khan star trek quotes

Khan Noonien Singh Quotes

Recommended quote pages

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ( Paramount Pictures , 1982 ) is the second feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series . In the film, the crew of the USS Enterprise deal with a threat posed by The Original Series character Khan Noonien Singh, back from exile and out for revenge.

• 1 Khan Noonien Singh
• 2 James T. Kirk
• 4 Main cast
• 6 External links

Khan Noonien Singh [ edit ]

• 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.
• [last words] 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 .

James T. Kirk [ edit ]

• [eulogizing Spock] 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.... [voice breaks] human.

Dialogue [ edit ]

Main cast [ edit ], about [ edit ].

• Director Nicholas Meyer, "'Star Trek': Nicholas Meyer explains his Roddenberry regret" Noelene Clark, LA Times : "Hero Complex", June 10, 2011.

External links [ edit ]

• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan at StarTrek.com

• Films about revenge
• Films based on television series
• Sequel films
• Star Trek films
• Films set on fictional planets

Navigation menu

Wrath of Khan Quotes

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Khan! You bloodsucker! You’re gonna have to do your own dirty work now! Do you hear me? DO YOU?

I’ve done far worse than kill you. I’ve hurt you. And I wish to go on hurting you.

He tasks me, and I shall have him!

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

I have been, and always shall be, your friend.

From hell’s heart, I stab at thee; for hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee.

No, you can’t get revenge on me, because no matter what you do, I’ll still be here, alive.

I’ve never understood the idea of revenge. It seems so primitive.

Do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold?

Revenge is a dish best served with friends.

Revenge is futile, it consumes and destroys the one who seeks it.

Revenge is like a poison that slowly destroys the one who consumes it.

Revenge is a toxic emotion, it only leads to more pain and suffering.

Revenge may feel satisfying in the moment, but it leaves a lasting emptiness.

Revenge is a game that no one ever truly wins.

Revenge is a never-ending cycle, it only perpetuates more violence.

Revenge is a sign of weakness, forgiveness is a sign of strength.

Revenge is a dish best left untouched.

Revenge is a fire that consumes everything in its path.

Revenge is a deceptive temptress, it promises satisfaction but delivers only misery.

Revenge is a fool’s game, it blinds the mind and poisons the soul.

Revenge is a relentless master, it demands everything and gives nothing in return.

Revenge is like a boomerang, it comes back to haunt you.

Revenge is a cruel mistress, it turns love into hate and destroys all that is good.

Revenge is a false justice, it can never right the wrongs of the past.

Revenge is a bitter cup, it may taste sweet at first but the aftertaste is unbearable.

Revenge is a weapon of the weak, forgiveness is the armor of the strong.

Revenge is a quicksand, the more you struggle, the deeper you sink.

Revenge is a hollow victory, it leaves you with an emptiness that can never be filled.

Revenge is a prison that locks you in with your own anger and hatred.

Revenge is a poison that slowly eats away at your soul.

Revenge is a double-edged sword, it cuts both ways.

Revenge is a mirage, it promises satisfaction but vanishes when you reach for it.

Revenge is a heavy burden, it weighs down the heart and crushes the spirit.

Revenge is a destructive force, it destroys everything in its path.

Revenge is a trap, it ensnares the one who seeks it and never lets go.

Revenge is a wound that never fully heals.

Revenge is a flame that consumes all in its path.

Revenge is a fool’s errand, it leads to nowhere but more pain and suffering.

Revenge is a poison that corrodes the soul.

Revenge is a demon that takes control and refuses to let go.

Revenge is a wildfire, it spreads quickly and destroys everything in its wake.

Revenge is a disease that infects the mind and destroys the heart.

Revenge is a storm that leaves nothing but destruction in its wake.

Revenge is a curse that can never be lifted.

Revenge is a darkness that consumes the light.

Revenge is a trap, it chains you to the past and prevents you from moving forward.

Revenge is a hunger that can never be satisfied.

Revenge is a prison that you build for yourself.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may like

Tituba quotes, nero quotes, our latest posts.

I am the forest that dances with the wind. In the depths of darkness, I find my light. My heart

I am the fire that cannot be put out. In the darkness, I find my true power. I have a

Darth Revan Quotes

I am the balance between darkness and light. Power is only worthy when tempered with wisdom. The Force is not

Riddle Quotes – Unlocking the Secrets of Mind Games

I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and

Most popular posts

Positive affirmations, rule and inspiring quotes #3369, blue quotes.

The color blue is like a calm ocean, washing away all my troubles. In a world of chaos, blue is

Eartha Kitt Quotes

I’m an orphan. But the public has adopted me, and that has been my only family. The biggest family, actually.

Paris Hilton’s Most Memorable Quotes

The only rule is don’t be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in.

