Star Trek: 20 Supporting Characters That Deserved More

17. Alexander, Son Of Worf

Alexander, Son of Worf
CBS Media Ventures

You have to feel for Alexander. Worf's teeny-tiny son in The Next Generation was pushed from pillar to post. It's easy to see why he turned out so mixed up. After his mother was killed, he was eventually sent to live with Worf, who looked at him very much the same way he watched Data's cat...from a distance and with a good deal of suspicion. While father and son did try and bond over holodeck Westerns, he was often treated as something of a spare part.

That only seemed to be confirmed when Worf turned up on Deep Space Nine without his son. In fact, he gets the barest mention, with Worf claiming Alexander was happier living with his own adoptive parents...a claim that seems dubious at best when said grandparents had previously deposited the boy at Worf's feet, saying they were too old to handle him.

Eventually, Alexander's need to gain his father's attention saw him join the Klingon crew Worf was serving with. And even when it became apparent how underprepared he was, and the others started side-eyeing him like they might eat him for breakfast, Alexander was determined to prove his worth.

It felt like each time Alexander was reintroduced into Worf's life, the writers weren't entirely sure what to do with him. If they were keen to keep him around as a character, a stronger plan might have been helpful. As it was, Alexander just sort of...floated around, poor thing.

All we know is that if a kid turns out so confused that his adult self travels back in time to try and sort his younger self out, it's probably not the best sign.

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Katherine has been boldly going since childhood, when the BBC Two 6pm Star Trek slot changed her life. She was drawn in by the franchise's optimism, compassion and flair for character-driven storytelling. She's been writing stories since she could pick up a pen and has spent far too much time immersed in television, films, books, music and theatre. She loves any chance to talk or write about her favourite fandoms, of which there are many. When not busy writing, she can usually be found playing video games or explaining why the concept of a transporter is actually terrifying.