List of minor recurring characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation

This is a list of minor characters from the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Characters are ordered alphabetically by family name, and only characters who played a significant recurring role in the series are listed.

Jack Crusher

Jack Crusher

Species	Human
Home planet	Earth
Affiliation	United Federation of Planets Starfleet
Posting	USS Stargazer
Rank	Lieutenant commander
Portrayed by	Doug Wert

Lieutenant Commander Jack R. Crusher, a character in the Star Trek fictional universe, is the late husband to Beverly Crusher and the father of Wesley Crusher. Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, the character is played by actor Doug Wert.

Jack Crusher was the second officer (third in command) aboard the USS Stargazer, Jean-Luc Picard's first command. He was killed while on a mission, which Picard blamed himself for and was troubled by it until he met Beverly Crusher when she first reported on the USS Enterprise. Crusher assured Picard she had signed on the Enterprise-D voluntarily and not due to Picard's influence.

The exact circumstances of Jack's death have never been made clear in official Trek canon.

Jack Crusher once made a holographic recording of himself, where he explained his life and recent happenings to his son Wesley shortly after his birth. Jack originally intended this to be the first in a series of messages, one every couple of years, but due to a twist of fate, this was the only recording he ever got a chance to make. By the time Wesley first got to view the recording, Jack was already long dead.

Appearances

While he is mentioned in several episodes throughout the series, Lieutenant Commander Crusher appears in the following Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes:

• "Family", episode # 402
• "Violations", episode # 512
• "Journey's End", episode # 720

External links

• Jack Crusher at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Startrek.com biography
• Doug Wert at the Internet Movie Database

Guinan

Guinan

Species	El-Aurian
Home planet	El Auria
Posting	USS Enterprise-D Ten-Forward bartender
Portrayed by	Whoopi Goldberg

Guinan, played by Whoopi Goldberg, is a recurring character on Star Trek: The Next Generation. She also appears in the TNG films Star Trek Generations and Star Trek Nemesis but is uncredited in both.

The character first appears in the second-season opening episode "The Child", and she appears several times over the course of the next 4 seasons; she does not appear at all in the seventh season. She is said to have the closest relationship with Jean-Luc Picard, which is "beyond friendship" and "beyond family".

Casting

According to Whoopi Goldberg, she approached the producers of TNG with her desire to be on the show, due to her childhood admiration of Uhura, a character from the original Star Trek, played by actress Nichelle Nichols.^[1] At first they did not think a suitable role for such a highly rated actress could be created, until Goldberg said that she did not care how big or small the role was, even if she just swept the floor in the background. It was from this they decided to give her the role of a bartender.

Overview

Guinan is originally from El-Auria. When she was a child, she had a Tarkassian razorbeast as an imaginary friend ("Imaginary Friend").

As a refugee aboard the El-Aurian vessel Lakul, she is rescued from the Nexus by the USS Enterprise-B. Her people, the El-Aurians, sometimes called "listeners," had been scattered throughout the galaxy after the Borg invaded their homeworld. The subsequent diaspora and reintegration of her people, and even their traditional clothing that Guinan still wears are interpreted as a reference to questions about race and colonization.^[2]

Her species is long-lived, and she is somewhere between 500 and 700 years old when she joins the Enterprise-D. "Time's Arrow, Part I" reveals that she visited Earth in 1891, and "Rascals" establishes that her father was 700 years old during that episode.

Guinan reveals in Star Trek Nemesis that she has been married 23 times. She states in "Evolution" that she has many children, including a son who went through a phase when "he wouldn't listen to anybody" – something unusual "in a species of listeners".

Her wise counsel occasionally proves to be quite valuable to the crew. In particular, she and Picard are especially close, to where they trust one another implicitly, although the full nature of their connection is never revealed. She does indicate that Picard stood by her at a time when she was in serious trouble and that their relationship is "beyond friendship, beyond family" ("Best of Both Worlds, Part 2"). Also, she reveals that one of the first things she notices in men are their heads, having a fondness for bald men.

