Lwaxana Troi was a Betazoid Federation ambassador and mother of Deanna Troi. She was one of the more colorful Federation diplomats, having led a life of both flamboyance and tragedy.
Lwaxana adopted her larger-than-life and extremely flirtatious persona following the death of her husband, Lieutenant Ian Andrew Troi, in 2343, primarily to mask her extreme grief at his death. This persona caused severe friction with and embarrassment to her daughter Deanna, of whom she tended to be extremely overprotective.
Early life
Lwaxana's father was something of a traditionalist; he rarely spoke, saying it was for "offworlders and people who didn't know any better." Both of Lwaxana's parents and sister had died by 2372. (TNG: "Eye of the Beholder"; DS9: "The Muse")
Ambassadorial duties
Mrs. Troi aboard DS9
Lwaxana was a daughter of the Fifth House of Betazed, the Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, and Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed. She had a tendency to remind people of this fact when she felt that she had been slighted or whenever she chose to establish her authority. (TNG: "Haven"; DS9: "The Forsaken")
Lwaxana represented the government of Betazed at the Pacifica Conference in 2365. Shortly before arriving to the conference, she exposed two Antedean assassins who were planning to bomb the conference with ultritium explosives. (TNG: "Manhunt")
In 2366, Lwaxana, along with Reittan Grax, was part of the delegation of the biennial Trade Agreements Conference on Betazed. She was kidnapped by Ferengi DaiMon Tog along with her daughter and William T. Riker. They were eventually rescued by Captain Jean-Luc Picard. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi")
Lwaxana was part of a delegation of four Federation ambassadors visiting Deep Space 9 in 2369. Her fellow ambassadors included Lojal, Vadosia, and Taxco. (DS9: "The Forsaken")
In 2371, she visited Bajor and attended Deep Space 9's Gratitude Festival. (DS9: "Fascination")
Personal relationships
Marriage
Ian Andrew Troi
Lwaxana was married a number of times. Her first husband was a close friend of fellow ambassador Reittan Grax. Lwaxana described him as "not much of a conversationalist, but what a lover." (TNG: "Ménage à Troi")
A subsequent marriage to Lieutenant Ian Andrew Troi produced two children: Kestra in 2330 and Deanna in 2336. According to Deanna, Ian worshiped Lwaxana. Ian died in 2343, although the circumstances of his death were unknown. Deanna later recalled how she cried after his death. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi", "Half a Life", "Dark Page")
Her marriage to Jeyal, a Tavnian, produced a son, but she ended the marriage by marrying Odo due to her disagreement over the Tavnian custom of separation of the sexes in child-rearing. (DS9: "The Muse")
Children
Kestra Troi
Kestra was the oldest of Lwaxana's children. Tragically, Kestra drowned during a family picnic at Lake El'nar. The incident left Lwaxana so broken with sorrow, guilt, and regret that she decided to repress all memories of Kestra. She also deleted all diary entries pertaining to her. She destroyed everything that could possibly remind her of Kestra and also made her husband promise never to mention Kestra again. A picture of Kestra remained, however, secretly preserved by Mr. Homn. (TNG: "Dark Page"; DS9: "The Muse")
Deanna Troi
With Deanna in 2364
With Deanna in 2370
Deanna was Lwaxana's second daughter. She was born a few months before Kestra's death. Deanna often felt that she was the parent while Lwaxana was the child. When Deanna was six years old, Lwaxana held a birthday party for her. Lwaxana disappeared halfway through the party and reappeared dressed up as a Koropian princess, carried in a sedan chair by four men. (TNG: "Cost of Living")
Lwaxana often considered Deanna to be "all she had left," and thus was often protective of her, hoping she would find a husband to take care of her. (TNG: "Haven")
Child with Jeyal
In 2372, Lwaxana was pregnant with her third child. This child was the product of her union with the Tavnian Jeyal. When their marriage was dissolved, Lwaxana returned to Betazed to raise the child. (DS9: "The Muse")
Romance
In addition to her string of marriages, Lwaxana has also had numerous dalliances and flirtations with various others.
