You have manipulated the circumstances with the skill of a Romulan.Jean-Luc Picard
B'Etor was a female Klingon officer of the 24th century Klingon Empire and member of the House of Duras. She was the younger of the two Duras sisters, herself and Lursa, sister of Duras and daughter of Ja'rod. Through Duras, she had a nephew, Toral.
Quick Answers
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History
As sister to Lursa, B'Etor was one of the Duras sisters responsible for the start of the Klingon Civil War in early-2368. She was the younger sister, the more seductive (and more promiscuous) of the two, frequently being more the impulsive sibling. She and Lursa supported their nephew Toral as the new Chancellor of the Klingon High Council. Toral was the illegitimate son of their brother Duras. She staked Toral's claim just as Jean-Luc Picard, who was the Arbiter of Succession, was about to pronounce Gowron as Chancellor. In determining their claim, Picard went planet-side and paid an invited visit to B'Etor and Lursa. B'Etor attempted to convince him that Toral's challenge must be approved. B'Etor made a futile effort to seduce Picard. Nonetheless, she did not want to risk inflaming hostilities with the Federation and furiously called out her nephew as a fool when Toral suggested assassinating Picard, which earned him a blow from his aunt. (TNG: "Redemption")
When Picard designated Gowron as the rightful Chancellor, she and her sister took up arms against Gowron. They were supported by the Romulan Empire, who wished to see the alliance between the Federation and Klingon Empire fall apart. They kidnapped Worf and B'Etor took a liking to him and offered herself as a mate to him in exchange for his cooperation. He declined. B'Etor and her sister's plot failed due to a Federation blockade of Romulan ships, which denied them aid and supplies. It more importantly exposed their alliance with the Romulans who most Klingons hated. This caused B'Etor and her sister's support to erode. (TNG: "Redemption II")
The Duras sisters were also responsible for selling bilitrium to Bajoran Kohn-Ma terrorists in 2369. In order to raise capital to rebuild their forces, they offered the Bajoran Kohn-Ma terrorist Tahna Los bilitrium in return for gold-pressed latinum while plotting to sell him out to Elim Garak and the Cardassians once they were paid off. (DS9: "Past Prologue")
Another capital-raising scheme had them seizing a Pakled magnesite mine on Kalla III, overseen by the Dopterian Gorta, and selling its explosive ore to an Yridian, Yog. B'Etor and her sister were also falsely accused of an attempted murder of the members of the Mogh family in 2370. (TNG: "Firstborn")
In 2371, the sisters worked with the El-Aurian scientist Tolian Soran and raided a Romulan outpost to acquire trilithium in exchange for Soran's trilithium bomb. In a recurring theme, she appeared interested in "initiating a mating ritual" with Soran. She was killed in orbit of Veridian III when her Bird-of-Prey was destroyed in a battle against the USS Enterprise-D. However, the Duras sisters destroyed the Enterprise in turn, causing a warp core breach from the damage inflicted during the battle. (Star Trek Generations)
A photograph of B'Etor appeared on Beckett Mariner's conspiracy board in 2380. (LD: "Cupid's Errant Arrow")
Memorable quotes
"This is not a threat, Captain. Just an unfortunate truth."
"So why be our enemy, when you can be our friend?"
"You have manipulated the circumstances with the skill of a Romulan."
- - Lursa, B'Etor and Jean-Luc Picard (TNG: "Redemption")
"I think he'll find our offer appealing."
"I'll make sure he does."
- - Lursa and B'Etor (TNG: "Redemption II")
"Toral is Duras' only son, and he will be the leader of the Council. In your heart, even you know that. But Toral needs guidance."
"A firm hand."
"A father figure. That could be you, if you were mated to B'Etor."
"The rewards could be greater than you can imagine."
- - Lursa and B'Etor, to Worf (TNG: "Redemption II")
"I hope for your sake you were initiating a mating ritual."
- - B'Etor, after Tolian Soran punched her (Star Trek Generations)
Appendices
Appearances
- TNG:
- "Redemption"
- "Redemption II"
- "Firstborn"
- DS9: "Past Prologue"
- Star Trek Generations
- LD: "Cupid's Errant Arrow" (photo)
Background information
B'Etor was played by actress Gwynyth Walsh.
The script for "Redemption" states the pronunciation of B'Etor's name as "be-TOR". Of the scene in which B'Etor is introduced, it described her thus; "B'Etor is several years younger, and more volatile than her sister […] She's not afraid of Gowron and her presence shores up Toral a little." [1]
The script for "Firstborn" also described B'Etor as having a "grating squawk". [2]
In the first draft script of Star Trek Generations, B'Etor had sexual relations with Data.
Star Trek author Keith R.A. DeCandido described Walsh's performance in "Redemption" and "Redemption II" as an "impressive debut". [3]
Apocrypha
Both Lursa and B'Etor return to Deep Space 9 in the Pocket DS9 novel The Big Game, in order to participate in a poker tournament to raise funds for their war against the Empire. The two attempt to win the tournament by cheating, but when Quark discovers their special deck, it is tossed aside and new one used in its place. Afterwards the two women are quickly defeated by the remaining players.
External links
- B'Etor at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works