History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E26S5E1Redemption

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Sela's entrance has her say the line "humans have a way of showing up when you least expect them". Certainly nobody in the audience was expecting Denise Crosby to appear, in any form, at that point.

* IdenticalGrandson: Tasha Yar's half-Romulan daughter Sela looks exactly like her, apart from pointed ears and a different haircut, as both of them were played by Denise Crosby.
* InternalReveal: Gowron learns that Kurn is Worf's brother.

Before they reach Qo'noS, they are intercepted by Gowron's ship. He brings a warning of schism in the Empire. It seems that even without their patriarch, the House of Duras remains a threat and still holds favor in the Klingon council. Gowron is convinced that the Duras Sisters, Lursa and B'Etor, are plotting a coup. When Worf reveals the fact that his discommendation was a plot by the Council to protect Duras, Gowron refuses to correct the injustice because he needs the support of the council.

During the Rite of Succession, a young Klingon named Toral, claiming to be the son of Duras, challenges Gowron's claim to leadership as the illegitimate son of Duras. His house and its allies back him. As Arbiter of Succession, Picard must decide who succeeds. The Duras Sisters make clear that they will switch the Klingons' alliance from the Federation to the Romulans should Picard side against them. Picard finds himself in an ethical dilemma, weighing his legal, diplomatic and ethical responsibilities. Worf is in a similar position as he tries to use Starfleet resources to support his position. Picard forbids him on the grounds of Federation non-interference, so Worf takes a leave of absence.

The Duras are celebrating the news, but one of their handlers cautions them not to underestimate Picard as she [[EmergingFromTheShadows emerges from the shadows]], revealing [[WhamShot a Romulan Tasha Yar]]!?

Back on Qo'noS, the Duras Sisters capture Worf and give him the ol' seduction attempt, offering him B'Etor and a share of the power for his support, but Worf is nowhere near that desperate. An exasperated Sela takes him away for a more "conventional" interrogation.

* CustomUniformOfSexy: The Duras Sisters' warrior's armor have {{cleavage window}}s, something even other women warriors don't have.

* TruceZone: The Klingon capital city is considered neutral ground for both sides of the war, allowing the warriors to party with whomever they wish. The Duras Sisters send a couple thugs to kidnap Worf while he's there, for those keeping count of their perfidies.

* SpotOfTea: The Duras sisters attempt to flatter Picard by offering him Earl Grey. He doesn't like their scheming, but he does like the tea

* ScrewTheWarWerePartying: Klingons from both sides of the war drink and party together in the capital city, wishing each other well in their next battle. [[DeliberateValuesDissonance Worf is aghast]] that his brother would drink with his enemies.

** In [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E12TheWounded "The Wounded,"]] it was mentioned that O'Brien was tactical officer aboard the ''Rutledge''. In Part 2, he mans the tactical station.

* OutOfFocus: Geordi only appears in Worf's farewell scene across both episodes. Troi and Crusher have only one scene with any dialogue across both episodes, and it's scant.

* WouldNotHurtAChild: Worf refuses to kill Toral for what his family did. [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E09TheSwordOfKahless He might end up regretting that...]]

'''Original air date:''' September 23, 1991

* CustomUniformOfSexy: The Duras Sisters' warrior's armor have cleavage windows, something even other women warriors don't have.

** Also seen when Worf is trying to brief Kurn about repairs to the ship when his brother is more concerned with drinking and brawling with their enemies in the TruceZone.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Data is moved to uncharacteristic approximations of emotion by the behavior of Hobson, his XO. After Hobson tries to make him look bad, Data gives him his orders and then cocks his eyebrows in frustration as the man turns his back. Later, he actually shouts at Hobson.

* TenMinuteRetirement: Part 1 ends with Worf resigning his commission from Starfleet so he can fight in the Klingon civil war without a conflict of interest. Part 2 ends with Worf requesting permission to return to duty, and Picard simply granting it. You'd think restoring his commission would be a little more complicated than that, but apparently not.

* StealthInsult: Picard compliments the Duras sisters for their cunning machinations, saying that it's worthy of the Romulans. This not only attacks the sisters' racial pride, but taunts them with his suspicions that they're nothing but Romulan puppets.

Before they reach Qo'noS, they are intercepted by Gowron's ship. He brings a warning of schism in the Empire. It seems that even without their patriarch, the House of Duras remains a threat and still holds favor in the Klingon council. Gowron is convinced that the Duras Sisters, Lursa and B'Etor, are plotting a coup. When Gowron reveals the fact that his discommendation was a plot by the Council to protect Duras, Gowron refuses to correct the injustice because he needs the support of the council.

But he has another responsibility as well. To Worf, who for over a year now has borne the shame of dishonor to protect the Empire from the [[CorruptPolitician Corrupt Politicians]] who rightfully deserve it. Picard urges Worf to take this opportunity to clear his family's name now that the true traitor, Duras, is dead.