While by no means hostile or belligerent, she keeps an energy rifle of alien design (which she claims to have acquired on Magus III) behind the bar in Ten-Forward, which she used in the episode "Night Terrors" to quell a rowdy bar brawl. She also has exceptional aim, as seen when she was able almost effortlessly to out-shoot Worf during a target practice session in the episode "Redemption".

In "Yesterday's Enterprise," which involves the timeline being altered, Guinan is able to sense the disruption, even though everyone else believes it is the natural course of events – in the Generations novelization, it is heavily implied that her unusual abilities regarding the flow of time might be related to her connection to the Nexus.

In "Q Who?," Q retorts, after hearing her called "Guinan" in the Enterprise-D's Ten-Forward lounge, "'Guinan' – is that your name now?" He claims that Guinan, "is not what she appears to be." As well, when Q reaches out his hand towards Guinan and offers to Picard her extradition from the Enterprise, Guinan holds her two hands up at Q in a threatening manner, perhaps suggesting she may have some hidden powers she has not displayed openly. Of course, as Picard suggested, Q may only be speaking of himself, since Guinan has been nothing but a courteous bartender and a valued friend to the Enterprise crew.

External links

• Guinan at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Startrek.com biography

Kurn

Kurn

Species	Klingon
Home planet	Qo'noS
Affiliation	Klingon Empire Bajoran Militia (temporary)
Posting	USS Enterprise-D executive officer (temporary) IKS Hegh'ta commanding officer Klingon High Council Deep Space Nine security officer (temporary)
Portrayed by	Tony Todd

Kurn, played by Tony Todd, is Worf's brother and a Commander in the Klingon Defense Force in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Officer exchange

Commander Kurn is introduced in the episode "Sins of the Father", where, as part of an officer exchange program, he is posted to the Enterprise (in exchange for Riker's earlier placement on a Klingon ship, depicted in "A Matter of Honor"). Kurn specifically requested the Enterprise, and was assigned on a temporary basis as a first officer. Kurn did this so that he could observe Worf closely. Eventually, he revealed that he was Worf's younger brother.

He told Worf it was decided that he did not need to go to Khitomer. Worf had always thought that his entire family had died there. The Starfleet officer who rescued Worf had been told by the Klingon government that he had no living relatives. But Kurn was taken in by his father's closest friend, Lorgh, and raised as his son. At the age of ascension, Kurn was informed of his true bloodlines.

Kurn also informed Worf that the council had judged Mogh and his family to be traitors, that Mogh had betrayed Khitomer to the Romulans. The Enterprise went to Qo'noS so that Worf could challenge the accusation. Duras, the son of Mogh's greatest rival Ja'rod, led the prosecution of Worf. Duras tried to have Kurn assassinated, but Kurn was rescued by the Enterprise personnel, and made a full recovery. The Enterprise crew soon discovered that it was truly Ja'rod who collaborated with the Romulans. But K'mpec refused to clear Mogh, and was prepared to execute Worf. Worf agreed to accept discommendation on the condition that Kurn's true bloodlines be kept secret, and that he be allowed to continue to serve.

Gowron's ascension

Worf met with Kurn again right before the Klingon Civil War, in the two-part episode "Redemption". By this time, Kurn was a captain, and had his own vessel. When the two brothers saved Gowron's life, Gowron returned to Worf his honor and that of his family. Both brothers served with distinction in the war.

After the Klingon Civil War, Kurn became a member of the Klingon High Council. He served in this position until the breakdown in relations between the Klingons and the Federation following the Klingon invasion of Cardassian space. When Worf refused to join Gowron, Gowron cast him out of Klingon society. When that happened, Kurn was forced from his seat on the council. Kurn became concerned over the future of the family since he had no male heirs, which made Worf's son Alexander the next leader of the house. Kurn was worried that Alexander would not be ready to lead the house when the time came.

Deep Space Nine

Kurn next appears in the Deep Space Nine episode "Sons of Mogh".