Write for Us

TheThingsWeSay

Personality Quizzes

ILikeToQuote

Unsubscribe

[email protected]

• Movie quotes
• Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

“Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan” quotes

“- McCoy: It never rains but it pours. - James T. Kirk: As a doctor, you of all people should be aware of the dangers of reopening old wounds .” DeForest Kelley - McCoy William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“As a matter of cosmic history, it has always been easier to destroy than to create.” Leonard Nimoy - Spock

“Space: the final frontier. These are the continuing voyages of the starship Enterprise . Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life forms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Leonard Nimoy - Spock

“We are one big, happy fleet! 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!” Ricardo Montalban - Khan

“ Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Leonard Nimoy - Spock

“- Saavik: Any suggestions , Admiral? - James T. Kirk: Prayer, Mr. Saavik. The Klingons don't take prisoners.” Kirstie Alley - Saavik William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“- McCoy: Where are we going? - James T. Kirk: Where they went. - McCoy: Suppose they went nowhere? - James T. Kirk: Then this will be your big chance to get away from it all.” DeForest Kelley - McCoy William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“- James T. Kirk: It's a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before. A far better resting place that I go to than I have ever known. - Carol: Is that a poem? - James T. Kirk: No. Something Spock was trying to tell me. On my birthday.” William Shatner - James T. Kirk Bibi Besch - Carol

“- McCoy: Admiral, wouldn't it be easier to put an experienced crew back on the ship? - James T. Kirk: Galloping around the cosmos is a game for the young, Doctor.” DeForest Kelley - McCoy William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“Scientists have always been pawns of the military.” Merritt Butrick - David

“For everything; there is a first time.” Leonard Nimoy - Spock

“- James T. Kirk: I suppose you're about to remind me that logic alone dictates your actions ? - Spock: I would not remind you of that which you know so well.” William Shatner - James T. Kirk Leonard Nimoy - Spock

“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...” (continue) (continue reading) William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“You must learn to govern your passions; they will be your undoing.” Leonard Nimoy - Spock

“- Saavik: I do not believe this was a fair test of my command abilities. - James T. Kirk: And why not? - Saavik: Because... there was no way to win. - James T. Kirk: A no-win situation is a possibility every commander may face. Has that never occurred to you?” Kirstie Alley - Saavik William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“- Saavik: He's never what I expect, sir. - Spock: What surprises you, Lieutenant? - Saavik: He's so - human. - Spock: Nobody's perfect, Saavik.” Kirstie Alley - Saavik Leonard Nimoy - Spock

“- Saavik: Humor. It is a difficult concept. It is not logical . - James T. Kirk: We learn by doing.” Kirstie Alley - Saavik William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life, wouldn't you say?” William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“- James T. Kirk: Khan, you've got Genesis, but you don't have me. You were going to kill me, Khan. You're going to have to come down here . You're going to have to come down here ! - Khan: I've done far worse than kill you. I've hurt you. And I wish to go on hurting you.” William Shatner - James T. Kirk Ricardo Montalban - Khan

“Captain Kirk was your host . You repaid his hospitality by trying to steal his ship and murder him!” Walter Koenig - Chekov

“- Scotty: My sister 's youngest, Admiral. Crazy to get to space. - James T. Kirk: Every young man's fantasy. Seem to remember it myself.” James Doohan - Scotty William Shatner - James T. Kirk

“- James T. Kirk: I changed the conditions of the test; got a commendation for original thinking. I don't like to lose. - Saavik: Then you never faced that situation ... faced death. - James T. Kirk: I don't believe in the no-win scenario.” William Shatner - James T. Kirk Kirstie Alley - Saavik

“- McCoy: Are you out of your Vulcan mind? No human can tolerate the radiation that's in there! - Spock: As you are so fond of observing , doctor, I am not human.” DeForest Kelley - McCoy Leonard Nimoy - Spock

“Damn it Jim, what the hell is the matter with you? Other people have birthdays, why are we treating yours like a funeral?” DeForest Kelley - McCoy

“- McCoy: Is that all you've got to say? What about my performance ? - James T. Kirk: I'm not a drama critic!” DeForest Kelley - McCoy William Shatner - James T. Kirk

• ‹‹ previous
• next ››

• impossibility
• remembrance
• human nature
• hospitality
• destruction

MovieQuotes.com © 1998-2024 | All rights reserved

50+ Wrath Of Khan Quotes That Old School Trekkies Will Love

Spock 'Wrath Of Khan' Quotes

Khan 'star trek ii: the wrath of khan' quotes, captain kirk 'wrath of khan' quotes.

The movie 'Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan' was released in the year 1982 in America and is a part of the 'Star Trek' film franchise, it is a much loved science fiction film.  

The main characters of the film are Spock, Khan Noonien Singh, James T. Kirk, commonly known as Admiral Kirk, and Lieutenant Saavik. The series has some of the best sayings and quotes that are still remembered and loved today.

One very famous saying of Spock from the 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' 1982 movie is "live long and prosper", surely everyone recognises that one! Spock had a dramatic ending in the film.

In the 'Wrath Of Khan' ending, Spock takes his last breath and utters the famous words "I have been... and always shall be... your friend. Live long... and prosper".

