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This page details Gorkon, son of Toq in the primary universe; for the Gorkon, son of Toq in the mirror universe see Gorkon, son of Toq (mirror); for the Gorkon, son of Toq in the Kelvin timeline created by Nero's temporal incursion, see Gorkon, son of Toq (Kelvin timeline); for the Gorkon, son of Toq in the mirror universe created by Nero's temporal incursion see Gorkon, son of Toq (mirror) (Kelvin timeline); for the Gorkon, son of Toq in all other alternate universes see Gorkon, son of Toq (alternates).
For other uses, see Gorkon.

Gorkon, son of Toq, of the House of Makok (d. 2293), was a prominent Klingon male politician during the late 23rd century. One of the most visionary politicians in Klingon history, Gorkon was the chancellor whose peace initiative eventually led to the signing of the Khitomer Accords and to the lasting Federation-Klingon alliance. Tragically, Gorkon was assassinated before his vision could gain expression. (TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Undiscovered Country)

Biography[]

Early career[]

Gorkon was a Klingon Defense Force officer, and was eventually promoted to the rank of general. He was assigned as commanding officer of the IKS Chech'Iw in the 2250s. As commander of the Chech'Iw, General Gorkon had several run-ins with the USS Dauntless under the command of Captain Diego Reyes. In 2268 conflict with the Chech'Iw' cost the Dauntless eighteen crew members, including its first officer, Rajiv Mehta. (VAN novel: Precipice; VAN novella: The Ruins of Noble Men)

By 2259, Gorkon had a 21-year-old son, Kintazh, and a 6-year-old daughter, Azetbur. Kintazh also served in the Klingon Defense Force as a weapons officer on the IKS Qul qemwI', under Captain Kavau. Kavau used theragen to quell uprisings within the Empire. He was backed by several powerful members of the Klingon High Council who were pushing for the use of unconventional weapons against the Federation. However, one of the theragen tests backfired, killing three-quarters of the Qul qemwI crew. The survivors all suffered the fatal effects of theragen poisoning, including the now-dishonoured Kintazh.

Sturka disavowed the new use of the poison, branding the survivors of the Qul qemwI' "renegades and criminals". General Gorkon executed the rest of the crew, but could not bring himself to let his son die dishonorably. Unwilling to carry out the Mauk-to'Vor ritual, Gorkon engineered a situation to reclaim Kintazh's honour. He set about curing his son by offering assistance to the ailing Arkenite colony of Azha-R7a, which had a facility able to cure Kintazh.

When Captain Reyes' Dauntless arrived later on the scene to aid the Arkenites, Gorkon failed to inform them what was going on; he covered up his plot to hide his son and his dishonor. However, the new first officer of the Dauntless, Hallie Gannon, a protégé of Emanuel Tagore, saw through the deception. She alerted the ship's doctor, Ezekiel Fisher, who was able to cure Kintazh. Later, Gorkon and Kintazh beamed to the Dauntless, and Kintazh quickly attacked his father's enemy, Reyes. Reyes blocked the attack, but immediately:

"[...] [There] was Gorkon. He stepped in quickly, blocking Gannon’s aim, and snapped his son’s neck with his hands. Kintazh fell on his back, and as his last breath escaped him, Gorkon knelt down, forced open his son’s eyes and roared at the ceiling."

Explaining himself to a confused Gannon, Gorkon reminded Reyes of a quotation they had shared earlier, "I have thee not, and yet I see thee still." He wished Reyes, "Die well," and departed. (VAN novella: The Ruins of Noble Men)

Membership in the Klingon High Council[]

Gorkon's close relationship to Chancellor Sturka earned him a position on the Klingon High Council, sometime prior to 2265. Sturka's relationship with Gorkon was pragmatic as well as personal. Sturka knew that Gorkon could easily defeat him in personal combat, so when Gorkon first hinted at his political ambitions, Sturka worked to make him an ally. As a long-time friend and ally of the chancellor, Gorkon served as a pragmatist and a voice of moderation on the Council. (VAN novel: Harbinger)

Involvement with the Gonmog Sector[]

In 2265, Councillor Gorkon discussed with the Council the Federation's expansion into the Gonmog Sector - what the Federation called the Taurus Reach. The Council agreed to investigate it, in a desire to understand what was driving their enemy's foreign policy. (VAN novel: Harbinger)

