The Klingons ( ;
Klingon
The Klingons ( ; Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''.
Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids c ...
: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
franchise ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
''.
Developed by screenwriter
Gene L. Coon
Eugene Lee Coon (January 7, 1924 – July 8, 1973) was an American screenwriter, television producer and novelist. He is best remembered for his work on the original ''Star Trek'' as a screenwriter, story editor, and showrunner from the mid ...
in 1967 for the
original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids characterized by prideful ruthlessness and brutality. Klingons practiced
feudalism
Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of structur ...
and
authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political '' status quo'', and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic vot ...
, with a
warrior caste relying on
slave labor
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
. With a greatly expanded budget for makeup and effects, the Klingons were completely redesigned for ''
Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' (1979), acquiring ridged foreheads. In subsequent television series and in later films, the militaristic traits of the Klingons were bolstered by an increased sense of honor and strict warrior code similar to those of
bushido
is a moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior and lifestyle. There are multiple bushido types which evolved significantly through history. Contemporary forms of bushido are still used in the social and economic organization of Japan. ...
.
Klingons are recurring antagonists in the 1960s television series ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'', and have appeared in all subsequent series, along with ten of the
''Star Trek'' feature films. Initially intended to be antagonists for the crew of the USS ''Enterprise'', the Klingons became a close ally of humanity in ''
Star Trek: The Next Generation''. In the 1990s series ''
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', humans and Klingons join with the
Romulan
The Romulans () are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They first appeared in the series ''Star Trek'' (1966–1969). They have appeared in most subsequent ''Star Trek'' releases, including '' The A ...
s to fight the
Dominion
The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire.
"Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 1926 ...
.
Among the elements created for the revised Klingons was a complete
Klingon language
The Klingon language ( tlh, tlhIngan Hol, links=no, '' '': , ) is the constructed language spoken by a fictional alien race called the Klingons, in the ''Star Trek'' universe.
Described in the 1985 book ''The Klingon Dictionary'' by Marc Okra ...
, developed by
Marc Okrand
Marc Okrand (; born July 3, 1948) is an American linguist. His professional work is in Native American languages, and he is well known as the creator of the Klingon language in the ''Star Trek'' science fiction franchise.
Linguistics
As a ling ...
from
gibberish
Gibberish, also called jibber-jabber or gobbledygook, is speech that is (or appears to be) nonsense. It may include speech sounds that are not actual words, pseudowords, or language games and specialized jargon that seems nonsensical to outsider ...
suggested by actor
James Doohan
James Montgomery Doohan (; March 3, 1920 – July 20, 2005) was a Canadian actor, author and soldier, best known for his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the television and film series ''Star Trek''. Doohan's characterization of the Scottish ...
. Spoken Klingon has entered popular culture, even to the extent that some of the works of
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
and parts of the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
have been translated into it. A dictionary,
a book of sayings, and a cultural guide to the language have been published. According to the ''
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'', Klingon is the world's most popular fictional language as measured by number of speakers.
Design
Conception
The Klingons were created by screenwriter
Gene L. Coon
Eugene Lee Coon (January 7, 1924 – July 8, 1973) was an American screenwriter, television producer and novelist. He is best remembered for his work on the original ''Star Trek'' as a screenwriter, story editor, and showrunner from the mid ...
, and first appeared in the ''Star Trek'' episode "
Errand of Mercy
"Errand of Mercy" is the twenty-sixth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Gene L. Coon and directed by John Newland, it was first broadcast on March 23, 1967. It was the first ...
" (1967). They were named after Lieutenant Wilbur Clingan, who served with ''Star Trek'' creator
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter, producer, and creator of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', its sequel spin-off series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series,'' and ''Sta ...
in the
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-large ...
.
In the original television series (''TOS''), Klingons were typically portrayed with bronze skin and facial hair suggestive of
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
n people and possessed physical abilities similar to humans (in fact, Coon's only physical description of them in his "Errand of Mercy" script is "oriental" and "hard-faced"). The swarthy look of Klingon males was created with the application of shoe polish and long, thin moustaches; budget constraints limited creativity. The overall look of the aliens, played by white actors, suggested
orientalism
In art history, literature and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects in the Eastern world. These depictions are usually done by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. In particular, Orientalist p ...
, at a time when memories of Japanese actions during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
were still fresh.
The production crew never came to an agreement on the name "Klingon"; Coon was adamant about keeping the name, and it persisted because no one else offered up a better name.
[Special Features, "Klingons: Conjuring the Legend."]
The Klingons took on the role of the Soviet Union with the fictional government the
United Federation of Planets
In the fictional universe of ''Star Trek'' the United Federation of Planets (UFP) is the interstellar government with which, as part of its space force Starfleet, most of the characters and starships of the franchise are affiliated. Commonly refe ...
playing the role of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
As a result, the Klingons were generally portrayed as inferior to the crew of the ''Enterprise''.