The film was one of the greatest films of its time because of the casts' fantastic acting and the dramatic scenes of the film.

The storyline of the film was beyond excellent and it is still recalled and loved by audiences today. We have compiled the most appreciated and famous quotes from 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' film to extend your knowledge of the film's characters and their roles.

If you liked our list of 'Wrath Of Khan' movie quotes then please also have look at our articles on 10th Doctor quotes and 11th Doctor quotes too.

'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' was the second film that was based on the 'Star Trek' television series.

The 'Star Trek II' cast delivered some of the most iconic quotes and so many of these 'Star Trek Wrath Of Khan' quotes are still in the heart of its audience. Mr. Spock, being one of the lead characters of the film, delivered some truly memorable dialogues and quotes.

For example, the famous Spock death quote is undoubtedly an iconic line as is his bold claim that "logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few", here are some more quotes to get you thinking!

1. "You have been, and always will be, my friend and I have been, and always shall be, your friend."

- Mr. Spock.

2. "Were I to invoke logic, logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

3. "Don't grieve, Admiral. It is logical."

4. "You are my superior officer. You are also my friend. I have been and always shall be yours."

5. "...Or the one. I never took the Kobayashi Maru test until now. What do you think of my solution?"

6. "As a matter of cosmic history, it has always been easier to destroy than to create."

7. "Right on schedule, Admiral. Just give us your co-ordinates and we'll beam you aboard."

8. "Live long and prosper."

9. "As you are so fond of observing, doctor, I am not human."

10. "If I may be so bold, it was a mistake for you to accept promotion. Commanding a starship is your first, best destiny; anything else is a waste of material."

11. "That is wise."

12. "You must learn to govern your passions; they will be your undoing."

13. "You proceed from a false assumption. I am a Vulcan. I have no ego to bruise."

14. "For everything; there is a first time."

15. "He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking."

16. "I would not remind you of that which you know so well."

In the 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan', you will also find many famous Khan quotes. Khan Noonien Singh was one of the most important characters of the 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' film.

'Wrath of Khan' was so great as a film because it had the best and most entertaining scenes, from the awesome inside submarine scenes and the greatest action scenes, to the best scenes of outer space.

In the film, there was a starship that has a unique Reliant Prefix Code for preventing enemies from entering the starship. The code helped keep the 'Wrath Of Khan' ship out of danger.

There are also 'Star Trek' birthday quotes which includes "Second star to the right...and straight on 'til morning," said by James Kirk.

We have listed here the best 'Star Trek 2' quotes delivered by Khan to Kirk, Spock, and other characters. This list of the 'Wrath Of Khan' quotes, including Khan's last words, will help you immerse yourself back in this fantasy world.

17. "We are one big, happy fleet! 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!"

- Khan Noonien Singh.

18. "To the last, I grapple with thee. From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."

19. "Oh, I've given you no word to keep, Admiral. In my judgment, you simply have no alternative."

20. "He tasks me. He tasks me and I shall have him. I'll chase him 'round the Outer Nebula and 'round Antares Maelstrom and 'round perdition's flames before I give him up!"

-Khan Noonien Singh.

21. "Perhaps I no longer need to try, Admiral."

22. "I've done far worse than kill you. I've hurt you. And I wish to go on hurting you.”

23. "Allow me to introduce you to Ceti Alpha V's only remaining indigenous life form."

24. "Lock phasers on target."

25. "These are pets, of course. Not quite domesticated."

26. "Kirk. You're still alive, old friend?"

27. "I never forget a face. Mister... Chekov. Isn't it? I never thought to see your face again."

28. "There she is! There she is! Ah... not so wounded as we were led to believe. So much the better!"

29. "The override. Where's the override?"

30. "Oh, not all at once. And not instantly, to be sure."

31. "You are in a position to demand nothing. I, on the other hand, am in a position to grant nothing."

32. "You still remember, Admiral. I cannot help but be touched. I, of course, remember you."

The meaning of 'Wrath of Khan' is about strong vengeful anger or indignation as the film i all about the character Khan and his mission of vengeful anger.

The character of James T. Kirk in the film is commonly known as Admiral Kirk and the 'Wrath Of Khan' film offers many great, memorable and unique Admiral Kirk 'Wrath Of Khan' quotes and dialogues.

There are many Khan vs Kirk quotes in the film, such as the "from hell's heart I stab at thee" quote, which many regard as the most famous line from the film. James T. Kirk in tribute to Spock, famously said that "we are assembled here today to pay final respects to our honored dead.

And yet it should be noted, 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."

This powerful Spock funeral speech was one of the best quotes from this great film.

Below is a list of 'Star Trek II' quotes by Kirk for you to find out more.

33. "Commanding a starship is your first, best destiny. Anything else is a waste of material."

- James T. Kirk.

34. "You were going to kill me, Khan. You're going to have to come down here! You're going to have to come down here!"

35. "How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life, wouldn't you say?"

