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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

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Watch Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan with a subscription on Max, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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Considered by many fans to be the best of the Star Trek movies, Khan features a strong plot, increased tension, and a sharp supporting performance from Ricardo Montalban.

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Nicholas Meyer

William Shatner

Admiral James T. Kirk

Leonard Nimoy

Captain Spock

Ricardo Montalban

Khan Noonien Singh

DeForest Kelley

Commander Leonard H. McCoy, M.D.

James Doohan

Commander Montgomery Scott

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The peculiar thing about Spock is that, being half human and half Vulcan and therefore possessing about half the usual quota of human emotions, he consistently, if dispassionately, behaves as if he possessed very heroic human emotions indeed. He makes a choice in “Star Trek II” that would be made only by a hero, a fool, or a Vulcan. And when he makes his decision, the movie rises to one of its best scenes, because the " Star Trek " stories have always been best when they centered around their characters. Although I liked the special effects in the first movie, they were probably not the point; fans of the TV series wanted to see their favorite characters again, and “Trek II” understood that desire and acted on it.

Time has passed since the last episode. Kirk has retired to an administrative post. Spock is commanding the Enterprise, with a lot of new faces in the crew. The ship is on a mission concerning the Genesis device, a new invention which, if I understand it correctly, is capable of seeding a barren planet with luxuriant life. A sister ship, the USS Reliant, is scouting for lifeless planets and finds one that seems to be dead, but its instruments pick up a small speck of life. Crew members investigate, and find the planet inhabited by an outlaw named Khan, who was exiled there years ago by Kirk, and has brooded of vengeance ever since.

Khan is played as a cauldron of resentment by Ricardo Montalban , and his performance is so strong that he helps illustrate a general principle involving not only Star Trek but “ Star Wars ” (1977) and all the epic serials, especially the “James Bond” movies: Each film is only as good as its villain. Since the heroes and the gimmicks tend to repeat from film to film, only a great villain can transform a good try into a triumph. In a curious way, Khan captures our sympathy, even though he is an evil man who introduces loathsome creatures into the ear canals of two Enterprise crew members. Montalban doesn't overact. He plays the character as a man of deeply wounded pride, whose bond of hatred with Admiral Kirk is stronger even than his traditional villain's desire to rule the universe.

There is a battle in outer space in this movie, a particularly inept one that owes more to "Captain Video" than to state-of-the-art special effects. I always love it when they give us spaceships capable of leaping across the universe, and then arm them with weapons so puny that a direct hit merely blows up a few control boards and knocks people off their feet. Somehow, though, I don't much care if the battles aren't that amazing, because the story doesn't depend on them. It's about a sacrifice made by Spock, and it draws on the sentiment and audience identification developed over the years by the TV series.

Perhaps because of that bond, and the sense that an episode may be over but the Enterprise will carry on, the movie doesn't feel that it needs an ending in a conventional sense. The film closes with the usual "Star Trek" end narration, all about the ship's mission and its quest, and we are obviously being set up for a sequel. You could almost argue that the last few minutes of “Trek II” are a trailer for “Trek III”, but, no, that wouldn't be in the spirit of the Enterprise, would it?

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan movie poster

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

113 minutes

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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Cast & crew.

William Shatner

Admiral James T. Kirk

Leonard Nimoy

Ricardo Montalbán

DeForest Kelley

Commander Leonard H. McCoy, M.D.

James Doohan

Commander Montgomery Scott

Thrilling, philosophical installment of popular space saga.

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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Admiral James T. Kirk is still in charge of a space fleet, but from behind a desk. Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock convince him to take on a mission which sounds simple, but with the mysterious Khan, things get a little tricky. more

Admiral James T. Kirk is still in charge of a space fleet, but fr ... More

Starring: William Shatner Leonard Nimoy Ricardo Montalban

Director: Nicholas Meyer

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Starring: William Shatner Leonard Nimoy Ricardo Montalban DeForest Kelley James Doohan

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Star Trek movies in order: Chronological and release

Untangle the different timelines and get the popcorn: Here are the Star Trek movies in order — both chronological and release.

Chronological order
Prime Timeline

The Original Series movies

The next generation movies.

Kelvin Timeline
Release order

Upcoming Star Trek movies

We've got a guide to watching the Star Trek movies in order, decloaking off our starboard side!

So long as movies stick numbers on the ends of their titles, it’s easy to watch them in order. Once they start branching out, however, things can get a little muddled, especially when reboots come along and start the whole process over from scratch.

You may have heard that the even-numbered ones are good and the odd-numbered ones are not. That’s spot on for the films starring the cast of The Original Series (aka Kirk and friends) falls apart once you reach the tenth entry in the series. It would probably be worth your while to have this list of the Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best around to steer clear of the clunkers. Look, we’re not going to pretend everything here is worth two hours of your day, we’re just letting you know which came out after which.

Should your Trek appetite remain unsatiated after your movie watchathon, feel free to pull from either our list of the best Star Trek: The Original series episode s or best Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes . Either one will set you up for a weekend jam-packed with great Trek moments. Consult our Star Trek streaming guide for all the details on where to watch the movies and shows online

Star Trek movies: Chronological order

Below is the quick version of our list if you just need to check something to win an argument, but it comes with a lot of in-universe time travel-related caveats that we'll explain below.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Nemesis
Star Trek Into Darkness
Star Trek Beyond

Star Trek: Prime Timeline

The first thing you need to know about the Star Trek films is that while they travel back and forth in time, they also diverge into two (for now) different timelines. The films of the original crew (well, the first iteration of them, anyway – more on that later) are all in what is known as the Prime Timeline.

Within the Prime Timeline, the movies are then split between The Original Series movies and The Next Generation movies.

1. Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Crew in Star Trek: The Motion Picture_Paramount Pictures

Release date: December 8, 1979
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

This is the film that brought the voyages of the U.S.S. Enterprise to the big screen. An energy cloud is making its way toward Earth, destroying everything in its path. Kirk and crew intercept it and discover an ancient NASA probe at the heart of the cloud. Voyager – known as V’ger now – encountered a planet of living machines, learned all it could, and returned home to report its findings, only to find no one who knew how to answer. It’s a slow-paced film, and the costumes are about as 70s as they come, but there’s classic Star Trek at the heart of this film.

2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Ricardo Montalban in Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan (1982)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: June 4, 1982
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban

Ask a Star Trek fan what the best Star Trek movie is and more often than not, you’ll get Khan as your answer. A sequel to the events of the “Space Seed” episode of The Original Series, Khan is a retelling of Moby Dick with Khan throwing reason to the wind as he hunts his nemesis, James T. Kirk. Montalban delivers a pitch-perfect performance, giving us a Khan with charisma and obsession in equal parts.

3. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Walter Koenig, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley, and George Takei in Star Trek III The Search for Spock (1984)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: June 1, 1984

Spock might have died in The Wrath of Khan, but this third entry set up the premise for his return, with the creation of the Genesis planet. Essentially a heist movie in reverse, Search for Spock has the crew defying orders from Starfleet in an attempt to reunite Spock’s consciousness with his newly-rejuvenated body. It’s not a great movie, but it does include two very important events: the rebirth of Spock and the death of Kirk’s son at the hands of the Klingons. That’ll be important a few flicks from now.

4. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Walter Koenig, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek IV The Voyage Home (1986)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: November 26, 1986
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Catherine Hicks

If Star Trek fans don’t say Khan is the best Star Trek movie, odds are very high they say Voyage Home is. It’s a funny film where the mission isn’t destruction, but creation – or more accurately, repairing the devastating effects of humankind’s ecological short-sightedness.

A probe arrives at Earth, knocking out the power of everything in its path as it looks for someone to respond to its message (yeah, it happens a lot). This time, however, the intended recipient is the long-extinct blue whale. To save Earth, Kirk and co. go back in time to 1980s San Francisco to snag some blue whales. The eco-messaging isn’t exactly subtle, but it doesn’t get in the way of a highly enjoyable movie.

5. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, and Laurence Luckinbill in Star Trek V The Final Frontier (1989)

Release date: June 9, 1989

A writers’ strike and Shatner’s directorial skills (or lack thereof) doomed this film before a single scene was shot. The core plot is actually pretty good: Spock’s half-brother hijacks the Enterprise so that he can meet God, which he believes to be… himself. Some Star Trek fans have an odd fondness for this movie, as it showcases the camaraderie of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy when they’re off-duty.

6. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Christopher Plummer in Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country (1991)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: December 6, 1991
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Christopher Plummer

Right, so if that Star Trek fan you’ve been talking to doesn’t choose either Khan or Voyage Home as the best Star Trek movie ever, they almost certainly name Undiscovered Country (and if they don’t, they have highly questionable taste, frankly). The Klingon moon of Praxis explodes, putting the entire Klingon race at risk. The Enterprise hosts a diplomatic entourage of Klingons, much to Kirk’s discomfort.

Remember how Klingons murdered Kirk’s son? Well, he certainly hasn’t forgotten. Kirk’s lingering rage makes him the perfect patsy for the murder of the Klingon Chancellor, sending him and McCoy to a prison planet and setting the stage for war. Christopher Plummer is perfection as a Shakespeare-quoting Klingon general with no taste for peace.

7. Star Trek: Generations

Malcolm McDowell, Brian Thompson, and Gwynyth Walsh in Star Trek Generations (1994)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: November 18, 1994
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner

And thus the torch is passed from the crew of The Original Series to that of The Next Generation. It’s a bit of a fumble, to be honest, but they all did their best to get Kirk and Picard into the same film and have it make sense. Malcolm McDowell plays Soran, a scientist who will stop at nothing to control the Nexus, a giant space rainbow that exists outside of space-time.

Soran lost his family when his home world was destroyed and he wants to re-join them (or at least an illusion of them) in the Nexus. He’s not so much a villain as a tragic figure, but the Nexus makes a meeting between Kirk and Picard possible. Not all that sensible, but possible.

8. Star Trek: First Contact

U.S.S. Enterprise battling the Borg in Star Trek First Contact (1996)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: November 22, 1996
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Alice Krige

Okay, no, for real, if your Star Trek pal didn’t pick Khan or Voyage Home or… oh, nevermind. Cueing off the iconic two-part episode “Best of Both Worlds,” in which Picard is assimilated by the Borg, First Contact sees the collective traveling back in time in order to disrupt First Contact, the day Earth’s first foray into space attracted the attention of the Vulcans, kicking off the events that would eventually lead to Starfleet’s victory over the Borg. The Borg Queen torments Picard with visions of the past and tempts Data with humanity, going so far as to give him some human skin.

The fight with the Borg aboard the Enterprise is thrilling, and the work on the surface to get first contact back on track is fun. Plus, there’s just nothing like Patrick Stewart turning it up to 11 as he lashes out at the enemy that haunts his dreams.

9. Star Trek: Insurrection

Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek Insurrection (1998)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: December 11, 1998
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, F. Murray Abraham

Essentially an episode inflated for the big screen, Insurrection is about the Federation conspiring to displace a planet’s population in order to harvest the planet’s unique resource – super healing metaphasic particles. In addition to the rejuvenating natural resource, the Ba’ku also have access to exceptional technology, which they shun in favor of a more simple lifestyle.

Data malfunctions, the villains are Federation allies (and former Ba’ku!), Picard gets to knock boots with a local – Insurrection is the very definition of “fine.” Chronologically, Insurrection is relevant for rekindling the romance between Riker and Troi, but not much else.

10. Star Trek: Nemesis

Patrick Stewart and Tom Hardy in Star Trek Nemesis (2002)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: December 13, 2002
Cast: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Tom Hardy

Before he mumbled his way into our hearts as Bane, Tom Hardy was Shinzon, a clone of Picard the Romulans created in an eventually abandoned attempt to infiltrate Starfleet. Shinzon is dying, and all that will save him is a transfusion of Picard’s blood. Unfortunately, Shinzon also happens to be a megalomaniac who happens to want to destroy all life on Earth and maybe a few other planets, too, if he’s feeling saucy.

Nemesis is notable mostly for killing Data with a noble sacrifice, only to resurrect him moments later in a duplicate body found earlier by the Enterprise crew.

Star Trek: Kelvin Timeline

The last of the Prime Timeline movies failed to impress at the box office, so it was a few years before anyone tried to bring the Enterprise back to the big screen. Rather than lean on any of the TV crews, this new slate of movies would serve as a reboot, welcoming new audiences while honoring long-time fans. Welcome to the Kelvin Timeline. (For all the ins and outs, check out our Star Trek: Kelvin Timeline explained article).