Timicin
Together with Timicin
In 2367, Lwaxana fell in love with the Kaelon scientist Timicin while he was performing experiments on board the Enterprise-D. Unfortunately, he was to perform the "Resolution," a ritual suicide which people of his race were expected to perform upon reaching the age of sixty. Although Lwaxana desperately attempted to convince Timicin not to go through with the ritual, Timicin ultimately decided it must be done, and Lwaxana eventually relented. She then opted to witness the ceremony along with Timicin's family. (TNG: "Half a Life")
Campio
In 2368, Lwaxana exchanged personality profiles with Kostolain Minister Campio. Their profiles were very harmonious, but in real life, they couldn't have been more different. Campio was incredibly tied to protocol while Lwaxana was too free-spirited for him. Their marriage was canceled during the wedding when Lwaxana appeared to the ceremony in the traditional Betazoid way – without any clothes. (TNG: "Cost of Living")
Odo
Lwaxana without her wig
Lwaxana embraces Odo
Lwaxana also had a romantic attraction to Constable Odo, the security chief of Deep Space 9. She first met Odo while visiting the station in 2369, along with several other Federation ambassadors. Odo returned a precious hair brooch for Lwaxana after it was stolen at Quark's, and he caught her attention immediately. According to Lwaxana "All the men I've known... who've needed to be shaped and molded and manipulated. Finally, I've met a man who knows how to do it himself." She tried to seduce him, unfortunately quite unsuccessfully. She didn't lose her interest, however, and further tried to attract his attention. A power failure caused the pair to get stuck in one of the station's turbolifts. During their time in the lift, they were bonded in a special friendship: he was the first person ever to see her without a wig, while Lwaxana used her skirt to contain Odo when he had to revert into his gelatinous state to regenerate. (DS9: "The Forsaken")
Lwaxana returned to the station in 2371 shortly before the Bajoran Gratitude Festival. She was officially there to take part at the festival, but actually she was there to visit Odo again. Her continuous attempts of seduction were once again unsuccessful. She suffered from Zanthi fever, which caused her to project her amorous feelings for Odo to other persons. She was ultimately cured by Dr. Julian Bashir. While parting from Odo, she wished him good luck with Major Kira Nerys, whom she realized he was in love with. (DS9: "Fascination")
She returned seeking Odo's help the following year, after she had run away from her new husband, Jeyal. She took refuge on the station, and at once depressed Worf, Jadzia Dax, and Kira with the sad story of her marriage. Her mood brightened after spending some time with Odo. Jeyal soon arrived in search of her, with the intent of claiming his unborn child. Odo and Lwaxana were married in order to prevent this, as the child would be the property of any man who was married to the woman, not only the biological one. They parted some time later and she apparently delivered the child at Betazed. (DS9: "The Muse")
Friendships
Jean-Luc Picard
Lwaxana in Picard's arms, after he saved her from Tog
Lwaxana first met Captain Jean-Luc Picard aboard the USS Enterprise-D in 2364 when she boarded the ship from planet Haven to meet her daughter, Deanna. Her attitude towards Picard was not the expected as she treated him like a servant, embarassing her daughter. Picard found Lwaxana's presence aboard his ship to be an annoyance, but Lwaxana did not seem to be bothered by it. She considered joining with Picard, but thought he was a little too old. As she departed she commented that Picard's thoughts about her were very erotic. (TNG: "Haven")
She returned to the Enterprise in 2365 while she was in "the Phase," a period in a Betazoid woman's life when her sexuality is in a heightened state. She decided to concentrate all her energy to a single man, Picard. Despite arranging a private romantic dinner, her advances for him failed. The captain hid from Lwaxana in a Dixon Hill holodeck program. (TNG: "Manhunt")
Picard was responsible for rescuing Lwaxana from DaiMon Tog after she was kidnapped by him. He managed this by convincing the Ferengi that Lwaxana was actually his lover and that he would destroy Tog's ship if she was not returned to him. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi")
Lwaxana apparently "gave up the hope" for Picard, but the Enterprise still remained one of her favorite sites to visit. (TNG: "Cost of Living", "Half a Life")
According to Doctor Crusher, the arrival of Lwaxana made Picard shudder. (TNG: "Remember Me")
Worf
Ambassador Troi commonly referred to Worf as "Mr. Woof", to which he always politely corrected her with, "It is Worf, madam." For a very brief time in 2365, when Lwaxana was going through "the Phase," she considered Worf as a mate, but decided Captain Picard made a better choice. When Worf asked Deanna to become his son's Soh-chim, he did not consider that that would make Ambassador Troi his stepmother; he ultimately decided to go through with it anyway. Worf once stated that Lwaxana was an "admirable woman." (TNG: "Manhunt", "Ethics", "Parallels", "Ménage à Troi")
Alexander Rozhenko
Lwaxana befriended Alexander Rozhenko, Worf's son, while visiting in 2368 with the intention of marrying Minister Campio on board. Lwaxana taught Alexander how to have fun, angering both the boy's father and her husband-to-be. She called Alexander her "little warrior."
