Sons and Daughters (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

Benjamin Sisko and his crew have been rescued from the planet upon which they were marooned in the previous episode, by General Martok's ship, the Rotarran, on which Worf is first officer. After dropping off Sisko's crew, the Rotarran picks up some new recruits, including Alexander, Worf's estranged son, who has joined the Klingon Defense Force without his father's knowledge.

Worf and Alexander argue about Alexander's motivation for joining the military. Worf tells Alexander that he had accepted that his son does not have the heart of a warrior, and he is now confused by Alexander's determination to fight. Later, another member of the crew taunts Alexander about having been raised by humans, and a fight breaks out. Worf breaks up the combat, afraid that Alexander will be injured or killed; Alexander resents Worf's interference, and Martok reprimands him for it. Later, Alexander humiliates himself further when he mistakes a simulation program for an attack on the ship.

Worf attempts to train his son in combat, but the training session quickly breaks down into an argument. Alexander asks if his father plans to send him away yet again, and says that Worf will be glad when he is dead. In an attempt to quash the tension between Worf and Alexander, Martok reassigns Alexander to a transport ship, which provokes another confrontation. This is interrupted by an attack on the Rotarran by the Jem'Hadar.

Alexander distinguishes himself in the ensuing battle by stopping a plasma leak, though he somehow gets himself locked in a room and needs to be rescued. Worf gains a new respect for his son, as well as an understanding that Alexander must choose his own path, and says that he will try to be a better father. The episode ends with Alexander joining the House of Martok, as Worf had done.

Meanwhile, on Deep Space Nine, Gul Dukat brings his daughter Ziyal on board, hoping to use Kira's affection for Ziyal to bring her closer to him. When Ziyal's art is accepted into a prestigious exhibition, Dukat invites Kira to a party to celebrate, sending her a beautiful dress as a gift. Kira is briefly tempted by Dukat's offer, but finds that she cannot face herself in the dress and angrily returns it to him. Ziyal asks Kira not to make her choose between her and Dukat, but Kira tells her there is no choice; Dukat is her father.

This episode established the brevity of Klingon childhood. Alexander Rozhenko had been conceived nine years prior in the Star Trek: The Next Generation second episode, “The Emissary”, and first appeared as a young child in season 4's “Reunion”. Alexander was still a school-aged child when the series ended, but appears as an adult in this episode, four seasons later.

A 2015 binge-watching guide for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine by W.I.R.E.D. recommended not skipping this essential episode.[1]

This episode was noted for a surprising guest acting role by TV Guide, which notes that Gabrielle Union guest stars the alien N'Garen in this 1997 Star Trek episode.[2] The actress later being noted for her role in the year 2000 film, Bring it On.[3]

In 2018, SyFy recommend this episode for its abbreviated watch guide for the Bajoran character Kira Nerys.[4] They recommend it as part of sequence of seven episodes including a "Call to Arms," "A Time to Stand," "Rocks and Shoals," "Sons and Daughters," "Behind the Lines," "Favor the Bold," and "Sacrifice of Angels"; this includes from the season finale of season 5 and the first six episodes of season 6 of the show.[4]

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Sons and Daughters

• Sons and Daughters at IMDb
• "Sons and Daughters" at TV.com

• Sons and Daughters at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

• Sons and Daughters at StarTrek.com