The character of Worf (Michael Dorn) had a complicated life on Star Trek, especially when it came to his family tree. He was raised on Earth by human foster parents, and eventually had a child who wanted nothing to do with him. To top it off, after he was a fully grown man well into his career with Starfleet, he learned he had a brother. Worf was like an onion: with every episode that focused on him, a new layer was revealed. Throughout his tenure, he went from a Klingon born into a disgraced family to a Klingon diplomat with the trust and friendship of the Empire's Chancellor.

However, Worf didn't get to that point without facing some struggles. And his own brother, Kurn, provided one such struggle. He appeared in a total of four episodes between The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Unlike Worf, Kurn wasn't a Starfleet officer, and he wasn't raised on Earth. In fact, most would probably consider him more Klingon than Worf, despite being the same alien species.

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Who is Worf's Brother in Star Trek?

Worf's brother, Kurn, debuted in The Next Generation third season episode "Sins of the Father." Not only is this the first time the audience meets Kurn, but it's also the first time Worf learns he has a brother in the first place. Kurn arrives on the Enterprise to recruit Worf for a mission to clear their father's name, after he is posthumously accused of crimes against the Klingon High Council.

This isn't just important to the Mogh brothers on a personal level; it's vital to the Klingon society. In their culture, crimes that one generation commits affect the next. If they don't clear their father's name, they will be executed in place of him. So, once Kurn and Worf become acquainted, they work toward their common goal. By the end of the episode, they learn that a Klingon nobleman framed their father for his suspected crimes. Unfortunately, revealing the truth could throw the Klingon Empire into turmoil. Worf volunteers to take the blame and endure the consequences. Instead of being executed, he is instead excommunicated from the Klingon Empire. Kurn was spared from the same fate, since he was living under another identity.

Kurn appears again in the two-part episode "Redemption." It serves as the season four finale and season five premiere for The Next Generation, and focuses on Kurn returning in an attempt to have his father's name cleared and Worf's status reinstated.

While it seemed like Kurn's heart was in the right place, it was really all about him, because he was tired of living under an assumed identity. He hoped that Worf would challenge Gowron, who refused to clear the Mogh name, and kill him. Worf instead talked his brother into supporting Gowron to avoid a civil war. Kurn was reluctant at first, but he eventually acquiesced, which got him and his brother reinstated into the Klingon honor system.

Who Plays Worf's Brother in Star Trek?

If Kurn looks familiar to anyone, it's because the actor has maintained a steady career in Hollywood since 1986. Tony Todd is most familiar to horror fans as the titular Candyman from the 90s horror franchise. Some might also recognize him as the medical examiner from the original Final Destination. His voice alone is iconic and draws audiences in instantly, making him a great fit for Kurn. His voice, combined with a black suit in CW's The Flash, made his character Zoom into an imposing force that could send chills down viewers' spines. Even when he's playing a role with limited screen time, such as his part in the original The Crow from 1994, Todd is hard to miss.

What Happens to Worf's Brother?

Kurn's final appearance came in a Season 4 episode of Deep Space Nine called "Sons of Mogh." Kurn visits Worf on the space station, hoping his brother will do him the honor of ending his life. Despite Worf and the Mogh family name being exonerated, Worf was seen as a defector as long as he served Starfleet. The Klingon High Council stripped the House of Mogh — and by extension, Kurn — of all its property and remaining honor. The only solution to his situation that Kurn could see was a Klingon death ritual.

Worf nearly gave in, but instead opted to help his brother adjust to a life outside the Klingon Empire. He found Kurn a security position thanks to the space station's Chief Security Officer Odo, but Kurn struggles to adapt. Klingon methods are violent in nature, contrary to the way the Federation handles situations. Unlike Worf, Kurn wasn't raised by human parents who taught him how to control those violent urges.

Kurn eventually revisits the idea of the death ritual, but another alternative is offered. Doctor Julian Bashir volunteers his services to change Kurn's appearance as well as erase the bulk of his memories — specifically, the ones about being a part of the House of Mogh. The thought doesn't phase Kurn as much as it might have affected anyone else, because he felt his identity had already diminished enough to the point that he didn't recognize himself. It's a tragic episode that ends with the brothers passing by each other on DS9 as strangers, mirroring their first introduction on The Next Generation.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Sci-Fi

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

Release Date

September 28, 1987

Seasons

7

Creator

Gene Roddenberry

Number of Episodes

178

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