Klingon Aging - Do Klingons Age Really Fast?

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-01-13 11:00pm

I was pondering something, while flipping channels, I saw the TNG episode where Alexander takes Worf to the holodeck for a Cowboy adventure in one of the many episodes based around the Holodeck malfunctioning.

Then I got to thinking, that he looked, what, like ten in the episode? But I thought, that seems awfully old, considering that he was conceived in the second season after Worf had the slap and tickle with K'Ehelyr, and was born in 2366, according to the bibliography of both Worf and Alexander on the ST website. Then, in season four, K'Ehelyr appears, with Alexander in tow. Alexander now looks like eight or nine. Not only that, but Alexander gets frustrated and joins the Klingon Army as an adult, and takes part in Worf's wedding to Judzia in 2374. That makes him eight years old as of the Worf/Judzia wedding.

Funky stuff, and food for thought about Klingons. What sort of implications can we draw from this?

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2004-01-13 11:08pm

Consider it writer's fiat to make the character more interesting. I think the writers initially thought giving Worf a kid was a good idea, artificially aged him to get him to the 'interesting' stage. Then abandoned the character when it didn't pan out and Alexander became one of those odd revolving characters in the TNG and DS9 stories.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-01-13 11:12pm

I'd agree to that, naturally. No point in landing Worf with a bundle of joy and finding out that it is the men who breastfeed in Klingons.

"Alexander, you are hungry! I demand you suck on my mighty warrior's teat!"

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-01-13 11:29pm

in DS9 one of the klingons from TOS era traveled back in time to blow up the k-1 station and have his earlier self succeed in the mission he was supposed to accomplish, so he'd lived through TOS all the way up to DS9. i'd say this shows alot for klingon longevity.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-01-13 11:33pm

Darth_Zod wrote:in DS9 one of the klingons from TOS era traveled back in time to blow up the k-1 station and have his earlier self succeed in the mission he was supposed to accomplish, so he'd lived through TOS all the way up to DS9. i'd say this shows alot for klingon longevity.

Which suggests that Klingons simply don't stop growing and run through puberty at a few years old. Why is beyond me but if they were truly derived from a predator species that might make some sense.

But I wouldn't read too much into Alexander going into the army; it doesn't seem beyond me at all for the Klingons to use kids as soldiers.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-01-14 12:02am

Darth_Zod wrote:in DS9 one of the klingons from TOS era traveled back in time to blow up the k-1 station and have his earlier self succeed in the mission he was supposed to accomplish, so he'd lived through TOS all the way up to DS9. i'd say this shows alot for klingon longevity.

There was also the episode about the three old Klingons and Jadzia.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2004-01-14 12:07am

Wasn't there also a DS9 episode with Kor, Kang, and Koloth from TOS as well?

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-01-14 01:03am

i believe that's the episode evilcat was referring to. although i don't recall its name.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-01-14 01:07am

Darth_Zod wrote:i believe that's the episode evilcat was referring to. although i don't recall its name.

Yes that is episode I mentioned.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2004-01-14 06:26am

I think the Klingons mature more quickly than humans and they definately have a longer natural life span (perhaps because of their redundant physiology

).

Even though he was apparently old enough to join the military I think Alexander was still considered fairly young even by Klingon standards. Still, I think he still age jumped a little to make him more interesting instead of the whiney little kid we saw on TNG.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-01-14 06:41am

the klingons are a warrior based society. since alexander seemingly matured so quickly, maybe we could assume that their species matured to adulthood rapidly as a sort of byproduct of evolution? sorta like how certain animals learn to walk within the first year as to escape predators and the like.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-01-14 08:36am

Stormbringer wrote:But I wouldn't read too much into Alexander going into the army; it doesn't seem beyond me at all for the Klingons to use kids as soldiers.

I wasn't making a thing of it, but I was using it as details about what Alexander was doing in life in the DS9 series. I can easily see the Klingon Army taking soldiers at young ages, it's not even really unusual an idea by human standards (it was only in the last hundred years that the Royal Navy stopped taking the children of young nobles and making them midshipmen to put them on the chain of command) My point was that he appearantly was eight years old when he did it, though looked to be in his mid-teens.