While occasionally capable of honor, this depiction treated the Klingons as close to wild animals.
Overall, they were shown without redeeming qualities—brutish, scheming, and murderous.
Klingons became the primary antagonists of the ''Enterprise'' crew, in part because the makeup necessary to make another alien race, the
Romulan
The Romulans () are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They first appeared in the series ''Star Trek'' (1966–1969). They have appeared in most subsequent ''Star Trek'' releases, including '' The A ...
s, was too time-consuming and costly.
For the first two seasons, no Klingon ships were seen despite being frequently mentioned. This was because of budget constraints; designer
Matt Jefferies
Walter Matthew Jefferies (August 12, 1921 – July 21, 2003) was an American aviation and mechanical artist, set designer, and writer. He is best known for his work on the original ''Star Trek'' television series, where he designed many of the s ...
did not have the money to create a Klingon ship until the third season. When the episodes were
remastered beginning in 2006, Klingon ships were digitally inserted into shots earlier than their original appearances.
Redesign
For ''
Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' (1979), the Klingons' appearance was radically changed. To give the aliens a more sophisticated and threatening demeanor, the Klingons were depicted with ridged foreheads, snaggled and prominent teeth, and a defined language and alphabet. Lee Cole, a production designer, used red gels and primitive shapes in the design of Klingon consoles and ship interiors, which took on a dark and moody atmosphere. The alphabet was designed as angular, with sharp edges alluding to the Klingons' militaristic focus.
Costume designer Robert Fletcher created new uniforms for the Klingons, reminiscent of
feudal
Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a wa ...
Japanese armor.
Certain elements of Klingon culture, resembling Japanese culture with honor at the forefront, were actually first explored with the script for the planned two-part "Kitumba" episode for the unproduced 1978 ''
Star Trek: Phase II
''Star Trek: Phase II'' was the initial working title for what officially became titled ''Star Trek II,'' an unproduced American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as a sequel to (and continuation of) the original ''S ...
'' series. Writer
John Meredyth Lucas
John Meredyth Lucas (May 1, 1919 – October 19, 2002) was an American Television writer, writer, Television director, director and Television producer, producer, primarily for television.
Career
Son of screenwriter Bess Meredyth and writer/dir ...
said, "I wanted something that we had never seen before on the series, and that's a penetration deep into enemy space. I started to think of how the Klingons lived. Obviously for the
Romulan
The Romulans () are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They first appeared in the series ''Star Trek'' (1966–1969). They have appeared in most subsequent ''Star Trek'' releases, including '' The A ...
s we had
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, and we've had different cultures modeled on those of ancient Earth, but I tried to think of what the Klingon society would be like. The Japanese came to mind, so basically that's what it was, with the
Sacred Emperor, the
Warlord
A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...
and so on."
While no Klingon characters were seen in ''
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'', their appearance as the central enemy in ''
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'' (1984) led to minor alterations. For the third generation of Klingons, the heavy, cragged head ridges of ''The Motion Picture'' were redesigned and made less pronounced. While Fletcher was happy with the original film uniforms, more had to be created as the old costumes had been lost, destroyed, or loaned out and altered irreparably. New costumes were fabricated, retaining the air of feudal Japanese design; Fletcher thought it was an important part of the Klingon authoritarian attitude. New Klingon weaponry was designed, including an energy weapon and a special knife known as a ''
d'k tahg''.
The release of a new television series, ''
Star Trek: The Next Generation'', prompted a further revision in the depiction of Klingon culture, though Gene Roddenberry had wanted to avoid re-appearances of races from the old series. Set a century later than the original series, the
USS ''Enterprise''-D featured a Klingon crewmember,
Worf
Worf, son of Mogh is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. He appears in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''TNG'') and seasons four through seven of '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (''DS9'') as well as t ...
. Makeup artist
Michael Westmore
Michael George Westmore I (born March 22, 1938) is an American make-up artist best known for his work in various ''Star Trek'' productions, winning nine Emmy Awards, and is a member of the Westmore family. He won the Academy Award for Make-up in ...
needed a consistent reference to base the Klingon look on, as each individual Klingon was to have distinct head ridges. He found what he was looking for in a book of dinosaurs: observing dinosaur vertebrae laid out flat, Westmore cut the designs in half and modified them to suit each Klingon. Westmore designed his Klingons' beards to be
Elizabethan
The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personifi ...
, combining prehistoric and aristocratic elements to give audiences a feeling of depth from the appearance. Over time, Westmore and the other makeup artists designed different sizes of prosthetic headpieces which could be quickly applied and modified to save time; the amount of preparation to turn an actor into a Klingon decreased from around three hours to one. While important characters had custom headpieces, background actors used pre-made masks with minor touchup around the eyes and mouth.
''The Next Generation'' effects artist
Dan Curry
Daniel Curry is a visual effects producer and supervisor, as well as a main title designer in the film and television industry.
