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Who is Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek?

Star Trek is a 60-year saga known for its gorgeous starships and equally gorgeous heroes but Khan Noonien Singh is the series' most important villain.

The galaxy far, far away has Darth Vader, the Emperor, Grand Admiral Thrawn and a host of other iconic baddies. Yet, Star Trek and the galaxy right, right here isn't as focused on individual villains that way. However, if the universe created by Gene Roddenberry has a single, identifiable villain it's a 20th Century human who found himself in the future. Khan Noonien Singh is an important villain in Star Trek , and those who don't already know his story are in for an incredible adventure. The character has a long history in the nearly 60-year-old saga, and he remains important to its past and future.

Originally appearing in the Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1 episode, "Space Seed," the character was conceived as a Viking-style character. Roddenberry, however, wanted to subvert the audience expectations of the 1960s by changing that background. The character was named Khan Noonien Singh, in part because Roddenberry hoped a similarly-named acquaintance from World War II would see it and seek him out. (Alas, he never did.) The character was conceived as an actor of West Asian heritage, but the only actor they could convincingly cast to play the futuristic super man was Ricardo Montalban. In 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness, Benedict Cumberbatch was cast to play Khan Noonien Singh, despite him looking more "Viking" than West Asian. While "Space Seed" is an iconic Star Trek: TOS episode, it wasn't until his return in 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan written and directed by Nicholas Meyer. Not only did this revitalize the character, but the film reenergized the entire Star Trek franchise after The Motion Picture failed to spark joy in the hearts of Trekkers.

RELATED: This Star Trek: TOS Character Would Fit Perfectly In Strange New Worlds

Who Is Khan Noonien Singh In the Star Trek Canon?

The "Space Seed" episode revealed two things about the Star Trek universe. It revealed the "Eugenics Wars," which involved Khan Noonien Singh. Khan, among others, were genetically engineered to be "perfect" humans. The episode also revealed that as a result of these wars the "records" of that time were mostly lost to Starfleet. Still, Spock told Captain Kirk Kahn ascended into power in 1992 and was defeated in 1996 (30 years from the show's real-world present-day). Khan and 96 of his fellow genetic augments were put into a kind of stasis and sent off into space, where they drifted until the USS Enterprise found the vessel and awakened them. A historian on the Enterprise, Marla McGivers, was charmed by Khan and, almost, helped him take over the ship. Once Kirk and company retook the vessel, he allowed Khan, McGivers and his people to settle on Ceti Alpha V to build a new life for themselves.

In the beginning of The Wrath of Khan , Pavel Chekov (a character not added to The Original Series until Season 2) landed on what they believed was Ceti Alpha VI. They soon found Khan and what remained of his people, because the planet had "shifted" its orbit after a cataclysm. Kahn captured Chekov's ship, the USS Reliant, and used it to take possession of the Genesis Device. Created by Kirk's former partner Carol Marcus and Kirk's son David, it could take a lifeless world and make it teeming with life in hours. Khan wanted to use it as a weapon, but he also wanted to visit vengeance on Kirk. At the end of the film, he's defeated and famously quotes Moby Dick before he uses the Genesis Device to destroy his own ship. "From Hell's heart I stab at thee," he says, "for hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."

In Strange New Worlds Season 2, Khan's descendant, La'an Noonien Singh , was sent back in time to the early 21st Century to stop a cataclysm. In Star Trek: Voyager , the crew was sent back to 1996, but instead of a Eugenics War-ravaged landscape, they found the dawn of the internet age. This was established as the "fault" of another time-travel accident. When La'an arrived in her past, she encountered Sera, a Romulan agent from the "Temporal Wars." She was sent back to 1992 to kill Khan in order to prevent the Federation and Starfleet from ever existing. Yet, because of the other time-shenanigans, Khan wasn't born until the 21st Century. "Time pushes back," she told La'an, implying that "canon events" aren't just limited to the Spider-Verse.

RELATED: Kevin Feige's Secret Ingredient in the MCU Came From Star Trek's 'Worst' Movie

Why Khan Noonien Singh Is So Important to Star Trek Fans and Storytellers

Khan Noonien Singh remains important to the larger Star Trek story because of what he represents about the universe's past. The Eugenics Wars, now set in the mid-21st Century also coincided with "World War III," the cataclysm from which Star Trek 's ideal future emerged. In Star Trek: First Contact , the crew of the USS Enterprise-E are sent back to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes the first warp-drive flight, causing the Vulcans to visit Earth. Khan represents the personification of the worst of humanity. Notions of superiority, violence and authoritarianism are the main impediments, Roddenberry believed, to the idyllic future humanity was capable of achieving.

His many returns, from "Space Seed" in Star Trek: The Original Series to The Wrath of Khan are a warning that these human foibles, like Star Wars ' Palpatine , will somehow return if people aren't careful. Yet, Khan didn't just help create the universe in the narrative. After The Motion Picture , fans hoped for a return to the type of storytelling Star Trek: TOS was known for. Nicholas Meyer delivered a film that felt a bit like an episode of the show on a grander scale. Yet, it also kicked off a run of four more movies that helped cement Star Trek as an enduring franchise. Fans were enamored by the film and its sequels. Even when he's not present, he influences the story. Star Trek: Picard Season 3 thematically echoed the "trilogy" that started with The Wrath of Khan through Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .

Khan is a genetically altered super man who was so cruel, violent and despotic he almost destroyed the planet. Yet, like most real-world villains, the actual Khan was charming, seemingly measured. Ricardo Montalban infused the character with gravitas and even humor, along with his impressive bare chest (which was not a prosthetic in the movie). If the heroes of Star Trek represent the best of humanity, Khan represents the worst of it. Heroes are defined by their villains, and any hero that can take out a guy like Khan Noonien Singh is an impressive one indeed.

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Published Jun 5, 2022

Vengeance: A Tale of Two Khans

Revenge is a dish best served cold, but how did it turn out for the villainous Augment?

StarTrek.com

Khan Noonien Singh is, arguably, Star Trek ’s greatest villain. He is a complex character whose intelligence, experience and strength made him a formidable and dangerous adversary for James T. Kirk. Khan’s mythos has proved enduring for Trek fans, who’ve seen this character arise across their screens in different decades and even timelines. This character is compelling not only because his engineered intellect and strength make him a threat to Trek ’s protagonists, but because his failing is one that’s easily reflected in our own character and choices. While Khan was compelled by his drive to conquer and gain superiority over others in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode, “ Space Seed ,” it was his need for vengeance in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan that cemented his place in Trek lore.

On the surface, it could be argued that Khan’s complaint is not entirely without merit. He agreed to be left on a planet that, while difficult, could provide a way of life for him and his crew that would allow them to flourish, but would prevent them from exercising their militaristic and colonial ambition. As Khan recounts the story to first officer Chekov and Captain Terrell, a cosmological explosion caused planetary desolation six months after their arrival, which led to the deaths of several crew members -- including his wife. Neither Kirk nor Starfleet returned to confirm Khan’s viability or whether his planetary conditions had been altered. There is reason for this, given Starfleet’s reticence regarding genetic engineering, but it seems odd that a humanitarian organization such as the Federation would not have registered the potential harm to these people once Ceti Alpha VI had exploded. This began the process of Khan’s 15-year meditation on revenge and an obsession with seeking vengeance upon Kirk for what he’d lost.

