Star Trek: The Next Generation brought back many of our favorite characters and actors from The Original Series in guest-starring roles. While not every character made a TNG appearance, one story almost featured the return of Lt. Pavel Chekov.

The idea to bring back Chekov was brought up during the early production of the seventh and final season of TNG, with the episode mainly surrounding both him and Worf. Since both characters filled the roles of security officers at one point on the Enterprise and grew up in Russia, it would make sense for them to become quick friends.

At the time the story takes place, Chekov would be a newly appointed ambassador for the Federation. It would also be later revealed that prior to his new position he had been a prisoner of war on a planet for several years. Now free, he is set to negotiate peace between his former captors and Starfleet. Unknown to both sides, however, he has plans of his own.

“Throughout the course of the negotiations with these people, it appears as though Chekov is sabotaging them. It turns out he is plotting to use the Enterprise to lay waste to their capital for revenge and to screw things up for the Federation because he feels they abandoned him and let these people torture him,” said story editor Naren Shankar on the story concept.

Ultimately the plan was scrapped in early production. While it would have been hard to watch a beloved character go down such a dark road, it would also have been interesting to watch Chekov’s betrayal clash with Worf's hard lined Klingon code of honor.

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