Curry attended Middlebury College in Vermont and graduate school at Humboldt State University in California. used his martial arts experience to create a flowing fighting style for the race.
When the episode "
Reunion
Reunion may refer to:
* Class reunion
* Family reunion
Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to:
Places
* Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean
* Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, U ...
" called for a special Klingon blade, Curry drew on Far East influences to develop a weapon known as the ''
batleth''. Curry, a collector of weapons, was annoyed by fictional weaponry that was designed to "look cool" but could not be handled practically. Curry combined elements of the Himalayan ''
kukri
The kukri () or khukuri ( ne, खुकुरी, ) is a type of machete with a distinct recurve in its blade. It serves multiple purposes as a melee weapon and also as a regular cutting tool throughout most of South Asia. The ''kukri'', ''khuk ...
'', Chinese axes and fighting crescents to create a two-handed, curved weapon that has since been widely used in the franchise.
The culture of the Klingons began to resemble revised western stereotypes of civilizations such as the
Zulu, the
Vikings
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
, and various
Native American nations — as a proud, warlike and principled race.
Whereas the ''TOS'' Klingons served as an allegory to contemporary totalitarian regimes, ''The Next Generation'' Klingons held principles more in line with
Bushidō
is a moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior and lifestyle. There are multiple bushido types which evolved significantly through history. Contemporary forms of bushido are still used in the social and economic organization of Japan. ...
; actor
Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn (born December 9, 1952) is an American actor best known for his role as the Klingon Worf in the '' Star Trek'' franchise. He has appeared more times as a regular cast member than any other ''Star Trek'' actor in the franchise's histo ...
stated that without the revision in Klingon culture, his character, Worf, would not have been a Starfleet officer.
With the first Klingon-centric story in ''The Next Generation'', the first-season episode "
Heart of Glory
"Heart of Glory" is the twentieth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', first broadcast March 21, 1988. The story was created by Herbert Wright and D. C. Fontana ...
", the Klingons once again became an important part of the Star Trek universe, and by the advent of the series ''
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', Klingons had become heroes rather than villains,
though often at cross purposes to the Federation.
The final ''Star Trek'' film to feature the entire cast from the original television series, ''
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' (1991), served to bridge the original series' Klingons at war with the Federation to the time of ''The Next Generation'' and presents a subtly different treatment of the race. At the time of the film's development, the Soviet Union was collapsing, and with the advent of
glasnost
''Glasnost'' (; russian: link=no, гласность, ) has several general and specific meanings – a policy of maximum openness in the activities of state institutions and freedom of information, the inadmissibility of hushing up problems, ...
, the old allegory of Klingons as Russians was becoming obsolete. The Klingons were redesigned to evoke the Nazis, with the red, white and black Klingon flag deliberately similar to that of the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...
. The Klingons in the film liberally quote Shakespeare, a trait stemming from director
Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer (born December 24, 1945) is an American writer and director, known for his best-selling novel ''The Seven-Per-Cent Solution'', and for directing the films ''Time After Time (1979 film), Time After Time'', two of the ''Star Trek'' ...
's comparison of the Empire's appropriation of Shakespeare to the
Nazis' similar attempt in the 1930s. Meyer also felt it was apropos for Shakespearean actors such as
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage, and television. He received multiple accolades, inc ...
and
David Warner David or Dave Warner may refer to:
Sports
* Dave Warner (strongman) (born 1969), Northern Ireland strongman competitor
* David Bruce Warner (born 1970), South African alpine skier
* David Warner (cricketer) (born 1986), Australian cricketer
Oth ...
to speak the lines.
The breakdown of the Klingons' empire because of a
Chernobyl
Chernobyl ( , ; russian: Чернобыль, ) or Chornobyl ( uk, Чорнобиль, ) is a partially abandoned city in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, situated in the Vyshhorod Raion of northern Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine. Chernobyl is about no ...
-like incident results in a new age for the Federation and Klingons, leading to the time of ''The Next Generation'' and later series where the two governments are trade partners and occasional allies. Starfleet members are shown to be highly bigoted against Klingons, who in turn feel that their way of life will be obliterated by peace.
The Klingons were given new uniforms designed by Dodie Shepard, in part because there were not enough of Fletcher's ''The Motion Picture'' costumes to meet the demands of the film.
Dorn described playing a Klingon as simple, joking that after hours sitting in a makeup chair, actors were highly motivated to get the dialogue right the first time.
Repeat Klingon
Robert O'Reilly
Robert O'Reilly (born March 25, 1950) is an American film, stage, and television actor who has appeared in a variety of roles. He appeared in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for over ten years, primarily in his recurring role on '' Star Trek: The Nex ...
told all neophyte Klingons that the most important part of speaking was to say the lines with belief and "go all the way". When O'Reilly and Dorn's character had a confrontation, makeup artists wiped spittle off each between takes, a consequence of the harsh-sounding language.