36. "Of all the souls I've encountered in my travels, his was the most... human."

37. "Kirk: Khan, how do I know you'll keep your word?

Khan: Oh, I've given you no word to keep, Admiral. In my judgment, you simply have no alternative."

- 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan'.

38. "Galloping around the cosmos is a game for the young, Doctor.”

39. "Every young man's fantasy. Seem to remember it myself.”

40. "Still, old friend. You've managed to kill everyone else but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target."

41. "Khan, you bloodsucker. You're gonna have to do your own dirty work now, do you hear me? Do you?"

42. "Kirk: Well... shall we start with the engine room?

Scott: We'll see you there, sir, and everything is in order.

Kirk: That'll be a pleasant surprise, Mister Scott."

43. "I changed the conditions of the test; got a commendation for original thinking. I don't like to lose."

44. "He wants to kill me for passing sentence on him fifteen years ago. And...he doesn't care who stands between him and his vengeance."

45. "James T. Kirk: It's a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before. A far better resting place that I go to than I have ever known.

Carol: Is that a poem?

James T. Kirk: No. Something Spock was trying to tell me. On my birthday."

46. "We learn by doing."

47. "James T. Kirk: Physician, heal thyself.

Leonard McCoy: Is that all you've got to say? What about my performance?

James T. Kirk: I'm not a drama critic."

48. "What is the meaning of this attack? And where's the crew of the Reliant?"

49. "James T. Kirk: I suppose you're about to remind me that logic alone dictates your actions?

Spock: I would not remind you of that which you know so well."

50. "Kirk : This is Admiral Kirk. We tried it once your way, Khan, are you game for a rematch? Khan, I'm laughing at the superior intellect.

Khan : Full impulse power!

Joachim : No, sir! You have Genesis! You can have whatever...

Khan : [grabs Joachim in anger]  full power!"

51. "James T. Kirk: There may be wounded, can you spare anyone?

Leonard "Bones" McCoy: Yeah. I can spare me."

52. "Scotty, I need warp speed in three minutes or we're all dead."

53. "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times."

- James T. Kirk, quoting from the novel ' A Tale Of Two Cities '.

54. "It had the virtue of never having been tried. Oh, by the way...thank you for this."

Here at Kidadl , we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' quotes, then why not take a look at our Tony Stark quotes , or Age of Ultron quotes for more quotes to share with friends and family?

We Want Your Photos!

More for you, 22 best 2001: a space odyssey quotes, 80+ john williams quotes.

Bachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights

Anusuya Mukherjee Bachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights

With a wealth of international experience spanning Europe, Africa, North America, and the Middle East, Anusuya brings a unique perspective to her work as a Content Assistant and Content Updating Coordinator. She holds a law degree from India and has practiced law in India and Kuwait. Anusuya is a fan of rap music and enjoys a good cup of coffee in her free time. Currently, she is working on her novel, "Mr. Ivory Merchant".

1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.

2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.

3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.

google form TBD

• 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 StarTrek.com
• Khan Noonien Singh at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Khan Noonien Singh at Wikipedia
• 3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Quotes

Shmoop will make you a better lover...of quotes

Source: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Speaker: James Kirk

"Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most human."

Of my friend, I can only say this. Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most human.

This line was spoken by James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner) in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , directed by Nicholas Meyer (1982).

Spock's funeral at the end of Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan is definitely an occasion to bust out the tissues with the Starfleet logo. Spock has just sacrificed his life to save the Enterprise, as well as the newly terraformed planet of Genesis, and his friends and crewmates have come to honor him.

And it's fitting that Captain Kirk gives the eulogy . They had so many differences, but these two men really cared about each other. Wrath of Khan is all about their friendship, and this scene neatly wraps a bow around it.

The line about Spock being "the most human" is super meaningful because his half human/Vulcan physiology is the reason why he could stay in the radiation chamber longer. However, Spock's humanity doesn't come from his DNA, but his willingness to sacrifice himself for his friends.

Cue the sad bagpipe songs and tears.

Where you've heard it

This is a quote that people like to pull out when they talk about how awesome Star Trek is. Isn't it great that a show about spaceships and aliens can touch on universal themes, like mortality and humanity? On a more serious note, many Star Trek fans also used this quote to eulogize Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played Spock, when he passed away in 2015.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back here it is, on a scale of 1-10..

This quote is filled with genuine emotion, not pretentiousness, especially after Leonard Nimoy's passing.

Logging out…

Logging out....

You've been inactive for a while, logging you out in a few seconds...

W hy's T his F unny?

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Ricardo montalban: khan.

• Photos (31)
• Quotes (22)

Photos 

Quotes 

Khan : [quoting from Melville's Moby Dick]  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!

[Terrell disobeys Khan's order to kill Kirk, who taunts Khan over the communicator] 

Kirk : Khan, you bloodsucker! You're going to have to do your own dirty work now! Do you hear me? Do you?

Khan : Kirk? Kirk, you're still alive, my old friend?

