Star Trek: Enterprise season 2 linked up to Star Trek: The Next Generation when Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) became the enemy of an ancestor of one of Lieutenant Worf’s (Michael Dorn) greatest foes. The first Star Trek prequel series, Enterprise retconned Archer as the first Captain of the Enterprise, who led the NX-01 Enterprise to Starfleet’s first pioneering explorations of the galaxy. Some of Captain Archer’s deeds would retroactively echo into Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

A significant but relatively unsung aspect of Star Trek: Enterprise‘s premiere, “Broken Bow,” is that it depicted Earth’s First Contact with the Klingons. Captain Archer and the NX-01 Enterprise’s inaugural mission was to return a Klingon named Klaang (Tiny Lister), who was targeted by the Suliban, to the Klingon homeworld, Qo’noS. Captain Archer became the first human to meet a Klingon High Chancellor, and Klingons would become recurring antagonists for Archer on Star Trek: Enterprise.

200 years later, Lieutenant Worf became the first Klingon in Starfleet, serving as Chief of Security on the USS Enterprise-D. Worf’s family becomes embroiled in a political plot to take control of the Klingon High Council, and many of Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s most intriguing episodes would involve Worf attempting to reclaim the House of Mogh’s honor against his Klingon adversaries. The Duras family emerged as Worf’s most devious foes, and Star Trek: Enterprise retroactively connected Captain Archer’s Klingon struggles to Worf’s.

Captain Archer Met The Ancestor Of Worf’s Enemy On Star Trek: Enterprise

Duras Became Archer’s Enemy As Well

In Star Trek: Enterprise season 2, episode 19, “Judgment,” Captain Jonathan Archer became enemies with Duras, son of Toral (Daniel Riordan). The former Captain of the IKS Bortas, Duras was reduced in rank to second weapons officer after an encounter with Captain Archer and the NX-01 Enterprise. The vengeful Duras gave false testimony at Archer’s trial, which resulted in Jonathan being sentenced to the Klingon penal colony, Rura Penthe.

After the NX-01 Enterprise rescued Captain Archer from his Klingon prison, Duras vowed to destroy the Captain of the Enterprise. Duras made two more Star Trek: Enterprise appearances, pursuing Archer into the Delphic Expanse. However, Duras was unprepared for the upgraded weaponry of Enterprise, which was relaunched to avenge Earth’s attack by the Xindi. Enterprise destroyed Duras and his Klingon Bird-of-Prey in Star Trek: Enterprise season 2, episode 26, “The Expanse.”

Worf’s History As Enemies Of Duras In Star Trek: The Next Generation Explained

Duras Were A Political Scourge Of The Klingon Empire

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 17, “Sins of the Father,” introduced the treacherous Duras family, led by Duras, Son of Ja’rod (Patrick Massett). Duras enacted a political scheme to frame Lieutenant Worf’s father, Mogh, as a traitor in the Camp Khitomer massacre. Worf and Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) soon uncovered Duras’ plot, and learned that it was Duras’ family who betrayed the Klingons but placed the blame on Worf’s father. Worf was forced to accept the dishonor of the House of Mogh and return to the USS Enterprise-D.

Duras made a bid to become Klingon High Chancellor in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 7, “Reunion.” Arbitrating the selection of a new Chancellor, Captain Picard learned that it was Duras who had assassinated Chancellor K’mpec (Charles Cooper). Duras then attempted to kill his political rival, Gowron (Robert O’Reilly), with a bomb. Ultimately, Duras’ treachery was exposed, and Worf killed Duras in battle.

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However, Duras’ Klingon sisters, Lursa (Barbara March) and B’Etor (Gwynyth Walsh), continued their family’s misdeeds. Lursa and B’Etor installed Duras’ illegitimate son, Toral (J.D. Cullum, Rick Pasqualone), as the head of the family and made another bid for Gowron’s High Chancellorship, sparking a Klingon Civil War. However, the Duras’ bid for power failed when Starfleet uncovered their collusion with the Romulans, which restored Gowron as High Chancellor and ended the Klingon Civil War.

Worf’s Ancestor Met Captain Kirk In Star Trek VI

Kirk Was Sent To Rura Penthe Like Captain Archer

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country premiered in 1991, over a decade before Star Trek: Enterprise season 2, but the final film starring the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series featured an appearance by Lieutenant Worf’s ancestor. Colonel Worf (Michael Dorn) was the advocate representing Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), who were framed for the assassination of Klingon High Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner).

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Colonel Worf’s efforts to defend Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy were merely part of a show trial, as the Starfleet Officers were always going to be judged guilty, Like Captain Archer in Star Trek: Enterprise’s “Judgment,” Kirk and McCoy were sentenced to the frozen Klingon penal colony Rura Penthe. And, like Archer, Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy were rescued from Rura Penthe by Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and the USS Enterprise-A.

219 Years After Captain Archer, Worf’s Duras Enemies Were Gone For Good

Star Trek Generations Was The End Of The Duras Family

Star Trek Generations struck a fatal blow to the menace of the Duras family. Lursa and B’Etor were killed when the USS Enterprise-D destroyed their Klingon Bird-of-Prey with a photon torpedo. However, Lursa and B’Etor also managed to destroy the Enterprise. Kidnapping Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), the Klingons were able to see through his VISOR and learned how to penetrate the Enterprise-D’s shields.

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Even though Lursa and B’Etor perished in Star Trek Generations, their attack led to the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D’s stardrive section. The resulting explosion forced the saucer section to crash-land on Veridian III. Thankfully, with Commander Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) at the helm, the Enterprise’s saucer landed on the planet without significant loss of life. Toral later attempted to wield the Sword of Kahless in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but without Duras, Lursa, and B’Etor, his treacherous Klingon family were no longer a threat to the Empire.

Star Trek: Enterprise took advantage of future history already being written by Star Trek: The Next Generation’s era of shows by connecting the prequel to TNG. Enterprise saw Captain Archer encounter TNG-era foes like the Ferengi and the Borg, though he wouldn’t learn those species names to preserve Star Trek canon. Captain Archer’s encounters with Duras on Star Trek: Enterprise retroactively set the stage for the later Duras generation to dishonor Worf and attempt to take control of the Klingon Empire.

Star Trek: Enterprise

6/10

Release Date

2005 – 2005-00-00

Showrunner

Brannon Braga

Directors

Brannon Braga

Writers

Brannon Braga