Long Live Kahless!

One episode from each series that developed or changed the way we saw the Klingons. (And a couple others we couldn't help but mention.)

The Klingons, not unlike many other aspects of the Star Trek universe, were subject to many changes throughout the lifetime of the franchise. Appearing in some form in the majority of Trek movies and in every incarnation on television, the Klingons are possibly the most well-known non-human species in the mythos, with the possible exception of the Vulcans. And one of the realities of being a species that appeared in The Original Series (and every other to follow it) is that the Klingons' portrayal has not been consistent.

Aside from the obvious - the make-up change between TOS and TNG, which altered the way we physically see the Klingons - the Klingon race, its culture, its values and pretty much everything else that has been explored on the screen has evolved as the series has continued. And I would applaud the showrunners for managing the continuity in what is perhaps the best way - rather than 'retconning out' all the plot elements that don't fit, or ignoring them, or remaining beholden to past continuity that seems outdated, Star Trek has consistently tried to incorporate every element of Klingon portrayal into the continuity going forward. In other words, there are a fair number of retcons when it comes to the Klingons, but I'd look at them more like a surgical scalpel than a butcher's knife. And finally, towards the end of Star Trek's last series, the showrunners ambitiously tried to incorporate even that troublesome make-up change.

So, without further ado - here is the story of how the Klingons have been portrayed throughout all five shows, with a single episode from each show that presented something new or different that changed how we view the Klingons. And, since a few shows had more than one episode of this nature... I've included a few, brief honorable mentions.

1. TOS: Errand of Mercy (Season 1, Episode 26)

"Well, Commander, I guess that takes care of the war. Obviously, the Organians aren't going to let us fight."
"A shame, Captain. It would have been glorious."
-Captain Kirk and Commander Kor

Before any episode could change the way we saw the Klingons, we had to see them for the first time. We learn quickly in the episode that the Klingon Empire is a known rival for Starfleet, who has been negotiating with them to prevent a war. Unfortunately, those negotiations have 'broken down', and the hapless planet known as Organia, which has no defense against either power, will be conquered and subjected to Klingon rule. Kirk and Spock beam down to ask the Organians to join the Federation - which would seem to be a violation of the Prime Directive, given what they believe to be the facts at this time - but the Organians refuse. Ayelborne, their leader, insists they're in no danger. And, as things progress, we start to think that they may not be letting on the whole picture.

Season one of The Original Series features many classic elements of Trek which were not yet crystallized into the universe that we know and love. There were a few attempts to introduce a nation of long-standing villains, with the Romulans created as a species that would resemble the Roman Empire, and represent the reality of detente that America was facing with the Russians. However, the Romulans only appeared in a single episode of season one, and towards the end of the season appeared the Klingons. Gene L. Coon's brainchild, his only physical description of them was that they were to be "oriental", "hard-faced" - and they quickly absorbed the role of 'Soviet-style adversary' (with a more 'Eastern' flavor) from the Romulans, who required too much time in make-up to show up regularly. The opposite would be true of TNG, of course, but the Klingons of this era were 'ridge-less'.

The idea of alien races acting as a 'stand-in' for a real-life nation or culture is an enduring feature of sci-fi. Conceiving of truly alien worlds and value systems is next to impossible, so we usually tend to turn aliens into a composite of that which we're familiar. And, in their first appearance, there is little to suggest that the Klingons were much more than this - a composite adversary that was characterized by much of how the west viewed the east: militaristic, brutal, and fanatical. Commander Kor of the Klingon Empire certainly fits this description, introducing himself as 'military governor of Organia' the moment he beams down on to the planet.

