Movies - TV
Kivas Fajo Is Actually Star Trek's Most Evil Villain
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
“Star Trek” fans may be slow to use words like “hero” and “villain” to describe the driven and complex characters found in the franchise that can sometimes take the story in a morally gray direction. However, some characters aren’t nuanced, such as Kivas Fajo from the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” episode “The Most Toys,” who may be the most evil villain of the entire franchise.
Brilliantly played by Saul Rubinek, Kivas Fajo is a collector who has spent his whole life acquiring rare antiquities to keep in his storehouse of collectibles. Fajo’s latest acquisition is Data (Brent Spiner), whom the collector feels isn’t a sentient being but a mere object to be acquired. His views on Data are the audience’s first indication of Fajo’s villainy and the abuse to come.
When Data refuses to sit in his designated chair, Fajo uses his Varon-T disruptor — the show’s most painful weapon — on his longtime assistant, Varria (Jane Daly), and horrifyingly kills her. Fajo displays true sociopathic behavior as all his evil decisions are made logically and resolutely, with the sole goal of protecting and growing his collection.
As “Star Trek” takes place in a post-capitalist utopia, Fajo is the worst possible villain: a person who values things over people. Other characters highly value wealth, but they are typically comedic antagonists who don’t pose any real danger. “Star Trek” may not usually have villains, but Kivas Fajo is an excellent example of one who gets to the heart of what the series is about.