Synopsis: On a Klingon warbird Lt. Commander Worf is confronted by his son, while on Deep Space Nine Gul Dukat’s daughter returns.
This episode can be seen as an illustration of the concept from archetypal psychology about how the Senex archetype of the wise old man relates to that of the Puer or Puella archetype of youthful ideas and energy. It also shows us how our society projects different ways of being in the world as being related to feminine or masculine energy.
In “Sons and Daughters” Lt. Commander Worf’s son Alexander Rozhenko is unexpectedly assigned to the ship Worf is serving aboard. When introduced, instead of publicly acknowledging Worf as his father, he states that he is from no house. Worf tells his son that he doesn’t belong there, he is not a warrior and Rozhenko is then mocked by other members of the crew. General Martok speaks to Worf about how he is treating his son. But then Rozhenko comes through for the crew at a moment when he is most needed, and Martok invites him to join the House of Martok, just as he invited Worf. Worf tells Rozhenko he will teach him to be a warrior and Rozhenko tells Worf he will teach him to be a father. Meanwhile, on Deep Space Nine, Ziyal, the half-Bajoran, half-Cardassian daughter of Gul Dukat, shows her art to Major Kira Nerys and her father, telling them that it is meant to show Bajorans and Cardassians that they have some things in common.
The tension in this episode can be seen as what James Hillman would call the relationship between the Senex and Puer archetypes. That tension between the old ways and the new ways, the structure of the familiar and known versus the energy of the new and different. The balance between these two archetypes Hillman has written can be used to interpret the compensatory energy between any pair of archetypes. The idea that masculine energy is warlike, and that feminine energy is healing, is also archetypal. So, if we put these two ideas together, it would mean that warlike and healing energy must also be complementary and need to be balanced in an individual’s psyche to become more whole. That one-sidedness is not the healthiest way to be in the world.
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