"We are similar as a species. Here we are on a planet of sheep, two tigers, predators, hunters... killers. And it is precisely that which makes us great. And there is a universe to be taken."
"It's a very large universe, Commander, full of people who don't like the Klingons."
"Excellent. Then it shall be a matter of testing each other's wills, and power. Survival must be earned, Captain."
-Commander Kor and Captain Kirk

The idea of 'testing' each other's wills was a common idea about the Soviets, and it endures in foreign policy research to this day as a legitimate strategy in geopolitics that the Russians often employed. In lines like these from Commander Kor, while they are designed to conjure connotations of the Russians to audiences from the 1960's, we can see the seeds of the Klingon warrior culture emerging even in their first appearance. Unfortunate for this episode was Kor's obsession with his 'mind scanner' - a device that seems more Romulan than Klingon, which is understandable given that the Klingons were being introduced into the same 'design space' as the Romulans. Indeed, this episode established the Klingons as stubborn, aggressive and thoroughly villainous, always 'pushing' or 'testing' to see what they could get away with.

Kor, after the make-up change.

After their renewed peace with the Federation, the Klingons are constantly trying to take whatever they can by deception. The concept of 'Klingon honor' did not seem to have been created yet. Ironically, the Romulans seemed more honor-bound in their two appearances - three, if you count seeing their ships in The Deadly Years, known as 'Birds of Prey' in TOS, a title which would also be later taken by Klingon ships - and they also were the race known for 'taking no prisoners' in TOS (something we'd tend to hear about the Klingons in the TNG era). And while we would get more of a sense of Klingons as warriors and learn of their 'dueling tradition' in Day of the Dove, as well as hear Kang offer some very Klingon sayings, the Empire was defined by its militarism, and its imperialist desires, not any code of honor.

What is perhaps most interesting in retrospect about this episode is Ayelborne's prophetic statement that "eventually, you will have peace; but only after millions of people have died. It is true that in the future, you and the Klingons will become fast friends. You will work together." Kor does not accept this assessment, yelling, "Never!" But, despite a gap of decades before it came true, the showrunners held to this bit of continuity - either revealing that Organians can see the future, or that Ayelborne is just a pretty perceptive energy being.

2. TNG: A Matter of Honor (Season 2, Episode 8)

"It's been my understanding that one of the duties of the first officer of a Klingon vessel is to assassinate his captain?"
"Yes, sir."
"Wouldn't that bring about chaos?"
"Of course not. When and if the captain becomes weak, or unable to perform, it is expected that his honorable retirement should be assisted by his first. Your second officer will assassinate you for the same reasons."
-Commander Riker and Lt .Worf

By the time The Next Generation was airing in 1987, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home had debuted in theaters. There were a few minor, but very important changes to the Klingons that had occurred over the course of the four feature-length films. First of all, the make-up change. They'd always wanted more detailed make-up for the Klingons, but it simply hadn't been possible with their budget and means on TOS - in fact, as was mentioned, the Klingons were partially introduced as a way to avoid make-up costs. Secondly, the Klingon language had been introduced in the first film, almost completely crafted by James Doohan in that outing. Finally, the general look and feel of Klingon uniforms and ships updated the look of the military, with armor that was reminiscent of Samurai garb, and truly alien-looking blades.

However, the portrayal of the Klingons themselves had remained more or less the same - a militaristic power with ambitions of Empire, which rivaled (if not always directly challenged) the Federation. Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, is as stubborn and ruthless as the Klingons we'd come to know in TOS. However, TNG began to expand the Klingon culture, and A Matter of Honor was the first major step forward in this direction: while we had an inkling about Klingon honor in Heart of Glory, A Matter of Honor gives us a look inside the inner-workings of a Klingon vessel, where we learn its true importance to Klingon society. The episode is aptly-named: every significant decision or order given on the ship takes place in the context of a strict honor code.

"First officer's log: I have been aboard the Pagh for a short time, but long enough to be impressed with the abilities and single-mindedness of the Klingons."
-Riker

Klingon hipsters like posting pictures of their gagh on Instagram.

After accepting a temporary assignment as first officer on a Klingon vessel as part of a cultural exchange, Riker becomes privy to the many details and idiosyncrasies of Klingon life which were as yet unknown by many of the Federation. These tropes are standard fare for Klingon episodes throughout the series - the violence of Klingon mating, the lamentations of an officer as he recounts the story of his father, who was captured in battle and not allowed to die. Riker chows down on Klingon food, which most humans usually seem to find disgusting - the first mentions of gagh & rokeg blood pie. These were all firsts at this point in the series, and we learn, first-hand through Riker, what 'honor' really means, in tangible terms, to a Klingon.

