Summary
- Ronald D.
- K'Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson) - Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4, Episode 9, "Legacy"
- Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) - Star Trek: TNG, Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26, "All Good Things..."
Writer and producer Ronald D. Moore racked up an incredible body count, killing off several big-name Star Trek redshirts either, as many regular and recurring characters have also fallen in action. Many regular and recurring characters have given their lives, from the sacrifice of Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock all the way to the death of Lieutenant Hemmer (Bruce Horak) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Ronald D. Moore has been the writer and orchestrator of many of these dramatic deaths between ing Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1989 and leaving Star Trek: Voyager in 1999. Tellingly, Moore's last story idea for Star Trek was Voyager, season 6, episode 3, "Barge of the Dead", which killed off Miral Torres, mother of Lt. B'Elanna Torres. Moore's frustrations with Voyager inspired Battlestar Galactica, and forced him to leave the franchise he'd been an integral part of for ten years. As well as leaving behind some of Star Trek's best episodes, Ronald D. Moore also left a trail of bodies in his wake.
Ronald D. Moore's First Star Trek Episode Foreshadowed His DS9 & Battlestar Galactica Future
Ronald D. Moore learned lessons on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine that ultimately led to his Battlestar Galactica reboot.
8 Honorable Mention: Captain Lisa Cusak (Debra Wilson)
Star Trek: DS9, Season 6, Episode 25
Captain Lisa Cusak (Debra Wilson) was not a big-name Star Trek character, but she had a profound effect on the crew of the USS Defiant in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. In DS9 season 6, episode 25, "The Sound of Her Voice", the crew respond to a distress signal from the captain of the crashed USS Olympia. As the Defiant makes its way to the source of the signal, Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) is able to respond to Cusak, and they bond over their similar family backgrounds. Cusak also chats with Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig), becoming a friend and confidant.
Debra Wilson is a prolific voice actor who also played Captain Trij in Star Trek: Prodigy and Z'oto in Star Trek: Lower Decks.
Devastatingly, Sisko, Bashir, and O'Brien eventually locate Cusak's body on an L-class planet in the Rutharian sector. The USS Olympia's captain had been dead for three years, and the environmental distortions caused by metreon radiation enabled her to converse with the Defiant crew in the future. "The Sound of Her Voice" is a powerful example of how Ronald D. Moore can make the audience care deeply about a character so that their death hits so much harder.
7 K'Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson)
Star Trek: TNG, Season 4, Episode 7, "Reunion"
Ambassador K'Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson) was the first Star Trek character to be killed by Ronald D. Moore. The former lover of Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn), K'Ehleyr, made two appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation, in season 2, episode 20, "The Emissary", and season 4, episode 7, "Reunion". As the mother of Worf's son Alexander, K'Ehleyr's death is particularly harrowing and oddly mirrors the death of Marla Aster (Susan Powell) in Ronald D. Moore's first Star Trek script, TNG season 3, episode 5, "The Bonding". The death of K'Ehleyr fundamentally impacts Worf, too, forcing him to take the life of Duras (Patrick Massett).
Star Trek: The Next Generation follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they embark on interstellar explorations, seeking out new worlds and civilizations.
- Cast
- Colm Meaney, Clyde Kusatsu, Diana Muldaur, Jeri Taylor, Amanda McBroom, John de Lancie, Jonathan West, Michael Okuda, Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Richard D. James, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Ito, Michael Bell, Lee Arenberg, David Warner, Susan Gibney
- Showrunner
- Gene Roddenberry
- Directors
- Cliff Bole, Les Landau, Winrich Kolbe, Rob Bowman, Robert Scheerer, LeVar Burton
- Writers
- René Echevarria, Maurice Hurley, Richard Manning, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Tracy Tormé, Hannah Louise Shearer, Stuart Charno, Ira Steven Behr, Sara B. Cooper, Peter Allan Fields, Herbert Wright, Frank Abatemarco, Burton Armus, Hilary Bader, Morgan Gendel, David Kemper, Michael I. Wagner, Philip LaZebnik, Robert McCullough, Susan Sackett, Nick Sagan, Fred Bronson, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Sam Rolfe
- Franchise(s)
- Star Trek
- Seasons
- 7
- Streaming Service(s)
- Amazon Prime Video
- Where To Watch
- Paramount Plus
Although it was initially Star Trek: The Next Generation's producer Michael Piller's idea to kill off K'Ehleyr, it was Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga who had to pull the trigger. Reflecting on the power of K'Ehleyr's death in "Reunion", and its effect on both Worf and the audience at home, Ronald D. Moore is quoted in the book, Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman. Read Moore's quote about killing off K'Ehleyr below:
"...it worked because you cared about her, and we made an effort not to do it capriciously and for no reason, just to get her off the show so Worf wouldn't have to deal with her. [...] Anybody who watches that episode is moved and outraged by the killing of K'Ehleyr. You're mad, and you have that same need for vengeance that Worf does."
