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Who is Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek?

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

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

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

Who Is Khan Noonien Singh In the Star Trek Canon?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Khan Noonien Singh

Khan Noonien Singh is the main antagonist of the Star Trek episode "Space Seed" and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the second installment in the Star Trek film series.

He is the ruthless and strategic leader of the Augments , who attempted to conquer humanity during the Eugenics Wars. After being discovered in cryosleep by the crew of the USS Enterprise in the far future, Khan attempted to seize control of the Enterprise alongside his men to build a new empire for himself, only to be defeated and exiled. Decades later, Khan would make a second bid for universal domination by taking control of the planet-terraforming Genesis device, while also seeking revenge on Admiral James T. Kirk for his previous defeat and the deaths of his men and wife . He is the archenemy of James T. Kirk .

He was portrayed by the late Ricardo Montalbán who also portrayed Vincent Ludwig in The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad! , Señor Senior, Senior in Kim Possible , and Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island .

• 1.1 Early History
• 1.2 Space Seed
• 1.3 Following 15 Years
• 1.4 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• 2 Personality
• 3.1 Arsenal
• 3.2 Weaknesses
• 4 Reception
• 5.1 Space Seed
• 5.2 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• 7 External links
• 8 Navigation

Biography [ ]

Early history [ ].

Hailing from Northern India, Khan was genetically engineered to be the perfect human (or "Augment") in the late 20th century Earth as part of "Project Khan." This project was led by Adam Soong and a number of other scientists. However, to the scientists that created the Augments failed to realize that this would breed arrogance and hubrism since they would believe that their powers makes them superior to all of humanity and that it was their right to subjugate them. Adam Soong's 22nd century descendant Arik Soong came to believe that the genetic engineering used in creating Khan had been faulty and that Khan and his followers suffered from personality disorders caused by neuro-chemical imbalances.

Khan himself became absolute ruler of a quarter of the world from Asia to Iraq between 1992 to 1996 and went to war with the United Nations in what became known as the Eugenics Wars. Though his bid for world domination failed, most of the Augements were dead but Khan and 94 of his followers managed to escape to space in the Botany Bay DY-100 starship and put themselves into cryogenic sleep where they remained for two hundred years. Prior to leaving Earth Khan fathered at least one child who remained behind on Earth when Khan went into exile, and Khan had descendants alive in the mid 23rd century. One of these descendants was Starfleet officer La'an Noonien-Singh .

By the mid 22nd century, Khan's escape on the Botany Bay with close to 100 of his followers was widely believed to have been mythical. Arik Soong doubted that the ship had even existed.

Space Seed [ ]

Khan in Space Seed.

In the year 2267, the Botany Bay was discovered drifting in space by the USS Enterprise . Initially believed to be a dormant threat, Captain Kirk put the ship on lockdown until they found the cryosleep pods. Khan was revived by the ship's historian, Marla McGivers , who wished to learn from him about the distant past. Initially confused, Khan asks where he is and Kirk tells him that he has slept for 200 years before having a medical team to the Enterprise's medical bay. Once there, even Doctor McCoy was amazed at his physical health since most people who slept for that long were anorexic wrecks by this point. As it turns out, 72 of his 84 followers survived the two centuries with 12 pods failing with Kirk still being amazed that Khan and his followers are still alive two hundred and eighty one years later. Shortly after Khan properly wakes up, which follows shortly after Kirk confronts McGiver for her lying about her feelings for Khan, he heard McCoy working in a backroom. He takes a medical knife from a wall mount and confronts McCoy after pretending to be asleep as McCoy checks on him. Khan pulls out his concealed knife and holds him at knife-point at which point he fully realizes that he is in the future (apparently thinking Kirk telling him that he was in the future occurred in his cryodream).