11. Star Trek

John Cho, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, and Chris Pine in Star Trek (2009)_Paramount Pictures

Release date: May 8, 2009
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban

Back to the beginning! Star Trek introduces us to James T. Kirk, Spock, and “Bones” McCoy as they meet and join the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Though the plot is a relatively straightforward affair of a Romulan named Nero trying to destroy the Earth. His anger borne out of grief, what matters most is how it all came to be. In the future, Spock – the Prime Timeline version – tries to save Romulus from being destroyed by a supernova, but fails. Both his ship and Nero’s are kicked back in time, setting off a chain of events that diverge from the original, “true” timeline.

The name “Kelvin” refers to the U.S.S. Kelvin, the ship heroically captained by Kirk’s father, which is destroyed in the opening moments of the movie.

12. Star Trek Into Darkness

Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, and Chris Pine in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)_© Zade Rosenthal_Paramount Pictures

Release date: May 16, 2013
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch

The benefit of the Kelvin Timeline is that it not only allows Star Trek to explore canon material – such as Khan (he of the Wrath) – but to do something completely new with it. Khan features heavily in Into Darkness, but he has no beef with Kirk. Instead, a Starfleet Admiral is threatening the lives of Khan’s crew, forcing them to craft weapons of mass destruction.

Khan inevitably eludes captivity and strikes out against Starfleet, killing Captain Pike (and a bunch of others) in the process. Kirk and company eventually take Khan down, but not before Kirk sacrifices himself to save his crew. Don’t worry, these things don’t last in either Star Trek timeline, as Kirk gets better moments later thanks to *checks notes* Khan's super blood.

13. Star Trek Beyond

Idris Elba and Chris Pine in Star Trek Beyond (2016)_© Kimberley French_Paramount Pictures

Release date: July 22, 2016
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Idris Elba

Beyond leans into the camaraderie of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy now that they’ve had some time together, much to the movie’s benefit. The Enterprise is lured to Altamid under false pretenses, leading to much of the crew being marooned on the planet. The architect of the deception was Krall, who wants an opportunity to return to a galaxy where war is the order of the day.

Beyond is a significant point in the timeline for two reasons. First, it sadly marked the death of Spock Prime due to the passing of Leonard Nimoy. Second, it culminates in the Enterprise embarking on the five-year-mission that started everything back in 1966.

Star Trek movies: Release order

If you can't be bothered remembering two different orders for the Star Trek movies then we've got good news for you — the release order is identical to the chronological order that we've shown above (accounting for the Kelvin timeline as it's own entity anyway).

The full run of Star Trek films currently tops out at 13 entries; the fate of the 14th was hidden within a nebula of conflicting information. “Star Trek 4” was slated for December 22, 2023, but given that filming had yet to begin as of July 2022, it seems inevitable that date will change. Back in February 2022, Paramount that the principal cast would be returning for the fourth installment of the Kelvin timeline, a claim quickly disputed by the agents of those selfsame actors. Awkward.

Soon after, however, Chris Pine eventually signed on the dotted line, and his shipmates reached their own agreements. As of right now, Kirk (Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), McCoy (Karl Urban, assuming he can make it work around filming of The Boys), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Uhura (Zoe Saldaña), and Sulu (John Cho) are all ready to beam up and get filming. Sadly, this will be the first of the Kelvin films to not feature Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov. Yelchin died in an accident at his home in 2016. It’s currently unclear if Chekov will be recast or if a different character will take his place on the bridge of the Enterprise.

Though the Kelvin timeline is often referred to as “J.J. Abrams Trek,” he won’t be directing Star Trek 4; Matt Shakman will take on that responsibility, leaving Abrams to produce. As for what it will be about, that’s anyone’s guess, but Chris Pine told Deadline he hopes this one tells a smaller story that appeals to the core Trek audience. “Let’s make the movie for the people that love this group of people, that love this story, that love Star Trek,” he said. “Let’s make it for them and then, if people want to come to the party, great.” It’s a strategy that makes sense; the disappointment with recent Trek films hasn’t been their content so much as their box office. A Trek film with a smaller scope (and budget) would almost certainly have a very healthy profit margin while also resonating with the fanbase.

With no new announcements coming from San Diego Comic-Con 2022, it seems that we’ll have to wait for any more insight into the next Star Trek film. Sill, recent comments from Paramount CEO Brian Robbins have us cautiously optimistic: “We’re deep into [Star Trek 4] with J.J. Abrams, and it feels like we’re getting close to the starting line and excited about where we’re going creatively,” he told Variety .

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Susan Arendt is a freelance writer, editor, and consultant living in Burleson, TX. She's a huge sci-fi TV and movie buff, and will talk your Vulcan ears off about Star Trek. You can find more of her work at Wired, IGN, Polygon, or look for her on Twitter: @SusanArendt. Be prepared to see too many pictures of her dogs.

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Preview: ‘Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan – The Making Of The Classic Film’ With Authors Interview

| September 4, 2023 | By: Anthony Pascale 56 comments so far

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is considered a sci-fi classic and it is often cited as the best film of the franchise, and the story of how the film came to is a fascinating one. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – The Making of the Classic Film is a new book coming out this week from Titan that takes a deep dive into the making of The Wrath of Khan based on new research. This coffee table book features unpublished archival material, behind-the-scenes photography, production art, cut scenes, script extracts, and much more alongside new and exclusive interviews with the creatives, including director Nicholas Meyer. We have an exclusive preview and interview with book authors John and Maria Jose Tenuto.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – The Making of the Classic Film

John Tenuto and Maria Jose Tenuto are academic-award-winning sociology professors with over two decades of deep expertise in pop culture and an even deeper love of Star Trek. (Their wedding song was the Star Trek: Voyager theme.) Their research and analysis has been featured in a number of TV, print, and online outlets (including TrekMovie.com) and on the Netflix TV show The Toys That Made Us and the History Channel’s The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek docuseries. Speaking to TrekMovie via email, the Tenutos talked about their motivation to write a book about this movie that came out in 1982:

We wanted to help make the credits of the movie come alive for fellow fans so that the names could be associated with their contributions. The making of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is really the story of a group of artists and creatives who, despite challenges and limitations of budget, time, and technology, came together to create something unique and meaningful. It was a story worth telling. Because it has been more than 40 years, we have lost many of those who made the film and we thought of the book as a tribute to them. We dedicated the book to those we have lost.

Cover for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – The Making of the Classic Film

Below are a couple of images from the book featuring group shots of the cast and crew taken on one of the few days that both William Shatner and Ricardo Montalban were on set at the same time because the two never acted with each other face-to-face. The Reliant set was a redress of the Enterprise set and filming was done at different times. Also, the second image has Spock’s coffin, the idea being that Leonard could not be there because Spock could not be there, which is why William Shatner is holding the picture of Leonard.

Of course, Star Trek II is a storied film that has been covered in other books and documentaries, but as such it has almost become mythological. The Tentos put their academic skills to work to find new stories and dispel some misconceptions:

Not only were there many new discoveries to make, such as what eventually happened to Khan’s wig, we really wanted to try to set straight many of the myths about the making of the film. For example, we discuss whether the film was ever going to be a movie of the week. Through memos and interviews, we were able to finally answer those questions.

Publicity still of executive producer Harve Bennett and producer Robert Sallin (Titan)

The Tenutos also talked to TrekMovie about their research process:

We approached the book as sociologists and researchers. We relied heavily on interviews, archival interviews, production memos, and photographs. The resources at the University of Iowa, which feature the Nicholas Meyer Paper Collection, were invaluable. Nicholas Meyer, Ken Ralston, Judy Elkins, and Laura Banks gave us wonderful interviews and new information. A very special part of the book are the remembrances of Julie Nimoy and Anita Montalban Smith about their fathers, and we learned a great deal about Leonard and Ricardo’s dedication and preparation from their daughters.

Julie Nimoy wrote the foreward to the book, which includes a personal picture (below) of herself and her father from that time period.

Julie and Leonard Nimoy (Photo: courtesy of Julie Nimoy and David Knight.)

Of course, after over 40 years, taking on a project like this isn’t easy, as John and Maria Jose Tenuto explained:

The most challenging problem was the passage of time itself. Resources were scattered, some items were among fan collections due to auctions, and we had lost such great actors and behind-the-scenes artists during those years.

Publicity still of DeForest Kelley, William Shatner, and Leonard Nimoy (Titan)

In the end, it was all worth it. The authors explain why they feel the film deserves the attention:

We have always believed that The Wrath of Khan is the fulcrum movie upon which Star Trek turned. If TWOK had failed, we doubt Star Trek would have endured as it did. If TWOK had failed, no Search for Spock and Voyage Home , which may have meant no Next Generation . TWOK was really Star Trek’s proving ground. That Nicholas Meyer, Harve Bennett, Robert Sallin, ILM, and their teams were able to create such an amazing film under the constraints faced is as fascinating a story as the film itself. While the film means many things, for us, it is a story about parents and children. Everyone in the film has a real or symbolic child. Kirk and Carol have David, Spock has Saavik, Scotty has Peter Preston, Khan has his followers, and even the Enterprise has its cadets. Its about generations and what they can learn from each other, perhaps, most importantly, the dangers of hubris which Kirk and Khan both share in the film. Kirk learns his lesson because of the sacrifice of Spock. It is appropriate then that a film about generations has itself lasted generations and inspired generations.

Authors John and Maria Jose Tenuto

Available Tuesday

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – The Making of the Classic Film arrives on Tuesday, September 5 from Titan Books. The 192-page hardcover book measures roughly 12 inches square. You can order it at Amazon for $45.00 .

More spreads from the book…

Find more news and reviews of Star Trek books at TrekMovie.com .

DISCLAIMER: We may link to products to buy on Amazon in our articles; these are customized affiliate links that support TrekMovie by earning a small commission when you purchase through them.

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Kaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhnnn!

That should be “Khhhhhhhaaaaaaaannnnnn!” :D

Yes, we ckhaaaaaan!

I Khan’t believe my schoolboy error.

Looking forward to this one!

The cast photo (the color one anyway) comes up on various Facebook pages from time to time, and there is a certain contingent of fans who swear the woman to the left of Walter Koenig is Nichelle Nichols. I don’t think it could possibly be her as he complexion is far too light, but that crowd says it is just a lighting effect.

What does everyone think?

It doesn’t even actually look like her to me.

Anyone that thinks that is Nichelle should immediately report to sickbay for an eye exam…

It’s not Ms. Nichols. It begs the question, who is she?

Is it Judy Leavitt, Koenig’s wife? Or might it be the lady who was the executive assistant on the film, whose name escapes me right now but had some tasty quotes in the Altman roundtable quote book about Trek’s first 25 years?

Uh-huh, a “lighting effect” that just happens to not affect the complexion of the other Black people in the crowd.

Definitely not Nichols.

Not Nichols. Perhaps the book will caption everyone.

Doesn’t look like her at all. Besides, she’s clearly just to the left of Shatner, Captain Kirk, wearing a checkered shirt.

It’s the Assistant to the Producers.

D, I had an opportunity to interview VFX guy Scott Farrar a couple years back and he wholly confirmed your account in the Altman book about the motion-control potato on Abel’s TMP. Would never have known to ask if I hadn’t read that, thanks! (and that’s coming from one of a handful of folks who has made it an ongoing concern to always bring up TMP when interviewing crew guys about other stuff … in so many ways it is a beautiful train wreck, at least when viewed from a distance and not having to live through it.)

First caption I read is wrong, indicating that is a frame from the finished film. That image is NOT in the movie. Too bad, as it would make for a very nice shot! Am more than a little dismayed, as I had heard from a friend in the know that these writers are tireless researchers who really know their subject.

Interesting that when trying to edit my comment above, the system won’t let me, saying I’m posting comments too quickly. Wanted to clarify that it was about the vfx image and that it probably was intended to go into the shots leading up to ‘phaser lock just blew’ line.

That edit glitch has been around for a while now.

Same here. I tried to fix a type but it said I was posting to quickly. Then after I waited a while it said it was too late to edit.

Next at BugFest 2023 …

I’ve seen that still a lot over the years. There’s also another publicity still of the Enterprise firing phasers with a nebula-like background but redder. Was on the VHS cover art. Would be interesting to know the backstory with those.

The Titan and Hero Collector making of books have been amazing, but I do catch the odd error in them here and there.

That other one has been described a few times as a promo composite, not an actual frame from the finished film. ILM made up some of those for each film they worked on back then, especially EMPIRE.