This episode is also interesting in that it feels somewhat 'transitional' in its take on the Klingons. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country hadn't yet shown us the achievement of the Federation's lasting peace with the Empire - even though it happened, chronologically, before this episode - and so the Klingons, while they aren't openly hostile, are more than a little eager to 'turn' and attack the Enterprise at the first suspicion of trouble. All in all, it works - the Klingons seem, if not totally alien, sufficiently different in their values as to make Riker's struggle to convince them of the Enterprise's good intentions seem dire. And, in true Starfleet style, Riker manages to overcome these obstacles by working within the Klingon system, rather than against it.

TNG Honorable Mention: Sins of the Father (Season 3, Episode 17)

While A Matter of Honor fleshed out Klingon society in the context of their military operations - an aspect of the Empire with which Starfleet had often interacted, but only from the outside and often on hostile terms - Sins of the Father took a step into Klingon politics. Taking cues from the complex responsibilities of Klingon culture established by A Matter of Honor, this episode sees Worf saddling a heavy burden that would become a defining aspect of the character. It also established the enmity between Klingons and Romulans, as well as the notion that some elements of either society have, at times, collaborated, often for nefarious purposes.

There would be many more episodes from TNG that greatly expanded the mythos, but much of the jumping-off points for those episodes would be created in this episode. Setting into motion the ongoing plotlines involving Gowron, House Duras and the many machinations that occur behind the scenes of the High Council, Sins of the Father can be seen as the first in a long saga that stretches across TNG and DS9. However, the most important expansion of the mythos of the Klingons involves the episode's namesake - the Klingons' somewhat Biblical code which ties one's own honor or dishonor to his bloodline. It's an idea that is as foreign as could be to the values of the Federation and Starfleet, and Worf must live the consequences of those values.

3. DS9: You Are Cordially Invited (Season 6, Episode 7)

"We are not accorded the luxury of choosing the women we fall in love with. Do you think Sirella is anything like the woman I thought that I'd marry? She is a prideful, arrogant, mercurial woman who shares my bed far too infrequently for my taste. And yet... I love her deeply. We Klingons often tout our prowess in battle, our desire for glory and honor above all else... but how hollow is the sound of victory without someone to share it with? Honor gives little comfort to a man alone in his home... and in his heart."
- General Martok, to Worf

If any show did as much to expand the mythology behind the Klingons as The Next Generation, it was Deep Space Nine. Needless to say, narrowing it down to one or even two definitive episodes that changed our view of the Klingons was more than a little difficult, but You Are Cordially Invited kept coming to mind. There are probably one or two 'better' Klingon episodes from DS9, but this one represented one of the deeper delvings into another aspect of Klingon life that we hadn't explored yet, at least through direct experience in an episode - marriage and the family.

Worf's transfer to Deep Space Nine had seen him developing a relationship with Jadzia Dax. As Curzon Dax, Jadzia's symbiote had become legendary within the Klingon Empire, as a negotiator fierce enough to warrant their respect. Every Klingon who meets Dax treats her with a sort of reverence, and Worf is no different. Their friendship and eventual romance thus seems natural, and the time comes when they decide to get married - in a traditional Klingon ceremony. Of course, this becomes problematic, because Worf has joined the House of Martok, and now Jadzia must answer to the general's wife before she can be considered an acceptable candidate for marriage to Worf. To marry him, she must also join the House of Martok, and the gatekeeper in that respect is Sirella.

"Sirella is a woman of strong convictions. She believes that by bringing aliens into our families we risk losing our identity as Klingons."
"That is a prejudiced, xenophobic view."
"We are Klingons, Worf. We don't embrace other cultures, we conquer them."
- General Martok and Worf

Part of why the Klingons are enduring in their interest to the fanbase has to do with the nuances to their culture. In this episode, Martok stops just short of denigrating the worth of 'honor', reminding us that the Klingons are also very a passionate people, unafraid to give in to love, hate, grief or anger. However, their rules must be satisfied and obeyed. We learn more about Klingon culture, as outsiders, but are ever-reminded that the Klingons simply don't see culture in the same pluralistic way as Starfleet or the Federation: to them, their culture is truth. In this episode, as TNG had elaborated on for the duration of the series, we get the clear impression that being an exemplary Klingon means walking a fine line between many duties, pushes and pulls, some of which are contradictory.