Gorkon took the lead on the Empire's investigation into the Gonmog Sector, working with Captain Kutal of the IKS Zin'za. Lurqal, a Klingon double agent working with Reyes, leaked misinformation to Imperial Intelligence regarding the Jinoteur system. The Zin'za led the Klingon battlefleet to this system, but Gorkon decided to report to Sturka that the ship failed to reach Jinoetuer IV. Gorkon, Sturka, and Councillor Indizar decided to keep Councillor Duras and his allies in the dark about the Gonmog Sector. Gorkon later realised Reyes was behind the deliberate leaking of the Jinoteur data. (VAN novel: Reap the Whirlwind)

Aspirations towards peace[]

In 2265, the Shedai, ancient aliens who once dominated the Gonmog Sector and had already destroyed the Klingon subject world of Palgrenax, attacked the Federation and Klingon colonies there. Gorkon's old enemy, Diego Reyes, carpet-bombed Gamma Tauri IV in response, obliterating all signs of life. Reyes' guilt caused him to leak the details of the Jinoteur system bombing and the existence of the Shedai to the journalist Tim Pennington. Having released classified information, Reyes was arrested, court martialed, and ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment at the New Zealand Penal Settlement.

Gorkon had other plans for Reyes, who was tired of the hawkish nature that the Federation had pursued in recent years. Gorkon instructed his agent, Captain Chang, to intercept Reyes' transport and bring Reyes to him. He also had kidnapped another foreign iconoclast, the Tholian Ezthene, kidnapped. The two were kept on the IKS Zin'za where Gorkon convinced them to appear before Sturka and ask him to consider peace with the Federation. Sturka rejected the overture, and his friendship with Councillor Gorkon became strained. (VAN novels: Open Secrets, Precipice)

In 2268, Councillor Gorkon led the Klingon contingent at Klingon-Federation peace conference on Centaurus. His desire for peace was the counterbalance to the hawkish Councillor Prang, and the two sparred verbally several times during the conference. The peace talks were suspended after Major Sadira used the Transfer Key to transfer Gorkon to the Jatohr universe. This caused Councillor Prang to take control, and he withdrew the Klingons from the conference. (TOS - Legacies novel: Best Defense)

Gorkon was transferred back to the primary universe with the help of Sarek, shortly after his original transfer in 2268. (TOS - Legacies novel: Purgatory's Key)

Second Marriage[]

Gorkon married again in the late 2260s, possibly in 2268, to Illizar. (VAN novel: Storming Heaven)

Conflict with the House of Duras[]

Gorkon had a long-festering distrust of Councillor Duras. In 2268, Gorkon became involved in a secret war with Duras, whose star rose with Sturka as Gorkon's own prospects waned (possibly following the failed peace détente of both his own summit and Nimbus III in the previous years). (VAN novel: Storming Heaven)

Away from the Council[]

By 2285, a new Chancellor with pro-Romulan sympathies came to power, and initiated purges of political foes. Gorkon was able to survive, living on his family lands on Makrecha IV. He encountered a Trill on the planet named Torias Dax, a victim of a shuttle crash. He was able to help Dax survive long enough that his symbiont could be recovered and returned to the Trill homeworld. (DS9 short story: "Trek")

This account contradicts the fate of Torias Dax as established in The Lives of Dax short story Infinity.

Shortly thereafter, Gorkon returned to Qo'noS and the High Council. By 2287, under Chancellor Kesh, Gorkon's traditionalist views were ascendant in the Council, and he became noted as an advocate for cooperation with the Federation. (TOS novel: In the Name of Honor)

Chancellor Gorkon[]

Gorkon ascended to the position of Chancellor of the Klingon Empire in 2292, when he challenged B'rak's leadership. The two Klingons fought as tradition dictated, with Gorkon killing B'rak. Following the destruction of Praxis in 2293, he learned that Qo'noS had only fifty years of life left. Chancellor Gorkon proposed the Klingon military budget be redirected to help save the Klingon people. (TOS references: Federation: The First 150 Years, The Star Trek Compendium)

Gorkon proposed that the High Council seek negotiations with the Federation. After Councillor Kahnrah voted to seek negotiations with the Federation, Gorkon thanked him, and proposed a toast to peace and the survival of the Klingon Empire. (ST - Klingons - Blood Will Tell comic: "Issue 5")

