Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 5 - "Imposters"The team-up of Captain Worf (Michael Dorn) and Commander Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) in Star Trek: Picard season 3 brings back fond memories of Worf and Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but with a twist. Worf revealed himself as Raffi's Starfleet Intelligence handler after she nearly got herself killed on M'Talas Prime as she investigated stolen weapons from Daystrom Station. Together, the not-so-odd couple managed to uncover how Changelings were able to penetrate Daystrom's A.I. security before Worf made contact with Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) on the USS Titan-A.
Worf joined Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 4 as the station's Strategic Operations Officer, and it wasn't long before the Klingon and Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax found romance. Dax, a Trill, could relate to Worf because her prior host, Curzon Dax (Frank Owen Smith), spent his career on the Klingon homeworld. There was an immediate and obvious electric attraction between Worf and Dax that culminated in their wedding in DS9 season 6. But the couple only had a brief moment of happiness as Klingon man and Trill wife before Jadzia was murdered by Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) at the end of DS9 season 6.
How Picard's Raffi & Worf Echo Worf & Dax On DS9
Worf and Dax essentially began their courtship in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 4 by sparring with each other in the holosuites. Worf had become accustomed to his new, lighter weapon, the mek'leth, while Jadzia preferred the traditional Klingon bat'leth. It was by training together that Dax and Worf's flirtation grew into romantic love, as Jadzia enjoyed Worf's gruffness hiding his inner kindness while the Klingon was fascinated (but also annoyed) by Dax's openness and irreverence. Yet their occasional missions together often proved problematic. Worf and Dax's bickering often resulted in hard feelings that they, admittedly, smoothed over with their mutual passion.
In Star Trek: Picard season 3, Worf and Raffi training with swords is a can't-miss callback to Worf and Dax's holosuite swordfights. In Raffaela, Worf found a troubled soul who needs guidance to overcome her personal demons. For Raffi, Worf comes off as an overbearing know-it-all, but he's also a Starfleet legend who is a close friend of her mentor, Jean-Luc Picard. Worf and Raffi's team-up has its share of personality conflict, but it has also worked wonders because both characters sparkle together, just as Dax and Worf did on DS9. But Worf is also older and more even-tempered, while Raffi is even more of a wildcard than the normally cool and efficient Dax was.
Why A Worf & Raffi Romance (Probably) Won't Happen In Picard Season 3
Worf and Raffi share a penchant for snappy repartee and taking action in Star Trek: Picard season 3, but it's hard to imagine their chemistry will develop into romance as it did with Worf and Dax. There is an age gap between the Son of Mogh and Commander Musiker, but beyond that, Worf and Raffi are at very different stages in their emotional lives. Worf is arguably better than ever; the Klingon seems to have dealt with his long-held inner turmoil and found a measure of peace he has never known before. Meanwhile, Raffi is a powder keg who still has unresolved issues as an outcast from her family. Further, Raffi is mourning her breakup with Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan).
This isn't to say that Worf and Raffi couldn't find the happiness together that Worf and Dax briefly enjoyed in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but it's also more unlikely. However, Worf and Raffi have already proven to be an inspired combo in Star Trek: Picard season 3, and Musiker is easily the best partner Worf has had in Star Trek since Jadzia Dax. Whatever the future holds after Star Trek: Picard season 3, it will hopefully involve Worf and Raffi Musiker continuing to be a dynamic duo.
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.