We also get a window into the goings-on of a Klingon bachelor party, as Worf invites his male friends from Deep Space Nine, as well as his son, to participate. Like most Klingon traditions, it is painful and laden with cultural symbolism. In the end, everything about the Klingon wedding seems like a challenge to be overcome, which is perhaps one of the best summations of the Klingon life. And, quite effectively, we are proud of the characters for enduring the challenges as they do, and it even brought a smile to my lips as the marriage party attacked Worf and Jadzia, as is the custom at the end of the ceremony. The whole thing seems like a bit of a release - one last battle to fight to solidify the union, and watching Bashir, Sisko and O'Brien lead the charge is more than a little amusing considering how irritated they all are with Klingon customs at this point. It's probably the only custom our protagonists have enjoyed so far about the ceremony.

DS9 Honorable Mention: Way of the Warrior (Season 4, Episodes 1 & 2)

The second battle of DS9.

"They fight like Klingons!"
"Then let them die like Klingons!"
-Martok and Gowron, (in Klingon)

Despite the fact that the events of this episode are set into motion by the Dominion's machinations and the replacement of Martok with a changeling, this episode stands as a fan favorite in the DS9 saga. We're reminded that Gowron, like many Klingons we have encountered, does not hold to Federation scruples - even he, who has been a steadfast ally in the past, is perfectly capable of giving into ambition or yielding to the expectations of his colleagues in the Empire. If anything, this episode didn't so much 'change' the way we saw the Klingons as elucidate what we already knew: this is a warrior race that will have absolutely no problem attacking you if they deem it necessary, no matter how cordial your alliance may have been. We also learn that Klingons and Cardassians don't much care for each other (Bashir shoots down Garak's more charitable assessment of their relations), which is understandable, as the Cardassians seem to be fairly honorless and equally aggressive. So perhaps this episode also changed the way we saw the Klingons in this regard - the behavior of the Cardassians, which is remarkably similar to how the Klingons tended to behave in TOS, is enough to earn the contempt of the Klingons of TNG.

It had been a long time since the Federation did battle with the Empire, and this episode did not disappoint. It was a great starting point for Worf in DS9, based on Sisko's assessment of Klingons (that the only ones who really understand them are other Klingons), and led to Worf's renewed problems with his reputation back home. This set into motion the events that would lead to Worf killing Gowron in one of the most shocking Klingon episodes of the franchise. Really, there were many great Klingon episodes that expanded the universe one way or another in DS9 - Blood Oath or House of Quark both come to mind - but Way of the Warrior showed us, in no uncertain terms, that the Klingons aren't allies to humanity in the same sense as the Vulcans, for example. The alliance between the Federation and the Empire is delicately maintained, and only be the estimation of equal strength and after years of respect earned in battle.

4. VOY: Barge of the Dead (Season 6, Episode 3)

By virtue of taking place in the Delta Quadrant, Voyager is perhaps the only series where the choice was easy, even obvious. Barge of the Dead comes to us as one of the deepest explorations of Klingon religion, a topic which the franchise was not entirely silent on before.

As Worf states in DS9, the Klingon Gods are dead, having been killed by ancient Klingon warriors 'millennia ago'. In Barge, we get to meet Kortar, a 'Klingon Adam' of sorts - the first Klingon to be created, but who rebelled and went on to kill the Gods who made him. It's left ambiguous throughout the episode whether or not we really meet Kortar - B'Elanna's experience on the barge may well have just been a hallucination brought on by a near-death experience, and whether it corresponds to any actual experience is up for us to decide.