Todd Bryant (Captain Klaa in ''
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'') similarly noted that if an actor was projectile-spitting on others as he spoke Klingon, he was doing a great job.
When filming ''The Undiscovered Country'',
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage, and television. He received multiple accolades, inc ...
asked director
Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer (born December 24, 1945) is an American writer and director, known for his best-selling novel ''The Seven-Per-Cent Solution'', and for directing the films ''Time After Time (1979 film), Time After Time'', two of the ''Star Trek'' ...
to adapt his character's look, feeling the heavy forehead appliances looked rather fake. Instead, Plummer's character, General Chang, was made bald with subdued ridges and an eyepatch bolted to his skull. Plummer felt that the unique appearance helped "humanize" the character. In contrast to white actors portraying the warriors, more recent Klingon roles have been predominantly played by black actors.
For ''
Star Trek: Discovery'', the Klingon appearance was once again modified with more extensive facial and teeth prosthetics and elongated craniums. The new Klingons were initially bald, in contrast with the previous depictions, but this was
retcon
Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...
ned in season 2. The lack of hair was said to have been ceremonial during the time of war with the Federation, harking back to the tale of Kahless having cut off a lock of hair to forge the first bat'leth. They also have black and purple skin color variations.
Change in appearance after ''TOS''
According to the official ''Star Trek'' web site, the Klingons' varying appearance was "probably the single most popular topic of conversation among ''Star Trek'' fans".
While the real reason for the discrepancy between ''The Original Series'' Klingons and their feature film and later television series counterparts was a lack of budget, fans took it upon themselves to contrive an acceptable canon reason for the sudden change.
Among the fan theories, were that ''TOS'' Klingons were:
* They gradually genetically engineered their bodies to be tougher and more robust, to be better suited for head butting and for the rigors of a warfare loving existence.
* Humans raised as Klingons, similar to
Janissaries
A Janissary ( ota, یڭیچری, yeŋiçeri, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and the first modern standing army in Europe. The corps was most likely established under sultan Orhan ( ...
(Christians kidnapped by the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
from ca. 1300s to 1800s)
* Stripped of ridges via surgery for cosmetic or diplomatic reasons
* Hybrids with a more human species,
* Some subjugated race conscripted or deployed near the Federation border.
Simple theories that the different Klingons were different racial breeds were complicated by the fact that the characters of
Kang,
Koloth, and
Kor appeared with smooth features in ''The Original Series'' yet had a ridged appearance in ''
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and that
Worf
Worf, son of Mogh is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. He appears in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''TNG'') and seasons four through seven of '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (''DS9'') as well as t ...
acknowledged the difference in appearances when the crew of Deep Space 9 returned to the 23rd century in the episode "
Trials and Tribble-ations
"Trials and Tribble-ations" is the 104th episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', the sixth episode of the fifth season. It was written as a tribute to the original series of ''Star Trek,'' in the ...
" but offered no explanation, saying merely, "We do not discuss it with outsiders."
A
canonical
The adjective canonical is applied in many contexts to mean "according to the canon" the standard, rule or primary source that is accepted as authoritative for the body of knowledge or literature in that context. In mathematics, "canonical example ...
explanation for the change was given in a two-part storyline on ''
Star Trek: Enterprise
''Star Trek: Enterprise'', titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from September 26, 2001, to May 13, 2005 on Uni ...
'', in the episodes "
Affliction
Affliction or Afflicted may refer to:
Books
* ''Affliction'' (novel), a 2013 Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novel by Laurell K. Hamilton
* ''Affliction'', a novel by Russell Banks, basis of the 1998 film
Film and TV
* ''Affliction'' (1997 film), ...
" and "
Divergence
In vector calculus, divergence is a vector operator that operates on a vector field, producing a scalar field giving the quantity of the vector field's source at each point. More technically, the divergence represents the volume density of the ...
" that aired in February 2005. Attempting to replicate experiments by humans to create augmented soldiers, Klingon scientists used genetic material from human test subjects on their own people, which resulted in a viral pandemic which caused Klingons to develop human-like physical characteristics. Dr.
Phlox
''Phlox'' (; Greek φλόξ "flame"; plural "phlox" or "phloxes", Greek φλόγες ''phlóges'') is a genus of 67 species of perennial and annual plants in the family Polemoniaceae. They are found mostly in North America (one in Siberia) in di ...
of the ''Enterprise'' formulated a cure for the virus, but the physical alterations remained in the populace and were inherited by offspring. Phlox indicated that "some day" the physical alterations could be reversed. The head scientist finally mentioned he would go into cranial reconstructive surgery, another nod to "restoration" of the ridges for some Klingons.
In the non-canon ''
Star Trek: The Role Playing Game'' (
FASA
Fasa ( fa, فسا, Fasā, also Romanized as Fassa) is a city and capital of Fasa County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 110,825, in 33,379 families. Fasa is the fourth most populous city of the province. The city date ...
