3.17 — “Sins of the Father”

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11 responses to “3.17 — “Sins of the Father””

1. 

   Walter Phippeny

   July 23, 2015

   I agree with a lot of what you’ve said. We are so used to story arcs that last a season, or seasons, but the idea hadn’t really taken hold in TV drama when this show came out. And this is one of the first examples of the writers, really Moore, setting the stage for longer arcs.

   The only thing that bothered me, again, is this Klingon society that seems to have too many paradoxes. The TOS Klingons were better thought out. In “Errand of Mercy” we see basically Space Nazis, and Space Nazis is an idea that we can wrap our heads around. Despite the fact that military dictatorships tend to not age well and become very stagnant cultures since they are opposed to any kind of change, it’s conceivable that Space Nazis could develop a star faring culture and push their military conquest to the stars. As usual, the Klingons serve more as a comment about the struggle between totalitarianism and democracy. What “Errand of Mercy” brilliantly pointed out was that Kirk and Kor had a lot more in common than you would think. And that the Federation still had a long way to go.

   So, what are the Klingons doing in TNG? Well, they’re no longer Space Nazis. Now they’re more like Space Samurai. As Duras is making his case against Mogh, he starts wailing about how his father, and many others, died in the attack. I found myself thinking back to, “A Matter of Honor”, where Riker is talking to the two Klingon officers in the mess of the Klingon ship where he’s been stationed; one is proud because his father had died in battle, while the other is full of shame because his father failed to get killed in battle and will die of old age. Okay. Back to Duras. Shouldn’t this guy be thrilled that his father died in battle? I understand that there was treachery involved, and that he wants revenge, but isn’t death in battle this great thing? And the opposite leads to deep shame? Make up your mind!

   The more I see of the Klingons in TNG, the more I can’t understand how these guys developed interstellar travel, let alone an interstellar empire. I mean, they make for great story telling, but I just can’t understand how the hell their society works at all. How did these guys get past self-extermination with weapons of mass destruction?

   And just a side annoying thing, when Worf says, “it’s a good day to die,” my Native American side winced. Okay, we’ve gone from being Space Samurai to Space Lakota. Real good! Thanks for appropriating my culture for your honor obsessed Space Warrior Race, Mr. Moore; really appreciate it.  

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2. 

   Kevin Black

   July 23, 2015

   This is definitely an evolution of the Klingons. We started with the pillaging conquerors of TOS, and then after acquiring bumpy foreheads in the first movie, the Klingons turned into rage clowns who didn’t make much sense at all. We’ve already seen some moves to refine them into a honor-based, almost feudal culture, but I feel here for the first time Klingon culture is really coalescing into something new, which is different from TOS, but that’s okay.

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3. 

   Randi Cohen

   July 23, 2015

   Love Walter’s point from past threads about the Klingons and how they seem to be always portrayed as breaking their rules rather than keeping them… certainly the same holds true here with the Klingon council throwing away honor to preserve stability (and… dare I say it… peace?).  I could see Worf making this choice because he was raised by humans but not the council urging him to do so.  Yes, the Klingons are a study in contradictions, aren’t they?  I agree not very well thought out as a culture, although their make-up is boss.

   I kind of liked the Kurn plot and how quickly the episode seemed to change focus (it’s a rehash of Riker on the Klingon ship… no, it’s a culture clash drama… no, it’s a family conflict… no, it’s a diplomatic battle between Klingons and humans with Worf’s life in the balance!).  A little casual, by the way, how Picard wants to throw away the entire alliance like that.  I have trouble envisioning even Kirk so blithely threatening interstellar peace, especially given how apparently outclassed the humans are per our recent alternate reality episode. 

   I prefer a Worf-focused to a Wesley-focused series by far.  That being said, the writers actually do a better job with the gifted trope in “Offspring”… they’re not laughing at you, they’re laughing with you.  I’ve heard that one before, and it makes me wonder if someone on the writing staff has too.  Much better than any of the former boy genius treatments.  Maybe it’s harder to write this role for a recurring character?

   Anyhow, overall I think this was a great episode, although “discommodation” is kind of a silly word.  That scene with all of them turning their backs reminds me of the awesome scene in “Beckett” where the bishops all turn their backs on him and snuff out their candles.  Nobody does drama like the Catholic church. Nobody.  They should have just lifted that scene entirely and pasted some Klingons faces on the bishops.  But I digress.

   Overall a great episode… I would love many more episodes exploring Klingon culture.  Maybe it will start making more sense as the writers spend more time figuring it out.

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4. 

   Walter Phippeny

   July 23, 2015

   Randi Cohen​​​ money quote: “Nobody does drama like the Catholic Church. Nobody!”