Kirk : Still, "old friend"! You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target!

Khan : Perhaps I no longer need to try, Admiral.

David Marcus : Oh, no! Let go! He can't take it...!

[Khan beams the Genesis device away] 

Kirk : Khan... Khan, you've got Genesis, but you don't have me. You were going to kill me, Khan. You're going to have to come down here. You're going to have to come down here!

Khan : 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...!

Kirk : KHAAANNNN!

[echo] 

Joachim : They're still running with shields down.

Khan : Of course! We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold?

[pause] 

Khan : It is very cold in space!

Kirk : [hailing Khan]  This is Admiral Kirk. We tried it once your way, Khan, are you game for a rematch? Khan, I'm laughing at the "superior intellect."

Khan : Full impulse power!

Joachim : No, sir! You have Genesis! You can have whatever...

Khan : [grabs Joachim in anger]  FULL POWER! DAMN YOU!

Joachim : We're all with you, sir. But, consider this. We are free. We have a ship, and the means to go where we will. We have escaped permanent exile on Ceti Alpha V. You have defeated the plans of Admiral Kirk. You do not need to defeat him again.

Khan : [paraphrase from Melville's Moby Dick]  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!

Khan : Captain, Captain, Captain... save your strength. These people have sworn to live and die at my command two hundred years before you were born. Do you mean he never told you the tale? To amuse your Captain, no? Never told you how the Enterprise picked up the Botany Bay, lost in space from the year 1996 with myself and the ship's company in cryogenic freeze?

Capt. Terrell : I've never even met Admiral Kirk.

Khan : 'Admiral?' 'Admiral!' 'Admiral'... Never told you how 'Admiral' Kirk sent seventy of us into exile in this barren sandheap with only the contents of these cargo bays to sustain us?

Chekov : You lie! On Ceti Alpha Five there was life! A fair chance...

Khan : [shouts]  THIS IS CETI ALPHA FIVE! Ceti Alpha Six 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, 200 years ago, I was a prince with power over millions.

Chekov : Captain Kirk was your host. You repaid his hospitality by trying to steal his ship and murder him!

Kirk : Khan, how do I know you'll keep your word?

Khan : Oh, I've given you no word to keep, Admiral. In my judgment, you simply have no alternative.

[Khan discovers the Enterprise and realizes it isn't as badly damaged as he thought] 

Khan : There she is! There she is! Ah... not so wounded as we were led to believe. So much the better!

Joachim : [Enterprise is running with shields down]  They still haven't raised their shields.

Khan : Raise ours.

[Joachim raises shields] 

Spock : Their shields are going up.

Khan : Lock phasers on target.

Joachim : [looks at targeting computer]  Locking phasers on target.

Spock : They're locking phasers.

Kirk : Raise shields!

Khan : Fire!

[Joachim fires phasers] 

Khan : Surely, I have made my meaning plain. I mean to avenge myself upon you, Admiral. I deprived your ship of power, and when I swing around, I mean to deprive you of your life.

Khan : [holds the dying Joachim]  Joachim?

Joachim : Yours... is... superior...

[dies] 

Khan : I shall avenge you.

Khan : [Kirk remotely commands Reliant's shields to drop] 

Joachim : Sir, our shields are dropping.

Khan : Raise them!

Joachim : [pounds fists on console]  I can't!

Khan : Where's the override? The override?

Kirk : FIRE!

Captain Terrell : Sir, I demand...

Khan : You are in a position to demand *nothing*. I, on the other hand, am in a position to *grant* nothing.

Kirk : Khan!

Khan : You still remember, Admiral. I cannot help but be touched. I, of course, remember you.

[Khan, about to put Ceti Eels in Terrell and Chekov's ears] 

Khan : You see, their young enter through the ears and wrap themselves around the cerebral cortex. This has the effect of rendering the victim extremely susceptible to suggestion. Later, as they grow, follows madness and death.

Chekov : Khan, listen to me...

Khan : These are pets, of course. Not quite domesticated.

Khan : Let them eat static.

Khan : You didn't expect to find me. You thought this was Ceti Alpha VI. Ahh. Why are you here?

[as Chekov remains silent, Khan picks him up by a handle on the front of his spacesuit] 

Khan : Why?

[putting him down] 

Khan : Allow me to introduce you to Ceti Alpha V's only remaining indigenous life form.

[picking up a pair of pincers, he sticks it into a cage; hissing, an insect-like create bites at it] 

Khan : What do you think? It killed 20 of my people, including my beloved wife.

[holding it down, he carefully picks two smaller insects out of its back] 

Khan : Oh, not all at once. And not instantly, to be sure.

Chekov : Khan.

Khan : [to Captain Terrell]  I don't know you.

[turning to Chekov] 

Khan : But you... I never forget a face. Mr... Chekov. Isn't it? I never thought to see your face again.

Capt. Terrell : Chekov, who is this man?

Chekov : A criminal, Captain. A product of late 20th-century genetic engineering.