After being forced from the council, Kurn found that he had lost the will to live. Kurn then went to Deep Space Nine, to ask his brother to kill him in order to restore his honor. Worf tried to fulfill Kurn's request, but was stopped by Jadzia Dax and Odo. Captain Sisko was furious over this, and forbade Worf from taking Kurn's life. Worf was then forced to try to get Kurn to regain his will to live. Odo agreed to make Kurn a member of the station security force. Kurn soon discovered a visitor was smuggling illegal items, the smuggler raised his gun at Kurn. In a twist of suicide by cop, despite having the ability to easily disarm the criminal, Kurn did nothing, and allowed himself to be shot. Because a man with a death wish was a danger to himself and everyone else, Odo dismissed him from the security force. At about the same time, the Klingons were discovered attempting to mine the Bajoran system. Worf recruited Kurn to go onto a Klingon ship docked at the station, and they were able to uncover information about the mining program.

Realizing that his brother would never recover from his losses, Worf allowed Dr. Julian Bashir to erase most of Kurn's memory. The procedure was a success, Kurn remembered nothing of his past life when he woke up. Worf contacted an old family friend, Noggra, who agreed to take Kurn in as his son. Noggra told Kurn that he had suffered an accident that erased most of his memory, and that his name is Rodek.

A subsequent non-canon novel series (I.K.S. Gorkon) shows Kurn, in his new identity, continuing to serve the Klingon Empire on a ship named for Chancellor Gorkon.

External links

• Kurn at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

Lore

Lore

Species	Android
Home planet	Omicron Theta
Portrayed by	Brent Spiner

Lore (played by Brent Spiner) is a prototype android and the brother of main character Data and of B-4. However, while Data is virtuous and B-4 is primitive, Lore is sophisticated, clever, jealous and self-serving, making him the evil twin brother of the group.

Lore was introduced in the episode "Datalore", the episode in which he was activated. He returned in "Brothers" and in both parts of "Descent", at the end of which he was deactivated and dismantled permanently.

Overview

Lore was constructed and activated before his brother, Data, on Omicron Theta. Unlike Data, Lore was programmed with emotions but became emotionally unstable and developed megalomaniac tendencies. Lore perceived himself as superior to the human colonists and felt that they resented him due to his perceived superiority. His "father", Dr. Noonien Soong would later deactivate and disassemble Lore and construct a "less-perfect android" - Data - without emotions or the capacity to use linguistic contractions. Soong planned on repairing Lore after building and testing Data, but before he could do that the colony was destroyed by the Crystalline Entity and Soong was forced to flee. Unknown to Soong or the colonists at the time, it was Lore himself who had contacted and attracted the Crystalline Entity to the colony to destroy it.

Lore's body parts were discovered in Soong's lab in the episode "Datalore", and he was rebuilt and reactivated. Although Lore initially appeared as inquisitive and harmless as Data, his true nature was gradually revealed during the episode. Lore secretly contacts the Crystalline Entity again, offering it the crew of the USS Enterprise as sustenance. However, Data foils his plans and transports Lore into space before the Crystalline Entity can attack, saving the ship.

In the episode "Brothers", Soong summons Data to Terlina III in order to give him an emotion chip. However, the same signal summons Lore, who had been found drifting in space and rescued by a group of Pakleds. Lore incapacitates Data and poses as him while Soong installs the chip. He then fatally wounds Soong before fleeing.

In "Descent, Part II", Lore revealed that he later encountered a group of Borg struggling with individuality following the Enterprise crew's actions in "I, Borg", and became their leader. Lore uses Soong's emotion chip to control Data until Geordi La Forge, Jean-Luc Picard and Deanna Troi manage to reactivate Data's ethical programming. Data shoots Lore at the end of the episode and then deactivates him permanently (retrieving his emotion chip afterwards). His final words to Data are "I love you... brother."

Filming

Brent Spiner played Lore (and also Soong), except in some instances where a shooting double was necessary. In one scene in "Datalore", Lore puts down a glass of champagne that Data then picks up. This was achieved by the use of a moving split screen.^{[citation needed]}

External links

• Lore at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

Lursa and B'Etor

Duras sisters

Species	Klingon
Home planet	Qo'noS
Portrayed by	Lursa - Barbara March B'Etor - Gwynyth Walsh

The Klingon sisters Lursa (played by Barbara March) and B'Etor (played by Gwynyth Walsh) are collectively known as the Duras sisters, first appearing in TNG's "Redemption, Part I." The pair are daughters of Ja'rod and sisters of Duras. Like the other members of the House of Duras, they are villains; throughout their appearances, the characters attempt to destabilize the Klingon High Council and its relations with the United Federation of Planets. In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "Past Prologue", Lursa and B'Etor work with a Bajoran terrorist. Lursa is pregnant in "Firstborn", but the child's fate is not told.