, 1982), the smooth-headed Klingons seen in ''The Original Series'' were called "fusions", in particular, "human fusions", with "Romulan fusions" also existing. They were a deliberate blending of Klingon genes with those of other races in an effort to gain an understanding of, and thus advantage over, the other races. Human fusions were chosen for service on the Federation border due to the high number of humans present in the Federation. Fusions of both types were considered inferior to pure strain "Imperial Klingons" and were segregated.
In the non-canon video game ''
Star Trek Online
''Star Trek Online'' is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Cryptic Studios based on the ''Star Trek'' franchise. The game is set in the 25th century, 30 years after the events of '' Star Trek: Nemesis''. ''Sta ...
'', Klingons under the command of Ambassador B'vat once again attempt to fuse the DNA of other races with their own. In a chapter called "The Ultimate Klingon", the player character travels to the planet H'atoria in the Korvat System to infiltrate a secret Klingon research facility and discovers Amar Singh, a descendant of
Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' science fiction franchise, who first appeared as the main antagonist in the ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' episode "Space Seed" (1967), and was portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán ...
, has merged Klingon, Augment, and
Gorn
The Gorn are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid reptilian species in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They first appeared in a 1967 episode of the original series, "Arena", in which Captain Kirk fights an unnamed Gorn on ...
DNA to create a ferocious, mindless monstrosity the player must destroy. Singh is arrested and imprisoned at Facility 4028.
Attributes
Biology
Klingons possess a robust and enduring biology as well as large and muscular statures. Klingons have been seen on multiple occasions possessing physical strength equal to or superior to that of
Jem'Hadar
''Star Trek'' is a science fiction media franchise that began with Gene Roddenberry's launch of the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' television series in 1966. Its success led to decades of films, novels, comics, and spinof ...
and
Hirogen
''Star Trek'' is a science fiction media franchise that began with Gene Roddenberry's launch of the original ''Star Trek'' television series in 1966. Its success led to decades of films, novels, comics, and spinoff series. A major motif of the ...
, two other races possessing immense strength, and the half-human
B'Elanna Torres
B'Elanna Torres is a main character in ''Star Trek: Voyager'' played by Roxann Dawson. She is portrayed as a half-human half-Klingon born in 2346 on the Federation colony Kessik IV. She was admitted to Starfleet academy but dropped out before gr ...
proves more than a match for a
Vulcan
Vulcan may refer to:
Mythology
* Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...
. Their anatomy is redundant and supernumerary; every organ has a backup, including an extra set of kidneys, an eight-chambered heart, a third lung, a secondary brain stem, as well as an extensive and hardy skeletal structure. This redundancy is evident even at the cellular level; for example, the Klingons have backup synaptic networks in their nervous systems, allowing them to grow a new spine, as was demonstrated with Worf when his spine was surgically removed and replaced with a transplanted, genetically cloned new one. Their rapid metabolism allows injured Klingons to heal quickly. All of this makes Klingons extremely hardy and difficult to kill, as necessitated by their aggressive nature, and resistant to physical trauma, environmental exposure, and illness. Klingons alone have a natural resistance to "
the Phage," which plagues the Vidiians of the Delta Quadrant. Like
Cardassian
The Cardassians () are a fictional extraterrestrial species in the American science fiction franchise '' Star Trek''. They were devised in 1991 for the series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' before being used in the subsequent series '' S ...
s, they avoid cold temperatures. Klingons also have a heightened sense of smell as suggested in "Birthright, Part II" in ''The Next Generation'', when Worf and a Klingon boy go hunting and can track an animal by scent.
Klingon children are fierce and aggressive by nature; from as soon as they can walk, they are instructed into honing their hunting and combat skills, strengthening their physical prowess and agility. Like humans, they go through a form of puberty, which, as Picard puts it in ''
Star Trek: Insurrection'' "hardly does it justice" and includes sudden bursts of hair growth, extreme mood swings, violent tendencies, and the Klingon equivalent of acne (called 'Gorch' in Klingon).
Culture
In comparison to ''The Original Series'', Klingon culture is thoroughly examined in later series' episodes, part of a larger movement by ''Star Trek'' writers to deepen viewer understanding of the alien races of the franchise. The Klingons adhere to a strict code of honor, similar to feudal Mongolian or Japanese customs, although some, such as Gowron, appear to struggle to live up to their ideals. Their society is based on war and combat; ritual suicide is often preferred over living life as a crippled warrior, and may allow a warrior to die with honor. To be captured rather than killed in battle brings dishonor to not only the captive but his descendants. Death is depicted as a time for celebration, not grief.
Klingons are depicted as a spiritual people. According to their legends, Klingons slew their own gods.