Shortly after making the peace overture, he was assassinated by conspirators in both the Empire and the Federation. He was survived by one daughter, Azetbur, who succeeded him as Chancellor. (TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Undiscovered Country) He also had three sons, Karel, Kell and Kintazh, all of whom he outlived. (TOS - Errand of Fury novel: Demands of Honor)

Gorkon's father and house was established in "Trek", a story in Strange New Worlds 8.
In the Name of Honor refers to Gorkon as a "recently elected member" of the High Council, which contradicts his appearance in Harbinger. However, the exile and later return to Qo'noS depicted in "Trek" would seem to account for this discrepancy.
In Trek, Gorkon explains that ridge-headed Klingons such as himself are not allowed postings in the Fleet, and is very disparaging toward smooth-headed Klingons. This contradicts the military background established for him in Harbinger. On the other hand, other Klingons have been seen to transform from "smooth" to "bumpy" ridge structures. Harbinger makes no mention of foreheads whatsoever. But General Chang's description later in the Vanguard series, the noticeable comment about his lack of noticeable ridges, as well as a general preponderence of ridged Klingons in Vanguard, who have a noticeable disdain for smooth-headed ones, suggests that Gorkon would have been ridged. In this instance, these texts are perhaps incompatible.

Star Trek: Klingon Academy[]

The background established for Gorkon in the TOS video game: Klingon Academy, as detailed below, is largely incompatible with any other works.

Gorkon began serving in the Imperial Government in the year 1610 IR (Imperial Reckoning, or 2235 AD) as a diplomatic courier with the Diplomatic Corps. He worked his way up to becoming senior diplomatic attache in 1617 IR. His skills at rhetoric and negotiation were renowned in diplomatic circles, and he wielded them as a weapon to advance the policies and purposes of the Empire.

In 1620 IR, an assignment on Qo'noS brought Gorkon into contact with then Councillor Lorak, who was amazed by the talents of the young diplomat. Lorak offered him a position as his personal advisor, which Gorkon accepted. The two became fast friends and the staunchest of allies.

When Chancellor Durak died in 1635 IR, Gorkon worked feverishly behind the scenes to arrange alliances and non-aggression agreements between Lorak and the various factions vying to ascend to the Chancellorship. Lorak relied on Gorkon exclusively for these dealings, as he himself maintained a front of aloof disinterest to throw off any suspicions as to his ambitions. In early 1636 IR, Gorkon's work came to fruition and Lorak became Chancellor through a brief, violent maneuver. Chancellor Lorak then appointed Gorkon as his Chief of staff.

In the months after Lorak's ascension, Gorkon worked to solidify Lorak's position and appease his political enemies. He also began to shape the bureaucracy of Lorak's administration into an effective and highly efficient body, fully capable of autonomous operation for extended periods without monitoring. This proved to be of great benefit when Gorkon was appointed to investigate the resource status of the Empire, and found himself unable to assist Lorak in the face of his ailment. Gorkon was quite popular within the High Council, though his more liberal policies were somewhat controversial.

When Lorak died, a three-way battle for the leadership of the Empire broke out among Gorkon, Lorak's Military Advisor, General Chang, and an usurper named Melkor. During the bloody civil war that followed, Melkor petitioned the Romulans for assistance, and Chang was forced to ally with Gorkon to prevent an invasion. Due to this assistance, Chang became indebted to Gorkon, and was compelled, at the end of the war, to back his ascension to the Chancellorship. Gorkon was appointed Chancellor by the High Council, and brought Chang into his government as Chief of staff. (TOS video game: Klingon Academy)

Appendices[]

Background information[]

Gorkon was played by David Warner.

Appearances[]

Connections[]

Preceded by:
B'rak
Chancellor of the High Council of the Klingon Empire
2293
Succeeded by:
Azetbur, daughter of Gorkon
Chancellors of the High Council of the Klingon Empire
Primary universe Mow'gaKapokM'RekKhorkalSturkaKeshDurakOrakKovalLorakB'rakL'RellGorkon, son of ToqAzetbur, daughter of GorkonKaargDitaghKravokh, son of J'DoqK'mpecGowron, son of M'RelMartok, son of UrthogJ'mpokL'Rell Klingon icon image.
First Splinter timeline Gowron, son of M'RelMartok, son of Urthog
Kelvin timeline Klingon ChancellorGorkon
Kelvin timeline (mirror) Gorkon
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External link[]

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