but does it as a favor. Kurn seems to accept his new role, though he finds no joy in it. Not long afterward, Kurn is wounded during a security altercation, and Odo believes the Klingon warrior allowed himself to be injured. Not wanting a man with a death wish on his staff, Odo fires Kurn.
As O'Brien and Kira conduct their scans, there's another explosion. A badly damaged Klingon ship appears and demands that the Defiant not approach, but after a few moments it requests medical assistance. The Defiant tows it back to Deep Space Nine to treat the wounded Klingons. Sisko summons his staff to puzzle over what caused the explosion, and Worf identifies it as cloaked mines. To locate the positions of the mines, they'll need to get the information off of the ship, and Worf has an idea.
Worf attempts to convince Kurn that the Klingons have behaved dishonorably by breaking the Khitomer Accords and conducting a clandestine act of war. Stopping the war would prevent disaster for the Klingons, who cannot win against the Federation. Kurn agrees to to the plan, and the brothers' appearances are altered to go undercover. They beam onto the ship but get confronted by a guard. Worf talks his way past him, but Kurn shoots the guard, revealing that the guard was about to stab Worf with a hidden dagger. They get the information they need. The bridge crew use the coordinates of the mines to detonate the mine field, driving several Klingon ships to decloak and hightail it back to the Empire.
But both sons of Mogh are shaken by the ordeal. Worf realizes that he has lost his Klingon instincts and can now never truly rejoin his people. At the same time, Kurn feels shame for killing a Klingon soldier who was simply defending the Empire. He wants to die but cannot commit suicide for honor's sake. He has a drunken heart-to-heart with his brother, calling him honorable in his own way and wishing they had been raised together.
Worf hatches an extreme plan to save his brother. He has Kurn's appearance and genetics altered and his memory erased, effectively turning him into a brand-new man. He then recruits an old friend, Noggra, to look after him. Kurn awakens knowing nothing of who or where he is, and Noggra tells him that he is his son, Rodek. As they leave, Kurn/Rodek asks if Worf is a member of his family, and Worf stoically replies that he has no family.
Tropes
- Bittersweet Ending: Kurn has been saved, but at the expense of losing everything he was and leaving Worf without any family.
- Call-Back: Worf and Kurn deal with the ramifications of Worf's actions in "The Way Of The Warrior."
- Chekhov's Gun: Those cloaked mines prove mighty useful later against the Dominion.
- Death Glare: Sisko gives one
◊ to Worf after he tries to kill Kurn. - Death of Personality: Kurn's death wish is eventually resolved by wiping his memories and having his appearance and genetic structure altered, allowing Kurn to "die" without further dishonouring him or Worf.
- Death Seeker: Kurn spends most of the episode seeking an honorable death because he has nothing to live for. Because Suicide is Shameful, he has to get someone else to kill him, which he attempts several times.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: Sisko chastises Worf for conducting a Klingon suicide ritual, telling him that there are limits to what he'll tolerate in the name of multiculturalism. Kurn also admits that he's never been able to understand Worf, though he finally confesses that in his own way Worf is an honorable man.
- Driven to Suicide: Kurn. First he asks Worf to perform a ritual killing, then he becomes a Death Seeker, and finally decides that he will just blow his brains out with a disruptor. Even though such a death would be dishonorable, Kurn feels being sent to Gre'thor would be preferable to living because he would at least be among Klingons.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Kurn hits the bottle hard to deal with his dishonor.
- Eyes Never Lie: Worf worries that he's losing his touch when he fails to see the Meaningful Look in the Klingon security officer's eyes and divine his Killing Intent.
- Failed a Spot Check:
- Worf did not realize that the Klingon officer was holding his D'k tahg and preparing to kill him until after Kurn shot the officer from three meters away.
- Odo of all people fails a listen check when Kurn first arrives on the station. He's standing only a few feet away when Kurn — who isn't whispering or anything — tells Worf he wants him to kill him, but apparently Odo had lost interest by this point, as he doesn't figure out what they're planning until Dax tells him.
