Chief Security officer Worf was a major surprise for first-time Star Trek: The Next Generation viewers. Not only was he one of the aliens on board the Enterprise, but he was a Klingon, a member of a race once in direct confrontation with the Federation. This new Star Trek attempted to show that fences could be mended between enemies, and Worf became a shining example of progress moving forward.
However, his Klingon heritage could not be suppressed, and that made it especially difficult for him to adhere to Starfleet guidelines. A natural temper and millennia of instinctual and cultural aggression meant that Worf could sometimes be a complete and utter jerk, as well as an amazing officer. Here's a few examples of Worf at his best and worst through the series.
Jerk Moment: Smacking A Hologram
Worf was a straight shooter who had little time for fun and games. When he wasn't busy with his duties, he was in the Holodeck honing his combat skills. Ironically, Worf's human parentage did little to soften his Klingon instincts, and in fact, may have made things more difficult in comparison to children raised on the homeworld.
As such, it was no surprise that Worf got more than a little irritated with a clownish floating face on the Holodeck, which was part of a program created by Lwaxana Troi. When it blocked his path several times and attempted to make him smile, Worf smacked it dead in the face and popped it like a balloon.
Incredible Moment: Protecting The Klingon Empire
Worf's dedication to his own race meant that he was willing to go to any lengths necessary to protect it, even if meant turning himself into the one thing Klingons hate most - a traitor. That's precisely what happened when Worf's late father Mog was accused of being a Romulan collaborator who took part in the infamous Khitomer Massacre some years prior.
At first, Worf set out to clear his father's name, until he uncovered a shameful conspiracy surrounding powerful members of the High Council. Rather than shine a light on their wrongdoing and plunge the Empire into civil war, Worf chose to present himself as the son of a traitor so that order could be maintained.
Jerk Moment: Assaulting A Diplomat
When the Iyaarans participated in an exchange program with the Federation in order to learn more about each other's cultures, Worf found himself dealing with a particularly antagonistic and infuriating ambassador. At every turn, he would try to poke Worf and rile him up in order to start a fight.
Finally, Worf had enough and struck the ambassador which triggered a fight. In reality, the ambassador was sent to experience the concepts of anger and rage, and Worf provided him with the best possible visit. While it worked out in the end, Worf clearly lost his Starfleet professionalism, and that wasn't his best look.
Incredible Moment: Bonding With Alexander
Worf's relationship with his son Alexander was rocky, to say the least. In fact, it never became the kind of father/son relationship that a typical child would prefer to have. Still, Worf knew the value of being a good father, even if he stumbled along the way.
The two managed to bond in the best manner possible when Alexander convinced Worf to join him on the Holodeck as part of a Wild West play date. Though the experience turned dangerous, Worf assured Alexander that they would revisit the program again to act out their fantasies of being lawmen in a lawless age.
Jerk Moment: Believing Admiral Satie
It's no secret that Worf took his job as Head of Security quite seriously, especially given that he was serving on the Federation flagship. Still, his impulsive need to seek out the nefarious and dangerous got the better of him when Admiral Norah Satie began stirring up trouble on the Enterprise.
As Satie expanded her witch hunts and vicious attacks on free speech and independent thought on board the Enterprise, Worf found himself buying into her propaganda. Not until Picard pointed out the distressing dangers of her behavior did Worf finally realize that she was a viper in their midst.
Incredible Moment: Refusing Vengeance
When the Klingon Empire finally tripped and fell head-first into civil war, Worf resigned his duties as a Starfleet officer to serve aboard his brother's Klingon ship during the conflict. Things got progressively worse when the Romulans attempted to take advantage of the war in order to secure a power grab in the sector.
After the plan had been foiled, Chancellor Gowron offered Worf the opportunity to take vengeance on the son of Duras, a member of the House that slandered his father as a traitor. Worf refused to kill the boy, and when told that it was the Klingon way, he replied, "Perhaps, but it is not my way."
Jerk Moment: Contemplating Suicide
After a freak accident in a cargo bay left Worf's spinal column shattered and his body paralyzed, it seemed like his days were numbered. To a Klingon, his condition would be thought of as dishonorable, and an unnecessary burden to place upon family and loved ones. His first thought was to partake in ritual suicide in order to die with dignity.
Unfortunately, that meant leaving a frightened young Alexander all alone in the world. He had just lost his mother not long before, and now Worf was ready to leave his life as well. It may have made sense from a cultural standpoint, but it was one of Worf's biggest jerk moments. Thankfully, he changed his mind and chose life, instead.
Incredible Moment: Admitting His Feelings
A common misconception regarding Klingons is that they hide their true feelings so as to appear strong, but this is false. In reality, Klingons are highly passionate and emotionally expressive, at least when it comes to honor, valor, and sacrifice on the battlefield. They are also quite romantic, in their own way.
Nevertheless, Worf was a character who played his cards uncharacteristically close to his chest. He rarely let anyone get too close, even his dearest shipmates. That changed when he was reunited with K'Ehleyr, a woman for whom he was ready to bond with for life. In his own words to her, "I will not be complete without you."
Jerk Moment: Letting A Romulan Die
The blood feud between the Klingons and the mysterious Romulans is well-documented, and it became greatest after the Khitomer Massacre which almost brought the two sides to open war. As a result, both sides loathed the other without letting up, and that poisoned relations between the two worlds for decades.
When the Enterprise rescued a badly injured Romulan officer, Doctor Crusher asked Worf to participate in a ribosome infusion that could save his life. He flatly refused, citing his own hatred of the Romulans as the reason. Even Captain Picard begged Worf to participate in the procedure in order to soothe tensions between the Federation and the Romulans, but he staunchly refused without a second thought.
Incredible Moment: Inviting A Human Into His Family
After Worf leads a disastrous away mission that results in the death of a crew member, her young son Jeremy is left to deal with the sorrow and trauma. That is until a powerful alien entity masquerades as his mother in an attempt to lure the boy down to a planet where they can be together. In truth, the alien had no ill intentions for the boy, but the real issue was Jeremy's emotional well-being.
After Jeremy is forced to come to grips with his mother's death and begin the grieving process, Worf invites him to participate in a Klingon ceremony by which Jeremy can join his house and become a member of his family. Few things in the world are as incredible as volunteering to be a big brother.