In the film Star Trek Generations, the sisters align with Dr. Tolian Soran and attack the USS Enterprise-D. After capturing Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge and placing a surveillance device inside his VISOR, they are able to exploit the Enterprise's defenses and severely damage the ship, leading to the destruction of the ship's stardrive section and crash-landing of the saucer section, but they are killed in the battle.

They are known among "Star Trek" fans for their distinctive costumes, which include holes in their armor to display their cleavage.

Appearances

Star Trek: The Next Generation

• "Redemption, Parts 1 and 2"
• "Firstborn"

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

• "Past Prologue"

Feature Films

• "Star Trek Generations"

External links

• The House of Duras Timeline at the official site StarTrek.com
• Lursa and B'Etor biographies at StarTrek.com
• Lursa and B'Etor at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek Wiki

Alyssa Ogawa

Alyssa Ogawa

Species	Human
Home planet	Earth
Affiliation	United Federation of Planets Starfleet
Posting	USS Enterprise-D nurse USS Enterprise-E nurse
Rank	Ensign Lieutenant junior grade
Portrayed by	Patti Yasutake

Alyssa Ogawa, played by Patti Yasutake, is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe. The character appears in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the film Star Trek Generations as a nurse aboard the USS Enterprise-D and in Star Trek: First Contact as a nurse aboard the USS Enterprise-E.

She joins the USS Enterprise-D in 2367 as an ensign in the medical department. In 2370, upon recommendation of Dr. Beverly Crusher, she is promoted to lieutenant junior grade (TNG: "Lower Decks"). She marries Lieutenant Andrew Powell in that year. Shortly after she reveals she is pregnant, Ogawa reports to the senior staff when an injury incapacitates Crusher (TNG: "Genesis"). She was still pregnant by the series finale (TNG: "All Good Things..."), and her baby's birth was never shown or referred to on television; while said finale depicted her losing her unborn baby due to the effects of an "anti-time" anomaly, this was part of an alternate timeline that Captain Jean-Luc Picard ultimately prevented from coming to pass. In an alternate timeline in the episode 'Parallels', she makes a brief appearance as the ship's doctor with the apparent rank of Commander.

According to the non-canon Star Trek: Titan book series, Ogawa works in Titan's sickbay. She married Andrew Powell on Enterprise D. Powell was killed at the Battle of Rigel during the Dominion war. Ogawa and her young son transferred to the USS Titan under command of Captain Riker to serve in the sickbay.

Appearances

Ogawa appears in seasons 4-7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the films Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact.

External links

• Alyssa Ogawa at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

Alexander Rozhenko

Alexander Rozhenko

Species	Three-quarters Klingon, One-quarter Human
Home planet	Earth
Portrayed by	Jon Paul Steuer Brian Bonsall James Sloyan Marc Worden

Alexander Rozhenko is the son of Worf and Ambassador k'Ehleyr. He was conceived during the events of The Emissary and first introduced to his father during Reunion. After the death of his mother, he was sent to live with Worf's adoptive parents, Sergey and Helena Rozhenko, until becoming a troublesome youth in need of his father. He was reunited with Worf aboard the Enterprise until the end of the series at which time he returned to Earth. He later joined the Klingon military in its battle against the Dominion where he ended up serving under his father, who was General Martok's XO aboard the IKS Rotarran.

