10 One-Off Star Trek Characters Who Never Left

4. General Martok

Star Trek Martok
CBS

J.G. Hertzler was no stranger to Star Trek when he was cast in the role of the Klingon General Martok. He originally appeared in Emissary, playing the ill-fated Vulcan captain of the USS Saratoga. Though he did get a few lines in the episode's opening scenes, the role was all too short. He would return in the fourth season opener, The Way Of The Warrior.

Described by producers as 'Klingons gone nuts', The Way Of The Warrior was designed to slow the advance of the Dominion War. A Klingon fleet unexpectedly decloaks around the Station, taking everyone by surprise. Its commander, General Martok, is brash, direct, and deeply suspicious of the Starfleet and Bajoran officers. He immediately orders blood screenings all around.

This opening episode was to have been a one-and-done for Hertzler, but he impressed so much that Martok was brought back for the fifth season opening, Apocalypse Rising. Here, he was revealed as a Changeling. Though killed in the episode, the character brought back again, this time for real, in the two-parter In Purgatory's Shadow/By Inferno's Light. From there, he appeared in many more episodes for the remainder of Deep Space Nine's run.

 
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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"