This one really looks like it could be a real shot that was dropped — the matching bluescreen element of Enterprise certainly supports this, though I’d guess the RELIANT element in the final is the bigger model, the lighting seems far too intricate to be the baby-size ship — but would have to look at a full spread of Mike Minor’s storyboards to confirm that.

I do recall that there was supposed to be another shot — at least it was boarded — in the near-miss sequence in mid-film when we see Reliant sliding just over Enterprise after the ‘here it comes’ bit, and it makes sense that some things drop out during editing no matter how well conceived. ILM certainly departed from Minor’s details on the genesis cave, which was supposed to be a series of volcanic bubbles instead of just one where our guys are at.

Some confirmation this shot was a promo image, in that it is part of Greg Jein’s collection of images up for auction: https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/photos/production-color-camera-transparencies-137-from-star-trek-ii-the-wrath-of-khan-paramount-1982-/a/7278-89268.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515 along with another oft-seen promo image not part of the finished film.

Book looks great! Have money, will buy.

I have literally lost track of how many times I’ve seen WOK, including how many times I saw it in theaters when it came out. Epic, and timeless. This would be a treat to read.

It has many, many flaws. A missed opportunity.

Your coverage of non-fiction books has been very spotty. I recall an article or two RE: the first volume of the definitive chronicling of TOS (These Are The Voyages), but nothing at all of the later books on Seasons 2 and 3 and the films. That, perhaps, because a few folks with axes to grind – such as kmart (Kevin Martin) loudly lobbied against the books. But a favored few, with ‘connections’ like Mr. Tenuto, get their books promoted. Which all boils down to the reality that visitors to this site aren’t allowed an opportunity to learn about and judge for themselves *all* the non-fiction offerings on Trek.

The site is not called TrekNonFictionBooks. I don’t think people come here expecting to read about every Trek book published.

The tagline for this site is: ‘Everything New In Trek’. I believe that includes books, homeboy. There are a few of us fans who are able to read and enjoy reading.

You’re welcome to start a rival website and run it in your spare time. Be warned that moderating pedantic and ungrateful naysayers in the comment section will be a thankless task.

Your rude insults indicate that further discussions with you are a waste of time.

Awwwww…I’m sorry you’re so sensitive. I apologize if you were offended.

Titan Books became the defacto nonfic home for TREK earlier this century though they were doing books in the 90s. I’m not a fan of theirs owing to various issues, but they have managed to glom onto some good authors in their mix. That sets them above some of the lesser forms.

I think the most astounding fact is that Kirsty Alley looked so great back then and somewhere along the way kept adding the tonnage.

That’s the most astounding fact?

She had a sad last couple of decades. She was a very fun actor in the 1980s and 1990s. Her comedic chops on Cheers were wonderful. She was like a character out of a classic screwball comedy from the 1930s.

Isn’t it terrible how most people get older and don’t maintain the same excellent physique they had when they were 25? What a disgrace! :-(

You have to love that Shatner is one of the only ones in costume/uniform. That’s so Shatner. :-)

I’m reminded of that story he tells about the time he got into his uniform at home and drove himself to the filming location out in the desert when it was still dark. (I presume this was Star Trek V.) A cop pulled him over and said, “Where do you think you’re going?” Shatner answered, “To my starship!” The cop gave him the Vulcan salute and let him go.

Eh, it looks like Kristi Alley is in costume as well. And having a little fun with it, too.

Koenig and Alley are in costume, Kelley is half in-costume and I think that’s Besch’s movie outfit as well.

Butrick too.

Paul Winfield, barely visible, is as well. Not sure about the guy who played Jedda, between Winfield and Alley.

All the cast who were involved in the Genesis Cave scenes are in costume. Kelley is not wearing his Monster Maroon coat but has a robe over his green uniform shirt.

this will pair very nicely w/ the La-La Land Records special edition soundtrack

I remember trying to collect those Pepsi cans of the characters from Phantom Menace in 1999. It looks like Tenutos got them all!

That made our day, @VZK!

I’m looking forward to this.

The book they did on the making of TMP was absolutely fantastic and filled with great pictures and content. This will likely be pricey but a nice Christmas present, if you’re listening, Santa! (Pretty please).

I love TMP. I’ll need to pick that one up too.

same publisher, different authors

Wasn’t that an art and visual effects and not making of. The actual making of is unofficial and they wouldn’t give the author the rights to have pictures in his book. By Preston Neal Jones. Called Return to Tomorrow. Out of print.

Ah, you’re right, TMP book was about the visual effects, I’d forgotten, but I did find it a great book and beautiful to leaf though.

Nice to see there must still be demand for it, reselling for between 50 and 250 bucks. I thought ahead and pre-bought two copies (wish I had bought more), as one copy disintegreated from reuse after the first couple years (same thing happened with both of my DS9 COMPANIONs.)

Still think somebody should put together an online image supplement to that book. I was looking at my copy of an old ART OF STAR TREK book proposal solicited by Pocket back in 92 (very little relation to the thing they wound up doing later, mine would have had accurate captions and a lot more text content and better imagery, all focused on the TOS era) and realized I had amassed a really good pile of imagery that went beyond the usual Starlog/CFQ/Cinefex sources, like model kit cover imagery and Syd Mead’s OBLAGON book. At this point, a group of dedicated TMPers could probably make a vid supplement for RETURN TO TOMORROW that would really do the thing justice (while also correcting the very few errors in the text, which are largely just misremembrances by interviewees, like confusing the names of screenwriters.)

There was a small Making of way back when II came out. Didn’t it have a picture of Regula and the Genesis planet on it? I remember the book was not as large, nor have the beautiful color section of production photographs that TMP had with Susan Sackett’s Making of TMP book. I still have that one and, unfortunately, the color pages are all loose and falling out but its still all there.

I’m definitely going to get this one.

Yeah, that was by Allan Asherman, who also did STAR TREK INTERVIEWS and the COMPENDIUM. Some very good interviews in that little book — that’s the only place that mentions how Jim Danforth was used by production to solicit the effects bids. It doesn’t explain why ILM got the job when Trumbull underbid them by something like 40%, but I guess we don’t want to get into that, even now …

Earth government officials

Khan Noonien Singh

View history

Khan Noonien Singh (or simply Khan ) was an extremely intelligent and dangerous superhuman. He was the most prominent of the genetically-engineered Human Augments of the Eugenics Wars period on Earth . Khan was considered, by the USS Enterprise command crew, over three centuries later, to have been "the best" of them. Reappearing with a cadre of Augment followers in the 23rd century , Khan became a notorious enemy of James T. Kirk .

Khan's existence as an Augment served, as well, as a warning to society of the danger in attempting to create "supermen" through technological means. Ambassador Spock stated that he was the most dangerous adversary the Enterprise ever faced. ( ENT : " The Augments "; TOS : " Space Seed "; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ; DS9 : " Doctor Bashir, I Presume "; Star Trek Into Darkness )

1.1 20th century origins
1.2 21st century temporal changes
1.3.1 Second exile
1.3.2 The beginning of vengeance
2 Memorable quotes
3.1 Appearances
3.2 Background information
3.3 Apocrypha
3.4 External links

Biography [ ]

20th century origins [ ].

One of the few historic pictures of Khan from the 1990s

Records of the period, including Khan's origins, are vague. Khan was born, or created in 1959 . ( Star Trek Into Darkness ) He was the product of a selective breeding or genetic engineering program called Project Khan , based on the eugenic philosophy that held improving the capabilities of a man improved the entire Human race. Augments produced by the program possessed physical strength and analytical capabilities considerably superior to ordinary Humans, and were created from a variety of Earth's ethnic groups. Khan's background was suspected by McGivers to be Sikh , from the northern region of India . ( PIC : " Farewell "; TOS : " Space Seed ")

Khan lived up to the axiom coined by one of his creators, "superior ability breeds superior ambition". By 1993 , a wave of the genetic "supermen," including Khan, had simultaneously assumed control of more than forty of Earth's nations. From 1992 to 1996 , Khan was absolute ruler of more than one-quarter of Earth's population, including regions of Asia and the Middle East . Considered "the best of tyrants "; Khan's reign was considered the most benevolent. His regime was free of much of the problems that plagued Earth history of that era – as Khan was never known for engaging in massacres, genocide or wars of aggression. However, the citizens of his regime enjoyed little freedom. Khan had little, if any, respect for individual liberty, which was also a key issue for Earth history. As such, personal initiative and financial investment were low, and scientific progress suffered as a result.

Khan aboard the Botany Bay

In the mid- 1990s , the Augment tyrants began warring among themselves. Other nations joined in, to force them from power , in a series of struggles that became known as the Eugenics Wars . Eventually, most of the tyrants were defeated and their territory recaptured, but up to ninety "supermen" were never accounted for.

Khan escaped the wars and their consequences along with eighty-four followers, who swore to live and die at his command. He saw his best option in a risky, self-imposed exile. In 1996 , he took control of a DY-100-class interplanetary sleeper ship he christened SS Botany Bay , named for the site of the Australian penal colony . Set on a course outbound from the solar system but with no apparent destination in mind, Khan and his people remained in suspended animation for Botany Bay 's centuries-long sublight journey. ( TOS : " Space Seed "; Star Trek Into Darkness )

21st century temporal changes [ ]

Khan as a child in 2022

Due to the changes caused in the timeline as a result of various Temporal Wars , the original events concerning the rise of Singh were pushed back, and events reinserted themselves at a later date in the timeline. According to Romulan temporal agent Sera , in a revised 2022 timeline, " And all this was supposed to happen back in 1992, and I've been trapped here for 30 years trying to get my shot at [Khan]. "

The Khan of this era lived in Toronto , Ontario , Canada , at the Noonien-Singh Institute for Cultural Advancement .

As a child in the revised timeline, he witnessed La'an Noonien-Singh shoot and wound Sera, his would-be assassin . La'an entered Khan's room and found her infamous ancestor cowering behind his bed. When Khan asked if she was going to kill him, she looked at the gun and sat it on the desk next to the bed. La'an assured him that she would not hurt him, as she proceeded to wipe Romulan blood from his face. Curious, La'an asked if he was alone, or if there were others like him. Khan gestured to a photograph on the wall of himself and six other children. He then asked if she was going to take him away. La'an told him that it may not make sense to him, then or maybe ever, but he was where he needed to be. She walked to the entrance of the room, activated the temporal transporter device in front of Khan, and returned to her own time period.

Khan’s legacy in the altered timeline was a history of torture, genocide, and his descendants.

In an alternate timeline , which was created from the revised timeline, Sera successfully assassinated Khan by blowing up a nearby fusion reactor (also destroying Toronto ) after a Federation Department of Temporal Investigations agent was shot and failed to protect Khan. As a result, a dark future for Humanity emerged in which Earth was nearly uninhabitable, Starfleet and Federation never formed, and the Romulan Star Empire was the dominant force of the region.

This timeline was averted after Khan's descendant, La'an, encountered the temporal agent aboard the USS Enterprise who directed her to return to the past, and with the help of James Kirk , from the, now, alternate timeline. The two time traveled to the past and La'an stopped Khan's assassination and restored the timeline to as she knew it. ( SNW : " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow ")

23rd century return [ ]

Khan meeting James T. Kirk for the first time

The USS Enterprise discovered the Botany Bay in 2267 . The boarding party 's arrival and investigation of the Botany Bay activated Khan's stasis unit to revive him – but the ancient mechanism faltered. The decision of Captain James T. Kirk to remove him from the stasis chamber, and Dr. Leonard McCoy 's subsequent ministrations, saved Khan's life.

Twelve of the stasis units had failed during the voyage out from Earth. Kirk, and the Enterprise , taking the Botany Bay in tow, left the remaining 72 sleepers for disposition at Starbase 12 following their leader's successful recovery. The Botany Bay 's undocumented departure, and the fragmented records of the period, initially obscured the identity of the sleepers from the Enterprise crew – but the man with incredible recuperative powers in sickbay led Kirk to suspect their genetically-manipulated nature.

" Social occasions are only warfare concealed. "

Khan took advantage of Kirk's hospitality. He familiarized himself with his lost history by absorbing the ship's technical manuals. He discovered a weakness in the attraction he engendered from the pliant and submissive ship's historian , Lieutenant Marla McGivers . At a dinner given in Khan's honor, Khan regaled the captain's table with a romantic interpretation of the Eugenics Wars, until he was finally prodded by Kirk into declaring " We offered the world order !"

