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James T. Kirk will appear in the second season ofStar Trek : Strange New Worlds , which will also have aWrath of Khanconnection , butStar Trekneeds to move on from that moral force . in the beginning play by actor Ricardo Montalban , Khan Noonien - Singh only look in one episode , “ Space Seed , ” and the feature of speech filmStar Trek : The Wrath Of Khan . However , the baddie and his contention with Kirk has cast a prospicient darkness overTrekmythology .
Khan is Moriarty to Kirk ’s Sherlock Holmes in the good sense that everyone seems to think they feature in a lot more report together than they really do . Much like every iteration of Holmes must have its Moriarty , it seems that eachStar Trekprequel must tackle the tale of Khan Noonien - Singh as if it ’s an integral , changeless part of the mythology . This is n’t exclusive to the Abrams movies orStrange New Worlds , however ; elements from the Kirk and Khan story have recurred throughoutStar Trekhistory . It ’s surely time to investigate why the dealership is still so interested in the Kirk and Khan dynamic , one thatStar Trekshould move past .
Modern Star Trek Movies & Shows Can’t Escape Kirk & Khan
The net film of theStar Trek : The Next Generationera , Star Trek : Nemesiswas an attempt to do for Picard whatThe Wrath Of Khandid for Kirk . Jean - Luc is locked in a fight with his evil dead ringer , and the usually emotionless Commander Data sacrifices himself to save up the twenty-four hours . The problem with thefinal TNG moviewas that Picard ’s dependable curse is the Borg , andStar Trek : First Contactdeftly handled the psychological impingement on the endeavour sea captain . The second time of year ofStar Trek : Picardsees him aligned with the Borg Queen against Q , which feels like a far more satisfying take on the idea of a “ nemesis ” than anything in the finalTNGmovie .
Meanwhile , theStar Trek : Discoveryseason 4 premiere was style “ Kobayashi Maru , ” the infamous Starfleet Academy training simulation of a “ no - profits ” scenario . It was first introduced inThe Wrath Of Khan , dress up the dire situation Kirk and the crowd of the Enterprise would later regain themselves in . This test then work the basis aStar Trek : Prodigyepisode in which Dal assay to wash up the simulation with holographic reproduction of former Starfleet officers . In the porta episode of season 2 ofStar Trek : Picard , it ’s revealedPicard ’s updated the Kobayashi Maru . For a scene that only be to set the tone of the film and flesh out Kirk ’s Starfleet background signal , it ’s for sure go out an long-suffering legacy .
The most obvious way in whichStar Trekhas been unable to egress from the shadow of “ Space Seed ” is the 2013 movieStar Trek Into Darkness . The 2009 movie was a full reboot of theStar Trekuniverse , establishing the Kelvin Timeline to both give consultation a clean slate , and the original characters they live and love . The decision to technically remakeThe Wrath Of Khanin the sequel was a misstep . On paper , it ’s an interesting estimate – the actions of Nero have created a more militaristic version of Starfleet . So the plastic film ponders how differently Khan and his genetically raise super - soldiers would be treat on awaken inthe Kelvin Timeline . The problem was that , in execution , it trouble puristTrekfans and likely lost the attention of a portion of the general audience . In carry on to plow this furrow , TV’sStarTrekruns the very same risk .
Why Kirk & Khan Are Still Defining Star Trek Movies & Shows
The Wrath of Khanhad a huge encroachment , not just on theStar Trekuniverse , but on the broad papa culture landscape . Family Guyregularly referenced it , while the image of Kirk cursing his nemesis has become a meme . It was arguably the moment that the franchise settle into being a series of film for a mass securities industry . The often - derided first movieStar Trek : The Motion Picturewas a more intellectual / Kubrickian take on the series that alienated many audience members . The Wrath Of Khan , on the other hand , kept things bare .
The film presents everything an audience needs to know about Kirk and Khan in a grim opening sequence where Chekov and his new captain are captured and excruciate on Ceti Alpha V. Khan wants revenge against Kirk for stranding him on a diabolic wasteland of a planet . It does n’t matter if it ’s cite an episode from two decades prior , this is an older - fashioned tale of vengeance , plain and unproblematic . On top of that , The Wrath Of Khanplays out like a tense naval warfare movie , but in space . It ’s grisly , fierce , and , paradoxically , theStar Trekfilm least in contrast with Gene Roddenberry ’s utopian imaginativeness for the future .
However , this paradox is key to intellect why Kirk and Khan have prove to be such an long-suffering part of theStar Trekmythos . Kirk and the villain Khanare diametric sides of a coin . James T. Kirk represents the nonpareil of Roddenberry ’s original vision : Bob Hope , exploration , and acceptance . Khan Noonien - Singh is everything Kirk , and by extension service Starfleet , is not ; he is a tyrant who opposes individual freedom . Star Trekhas often tried to echo this encounter of ideologies , most notably in the result struggle between Benjamin Sisko and Gul Dukat inStar Trek : Deep Space Nine . Despite that , the franchise continues to return to the central conflict between Kirk and Khan ’s ideals .
The Kirk And Khan Fixation Prevents Star Trek From Seeking Out Strange New Worlds
The most likable panorama of the upcoming prequel serial publication is the potentiality to habituate a degree of interview familiarity to search theStar Trekuniverse in a Modern way . Theoriginal Enterprise Captain Christopher Pike’sfate has already been dealt with in theDiscoveryepisode " Through the Valley of Shadows , " so viewers already have an end point for the character before his story converge withTOS ’s " The Menagerie . " The compelling drama at the heart of the season will be Pike ’s noesis of the withering accident that awaits him , and whether that will sham his captaincy . Introducing Kirk in the second season undermines Pike ’s journey , signaling to an audience that he ’s existing on increasingly take over time .
Related : Star Trek : The Actors Almost Cast As Kelvin Timeline ’s James T. Kirk
Adding a descendant of Noonien - Singh also introduces the opening of the crew coming into tangency with Khan prior to the events of " Space Seed . " If so , there will be so many patch contraption to respectStar Trek ’s Khan canon that a new chronicle feels like the gentle decision . The prequel seriesinitially appeared to be an endeavour to succeed where the 2009Star Trekreboot had fail . Strange New Worlds’Enterpriseis from a time when Starfleet was still tentatively research the universe , look for out unusual young world and newfangled civilizations , boldly going where no one had gone before . The detail emerging about the serial instead suggest that it may instead be blend in where many have gone before . In delivery in a young James T. Kirk and introducing the spectre of Khan Noonien - Singh , it seems to be operating under the same mistake of the J.J. Abrams films - the second junket should somehow tie back toStar Trek : The Wrath OfKhan . Alongside continuing back - references to persistence in other series , it ’s a disappointing sign that suggests modernTrekis break down to seek out new story .
NEXT : Star Trek : Every TOS Character In Strange New Worlds ( & Who Plays Them )
Star Trek : Strange New Worldspremieres May 5th on Paramount+ .