In an essay originally published in 1625, Francis Bacon wrote that “revenge is a kind of wild justice.” If an initial wrong is an offense against law, Bacon argues that the need for revenge puts law aside altogether. This is especially the case with what he calls private revenge, which acts out of vindictive desire. Public revenge is an account of justice where a wrong committed is repaid in like manner/measure. However, Bacon prefaces both public and private by noting the harmful psychology of revenge in each instance. He writes that people meditate upon revenge in order to keep their wounds fresh, to prevent them from healing, to maintain the desire and need for retribution.

This can be easily seen in Khan’s desire for vengeance. He’d kept his wounds fresh and made retaliation his singular object of desire. What’s more, on two separate occasions his first officer warns him of this and attempts to persuade him to leave that path. When Khan first captured the Reliant and later when he successfully stole the Genesis device, Khan’s second-in-command highlights that he’s now free. He has in fact beaten Kirk and proven his superiority over the Starfleet captain. Khan responds, “He tasks me. He tasks me and I shall have him.” The issue is that while Khan had a starship, he was not free. He was not free from his obsession and longing for revenge. He’d meditated for so long on his wounds that he couldn’t leave them behind or live without them. Ultimately, this obsession leads to his undoing. The thirst for vengeance is never satiated and so it begins to consume itself.

It’s easy to see Khan’s desire for revenge be his own undoing; it’s often a villain’s fate. However, in the Kelvin timeline we are introduced to a troubling reversal. Here, Khan is not the only one bent on revenge. Kirk and Starfleet as a whole are at risk of succumbing to a need for vengeance and public protection. Admiral Marcus is obsessed with external threats to the Federation and is willing to sacrifice the Federation’s principles to preserve its structure. In doing so, he resuscitates Khan and holds his crew hostage to manipulate him into doing the admiral’s bidding. In response, Khan attacks Section 31 and later the command council, killing Captain Pike in the process. Khan is once more seeking revenge for his crew and attempting to gain power for his own ends. However, the loss of his mentor lures Kirk to seek revenge. It clouds his judgment and allows him to also be manipulated by Marcus. Kirk’s obsession with avenging Pike’s death and the war declared on Starfleet by Khan brings him close to sacrificing his principles and his friendships.

Here, the potential fallout of what Bacon called public revenge is also explored. A public wrong has been done, but both on a personal and institutional level, the desire for vengeance causes the implosion of the individuals obsessed with it. Kirk nearly gives up his Federation and Starfleet values, along with his friendship with Scotty, and as Spock points out, his moral foundation. Marcus gives up what the Federation stands for in his need to violently respond to the Klingons he considered aggressors. Khan’s desire for vengeance against all Federation principles and persons results in the loss of those he held most dear. Once more, revenge consumed itself.

In a diary entry written in September 1947, Gandhi wrote, “Anger breeds revenge and the spirit of revenge is today responsible for all the horrible happenings here and elsewhere… Let not future generations say that we lost the sweet bread of freedom because we could not digest it.” In the Prime Universe, Khan had gained his freedom (albeit through violent means), but his obsession with revenge prevented him from digesting that bread. In the end, for Khan, and for Marcus in the Kelvin timeline, revenge was not wild justice, but the abrogation of laws, principles and sanity. The stories of the two Khans show that it’s not just our enemies that can be consumed with a desire for revenge. We, too, must guard against its corrupting tendencies.

Timothy Harvie is Associate Professor of philosophy and ethics at St. Mary's University in Calgary, Canada.  His interests lie primarily in philosophical theology, political philosophy, environmental and animal philosophies, and ideas of the role of hope in society.  He is a lifelong Star Trek fan. http://www.stmu.ca/dr-timothy-harvie/

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Khan Noonien Singh

Character » Khan Noonien Singh appears in 67 issues .

Genetic superman, an Augment from the late 20th century. Warlord whose followers controlled nearly a quarter of the Earth before fleeing aboard the SS Botany Bay. Discovered in 2267 by Captain James T. Kirk, Khan would become his greatest enemy.

Summary short summary describing this character..

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Star Trek: Khan Ruling in Hell

Khan Noonien Singh last edited by gravenraven on 07/06/23 07:02PM View full history

Khan was created for the original series Star Trek episode " Space Seed ", and was named in honor of Gene Roddenberry 's friend from World War II , Kim Noonien Singh. Roddenberry hoped his friend would hear his name on television and contact him, but never heard from Mr. Singh.

Genetic Engineering

Records of the period, including Khan's origins, are fragmentary and therefore vague. He was the product of a selective-breeding and genetic-engineering scientific program, based on the eugenics 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 "engineered" from a variety of Earth 's ethnic groups. Khan's background was suspected to be Sikh, from the northern region of India .

The Eugenics Wars

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 the regions of Asia and the Middle East. Considered "the best of tyrants" , he severely curtailed the freedoms of his subjects, but his reign was an exception to similar circumstances in Earth history – lacking internal massacres or wars of aggression. In the mid 1990s, the Augment tyrants began warring among themselves. Other nations combined their efforts 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 as many as ninety "supermen" were never accounted for.

Khan escaped the wars and their consequences along with 84 followers (including Joachim, Joaquin, Kati, Ling, McPherson, Otto, and Rodriguez) 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 the SS Botany Bay , named for the site of the Australian penal colony. Set on a course outbound from Earth's 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.

“We offered the world order!”

They were discovered in the Mutara sector in 2267 by the U.S.S. Enterprise , captained by James Kirk . Kirk and an away team including historian Marla McGivers went aboard the Botany Bay and revived Khan, unaware of his involvement in the Eugenics Wars. Khan studied ship records, quickly bringing himself up to speed on 271 years worth of technological innovation. He then revived his own people and captured the crew of the Enterprise. The crew regained control of the ship and Kirk left Khan to rule on the abandoned planet Ceti Alpha V with 71 followers and McGivers, who became his beloved wife.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

" Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish best served cold? Well...it is very cold in space! "

But the new colony was on Ceti Alpha V for only a few months when Ceti Alpha VI exploded, shifting the orbit of Ceti Alpha V and killing many of Khan's people. With the loss of most life on the planet, except the Ceti eels, Khan's indomitable will reemerged. The eels took 20 of his followers, including his beloved wife. Fourteen years later, the U.S.S. Reliant went down to what they thought was Ceti Alpha VI, only to find out that due to the planet's shift they were really on Ceti Alpha V.

Khan and his people quickly captured Captain Clark Terrell and First Officer Pavel Chekov . The eels were dropped into their ears, affecting the cerebral cortex to allow them to become obedient to suggestion by Khan. He used them to capture the Reliant and strand its crew on the planet, returning to his merciless beginnings as leader. Kirk, now an Admiral, was left with a skeleton crew of trainees to investigate. Khan had the Reliant feign communications problems, allowing him to approach and fire on the un-shielded Enterprise. Khan gave Kirk five minutes to inform his crew that they must unconditionally surrender. Kirk used the Reliant's prefix code to override their shields and fire back. Khan now had to flee, his ship limping away as Kirk beamed to the center of the Genesis planet. Khan's suggestion triggered Captain Terrell and Commander Chekov to transport the Genesis device up to Khan's ship.

Once Terrell was ordered to kill Kirk and refused, vaporizing himself with his own phaser to avoid murdering a fellow officer, Khan decided to maroon Kirk on the planet, leaving him with these words:

"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 at the center of a dead planet. Buried alive...buried alive!"

