Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed. Deanna Troi’s mother embodies the trope of a dreadful mother-in-law, despite her daughter being unmarried for the entirety of The Next Generation. Eccentric, meddling, overbearing, and horny, Lwaxana brings a comedic and colorful element to the uniformity of the Enterprise. Enthusiastic and friendly to the point of being annoying, it’s hard to imagine Lwaxana as anything but an occasional break from the daily grind. However, her genuine kindness reveals a surprisingly multi-faceted character that harbors very real emotions.

Underneath the colorful wigs, flashy clothes, and interesting accessories, Lwaxana feels deeply vulnerable. She is insecure about her age and worries about being alone. When confronted with the death of her lover in the episode “Half a Life”, she cracks just enough to show Deanna just how scared she is of being alone and the reality of death. Lwaxana’s truly tragic backstory is slowly revealed throughout the course of several episodes, and her character develops further into a strong soul rather than an annoying ego-centrist. Her tremendous self-love radiates onto others, so much so that her telepathic and empathic abilities are somewhat clouded.

Her flamboyance masks the tragedies in her life, and through the pain she lives with every day Lwaxana still makes a point to be kind. She is friendly and maternal, especially to Alexander Rozhenko. Upon meeting Worf’s child and learning that his mother died, she heavily sympathies with him since her own daughter had to grow up without a father. Lwaxana’s own loss of her husband motivates her to show Alexander that life is still full of happiness and opportunity. Treat yo self. Lwaxana’s creed is that “Life’s true gift is the capacity to enjoy enjoyment” (“Cost of Living”). Her character may be hyperbolic, but the message behind her actions and what motivates her determination to carry on and help others to do the same is an inspiration.

All her life, Lwaxana has been told what to do. She’s been shunned, ridiculed, and disliked. She’s endured so much loss, guilt, and heartache. She deals with the fear of being alone, the inevitability of death, and insecurities. Yet, even with all of that, Lwaxana is the brightest character in Next Gen. Unequivocally genuine, Lwaxana has learned that compromising who she is for someone else is not worth it. Despite the comedy her character brings, she also inspires strength and inner beauty through how apologetically she is.