Every Star Trek Character Played By Suzie Plakson
What do a Vulcan, a Klingon, a Q, and an Andorian have in common? Actress Suzie Plakson has played them all in her Star Trek guest appearances.
6 Anti-Time Future Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)
Star Trek: TNG, Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26, "All Good Things..."
Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga killed off another of Worf's romantic partners in the Star Trek: The Next Generation finale, "All Good Things". In the scenes set in the TNG finale's anti-time future, it's revealed that Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) died from an unknown illness. Deanna's death drove a wedge between Worf and Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes), leaving them estranged for over 20 years. The audience never see Deanna die, but the fact that the aftermath is still felt decades later is another example of his skill at delivering cruel Star Trek deaths.
Moore and Braga's decision to kill off Troi in "All Good Things" was an astute shorthand to reveal not just the stakes of averting the anti-time future, but to also reflect how important she was to Worf and Riker.
Thankfully, Star Trek: Picard revealed that Deanna Troi was alive and well over 20 years after the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, Moore and Braga's decision to kill Troi off in "All Good Things" was an astute shorthand to reveal not just the stakes of averting the anti-time future, but to also reflect how important she was to Worf and Riker. There's a genuine relief once Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) returns to the present to see that Deanna and Worf are still together, and crucially, that Troi is still alive.
5 Kurn (Tony Todd)
Star Trek: DS9, Season 4, Episode 15, "Sons of Mogh"
Ronald D. Moore clearly loves to torture Worf, as he also killed off his brother Kurn (Tony Todd) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 4, episode 15, "Sons of Mogh". Unlike the deaths of K'Ehleyr and Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Moore does something more philosophical when it comes to Kurn's death. Ostracized from the Klingon Empire due to his brother's refusal to back the Klingon and Cardassian War, Kurn sought to end his life with honor rather than live in disgrace. While Worf is initially willing to murder his brother, he is barred from doing so by Captain Sisko.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.
- Network
- CBS
- Cast
- Michael Dorn, Nicole de Boer
- Showrunner
- Michael Piller, Ira Steven Behr
- Writers
- Rick Berman, Michael Piller
- Franchise(s)
- Star Trek
- Seasons
- 7
- Streaming Service(s)
- Paramount Plus
- Where To Watch
- Paramount Plus
Unable to convince Kurn that he can weather the storm of the House of Mogh's disgrace, Worf eventually seeks other means to help his brother. At the end of "Sons of Mogh", Kurn is genetically altered and given a new identity - Rodek, son of Noggra. The deception involving Kurn and Rodek is never mentioned again in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, even after Worf is welcomed back into the Klingon Empire. Presumably, Rodek was never altered back into Kurn, meaning that for all intents and purposes, Ronald D Moore killed Worf's brother in DS9's "House of Mogh".
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4 Vedek Bareil (Philip Anglim)
Star Trek: DS9, Season 3, Episode 13, "Life "
Not content with killing off Worf's love interests, Ronald D. Moore is also the man who killed off Vedek Bareil (Philip Anglim), love interest for Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor). In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3, episode 13, "Life ", Bareil is critically injured in a shuttle accident on the eve of crucial peace talks between Bajor and Cardassia. Bareil's dream to finally obtain peace, and reparations for the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor is achieved, but at the cost of his life.