Appearances

Star Trek: The Next Generation

• "Reunion" - K'Ehleyr returns to the Enterprise with Alexander. K'Ehleyr dies, leaving Worf to look after Alexander (Worf later asks his human foster parents to look after his son)
• "New Ground" - Worf has to quickly learn about parenting when Alexander arrives to join him on the Enterprise
• "Ethics" - Worf suffers a broken back and Alexander must come to terms with facing his father's death
• "Cost of Living" - Deanna Troi's mother, Lwaxana, arrives on the Enterprise and leads Alexander astray
• "Imaginary Friend" - Alexander receives the blame when an (invisible) imaginary friend starts causing havoc
• "Rascals" - When Captain Picard and some other crew members are turned into children, Alexander helps them re-take the ship from intruders
• "A Fistful of Datas" - Alexander, Worf and Deanna Troi take part in a Western recreation on the holodeck
• "Firstborn" - Alexander's future self travels back in time to convince the young Alexander to embrace his Klingon warrior heritage

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

• "Sons and Daughters" - An estranged Alexander is reunited with his father and they are initiated into the house of Martok.
• "You are Cordially Invited..." - Alexander takes part in the wedding of his father, Worf, to Jadzia Dax

External links

• Alexander Rozhenko at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Alexander Rozhenko Official Biography at StarTrek.com

Lwaxana Troi

Lwaxana Troi

Species	Betazoid
Home planet	Betazed
Portrayed by	Majel Barrett

Lwaxana Troi (played by the late Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry) is Enterprise Counselor Deanna Troi's Betazoid mother. Her complete title is "Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed". She always had romantic inclination towards Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Her interactions with Alexander Rozhenko suggest that she has an agreeable effect on young children.

Troi is the widow of Ian Andrew Troi and mother of Deanna Troi. Deanna often feels embarrassed by her mother's overbearing personality and garish fashion sense.

She serves as the Betazoid ambassador to the Federation. As a Betazoid, she possesses telepathic abilities. She has visited the USS Enterprise-D on several occasions. Her appearances often involve her search for a husband, fixing her sights at various times on a diplomatic minister, an alien scientist forced to die by a mandatory cultural requirement, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Another plot line revolved around Deanna's older sister Kestra, who died in a childhood accident when Deanna was an infant. This also explains why Lwaxana refers to Deanna as, 'little one.' When Lwaxana becomes comatose, Deanna explores her mother's mind and discovers the memories of Kestra.

In addition to Deanna and Kestra, Lwaxana Troi also has a son whose father is a Tavnian named Jeyal. She briefly marries Odo in order to void Jeyal's claim to the child.

Appearances

Star Trek: The Next Generation

• "Haven" - arrives to attend Deanna's wedding to Wyatt Miller, which ends up not happening
• "Manhunt" - looks for new husband
• "Ménage à Troi" - kidnapped by a Ferengi
• "Half a Life" - discovers a scientist she's developed feeling for is required to end his own life
• "Cost of Living" - deals with mid-life crisis; mentors Alexander Rozhenko
• "Dark Page" - falls into a coma; Deanna aids in her recovery and in the process, learns of her sister, Kestra and Kestra's death

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

• "The Forsaken" - helps Odo deal with personal problems
• "Fascination" - becomes involved in a Bajoran love festival
• "The Muse" - marries Odo temporarily, to protect custody of her unborn son

Mr. Homn

In most of her Star Trek: The Next Generation appearances, Troi travels with her extremely tall manservant, Mr. Homn (Carel Struycken). In "The Ceremony of Innocence is Drowned", part of the Tales of the Dominion War short story anthology, Homn is killed when the Jem'Hadar invade Betazed. Homn rarely ever spoke. His sole line of dialogue is in "Haven" where he says "Thank you for the drinks."

External links

• Lwaxana Troi at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Mr. Homn at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

References

1. ^ Beck, Donald R. (Director) (1991). Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special. 
2. ^ Hastie, A. Fabricated Space: Assimilating the Individual on Star Trek: The Next Generation in Enterprise Zones: Critical Positions on Star Trek. Eds. Harrison et al. (Westview Press: Boulder, 1996).

See also

• List of Star Trek characters: A-F
• List of Star Trek characters: G-M
• List of Star Trek characters: N-S
• List of Star Trek characters: T-Z
• List of minor recurring characters in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• List of minor recurring characters in Star Trek: Enterprise
• List of minor recurring characters in Star Trek: The Original Series
• List of minor recurring characters in Star Trek: Voyager
• List of Star Trek episodes