The equivalents to heaven and hell are called Sto-Vo-Kor and Gre'Thor, respectively; in Sto-Vo-Kor, battle and feasting can be eternally won and shared, while those sent to Gre'Thor are condemned to eternal torture unless their honor is restored by living relatives. Those who do not die in battle may not enter Sto-Vo-Kor; relatives undertake quests to guarantee their deceased comrades entry into paradise. Despite believing in an afterlife, the Klingons perform a form of last rite. This consists of spreading the eyes open, humming in anticipation of the final breath and roaring skywards when the warrior dies, warning the dead a Klingon warrior is coming (as shown in "
Heart of Glory
"Heart of Glory" is the twentieth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', first broadcast March 21, 1988. The story was created by Herbert Wright and D. C. Fontana ...
"). Yet Klingons have no burial rites, and dispose of corpses by the most expedient means available, considering them "empty shells".
The Klingons' spiritual leader is
Kahless
Kahless the Unforgettable ( ''Klingon'': qeylIS'e' lIjlaHbe'bogh vay') is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' universe. He is portrayed in ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' by Robert Herron and in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' by ...
, a messianic historical figure who established early codes of honor and was the first Klingon emperor. His fabled weapon, the Sword of Kahless, is depicted as a unique ''batleth'' that serves as the Klingon equivalent of the
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail (french: Saint Graal, br, Graal Santel, cy, Greal Sanctaidd, kw, Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miracul ...
. In the ''TNG'' episode "
Rightful Heir
Rightful Heir is the 149th episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', and the 23rd episode of the sixth season.
Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew ...
", Kahless appears in the flesh to Worf, who had doubted his Klingon faith. This Kahless is revealed to be a clone, created in an attempt to bring Klingons together, and who is chosen to lead the Klingon people as a figurehead.
Language
![Marc Okrand](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Marc_Okrand.jpg)
The Klingons have their own language that was developed for the feature films, often described as "guttural". For ''The Motion Picture'',
James Doohan
James Montgomery Doohan (; March 3, 1920 – July 20, 2005) was a Canadian actor, author and soldier, best known for his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the television and film series ''Star Trek''. Doohan's characterization of the Scottish ...
, the actor who portrayed
Montgomery Scott
Montgomery "Scotty" Scott is a fictional character in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. First portrayed by James Doohan in the original ''Star Trek'' series, Scotty also appears in the animated ''Star Trek'' series, 10 ''Star Trek' ...
, devised the initial Klingon-language dialogue heard in the film. For ''The Search for Spock'',
Marc Okrand
Marc Okrand (; born July 3, 1948) is an American linguist. His professional work is in Native American languages, and he is well known as the creator of the Klingon language in the ''Star Trek'' science fiction franchise.
Linguistics
As a ling ...
, who created the Vulcan dialogue used in the previous film, developed an actual working Klingon language based on Doohan's original made-up words.
Okrand was presented with a difficult task of contriving a language that sounded alien, while still simple enough for the actors to pronounce.
While most
constructed language
A constructed language (sometimes called a conlang) is a language whose phonology, grammar, and vocabulary, instead of having developed naturally, are consciously devised for some purpose, which may include being devised for a work of fiction. ...
s follow basic tenets of natural languages — for example, all languages have an "ah" sound — Okrand deliberately broke them. He chose the rarest form of sentence construction, the object-verb-subject form: the translation of the phrase "I boarded the ''Enterprise''", would be constructed as "The ''Enterprise'' boarded I." Okrand reasoned the language would be indicative of the culture - the Klingons' language focuses on actions and verbs, like Mongolian. Adjectives do not strictly exist; there is no word for "greedy", but there is a verb, ''qur'', which means "to be greedy".
[Edwards, 4.] The language does not contain the verb "to be", which meant Okrand had to create a workaround when director
Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer (born December 24, 1945) is an American writer and director, known for his best-selling novel ''The Seven-Per-Cent Solution'', and for directing the films ''Time After Time (1979 film), Time After Time'', two of the ''Star Trek'' ...
wanted his Klingons to quote Shakespeare and the famous line "
to be, or not to be
"To be, or not to be" is the opening phrase of a soliloquy given by Prince Hamlet in the so-called "nunnery scene" of William Shakespeare's play ''Hamlet'', Act 3, Scene 1. In the speech, Hamlet contemplates death and suicide, weighing the pa ...
" in ''The Undiscovered Country''.
Initially, Okrand came up with "to live or not live", but Plummer did not like the sound of the line. Okrand went back and revised the phrase to "''taH pagh, taHbe' ''", roughly meaning "whether to continue, or not to continue
xistence.
The Klingon language has a small vocabulary compared to natural languages, containing around 2,000 words after it had been created in the 1990s.
[Edwards, 5.] After its initial creation, Okrand has frequently created new words, so that the total number of words has grown up to approximately 3,000.
Okrand persuaded
Pocket Books
Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.