But following another ruse, Kirk and the rest of his party were beamed back up to the ship and fled toward the Mutara Nebula. Kirk taunted him, and Khan once again let his anger get the better of him in his quest for revenge. He pursued Kirk into the Nebula, losing track only to be overtaken and fired on. The ship nearly destroyed, a dying Khan activated the Genesis Device. He perished in an explosion of creative force that failed to reach the escaping Enterprise, delivering his last words, from Melville's Moby Dick as he did so:

" No, no...you can't get away. To the last...I will grapple with thee. From Hell's heart, I stab at thee....For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee... "

Personality

"Captain, although your abilities intrigue me, you are quite honestly inferior. Mentally, physically. In fact, I am surprised how little improvement there has been in human evolution. Oh, there has been technical advancement, but, how little man himself has changed. Yes, it appears we will do well in your century, Captain. Do you have any other questions?"

Khan is a megalomaniac who craves power above all else. While competent in many fields, particularly leadership and strategy, he is overconfident to the point that he will assume his "superior intellect" is more than sufficient to compensate for his lack of experience in a particular activity (ship-to-ship combat in space).

Characteristics

• Name : Khan Noonien Singh
• Homeworld : Earth, India
• Born : Mid-20th century
• Species : Augment (Human)
• Gender : Male
• Height : 6'
• Weight : 175 lbs
• Hair Color : Black (gray in Wrath of Khan)
• Eye Color : Brown
• Age : 300+ (due to cryogenic suspension, 1996-2267)
• Died : 2285, Mutara Nebula
• Affiliation : Great Khanate

Skills and Abilities

"It was only the fact of my genetically engineered arrogance that got us into this mess."

Khan possesses incredible physical and mental attributes, making him physically, mentally and intellectually superior to even the most exceptional of humans:

• Enhanced strength : He possesses superhuman strength, capable of knocking a person into the air, crushing a phaser pistol in his fingers and lifting a grown man off the ground with one hand.
• Enhanced durability : Khan was extremely durable, and could withstand immense amounts of damage with complete ease, shown during his fight with Kirk.
• Superior intellect : His intelligence is incredibly high, making him the perfect strategist. He possesses a very precise memory - he never forgets a face - and is capable of quickly deducing completely correct conclusions based on little-to-no information.
• Master strategist : Khan became extremely adaptivity in space combat and strategy, shown widely throughout The Wrath of Khan .
• Expert combatant : Khan's strength, intelligence and strategic abilities make him an expert fighter - he uses his brute strength and durability to overwhelm an opponent, but also relies on the overconfidence of his opponents. He only lost his fight with Kirk because of his own arrogance and overconfidence.

Alternate Versions

Children of khan.

In an alternate timeline where the Augments won the Eugenics War, Khan became the ruler of a genetically engineered Human race called the Children of Khan who sought to conquer all of known space. His followers managed to conquer the planet and Khan himself was noted to have finished his conquest of the United States by arriving in Washington in order to accept the President's surrender. His actions led to the Great Ascension of Humanity and he led his people as the First Khan, the Eternal Master and the First Lord of Mankind. Through his actions, he managed to lead his people against numerous alien races and conquered them such as the Andorians who knelt in servitude before him.

His empire later came under attack from the Romulan Star Empire during the Romulan War of the 2100's. At some point, he was noted as having seduced and killed a Romulan commander after which he stole a cloaking device from the Star Empire. It was noted that he died as an elderly statesman after living for over two centuries and had a grandchild who continued to lead the Augment empire. Through his leadership, he became a well respected leader of his people and revered by them for centuries.

Before his death, he was also involved in a program that led to his intelligence and memories being implanted into a computer. With the development of holotechnology, this intelligence was capable of manifesting the appearance of Singh in various points of his life. The program was highly sophisticated as it required three times the processing power of a normal holoprogram. This created a potent counsel which only high ranking Princeps were capable of accessing and thus gained a measure of Khan's wisdom as he advised these younger Augments on their role in the future of their race.

Into Darkness

"You think your 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."

In the alternate Kelvin timeline, Khan's origin remains the same, but he instead of being revived by Captain Kirk he is revived Admiral Alexander Marcus of the Federation to construct weapons and warships for an upcoming war with the Klingon Empire. To prevent any suspicion, Khan was given the alias of "John Harrison". Khan would rebel against Starfleet by conducting acts of terrorism, one of which included the murder of Admiral Christopher Pike . The Enterprise crew captures him on Kronos, and he reveals the truth about his motives to them, his past and Marcus' plan to wipe out his people. Khan assists Captain Kirk in an attempt to arrest Marcus, but betrays Kirk, kills Marcus, and capture the massive battleship, the USS Vengeance. Khan attempts to destroy the Enterprise, only to be tricked by Spock . He then attempts at another escape by sending the Vengeance into Starfleet's base and San Francisco .

Khan is eventually defeated in combat by Spock, who uses his blood and regenerative DNA to revive the deceased Kirk. He is then put back into cryogenic sleep along with his cohorts.

Khan is an extremely powerful, unpredictable, ruthless and brutal person who mostly enjoys terrorizing and killing people and destroying everything in his path. Also, as he is confronting and negotiating with Spock in exchange for Kirk and Marcus' daughter, he seems to have a very massive sense of manipulation. Besides being ruthless and powerful, Khan is also an extremely intelligent and brilliant individual who has vast sophistication and wisdom.

• Aliases : John Harrison
• Height : 6' 1''
• Weight : 172 lbs
• Hair Color : Black
• Eye Color : Blue
• Age : 300+ (due to cryogenic suspension, 1996-2258)
• Status : Cryogenic suspension
• Affiliation : Great Khanate, Section 31
• Muscular capacity augmented beyond human extremes
• Can kick a person several feet into the air
• Can punch through walls
• Capable of cracking open a human skull with his bare hands
• Skin is abnormally tough and resistant to bladed weaponry and explosions
• Completely immune to phaser blasts and lasers
• Can jump from vast heights
• Possesses an IQ of well over 300, approximately
• Capable of absorbing and calculating enormous amounts of information instantaneously
• Capable of thinking three-dimensionally
• Logical to an extreme
• Possesses an extremely eidetic memory
• His eyes can process environments with extreme precision
• Can survive abnormally long periods without fresh oxygen
• Blood cells possess extraordinary regenerative abilities
• Speed of heart rate and lactic acid production means can engage intense physical activity for days on end
• Nervous system and procession of thought means his reflexes are incredibly fast and precise
• Genius-level intellect
• Has matched and very nearly defeated Spock in close-quarters combat
• Capable of wiping out an entire Klingon battalion single-handedly, and killing them all without sustaining a single blow
• Can pilot a ship larger and infinitely more complex than the USS Enterprise single-handedly
• Master strategist
• Master of manipulation
• Expert on orbital skydiving
• Extreme arrogance - superiority complex
• Will do anything to preserve the lives of his people
• Psychopathic personality means that his sanity has very narrow limits
• Susceptible to surprise attacks in combat
• Can be fooled by a person of extreme intelligence that matches or exceeds his own

Weaponry and Equipment

• Portable transwarp beaming device (Ship only)
• USS Vengeance
• Three man cannon (Can carry and wield effortlessly in one hand)
• Phaser pistols
• Phaser rifles
• Combat knife
• Portable life-support equipment

Other Media

Star trek ii: the wrath of khan (1982).

Khan is portaged by actor Ricardo Montalbán .

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Khan is portaged by actor Benedict Cumberbatch .

In 2262, Khan and 72 Augments were awakened by the Red Lantern founder Atrocitus who demanded obedience from them, however, Khan and his followers defeated him. He then took his red power ring as he could sense it calling to him and becomes a Red Lantern, killing Atrocitus. The Green Lanterns try to fight Khan and the Augments, but are quickly defeated and retreat. Khan overthrows Larfleeze and makes a proposition to the Klingon High Council: join him in exchange for their freedom from Sinestro 's rule. To make this alliance more lucrative, Khan is aware of Sinestro's plan after gaining information from Larfleeze, and he wants the Yellow Impurity and use it to destroy the Federation.