When McCoy decides to be coy and point out that he is in bed threatening to cut his doctor's throat, Khan is enraged but McCoy calls his bluff and points out the most effective way to kill him would be to cut the carotid artery behind his left ear. Apparently realizing that McCoy really isn't an enemy, Khan relents and admits that he is impressed with McCoy's bravery and finally learns where he is. Learning this, Khan asks for Kirk since he is the ship's superior officer and McCoy obliges with Kirk soon arriving and introducing himself though Khan dodges questions about his identity for obvious reasons. Khan asks for their destination (Starbase-12 in the Omega star system) and the status of his entourage (most still alive) although this still visibly upsets Khan due to being very close with them. He tells Kirk to revive them to which he is told when they reach Starbase 12 which Khan is visibly displeased by but finally introduces himself (albeit just as Khan). Once Kirk questions when he left off, only knowing it was in the 1990's, Khan feigns weariness and calls off the meeting for medical reasons. Though Kirk insists due to there not needing to be much explanation, Doctor McCoy cuts him off when he asks about why he went out on an expedition and tells him to wait until later. Before he is left alone however, he requests some reading material about the Enterprise to stave off his boredom. As it turns out, said reading material is a video about it although Khan's suspiciously snakeish thank you raises some suspicions.

Even without Khan's help, Spock deduces that Khan might be an Augment from the Eugenics Wars. Meanwhile, Marla McGivers meets Khan although he already knows of her thanks to McCoy. Immediately smitten, he starts flirting with her before inviting her to sit down even as he questions her on her hairstyle and remodels it to be more "flattering." Even as she tries to remain professional, having come to document the history of his crew for archiving, she becomes increasingly attracted to Khan and eventually falls in love with him. Later that night?, Khan (now in a yellow jumpsuit) finds Marla in her quarters and admires her artwork especially his admiration of Genghis Khan and Napoleon. He does get a shock though when he finds a painting of him much younger and cryptically warns her of the danger he poses before they kiss. Shortly after that, Khan sits down with the command crew of the Enterprise where he is once again confronted for his evading of questions and lack of mention in the history books. Spock confronts Khan for the actions of the Augments and Khan reveals how delusional he really is; stating he was trying to bring people together to prevent wars. After exchanging a look with Kirk, he tries to backtrack and say it was just other aspirations until Spock basically said to his face that he was a tyrant. Kirk confronts Khan for his militaristic terminology but decides to drop the matter since it would be improper in a get together to talk about topics so dark. Unfortunately for Khan, once he drops an off-hand comment about about social occasions being passive aggressive "wars" and that Kirk shouldn't be mincing his words, Kirk confronts him and says that it's very convenient that he left around the same time ninety Augments disappeared from the face of the Earth. Unfortunately for Khan, his follow-up statement about offering the world order gives away his real nature although this just impresses him more.

After departing the dinner for reasons of fatigue, he stands around outside only to be found by McGivers who apologizes to him for the confrontation but he shrugs it off since he is an enigma to them. After a bit more flirting, Khan tells her to stick around or go away but she decides to stay although he demands a firmer response than "can I stay?" which he gets. Taking her hand in his, Khan then reveals his real objective which is to commandeer the Enterprise . Although McGyner worries about people being hurt, Khan tells her to go away then so she accepts which pleases Khan greatly. Unfortunately for Khan, shortly afterwards, the Enterprise command crew discover Khan's true identity and have him arrested for crimes against humanity where Kirk quickly confronts him in his quarters. Khan initially feigns ignorance until Kirk reveals that he knows who he is which impresses Khan who then reveals his truly pompous and bigoted nature by insulting humans for being inferior and not "evolving" in 200 years. Kirk leaves but first angers Khan by saying he didn't answer his questions well. Unfortunately, once Kirk leaves, Khan uses his brute strength to pull the LOCKED door open and send the Red Shirt guarding the door flying. Khan wants to take the Enterprise and use it to create a colony for himself and whoever would follow him. The request for reading material was so that he can learn how to operate the Enterprise's controls. As he does so, McGivers takes control of the transporter room from the engineer guarding it with Khan then snapping his neck and taking his phaser. Presently, Khan wakes up the entirety of his crew and they take control of security command just as Kirk discovers his escape. Cutting off all doors and life support, Khan offers to negotiate with Kirk even as Spock fails to pump knockout gas into the air vents due to the computers being disabled. Even as Uhura fails to reach Starbase-12 and the air supply runs thin, Kirk refuses to surrender so Khan just sits and waits for them all to pass out before delivering a speech about obsolescence to the hostage McCoy, Uhura, Scotty and a Gold Shirt. He soon thinks McCoy is the communications officer and threatens Uhura when McCoy of course doesn't know how to work a viewing screen.