Khan : [inserting Ceti eels into Chekov and Terrell's ears]  Now, tell me, why are you here? And tell me where I may find James Kirk.

Carol Marcus : This is completely improper, Commander Chekov. I have no intention of allowing Reliant or any other unauthorized personnel access to our work or materials.

Chekov : I'm sorry that you feel that way, Doctor. Admiral Kirk's orders are confirmed. Please prepare to deliver Genesis to us upon our arrival. Reliant out.

Khan : Well done, Commander.

Chekov : You realize, sir, they will attempt to contact Admiral Kirk and confirm the order.

Kirk : If it's me you want, I'll have myself beamed aboard. Spare my crew.

Khan : I make you a counter-proposal. I'll agree to your terms if, *if*, in addition to yourself, you hand over to me all data and material regarding the project called Genesis.

Kirk : [playing dumb]  Genesis? What's that?

Khan : Don't insult my intelligence, Kirk.

Kirk : Give me some time to recall the data on our computers.

Khan : I give you 60 seconds, Admiral.

Spock : [Khan is requesting all data relevant to Project Genesis]  At least we know he doesn't have Genesis.

Kirk : Keep nodding as though I'm still giving orders. Mr. Saavik, punch up the data charts of Reliant's command console.

Saavik : Reliant's command?

Kirk : Hurry.

Khan : 45 seconds.

Spock : The prefix code?

Kirk : It's all we've got.

Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs

• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos
• User Reviews
• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

Screen Rant

Star trek: every literary reference in the wrath of khan.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is not only an epic sci-fi adventure, but the movie also makes frequent references to classic literature.

Besides being one of the best Star Trek movies in the franchise, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan also made heady references to classic literature. Released in 1982, The Wrath of Khan was an obvious evolution of the Star Trek franchise and took the characters to new heights through its clever storytelling. Its plot showed the growth and maturity of the beloved Enterprise crew and took risks that most franchise sequels wouldn't. It transcended even the Star Trek label and became one of the best science fiction epics of all time because of its dense themes and brilliantly crafted script.

Instead of simply pulling from literature and leaving it be, the movie cleverly weaves the books themselves into the film and acknowledges the sources of many of its references through quotes and even by showing the books on screen. With other Star Trek movies often copying Wrath of Khan , the importance of the sequel can't be overstated, as the story implications have had a ripple effect on the entire timeline. By incorporating classic literature, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan elevated itself into a piece of art while mirroring Kirk's complicated hero's journey with the arcs of the characters featured in the cited works.

RELATED: Star Trek's Original Movie Eliminated Every Spock Replacement

5 A Tale Of Two Cities By Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens's dense historical epic A Tale of Two Cities is intricately tied to Kirk and Spock's storyline in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan , and it's used deftly by the writers to show the latter's own thought process on his death. Gifted to him by Spock at the beginning of the movie, the 1859 novel follows Kirk throughout his tragic encounter with Khan , and he doesn't realize it until the bitter end. He reads the opening line, " It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ," and the importance seems to miss him as he laments growing older.

A Tale of Two Cities is about a man who sacrifices himself to the guillotine in order to save his friends, and a similar plot development comes about through Spock's heroic death in The Wrath of Khan . Spock's gifting of the book seems to suggest he knew his former captain would soon learn of the fragility of life, and it's obvious that Kirk gets the message by the end. Kirk even brings up Dickens's haunting quote " It is a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before ," showing that he recognizes that the book is meant as a comfort for him to cope with Spock's death .

4 The Holy Bible

The Christian Bible plays a peripheral part in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan , and it's seen on the title character's bookshelf inside the Botany Bay. Considering Khan's close connection with the works of John Milton and Paradise Lost specifically, it's clear that he focuses on the story of Lucifer and the angel's fall from heaven. Though he gets more in-depth with Paradise Lost , there's no denying that Khan sees much of Lucifer in himself, and his own fall from grace is an impetus for his path of vengeance against Kirk. Other Biblical references include Project Genesis, which is the inciting incident for the movie.

3 King Lear By William Shakespeare

Loose movie adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays have always been a Hollywood staple, but Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan 's take on King Lear is one of the most clever inclusions. Unlike other literary references in the movie that only encapsulate one character, King Lear actually represents both Kirk and Khan in their own ways, and it brings them together despite being enemies. Khan's quest for revenge borders on absolute madness, and Kirk reflects the aged leader who has been shielded from the consequences of his actions for too long. Though there's more of King Lear in Khan than in Kirk, the resemblance is nevertheless uncanny.

RELATED: Spock's Entire Star Trek Prime Universe Timeline, Explained

First performed in 1606, the play follows the titular King as he goes mad while trying to root out the members of his family who aim to bring down his lengthy rule. Khan is right to hate Kirk , and yet Kirk is the victim of circumstance who has been shielded from consequence by others, not necessarily himself. Though other literary references more closely relate to each of the adversaries, King Lear's collapse is seen in Kirk's total emotional rebirth and in Khan's self-destructive desire to bring down his nemesis. Khan is even a despotic ruler in his own time, not unlike King Lear's reign in the play.