The Green Lanterns and the Enterprise crew team-up to stop Khan and Sinestro, with Kirk becoming a Green Lantern.

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

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. 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. 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.

• Nicholas Meyer
• Gene Roddenberry
• Jack B. Sowards
• Harve Bennett
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 463 User reviews
• 138 Critic reviews
• 68 Metascore
• 3 wins & 9 nominations

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia In the Blu-ray special feature "The Captain's Log", Ricardo Montalban says that once he committed to this film, he realized that he had trouble getting back into the character Khan. After years of playing Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island (1977) , he found that he was "stuck" in that character. He requested a tape of Space Seed (1967) from Paramount Studios, and proceeded to watch it repeatedly. By the third or fourth watching, he had recaptured the essence of Khan's character.
• Goofs Chekov and Khan recall having met each other. Although Chekov was not a bridge officer when Khan came on the Enterprise in Space Seed (1967) , it should be remembered that when Khan first took over Enterprise, he started with the engineering deck. Chekov was engineering ensign at the time, and mounted resistance against Khan, according to the movie's novelization. Surprisingly, Sulu was also absent from Space Seed, a point which no one ever brings up.

Kirk : We are assembled here today to pay final respects to our honored dead. And yet it should be noted that in the midst of our sorrow, this death takes place in the shadow of new life, the sunrise of a new world; a world that our beloved comrade gave his life to protect and nourish. He did not feel this sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we will not debate his profound wisdom at these proceedings. Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... human.

• Crazy credits After the opening credits: "In the 23rd century..."
• Expanded conversation between Kirk and McCoy in Kirk's apartment about his birthday gift, the glasses. Also, McCoy now says "For most patients your age, I'd usually administer Retinax Five." This is an alternate take, since in the theatrical version, he says "recommend" instead of "administer" (Seen in ABC-TV version).
• Conversation between Kirk and Midshipman Preston in the Enterprise's engine room, with Scotty revealing that Preston is his nephew. Also, the take at the scene's ending with Kirk addressing Scotty and McCoy asking "Admiral, what about the rest of the inspection?" is different from the one seen in the theatrical version. Kirk's dialogue is also slightly different (Seen in ABC-TV version).
• The scene where Chekov informs Dr. Marcus and her team about their new orders via compic has been expanded. Carol Marcus now asks "Who gave the order", and the mind controlled Chekov dances around the answer a little before David says, "Pin him down, mother." (Seen in ABC-TV version).
• The scene where the scientists at Regula One argue about Starfleet Command's order is a different take, and has been expanded in the ending to show Carol Marcus ordering everyone to pack their things up so they can depart before the Reliant arrives (Seen in ABC-TV version).
• McCoy and Spock's argument about Genesis in Kirk's cabin has been slightly expanded. They discuss what might happen if Genesis fell into the wrong hands, and whose hands are the right ones. Kirk attempts to break the two up, but Spock cuts him off with a comeback to McCoy (Seen in ABC-TV version).
• Preston's death in Sickbay has been expanded. Preston now says "Aye" and dies in close-up (instead of in the medium shot with Preston's back to the camera and the others visible around the table seen in the theatrical version) Scotty asks why Khan wants revenge. McCoy's line, "I'm sorry, Scotty" now comes in the middle of the scene, instead of in the ending. After Spock informs Kirk via intercom that impulse power is restored, McCoy and Kirk speak a little longer, and Kirk says they only survived because he knew something Khan didn't about starships (Seen in ABC-TV version).
• An added shot of Kirk, Spock and Saavik climbing a ladder between decks has been added, in which Kirk says "That young man, he's my son," and Spock replies, "Fascinating." Also, the music in the scene has been looped to account for this added shot, but it loops at an earlier point than in the ABC-TV version. This makes the music flow better, instead of repeating the same bit of music twice in succession. For the 2016 Director's Cut Blu-Ray edition, the shot is included but the dialogue is omitted.
• An extension occurs as the Enterprise approaches the Mutara Nebula. Saavik wonders if the Reliant will follow them in, and Spock states that he must remember to teach her about the human ego. The music is looped at a different point than in the ABC-TV version to accommodate this extension, and it is thus much less distracting.
• Connections Edited from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
• Soundtracks Theme From Star Trek (TV Series) Music by Alexander Courage

User reviews 463

• Mar 31, 2000
• When Spock and Saavik converse early in the film, what (modern earth) language do they actually speak?
• Why is the actor Judson Scott, who played a substantial role as Joachim in this film, not listed in the closing credits?
• How did Khan and crew actually take over the Reliant? One minute they're shoving eels down Chekov and Terrell's ears - the next they're on the bridge of the Reliant sporting trophy uniforms and in command of the ship.
• June 4, 1982 (United States)
• United States
• Star Trek II
• Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, USA
• Paramount Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $11,200,000 (estimated)
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• $14,347,221
• Jun 6, 1982
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Khan Noonien Singh

• View history
• 1.1 Early life
• 1.2 Ruler of the Earth
• 3.1.1 Attributes
• 3.2.1 Appearances
• 3.2.2 References
• 3.3 External link

Biography [ ]

Early life [ ].

He was born in 1970 . His mother was Doctor Sarina Kaur , the director of the Chrysalis Project from its foundation until her death on May 18 , 1974 . ( TOS novel : The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume 1 )

Ruler of the Earth [ ]

By 1992 , Khan and his followers had seized control of over half the Earth. He fought with Vasily Hunyadi , the force behind the Serbian government. While a dictator, history would note Khan's empire was devoid of genocide and other such atrocities normally associated with similar forms of government. After the Eugenics Wars had been lost, Khan and his followers escaped aboard the sleeper ship SS Botany Bay . ( TOS episode : " Space Seed "; WizKids module : Attack Wing )

The Botany Bay drifted in space until 2267 , when Khan and his people were revived by Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise . After an unsuccessful attempt to seize control of the Enterprise , Khan and his followers, as well as Lieutenant Marla McGivers were exiled to Ceti Alpha V . ( TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization : Space Seed )

Khan, McGivers, and his crew along with the Botany Bay were then taken to Ceti Alpha V. After Kirk, Scott and their landing party finished settling them on the planet, Khan and his people started to build a new world. Khan led hunting parties through the jungles on the planet.

Sometime after this point, Ceti Alpha VI exploded, which altered the orbit as well as the environment of Ceti Alpha V. Six months after it was destroyed, food started to become scarce. Khan tried to send a signal from the Botany Bay to no avail. Khan was also facing dissent from his people such as Tamas . ( TOS novel : To Reign in Hell: The Exile of Khan Noonien Singh ; TOS comic : " Khan: Ruling in Hell ") Many of Khan's followers died in the aftermath, including his wife.