When that failed, Khan realized his mistake of killing the bridge crew as all he has done is create martyrs though he decides to blackmail them by saying "join me or the bridge crew die." Khan reveals his master plan which is to take control of the Enterprise and establish a colony for him and his followers. Unfortunately for Khan, he loses the connection to the bridge and decides to send Spock to his death in the decontamination chamber next only to lose contact with the guard. What Khan doesn't realize is that McGivers has turned turncoat on him now and has freed Kirk with the two of them knocking out Spock's escort. When knockout gas floods into the room he is hauled up in, Khan flees as his crew are knocked out and makes his way to engineering. Upon hearing over comms that Kirk is coming, he ambushes and takes Kirk's phaser and bends it into a horseshoe. Khan reveals via a blinking light that he plans on overloading the ship and killing everyone and himself on board. When Khan tries to stop it, they begin a slugfest which Khan easily wins due to his brute strength but Kirk uses a baton inside a console to beat Khan unconscious and they stop the overload. Later, with Khan's men in jail, the command crew of the Enterprise hold a makeshift trial in a courtroom to determine his fate. It is eventually decided that Khan and his followers just wanted peace so everyone agrees that Khan and his followers should go into exile on the paradisiacal and uninhabited planet Ceti Alpha V.

Following 15 Years [ ]

As it turns out, Khan seemed to reciprocate McGivers' feelings as he went on to marry her within half a year of "Space Seed." Six months after Khan's exile however, the nearby Ceti Alpha VI exploded, resulting in Ceti Alpha V's orbit being shifted drastically which turned the planet into a desert wasteland. The Augments were forced to haul up in the Botany Bay but were exposed to the native Centi Eels who secrete a substance that cause madness and eventually a very painful death. This was the fate which befell twenty of his followers, including (presumably) McGivers. This enraged Khan, who blamed Kirk for her death and swore one day to get revenge.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan [ ]

Khan in Star Trek II .

Fourteen years and six months after the desertification, making the year 2272, the starship USS Reliant arrived at Ceti Alpha V looking for a lifeless planet on which to test the Genesis Device. Said device was a bomb that one could drop on a planet to create life from nothing but dropping it on an already inhabited planet would result on the new life erasing the pre-existing life. The Reliant's commander, Captain Terrell, warped down with First Officer Pavel Chekov and ended up finding the sand locked Botany Bay. They didn't initially realize it until Chekov pulled away a curtain to reveal a shelf with "BOTANY BAY" carved into it it so rushed out to be warped out only to be ambushed and captured by Khan and his men who were off searching for good. Restrained in the Botany Bay, Khan (having worn a helmet up to this point to shield himself from the sandstorm outside) unmasks and Chekov recognizes him as Khan as well as Khan in return recognizing him.

