[1] Appearing first in "Reunion", where he is named Chancellor, Gowron defends his position against the challenge of the Duras family in the two-part episode "Redemption".

[2] Prior to his casting as Gowron, Robert O'Reilly appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation second season episode "Manhunt" as a character referred to as Scarface.

[1] 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.

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.

[7] Outside of Star Trek, O'Reilly appeared in character for an advert for Hallmark Cards to promote a Klingon Bird of Prey starship Christmas ornament.

[9] Gowron's final appearance in Star Trek was in the Deep Space Nine seventh season episode "Tacking into the Wind" where he is killed by Worf after the Klingon Chancellor displays some increasingly dishonorable tactics towards Martok.

"[1] 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.

"[11] 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.

"[12] Gowron makes his first appearance in the Star Trek franchise in The Next Generation episode "Reunion" as one of two possible successors to the role of Chancellor of the Klingon High Council (the other candidate is Duras (Patrick Massett), his longtime rival).

It is revealed that the Duras clan has been in league with the Klingons' traditional enemies the Romulans, and their attempt to seize power ends when the allies abandon them.

It is ultimately revealed that this Kahless was in fact a clone, whom Gowron appoints to the symbolic post of Emperor of the Klingon Empire following the suggestion of Worf.

Later in the episode, the USS Defiant is forced to fight several Klingon ships, at a predetermined meeting point in space, to rescue Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) and the rest of the Detapa Council.

Worf wins the duel, and is about to deliver the final blow, but Odo realizes in time that the Changeling is in fact Martok, who he exposes and who is subsequently killed by Gowron's men.

[22][23] Gowron makes his final appearances in "When It Rains…" and "Tacking into the Wind", where he assumes direct command of Klingon military forces and launches multiple reckless attacks with minimal success, wanting Martok (who he regards as a rival) to suffer a string of defeats.

[25] O'Reilly appeared as Gowron in full motion video sequences in Star Trek: Klingon, an interactive movie/computer game released by Simon & Schuster in 1996.

In the mission the player, alongside General Martok and Matriarch J'Ula, find Gowron in Koth; a realm for those unworthy of Sto-Vo-Kor or Gre'thor.

He agrees to be the personal servant of Fek'lhr in the mission's conclusion to guarantee the player and J'Ula's success in enacting their plan to corner and stop Aakar.

[32] Regarding the appearance of Gowron in the video game Star Trek: Klingon, Bob Strauss described O'Reilly's delivery as "bug-eyed aplomb" in a review for Entertainment Weekly.

[36] In particular, they noted actor O'Reilly's powerful performances in both TNG and DS-9 over the arc of the character’s story, and how Gowron's critical position in the Klingon Empire as Chancellor, especially in the Dominion war saga, reveals the difference between personal ambition and honorable conduct.