On Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dutch actor Carel Struycken played Mr. Homn, the silent, scene-stealing valet of Majel Barrett’s Lwaxana Troi.
Summary
- Lwaxana Troi, played by Majel Barrett, had a complex and realistic relationship with her daughter Deanna on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
- Mr. Homn, portrayed by Carel Struycken, served as Lwaxana’s silent valet in five episodes of TNG, accompanying her with infinite patience.
- Despite his limited dialogue, Mr. Homn’s distinctive appearance made him a memorable character and helped balance out Lwaxana’s flamboyant personality.
On Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mr. Homn (Carel Struycken) served as the nearly silent valet for Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett). The Betazoid mother of Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), Lwaxana visited the USS Enterprise-D on several occasions, eventually becoming one of Star Trek’s best recurring characters. Sometimes referred to as “the First Lady of Star Trek,” Majel Barrett portrayed Nurse Christine Capel on Star Trek: The Original Series, in addition to voicing Starfleet’s computers in the Rick Berman-era Star Trek series.
Lwaxana and her daughter, Deanna, had a sometimes contentious relationship, and Deanna often apologized for her mother’s inappropriate remarks. The first time Lwaxana visited the Enterprise, she got under the skin of the usually unflappable Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), much to Deanna’s embarrassment. Still, Lwaxana and Deanna cared deeply about one another and had one of the most realistic parent/child relationships in Star Trek. With her larger-than-life personality and flamboyant style, Lwaxana Troi never traveled light. Mr. Homn accompanied Lwaxana with a seemingly endless patience for her antics, as he carried her bags and attended to her needs.
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Who Is Mr. Homn In Star Trek: The Next Generation?
Dutch actor Carel Struycken portrayed Lwaxana’s silent valet in five episodes of TNG.
Sometime before Lwaxana Troi visited the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s “Haven,” she hired Mr. Homn as her personal manservant. Taller than average and with a pale grey complexion, Mr. Homn has a striking appearance, and he seldom speaks, although he sometimes communicates with sign language. Homn’s species and home planet remain unknown, and he possesses strength superior to that of a human. In “Haven,” Homn accompanies Lwaxana as she plans Deanna’s previously arranged marriage, overseeing a formal dinner. As Homn enjoys the drinks, Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) asks the valet if his lineage is connected with that of humans. Homn appears offended and turns away.
Mr. Homn’s only line of dialogue comes in his first appearance in TNG’s “Haven.” As Lwaxana and Homn prepare to leave the Enterprise, Homn turns to Captain Picard and says: “Thank you for the drinks.”
In his next appearance, Homn accompanies Lwaxana as she visits the Enterprise searching for a husband in TNG’s “Manhunt.” In TNG season 3’s “Ménage à Troi,” Homn prepares a picnic for Lwaxana, Deanna, and Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) before the three are captured by the Ferengi. Mr. Homn appears in two more episodes alongside Lwaxana, as he helps her navigate a tragic romance and an almost-marriage. Although Lwaxana appears in three episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Mr. Homn does not accompany her.
| Appearances of Mr. Homn in Star Trek: The Next Generation | ||
|---|---|---|
| TNG Season 1 | Episode 11 | “Haven” |
| TNG Season 2 | Episode 19 | “Manhunt” |
| TNG Season 3 | Episode 24 | “Ménage à Troi” |
| TNG Season 4 | Episode 22 | “Half a Life” |
| TNG Season 5 | Episode 20 | “Cost of Living” |
What Happened To Mr. Homn & Lwaxana Troi After Star Trek: TNG
Mr. Homn does not accompany Lwaxana in any of her appearances on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Although Mr. Homn does not appear in Lwaxana’s last episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 7’s “Dark Page”), Deanna does reach out to the valet. When Lwaxana first visits space station Deep Space Nine in DS9 season 1, episode 17, “The Forsaken,” she makes no mention of Homn. It’s possible that Lwaxana fired her silent valet or that Homn decided to pursue a different career. Regardless, Lwaxana continued her duties as a Federation Ambassador, and she later developed feelings for the Security Chief on DS9, Constable Odo (René Auberjonois).
One reason for the disappearance of Mr. Homn could be Carel Struycken’s busy schedule during the 1990s. In a 2011 interview with StarTrek.com, Struycken said that he “missed out on one or two TNG opportunities because [he] was doing The Addams Family.” Struycken starred as Lurch in 1991’s The Addams Family and its two sequels, which took him away from the role of Mr. Homn. However, Struycken did make one more appearance in Star Trek, as The Spectre, one of the horrifying creations of the virtual reality program in Star Trek: Voyager season 2, episode 23, “The Thaw.” Mr. Homn’s distinctive look made him a memorable addition to Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he helped temper the flashier personality of Lwaxana Troi.