It is at this point Terrell, after Khan mentions his grudge with Kirk, reveals that Captain Kirk has since become Admiral Kirk due to his intergalactic escapades in the intervening years much to Khan's chagrin. Khan expounds upon his past with Admiral Kirk whilst being surprised that Chekov never revealed his past only to scream at him when he commented that he was left on a paradise. Shortly after however, he realizes that they stumbled upon him by accident so he takes advantage of this by brainwashing them with native slugs. Using them, although it was done off-screen, Khan presumably has them all warped onto the USS Reliant at which point he takes control of it and sends all of the Reliant's crew bar Chekov and Terrell down to Centi Alpha V. Hearing of the Genesis Device from his brainwashed duo, he decides to take it for himself so has Chekov inform the space station Regula 1 that they've found the planet empty and are coming which Khan oversees. What Khan doesn't foresee is that Carol Markus, creator of Genesis, also informs Kirk of how strange this all is and he arrives to investigate.

On his way to Regula 1, one of Khan's followers named Joachim (who is his helmsman and right-hand man) stands up to Khan to question He decides to use the Genesis Device in his plan of vengeance against Kirk, who had since been promoted to Rear Admiral. He attacks Regula I, kills everyone that he finds, but is unable to find the Genesis Device or Karol Markus as both have beamed down under the surface of the moon below Regula 1. He then confronts Kirk, having recognized his ship from their last encounter, plays it cool as he approaches Enterprise before delivering one of his most famous lines about being "one big happy fleet." Though suspicious of their lack of communications, a bridge member sends a message about engine issues though Spock registers that their fuel emissions are normal.

Unfortunately, by this point, the Reliant is so close that missing is impossible and Khan annihilates the Enterprise and kills much of it's crew with one salvo. Deciding to make himself known, Khan confronts Kirk via view-screen and reveals his mission of vengeance at which point Kirk asks to spare the crew managed to hack into the Reliant's computer and shut down its shields using codes designed to prevent a starship from being used against the Federation. Unable to raise their ships, the Reliant is then devastated by the Enterprise's phasers at which point Khan demands revenge. Joachim has to grab a hold of him and remind him that the Enterprise is crippled so isn't going anywhere but another attack is suicidal without their shields. Listening to his right hand man, Khan withdraws behind the moon.

Khan is not seen again for another fifteen minutes when Kirk tells Spock (acting captain of the Enterprise) to flee signal jamming range to alert Star Fleet should they be unable to return. Chekov and Terrell turn on Kirk shortly thereafter and Khan hacks their communicator to reveal his control over them and orders the two to kill Kirk but Terrell kills himself and Chekov's mind bug is obliterated. Grabbing his communicator, Kirk rips into Khan (to the latter's disgust) and calls him a bloodsucker and that he is always trying and failing to kill Kirk. However, a very smug Khan reveals his goal to trap Kirk underground forever on the moon that Regula I was orbiting. This prompts Kirk to scream "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNN!!!" at the top of his lungs into his transmitter but Khan just signs off and prepares to leave with Genesis. Unfortunately for Khan, Kirk was bluffing in his call to Spock and is later safely beamed back aboard the Enterprise after a heart to heart with his son and away team.

Upon reentering the Enterprise, Kirk decides to take away Khan's superior maneuverability by entering the Mutara Nebula which renders all tracking materials useless. Khan is initially hesitant but Kirk contacts him directly and mocks his self proclaimed "superior intellect." Annoyed, Khan orders full throttle but Joachim speaks up against him this time since this would take away their advantage and points out that he has Genesis and can blackmail the Federation for whatever he wishes.

In response, Khan grabs Joachim by the chin, screams in his face, damns him to Hell, throws him across the Reliant's bridge, and initiates full impulse power himself. Unfortunately for Khan, Joachim proves to be right in his prediction when Kirk's experience fighting blind allows him to sneak up behind the Reliant undetected and devastate it. Khan survives the initial hit but everyone else on the ship is killed, including Joachim. Even after his right hand man spoke up against him, Khan still cradles Joachim as he died and swears revenge but the Enterprise lands a devastating torpedo hit to the bridge shortly thereafter. Though fatally wounded, and with his face half melted off, Khan activates the Genesis Device in a last-ditch attempt to kill Kirk before collapsing flat on his back and dying. The Genesis effect then destroyed his body, killed any last members of his crew, and destroyed the Reliant.