"Do you believe in an afterlife?"
"I accept there are things in the universe that can't be scanned with a tricorder.
- B'Elanna Torres and Chakotay

Many on Voyager council that this is what it must be: Chakotay describes how his grandfather would go on 'spirit journeys', believing himself to wander the wilds as a skinwalker, but he cautions that this doesn't mean that he grew fur and walked around on four legs. This is not surprising, giving the scientific materialism that pervades the series and the outlooks of the characters. As Worf would probably say, it doesn't really matter - what one matters is what you believe, and how that gives you purpose.

We'd gotten admittedly mixed messages on Klingon spirituality throughout the series - Kang claims that the Klingons have no devil, whereas in TNG, Fek'lar appears as a clear devil-type figure. While Fek'lar is nowhere to be found here, B'Elanna does specifically describe the underworld, Gre'thor, as 'hell', and while it may not necessarily be a place of eternal torture, none of the 'dishonored dead' are happy to be there.

Although, to be honest, it doesn't look that different from the Klingon homeworld.

The affect of bloodlines on one's spiritual destiny had also been touched upon in past episodes. Worf led a raid in Jadzia's honor in order to see her reach Sto-Vo-Kor, the Klingon afterlife and a thinly-veiled stand-in for Valhalla. In this episode, after almost dying, B'Elanna sees that her mother is bound for the underworld, and determines that this is because she has failed to live up to the Klingon standards of 'the good life'. Eventually, the episode evolves into an exploration of B'Elanna's very personal insecurities about her mixed heritage, which is central to the character. Barge of the Dead shows us once more that the ideals of Klingon society are felt very immediately and experientially by even those who have chosen not to live as part of the Empire.

By this point in the series, the Klingons had been established as a very traditional and religious people, as a way of accounting for the ease with which Klingons go to their deaths and for the strict honor code by which they abide. This episode borrows from a number of world religions to flesh out some of these bits of Klingon dogma - the barge is reminiscent of the Stygian ferry of Charon in Greek mythology, and the burdens of one's family and bloodline might imply inspiration from the Chinese Diyu. But what is fascinating at this point in the series is how far Klingons have come in how we view them, and how the inspiration from such a wide variety of Earth cultures has eventually coalesced into one fictional culture that we recognize. The whole episode feels 'very Klingon'.

5. ENT: Affliction / Divergence (Season 4, Episodes 15 & 16)

"How do you expect us to return home, looking like this? We will be outcasts. There will be no place for us in the Empire."
"Your heart is still Klingon."
"Are you certain of that? During the battle with the Starfleet ship, I felt fear for the first time since I was a child. I wasn't alone. I could see it in the eyes of the others. We've become like them. Weak, cowardly. It would be better for us to die."
-Lt. Larab and K'Vagh

Enterprise is a divisive series, and with good reason. But I'm personally of the opinion that the series really hit its stride in season four, and produced some of its first truly 'world-expanding' episodes in the vein that a prequel should. Perhaps the most important episode of them all in this respect is the two-parter: Affliction and Divergence.

Famously, in the episode Trails and Tribble-ations, the protagonists of the Next Generation era didn't even recognize the Klingons of Kirk's time. Until that point, characters from the two eras hadn't come face-to-face with the inconsistency in the Klingon make-up, and it had to be addressed - but this didn't mean that a definitive answer needed to be given. Worf shows embarassment and declines to speak of it. Bashir and O'Brien hypothesize a virus, or possibly genetic engineering (two fan theories at the time) but we're not given anything conclusive. Ultimately, Affliction & Divergence proved both of those theories to be correct, in a sense.

After being kidnapped by members of Section 31 - a Starfleet 'black ops' organization that is technically rogue - Phlox is taken to a Klingon research facility. While the Enterprise hunts for them, the ship is infected with a computer virus by Klingons who look remarkably like humans. After a gripping sequence in which the Enterprise must link up with another Starship in mid-warp, the crew discovers that something very big is going on, and it involves both the Klingon High Command and their own Section 31.

One of my biggest problems with Enterprise is how the series tended to ignore established continuity about past events - of which there was little that had been said, but Enterprise somehow managed to revise almost all of it. Synthesizing their plotlines with established continuity didn't seem to be a priority on the show, but this episode represented a masterstroke in that direction, and one that flowed from past events on the show.