Picard rules in favor of Gowron, so Toral predictably accuses him of bias and all but announces a civil war. Worf brings his offer of support to Gowron, and his price. Gowron refuses his terms, pressing Worf to bring the Federation into the war. But he changes his tune when Kurn shows up to rescue his ship from a near-fatal ambush. Gowron formally rescinds Worf's discommendation, but there's still a war to win if it's going to stick. Picard, with no evidence of outside involvement, cannot legally support Gorwon. The only way Worf can stay to see it through is to resign from Starfleet as the ''Enterprise'' departs.

The mystery woman is quite correct. Part 2 opens with Kurn and his loyalists badly outmatched by the Duras, to the point that Picard is able to make a case to Starfleet Command that the Romulans must be surreptitiously supporting the rebels. If so, Starfleet will have all the justification it needs to bring the hammer down. They agree to give Picard a handful of semi-mothballed ships to set up a blockade on the Klingon–Romulan border. It's not a very impressive fleet, but all they need to do is throw up a tachyon web that will detect any cloaked Romulan supply ships that try to come across.

When the fleet shows up at her doorstep, the Romulan mystery woman makes herself known with an ultimatum for Starfleet to withdraw within 20 hours. She also addresses the elephant in the room: she is not Tasha Yar, she is Sela, her daughter. Which, of course, only raises more questions.

* BigBadWannabe: Lursa and B'etor. Despite Picard "[[StealthInsult praising]]" their manipulative prowess, it's evident that without the Romulans' secret support, they're nothing as their supporters immediately turn against them once the Romulans' supply convoy gets exposed and cut off.

* SpotOfTea: The Duras sisters attempt to flatter Picard by offering him Earl Gray. He doesn't like their scheming, but he does like the tea

** [[TeamworkSeduction Lursa and B'etor attempt to persuade Worf to ally with them.]] Worf promptly refuses.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Worf has been trained to regard war as SeriousBusiness. Kurn is a BloodKnight. And at the end of the episode, Worf refuses to kill Toral.

* BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork: Averted; Gowron orders Kurn to finish Toral when Worf refuses, but Worf stops this too, pointing out that Gowron has granted Toral's life to Worf, and he has chosen to spare it.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Data is moved to uncharacteristic approximations of emotion from the behavior of Hobson, his XO. After Hobson tries to make him look bad, Data gives him his orders and then cocks his eyebrows in frustration as the man turns his back. Later, he actually shouts at Hobson.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Data drops his normally calm demeanor and snaps at Hobson to follow his orders. He's not displaying emotion; he's emulating a forceful command style.

* OutOfFocus: Troi, Crusher and Geordi appear only in Worf's farewell scene, and none have lines in the episode.
* PalmBloodletting: When Gowron nullifies Worf's discommendation.
--> '''Gowron:''' I return your family honor. I give you back that which was wrongfully taken from you. Let your name be spoken once again. [[IAmXSonOfY You are Worf, son of Mogh.]]

* SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: A 23-ship blockade versus the entire Klingon–Romulan border, and it only works if the cloaked ships pass directly between them? There would be holes large enough to send an entire fleet through. Or they could just go around.

* SpotOfTea: The Duras sisters attempt to flatter Picard by offering him Earl Gray. After [[StealthInsult comparing them to Romulans]], Picard leaves, but thanks them for the tea.

->'''Picard:''' Your discommendation is a facade to protect less honorable men. It is a lie. Lies must be challenged.

Before they reach Qo'noS, they are intercepted by Gowron's ship. He brings a warning of an impending civil war. It seems that even without their patriarch, the House of Duras remains a threat, and Gowron is convinced that the Duras Sisters, Lursa and B'Etor, are plotting a coup. It is for this same reason that Gowron refuses Worf's request to restore his family's honor, even though he believes his version of events at Khitomer.

Worf pays a visit to his brother, Kurn, and is surprised to learn whose side he plans to take: [[TakeAThirdOption his own]]. He believes Gowron is too weak to defeat the House of Duras and instead plans to replace the entire Council with the help of the four squadron commanders he has in his pocket. Worf, however, insists on their duty to support the legal ruler of the Empire... with one caveat.

->'''Worf:''' We will wait until he feels the grasp of his enemies around his throat. Then we will offer him our support, and the price will be the restoration of our family name.

Worf starts pulling Starfleet records from the Khitomer Massacre for evidence exonerating his father, but Picard considers this an abuse of his authority since the matter is exclusively a Klingon one. He can't be too upset with him, though, considering the ethical minefield he himself is navigating. A young Klingon named Toral, claiming to be the son of Duras, has challenged Gowron's claim to leadership. Despite being illegitimate (since Duras had no mate), his house and its allies are backing him, which makes Picard's job a whole lot more complicated. The Duras Sisters make clear to him in a private meeting that siding against them would mean the end of the Federation–Klingon Alliance should they win the ensuing civil war.

No great shock, since the Sisters are already in bed with their long-time pals, the Romulans. Predictably, once Picard has ruled for Gowron, Toral accuses him of bias and starts beating those war drums.