2 Paradise Lost By John Milton

John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost had connections to Star Trek long before The Wrath of Khan and is even mentioned at the end of Star Trek season 1, episode 22, "Space Seed," the story that first introduces Khan. Besides being one of the best Star Trek: The Original Series episodes , "Space Seed" is rich with symbolism from the 1667 poem, and Kirk cites the notorious " better to reign in Hell " line in response to Khan's new digs on Ceti Alpha V. Khan's obsession with the poem is an obvious motivator, and though he never quotes it chapter and verse, he models himself after the tragic hero of Milton's Lucifer.

Expanding upon the Biblical tale of the angel Lucifer's expulsion from heaven, Milton's work paints the future devil as a hero with a tragic background in the view of later critics, though his actual designs for the character were unknown. Like all great villains, Khan views himself as the hero of his own story, and he considers Kirk to be the vicious god who expelled him to a planet that became a nightmare. Kirk's entire Star Trek timeline is filled with examples of him cheating death, but the return of his own personal Lucifer finally shows him consequences in the form of the ultimate sacrifice of his best friend.

1 Moby-Dick By Herman Melville

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan 's references to Moby-Dick are anything but subtle, but the movie finds a way to perfectly utilize Herman Melville's controversial narrative. Making his intentions clear throughout the story, Khan actually quotes the 1851 novel on several occasions and even uses his last dying breath to invoke one of its most moving passages. " From hell's heart, I stab at thee ," is so much more than Khan showing off his well-read vocabulary, but instead succinctly encapsulates how he views Kirk and the situation he's been living in for years on Ceti Alpha V. The parallels are on-the-nose, but powerful nonetheless.

RELATED: Every Time Captain Kirk Violated Star Trek's Prime Directive, Explained

The best revenge movies often take a page from Melville's legendary story of Captain Ahab's deadly quest to slay the white whale, and it's become an archetype in the centuries since its release. Khan obviously read the book many times while marooned, and yet he still chooses to recreate its narrative despite the gruesome fate that Ahab eventually meets. In that fact, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan 's audience learns all they needed to know about the classic Star Trek villain because he is willing to die if he can just take from Kirk what had been taken from him, and hurt the white whale just a little.

MORE: Every Captain Kirk Love Interest In Star Trek

• ABBREVIATIONS
• BIOGRAPHIES
• CALCULATORS
• CONVERSIONS
• DEFINITIONS

Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan 1982

Khan: From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.

Share your thoughts on this Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan's quote with the community:

Report Comment

We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe. If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.

You need to be logged in to favorite .

Create a new account.

Your name: * Required

Your email address: * Required

Pick a user name: * Required

Username: * Required

Password: * Required

Forgot your password?    Retrieve it

Quote of the Day Today's Quote  |  Archive

Would you like us to send you a free inspiring quote delivered to your inbox daily.

Please enter your email address:

Use the citation below to add this movie quote to your bibliography:

Style: MLA Chicago APA

"Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan Quotes." Quotes.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. < https://www.quotes.net/mquote/90897 >.

Know another quote from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan?

Don't let people miss on a great quote from the "star trek: the wrath of khan" movie - add it here, the web's largest resource for, famous quotes & sayings, a member of the stands4 network, our favorite collection of, famous movies.

Browse Quotes.net

Are you a quotes master, who said: "a child miseducated is a child lost".

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 Ending, Explained

Quick links, how does star trek: the next generation season 1 end, star trek: the next generation season 1's biggest story arcs, what do fans think of star trek: the next generation season 1's ending.

The stumbles of the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation have been well-documented. Behind-the-scenes, writers struggled with the concept set down by franchise creator Gene Roddenberry. Some episodes were blatant remakes of Original Series stories, and the show even managed to lose a key cast member. Sometimes it seemed a quadrant away from the classic-packed first season of Star Trek in 1966.

It would be a couple of years before TNG introduced the trademark two-part stories that split seasons — ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ set a high bar at the end of Season 3. But it was clear TNG wouldn’t settle for being defined by its first season. It mustered up a season finale that reasserted its vision for Star Trek while keeping an eye on the future.

Best Picard Quotes In Star Trek: The Next Generation

‘The Neutral Zone’ ends the first year of TNG in an unusual way. It doesn’t pick up specific plot strands from the 25 episodes that went before, instead serving up two balanced storylines that dovetail into an intriguing ending. In the pre-title teaser, Worf and Data encounter a 20th-century Earth spacecraft packed with cryogenically suspended humans and retrieve three of them. The discovery recalls ‘Space Seed,’ the ominous 1967 episode of the Original Series that introduced major villain Khan Noonien Singh, but the threat in TNG comes from somewhere else entirely.