After discovering Dr. Arik Soong's plans for genetic engineering, and knowing the power that human augments had wielded in the past, the Klingons decide to look into using the same technology to augment their own soldiers. Unfortunately, human DNA cannot be parsed out from the project, and Klingon warriors end up being spliced with humans. Then, when exposed to a contagious disease, this genetic change begins to spread throughout the Empire. Dr. Phlox manages to mitigate its effects to prevent it from killing millions, but the damage is done. A huge chunk of Klingons, especially those staffing its military, are now part-human.

Klingon ridges melting away.

"Do you understand what will happen if the general learns that we've deceived him?"
"A cure would save millions of innocent lives. What more honorable death could there be for a healer – Klingon or Denobulan?"
-Antaak and Phlox

As we saw, obviously a cure was eventually developed, or else, further generations of Klingons were able to become immune. But this does explain why there might be great animosity towards Starfleet from the Klingons, why their personalities and strategy tended to be a bit different in TOS, and the overall change in the look of the race. While this is clearly a retcon and a bit of a stretch, it was a bold move and an attempt to harmonize disparate portrayals into an intelligible whole. It's one of the few creative decisions made in Enterprise that enriches one's viewing of the other shows.

Conclusion

It's funny that, even having discussed all these episodes, I still feel that there's way more ground that one could cover in talking about the Klingons. And we've hardly mentioned Kahless himself, who is referenced in the title of the article. So perhaps Kahless can serve as an example of how we've changed our view of the Klingons over the years.

When we first see Kahless, he is an image generated by aliens as part of an experiment on morality. He's portrayed as TOS Klingon, which is obviously not in line with continuity at this point, and is little more than an evil thug. After all, he is the founder of the Klingon Empire, and thus he must have set them on the course to becoming such a militaristic, dictatorial state. He displays no honor whatsoever, though he is a ruthless warrior.

Contrast this with the portrayal of Kahless as he eventually comes to be known - a revered figure who epitomizes all that is great about Klingon culture. He was honorable, passionate and a great warrior, and the source of many Klingon traditions. Every Klingon seeks to emulate him in their way of life. When a genetic clone of him appears, he becomes a symbol, who opposes much of the excessive, irrational or unnecessary actions on the part of the council, including their invasion of Cardassia. In other words, he stands as a moral paragon of Klingon principle in contrast to the immorality of Klingon political practice.

Thus, the Klingons endure as perhaps the most nuanced species on the show, aside from humanity itself. If I had to summarize a common thread of the Klingon portrayal, I'd say that even in the Original Series we get a sense of respect for the Klingons. They're sometimes an adversary, sometimes a rival, and sometimes an ally - but always the Klingons merit a kind of reverence, either as a friend with a rich culture and tradition, or as an enemy who is worthy in battle and can usually be counted on to hold to a code of honor. There are certain 'rules' with the Klingons, and that makes them admirable. At times, they stand in opposition to the Federation's every value, but it comes from a sincere place, from a differing worldview, and one that the Federation's way of life demands be respected, even if it is not seen as agreeable.

Even though the Klingons began as an allegory for the Soviets, in a sense I'd say they've evolved to represent any ideological rival who must be dealt with, not merely destroyed, because of a combination of approximately equal strength and a respect for their right to their views and their right to exist. I might even go so far as to say that the Klingons are the most charitable assessment that a progressive might have for the right: traditional, religious, war-like and at times incomprehensibly different. But, at the end of the day, fighting them only leads to negative consequences. The best resolutions for problems with the Klingons always end in peace-making, and the captain that can avoid conflict with a race who is so diametrically opposed to Starfleet is a clever one indeed. To the Klingons, everything is a challenge - and likewise, living with them, working with them, and learning to respect them even when we disagree or can't understand them represents the challenge that was most important to Roddenberry and the showrunners of Star Trek. It's a challenge that the characters routinely have to overcome, often with great difficulty. It's a challenge that Star Trek, through the examples of its protagonists, challenges us to overcome also.

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