Worf brings his offer of support to Gowron, but is refused. Instead, Gowron tries to guilt Worf into bringing the Federation into the war. That is, until Kurn shows up to rescue his ship from a near-fatal ambush, which gives him a change of heart. Gowron formally rescinds Worf's discommendation, but there's still a war to win if it's going to stick. Picard, with no evidence of outside involvement, cannot legally support Gorwon. The only way Worf can stay to see it through is to resign from Starfleet as the ''Enterprise'' departs.

The Duras are celebrating the news, but one of their handlers cautions them as she [[EmergingFromTheShadows emerges from the shadows]], revealing [[WhamShot a Romulan Tasha Yar]].

->'''Sela:''' We should not discount Jean-Luc Picard yet. He is human, and humans have a way of showing up when you least expect them.

She is quite correct. Part 2 opens with Kurn and his loyalists badly outmatched by the Duras, to the point that Picard is able to make a case to Starfleet Command that the Romulans must be surreptitiously supporting the rebels. If so, Starfleet will have all the justification it needs to bring the hammer down. They agree to give Picard a handful of semi-mothballed ships to set up a blockade on the Klingon–Romulan border. It's not a very impressive fleet, but all they need to do is throw up a tachyon web that will detect any cloaked Romulan supply ships that try to come across.

When the fleet shows up at her doorstep, Sela makes herself known with an ultimatum for them to withdraw within 20 hours. Along with the answer to the obvious question of her appearance: she is not Tasha Yar, she is her daughter. Which, of course, only raises more questions.

Guinan, with her El-Aurian senses, remembers things the others do not about what happened during "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E15YesterdaysEnterprise Yesterday's Enterprise]]." The Yar from an alternate future was sent back in time aboard the ''Enterprise''-C when it was captured by Romulans. Sela meets Picard in person to verify the story. Yar received a ScarpiaUltimatum from her overseer, becoming his consort to spare the lives of her fellow prisoners. Sela, their child, says Yar was later executed for trying to take her and escape.

She also says she feels nothing for her mother or her human heritage. She coldly reminds Picard of the deadline and leaves.

However, Sela sees through their trap. Instead, the Romulans jam the grid with a flood of tachyon particles, so the fleet falls back at Picard's order. All except for Data, who has an idea to catch the Romulans in the act. After a nonstop stream of bigoted whining from his XO, Data slaps Hobson down hard enough to get him to fire a few modified torpedoes that reveal several subspace anomalies as the cloaked ships they are. Sela decides the game is up and withdraws with her MookLieutenant General Movar, leaving the Duras at the mercy of Gowron's victorious forces. Lursa and B'Etor escape, but Kurn comes to Worf's rescue and bags Duras's brat in the process.

->'''Kurn:''' Toral, "the next leader of the Empire." Gowron is looking forward to seeing you again.

Although Data saved the day, he nevertheless submits himself for punishment for disobeying the withdrawal order. Picard instead congratulates him with an effusive smile for his quick thinking and initiative.

->'''Picard:''' The claim "I was only following orders" has been used to justify too many tragedies in our history. Starfleet doesn't want officers who will blindly follow orders without analyzing the situation. Your actions were appropriate for the circumstances and I have noted that in your record. And, Data? ''Nicely done.''

The diminutive Toral stands before the Council as a traitor. Gowron gives his life--and a knife--to Worf as payment for the wrongs Duras's family has done to his own. But Worf, who sees only a child and pawn of the true machinators, chooses to spare him.

->'''Kurn:''' What's wrong? Kill him!\\
'''Worf:''' No.\\
'''Kurn:''' [[SinsOfOurFathers But it's our way.]] It's the Klingon way!\\
'''Worf:''' I know... but it is not ''my'' way.

*** The novels have come up with a couple of [[HandWave HandWaves]] - ''Literature/StarTrekTheLostEra'' says that Azetbur's successor was more militant, and blaming her peaceful ways on her gender, thus banning women from future positions on the Council, while ''Literature/StarTrekPrey'' that Azetbur was the exception to the rule due to unique circumstances.

** Hobson is reluctant to obey Data's orders because Data is an android, saying that some races just aren't suitable for some jobs, like a Klingon for a captain (note that this scene takes place in between scenes that show Worf would make a fine captain). He also accuses Data of not caring about the lives of his crew.

* WhamLine: When Picard refuses to count himself in the Klingon Civil War.

* FantasticRacism: Hobson is reluctant to obey Data's orders because Data is an android. He also accuses Data of not caring about the lives of his crew. Sela thinks she can exploit the ship manned by an android as well.

* PardonMyKlingon: Toral uses a Klingon insult against Gowron.
--> '''Gowron:''' Duras had no mate. Where did you find him, Lursa? In a harlot's bedchamber?\\
'''Toral:''' I will personally cut your tongue out, ''Yintagh''!\\
'''Gowron:''' Impudent wretch.

-->'''Gowron:''' Where did you find him, Lursa? In a harlot's bedchamber?
-->'''Toral:''' I will personally cut your tongue out, ''yintagh''!