Remembering Tony Todd's Star Trek roles

Key takeaways

• Todd depicted Korn's astral journey in TNG and DS9, showing themes of loyalty, honor and redemption.
• DS9's “The Visitor” featured moving performances on the themes of hope, sacrifice and love as old Jake Sisko.
• Todd's performance as an alpha-hero in Voyager's “Prey” demonstrated his adaptability and skill in representing alien cultures.

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

to do: The next generation and Deep space 9

The next generation: “Sins of the Father”

Todd made his Trekverse debut in the third season TNG. In “Sins of Father” he introduces the Trekkies to Korn, Worf's younger brother, who grew up on Qo'noS. When his parents died in the Khitomer Massacre, the Klingon High Council assumed that Korn died with his parents. Instead, he lived at home with a family friend, who raised him as his own. Corn only found out who his real parents were when he reached the age of ascension.

When a powerful member of the Klingon High Council accuses his father Mog of being a traitor, Kurn finally seeks out his brother Worf to help clear his father's name. During the proceedings, Corn was stabbed and nearly died. Worf made the strategic decision not to challenge the charges because the Klingon Empire was on the brink of civil war. However, the brothers never really gave up trying to redeem their father's reputation.

The next generation: “Salvation Part 1 & 2”

in TNG In the two-parter “Redemption Parts 1 and 2,” Worf tells Govron, the leader of the Klingon High Council, that he has evidence that his father was framed. He asks Goron to help clear Mog's name, but after consideration, Goron refuses. Korn is enraged and vows to kill Govron, but Worf insists on supporting Govron in the inevitable Klingon Civil War. Begrudgingly, Korn obeyed, and led a squadron to take down the head of the family who framed his father. For his loyalty, Govran gave Korn a seat on the Klingon High Council.

Deep space 9: “Sons of Mogha”

Corn's good fortune didn't last long, though. in DS9 In the episode “Descendants of Mogh,” Korn opposes Goron and General Martok's decision to invade the Cardassian Empire. When he and Worf refuse to join the raid, Govron strips them of their titles, lands, and house names. Humiliated and ostracized, Korn fell into a deep depression.

He showed up in deep space nine months later, a mess, and asked Worf to perform a Klingon ritual to kill him, as suicide was considered an inhumane death. Worf agreed, but when his friend, Jadzia Dax, found out, she saved Korn's life. Worf and Jadzia try to help Kurn back to his feet, but all their efforts fail. He was determined to accept the insult and take his own life, but Jadzia came up with an alternative solution. They erased his memory and surgically changed his face so he could start a new life.

In the story of Karna TNG and DS9 It was a subtle, emotional journey, and Todd brought all the gravitas to a character worthy of the story. Todd also had incredible chemistry with Michael Dorn, who played Worf, so their scenes were always compelling.

Jake Cisco: Deep space 9“visitor”

Todd's best role in Trekverse is an older version of Jake Sisko in “The Visitor.” In this fourth-season episode, Captain Sisko is apparently killed on the USS Defiant in front of his son, Jake. But after his presumed death, Jake saw his father. A few months later, it happened again. Jake takes her to Sickbay, and Dr. Julian Bashir discovers that Captain Sisko was trapped in a temporary warp.

The rest of the episode follows Jake's life without his father. Todd portrays Jake as an adult who goes to school, gets married and becomes a prolific writer. Then, his father reappears, meets Jake's wife, and sees everything that happened to his son. When he disappeared again, Jake was devastated. He was so desperate to get his father back that his life fell apart. With the help of the old Deep Space 9 crew, he tries to reach his father's timeline and bring Cisco back, but his efforts fail. Before he leaves his father's timeline, Captain Sisko urges Jake to live the rest of his life for himself. Jake listened, and started writing again.

As old Jake prepares to die, Captain Sisko reappears. Jake explains that if he killed himself they were in the same timeline, he believes it would send them back to the moment of the accident. Cisco begs his son not to sacrifice himself, but Jake insists that if his plan works, he will save two lives. Cisco catches the old man Jake as he dies. And then, they were both back on the Defiant, and Jake was young, captured by his father.

Todd's portrayal of Jake in this episode is one of the most moving and poignant performances in the entire series. His hopes and frustrations as a grieving son trying to save his father – and constantly failing – are palpable through the veil. Todd also brings out a great performance 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 this episode was real, as he was grieving the aunt who raised him in the movie.

Alpha-hydrogen: Voyager“hunt”

In this season 4 episode VoyagerTodd played an alpha hero who was rescued by the crew Voyager In Search of Species 8472 As he recovered on the ship, the crew were attacked by members of Species 8472, whom he had captured. Captain Janeway allows Alpha to join the effort to capture the creature, and he agrees, seeing it as a way to continue his hunt.

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

The team that found Species 8472 isolated it behind the forcefield, because Janeway wanted to keep it alive. 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 up. He refused, insisting that he would not kill her. Just then, Species 8472 broke through the forcefield and charged Alpha. As they fought, Seven hacked into the transporter system and, disobeying direct orders, beamed Alpha and Species 8472 onto one of the attacking Hirogen ships. Hirogen blocked his attack, and Seven faced Janeway's wrath.

Toad's performance as an alpha, however, is the best representation of the Trek species. Todd was adept at tailoring his performance to the foreign culture he was representing, making him stand out Star Trek the universe.