Reunion (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

"Reunion" is the 81st episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is the seventh episode of the fourth season.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this episode, ambassador K'Ehleyr returns to the Enterprise to advise Captain Picard, who has been chosen as a neutral party to arbitrate the selection of the new Klingon leader from two candidates, Gowron and Duras, one of whom is suspected to be a traitor.

Plot
The starship Enterprise is met by a Klingon Vor'cha class battlecruiser, and Ambassador K'Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson) requests to speak to Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) on an "urgent matter". When she beams aboard, she brings a young Klingon boy (Jon Paul Steuer); based on previous romantic encounters with K'Ehleyr, Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) suspects the boy is his son. K'Ehleyr warns the senior staff of a power struggle occurring within the Klingon Empire and implores Picard to meet Chancellor K'mpec (Charles Cooper) aboard the battlecruiser. On the Klingon ship, K'mpec reveals that he has been poisoned and is slowly dying, and insists that Picard become the Arbiter of Succession and identify his assassin. He suspects that it is either Gowron or Duras, the two challengers for the succession, and warns Picard that allowing a Klingon who would use poison to become chancellor could result in war between the Klingon Empire and the Federation (as killing anonymously is seen as dishonorable).

Worf finally meets and spends time with the Klingon boy, and is troubled by the boy's lack of interest in becoming a warrior. In a private moment with Worf, K'Ehleyr confirms that the boy is his son, Alexander, but hid him from Worf in fear that Worf would ask her to take the Klingon oath of marriage. Worf, already burdened by his discommendation, fears for Alexander's future, given the stigma of his family name.

The two challengers for leadership of the council, Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) and Duras (Patrick Massett), arrive for the Rites of Succession. The rites begin with Picard, Duras, Gowron, and K'Ehleyr confirming that K'mpec has died, but a bomb detonates in the assembly hall, resulting in the deaths of two unnamed Klingons. Picard decides to draw out the Rites using an archaic ceremony to give the Enterprise crew time to complete a forensic analysis on the dead Klingons. Though both resent the longer form, Gowron and Duras have little choice but to agree to continue the Rites.

The Enterprise crew discovers that the explosion came from a Romulan bomb worn by one of Duras' guards. Due to Picard's refusal to explain the circumstances of Worf's discommendation, K'Ehleyr begins her own investigation and discovers that Duras's father was the true traitor in the Khitomer massacre. Duras, notified of K'Ehleyr's access to the records, confronts her and mortally wounds her. Worf and Alexander discover K'Ehleyr in time for her to reveal that Duras attacked her; before she dies, she has Worf promise to look after Alexander. Worf takes a bat'leth from his quarters and transports to Duras's ship, where he challenges Duras to combat under the Right of Vengeance. Duras initially rejects the challenge, but accepts it when Worf claims K'Ehleyr was his mate. Riker, Data, and another Enterprise officer board Duras's ship to stop Worf, but are unable to prevent him from killing Duras in combat. With Duras dead and no other challengers present, Gowron is named Chancellor of the Empire.

After the Klingons leave, Picard reprimands Worf for killing Duras. Though Worf defends his actions as valid under Klingon law, Picard reminds him he is first of all a Starfleet officer and places a formal reprimand on Worf's record. Though Duras's death means that there is no longer any reason to hide the truth of the Khitomer masscare, Worf explains to Picard that the High Council will not admit their actions and vows he and his brother will convince them to speak the truth. Worf and Alexander mourn their loss, and Worf places the boy in the care of his adoptive parents Sergey and Helena Rozhenko.

Production
This episode introduced a Klingon spacecraft to the Star Trek franchise, the "Vor'cha", which was designed by Rick Sternbach; the model was built by Greg Jein. This was also the first episode with the Klingon recurring character Gowron, who would appear in subsequent episodes of both TNG and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; the character was played by Robert O'Reilly.

The Bat'leth prop, a Klingon weapon, was designed by Dan Curry for this episode. Dan Curry was the visual effects producer. The Bat'leth later appeared many times and became known in pop culture.

Reception
In 2016, the story of K'Ehleyr in "Reunion" was noted as one of the saddest conclusions in Star Trek franchise. In 2017, Den of Geek ranked Suzie Plakson's role as K'Ehleyr as one of the top ten guest stars on Star Trek: The Next Generation, noting her performance in this episode and earlier episode which introduced the character, "The Emissary".

In 2017, Den of Geek ranked this episode as one of top 25 "must watch" episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

In 2017, Comic Book Resources ranked Worf and K'Ehleyr as the ninth best romantic relationship of the Star Trek franchise up to that time, noting their introduction in the previous episode "The Emissary". They note that in this episode she returns with Worf's son, but is killed by Duras.

Keith R. A. DeCandido of Tor.com rated the episode ten out of ten. Zach Handlen of The A.V. Club gave the episode a grade of B+.

Legacy
K'Ehleyr was suggested as the inspiration for later Star Trek main cast character B'Elanna Torres. In terms of the continuity in the show, it provides an origin story for Worf's son Alexander.

The episode introduced the bat'leth to the series, which became the iconic weapon of the Klingons.

Releases
"Reunion" was released in the United States on September 3, 2002, as part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 season four DVD box set.