Eighteen solar years later, an avenue of escape presented itself to Khan when the USS Reliant arrived on a survey mission. He would quickly use this opportunity to escape his prison and hijack the Reliant . He learned of Project Genesis and coveted the Genesis Device for his own use. Whether by sub space eavesdropping (as he did later at Regula I ) or through the library computer ; Khan also learned about Klingon ideals, such as revenge. He also used this time to wreak that vengeance against James T. Kirk (now an admiral ). His attempts would fail and Khan would be killed in the Mutara Nebula . Khan, afterwards, activated the Genesis Device as a last act of revenge against Kirk, in the hope that he would destroy his hated enemy along with himself. ( TOS movie , novelization & comic adaptation : Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ; WizKids module : Attack Wing )

In 2254 , Spock compared the impact of the pre-reformation Vulcans of the Last-of-all-Cities returning to Vulcan to that of Humans finding a lost colony of Khan's Augment warriors. Little did Spock know he would participate in just such a discovery in 2267 . ( EV comic : " Cloak and Dagger "; TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization : Space Seed )

Khan's actions led to genetic engineering being banned on Earth and within the Federation. In 2373 , Admiral Bennett described Julian Bashir as being a positive aspect of genetic engineering, but warned that "for every Julian Bashir that can be created, there's a Khan Singh waiting in the wings ". ( DS9 episode : " Doctor Bashir, I Presume ")

Bashir often thought of Bennett's words whenever someone mentioned his genetically enhanced nature, such as Elim Garak did in 2374 . ( DS9 episode : " Call to Arms ", DS9 novelization : Call to Arms... )

The Section 31 Doctor Ethan Locken was a great admirer of Khan and planned a New Federation based on his ideals. Tanok of Vulcan posed the question what would have happened if Khan had won the Eugenics Wars. ( DS9 - Section 31 novel : Abyss )

A year after his arrival in the Kelvin timeline , Ambassador Spock warned his counterpart about Khan when Kirk decided to ally himself with Khan's counterpart . The Ambassador describe him as being the most brilliant and dangerous adversary the Enterprise faced. Spock then told his counterpart that his Enterprise was able to defeat him at great cost. ( ST movie & novelization : Star Trek Into Darkness )

Appendices [ ]

Background [ ], attributes [ ].

For the purpose of the FASA RPG , this character was assigned a number of attributes to determine the outcome of die rolls.

Appearances and references [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• TOS episode : " Space Seed "
• The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume 1
• The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume 2
• To Reign in Hell: The Exile of Khan Noonien Singh
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• DS9 comic : " No Time Like the Present "

References [ ]

• TOS novel : A Contest of Principles

External link [ ]

• Khan Noonien Singh article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
• 3 Odyssey class

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Khan Noonien Singh (Alternate Timeline)

• View history

Khan Noonien Singh , also known as John Harrison , is the main antagonist of the 2013 film Star Trek Into Darkness .

He is an extremely intelligent and ruthless terrorist, and was the most prominent of the genetically engineered Human Augments of the late-20th century Eugenics Wars period on Earth. Considered genocidal tyrants who conquered and killed in the name of order, Khan and his kind were frozen in cryogenic-sleep. In the 23rd century, Khan was revived by Admiral Alexander Marcus to design weapons and ships to prepare for war against the Klingon Empire. He was given a new identity, that of John Harrison , an English Starfleet commander. Khan, however, rebelled, and after believing his crew had been killed, he began a one-man campaign against Starfleet. After gaining his revenge on Admiral Marcus, he was later stopped by the crew of the USS Enterprise and returned to cryogenic sleep.

He was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch , who also played Smaug and Sauron in The Hobbit film trilogy, William Ford in 12 Years a Slave , Dormammu , Sinister Strange , and Strange Supreme in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Grinch in the 2018 film of the same name and Shere Khan in Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle .

• 1.1 Background and Brainwashed by Marcus
• 1.2 Betrayal and Stealing Transwarp Beaming Equation
• 1.3.1 Revealing Marcus' True Nature
• 1.4.1 Defeat
• 2 Personality
• 3 Powers and Abilities
• 5 Reception
• 6.1 Indirectly
• 8 External Links
• 9 Navigation

Biography [ ]

Background and brainwashed by marcus [ ].

Khan during his facial reconstruction before his memory blocked.

This version of Khan's backstory was the same as his prime reality counterpart 's, until the destruction of Vulcan in 2258 changed the latter's future that led to the events of the movie from that point on.

Vulcan's destruction led Admiral Alexander Marcus of Section 31 to begin a plan in militarizing Starfleet, and he searched the galaxy for weapons to be used in a potential war with the Klingons. Discovering the SS Botany Bay , Marcus brought Khan out of stasis, believing his savage intellect would give him an advantage. Khan was then recruited into Starfleet under the new identity of Commander John Harrison, and tasked with designing weapons and ships for Starfleet, including the Dreadnought -class USS Vengeance .

The prequel comic Star Trek: Khan gave more insight about Khan's physical change and betrayal. Shortly after being discovered, Marcus had his appearance surgically changed to a male Caucasian and blocked his memories with the intent of convincing him that he was John Harrison, the amnesiac Starfleet researcher in London's Kelvin Memorial Archive who lost his memories in an accident during a failed mission to Qo'nos, the Klingon homeworld. As Harrison, he was given the task of helping advise Section 31 on possible enhancements to Starfleet weapon, shield, and propulsion technology (which is to be incorporated aboard the USS Vengeance ) as well as taking on a mission to destroy Praxis with the help of a portable transporter he designed and built. The mission is a success (explaining the destroyed moon seen in orbit of the Klingon homeworld in the film) but, in the process, Khan regains his memories.

Betrayal and Stealing Transwarp Beaming Equation [ ]

Khan as John Harrison.

Disgruntled by everything that has happened to him, Harrison tried to smuggle his crew away in experimental photon torpedoes he himself had designed, but was discovered and forced to flee alone. Believing Marcus had killed his crew, he coerced Section 31 agent Thomas Harewood into betraying Starfleet by offering a blood transfusion for Harewood's terminally-ill daughter. Harewood agreed, and Harrison replaced Harewood's Starfleet ring with a bomb. After his daughter was cured with a vial of Harrison's blood, Harewood went to work at his office in the Kelvin Memorial Archive, where he dropped the false Starfleet ring into a glass of water, igniting a bomb and destroying the facility. In the midst of the chaos, Harrison used the opportunity to inspect a salvaged terminal to gain Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott's transwarp beaming equation.

Attempted Murder at Daystorm Institute [ ]

Before he set off the explosion at the archive, Harewood sent Marcus a message, explaining he had been threatened by Harrison. Marcus called a summit at the Daystrom Institute, ordering a manhunt for Harrison. During the meeting, James T. Kirk deduced that Harrison had not left Earth because he was aware that protocol would dictate that a meeting like this one would be held at that location. Harrison suddenly appeared in a jumpship and attacked the conference, injuring many and killing Admiral Christopher Pike. Kirk disabled the jumpship, but Harrison beamed himself away before it crashed. Later, Scott contacted Kirk and Commander Spock to inform them that Harrison had beamed himself to the one place Starfleet couldn't follow: Qo'noS. Undeterred, Kirk was granted permission by Marcus to travel to Qo'noS and fire 72 experimental photon torpedoes on Harrison's location. However, at the behest of Spock, Kirk decided to arrest Harrison and bring him back to Earth to stand trial for his crimes.

Revealing Marcus' True Nature [ ]

Khan on the Klingon homeworld.

While Kirk led an away team with Spock, Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, and Hendorff, Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, in temporary command of the USS Enterprise , transmitted a message to Harrison on Qo'noS, warning him to surrender or be destroyed by the torpedoes. Moments later, Harrison found Kirk, Spock, and Uhura being attacked by a Klingon patrol and single-handedly killed the patrol. Confronting the Starfleet officers, Harrison asked how many torpedoes the Enterprise had aboard. After Spock informed him of the count, which corresponded exactly to the number of his Botany Bay crewmembers still in stasis, Harrison surrendered to the landing party. Kirk, angry that his mentor's murderer had saved them, punched Harrison repeatedly, but was unable to render him unconscious.