Khan sizes up Kirk at dinner aboard the Enterprise

Eventually, Kirk and Spock identified their guest as being the deposed tyrant from Earth's past. Khan was confined by Kirk to his quarters. Khan, however, soon began his takeover of the Enterprise , starting with his influence over McGivers. With her help, Khan escaped to the Botany Bay – and revived his followers, including Joachim , Joaquin , Kati , Ling , McPherson , Otto , and Rodriguez . Re-boarding the Enterprise , Khan took control of the Enterprise from engineering and cut life support to the bridge .

With the crew subdued and Kirk held hostage, Khan asked the officers to spare Kirk's life by joining him in his quest to take the Enterprise to a colony "willing to be led" by himself (more correctly, to be conquered by him, a task which the arsenal of the Enterprise would make most simple). The officers' recalcitrance led McGivers, unwilling to go so far as to participate in murder, to betray Khan and release Kirk. The Augments were disabled with anesthetic gas, but Khan was quick enough to avoid inhaling the gas by shutting himself in the Engineering section and isolating its atmospheric and life-support functions from the effects of the gas.

Khan attempted to destroy the Enterprise with a warp core overload as Kirk engaged the tyrant in physical combat. Although Kirk was a skilled opponent, Khan's superior strength enabled him to quickly outmatch the Starfleet officer. During the fight, Khan overconfidently boasted that he had five times the man's strength, ergo Kirk was no match for him. When it became clear that Kirk could not defeat Khan hand-to-hand, Kirk pulled loose a heavy flow-control rod and used it to subdue him.

Khan wearing a Starfleet uniform

Kirk retained some admiration for the determined, capable man of history. The prospect of imprisoning and rehabilitating the Augments seemed to Kirk to be unavailing to the Federation . Instead, Kirk granted an opportunity to Khan and his followers: colonize the dangerous but habitable nearby world of Ceti Alpha V . McGivers was given by Kirk the choice of facing court martial or joining the new colony. McGivers chose to go with Khan, and Khan took up Kirk's challenge to "tame a world", citing Milton 's Lucifer , " It is better to Rule in Hell, than Serve in Heaven. " ( TOS : " Space Seed ")

Second exile [ ]

Ceti Alpha V in 2285

With Starfleet -issue cargo containers for shelter, Khan and his people settled in to life on their new world. Only six months after their landing on Ceti Alpha V however, a cataclysm on Ceti Alpha VI shifted the system's orbits, causing massive ecological devastation on Ceti Alpha V.

Khan's ingenuity and the meager shelter of the cargo containers kept his people alive while most of the indigenous life perished. The rugged indigenous Ceti eels survived – and as the only hosts available for their young, Khan's people were beset by the creatures. Over time, Khan lost twenty of his people to the slow, maddening death caused by the eels, including his " beloved wife ."

Khan, after being discovered by Terrell and Chekov

Neither Kirk nor Starfleet followed up on the colony's progress, probably because Starfleet and Federation records never recorded the colony as official, and due Starfleet cover. The starship USS Reliant , attached to Project Genesis and tasked with finding a suitable proving ground for the device, finally arrived at the apparently lifeless world in 2285 .

Captain Clark Terrell and Commander Pavel Chekov , the latter of whom himself was a former Enterprise crewmember, beamed down to survey the planet they assumed to be Ceti Alpha VI , where they were captured by Khan. After using a pair of juvenile Ceti eels on his captives, Khan demanded to know the nature of their mission and the whereabouts of James Kirk.

The beginning of vengeance [ ]

Using his captives' vulnerability to suggestion, Khan and his followers hijacked the Reliant . Khan marooned the crew of the Reliant on Ceti Alpha V. With knowledge of the awesome potential of the Genesis project, he used Chekov to notify spacelab Regula I of Reliant 's pending arrival and their intention to retrieve all Genesis information, "as ordered by Admiral Kirk." Khan's lure proved successful. The Enterprise , engaged in a training cruise at the time, altered course to investigate the odd reports from Regula I.

Khan's lieutenant, Joachim , called out his superior on the beginnings of his obsessive behavior. Joachim suggested that he had already beaten Kirk by foiling Kirk's plans for him and the Augments. Khan's reply gave the first indication of the price that exile on Ceti Alpha V exacted on his ability to reason or – more accurately, to govern his overpowering passions:

Arriving at Regula I, Khan raged through the space station. He was seeking the now-missing Genesis data, and tortured those station crew members unable to escape the suspicious return of Reliant . When they proved uncooperative, Khan slaughtered them. He then left Terrell and Chekov behind, as they might prove a useful means to monitor Kirk's communications and follow his lead to Genesis, in the event that the Enterprise reached the station.

USS Reliant

Khan intercepted the Enterprise , which was en route to Regula I. Concealing her intent, Reliant approached, feigning communications trouble, and mounting a devastating surprise attack using the Reliant 's phasers to cripple the Enterprise . Khan hailed to gloat over his triumph and discuss terms of surrender. His only reward proved to be Kirk's initial open-mouthed stare of surprise.

The parley allowed the more experienced starship commander to override the Reliant 's tactical systems using the ship's prefix code to access them. With a few weak phaser shots from the Enterprise , the Reliant lost photon control and warp power (which would also disable the phasers), forcing Khan to retreat to Regula I.

After the Enterprise limped to the space station, a landing party led by Kirk rescued Terrell and Chekov from the storage locker in which Khan had imprisoned them. After Kirk discovered the Genesis device in the bowels of the Regula planetoid , Terrell contacted Khan, who beamed the device to the Reliant . However, Terrell, fighting the effects of the Ceti Eel, refused Khan's order to kill Kirk and instead committed suicide. Resisting the influence of his own Ceti Eel, Chekov collapsed unconscious and the eel crawled out of his ear to be immediately vaporized by a quick blast from Kirk's phaser.

Despite the turn of events, Khan felt some small satisfaction, since Kirk and his party were now marooned within Regula, and the Reliant was on its way to find and destroy the Enterprise . Khan calmly, but hatefully, sneered at Kirk that he had done far worse than simply kill Kirk, and that he would redirect Kirk defeating him last time by leaving him in the same situation that Kirk had left Khan all those years ago;

In an open communication with Kirk, Spock's simple coded message (beginning with the signal, " Hours would seem like days ") led Khan to believe Enterprise would need two days to effect basic repairs, unaware that Spock was actually telling Kirk that those repairs would be complete in two hours. After discovering his prey under way at full impulse power and bound for the obscuring clouds of the Mutara Nebula , Khan's pursuit faltered on the advice of Joachim, who knew that pursuing the Enterprise into the nebula would disrupt shield and sensor functions for both vessels. A surprise hail from Kirk, alive and taunting from the Enterprise bridge, threw Khan into a rage, and his passions overcame him. Ignoring the consequences of engaging his enemy on the level playing field of the nebula, Khan spurred the Reliant after Kirk.

" For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee… "

The Battle of the Mutara Nebula was the last action of Khan's life. The two starships, barely able to discern one another due to interference within the nebula, exchanged a series of near misses and solid blows, until the Enterprise caught Khan off-guard by descending and then rising to attack the Reliant from behind. Reliant was crippled and adrift with Khan's followers either dying or dead. Rather than surrender, Khan activated the Genesis device, hoping to take Kirk and the Enterprise along with him to oblivion. Unfortunately for him, Captain Spock managed to repair the damage to the Enterprise 's engines which allowed the starship to escape at warp seconds before the Genesis Device detonated, destroying the Reliant and Khan with it. ( Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

Khan had children who would continue his line after he left Earth. One of his descendants was Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh , chief of security of the USS Enterprise . ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

The geneticist Arik Soong believed Augments like Khan could be created without exhibiting his more vicious, psychopathic or megalomaniacal instincts. Soong's "children", created from Augment embryos stolen in 2134 , failed to live up to the hopes of their "father". Soong believed Khan and the Botany Bay to be nothing more than a myth, although his "children" believed differently.

After his imprisonment in 2154 , Soong, convinced by his creation's actions that his theory was dangerously wrong, redirected his efforts to the perfection of artificial Humanity . His descendant, Noonien Soong (possibly, given Arik's admiration for him, named after Khan Noonien Singh) continued the effort with the invention of Soong-type androids , including B-4 , Lore , and ultimately, Data . ( ENT : " Borderland ", " The Augments "; TNG : " Datalore "; Star Trek Nemesis )

Sera, a Romulan temporal agent from an unknown point in the future, told La'an that " Khan becomes a brutal tyrant. I mean, maybe Humanity needs the dark age that he brings in to usher in their age of enlightenment. Or maybe it's just random. Doesn't really matter though, 'cause if I kill him, the Federation never forms, and the Romulans lose their greatest adversary. " ( SNW : " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow ")

Khan's theft and premature detonation of the Genesis Device alarmed the Klingon Empire who mistakenly believed the device was the result of the Federation 's development of an "ultimate weapon", increasing tensions between the two powers until the détente of 2293 . Immediately, though, a group of renegade Klingons led by Kruge tried to steal the "Genesis torpedo" for themselves, but were unsuccessful. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )

In 2368 , Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise -D agreed with faux historian Berlinghoff Rasmussen that saving an endangered planet could allow "the next Adolf Hitler or Khan Singh" to come into being. According to the captain, first year philosophy students had been asked the question ever since the first wormholes had been discovered. ( TNG : " A Matter Of Time ")

Khan and his Augment brethren were considered so dangerous that by the late-24th century, genetic engineering was banned throughout the United Federation of Planets (except as treatment for serious medical conditions) in order to avoid creating another tyrant like Khan, although Doctor Kingsley and her colleagues continued genetic engineering research in the 24th century. A black market in the genetic manipulation of children with limited abilities continued, however, resulting in the enhancement of Humans like Dr. Julian Bashir . ( TNG : " Unnatural Selection "; DS9 : " Doctor Bashir, I Presume ")

In 2380 , Ensign Beckett Mariner argued that Khan was "the all-time biggest badass" because he was "a genetically engineered supervillain ! Dude was a space seed !" Ensign D'Vana Tendi was also eager to discuss what she called "Khan and that thicc, thicc chest," but needed to pee . ( LD : " Veritas ")

In 2259 of the alternate reality , the USS Enterprise of that reality came into conflict with the Khan of that world who had been found and revived by Admiral Alexander Marcus as part of the militarization conspiracy . The Spock of that universe, concerned about Khan, contacted his prime universe counterpart to ask if he had ever encountered Khan in his world. Spock Prime told his alternate self he'd vowed never to disclose anything of his world but was alarmed enough by Khan's presence to tell Spock that Khan was the most dangerous enemy ever faced by the Enterprise and her crew and it took a great cost to defeat him.

In the alternate reality, the alternate James T. Kirk died in similar circumstances to Spock Prime while attempting to save his own Enterprise from the alternate Khan. The Khan of the alternate reality was spared after Doctor Leonard McCoy discovered that his blood could be used to revive Kirk. The alternate Khan was ultimately placed back in stasis with his crew. ( Star Trek Into Darkness )

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Where am I? " " You're in … " (Khan squeezes McCoy's neck) " You're in bed, holding a knife at your doctor's throat. " " Answer my question. " " It would be most effective if you would cut the carotid artery just under the left ear. "

" Khan is my name. " " Khan, nothing else? " " Khan. "

" Such men dare take what they want. "

" Tyranny, sir? Or an attempt to unify Humanity? " " Unify, sir? Like a team of animals under one whip? "

" You have a tendency to express ideas in military terms, Mister Khan. This is a social occasion. " " It has been said that social occasions are only warfare concealed. Many prefer it more honest – more open. "

" You fled. Why? Were you afraid? " " I've never been afraid. " " But you left at the very time mankind needed courage. " " We offered the world order ! "

" Go or stay, but do it because it is what you wish to do. "

" He was the best of the tyrants and the most dangerous. "

" It appears we will do well in your century, captain. "

" The trip is over. The battle begins again. Only this time it's not a world we win. It's a universe. "

" Your air should be getting quite thin by now. Do you surrender the bridge? " " Negative. " " Academic, captain. Refuse and every person on the bridge will suffocate. "

" Nothing ever changes, except man. Your technical accomplishments? Improve a mechanical device and you may double productivity but improve man and you gain a thousand fold. I am such a man. "

" My vessel was useless. I need you and yours to select a colony planet, one with a population willing to be led by us. " " To be conquered by you… a starship would make that most simple, wouldn't it? "

" Each of you in turn will go in there! Die while the others watch! "

" It does not matter, the captain is dead. Take Mr. Spock next. "

" If I understood your manuals, that's an overload in progress. Your ship flares up like an exploding sun within MINUTES! "

" I have five times your strength. You're no match for me! "

" I will take her . And I've gotten something else I wanted. A world to win, an empire to build. "

(to Captain Terrell) " I don't know you. " (to Commander Chekov) " But you… I never forget a face, Mister…Chekov, isn't it? I never thought to see your face again. " " Chekov, who is this man? " " A criminal, Captain! A product of late 20th century genetic engineering! "

" You lie! On Ceti Alpha V, there was life! A fair chance– " "THIS IS CETI ALPHA V!!! Ceti Alpha VI exploded six months after we were left here. The shock shifted the orbit of this planet and everything was laid waste . Admiral Kirk never bothered to check on our progress. It was only the fact of my genetically engineered intellect that allowed us to survive. On Earth… two hundred years ago… I was a prince… with power over millions. " " Captain Kirk was your host. You repaid his hospitality by trying to steal his ship and murder him! "

" He tasks me. He tasks me and I shall have him! I'll chase him round the moons of Nibia and round the Antares maelstrom and round perdition's flames before I give him up! "

" Ah, Kirk… my 'old friend'. Do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is very cold… in space. "

" All is well, sir. You have the coordinates to beam up Genesis. " " First things first, captain. Kill Admiral Kirk. "

" Khan, you bloodsucker! You're gonna have to do your own dirty work now! Do you hear me? DO YOU?! " " Kirk! Kirk, you're still alive, my old friend. " " Still – 'old friend'! You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target! "

" I've done far worse than kill you. I've hurt you. And I wish to go on… hurting you. I shall leave you as you left me… as you left her . Marooned for all eternity in the center of a dead planet… buried alive. Buried alive. " "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!! KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!"