While breaking the story of "Life ", the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine writers' room considered killing off Chief O'Brien, as Colm Meaney was rumored to be departing the show.
Bareil was killed off because Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's writers didn't believe his relationship with Kira was working. However, as he did with K'Ehleyr in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Ronald D. Moore ensured Bareil's death had meaning, and wasn't a sensationalist way to get rid of a character. By dedicating his last days to helping Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher) with the Cardassian peace talks, Vedek Bareil leaves a lasting legacy, even if DS9's villainous religious leader takes all the credit.
3 Kor (John Colicos)
Star Trek: DS9, Season 7, Episode 7, "Once More Unto The Breach"
Ronald D Moore can also count Klingon Dahar Master Kor (John Colicos) as one of his confirmed kills, having written Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 7, episode 7, "Once More Unto The Breach". In the episode, Kor convinced Worf to vouch for the old Klingon warrior to the IKS Ch'tang. However, Kor's advancing years meant that he made critical mistakes, bringing him great dishonor. Kor's rivalry with General Martok (J.G. Hertzler) meant that the old warrior was relieved of duty for his errors, but he eventually proved himself in a daring final act.
Ronald D. Moore based the story of "Once More Unto the Breach" on the mystery surrounding Davy Crockett and the Battle of the Alamo.
Kor was the sole pilot of the IKS Ning'tao, and flew it into the heart of enemy territory, keeping ten Jem'Hadar ships distracted so that Worf, Martok and the Ch'tang's crew could rendezvous with the USS Defiant. When John Colicos first returned to Star Trek in "Blood Oath", he was adamant that Kor should not die. Five years later, Ronald D. Moore gave Kor a death befitting a Star Trek legend and heroic Klingon warrior.
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2 Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly)
Star Trek: DS9, Season 7, Episode 22, "Tacking into the Wind"
The tumultuous friendship between Lt. Commander Worf and Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) comes to a brutal end in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, episode 22, "Tacking into the Wind". With Gowron becoming increasingly reckless and vindictive, Captain Sisko and Worf realize that extreme measures must be taken if the Federation Alliance is to win the ongoing Dominion War. In the original draft of "Tacking into the Wind", Gowron survived his encounter with Worf, but Moore felt that there had to be more of an impact that reflected the past decade of Klingon storytelling. In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion Moore stated:
"Yeah, these guys are corrupt, and Worf has put up with that for a long time. They talk a good game about how honorable they are, but they're not capable of living up to their ideals. That's an important thing to say, so let's say it."
Therefore, Worf finally challenging Gowron to a duel was him confronting the Klingon Empire's corrupt ideals. Worf killing Gowron in battle is a huge moment for his arc in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as it allows him to reconcile his complicated relationship with the Klingon Empire, while placing it in the hands of his most trusted ally, General Martok. Once again, Ronald D. Moore's eye for a good story informs the killing off of an iconic Star Trek character.
1 Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner)
Star Trek Generations (1994)
Arguably, Ronald D. Moore's gift for marrying devastating character deaths with a strong story abandons him in Star Trek Generations. Co-written with his frequent Star Trek collaborator Brannon Braga, Generations used the mysterious death of Kirk to bridge the gap between Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation. The central idea was that the mystery surrounding the Nexus and Kirk's death on the USS Enterprise-B would then be solved by Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D.
Kirk sacrificing his life to save the crew of a starship Enterprise that isn't even his own is heroic.
The problem, however, is that Kirk's actual death on Veridian III doesn't have the impact or meaning that it should have. Kirk sacrificing his life to save the crew of a starship Enterprise that isn't even his own is heroic. However, rather than send Kirk back to that heroic moment at the end of Star Trek Generations, Moore and Braga opted for him to be crushed under a bridge and buried under a cairn. It's never been clear in the established Star Trek canon which of Kirk's deaths remains on the official record, but Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga's first attempt in Generations' prologue is definitely the most heroic one.
Star Trek Generations is currently streaming on Max.