Additionally, young Alexander had something to teach Lwaxana, reminding his elder of the importance of being true to one's self. Lwaxana had resigned herself to compromising who she was in order to not be alone anymore, and she shared this resignation (without mentioning the specifics) with Alexander. He then asked, with characteristic childlike innocence, "why?" which got her to thinking about what she was doing... and why. It was that exchange that finally led to her appearance at the wedding ceremony in the true tradition of her homeworld. As she walked up to the altar wearing all her finest jewelry – and nothing else – Alexander looked up at her, beaming with pride (apparently he had figured out what the issue was). Lwaxana gave him a particularly meaningful, and appreciative, smile in return. (TNG: "Cost of Living")
Attendants
Mr. Homn, Lwaxana Troi's second attendant.
Xelo
Xelo was Lwaxana's attendant before Homn. She apparently had to fire him after his thoughts about her became too erotic. (TNG: "Haven")
Homn
Mr. Homn was Lwaxana's attendant for several years and he often accompanied her on her journeys. (TNG: "Haven")
Chronology
- Year unknown
- Born on Betazed.
- 2330
- First daughter with Ian Troi is born, Kestra Troi. (TNG: "Dark Page")
- 2336
- 29 March - Second daughter with Ian Troi is born, Deanna Troi. (TNG: "Conundrum")
- 2336
- Kestra drowns, causing Lwaxana to self-impose a memory block, effectively erasing Kestra from her memory. (TNG: "Dark Page")
- 2343
- Ian Troi dies. (TNG: "Dark Page")
- 2364
- Comes aboard the USS Enterprise-D for Deanna's marriage to Wyatt Miller, but they decide not to marry. (TNG: "Haven")
Troi on her way to the Enterprise-D.
- 2365
- Attends the Pacifica conference, to decide if the Antedeans should be allowed Federation membership. Reveals that the Antedean ambassadors are in fact terrorists. (TNG: "Manhunt")
- 2366
- Attends the biennial Trade Agreements Conference when they are held on Betazed; is later kidnapped by a Ferengi, and rescued by Captain Picard. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi")
- 2367
- Attends a conference. En route back to Betazed, the Enterprise assists the Kaelon, where Lwaxana falls for a scientist, Timicin. (TNG: "Half a Life")
- 2369
- Visits Deep Space 9 for the first time. (DS9: "The Forsaken")
- 2371
- Visits Bajor and DS9 to attend the Gratitude Festival. (DS9: "Fascination")
- 2372
- Visits DS9, seeking help from Odo. (DS9: "The Muse")
- 2379
- Her daughter Deanna is married to William T. Riker on Earth. A second wedding is planned to take place on Betazed. (Star Trek Nemesis)
Appendices
Background information
Lwaxana Troi was played by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry. Her makeup in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Cost of Living" was applied by makeup designer Michael Westmore himself.
Appearances
- TNG:
- "Haven" (TNG Season 1)
- "Manhunt" (TNG Season 2)
- "Ménage à Troi" (TNG Season 3)
- "Half a Life" (TNG Season 4)
- "Cost of Living" (TNG Season 5)
- "Dark Page" (TNG Season 7)
- DS9:
- "The Forsaken" (DS9 Season 1)
- "Fascination" (DS9 Season 3)
- "The Muse" (DS9 Season 4)
External links
- Template:NCwiki
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