" Impulse power restored. " " Excellent. More than a match for poor Enterprise ."

" Full impulse power. " " No, sir! You have Genesis! You can have whatever you–! " (grabs Joachim by the vest) " FULL POWER! Damn you! "

" No… no, you can't get away. From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee. "

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

TOS : " Space Seed "
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
ST : " Ephraim and Dot "
SNW : " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow "

Background information [ ]

Khan was played by Ricardo Montalban , except in " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow " where young Khan was played by Desmond Sivan .

In Carey Wilber 's original draft of " Space Seed ", the character that ultimately became Khan was of Scandinavian ethnicity and named Harold Erickson, and the backstory was slightly different in that he was placed in stasis aboard the Botany Bay as a means of getting rid of prisoners during an overpopulated era of Earth's history. Gene L. Coon 's rewrites then transformed the character into Ragnar Thorwald, the genetically-enhanced leader of the "First World Tyranny", who hides behind the pseudonym John Erickson.

The casting of Ricardo Montalban as Khan prompted the writers to change the character's name to Sabahl Khan Noonien, after Kim Noonien Wang, a friend of Gene Roddenberry during the Second World War. Roddenberry had lost touch with him and hoped that his friend would see his name on television and contact him. (This was also the origin of the name of Noonien Soong .) NBC suggested changing the character's name to Govin Bahadur Singh, due to the racial implications of the name "Khan", but Roddenberry insisted on keeping Khan and Noonien. [1] [2]

In the final draft script of Space Seed , Khan's name was noted to be pronounced, "KAWN". He was described as " an extremely handsome, well-built man. His face reflects the sun-darkened Aryian blood of the Northern India Sikh people, suggesting just a trace of the Oriental blood often found too. The features are intelligent, extremely strong, almost arrogantly so. "

The Space Seed script uses the spelling "Khan Noonien Singh", while the Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan script uses the spelling "Khan Noonien Singh".

After the release of The Wrath of Khan , Roddenberry (who disliked almost all of the film's many aspects) commented, " Khan was not written as that exciting a character, he was rather flimsy. The Khan in the TV episode was a much deeper and better character than the movie Khan, except that Montalban pulled it off. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages )

Khan's periodic quotations in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan were paraphrases, or direct lifts, from Herman Melville 's Moby Dick .

Khan recognizes Pavel Chekov in The Wrath of Khan, even though Chekov's first appearance on TOS was not until the show's second season. To resolve this discrepancy, a long-standing joke (as told by Chekov actor Walter Koenig ) postulates that, because Chekov left Khan waiting too long to use the bathroom, Khan vowed never to forget his face. ( citation needed • edit )

In "Space Seed", Khan is one of four Enterprise guests to be given a Starfleet uniform to wear during the course of TOS. (The others were Captain John Christopher in " Tomorrow is Yesterday ", Charles Evans in " Charlie X ", and Craig Hundley (a child's version) in a scene that was cut from " Operation -- Annihilate! "). In accordance with Khan's assertion that he was once "an engineer, of sorts," his uniform shirt is red.

A concept sketch of Khan's Star Trek II costume

The Starfleet insignia around Khan's neck in Wrath of Khan is a broken, movie-era Starfleet uniform buckle, although the necklace appears on Khan before he actually gets aboard the Reliant . It is known as the "Buckle Necklace", according to Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton.

The surname "Singh" suggests northern Indian ancestry (from the Sanskrit simha , "lion") and possibly roots in Sikhism (male Sikhs are obliged to assume the surname "Singh", regardless of their geographical or familial origins); while "Khan" ("ruler") is originally a title of central Asian origin and also a common name for Muslim men in South Asia.

Along with Harry Mudd , Khan is one of only two opponents to face Kirk more than once in live-action Star Trek productions.

At one point during the production of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , "a couple of years" before 1997, a cameo appearance of Khan was considered. However, the writers were told that Ricardo Montalban's health would not permit him to appear, and any plans to feature Khan were abandoned. ( AOL chat , 1997 )

Khan was again considered for return, teaming up with a collection of antagonists that also would have included Shinzon , in an ultimately never-produced fifth and final TNG film , which was conceived, during production on Star Trek Nemesis , by Nemesis co-writers John Logan and Brent Spiner . Khan and his villainous cohorts would have faced a heroic team-up involving Picard , Data , Kirk, Spock and Archer . [3]

Assessing the portrayal of Khan in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Nemesis Director Stuart Baird remarked, " Montalban played a pretty good bad guy. " ( Star Trek: Communicator issue 142 , p. 35)

The portrayal of Khan in The Wrath of Khan also immediately appealed to Alex Kurtzman . He later remarked about Khan, " Not only is he scary, but he has an extremely personal and specific agenda that was understandable despite being psychotic. I think anyone who loves Trek would immediately vault Khan to the top of the villain list. " [4]

When asked about the prime Khan being mentioned in Star Trek Into Darkness , Damon Lindelof said, " It would have been hubris for us to represent to the uninitiated that Khan was our idea and there was no one better [than Spock] to pop in briefly and say – 'Hey, these guys are just doing their own spin on a bad guy that was around a long time before they came along.' The minute we stop honoring, acknowledging and representing the original Trek , we are bound to lose sight of the enormous gift we have been given in sustaining it. " [5]

While filming that scene, Leonard Nimoy responded to Spock's line, inquiring how the prime reality Enterprise crew originally defeated Khan, by quipping, " We picked up a hammer… ", referencing how Kirk originally beat Khan into submission. ("Mr. Spock and Mr. Spock" featurette, Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-ray )

Nicholas Meyer wrote a script for a new, currently unproduced podcast Star Trek: Khan: Ceti Alpha V .

Apocrypha [ ]

A trilogy by author Greg Cox describes the other events of Khan's life. The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume One chronicles the genetic enhancement project that led to his birth, and shows some of his early childhood from the point of view of agents Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln in the 1970s . The sequel, The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume Two shows his rise to power and capturing Seven's technology, as well as how he was able to secretly control so much of the world without the average citizen ever knowing. The final part of the trilogy is To Reign in Hell: The Exile of Khan Noonien Singh , which explains his life on Ceti Alpha V after being left there to fend for himself, his followers, and his wife, to the point where Chekov and Captain Terrell encounter him years later.

James Swallow wrote an alternate history novella entitled "Seeds of Dissent" for the Myriad Universes : Infinity's Prism anthology. In it, Khan won the Eugenics Wars and went on to establish an interstellar empire, eventually dying at the age of 213. The Botany Bay is then said to have been launched in 2010 by Wilson Evergreen and carrying Shaun Geoffrey Christopher , Shannon O'Donnel , and Rain Robinson to escape Khan's despotism.

In the Star Trek: The Next Generation novel Dark Mirror , it is also mentioned that the mirror universe Khan won the Eugenics Wars instead of being forced to leave the planet. In the Star Trek: Mirror Universe novel The Sorrows of Empire , the mirror universe counterpart of Colonel West mentions Ranjit Singh as a descendant of counterpart ( β ) and a potential prospect to replace Spock as Emperor of the Terran Empire , implying that Khan or someone of his bloodline ruled the Empire in the past.

Khan is the protagonist of the comic book Star Trek: Khan - Ruling in Hell , covering the same timeframe as To Reign in Hell .

The comic book series Star Trek: Khan portrays the Khan of the alternate reality following the events of Star Trek Into Darkness describing the history of the 20th century that lead him to his rise to power and the Eugenics Wars before ultimately escaping Earth aboard the Botany Bay.

In Star Trek Online , one of the Federation players' earliest foes is a descendant of Khan, Dr. Amar Singh, a scientist who leads a group known as the "Children of Khan" and conducts experiments in Augment enhancement for the Klingon Empire , combining Klingon , Gorn , and Augment genetics to create the ultimate superbeing. He is defeated and captured by Federation players, later appearing at the prison colony known as Facility 4028, where the Female Changeling is held.

Khan is portrayed as a cat in Jenny Parks ' book Star Trek Cats .

External links [ ]

Khan Noonien Singh at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
Khan Noonien Singh at Wikipedia
1 Daniels (Crewman)
3 Jamaharon

Kirstie Alley Acted Unprofessionally On Star Trek II And She Knew It

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Kirstie Alley

Nicholas Meyer's 1982 sci-fi flick "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" was the first major acting gig for Kirstie Alley. Up to that point, Alley had only appeared on the sci-fi sitcom "Quark" as well as a few game shows like "Match Game." Alley wasn't even wholly devoted to acting at that stage, treating it more like a side-hustle than a career. It wouldn't be until she started auditioning for "Star Trek II" that she decided to focus on acting exclusively.

The circumstances surrounding Alley's audition are rather tragic , sadly. In the middle of the process, her mom was killed in a car accident and her father was left seriously injured. She stayed next to her father's bedside and Paramount, rather surprisingly, let her take all the time she needed. She spoke to her comatose father every day, telling him all about how she wanted to be an actor now, and even showed him headshots she had made. In a miraculous twist, Alley's father not only pulled through but called her from the hospital one night to say he was proud she was going to be an actor.

Alley completed the audition process and secured the role of Saavik, the half-Romulan, half-Vulcan helm officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise and protégé of Spock (Leonard Nimoy). She was over the moon.

But when the day came to report to the set, Alley suddenly realized that she was just an amateur. She was surrounded by Nimoy and William Shatner, two professionals who had been acting for decades. They always had their lines memorized and always hit their marks. Alley, on the other hand ... didn't always do that. She spoke with StarTrek.com in 2016 , revealing how unprofessional she was during shooting (and how embarrassed she was about it).

Kirstie Alley was 'unprepared' for Star Trek

The embarrassment didn't mean that Alley hated being there. Far from it. She enjoyed meeting her co-stars and acting across such an outsize personality as William Shatner. But acting with such pros highlighted how ill-prepared Alley was for performing professionally . In her own words:

"Well, I loved it. Bill is a mixed bag of tricks, which is funny. I think he thought at one point, 'Why the hell did they hire this girl, who's never done anything?' I wasn't so good at my lines, I will tell you. The repercussion for me never having acted before was that I wasn't the world's best at learning lines. And I was sort of irresponsible. I mean, if you want to know the honest truth, I would go out every night and celebrate that I got a job in a movie. So I would stay out too late, and then I would come in, let's call it 'unprepared.' That might be a polite way to say it."

While one can relate to Alley's impulse to have a celebratory cocktail every night (she landed a gig on "Star Trek" after all), it certainly wasn't a wise course of action for an actor who is playing a pretty large role in a major Hollywood production. Saavik was more than a mere supporting player, and Alley had many, many scenes. She learned the hard way that a time had to come to put down the cocktail shaker and actually delve into the script.

Alley's costars inspired her to step up her game

Luckily, Shatner, Nimoy, and the rest of the "Star Trek" cast had been playing their parts since the '60s, and their assurance inspired Alley to step up. As she put it:

"[T]hey were all such pros. They know what the hell they're doing. Bill ... he's Captain Kirk, for God's sake. And Leonard was Spock. So they knew exactly what they were doing. Everyone was professional, probably except me."

