The Star Trek Movie Moment Michael Dorn Wishes Worf Was In
In the 1994 film "Star Trek: Generations," the Enterprise-D was sabotaged by Klingons, allowing the ship to be bested in battle and severely damaged. The ship's drive section blew up into a million pieces and the saucer section crash-landed on Veridian III. After a dramatic event like that, one might expect some of the Enterprise officers to re-think their career trajectories. It seems that most of the Enterprise's senior staff was 100% okay with merely moving to another (uglier) ship and going on their merry way. No one gets sentimental about the Enterprise-D.
Worf (Michael Dorn), however, did indeed have a crisis of career. His ship was destroyed and he didn't really know what he wanted to do. Luckily, a chance visit to Deep Space Nine revealed that he was content with the idea of transferring. He would no longer be a security officer, but an ambitious command officer. Starting with the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" episode "The Way of the Warrior," Worf became a regular on the show.
As for the "Next Generation" movies, writers always found a flimsy excuse to get Worf back with his old Enterprise co-workers. In "First Contact," he was rescued from the U.S.S. Defiant during a Borg battle. In "Insurrection," he's there for some sort of diplomatic summit. In "Nemesis," he was there for the wedding of Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes).
Dorn was always happy to appear, becoming one of Trek's most reliable and prolific actors. He rarely complained about his role and never felt he deserved any more or less screen time. Dorn did reveal, however — in a recent video interview with "Jake's Takes" — that there was a moment in "Nemesis" where he felt Worf should have been present.
Worf, man of action
The climax of "Star Trek: Nemesis" involved a face-off between the Enterprise-E and an enormous, overpowered Romulan ship named the Scimitar. Reman invaders stalked the ship and the Enterprise crew had to defend themselves. It was the most action-packed climax of a "Star Trek" film to date. To represent the hand-to-hand combat, Riker had a fistfight with a Reman on a catwalk somewhere in the Enterprise's bowels.
Dorn, looking back over Worf's many appearances, was at peace with what Worf got to do, understanding — in a very diplomatic way — that the Klingon was a supporting member of the ensemble. But, after a moment's thought, you can see him recalling the above scene from "Nemesis" and getting a little miffed. Dorn said:
"I think that although Worf isn't the lead in the shows, I think they've given me some great moments, and I haven't sat back and watched something and go, 'Oh, I should have been in that.' I mean — I'm sorry, there is one! The last movie, there's a scene where there's a big battle going on. [...] And Worf isn't in the battle. And I go, 'Uh, really? Worf? Big guy? Klingon sword? Not in this battle?' That was one."
Worf had the wherewithal to carry a combat knife out into the vacuum of space to fight a Borg in "First Contact," but he couldn't be depicted kicking the asses of Reman infiltrators in "Nemesis"? One can see Dorn's point. True, Riker had a bone to pick with the Remans as one of them infiltrated the brain of his psychic bride earlier in the movie. But Worf also dated Deanna briefly, so he, too would be motivated to get revenge for the same reason.
It was an oversight to be sure.