Despite Khan's last ditch attempt, Kirk and the Enterprise got away safely although Spock had to sacrifice his life to save his crew-mates by sorting out the power cells and getting a massive dose of radiation. The activation of the Genesis Device led to the creation of the Genesis Planet where Spock's torpedo landed and led to the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

That particular cadet cruise became infamous both to the survivors and following classes of cadets. In the years following Khan's 2284 attack on the Enterprise Starfleet adapted the attack into a simulated mission given to command school students. That mission involved the escape of a former Starfleet officer named Jacob McNeil from prison. McNeil and his compatriots then hijacked a Miranda -class ship and used it to attack the students who had been sent to investigate a loss of communication between Starfleet and the ship. (Those who knew the specifics of Khan's attack found the situation with an uncommunicative Miranda -class ship to be very familiar).

Khan's actions had left a lasting impression on how genetic engineering in the Federation was conducted. On Earth genetic engineering for any reason was illegal. Any genetically enhanced person was barred from serving in Starfleet or practicing medicine. When the Federation was formed, a limited exception to allow for correction of serious birth defects was put in place to placate worlds such as Denobula due to the reluctance of such worlds to join a government that completely banned engineering. This did not stop some parents from trying to "improve" their children, however such parents often went to disreputable providers who wound up the children to have lifelong physical and mental issues.

The ban was somewhat relaxed in the 24th century to allow some geneticists to conduct research, despite the concerns of some in Starfleet that it would cause more problems than it would solve. This was borne out when the research caused the crew of a Starfleet vessel to rapidly age and die when exposed to the children of the geneticists, who had been given an "improved" immune system that actively sought out and destroyed viruses.

By the 2370s the ban was being enforced on a more stringent basis. Julian Bashir, Chief Medical Officer of Deep Space 9, was discovered to be an Augment like Khan. However, his career was saved, when father Richard confessed to having the enhancements done in exchange for his son being able to stay in Starfleet and practice medicine. Richard was sentenced to two years a Federation penal colony in New Zealand. Julian suggested to Rear Admiral Bennett the sentence was harsh, but the admiral disagreed, elaborating in the following quote where he states that, whilst he emerged as a good person, there's always a very bad egg like Khan waiting in the wings.

In an alternate reality, Kirk and the Enterprise crew encountered a version of Khan indigenous to that universe. During a battle with that Khan, Spock contacted Spock Prime (the Spock encountered by this iteration of Khan) about the original Khan and was told of his prime-self's death whilst escaping the Genesis Device. This allowed Kelvin Timeline Spock to eventually save Kirk (who died from irradiation like Spock Prime) and even Khan who was imprisoned in stasis pods indefinitely.

Personality [ ]

Khan was a psychopathic and violent war criminal who would even risk his life to get revenge on his enemies. Khan always tried to maintain an absolute calm demeanor but would snap and yell whenever his ideology was challenged. He was a pure sadist, taking great joy in trapping and stripping Kirk of all that he holds dear and having no qualms about murdering the entire crew of the Enterprise (about four hundred people) if it meant he also killed Kirk. Though Khan was arrogant and hotheaded, he was respectful to those who showed genuine bravery and resourcefulness when confronted by danger as shown with McCoy. Khan was also not stupid and knew that giving away his full name would get him thrown in the brig for war crimes given the vast records of the Eugenics Wars that wouldn't be that hard for the Enterprise crew to discover. Even so, when he was discovered, he revealed himself to be a fascist believing that he gave the world peace and order when he actually brought chaos and destruction. Even in spite of his true nature, Khan was always well spoken and extremely polite even after being arrested. Khan was at his core a pompous bigot who often treated those he considered inferior to him like impotent children to be talked down to as demonstrated when he was confronted by Kirk in his quarters.