History
Pocket Books produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in the United States in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing in ...
to publish ''
The Klingon Dictionary
''The Klingon Dictionary (TKD)'' is a book by Marc Okrand describing the Klingon language. First published in 1985 and then again with an addendum in 1992, it includes pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. It has sold more than three hundred thou ...
'' in 1985; in it, Okrand elaborated on the Klingon language's grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. While Okrand expected the book to only sell as a novelty item, eleven years after publication it had sold 250,000 copies.
Dedicated Klingon enthusiasts, some but not all of whom were ''Star Trek'' fans, created the
Klingon Language Institute
The Klingon Language Institute (KLI) is an independent organization originally founded in Flourtown, Pennsylvania and now located in Kentucky. Its goal is to promote the Klingon language and culture.
General
The KLI has members from all over t ...
, which published multiple magazines in the language. While Paramount initially tried to stop the Institute from using its copyrighted language, the company eventually relented. The Institute has since published Klingon translations of ''
Hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'', ''
Much Ado About Nothing
''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...
'', ''
Tao Te Ching
The ''Tao Te Ching'' (, ; ) is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion d ...
'', ''
Gilgamesh
sux, , label=none
, image = Hero lion Dur-Sharrukin Louvre AO19862.jpg
, alt =
, caption = Possible representation of Gilgamesh as Master of Animals, grasping a lion in his left arm and snake in his right hand, in an Assyr ...
'', and has translations of some books from the Bible on its website.
The Bible proved to be difficult to translate, as Christian concepts like atonement—and words like God (until the recent addition of ''Qun'' meaning "god")—are not found in the Klingon vernacular. From time to time, Okrand has amended the "official" list of Klingon vocabulary due in part to requests from the Institute and other groups. Other Klingon groups run blood drives, bowling teams, and a golf championship.
The Klingon language's prevalence is not limited to books; a three-disc video game, ''
Star Trek: Klingon'', requires players to learn the language to advance. In May 2009, a joint collaboration between the KLI, Simon & Schuster, and
Ultralingua
Ultralingua is a single-click and drag-and-drop multilingual translation dictionary, thesaurus, and language reference utility. The full suite of Ultralingua language tools is available free online without the need for download and installati ...
launched the ''Klingon Language Suite'' for the
iPhone concurrent with the release of the new movie. The popularity of the language meant that in 1996 it was considered the fastest-growing constructed language, ahead of other languages such as
Tolkien's Elvish or
Esperanto
Esperanto ( or ) is the world's most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Created by the Warsaw-based ophthalmologist L. L. Zamenhof in 1887, it was intended to be a universal second language for international communi ...
. In 2018, the language learning app
Duolingo
Duolingo ( ) is an American educational technology company which produces learning apps and provides language certification.
On its main app, users can practice vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and listening skills using spaced repetition. D ...
added a Klingon language course, which is as of June 2022 is in Beta. While the language is widespread, mastery of the language is extremely uncommon. Okrand himself is not fluent, and the actors who speak the language in the ''Star Trek'' series are more concerned with its expression than the actual grammar.
According to the 2006 edition of
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
, Klingon is the most spoken fictional language by number of speakers, Klingon is one of many language interfaces in the
Google
Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. ...
search engine, and a Klingon character was included in the
Wikipedia logo
The logo of Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia, is an unfinished globe constructed from jigsaw pieces—some pieces are missing at the top—each inscribed with a glyph from a different writing system. As displayed on the web pages of the E ...
before its May 2010 update, when it was replaced by a
Geʿez character.
Starships
As the Klingons are portrayed as a warrior culture, Klingon starships are usually depicted as
warships
A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the armed forces of a state. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and ...
, heavily armed with a variety of
particle beam weapon
A particle-beam weapon uses a high-energy beam of atomic or subatomic particles to damage the target by disrupting its atomic and/or molecular structure. A particle-beam weapon is a type of directed-energy weapon, which directs energy in a part ...
ry and
antimatter warheads. Many Klingon ships also make use of
cloaking technology to hide the vessel from view. The first Klingon ship design used in ''The Original Series'', the D7-class battlecruiser, was designed by
Matt Jefferies
Walter Matthew Jefferies (August 12, 1921 – July 21, 2003) was an American aviation and mechanical artist, set designer, and writer. He is best known for his work on the original ''Star Trek'' television series, where he designed many of the s ...
to evoke a predator's shape akin to that of a
manta ray
Manta rays are large rays belonging to the genus ''Mobula'' (formerly its own genus ''Manta''). The larger species, '' M. birostris'', reaches in width, while the smaller, '' M. alfredi'', reaches . Both have triangular Pectoral fin#AnchPect ...
, providing a threatening and instantly recognizable form for viewers. The configuration of Jefferies' design featured a bulbous forward hull connected by a long boom to a wing-like main hull with the
engine nacelles mounted on each wingtip. Later Klingon starships by other designers kept to this same overall configuration, although updated to reflect their respective time periods:
Rick Sternbach
Richard Michael Sternbach (born 1951 in Bridgeport, Connecticut) is an illustrator who is best known for his space illustrations and his work on the ''Star Trek'' television series.