Khan on the Enterprise .

Once aboard the Enterprise , Harrison was placed in the ship's brig. Dr. Leonard McCoy took a blood sample to uncover the secret behind Harrison's superhuman strength and abilities. Harrison refused to answer Kirk's questions, instead giving him coordinates to a spacedock near Jupiter where the Vengeance was constructed, and suggested that Kirk open one of the torpedoes. Kirk contacted an absent Scott and gave him the coordinates to investigate, while Dr. McCoy and Dr. Carol Marcus opened up a torpedo and discovered a cryogenically-frozen man within.

When Kirk and Spock confronted him with what they discovered, Khan finally explained who he was to Kirk, revealing that the torpedoes contained his fellow surviving Augments as part of a cover-up. Not long afterward, Marcus arrived aboard the Vengeance and demanded that Kirk hand over Khan. Kirk refused and ordered the Enterprise to warp back to Earth so Khan could be brought to trial. The Vengeance caught up with the Enterprise and fired on it as it arrived in Earth's solar system. Marcus then beamed up Carol and prepared to destroy the Enterprise ; fortunately for the Enterprise , Scott, who had sneaked aboard the Vengeance , deactivated its weapons.

Truce With Kirk and Betraying Enterprise Crew [ ]

Kirk and Khan then performed a space-jump to the Vengeance . Meanwhile, Spock consulted Spock Prime, his older counterpart from the prime reality, regarding whether he ever encountered Khan in the past; Spock Prime responded that he had, that Khan was dangerous, and that it had required a great sacrifice to stop him.

Aboard the Vengeance , Kirk, suspicious of Khan, told Scott to stun him once they had taken over the Vengeance 's bridge. When the three of them arrived on the bridge, Scott shot Khan while Kirk admonished Marcus for compromising the Federation. However, Khan was not easily subdued, and he attacked Scott and Kirk and broke Carol's leg before crushing her father's skull with his bare hands before her very eyes. Khan then contacted the Enterprise and ordered Spock to hand over the torpedoes or he would resume bombarding the Enterprise . Spock agreed, and Khan beamed Kirk, Scott, and Carol back aboard the Enterprise , but reneged on his deal with Spock. However, Spock, having predicted Khan's betrayal following his talk with Spock Prime, detonated the torpedoes, crippling the Vengeance . Khan cried out in anguish at the apparent loss of his crew (in actuality, Spock had earlier ordered McCoy to remove the stasis pods from the torpedoes much to Kirk's disgust due to Khan now angrier than ever).

The damage sustained caused both ships to be drawn in by Earth's gravitational pull. To prevent the Enterprise from crashing into San Francisco, Kirk sacrificed himself while re-activating the ship's warp core. Khan, on the other hand, directed the Vengeance on a crash course for Starfleet Headquarters, though the ship's computer informed him the ship would not hit its target. When the Vengeance crashed into San Francisco, Khan leaped down from the wreckage and posed as a shocked survivor.

Moments later, Spock beamed down to execute Khan and avenge Kirk's death. An exciting chase ensues, with Spock pursuing the superhuman onto automated flying barges. A climactic fight erupts between the two, which Khan gradually wins. Uhura beamed down, firing several stun shots to weaken Khan and revealed to Spock that they needed Khan alive to save Kirk (McCoy had just discovered that Khan's blood possessed regenerative properties). Spock finally knocked Khan out.

After his blood was used to revive Kirk, Khan was placed back in suspended animation with his crew and was last seen in a room frozen, where he presumably remains their for the rest of his life.

Personality [ ]

Khan is an extremely powerful, unpredictable, ruthless and brutal person who mostly enjoys terrorizing and killing people and destroying everything in his path. Also, as he is confronting and negotiating with Spock in exchange for Kirk and Marcus' daughter, he seems to have a very massive sense of manipulation. Besides being ruthless and powerful, Khan is also an extremely intelligent and brilliant individual who has vast sophistication and wisdom. Despite this Khan deeply cares for his fellow Augments and manipulated many people just to get them to safety.

Much like Khan's original timeline self, he is extremely vengeful, which provokes acts of cruelty and mass destruction; most killed in his path are innocent bystanders, or at most unknowing allies to his targets, yet he dismisses collateral damage because of his psychopathic nature, as well as callous interpretation of the ends justifying the means.

Powers and Abilities [ ]

• Superhuman Strength : Having been engineered to be an upgraded human life form, Khan, like any Augment possesses the physical strength of a five human beings combined. He could overpower multiple Klingons and even fight Spock in hand-to-hand combat. Khan was even able to crush people's skulls by applying pressure to their heads with both of his hands.
• Superhuman Resilience : He is also extremely durable and greater stamina than even the most rigorously trained human being. He survive Phaser Stun Settings with the bolts only dazing him for a second. He is able to resist a Vulcan Neck Pinch and even overpower Vulcans and Klingons.
• Superhuman Speed : Khan showed incredible speed and mobility when he took down the Klingon forces single handed and when he outran Spock.
• Healing Factor/Regenerative Blood : An Augment's blood platelets have regenerative properties, allowing him to regenerate from any injury or toxicity at a superhumanly fast and far more efficient rate compared to human being's recovery rate. His healing factor even provides him with a greatly extended lifespan or the Augment's regenerative blood can also be used as a medical tool to heal, cure or revive medical subjects via to a blood transfusion.
• Environmental Survivability: Although not witnessed, Khan has stated that him and other Augments are able to survive in an Oxygen Deficient Atmosphere when he was threatening Spock. "Your crew requires Oxygen to survive whilst mine does not, I will target your life-support systems located behind the aft nacelle and as every one of your crew suffocates, I will walk over your cold corpses to recover my people".
• Superhuman Intelligence : Khan has a genius-level intellect, which is superior to many human intellectuals. Despite being frozen for 300 years, when he was awoken, he was abel to immediately study, understand and assimilate all the knowledge of the 23rd century in a very short time. His advanced intellect was the key in the Federation Admiral Marcus created advanced war machines, which were designed for a war with the Klingon Empire.
• Mental Resilience : Khan was able to resist and Break a Vulcan Mindmeld.
• Genius Intellect: Despite being from an obsolete era, he was able to create mechanical and scientific advancements that surpassed the standard of his relative "future."
• Master Combatant : Khan is a ferocious warrior with years of honed combat prowess, which combined with his superhuman abilities, makes him an extremely deadly foe in battle. He is extremely resourceful in battle and was able to secure weapons to go up against a battalion of Klingon soldiers to save Kirk and his crew. He was also close to defeating Spock in battle, had backup not arrived.

Reception [ ]

Cumberbatch received universal acclaim for his performance as Khan in Star Trek: Into Darkness . Peter Travers of the Rolling Stone called it a "tour de force to reckon with" and his character "a villain for the ages". Joe Neumaier of the New York Daily News wrote that Cumberbatch delivered "one of the best blockbuster villains in recent memory". Jonathan Romney of The Independent noted Cumberbatch's voice, saying it was "so sepulchrally resonant that it could have been synthesised from the combined timbres of Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, and Alan Rickman holding an elocution contest down a well". The New York Times praised his screen presence: "He fuses Byronic charisma with an impatient, imperious intelligence that seems to raise the ambient I.Q. whenever he's on screen".