By the time of Star Trek II , Khan had gone mad with grief and lost much of his calm demeanor and polite attitude in favor of barely concealed contempt and passive aggressiveness. Although he was somewhat bipolar before being exiled, it was dialed up to 11 when he went mad. In his introductory scene in the movie for example, Khan starts off as dismissive and almost bored before screaming in anger when Chekov pointed out that he was supposed to be on Centi Alpha 5. Unlike most other typical revenge based criminals though, Khan was almost completely calm although his temper often flared up whenever he was losing or someone spoke against him. He was traitorous and merciless but showed intense loyalty to his crew (nearly being brought visibly to tears even after hearing that all but twelve made it) as they did to him since they were stuck alone on Centi Alpha 5 for fifteen years. Khan tolerated even helmsman Joachim questioning him as long as it wasn't open defiance and was more playful questioning.

Khan's biggest fault, however, was his ruthless and single minded way of doing things, being completely overwhelmed since he was used to fighting one on one instead of from any given angle and refusing to abandon Kirk even though he had every chance of leaving and settling down.

Powers and Abilities [ ]

• Master Strategist : Khan was learned in space combat and strategy, shown throughout The Wrath of Khan.
• Acting : Khan was able to convince the Enterprise crew that he was a good person until he tried to overthrow them.
• Enhanced Strength : Like all Augments, Khan had superhuman strength far superior to that of any human or even Augment. Khan was able to rip open his locked quarters door with some effort, snap an engineer's neck by lightly pushing his palms against the guy's neck, bend a phaser into a horseshoe shape with ease, lift Chekov right off the ground with one hand and hold him there, and lug around a giant piece of debris with little effort.
• Enhanced Durability : Like all Augments, Khan could withstand immense amounts of damage with complete ease, shrugging off jumps kicks and punches from Kirk and not getting a scratch on him when the Reliant's bridge took a direct hit from the Enterprise's lasers. It took a direct hit from a proton torpedo to kill him.
• Enhanced Regeneration : Like all Augments, Khan was engineered with enhanced blood platelets which carried a superior healing factor than humans. As noted by Doctor McCoy in "Space Seed," his regeneration was incredible in allowing him to recover from the two hundred years of cryosleep.
• Hair Styling : In one of his stranger abilities, Khan was a talented hair stylist as he quickly and easily remodeled McGiver's hair in less than thirty seconds.
• Expert Combatant : Khan's augmentations, intelligence and strategic abilities made him an awesome fighter, as he used his brute strength and durability to overwhelm an opponent, but also relies on the overconfidence of his opponents.

Arsenal [ ]

• Fists : Although typically unarmed, Khan was an extremely skilled hand to hand combatant able to overwhelm Khan with his bare hands.
• Knife : Khan used a knife to threaten Doctor McCoy.

Weaknesses [ ]

• Inflections : Khan was a virtually flawless actor but his evil inflections had a habit of making people very suspicious of him. Likely due to being a former dictator and not having to ask for things rather than just demanding them, he couldn't even say "thank you" convincingly.
• Arrogance and Hubris : Khan's greatest flaw was his overly arrogant and pompous attitude which assumed his superiority in all situation and his rivalry with Kirk was ultimately his undoing since he pursued him into an area he would be unable to exploit just to end their battle.
• One Track Mind : Khan's signature battle technique was a full on frontal attack using overwhelming force to decimate his enemies. However, fighting in the Mutara Nebula removed this advantage due to rendering all tracking technology useless and allowed Kirk to defeat him.
• Two Dimensional Thinking : When fighting with the USS Reliant , Khan tended to not think of the three dimensional aspects of space combat. Admiral Kirk used this to his advantage, lowering the USS Enterprise by 10,000 meters. Unaware the Enterprise had slipped below him, Khan continued to search while the Enterprise came up behind the Reliant and launched a devastating attack on the ship that nearly destroyed the ship.

