38 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation Began, Michael Dorn Is Playing A Character Almost Identical To Worf

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Invincible season 3, episode 4, "You Were My Hero."Most known for playing the USS Enterprise-D's resident Klingon in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Michael Dorn's most famous role has surely influenced one of his most recent castings. After bringing life to Worf in every season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dorn also went on to reprise the role in other corners of the franchise. His various reprisals took him into the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine cast, as well as returning for The Next Generation's sequel movies and Star Trek: Picard season 3.

So, it's no surprise Dorn and Worf have become synonymous, as proven by another character he has recently returned to. The character has several direct comparisons to Worf, so I'm almost certain that Dorn's casting in the animated project is a very knowing nod to his Star Trek persona. The character in question originated in the pages of a comic book before heading to the small screen. So, although he wasn't designed to be voiced by Dorn, there really is no better actor to bring the character to life.

Invincible's Battle Beast Is A Lot Like Star Trek's Worf

Like all of Star Trek's greatest Klingons, Worf values honor and the thrill of battle above pretty much everything else. It's part of his race's ethos, and Dorn's character embodies those values brilliantly. In Invincible season 3, episode 4, "You Were My Hero," Dorn returns to the show as Battle Beast for the first time since 2021. The fight-hungry alien already shares many of Worf's personality traits, but he is also at least physically similar in his overall size and towering height.

There are differences between these two Dorn characters, but not enough to separate them in any notable way.

Battle Beast lives for combat. He thrives on it, but he also wants it to be a worthy contest. He's even content with the fact he might die during a clash that proves to be too much for him, as he sees that as a glorious way to go out. Battle Beast's attitude is almost as if he has crossed into the Star Trek universe and heard the famous Klingon battle cry, "Today is a good day to die." Of course, there are differences between these two Dorn characters, but not enough to separate them in any notable way.

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Proves Michael Dorn Would Be Great As A Live-Action Battle Beast

Dorn's return as Worf is evidence he's the perfect Battle Beast casting in front of the camera too

Worf converses with Jean-Luc in a scene from Picard season 3 — Michael Dorn as Worf Picard season 3

Many of Dorn's recent roles have only required voice performances. Even when he has appeared in live-action projects, his characters haven't been that Worf-esque. As such, it was difficult for a while to tell whether he still had the physicality and overall demeanor to play the iconic Klingon. Thankfully, his return as Worf in Star Trek: Picard season 3 proved he is still very capable of those sorts of roles. So, it would be great to see Dorn draw on his Star Trek: The Next Generation character to reprise the role of Battle Beast in the upcoming live-action Invincible movie.