Editing Gowron (section)

==Concept and development==
[[image:Michael Dorn by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Robert O'Reilly praised Gowron's relationship with Worf, played by Michael Dorn ''(pictured)''.]]
Prior to his casting as Gowron, [[Robert O'Reilly]] appeared in the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' [[Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2|second season]] episode "[[Manhunt (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Manhunt]]" as a character referred to as Scarface.<ref>{{cite book |last = Nemecek |first = Larry |title = Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion |year = 2003 |edition = 3rd |publisher = Pocket Books |location = New York |isbn = 0-7434-5798-6 |page = 146 }}</ref> When casting was underway for the [[Jonathan Frakes]] directed episode "[[Reunion (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Reunion]]", Frakes was looking for an actor who could portray a Klingon with a sense of humour. O'Reilly later remarked that he was considered because of what he called "that crazy loon eyeball thing".<ref name=catchingup/> He went directly from a performance of ''[[King Lear]]'' where he portrayed the character [[Edmund (King Lear)|Edmund]], and introduced elements of that character into the Klingon. O'Reilly described Gowron's initial appearances as being "the only one with honor, and he was sort of a crazed warrior who did not want to be anywhere near 'hew-mons'".<ref name=catchingup/> He felt that like Edmund, Gowron was an outsider who became a leader. He said that they were "very, very similar in nature",<ref name=catchingup/> and said that this set the character apart from the other Klingons who had appeared on the show until that point.<ref name=catchingup/> [[Michael Westmore]] was in charge of designing the prosthetics for O'Reilly's performances as Gowron, describing it as one of his favourites of all the Klingons he's worked on because of the beard that comes down the side of his face.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Westmore |first1 = Michael G. |last2 = Nazzaro |first2 = Joe |name-list-style = amp |title = Star Trek: The Next Generation Make-Up FX Journal |year = 1993 |publisher = Titan |location = London |isbn = 978-1-85286-491-0 |page = 171 }}</ref>

O'Reilly made his first appearance in ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' in the [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3|third season]] episode "[[The House of Quark]]".<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Erdmann |first1 = Terry J. |last2 = Block |first2 = Paula M. |name-list-style = amp |title = Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion |year = 2000 |publisher = Pocket Books |location = New York |isbn = 9780671501068 |page = 169 }}</ref> Writer [[Ronald D. Moore]] explained that his work on the episode came about because of his previous work on the Klingon-centric ''The Next Generation'' episode "[[Sins of the Father (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Sins of the Father]]",<ref>{{harvp|Erdmann|Block|2000|p= 170|ps=.}}</ref> and was pleased to bring over elements from his previous series—including Gowron. O'Reilly felt lucky to appear in the episode, as it was the expectation of many actors who played recurring characters in ''The Next Generation'' that they wouldn't transition to ''Deep Space Nine''.<ref>{{harvp|Erdmann|Block|2000|p= 171|ps=.}}</ref> Outside of ''Star Trek'', O'Reilly appeared in character for an advert for [[Hallmark Cards]] to promote a Klingon [[Bird of Prey (Star Trek)|Bird of Prey]] starship Christmas ornament.<ref name=catchingup />

Later, when he discovered that [[Michael Dorn]] would be returning to ''Star Trek'' on television in ''Deep Space Nine'', he hoped that it might be an opening for more Klingons on the show, including the return of Gowron. O'Reilly said that "When I got the script for '[[The Way of the Warrior (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)|The Way of the Warrior]]', I was thrilled to get the job, to work with Michael again and to see Gowron and Worf together".<ref name=tribune>{{cite news |last1 = Spelling |first1 = Ian |title = Multitalented Robert O'Reilly Is Forever A Klingon |url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/03/08/multitalented-robert-oreilly-is-forever-a-klingon/ |access-date = October 18, 2014 |work = Chicago Tribune |archive-date = January 31, 2016 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131161318/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-03-08/entertainment/9603080309_1_worf-gowron-klingon-high-council |date = March 8, 1996 }}</ref> He praised the relationship between the characters of Worf and Gowron, saying "[Worf is] always reminding Gowron about honor, but we're on two totally different sides when it comes to honor. It makes for great drama."<ref name=tribune/> At the time he was confident that this wouldn't be Gowron's last appearance, but hoped that the character wouldn't be overused so that he would continue to have an impact when he did.<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Spelling |first1 = Ian |title = Clinging to Winning 'DS9' Role |url = |access-date = |newspaper = The Washington Post |via =  |date = March 3, 1996 }}</ref>
[[image:Robert O'Reilly at FedCon 2013.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Robert O'Reilly in 2013]]
Gowron's final appearance in ''Star Trek'' was in the ''Deep Space Nine'' [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7|seventh season]] episode "[[Tacking into the Wind]]" where he is killed by Worf after the Klingon Chancellor displays some increasingly dishonorable tactics towards [[Martok]]. However, in the original draft it was not intended for the character to die; instead it would have ended with Gowron heading back to the Klingon homeworld, and promoting Martok to Field Marshal after placing him in charge of organising the Klingon forces in the [[Dominion War]]. It was [[Michael Piller]]'s suggestion that Gowron should die, and this idea made its way into the episode via Moore's screenplay.<ref>{{harvp|Erdmann|Block|2000|p= 691|ps=.}}</ref> O'Reilly described Gowron at the end saying that "He went out as this bad, terrible Klingon, which I disagreed with strongly, but that's fine."<ref name=catchingup />

Following the death of Gowron on screen, O'Reilly continued to attend ''Star Trek'' conventions in character, often appearing on stage alongside [[J. G. Hertzler]] as Martok. One of their trademarks is a song about Klingons, and O'Reilly has had a [[bat'leth]] created to look like a stringed guitar.<ref name=catchingup/> He explained in an interview that "We love doing Klingons. For me, it was a dream come true, it was nice to come back to it. And the fans just love it. We tried it once and the fans just went crazy."<ref name=worcester>{{cite news |last = Semon |first = Craig S. |title = Klingons prove fan-favorites at Boston 'Star Trek' con |url = http://www.telegram.com/article/20140623/COLUMN86/306239667/0 |access-date = October 18, 2014 |work = Worcester Telegram & Gazette |date = June 23, 2014 }}</ref> The pair debuted the in-makeup appearances at a convention in the late 2000s in Germany, and after generating the longest [[photo op]] queue at the event, they decided to take it to the stage.<ref name=worcester/> [[Larry Nemecek]] praised their convention appearances, saying "They are fan favourites because they are big, gregarious guys. They slap people on the back. They have a good time. They tease people back. They do it for the audience."<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Spector |first1 = Joseph |title = Klingon warrior elected to N.Y. town board |url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/08/klingon-warrior-ny-town-board/3479463/ |access-date = October 18, 2014 |work = USA Today |date = November 8, 2013 }}</ref>