Despite his acclaimed performance, however, Cumberbatch’s casting as the character was criticized by both critics and fans alike, considering that the character had been "whitewashed into oblivion". Reason of this was due to the fact that in previous films, Khan was actually in Indian ancestry, not European (albeit, original Khan actor, the late Ricardo Montalbán, was Mexican-American, thus equally far from Indian). There have been similar accusations of whitewashing by fans and American Sikhs, with Star Trek: Voyager actor Garrett Wang tweeting "The casting of Cumberbatch was a mistake on the part of the producers. I am not being critical of the actor or his talent, just the casting". George Takei, the original Hikaru Sulu, was also disappointed with the casting, as he thought it would have been better to cast Cumberbatch not as an established villain like Khan but as a new character. On Trekmovie.com, co-producer and co-screenwriter Bob Orci addressed Khan's casting: "Basically, as we went through the casting process and we began honing in on the themes of the movie, it became uncomfortable for me to support demonizing anyone of color, particularly any one of Middle Eastern descent or anyone evoking that. One of the points of the movie is that we must be careful about the villain within US, not some other race". The problem was later rectified through prequel comic Star Trek: Khan which reveals details of his drastic change throughout the film which stemmed from Nero's omnicidal campaign starting from destruction of Vulcan's homeworld.

Entertainment Weekly saw parallels between the new Khan and figures such as Osama Bin Laden or Saddam Hussein, as both men were allied with the US before turning on them. Simon Pegg commented " Iraq had nothing proven to do with 9/11, and yet Bush used that as an excuse to start a war with those people. You can always see the Klingons as like Iraq and John Harrison the proxy for Osama bin Laden. "

Lindelof further acknowledged the terrorism parallels in an interview with StarTrek.com, as Khan's 72 torpedoes reminded them of the notion of 72 virgins in paradise. Lindelof responded " Of course it is a coincidence, because that is a number taken from canon. It was pointed out to us at the scripting phase – the 72 virgins – and that actually gave us pause, because we didn't want people drawing that comparison... but there it is. "

The New Yorker also saw parallels between the debate to execute or arrest Khan with that of the issue of targeted killing.

Victims [ ]

• Christopher Pike
• Frank Abbott
• Alexander Marcus
• Several unnamed Starfleet officers
• Numerous unnamed San Francisco citizens
• Numerous unnamed Klingons
• Numerous unnamed people

Indirectly [ ]

• Thomas Harewood
• James T. Kirk
• Numerous unnamed Starfleet officers
• This incarnation of Khan is the third main villain in a Star Trek film not to be killed, first being V'Ger and Whale Probe. Of these, he is the first who is not a probe.
• He is the main villain of the second film in the reboot series. His Prime Reality Counterpart was the main villain of the second film and in the original series episode "Space Seed" as well.
• While he survived, the abandonment of the Kelvin Timeline means he won't have a rematch.
• The original Khan shared an animosity with Kirk, whereas the reboot version develops more of rivalry with Spock.

External Links [ ]

• Khan Noonien Singh (Alternate Timeline) on the Magnificent Baddie Wiki

Navigation [ ]

• 1 The Boiled One
• 2 Miss Circle
• 3 Judge Holden

• USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel
• USS Farragut (NCC-1647) personnel

La'an Noonien-Singh

• View history

Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh was a female Human Starfleet officer who lived during the 23rd century . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

• 1 Early life
• 2.1 Starfleet Academy
• 2.2 USS Enterprise
• 2.3 Finding Oriana's parents and stopping the Broken Circle
• 2.4 Return to Enterprise
• 2.5 Time-travel to Toronto
• 3 Alternate timeline
• 4 Personality and abilities
• 5.1 Joseph M'Benga
• 5.2 Una Chin-Riley
• 6 Key dates
• 7.1 Appearances
• 7.2 Background information
• 7.3 External link

Early life [ ]

La'an Noonien-Singh was born December 8, 2228 on Alpha I to Sa'an and Ronu Noonien-Singh . She also had a brother named Manu . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ") La'an and her family were descendants of Khan Noonien Singh , the Augment tyrant who once ruled a quarter of Earth 's population during the Eugenics Wars . She made herself something of an expert on Khan when she was a child, but also suffered bullying from other children due to her infamous family name , being called " Augment " and " monster ", among other things. ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ") She carried her family’s augmentations and worried because of them, she might become dangerous. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Young La'an

As a child, Noonien-Singh lived aboard the colony ship SS Puget Sound , which was attacked by the Gorn . The population of the colony ship was captured and placed on a Gorn planetary nursery , where the entire population of the ship except La'an were subsequently either eaten alive or had their bodies slit open and used as breeding sacks. During that time, her brother Manu would sacrifice himself so she could live.

La'an, the sole survivor , was then sent into space on a " raft " as part of a ritual . She was eventually rescued by the crew of the USS Martin Luther King Jr. , including Ensign Una Chin-Riley . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ", " Memento Mori ")

Starfleet career [ ]

Starfleet academy [ ].

Chin-Riley sponsored La'an Noonien-Singh's application and she was able to attend Starfleet Academy where she graduated at the top of her class. Following her commission as a Starfleet officer, she was promoted each subsequent year during her tenure in Starfleet. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

USS Enterprise [ ]

In 2259 , Lieutenant Noonien-Singh was assigned to the USS Enterprise as acting first officer following Chin-Riley's disappearance. She didn't tell Captain Pike she knew Una, fearing he wouldn't accept her for the mission. He nonetheless offered her a position on his ship after Una's rescue and La'an became permanent chief of security of the Enterprise . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

Like most of the crew, La'an was infected with the light virus , in her case to the point of nearly causing a warp core breach as La'an attempted to throw herself into the ship's warp core . When Commander Una Chin-Riley saved her life, La'an was exposed to chimeric antibodies from Una which allowed Nurse Christine Chapel to develop a cure to the virus. After learning that her friend was hiding her status as an Illyrian , La'an expressed frustration that Una hadn't told her as La'an had shared her frustrations and past history of being bullied and ostracized as an Augment and a descendant of Khan Noonien Singh with her. However, the two made up with Una pointing out that, unlike La'an, her status made Una being a part of Starfleet illegal and something that she had no choice but to hide or to risk facing prison time if it ever came out. ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

During a routine supply mission to a colony, La'an was the first to realize they had ran into a trap by the Gorn . Enterprise was subsequently ambushed by Gorn ships and forced to hide in a gas giant which was being sucked into a nearby black hole . La'an was made acting first officer again, and she advised Captain Pike on the severity of the threat posed by the Gorn. La'an asked Spock to perform a mind meld on her and relive her time on the breeding planet. This helped her remember the code of the light signals Gorn ships used to communicate with each other. La'an was able to employ this knowledge to destroy one of the Gorn ships. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")

La'an was also hesitant to wear a commemoration pin of the Puget Sound for Starfleet Remembrance Day because she didn't want to remember the painful memories of her childhood, leaving the past in the past. After the encounter with the Gorn, she changed her mind. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")

When an alien consciousness from the Jonisian Nebula brought the fairy tale The Kingdom of Elysian to life on the Enterprise , La'an was used for the character of Princess Thalia . La'an didn't remember the events after the ship was returned to normal. ( SNW : " The Elysian Kingdom ")

Later, La'an came face to face with the Gorn again, when she was part of a mission to the USS Peregrine , which had made a crash landing on Valeo Beta V after they brought someone on board who was infected with Gorn eggs that hatched and hunted the crew and then the Enterprise 's landing party. She managed to keep her anger in check and help her comrades to survive the encounter. Then, she requested a leave of absence to help a survivor, a young girl named Oriana , find her family. Captain Pike granted her request and asked her to return afterwards, no matter how long it took. ( SNW : " All Those Who Wander ")

Finding Oriana's parents and stopping the Broken Circle [ ]

La'an found Oriana's parents on Cajitar IV , a dilithium mining planet shared by the Federation and the Klingon Empire . By this time, La'an had been on voluntary leave for months and Admiral Robert April expressed doubt over whether or not she ever intended to return. However, La'an discovered an anti-Federation plot by the Broken Circle , a cabal of former Federation and Klingon soldiers who sought to reignite the Federation-Klingon War . La'an sent a distress call to the Enterprise with the command crew under acting captain Spock stealing the ship to help her after April refused to give them permission to investigate. With the help of the Enterprise , La’an was able to help stop the plot and prevent a further war.