Alley availed herself incredibly well. Saavik returned in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" in 1984, but Alley was replaced by actor Robin Curtis . It seems that Alley was offered a chance to appear in "Star Trek III" but turned it down because Paramount offered her less money than she got for "Star Trek II." This was on top of the fact that Saavik's role was much larger in "Star Trek III." Alley didn't like the offer and walked away.

In 1983 and 1984, however, Alley's acting career took off in a big way. She appeared in films like "Champions," "Blind Date," and the sci-fi film "Runaways," while also securing a leading role on the short-lived TV series "Masquerade" and the miniseries "North and South." Then, 1987 saw her landing her sizable gig on the hit sitcom "Cheers," followed by her role in Amy Heckerling's mega-hit 1989 comedy "Look Who's Talking." She also worked with Carl Reiner, John Carpenter, and Woody Allen, and eventually produced her own hit TV series "Veronica's Closet." Alley had a wonderful career before passing away in 2022 at the age of 71.

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Published May 31, 2024

Robin Curtis Looks Back at Star Trek III: The Search for Spock For Its 40th Anniversary

Curtis on portraying Saavik, being directed by Leonard Nimoy, and more!

Stylized and filtered collage of stills of Robin Curtis' Saavik from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

StarTrek.com

Forty years ago this weekend, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock inherited the monumental task of picking up the tale of Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew following Spock's tragic death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Written by Harve Bennett and directed by Leonard Nimoy himself, the film dealt with the aftermath of the battle with Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban), the evolution of the newly-created Genesis Planet, and Kirk's unsanctioned jaunt to bring Spock's body and katra — a Vulcan’s living spirit — to be reunited on Mount Seleya.

Standing in a row, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura, Chekov, Saavik, and Kirk, all look ahead of them with curiosity and intensity in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Complete with Christopher Lloyd's portrayal of a ruthless Klingon commander named Kruge, the original Star Trek series' cast's signature camaraderie, and an adventurous spirit, the third Star Trek film welcomed Robin Curtis to the role of Lieutenant Saavik, the Vulcan officer who accompanied Kirk's son Doctor David Marcus (Merritt Butrick) during his expedition to the Genesis Planet. Curtis was kind enough to speak to StarTrek.com and help us celebrate The Search for Spock 's 40th anniversary by reflecting on her time as Saavik and the rare experience of playing a Vulcan while being directed by Leonard Nimoy.

Four decades later, and Robin Curtis recollects that her respect for Nimoy as a director and collaborator was established the instant they met. "Right out of the gate, I could express nothing but praise for working with him, and it's only gotten better over time. Like good wine, my experience with him has aged well," remarks Curtis. "I look back with such fondness at his sensitivity, his respect for other actors, his ability to orchestrate the existing cast — his fellow coworkers for so many years — and newcomers like myself and Christopher Lloyd."

Saavik gazes up at David Marcus while a young Spock stands between them in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

During her audition for the role of Saavik, Curtis had the unique distinction of hearing Nimoy's insight into what an actor can do to truly become a Vulcan. "Mr. Nimoy took such a lovely, intuitive approach to directing. He said, 'Vulcans have 1,000 years of wisdom behind the eyes,'" says Curtis of Nimoy's early advice regarding the Vulcan nature. "When I was given the role, he told me I should look in the mirror [and practice] talking without using my face to express what I was saying. Being so still and so contained near about did me in, and I thought I was failing so miserably at it that I was going to be fired. I didn't feel the innate knack or confidence that I was nailing it."

The challenge of assuming a Vulcan disposition weighed even more heavily on Curtis' shoulders when placed in context with her desire to deliver an excellent performance. "I was as serious as a heart attack on the set! I didn't speak until I was spoken to, which is totally unlike my normally sociable self. I was very earnest, wanting to show and demonstrate that I was grateful for this part. I wanted to do a good job and hit it out of the park," adds Curtis, who sensed that Nimoy appreciated her devotion to the film and her role as Saavik, as well as her overall work ethic and approach to acting.

A Klingon lifts his dagger above him facing Saavik who reflects his intense gaze as David Marcus and a young Spock look at their foe in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

In spite of her doubts, Curtis had her morale boosted by a pact she made with the director. "I shook his hand on my very first day of filming, and I said, 'Mr. Nimoy, you seem to think I know what I'm doing. And I need to tell you I do not.' And he said, 'Robin, I will take you every step of the way. I will never take you out on the end of a limb and leave you there.' I said, 'Deal.' And we shook hands on it, and he fulfilled that promise in each and every scene," declares Curtis.

A close-up of Saavik's expression as a Klingon holds a communicator to her as a younger Spock looks towards her in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Curtis also attests that there were certain scenes which were easier to approach and more straightforward than others. Those involving Saavik and weighty emotions demanded more scrutiny and attention. For example, while holding Saavik, Kirk's son David Marcus, and a reborn Spock hostage on the Genesis Planet, Kruge ordered one of his soldiers to kill a prisoner in order to demonstrate his conviction toward acquiring the Genesis Device. The sentence was inflicted upon David, and Saavik was forced to report the death to the man's father. "That [moment] filled me with anxiety and dread. How could I possibly say that with the Vulcan demeanor?"

Saavik lifts up two fingers, a Vulcan gesture, as she stares directly into the eyes of a younger Spock in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Those complexities also rang true on the other end of the emotional spectrum. With a rapidly aging Spock overwhelmed by the urges of the pon farr , or the Vulcan time of mating, Saavik guided him through the intimate process. This scene, with its close contact and affectionate hand gesture, represented another significant Vulcan hurdle to overcome. "The reverence and enormity and profundity of pon farr , and going into this cave with Spock," begins Curtis. "We came to the set with no sense of what that would look like. [Young Spock actor] Stephen Manley and I were both a little trepidatious about what Lenoard was going to have us do. What would a Vulcan love scene or Vulcan foreplay look like? In fact, I've only just learned recently that the simple gesture that Leonard introduced us to that day, the notion of [the characters] joining their fingers, was originally introduced by Spock's mother and Sarek in the television series."

Leonard Nimoy directs Robin Curtis in her role as Saavik pointing in the distance ahead of him while on set of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Behind-the-scenes of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Of course, having pioneered the Vulcan temperament for nearly 20 years by the time The Search for Spock entered production, Nimoy was singularly suited to answer questions about such delicate matters. Whether dealing with Saavik's reaction to David's death, the intimacy of pon farr , or any of Curtis' other scenes, Curtis recalls Nimoy's valuable input. "He would take me aside before every scene, and we'd sit down at the edge of the set on the platform, and I'd say the lines. He would moderate me no differently than we do with our cars with the radio volume. I was so grateful for that," shares Curtis.

Shifting her focus to her overall impression of their professional association, Curtis conveys her appreciation for Nimoy's leadership on the film before admitting she does have one slight regret. "I absolutely love the man. Loved him as a person, loved him as a director, and I'm sorry that I was too shy to even hint or suggest that we would have a friendship outside the realm of the shoots themselves."

While their friendship was largely limited to the production itself, the director did leave an indelible impact on Curtis' personal life. "Leonard Nimoy was aware that my father was battling cancer at the time, and it wasn't looking good," notes Curtis. "The best thing I remember about Star Trek is that it was a colossally beautiful distraction from the agony we were feeling as a family. Leonard Nimoy reminds me of my dad, and they were the same age. And [Nimoy] was so sensitive and kind about the idea that Star Trek was such a gift and a bright light for my family in a time of suffering. Ultimately, my dad lived long enough to see the movie. I went home to be at the Riverside Mall in Utica, New York, with my neighbors and family, and my dad made it to the movie theatre. I will always be grateful for that."

Hovering over a younger Spock, Saavik lifts her communicator to her face in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Curtis' thankfulness extends to the many fans who regularly compliment her for her tenure as Saavik in The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . "I'm flabbergasted at the multitude of ways that [Star Trek] has enriched my life. My heart explodes over the tenacity of the fans and how the franchise only gets better and richer. People are very generous and sentimental about [ The Search for Spock ]. They understood it was part of a triumvirate [of films]," observes Curtis. Referring to her final on-screen moments in The Voyage Home , in which Saavik and Amanda Grayson remain behind on Vulcan, Curtis jokes, "What did she and [Amanda Grayson actor] Jane Wyatt get up to? [ laughs ] What happened with the pon farr ? Did she end up being pregnant? I think the fans were just as curious as I was."

Perceiving her connection with the fans as a gift, Curtis contemplates an unexpected phone call she received from a medical facility in Cleveland, Ohio. A young man who she had once met at a convention had been taken off of dialysis and given only two weeks to live. The staff member contacting Curtis informed her that the man's last wish was to share a meal with her. "I had shown him some kindness at a convention in Ohio in the '90s, and he remembered," reveals Curtis, who didn't hesitate to make the five-hour drive to Cleveland that very same day. Before leaving, Curtis advised the caller, "You tell him I'll be there for dinner, and I wouldn't miss it for the world." Arriving Friday evening, Curtis spent every waking hour of that weekend with the fan. After departing on Sunday, they talked each day until he passed the following week. "That was a gift to me, and I like to think maybe a small gift to him," explains Curtis, noting that their connection has endured via her ongoing friendship with the fan's aunt.

Close-up of Saavik facing Spock in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

The Search for Spock clearly meant a lot to those who watched it repeatedly, but Curtis' own perception of the movie has evolved since its release. "I saw the film at the time and then never saw it again for so many years. My memory of it was that it was depressing [ laughs ]," confesses Curtis. "The fact of the matter is, everything dies. Genesis dies, the ship dies, Kirk's son dies. Spock comes back to life, but he starts out dead [ laughs ]." As was the case for many of us, the pandemic changed everything for Curtis. "We were all in our houses and seeking connection. I felt like I needed to go back, so I rewatched [ The Next Generation two-parter] 'Gambit,' and I rewatched the movie. And I thought, 'This is funny!' There's a lot of good parts in this film that aren't depressing. I don't know why I had that impression stuck in my brain, but maybe it's because my involvement was very serious. Everything I had to do dealt with great disappointment and loss and tragedy."

Looking back, Curtis cites Sarek's mind meld with Admiral Kirk as her favorite scene, describing the sentiment behind the characters' interaction, the cinematography, and the close up of the actors' faces as "gorgeous." Though she felt the mood on the set of The Voyage Home was more joyful and playful — after all, she still has Polaroids of herself making funny faces with Walter Koenig, George Takei, Kirk Thatcher, and other cast and crew, Curtis maintains fond memories of working on The Search for Spock . "The cast were so generous and classy with me, and they understood the weight upon my shoulders as the newcomer. They were reassuring. I remember Walter Koenig told me to keep a journal. And of course, like a jackass, I didn't listen. [ laughs ]," jests Curtis. "Now, I wish I had kept one."

The Enterprise crew (Bones, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura, Saavik, and Kirk) are joyful with the return of Spock in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

The Search for Spock 's conclusion exuded hope and wonder, as Spock's body and katra were reunited in a ceremony on Mount Seleya. Following his resurrection, Spock passes by each crew member in attendance, eventually finding himself embraced by the group. Although a glance between Spock and Saavik was fleeting, much preparation went into that moment. "[Nimoy] approached me before the scene and asked, 'How would you feel if you were to suddenly come upon somebody that you loved or were intimate with on a New York City street? How would you imagine that?' In the matter of a split second, so many thoughts went through my mind," says Curtis. "First, what a personal question to ask. Then I felt tenderness, embarrassment, sentimentality, nostalgia, and vulnerability all at once. I looked up at him, then looked down. He said, 'That’s it!' And I thought, ' Oh, okay, I love you! ' It is so lovely and simple when a director does that. No arm wrestling had to happen, he just asked me a simple question and I got [the scene]."

As for The Search for Spock 's ending, when Spock's friends crowd around him on Vulcan, Curtis recollects that she and the other cast members were given a general direction to "be encouraged by that moment and confident that his katra had been restored. Sometimes we don't work those moments out, and it's all on the fly. It was very much off-the-cuff." Whether meticulously planned or inspired by the moment, these scenes combined to create a film that has stood the test of time and established itself as a crucial installment in the pantheon of Star Trek stories.

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

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Filtered triptych of Kirk, McCoy, and Spock in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Benedict cumberbatch: khan.

Photos (20)
Quotes (18)

Photos

Benedict Cumberbatch in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Quotes

James T. Kirk : Why is there a man in that torpedo?

Khan : There are men and women in all those torpedoes, Captain. I put them there.

