Kurn, wanted to join the rebellion against Gowron, who was about to be installed as leader of the Klingon High Council. Gowron refused to overturn Worf's discommendation, the penalty of banishment and public disgrace accepted by the lieutenant commander after his unsuccessful challenge to the charge that his father was a traitor. Worf felt that Gowron was the only rightful leader of the Klingons and told his brother to support Gowron. "We can/ not regain honor by acting dishonorably," he said. Later, Kurn's intervention helped to turn away an attach on Gowron by followers of the family of Duras. To reward them, Gowron, now the leader of the Council, restored their family honor.

Kirk convinced Commander Kang that an alien life force was causing the Klingons and the crew to engage in ceaseless hostilities and that Kang was serving the whim of this alien being. Throwing down his weapon, Kang refused to go on fighting, citing a proverb that expresses the Klingon aversion to being dominated by others. More important even that following the instinct to be a warrior is the ability to maintain control over one's own actions.

This is an ancient adage, originally voiced by Kahless himself.

Interestingly, when the Federation first started learning about Klingons, Kahless was considered to be no more than an evil conqueror. He had formed an empire of, in James Kirk's words, "conquered worlds." The Klingons, Kirk felt, "take what they want by arms and force." As part of their examination of the behavior of other life forms, the Excalbians staged a conflict between the forces of "good"---represented by Kirk, Spock, and the images of Abraham Lincoln and the Vulcan philosopher Surak---and those of "evil"---represented by, among others, the image of Kahless. The Excalbians formed their replica of Kahless on the basis of the Federation's concept of him. Therefore, they described him in terms fitting an oppressor: "the Klingon who set the pattern for his planet's tyrannies."

In time, and as more was learned about Klingon history and culture, the Federation's understanding of the role of Kahless in Klingon history changed. It is now known that Klingons consider him a great warrior who did indeed conquer other worlds, but united the Empire by giving the people the laws of honor which direct every Klingon's life.