Azetbur (Rosanna DeSoto)

Character Analysis

The daughter of the assassinated Chancellor Gorkon, Azetbur takes control of the Klingon Empire during one of the most perilous periods in its history. No pressure or anything.

Of course, she's also dealing with grief over her father's assassination. This actually turns out to be a positive thing, however, because it drives her to finish the work he started and build peace with the Federation. True, she doesn't approach it with the same ideological zeal as her father did. But that almost makes her actions seem even more honorable. She's wisely come to see that "war is obsolete," and she acts accordingly.

This bet pays off when Kirk saves the day, stopping Chang's plot to derail the peace talks. In the aftermath, Kirk and Azetbur share a surprisingly personal moment:

AZETBUR: You've restored my father's faith.

KIRK: And you've restored my son's.

That's some powerful stuff. Not only has Azetbur helped realize her father's dream, but she's also bonding on a personal level with one of the most intense Klingon-haters in the galaxy. Now that's what you call leadership.