Remembering Tony Todd’s Star Trek Roles

Key Takeaways

• Todd portrayed the nuanced journey of Kurn in TNG and DS9, showcasing themes of loyalty, honor, and redemption.
• His role as the older Jake Sisko in DS9’s “The Visitor” contained moving performances on themes of hope, sacrifice, and love.
• Todd’s performance as the Alpha-Hirogen in Voyager’s “Prey” showcased his adaptability and skill in representing alien cultures.

Tony Todd, the actor best-known by non-Trekkies for his lead role in the 1992 horror film Candyman, died on November 6, 2024, at the age of 69. To Star Trek fans, Todd was best-known for his incredible guest appearances in the Star Trek universe, including roles in The Next Generation (TNG), Deep Space Nine (DS9), and Voyager. Here’s a retrospective of Todd’s stellar Trek performances.

Kurn: The Next Generation and Deep Space 9

The Next Generation: “Sins of the Father”

Todd made his Trekverse debut in the third season of TNG. In “Sins of Father,” he introduced Trekkies to Worf’s younger brother Kurn, who was raised on Qo’noS. When his parents died in the Khitomer Massacre, The Klingon High Council assumed that Kurn had died with his parents. Instead, he’d stayed home with a family friend, who ended up raising him as her own. Kurn only found out who his real parents were when he reached the Age of Ascension.

When a powerful member of the Klingon High Council accused his father, Mogh, of being a traitor, Kurn finally sought out his brother, Worf, to help him clear their father’s name. During the proceedings, Kurn was stabbed and almost died. Worf made the strategic decision to not challenge the charges any further because the Klingon Empire was on the verge of Civil War. However, the brothers never truly gave up trying to redeem their father’s reputation.

The Next Generation: “Redemption Parts 1 & 2”

In the TNG two-parter “Redemption Parts 1 & 2,” Worf explained to Gowron, the leader of the Klingon High Council, that he had proof that his father was framed. He asked Gowron to help him clear Mogh’s name, but after considering, Gowron refused. Kurn was livid and swore to kill Gowron, but Worf insisted that he support Gowron in the inevitable Klingon Civil War. Begrudgingly, Kurn obeyed, and ended up leading the squadron that took down the head of the family that framed his father. For his loyalty, Gowron gave Kurn a seat on the Klingon High Council.

Deep Space 9: “Sons of Mogh”

Kurn’s good fortune didn’t last very long, though. In the DS9 episode “Sons of Mogh,” Kurn opposed Gowron and General Martok’s decision to invade the Cardassian Empire. When he and Worf refused to join the invasion, Gowron stripped them of their titles, lands, and House Name. Disgraced and ostracized, Kurn fell into a deep depression.

He showed up on Deep Space Nine months later, a mess, and asked Worf to perform a Klingon ritual to kill him, because suicide was considered a dishonorable death. Worf agreed, but when his partner, Jadzia Dax, found out, she saved Kurn’s life. Worf and Jadzia tried to help Kurn get back on his feet, but all their attempts failed. He was determined to accept dishonor and take his own life, but Jadzia came up with an alternate solution. They wiped his memory and surgically altered his face so he could start a new life.

Kurn’s story in TNG and DS9 was a nuanced, emotional journey, and Todd brought all the gravitas to the character that the story deserved. Todd also had incredible chemistry with Michael Dorn, who played Worf, so their scenes were always gripping.

Jake Sisko: Deep Space 9, “The Visitor”

Todd’s best role in the Trekverse is, by far, the older version of Jake Sisko in “The Visitor.” In this fourth-season episode, Captain Sisko was apparently killed on the U.S.S. Defiant, right in front of his son, Jake. But soon after his supposed death, Jake saw his father. A few months later, it happened again. Jake took him to sickbay, and Dr. Julian Bashir discovered that Captain Sisko was trapped in a temporal distortion.

The rest of the episode follows Jake’s life without his father. Todd portrays Jake as an adult who went to school, got married, and became a prestigious writer. Then, his father reappeared, met Jake’s wife, and saw everything that his son had become. When he disappeared again, Jake was devastated. He became so obsessed with getting his father back that his life crumbled. With the help of the old Deep Space 9 crew, he tried to get to his father’s timeline and get Sisko back, but his attempt failed. Right before he left his father’s timeline, Captain Sisko begged Jake to live the rest of his life for himself. Jake listened, and began writing again.

As an old Jake prepared to die, Captain Sisko reappeared. Jake explained that if he killed himself while they were in the same timeline, he believed this would send them back to the moment of the accident. Sisko begged his son not to sacrifice himself, but Jake insisted that if his plan worked, he’d be saving two lives. Sisko held old man Jake as he died. And then, they were both back on the Defiant, and Jake was young, being held by his father.

Todd’s portrayal of Jake throughout this episode is one of the most moving and poignant performances in the entire series. His hope and despair as a grieving son trying to save his father — and continually failing — are palpable through the screen. Todd also brought out the best in Avery Brooks, Captain Sisko, and every scene they share is phenomenal. During a panel at Star Trek Las Vegas in 2014, as reported by TrekMovie, Todd revealed that his grief in the episode was real, as he’d been mourning the aunt who raised him while they were filming.

Alpha-Hirogen: Voyager, “Prey”

In this season 4 episode of Voyager, Todd played the Alpha Hirogen who was rescued by the crew of Voyager during his hunt for Species 8472. As he recovered on the ship, the member of Species 8472 that he had captured attacked the crew. Captain Janeway allowed the Alpha to join the effort to capture the creature, and he agreed, seeing it as a way to continue his hunt.

Three Hirogen ships appeared, demanding that the Voyager crew return both the Alpha and his prey so they could finish the hunt. When Janeway agreed to return the Alpha, but not the Species 8472, the Hirogen attacked Voyager.

The team that found the Species 8472 isolated it behind a forcefield, because Janeway wanted to keep it alive. The Alpha demanded that he be allowed to finish his hunt, but Seven of Nine refused, citing the captain’s orders. Seven told him to stand down. He refused, insisting she wouldn’t kill him. Just then, the Species 8472 broke through the forcefield and charged the Alpha. As they fought, Seven hacked into the transporter system and, disobeying a direct order, beamed the Alpha and the Species 8472 aboard one of the attacking Hirogen ships. The Hirogen called off their attack, and Seven had to face the wrath of Janeway.

Todd’s performance as the Alpha, though understated, is an excellent representation of this Trek species. Todd was adept at tailoring his performance to fit the alien culture he was representing, making him a standout in the Star Trek universe.