   I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. Unfortunately, the Klingon culture doesn’t start making more sense as TNG continues, despite the hand waving in some episodes where we see Klingon scientists, or lower levels of Klingon society. They remain a society that wouldn’t be out of place pre-warp, but what are they doing with an interstellar empire? People who idealize war and death in battle don’t get very far. Now, the universe is practically infinite which means that the Klingons must be out there…somewhere. But the odds can’t be in their favor. Just like dolphins aren’t going to discover fire, it’s hard to imagine Klingons surviving far after the discovery of nuclear weapons. Just look how close we’ve come on multiple occasions!

   So, it begs the question: what conversation are the Klingons inciting? Their first iteration was to talk about the differences between democratic and totalitarian governments. What are they doing here? Sad to report that they serve more as a foil to the Federation: a sticky way to introduce compelling stories where we have conflict. And they appeal to our own sense of honor and desire for confrontation. We all want something to die for: something that is bigger than ourselves. The Klingons play into Romanticism… with a capital R. I would argue that there’s little difference between Lamartine or Goethe and the Klingons. They are Romantic figures who live and die by their sense of a thing greater than themselves. It makes for terrific stories, but it stretches the suspension of disbelief to its limits.

   I love the Klingons, and I like where Moore took them. I bitched about Space Lakota, but I can also identify with Space Lakota too. I can totally see why people want to learn Klingon and emulate Klingon society: it gives you a purpose where there was none before. But, I see it as a missing opportunity to build out something even better: a society that could also pass the intersteller barrier muster, something more complex than what we see in the show.

   One would say that you shouldn’t expect something so complex from a pop-culture tv show, but, I would reapond, of course you should. There’s no excuse… ever…for dumbing things down. Even when money is on the line! If you build complicated and elaborate universes that you’re passionate about, they will come. Just ask Tolkien.

   <\rant>

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5. 

   Randi Cohen

   July 23, 2015

   Hmm. Maybe Klingon society would make more sense if the thing they were serving was something other than the family honour earned by dying in battle, as you suggested in your earlier posts. Or maybe in Klingon culture warriors could be honored but not necessarily driving the economy or government, kind of like the church in medieval times.

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6. 

   Walter Phippeny

   July 23, 2015

   Randi Cohen​ exactly! Honour could be tied to what you do, and less about combat and dying in battle. A janitor, dedicated to his given task, has as much honour as a warrior in combat. That makes total sense to me, and also shows how a scientist, a janitor, and a Klingon soldier have the same amount of honour. But, sadly, they didn’t go with that.

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7. 

   Kevin Black

   July 23, 2015

   Japan and China are honor-based societies. We shouldn’t fall into the trap of thinking that our way of doing it is the only way of doing it. What I do know is that you can’t get very far if you kill each other over small offences and act like rage clowns like the Klingons do in the movies.

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8. 

   Kevin Black

   July 23, 2015

   I thought the discs commodation scene was strange, in that we are given to understand that a Klingon will choose death before dishonor, and Wharf does not make that choice. Ostensibly, this is because his brother would also die, and he is saving his brother, although surely his brother would have told him please don’t choose dishonor before death on my account.

   There is something that rings true about the notion that when you get high enough, like to the Chancellor level, that the values that are espoused for ordinary people don’t necessarily hold true at the top. That rings true to me.

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9. 

   Randi Cohen

   July 24, 2015

   Well, Worf was raised by humans. That’s the way I explain it. Also he us sacrificing his honour to save not his brother only but also his people. From instability or from the dishonor of killing him unjustly. Or at least that is how I justify it.

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10. 

    Randi Cohen

    July 24, 2015

    Agree there are many ways to be honour based! Could be like walter describes or an ideal communist state or a religious one or just any society where the individual is seen primarily as part of a larger whole.

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11. 

    R. Alex Reutter

    August 6, 2015

    All right!  A little bit of continuity as Commander Kurn of the Klingon Empire takes a turn as First Officer of the Enterprise, following up on Riker’s tour in “A Matter of Honor”.

    Very quickly we see that Kurn is playing head games with Worf.  This is very well written as we are taken through several short scenes in which Kurn never openly insults Worf, but his intent is clear, until Worf finally snaps and Kurn reveals himself as Worf’s younger brother.

    Soon the story takes a radical shift away from the expected Klingon-as-Starfleet-officer fish out of water episode and into a foray into Klingon culture as Worf must defend his father’s honor. 

    When did Picard become such a badass in sticking up for his crew?  Last episode it was putting his career on the line to protect Data, now he’s taking the Starfleet flagship into the heart of the Klingon Empire for Worf’s sake.

    It’s a little slow on a second viewing, when you know what’s coming, but still a great story showcasing Michael Dorn’s and Patrick Stewart’s talents.

    Also, don’t mess with Klingon nannies.

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