- Horrible Judge of Character: You don't need the Klingon ability to spot Killing Intent to see that the security guard's backdown was both way too fast and rather insincere. The fact Worf was so comfortable turning his back to the guy so quickly really does show he's lost his edge living among humans.
- Honor Before Reason:
- Kurn's a Klingon, what did you expect?
- During the Klingon Civil War it was Worf's insistence they support Gowron in his bid to take over the Empire, contrary to his brother's wishes. Kurn loses everything because he's beholden to his big brother.
- Literal Metaphor: Kurn says he hates wearing the Bajoran security uniform. Worf assures him that he'll get used to the job after a while, to which Kurn replies that he's OK with the job; the uniform itself is uncomfortable.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Kurn is not happy about killing a fellow Klingon, even if he did so to save Worf.Kurn: He was a warrior doing his duty defending the Empire, and I killed him. My dishonor is complete.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Worf's stand against Gowron means that his brother loses everything, eventually even his identity.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: A subtle example. Kurn's first full conversation with Worf begins with Kurn criticizing Worf's "comfortable" lifestyle. But when Kurn is convinced to join Odo's security forces to give his life meaning, he complains that the uniform is "uncomfortable." He later attempts suicide again, showing that his headspace is seriously warped.
- Recycled Premise: This isn't the first time Worf was involved in a Klingon ritual suicide, prompting strong differences of opinion within the crew and ultimately settling for a Third Option. Although whether it counts as a gross violation of Starfleet regulations or a Prime Directive matter apparently depends on your commanding officer.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Worf not siding with Gowron despite his warnings he and his family would be stripped of their honor and status. Worf decided to do what was right, but as this episode demonstrates, Kurn wasn't happy about it since he has to suffer for Worf's decision.
- Show Some Leg: Worf accuses Dax of trying to distract him with her outfit during their combat training. Dax denies she's dressed like that for his sake.
- Slap-Slap-Kiss: The maiden voyage of the ship IKS Wor'Dax.
- Suicide is Shameful: The reason Kurn can't just take matters into his own hands; Klingons who kill themselves believe they go to Gre'thor.note Although he does eventually consider it, on the grounds that at least he'll be with other Klingons there. However, he's too drunk to go through with it, and promptly passes out.
- That Man Is Dead: Kurn gets a new life, complete with new memories and a new identity, courtesy of Worf.
- What Happened to the Mouse?:
- Kurn's ultimate fate is never revealed, even when Worf joins the house of Martok and becomes one of the most powerful men in the Empire. Various supplemental materials take up his story.
- The writers had intended to include a line establishing that Worf's relationship with Troi was officially over but they never found a way to shoehorn it in, so the matter is left completely unaddressed.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- Sisko tears into Worf, asking why Sisko shouldn't put him on the first transport off the station and that while he has given Worf plenty of leeway with regard to Klingon beliefs, any future attempt to perform a ritual killing on his station will be severely punished.Sisko: At the moment, I don't give a damn about Klingon beliefs, rituals or custom! Now I have given you both a lot of leeway when it comes to following Klingon traditions, but in case you haven't noticed, this is not a Klingon station, and those are not Klingon uniforms you're wearing! There is a limit to how far I'll go to accommodate cultural diversity among my officers and you've just reached it! When your brother is released from the infirmary, you better find another way to settle your family problems! Is that clear?
Worf: Captain, it may not be possible to—
Dax: It's clear. There are definitely other possibilities for Kurn. This will never happen again.
Sisko: You're damn right it won't! Now both of you, Get Out!! - Kurn in turn asks why Worf isn't there with a dagger to slit his throat, now that his friends aren't there to stop him. He also calls Worf to task for getting him in this situation in the first place, by antagonising Gowron.
- Sisko tears into Worf, asking why Sisko shouldn't put him on the first transport off the station and that while he has given Worf plenty of leeway with regard to Klingon beliefs, any future attempt to perform a ritual killing on his station will be severely punished.
- You Can't Go Home Again: Worf realizes at the end that he doesn't fit in Klingon society and all that he has is Starfleet and the Federation.