Return to Enterprise [ ]

With Oriana safe, La'an returned to her duties aboard Enterprise . ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ")

La'an appeared at Una Chin-Riley's court-martial as a character witness, with her stating her belief that without Una, she would not only not be in Starfleet, but not be alive at all. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Time-travel to Toronto [ ]

In her capacity as chief of security, La'an was required to intercede in personal arguments aboard Enterprise , as well as deal with noise complaints and inspections of personal property, to the chagrin of her colleagues.

While on her routine security rounds, La'an encountered a grey-suited man who had been shot, with a bullet rather than a phaser. He warned of an attack in the past, and handed her a device, and told her to "get to the bridge" before he died and vanished. Upon reaching the bridge, La'an was stunned to find a different captain in the chair, who identified himself as James T. Kirk , captain of the UEF Enterprise . She surmises with Kirk that the attack in the past has created an alternate timeline and erased her own, and needs to prevent this attack in order to restore 'her reality'. When Kirk tries to confiscate the device he accidentally activates it, transporting them both to Toronto in the year 2022 .

Realizing that this must be the time and location of the attack in question, La'an and Kirk acquire period clothing, currency and food to aid their survival. They witness the explosion of the Lake Ontario Bridge ; as they both remember this from their own versions of history, they realize this cannot be the attack they are to prevent. La'an recognizes the charring of a piece of wreckage as being that of a photonic bomb , a weapon at least a century beyond the technology of this time. They befriend Sera , a conspiracy theorist who has nonetheless stumbled on more evidence than she has realized, including a photo depicting a Romulan Bird-of-Prey , pointing to Romulan involvement in slowing or preventing Human advancement into space. Kirk remembers the destruction of a cold fusion reactor in Toronto at this time, which wipes out the city in his timeline.

Needing a way to detect this reactor and find it before the Romulans, La'an remembers an earlier conversation with Pelia and heads to Vermont , where she currently resides. Together they improvise a tritium detector using an old diver's wristatch , whose uncovered face would glow when near the reactor. They find the building where the reactor was being housed, the Noonien-Singh Institute for Cultural Advancement , and La'an was able to gain access to the building by her DNA . They are surprised by Sera at gunpoint, who reveals herself as an undercover Romulan agent with a mission to destroy the reactor. When they refuse to take Sera into the building, she fatally shoots Kirk and takes La'an hostage.

With security alerted, Sera improvises a new plan: to kill a young Khan Noonien Singh , one of several children kept at the institute, as a way of preventing Humanity's eventual enlightenment. La'an overpowered Sera despite being at a disadvantage in strength and speed, and cannot resist entering Khan's room to check on him, coming face-to-face with her own tyrannical ancestor. She assures the young Khan that he was where he needed to be, coming to terms with her own lineage and its role in Human history. Doing so allows La'an to return to her own timeline aboard Enterprise , where she was warned by another Department of Temporal Investigations agent not to discuss her experiences with anyone.

During these events La'an formed an emotional attachment to Kirk, culminating in the two sharing a kiss in the past. Following her mission, La'an contrived a reason to contact the James T. Kirk of her timeline, who was still a lieutenant on the USS Farragut , breaking down in tears thereafter. ( SNW : " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow ")

Alternate timeline [ ]

Commander La'an Noonien-Singh in an alternate timeline

In an alternate timeline created after Christopher Pike prevented the death of several Starfleet cadets and his own exposure to delta radiation , La'an would transfer from the Operations division to the Command division and reached the rank of Commander by 2266 . She was assigned to the USS Farragut under the command of Captain James T. Kirk . ( SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ")

Personality and abilities [ ]

La'an had a spotless Starfleet record, although she had trouble working in teams and found other people "challenging". ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

La'an was a fan of Enterprise NX-01 ; at one point, she noted that she " loves the grapplers " on the ship. ( SNW : " Those Old Scientists ")

She was used to enduring pain and maintaining her composure when in pain. She actually preferred not to be sedated and remain fully aware even during a very painful gene therapy. ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ", " Children of the Comet ")

La'an preferred work and her duties over recreational activities, even in her spare time. She had the reputation to be someone "where fun goes to die" with her shipmates. She herself credited her painful childhood for not enjoying childish activities. ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

She was a strict teacher when it came to tactical and combat training, especially with cadets . La'an's "Lessons of Security" included the following:

• Lesson 1: "A Rigelian tiger pounces with no warning."
• Lesson 2: "There are no breaks in security because threats never take breaks."
• Lesson 3: "Let your tricorder do the investigating."
• Lesson 6: "Know when to bend the rules."
• Lesson 7: "Leave no stone unturned."

Lesson 7 required Cadets to look under Mugatan breathing stones to reinforce the lesson, a rather unpleasant task. ( SNW : " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach ")

La'an's hand-to-hand combat experience made her a valuable member of away teams to less advanced civilizations where Starfleet technology was not to be used. ( SNW : " Among the Lotus Eaters ")

Relationships [ ]

Joseph m'benga [ ].

La'an and Dr. Joseph M'Benga conducted regular sparring matches, training in hand-to-hand combat . As M'Benga was former Starfleet special forces and La'an was the security chief, it was a way for them to both practice their skills and blow off steam. Joseph saw that La'an was troubled by something, and tried to reach her, not as her doctor, but as her sparring partner. ( SNW : " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow ")

Una Chin-Riley [ ]

La'an first met Una when she was rescued by the USS Martin Luther King Jr. on which Una served as an Ensign. Una was involved in La'an's rescue, helped her recover from the incident, and inspired her to join Starfleet . La'an occasionally called Una "Chief". ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ") When La'an was infected by the light virus , her anger towards augments came to the forefront when she realized Una was genetically engineered. Una later made amends, apologized for keeping secrets from her and the two continued their friendship. ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ", " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Key dates [ ]

• 2228 : Born on December 8 to Ronu and Sa'an Noonien-Singh on Alpha I
• Assigned to the USS Enterprise as acting first officer , then later offered permanent position as chief of security
• Takes a leave of absence from Starfleet to find Oriana 's family
• Returns to active duty aboard the Enterprise
• Participates in Una Chin-Riley's court-martial

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Strange New Worlds "
• " Children of the Comet "
• " Ghosts of Illyria "
• " Memento Mori "
• " Spock Amok "
• " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach "
• " The Serene Squall "
• " The Elysian Kingdom "
• " All Those Who Wander "
• " A Quality of Mercy "
• " The Broken Circle "
• " Ad Astra per Aspera "
• " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow "
• " Among the Lotus Eaters "
• " Charades "
• " Lost in Translation "
• " Those Old Scientists "
• " Under the Cloak of War "
• " Subspace Rhapsody "
• " Hegemony "

Background information [ ]

La'an Noonien-Singh was played by Christina Chong . Ava Cheung played La'an as a child in SNW : " Memento Mori " and " All Those Who Wander ".

External link [ ]

• La'an Noonien-Singh at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)