The principle that, in fiction, the strongest member of the cast gets utterly wailed on in order to establish just how powerful the villain of the week is. Differs from the Red Shirt in that the Red Shirt isn't given any characterization beyond his/her name, while the Worf is a properly developed character. Named after Worf in Star Trek, wherein he kept getting trashed by the bad guys.
Yo, did you see that new show?
Yeah! That tough guy wound up getting curb stomped.
Worf effect, no doubt.
Yeah! That tough guy wound up getting curb stomped.
Worf effect, no doubt.
by Intelligence001 August 22, 2019
Get the worf effectmug. Any sort of supposedly powerful attack that ends up having zero effect. Examples include a BFG doing nothing. That's right, NO DAMAGE. Named after Worf from star trek.
Dude! I just fired this super-powerful cannon on this boss and it did nothing!
Man, I'm sorry, but that thing's basically a Worf Barrage gun. IT IS FUCKING USELESS!
Man, I'm sorry, but that thing's basically a Worf Barrage gun. IT IS FUCKING USELESS!
by Anhilliator1 December 12, 2016
Get the worf barragemug. a very pretty girl, that one has great emotions for and would do anything for; also she is very funny, smart, and intellegent. One would be lucky to have a maris-worf
by romeo21195 October 7, 2010
Get the maris-worfmug. by Daxadead July 25, 2021
Get the Worfmug. A star trek fictional character. He likes prune juice, and never drinks alcohol directly from the barrel.
by Iam not Elmer Fudd May 11, 2020
Get the Worfmug. A TV Trope
When, for the purposes of character development, you pit an established "strong" character against a newer one and have them lose, in order to emphasise the threat that the new character poses. However, when this trick is overused to the point that the previously established "strong" character begins to seem weak, that character has been "Worfed".
This term derives from Lieutenant Worf, the Security Officer onboard the Enterprise in the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Worf is a Klingon; an alien species known for its physical power, aggression and warrior mentality. Worf is repeatedly pitted against various enemies who, despite his supposed strength and prowess, would then comfortably defeat him; thus establishing the implied level of danger the crew faces. Over time, The character of Worf became essentially a joke; you could expect him to get bodied every time a new threat turned up that week.
Eventually Worf's reputation would be redeemed in later episodes, and in the series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; his character receiving some badly needed development over the course of several years until he reached the stage of becoming one of the most beloved and recognised characters in the franchise.
When, for the purposes of character development, you pit an established "strong" character against a newer one and have them lose, in order to emphasise the threat that the new character poses. However, when this trick is overused to the point that the previously established "strong" character begins to seem weak, that character has been "Worfed".
This term derives from Lieutenant Worf, the Security Officer onboard the Enterprise in the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Worf is a Klingon; an alien species known for its physical power, aggression and warrior mentality. Worf is repeatedly pitted against various enemies who, despite his supposed strength and prowess, would then comfortably defeat him; thus establishing the implied level of danger the crew faces. Over time, The character of Worf became essentially a joke; you could expect him to get bodied every time a new threat turned up that week.
Eventually Worf's reputation would be redeemed in later episodes, and in the series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; his character receiving some badly needed development over the course of several years until he reached the stage of becoming one of the most beloved and recognised characters in the franchise.
First Person:"I see that Superman is getting slapped around in this week's DC comic. So much for being the World's Strongest."
Second Person:"I know, right? The writers seem to be Worfing him every time they create some new, random villain".
Second Person:"I know, right? The writers seem to be Worfing him every time they create some new, random villain".
by Calledwylch May 16, 2025
Get the Worfingmug. Mr worf a fictional character from star trek.
by Iam not Elmer Fudd February 2, 2020
Get the Worfmug.