James T. Kirk : Who the hell are you?

Khan : A remnant of a time long past. Genetically engineered to be superior so as to lead others to peace in a world at war. But we were condemned as criminals, forced into exile. For centuries we slept, hoping when we awoke things would be different. But as a result of the destruction of Vulcan your Starfleet begun to aggressively search distant quadrants of space. My ship was found adrift. I alone was revived.

James T. Kirk : I looked up John Harrison. Until a year ago he didn't exist.

Khan : John Harrison was a fiction created the moment I was awoken by your Admiral Marcus to help him advance his cause, a smokescreen to conceal my true identity. My name is... KHAN.

James T. Kirk : I watched you open fire in a room full of unarmed Starfleet officers. You killed them in cold blood.

Khan : Marcus took my crew from me!

James T. Kirk : You are a murderer!

Khan : He used my friends to control me. I tried to smuggle them to safety by concealing them in the very weapons I have designed. But I was discovered. I had no choice but to escape alone. And when I did, I had every reason to suspect that Marcus had killed every single one of the people I hold most dear. So I responded in kind. My crew is my family, Kirk. Is there anything you would not do for your family?

Khan : I'm going to make this very simple for you.

Spock : Captain!

Khan : Your crew for my crew.

Spock : You betrayed us.

Khan : Oh, you are smart, Mr. Spock.

James T. Kirk : Spock, don't...

[Khan knocks him down]

Khan : Mr. Spock, give me my crew.

Spock : What will you do when you get them?

Khan : Continue the work we were doing before we were banished.

Spock : Which as I understand it involves the mass-genocide of any being you find to be less than superior.

Khan : Shall I destroy you, Mr. Spock? Or will you give me what I want?

Spock : We have no transporter capabilities.

Khan : Fortunately, mine are perfectly functioning. Drop your shields.

Spock : If I do so I have no guarantee that you will not destroy the Enterprise.

Khan : Well, let's play this out logically then, Mr. Spock. Firstly, I will kill your captain to demonstrate my resolve, then if yours holds I will have no choice but to kill you and your entire crew.

Spock : If you destroy our ship, you will also destroy your own people.

Khan : Your crew requires oxygen to survive, mine does not. I will target your life support systems located behind the aft nacelle. And after every single person aboard your ship suffocates, I will walk over your cold corpses to recover my people. Now, shall we begin?

Spock : ...Lower shields.

Khan : A wise choice, Mr. Spock. I see all 72 torpedoes are still in their tubes. If they're not mine, Commander, I will know it.

Spock : Vulcans do not lie. The torpedoes are yours.

Khan : Thank you, Mr. Spock.

Spock : I have fulfilled your terms. Now fulfill mine.

Khan : Well Kirk, it seems apt to return you to your crew. After all, no ship should go down without her captain.

James T. Kirk : Why would a Starfleet admiral ask a 300-year-old frozen man for help?

Khan : Because I am better.

James T. Kirk : At what?

Khan : Everything. Alexander Marcus needed to respond to an uncivilized threat in a civilized time, and for that, he needed a warrior's mind - my mind - to design weapons and warships.

Spock : You are suggesting the Admiral violated every regulation he vowed to uphold, simply because he wanted to exploit your intellect...

Khan : He wanted to exploit my savagery! Intellect alone is useless in a fight, Mr. Spock. You, you can't even break a rule - how can you be expected to break bone? Marcus used me to design weapons. I helped him realize his vision of a militarized Starfleet. He sent you to use those weapons, to fire my torpedoes on an unsuspecting planet, and then he purposely crippled your ship in enemy space, leading to one inevitable outcome: the Klingons would come searching for whoever was responsible, and you would have no chance of escape. Marcus would finally have the war he talked about, the war he always wanted.

Khan : [to Marcus] You should have let me sleep!

[crushes his skull]

[from trailer]

Khan : Mr. Spock. The mind of the Enterprise. The fearless genius who ensures a calm force of intelligence guides their every mission. But look deeper and you will see an outsider who does not belong, a man of two worlds. This tears him apart, the constant battle between what he thinks and what he feels. What does he do? Does he follow his head, embracing logic and the path of reason? Or does he follow his heart, knowing the emotions he cannot control may destroy him? I will help him decide...

James T. Kirk : Let me explain what's happening here: you are a criminal! I watched you murder innocent men and women! I was authorized to *end* you! And the only reason why you are still alive is because I am allowing it. So *shut your mouth*!

Khan : Captain, are you going to punch me again, over and over, until your arm weakens... clearly you want to. So tell me, why did you allow me to live?

James T. Kirk : We all make mistakes.

Khan : I surrendered to you because, despite your attempt to convince me otherwise, you seem to have a conscience, Mr. Kirk. If you did not, then it would be impossible for me to convince you of the truth. 23174611. Coordinates not far from Earth. If you want to know why I did what I did, go and take a look.

James T. Kirk : Give me one reason why I should listen to you.

Khan : I can give you 72. And they're on board your ship, Captain. They have been, all along.

Khan : You think you world is safe? It is an illusion. A comforting lie told to protect you. Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned to have my vengeance. So, shall we begin?

Khan : [to Carol] If you think you are safe at warp, you're wrong.

Khan : My crew is my family, Kirk. Is there anything you would not do for your family?

Khan : You are a pawn, Kirk. You can't even guarantee the safety of your own crew. Now, shall we begin?

Khan : I can save her.

Thomas Harewood : What did you say?

Khan : Your daughter. I can save her.

Thomas Harewood : Who are you?

Khan : You need to find the manual override to open that airlock.

Scotty : Are you crazy? Whoever you are.

James T. Kirk : Just listen to him, Scotty. It's gonna be all right.

Scotty : It is not gonna be all right. You want me to open an airlock into space, whereupon I will freeze, die and explode!

Khan : Your commanders have committed a crime I cannot forgive. None of you are safe. Have I got your attention now?

Khan : Darkness is coming.

James T. Kirk : Tell me everything you know about that ship.

Khan : Dreadnought class. Two times the size, three times the speed. Advanced weaponry. Modified for a minimal crew. Unlike most Federation vessels, it's built solely for combat.

James T. Kirk : I will do everything I can to make you answer for what you did. But right now I need your help.

Khan : Set destination: Starfleet Headquarters!

Khan : Ignore me and you will get everyone on this ship killed.

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15 Famous Actors You Probably Forgot Were in Old Star Trek Movies

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Throughout the years, Star Trek has taken various forms. And, be it a television series or film, there have been famous faces that were not a part of the consistent ensemble. This started with Star Trek: The Original Series , which featured recognizable guest stars such as Fred Williamson, Sid Haig, Charles Napier, and Joan Collins.

Then, over a decade after that show wrapped up its brief three-season run, a film franchise kicked off. And, like the original series and The Next Generation (which began between the releases of the fourth and fifth films), there were some big names attached. They may not have always held the spotlight for long in the films, but they were there. So, who's in what? Let's find out, but note that the films subject to inclusion were only the ones that featured either The Original Series cast members or The Next Generation cast members. In other words, no Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba, or Zoe Saldaña here.

7 Stephen Collins in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Like some of the show's most deeply philosophical episodes , Star Trek: The Motion Picture tries to bite off a lot. But, in the case of the movie, it's more than it can chew. Yet, it does feature a former celebrity in a big role: 7th Heaven 's Stephen Collins as Willard Decker. Collins' Decker is always butting heads with Captain Kirk, who has suddenly replaced Decker as the captain of the Enterprise .

The Most Controversial Performer on this List

TV fans will recognize Collins not only from the long-running 7th Heaven , but also No Ordinary Family and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia . As for that latter show, he portrayed the biological father to Dennis and Dee Reynolds. Collins' career ended when he confessed to multiple instances of sexual misconduct against a minor, including once a few years before he nabbed the Star Trek role. Stream Star Trek: The Motion Picture on Max .

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

*Availability in US

6 Kirstie Alley, Paul Winfield, and James Horner in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

With tight pacing, the franchise's best villain , Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is the best Star Trek movie to date. It also features a few familiar faces in The Terminator 's Paul Winfield and Cheers ' Kirstie Alley . The former plays Clark Terrell, the captain of the Reliant who is subjected to Khan's eel torture, while the latter plays Saavik, a protege to Spock. Not to mention, the late James Horner provided the film's music, but had a cameo role as an Enterprise crew member.

You've Certainly Heard Horner's Work

Widely regarded as one of the cinema industry's great composers, Horner tragically died in a plane crash in 2015. But he left a massive body of very impressive work, and The Wrath of Khan was one of his earliest projects. Throughout his career, Horner was nominated for Academy Awards for Aliens , An American Tail ("Somewhere Out There"), Field of Dreams , Braveheart , Apollo 13 , A Beautiful Mind , House of Sand and Fog , and Avatar . He also won both an Oscar and a Grammy for Titanic , the former for the score and the latter for "My Heart Will Go On." Stream Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Max.

Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan

Star trek’s j.j. abrams advised chris pine to be ‘less shatner’ while portraying james t. kirk.

Chris Pine reflects on playing James T. Kirk in the latest Star Trek movies, and the actor acknowledges those wonderful "Shatnerisms."

5 Christopher Lloyd and Miguel Ferrer in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock may not be a fan-favorite when it comes to the original run of Star Trek movies, but it's generally viewed in a better light than the fifth film. And, unlike the fifth film, it features several big names on the cast list. These include Back to the Future 's Christopher Lloyd and RoboCop 's Miguel Ferrer .

Actors Not Unfamiliar with Sci-Fi

Lloyd portrays the main antagonist in the late Leonard Nimoy -directed film, and he impressively sheds most of the likability he possessed in Taxi and would again show two years later in Robert Zemeckis' classic sci-fi film, Back to the Future . His Kruge is a Klingon officer with his sights set on using a terraforming device called Genesis for evil. As for Ferrer, his role was far briefer, as he played a First Officer aboard a fellow Federation ship, the Excelsior . Stream Star Trek III: The Search for Spock on Max.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

4 christopher plummer, christian slater, and kim cattrall in star trek vi: the undiscovered country (1991).

The even-numbered Star Trek films, at least of the original six, are the best. So, until Star Trek: Generations rolled, the intergalactic film franchise left off on a high note with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . And a big part of that is the inclusion of The Sound of Music and Knives Out legend Christopher Plummer .

Plummer Steals the Show

It's essentially all a Cold War allegory with the Klingons standing in for the Russians. And, while many of the Klingons are ready to strive for peace, there's always someone who sews discontent. That'd be Plummer's general, eye-patch-adorned Chang. But, he's not the only familiar face with considerable runtime, as there's also Sex and the City 's Kim Cattrall as the Vulcan Valeris, the ambitious new helmsman of the Enterprise . Not to mention, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from Christian Slater, a fan of the franchise and son of the film's casting director, Mary Jo Slater. Stream Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country on Max .

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

3 whoopi goldberg, malcolm mcdowell, and alan ruck in star trek: generations (1994).

At one point, Star Trek writers wanted to bring William Shatner's Captain Kirk back , but with a villainous twist. That idea was nixed, but Shatner did find a way back into the universe after the initial film franchise had wrapped up. That said, his reprisal of the role in Star Trek: Generations was more or less to kill him off so the IP could change. But, it had a major similarity to the previous film: a big name in the antagonist role.

McDowell in His Element

In the case of Generations , that would be A Clockwork Orange 's Malcolm McDowell as Tolian Soran, who holds the distinction of actually killing William Shatner's Captain Kirk. Ghost 's Whoopi Goldberg also appeared as Guinan, a role she inhabited from 1988 to 1993 on Star Trek: The Next Generation . Succession 's Alan Ruck also has a substantial role as Enterprise -B captain John Harriman who, like his character on HBO's hit series, comes from a wealthy family. Stream Star Trek: Generations on Max .

Star Trek: Generations

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Star Trek: Deanna Troi’s 16 Best Quotes from the Franchise

The beloved half-Betazoid character is empathic, willful, playful, sarcastic, and wears her heart on her sleeve. Here are Deanna Troi's best quotes.

2 F. Murray Abraham and Gregg Henry in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

The third film to focus on The Next Generation 's cast after Generations and Star Trek: First Contact , Star Trek: Insurrection , often feels like a feature-length episode of the series that inspired it. And, while Nemesis sealed the deal, Insurrection showed that the IP was swiftly dropping out of favor with general audiences. And, yet, Amadeus ' F. Murray Abraham is excellent in the main antagonist role.

