Discommendation was a form of punishment found within the Klingon Empire. In discommendation an individual would be stripped of their honor and status. The punishment extended to the individual's family, for seven generations, reducing the house to the lowest echelons of Klingon society, and sometimes ejected the individual from the Empire all together. However, discommendated Klingons still retained some basic rights, such as the Right of Vengeance. (TNG episodes: "Sins of the Father", "Reunion"; ST - Klingons - Blood Will Tell comic: "Issue 2")
Ceremony[]
The practice of discommendation, like much of Klingon culture, is highly ceremonial, typically, when dealt out by the Klingon High Council the group forms a circle around the individual to be discommended. The highest ranking Klingon, typically the Chancellor, crosses his arm, and turns away from the individual and the others in the group follow. (TNG episode: "Sins of the Father"; DS9 episode: "The House of Quark")
Alternatively the punishment could be delivered by a single high ranking Klingon. In this instance the Klingon would tell the other that he has no name, turn, and then walk away. (TNG novel: Strike Zone, ENT - Rise of the Federation novel: Live by the Code)
History[]
In 2165, Antaak discommendated his son Krit after it was discovered that Krit had murdered M'Rek, the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council. Krit was then executed on orders from the Council. (ENT - Rise of the Federation novel: Live by the Code)
Gralmek's discommendation.
In the year 2268 Gralmek was discommended after his failed mission of espionage and sabotage aboard Federation Deep Space Station K-7. After organising a prisoner exchange to retrieve him for federation custody Gralmek was brought before the High council to receive their judgement. The chancellor noted that they were punishing him not for failing the innately risky mission, but for the pitiful fear he exhibited that led him to that failure. Gralmek was promptly discommended and warned that he should never be seen in Imperial territory again. (ST - Klingons - Blood Will Tell comic: "Issue 2")
Following the death of Kruge, several Klingons loyal to him were discommendated by his family to prevent them identifying his chosen heir (Prey novel: Hell's Heart).
In 2365 Kobry performed the individual discommendation against Tron when Tron attempted to assassinate Kobry. (TNG novel: Strike Zone)
In 2366 Worf accepted discommendation for his father’s accused collaboration with the Romulans that resulted in the Khitomer Massacre. Worf knew that it had in fact been Ja'rod of the House of Duras who had committed the crime, but did not pursue the injustice to prevent the Empire descending into civil war. (TNG episode: "Sins of the Father")
However, even after Worf accepted discommendation, he still had the right to claim the Right of Vengeance and kill Duras, after Duras murdered Worf's mate K'Ehleyr. (TNG episode: "Reunion")
A year later, civil war broke out nonetheless. Duras’ betrayal of the Empire was revealed and Worf’s honor subsequently restored by Chancellor Gowron. (TNG episode: "Redemption")
In 2371 the Klingon D'Ghor was discommendated by the High Council when he acted to take the life of the unarmed Quark. Gowron interceded before he completed the act, shocked at D’Ghor’s dishonourable willingness to slaughter a defenceless man. (DS9 episode: "The House of Quark")
In 2385, the Klingon Korgh was subjected to discommendation after the Enterprise-E and Emperor Kahless exposed his efforts to undermine the Khitomer Accords by manipulating the Unsung, the descendants of Kruge's banished followers. Worf successfully convinced General Martok to only show discommendation to Korgh himself, as his family were genuinely ignorant of his actions, leaving Korgh to be arrested by Admiral William T. Riker for his actions against the Khitomer Accords. Earlier, Worf also successfully argued that the remaining Unsung be cleared of their ancestors' discommendation, with the remaining dozen Unsung being sent to Spirit's Forge with Kahless so that he could re-teach them what it meant to be Klingon (Prey novel: The Hall of Heroes).
In 2409 Torg, son of Kormog was discommendated by order of Chancellor J'mpok for treason against the Empire. The charges consisted of dealing arms to the Romulan Star Empire and an attempt to destroy the House of Martok by dishonorable means. (STO mission: "The House Always Wins")
External link[]
- Discommendation article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.