Early years
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1969 Sternbac ...
's designs for ''The Next Generation'' and ''Deep Space Nine'' drew on elements of Starfleet ships features to reflect the alliance between the Federation and the Klingons, while
John Eaves
John Eaves (born April 9, 1962) is a designer and illustrator best known for his work on the ''Star Trek'' franchise, starting with '' Star Trek V: The Final Frontier''. He served as a production illustrator on '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and ...
' designs for ''Enterprise'' incorporated more rugged and primitive construction to make the vessels appear consistent with the earlier time period.
Homeworld
The Klingon homeworld has been given several names; according to Marc Okrand, the planet would have been referred to in several ways, just as Earth is referred to variously as "the world" or "Terra". Early ''Star Trek'' literature referred to the planet as Klinzhai, but ''The Next Generation'' episode "Heart of Glory" called the planet Kling. The film ''
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' established the name as Kronos; Okrand later devised the Klingon transliteration "Qo'noS".
In ''
Star Trek Into Darkness
''Star Trek Into Darkness'' is a 2013 American science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. It is the 12th installment in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and the sequel to the 2 ...
'', the planet's name is both spelled and spoken by Starfleet personnel as Kronos.
According to the non-canon "Klingon for the Galactic Traveler", Qo'noS (said to be in the
Omega Leonis
ω Leonis (Latinised as Omega Leonis, abbreviated to ω Leo or Omega Leo), is a star system located in the zodiac constellation of Leo. It is visible to the naked eye in the absence of light pollution, with an apparent visual magnitude of ...
star system) is depicted as green when viewed from space. It includes a lone, huge
land mass
A landmass, or land mass, is a large region or area of land. The term is often used to refer to lands surrounded by an ocean or sea, such as a continent or a large island. In the field of geology, a landmass is a defined section of continental ...
with a vast
ocean
The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...
, a severely tilted axis that causes wild seasonal changes, a turbulent
atmosphere
An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A s ...
and extremes of both warm and frigid weather.
The planet is also home to the Capital City of the Klingon Empire, which features prominently in several episodes of ''The Next Generation'' and ''Deep Space Nine''. In ''
Star Trek Into Darkness
''Star Trek Into Darkness'' is a 2013 American science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. It is the 12th installment in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and the sequel to the 2 ...
'', one province of Qo'noS is depicted as an unpopulated and abandoned post-industrial sprawl. A moon,
Praxis
Praxis may refer to:
Philosophy and religion
* Praxis (process), the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practised, embodied, or realised
* Praxis model, a way of doing theology
* Praxis (Byzantine Rite), the practice of fai ...
, about 1/4 of the diameter of Qo'noS is seen in orbit. Its destruction was a plot point in the film ''The Undiscovered Country'', the after-effects driving the plot of the film and later events in the
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
series ''
Star Trek: The Next Generation''.
See also
*
Klingon High Council
In the fictional '' Star Trek'' universe the Klingon High Council (in Klingon tlhIngan yejquv) is the supreme ruling body of the Klingon Empire. The council meets at the Great Hall of the First City of the Klingon Empire on the planet Qo'noS (al ...
*
Klingon language
The Klingon language ( tlh, tlhIngan Hol, links=no, '' '': , ) is the constructed language spoken by a fictional alien race called the Klingons, in the ''Star Trek'' universe.
Described in the 1985 book ''The Klingon Dictionary'' by Marc Okra ...
*
Klingon grammar
The grammar of the Klingon language was created by Marc Okrand for the ''Star Trek'' franchise. He first described it in his book ''The Klingon Dictionary''. It is a nominative–accusative, primarily suffixing agglutinative language, and has an ...
* ''
The Klingon Way
''The Klingon Way: A Warrior's Guide'' (Klingon: ''tlhIngan tIgh: SuvwI' DevmeH paq'') is a 1996 book by the linguist Marc Okrand that was published by Pocket Books. ''The Klingon Way'' is a collection of proverbs and sayings in the constructed lan ...
''
*
Spartiate
A Spartiate (cf. its plural Spartiatae 'Spartans') spärshēˈātē(z)or Spartiate spärshēˌāt(from respectively the Latin and French forms corresponding to Classical- el, and pl. Σπᾰρτῐᾱ́ται) or ''Homoios'' (pl. ''Homoioi ...
Notes
References
*
*
*
* ''Star Trek'' cast and crew (2004). "Klingons: Conjuring the Legend." ''Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Special Collector's Edition'' Special Features.
isc 2/2; DVD
*
Further reading
*
*
External links
Klingon Language Institute authority for the Klingon language
{{Klingon
Television characters introduced in 1967
Fictional humanoids
Fictional warrior races
Fictional extraterrestrial life forms
Star Trek species