An Unrecognizable Abraham

Covered in a great deal of makeup, one would be forgiven for not recognizing the Scarface star as Ru'afo, commander of the Son'a. The same could be said of Gregg Henry as his second-in-command, Gallatin. Though, if they can discern that it's him, they'll recognize him as Peter Quill's grandfather from another little sci-fi IP called Guardians of the Galaxy . Stream Star Trek: Insurrection on Max .

Star Trek: Insurrection

1 tom hardy in star trek: nemesis (2002).

Star Trek: Nemesis ' box office tallies showed the franchise's financial viability had run its course. And, if that wasn't enough, the reaction from critics and fans solidified that. But, it features one of Tom Hardy 's earliest performances, only his second big movie after Black Hawk Down and six years before he started gaining clout thanks to his title role in Bronson .

An Early Showcase for Hardy

Explaining where audiences know Hardy from seems pointless, as he's now one of the biggest performers in Hollywood thanks to Inception , Mad Max: Fury Road , and the Venom films. And, while his role as the villainous Captain Picard clone, Shinzon, isn't as much a showcase as his work in those films, it's still an early sign of his considerable talent. Not to mention, for someone who isn't one of the top-billed cast members, he gets quite a bit of screentime. Stream Star Trek: Nemesis on Max .

Star Trek: Nemesis

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After star trek iii, spock’s mind was saved by…his mirror universe counterpart.

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Star Trek Honored With Peabody Award - Watch Patrick Stewart’s Tribute & Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman’s Acceptance Speech

Star trek unveils the breen's terrifying ultimate weapon, the chimera, 11 lgbtq+ characters new star trek shows gave canon.

Mirror Universe Spock played a crucial role in restoring the mind of Prime Spock in Star Trek #12, benefitting both versions in a surprising turn of events.
Leonard Nimoy almost left Star Trek due to exhaustion with Spock, but changed his mind at the last minute, leading to Spock's resurrection and continued recovery in subsequent films.
The mind meld between Mirror Spock and Prime Spock in Star Trek #12 not only healed Spock, but also led to Mirror Spock's defection, ultimately saving the galaxy from invasion.

Spock returned to life in the third Star Trek feature film thanks to the effects of the Genesis Device, but his mind was restored by his Mirror Universe counterpart. Although Spock returned to life at the end of The Search for Spock , his mind was still in disarray, but as revealed in 1985’s Star Trek #12, his goateed Mirror Universe variant played a vital role in bringing Spock back to form.

Star Trek #12, first published by DC Comics, was written by Mike Barr and drawn by Tom Sutton and Ricardo Villagran. The Enterprise crew’s Mirror Universe counterparts have staged an invasion of the Federation . Mirror Spock seeks the Genesis Device, and travels to Vulcan to mind-meld with Prime Spock. Prime Spock’s brain patterns are still in chaos. Mirror Spock initiates the mind meld, and the Prime version uses it to return his brain patterns to normalcy.

In exchange, the Mirror Spock is “healed” and agrees to fight against the Empire and the Mirror Universe Kirk.

Mister Spock Almost Left Star Trek For Good

Spock's mind and body were rejoined--but there was still much work to do.

Leonard Nimoy, who had brought Spock to life, was growing tired of the character, and, according to legend, asked to have him killed off in Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan . However, Nimoy changed his mind at the last minute, and thus the writers wrote an “in” to bring Spock back. They followed up on it in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . The Genesis Device helped restore Spock’s body to life, but his soul, or “katra,” was stuck in Doctor McCoy. Spock’s mind and body are rejoined at the end of the movie.

Despite Spock being restored to life, the film made clear that there would still be a long road to recovery for him. When fans see him again in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Spock is still re-learning much of what he knew. However, Spock is sharp and mentally aware, a far cry from where he was previously. Star Trek #12 fills in the gaps, and does so in a clever and creative way. Fans had been clamoring for the return of the Mirror Universe, and its Spock variant, since their first appearances.

Mirror Spock Is The Star Trek Universe's Most Unlikely Savior

Mirror spock helped more than just spock heal.

It is ironic that Mirror Spock, who came to the Prime Star Trek universe to specifically destroy its Spock, would be the final piece of the puzzle. The mind meld between the two was a win-win situation: not only did it give Prime Spock a spark of life again, but also helped Mirror Spock move beyond the conditioning the Empire had given him. Mirror Spock’s defection helped turn the tide of the invasion, and sent the Mirror Universe invasion fleet packing. In doing the mind-meld, Spock saved not only himself, but the galaxy as well.

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‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Costume Designer Breaks Down Wedding Outfits, Progenitors Looks and New Starfleet Uniforms

By Scott Mantz

Scott Mantz

‘Star Trek: Picard’ Team Built a ‘Museum Quality’ Enterprise D to Make Things as ‘Cinematic as Possible’ 1 year ago
How ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Resurrected an Iconic Set 1 year ago
How ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Created the High-Tech Bridge of Its Newest Starship 1 year ago

Somkela Iyamah as Progenitor in Star Trek: Discovery steaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Michael Gibson/Paramount+.

After 65 episodes, “ Star Trek: Discovery ” boldly wrapped up its ambitious five-season run with “Life, Itself,” in which Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green) finally found the technology of the Progenitors that she and her crew had searched for, only to let it stay hidden after deeming that it too powerful to be in the hands of one civilization.

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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: Directed by Nicholas Meyer. With William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan. With the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using the life-generating Genesis Device as the ultimate weapon.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Nicholas Meyer and based on the television series Star Trek.It is the second film in the Star Trek film series following Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), and is a sequel to the television episode "Space Seed" (1967).The plot features Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the starship USS ...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Not just a great Star Trek film but a great film. a classic Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09 ... Kirk Beats Khan Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan: Official Clip - Kirk Beats Khan 2:09 ...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Trailer #1
Check out the official Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Trailer starring Leonard Nimoy! Let us know what you think in the comments below. Watch on Fan...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan movie review (1982)
Khan is played as a cauldron of resentment by Ricardo Montalban, and his performance is so strong that he helps illustrate a general principle involving not only Star Trek but "Star Wars" (1977) and all the epic serials, especially the "James Bond" movies: Each film is only as good as its villain. Since the heroes and the gimmicks tend ...
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Star Trek Into Darkness: Directed by J.J. Abrams. With Leonard Nimoy, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana. After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable ...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Synopsis. 1982 • PG. Khan, a genetically enhanced "super man" from Kirk's past, returns to seek revenge on now-Admiral Kirk, the man who banished he and his followers to a dying planet 15 years earlier. Khan, a genetically enhanced "super man" from Kirk's past, returns to seek revenge on now-Admiral Kirk, the man who banished he ...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Synopsis. In the year 2285, Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) oversees a simulator session of Captain Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) trainees. In the simulation, Lieutenant Saavik commands the star ship USS Enterprise on a rescue mission to save the crew of the damaged ship Kobayashi Maru. When the Enterprise enters the Klingon Neutral Zone to ...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
The Wrath of Khan, the second Star Trek feature film installment, is traditionally regarded by fans as the best in the series, and considered by many non-fans as an excellent science-fiction picture. In 2014, it was ranked by Empire readers as #89 in a poll to determine the 301 greatest movies of all time.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It is the 23rd century. The Federation Starship U.S.S. EnterpriseTM is on routine training maneuvers and Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) seems resigned to the fact that this inspection may well be the last space mission of his career. But Khan is back. Aided by his exiled band of genetic supermen, Khan ...
Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh is a fictional character in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, who first appeared as the main antagonist in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" (1967), and was portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán, who reprised his role in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.In the 2013 film Star Trek Into Darkness, he is portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (2/8) Movie CLIP
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan movie clips: http://j.mp/1L74E6NBUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/sRa1qVDon't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6prCL...
Watch Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Streaming Online
Admiral James T. Kirk is still in charge of a space fleet, but from behind a desk. Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock convince him to take on a mission which sounds simple, but with the mysterious Khan, things get a little tricky. more. Starring: William ShatnerLeonard NimoyRicardo Montalban. Director: Nicholas Meyer.
List of Star Trek films
Logo for the first Star Trek film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise that started with a television series (simply called Star Trek but now referred to as Star Trek: The Original Series) created by Gene Roddenberry.The series was first broadcast from 1966 to 1969. Since then, the Star Trek canon has expanded to include many other ...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
It is the 23rd century. The Federation Starship U.S.S. Enterprise™ is on routine training maneuvers and Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) seems resigned to the fact that this inspection may well be the last space mission of his career. But Khan is back. Aided by his exiled band of genetic supermen, Khan (Ricardo Montalban) - brilliant renegade of 20th century Earth - has raided Space ...
Star Trek movies in chronological order
2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. (Image credit: Paramount Pictures) Release date: June 4, 1982. Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban. Ask a Star Trek fan what the best Star ...
Why Khan Noonien Singh Casts A Shadow Over The Entire Star Trek ...
In the "Star Trek" episode "Space Seed" (February 16, 1967), the Enterprise rescues Khan from a cargo ship called the Botany Bay. Khan and several of his compatriots were in cryogenic sleep ...
Paramount Pictures Officially Confirms Star Trek Origin Movie For Its
They wrote that the origin film would be "set decades before the original 2009 Star Trek film". That film (in-universe) is set in 2233 (Nero incursion) and 2258 (main plot) respectively.
5 Reasons Wrath Of Khan Was The Best Star Trek Film (& 5 Why It's The
It's not hard to imagine why, either. Both films are cinematic triumphs and sci-fi masterpieces, but for very different reasons. While Wrath Of Khan was essentially a nail-biting submarine action film set in space, The Voyage Home was a lighthearted comedy with strong social messaging. Star Trek: 10 Questions Discovery Season 3 Could Answer ...
Preview: 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is considered a sci-fi classic and it is often cited as the best film of the franchise, and the story of how the film came to is a fascinating one.Star Trek II: The ...
Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh (or simply Khan) was an extremely intelligent and dangerous superhuman.He was the most prominent of the genetically-engineered Human Augments of the Eugenics Wars period on Earth.Khan was considered, by the USS Enterprise command crew, over three centuries later, to have been "the best" of them. Reappearing with a cadre of Augment followers in the 23rd century, Khan became a ...
Kirstie Alley Acted Unprofessionally On Star Trek II And She ...
Nicholas Meyer's 1982 sci-fi flick "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" was the first major acting gig for Kirstie Alley. Up to that point, Alley had only appeared on the sci-fi sitcom "Quark" as ...
Robin Curtis Looks Back at Star Trek III: The Search for Spock For Its
Forty years ago this weekend, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock inherited the monumental task of picking up the tale of Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew following Spock's tragic death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.Written by Harve Bennett and directed by Leonard Nimoy himself, the film dealt with the aftermath of the battle with Khan Noonien Singh ...
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Khan : A remnant of a time long past. Genetically engineered to be superior so as to lead others to peace in a world at war. But we were condemned as criminals, forced into exile. For centuries we slept, hoping when we awoke things would be different.
15 Famous Actors You Probably Forgot Were in Old Star Trek Movies
With tight pacing, the franchise's best villain, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is the best Star Trek movie to date. It also features a few familiar faces in The Terminator's Paul Winfield and ...
A Legal Problem Forced Star Trek: Voyager To Change Captain ...
F ew fictional characters conjure up as strong a mental image with just a mention of their name as the captains of the beloved "Star Trek" universe.Mention the word "Picard," and it's impossible ...
After Star Trek III, Spock's Mind Was Saved By…His Mirror Universe
Spock returned to life in the third Star Trek feature film thanks to the effects of the Genesis Device, but his mind was restored by his Mirror Universe counterpart. Although Spock returned to life at the end of The Search for Spock, his mind was still in disarray, but as revealed in 1985's Star Trek #12, his goateed Mirror Universe variant played a vital role in bringing Spock back to form.
Wikipedia Star Trek Into Darkness debate
Debate. Director J. J. Abrams planned to release the film Star Trek Into Darkness in April 2013. Its title did not contain a colon after "Star Trek", such as in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and eight other Star Trek films. The "I" was to be capitalized in Abrams's April release, but Wikipedia's manual of style stipulates that prepositions fewer than five letters are not to be capitalized.
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY Casts Holly Hunter as its ...
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will likely debut on Paramount+ sometime in 2024 or 2025, but we guess 2026 is also on the table. Originally published on March 30, 2023.
'Star Trek: Discovery' Costume Designer on Creating Wedding ...
One was from 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,' those red uniforms. That was definitely the reference for Burnham, and we wanted it to be as bold as possible. We did two shades in our version.

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Khan Noonien Singh

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Kirstie Alley Acted Unprofessionally On Star Trek II And She Knew It

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