Recently I was able to get my wife addicted to Star Trek: The Next Generation. When we have finished going through the series, I will write about what I believe are the ten best episodes.
But not wanting to spoil anything for her yet, I thought I would reflect on the Top 5 Recurring Characters.
One of the great things about this series is that they would have some characters come back repeatedly and we could watch their stories develop. Some are only in two episodes, but their effect is powerful.
Reducing the number to 5 was difficult, but here are the best ones.
5. Alexander Rozhenko
Keeping only to the character development on The Next Generation, Alexander provided such an intersting view into Worf's world. Having spent his early childhood raised by his half-human mother, Alexander was much more human than Klingon, which caused Worf no small amount of frustration.
However, Alexander also brought out something human in Worf as well. This is especially apparent in the "Ethics" episode where Worf chooses life because of Alexander.
His story arc comes to a head with an interesting time-travel story (that I will not spoil here), which shows the culmination of his relationship with his father and the fulfillment of Worf's character arch on this show.
4. Moriarty
I am fascinated when this show takes the story in directions that I did not see coming. When Moriarty was made in his original episode, I thought that the story was going to show him as a typical villain. But instead, we discovered a being who was gifted and cursed with consciousness and only wanted to live.
When he returned, I got a strong Wrath of Kahn vibe from the story: the heroes had failed in their obligations and so consequences occur. All the while, I could not help but root for him.
3. Q
You could argue that he is the most important recurring character, setting up the events at the beginning and the end of the series. If he was only an omnipotent imp, he would not be on this list, despite John de Lancie's entertaining performance.
What makes Q so interesting is that over the course of 7 years, he actually changes. His arrogant perch overseeing humanity slowly gets dismantled. Despite himself, you see how he develops admiration and even affection for humanity, Picard in particular. Part of Star Trek is about finding the humanity in everyone. This was done very slowly and subtly with Q
2. Lt. Reginald Barclay
Back in the day, many of us sci-fi nerds were shy and introverted. We wanted to be like the bold and daring characters in our stories. Barclay was different because he was like us. At the very least he was like me. I never forgot how true to home his words were when he said, "I'm the tyupe of person who memorizes things to talk about at a party and then spends hours in the corner trying to look interested in examining a potted plant."
They always gave Barclay these nervous tendencies, but the stretched him to grow. He showed us that it was okay to be reserved and shy, but that sometimes we have to overcome these difficulties when the hour of need comes.
1. Guinan
At first Guinan was very much a Deus Ex Machina character who offered sage and infallible advice to our characters. And while this is Whoopi Goldberg at her most charismatic, for a long time she was a wise character with no dimension.
But over the series, layers were added to her. You see this especially in the "I, Borg," where her inerent moral sense showed cracks for the first time. We could see that though she had the wisdom of age and experience, she was still someone who needed to grow and change.
In "Time's Arrow," we got to see a younger Guinan, one filled with energy and rebellion. She was filled with a fire that cooled with age. Peeling back layers like this help us understand not only her character, but the insight into how time will teach us to grow more human, if we allow it.
What are your thoughts? Did I miss anyone who should be on this list?
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