Mostly, the three revived humans provide comic relief and pose an inconvenience as the crew of the Enterprise investigates the loss of several Federation outposts along the Romulan Neutral Zone . The fear that the Romulan Star Empire is re-awakening after 53 years of isolation is realized at the end of the episode when the Enterprise encounters a huge Warbird and two combative commanders.

9 Underrated Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes

The twist is that the Romulans aren’t behind the devastating attacks, having lost bases themselves. While there’s a chance for the Empire and Federation to work together, the Enterprise crew and fans are left in no doubt that the Romulans mean business in the galaxy, as one commander promises, “We are back.” As Picard eloquently observes, “I think our lives just became a lot more complicated.”

The episode’s odd structure makes an interesting juxtaposition. The antics of the survivors from the 20th century recall some comedic moments in the Original Series . While the Enterprise crew are oddly dismissive of the time refugees, their presence reinforces that the exploration and knowledge-led 24th century is far removed from the 20th, and even the 23rd. It’s a timely reminder as the parallel plot reintroduces and repositions the new-look Romulan Star Empire as a major threat.

The first season of TNG didn’t have the kinds of story arcs Star Trek fans are used to today. In the 1980s, TNG was syndicated to local stations in the US, meaning episodes could be broadcast in any order. That made arcs impossible and led to soft resets at the end of each story — which is why the death of a major character just two episodes before doesn’t warrant a reference. However, that didn’t stop TNG from seeding plots that would grow over the following years.

TNG ’s first year introduced Data’s long-lost brother Lore and the mysterious Traveler, both of whom would return with consequences. TNG ’s first story, ‘Encounter at Farpoint,’ welcomed fan-favorite Q, the omnipotent alien who would reappear throughout and beyond the series, including the grand finale ‘All Good Things.’ However, the most significant plot arc concluded in the episode before ‘The Neutral Zone.’ Teased in the 19th episode, ‘Coming of Age,’ the penultimate episode ‘Conspiracy’ had Picard and crew uncover and foil a parasitic alien infiltration at the head of Starfleet.

After dealing with monsters close to home and Federation ideals, TNG’s second major arc was all about establishing a next-generation threat to the galaxy. Roddenberry was keen to mark the Star Trek sequel series out from its 1960s forbear. Worf’s presence on board the enterprise was a clear sign that time had moved on, and he spelled it out in the series’ writing rules :

No stories about warfare with Klingons and Romulans and no stories with Vulcans. We are determined not to copy ourselves and believe there must be other interesting aliens in a galaxy filled with billions of stars and planets.

6 Biggest Retcons To Star Trek History

The solution was the Ferengi, a vicious and distinctive new species mentioned in early episodes before they made their presence felt in the fifth story, ‘The Last Outpost.’ As fans know, the looks and motives of this new threat didn’t work out , and the big-lobed aliens were softly rebooted into the avaricious comic relief that became a popular part of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

The Ferengi retreat left a gap, and the Romulans were ready to fill it . Using the time jump to the 24th century, the show recaptured the mystery of their reveal in the Original Series ’ ‘Balance of Terror’ (the Federation and Romulan Empire had fought a war in the 22nd century, but before view screens!).

The updated villains, who receive a great write-up from Troi in the episode, had new forehead ridges to distinguish them from Vulcans , a new Imperial symbol, and a gigantic new warship. The impressive D'deridex-class Romulan Warbird was the last ship created for the franchise by legendary designer Andrew Probert, who was also responsible for the Enterprise-D.

The fan reception to TNG Season 1 is mixed. It holds an Audience Score of 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, well under the 93% earned by TNG’s seventh and final season.

However, the final episode has received generally favorable reviews. One Redditor has justified that it’s a perfect starting point for new viewers of TNG as it expertly defines the traits of most of the main cast and sets out Star Trek ’s optimistic vision

The way the revived humans are handled comes in for most criticism, as observed on Reddit . While the episode mainly uses the 20th-century throwbacks as a chance to set out the Federation charter in the 24th century, it’s at the cost of plausibility. Would the enlightened crew of the Enterprise not be more interested in the time capsule that fell into the ship’s path or wary, considering what happened with Khan less than a hundred years before?

6 Most Evil Characters In Star Trek History

The handling of the Romulans stands out, as the Empire snarled back with suitable threat and promise. One Redditor even suggested the episode foreshadowed the approach Deep Space Nine would take to the Federation when they provoked the Dominion . Are the franchise's heroes just bringing trouble on themselves with their smug assertion of how great and correct they are?

An interesting side note couldn’t help but affect how fans perceive the episode as soon as a year after its broadcast. The Romulans were a welcome returning threat, but they were a stop-gap. The Ferengi were pushed aside in preparation for a yet-to-be-revealed major new threat whose presence was felt in the devastating attacks on outposts in the Neutral Zone. It would be a while before the culprits were revealed, even if the stellar cartography and timeline don’t quite match up. ‘The Neutral Zone’ is the first sign of TNG’s definitive enemies: The Borg.

Star Trek: 5 Important Moments In The Borg's History