By Chris Snellgrove
| Revealed
The Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology episode “Parallels” is controversial for a lot of causes, together with the truth that it principally introduced the idea of the multiverse to this long-running sci-fi franchise. Arguably, although, essentially the most controversial factor about this episode is that it launched the thought of a romance between Worf and Deanna Troi, and so they entered right into a relationship that lasted the remainder of the sequence. This angered many followers, and so they’ll most likely get even angrier at this specific revelation: the Worf/Troi relationship began as a literal joke among the many present’s writers.
In case you wanted any extra causes to embrace bodily media, the Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology Blu-rays are stuffed with particular options with loads of stunning insights into the present, together with what the writers considered numerous character romances. For instance, the Season 7 set features a commentary monitor for “Parallels” by which veteran present author Brannon Braga revealed that the very thought of constructing Worf and Troi a pair started as a joke within the author’s room.
The Joke That No person Laughed At
He didn’t elaborate on how the joke began, nevertheless it presumably needed to do with the wild variations between these two characters. In any case, she’s a heat and delicate Betazoid therapist who can learn feelings, and he’s a gruff and offended Klingon safety chief who solves all his issues with violence!
By the way, the joke began a lot sooner than you would possibly suppose. Regardless that the Worf/Troi romance (Troirf? Robust to offer these two a celeb couple identify!) didn’t begin till Season 7, Braga (as quoted in Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology Companion) claimed that the writers began dropping hints that these two would possibly get collectively as early as Season 5. That is most clear within the episode “Ethics,” the place Worf requested Troi (somebody that he had been counting on for parenting recommendation) to turn out to be the guardian of his son, Alexander, within the occasion of Worf’s loss of life.
Placing Collectively The Clues (Or Not)
In case you didn’t clock these early clues a couple of Worf and Troi romance, don’t be too laborious on your self. Branna Braga claimed that “most individuals didn’t decide up on the connection we have been attempting to evolve,” one thing he thought “was good.” He favored that almost all followers missed these clues as a result of one alternate universe in “Parallels” confirmed these characters as man and spouse, and he needed “that shock once we discover out they’re married” to be as explosive as potential.
It could have began as a joke, however when did the Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology writers begin taking the thought of a Worf/Troi romance extra critically? In accordance with Braga, it started when the writers and manufacturing crew have been reviewing the dailies (the uncooked, unedited footage of scenes shot all through the day) for numerous episodes. They started to note that actors Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis had a stunning quantity of chemistry of their shared scenes, and so they started a long-term plan to rework Worf and Troi into the present’s most stunning couple.
Romance? Set Your Phasers To Beautiful!
Whereas this was an undoubtedly daring transfer, it didn’t make everybody joyful. For instance, govt producer Jeri Taylor (additionally quoted in Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology Companion) mentioned that the “Worf-Troi factor” was “kinda enjoyable, nevertheless it infuriates some folks.” In accordance with her, the angriest followers have been those who have been “so upset that we didn’t put Riker and Troi collectively and simply get it over with,” and their collective response to the present’s artistic staff boiled right down to “how dare we introduce this!”
Sarcastically sufficient, Riker actor Jonathan Frakes additionally disliked the connection, as a result of (as quoted in Star Trek: Communicatorsituation 105) the very thought “is simply absurd!” He famous that “it makes for excellent materials at conventions, however for actual character improvement, I feel it’s ridiculous. Later, he acquired to rectify this storytelling mistake in a daring means: in Frakes’ Star Trek: Revolthe rekindled the romance between Riker and Troi, and the 2 in the end acquired married in Star Trek: Nemesis.
Brannon Braga could have been tickled by the thought of hooking Worf and Troi up, nevertheless it wasn’t meant to be: not solely did Troi go on to marry Riker, however Worf ended up marrying Jadzia Dax, a personality who tragically died by the hands of Gul Dukat. To this present day, Star Trek followers are nonetheless scratching their heads, asking questions like, “What did Worf and Troi even discuss on dates?” After all, after Discovery seemingly confirmed that Klingons have two penises, followers had extra questions (and fairly a number of extra fanfics) about this controversial couple than ever earlier than!