Heart of Glory

TNG Season 1 Episode 20
Air Date: March 21st, 1988

Plot

The Enterprise receive a distress call from a Talarian freighter in the Romulan neutral zone. When they get there there are only a few life signs and the ship is about to explode. They were able to rescue the survivors who ended up being Klingon. They lie and say they were passengers on the freighter and the Ferengi attacked. The Klingons took command to defeat the Ferengi but the crew didn't survive. We later learn that the Klingons are fugitives of the Klingon Empire and attacked the Talarian freighter. When the Klingon's arrive to claim the fugitives they try to escape and die in the process.

Commentary

The first TNG episode with Klingons in it (except for Lt. Worf of course). In TOS the Klingons were represented as a barbarian race but they didn't get into the culture very much. The Motion Picture and The Search For Spock both revealed a different version of the Klingon warrior but it is this episode that really starts to dive into what being a Klingon is.

Worf, being a survivor of the Khitomer attack by Romulans at a young age. He was taken in by a Human family. Even though he grew up learning the Human ways of doing things he always was interested in his culture.

In this episode, the two surviving Klingons (one dies in sickbay) try to escape as they were to be sentenced to death and there is no honor in not dying in combat. I felt they escaped custody just so they could die a warriors death, in combat. They showed an interesting Klingon ritual when a warrior dies where they force open the eyes as death occurs and yell in the air telling the afterlife to be ready, a Klingon warrior is coming.

When the Klingon ship contacted the Enterprise we see the Klingon Empire symbol, but they also show the Federation symbol which is interesting as the Klingon Empire is never really shown to be part of the Federation but rather just in alliance with. I don't think we see this again.

In the beginning of the episode, Geordi is able to feed his visor information directly to the Enterprise's viewscreen so the bridge crew can see what he does. It is hard to understand and they even show how Geordi can see metal fatigue where others just see a metal wall. It is the only time we see this.

Two security officers (gold uniforms) were killed during the Klingon escape.

Quotes

"Is there any special arrangement you would like for the body?" - Doctor Crusher
"It is only an empty shell now. Please treat it as such." - Korris

"I believe, sir, that was the first time outsiders have witnessed the Klingon death ritual." - Data
"I can understand them looking into the dying man's eyes. But the howling?" - Picard
"It was a warning." - Data
"To whom?" - Picard
"They are warning the dead, sir. Beware, a Klingon warrior is about to arrive." - Data

"Tell me, what is it like for the hunter to lie down with the prey? Have they tamed you? Or have you always been docile?" - Korris
"Why do you mock me? Why do you wish to anger me?" - Worf
"Only to see if it is still possible." - Korris
"It is." - Worf

"You look for battles in the wrong place. The true test of a warrior is not without, it is within. Here, here is where we meet the challenge. It is the weaknesses in here a warrior must overcome." - Worf
"No." - Korris
"You have talked of glory and of conquest, and legends we will write." - Worf
"Yes. The birthright of every Klingon." - Korris
"Yet in all you say, where are the words duty, honor, loyalty? Without which a warrior is nothing!" - Worf