Reception [ ]

• Khan is considered the most popular villain of the Star Trek franchise as he went from the generic threat of the week to one of the most highly regarded villains of science fiction as a whole. Montalban's performance has been universally praised for being intense and menacing but also fun to watch and highly quotable.
• Despite this, Khan is the most prominent individual antagonist and never redeems himself whereas the Klingons would go on to become allies to the Federation after the events of Star Trek VI .
• Khan was selected to be the second Star Trek film's villain as the director, Nicholas Meyer, felt the original film lacked a decent villain (given the "main villain" of Star Trek: The Motion Picture was V'Ger , a sentient satellite who was not actually evil).
• Walter Koenig (who played Chekov) has often joked that his character had made Khan wait overly long to use a bathroom on Khan's visit to the Enterprise and that was why Khan remembered his face so well.
• This seems to have been very intentional given that he fought in the Eugenics Wars. Eugenics was a special form of selective breeding, the concept itself originating with Plato, and while historically present in the UK, Europe, and the progressives in the USA (e.g. Buck v. Bell), positive (i.e. organized and often non-voluntary), eugenics is today most associated with the Nazi regime, whose numerous crimes against humanity shortly resulted in the decline and fall of eugenics as a morally acceptable means of improving the human condition. Ironically, in-universe, the UN International Bioethics Committee in 2015 distinguished between genetic engineering for human improvement from the eugenics of the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries.
• Khan is Indian whereas Ricardo Montalban was of Mexican descent.
• It is also not a coincidence that the other two books he had were Paradise Lost and King Leer which are stories about the villain seeking revenge.
• It also that it is not a coincidence that Sikh was a monotheistic religion originates in the Punjab section of India and Khan was "born" in Northern India.
• Kirk and Khan never share a physical interaction in The Wrath of Khan , only talking to each other through the teleprompter and communicators. This was because William Shatner and Ricardo Montalban never interacted on set due to Montalban filming Fantasy Island.

External links [ ]

• Khan Noonien Singh on the Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki
• Khan Noonien Singh on the Wikipedia

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Khan Noonien Singh

Character » Khan Noonien Singh appears in 74 issues .

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

Summary short summary describing this character..

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Star Trek: Khan

Original Crew

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

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

Genetic Engineering

Records of the period, including Khan's origins, are fragmentary and therefore vague. He was the product of a selective-breeding and genetic-engineering scientific program, based on the eugenics philosophy that held improving the capabilities of a man improved the entire Human race.

Augments produced by the program possessed physical strength and analytical capabilities considerably superior to ordinary Humans, and were "engineered" from a variety of Earth 's ethnic groups. Khan's background was suspected to be Sikh, from the northern region of India .

The Eugenics Wars

Khan lived up to the axiom coined by one of his creators, "superior ability breeds superior ambition" . By 1993, a wave of the genetic "supermen", including Khan, had simultaneously assumed control of more than forty of Earth's nations. From 1992 to 1996, Khan was absolute ruler of more than one-quarter of Earth's population, including the regions of Asia and the Middle East. Considered "the best of tyrants" , he severely curtailed the freedoms of his subjects, but his reign was an exception to similar circumstances in Earth history – lacking internal massacres or wars of aggression. In the mid 1990s, the Augment tyrants began warring among themselves. Other nations combined their efforts to force them from power in a series of struggles that became known as the Eugenics Wars. Eventually, most of the tyrants were defeated and their territory recaptured, but as many as ninety "supermen" were never accounted for.

Khan escaped the wars and their consequences along with 84 followers (including Joachim, Joaquin, Kati, Ling, McPherson, Otto, and Rodriguez) who swore to live and die at his command. He saw his best option in a risky, self-imposed exile. In 1996, he took control of a DY-100-class interplanetary sleeper ship he christened the SS Botany Bay , named for the site of the Australian penal colony. Set on a course outbound from Earth's solar system, but with no apparent destination in mind, Khan and his people remained in suspended animation for Botany Bay's centuries-long sublight journey.

“We offered the world order!”

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

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

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

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

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

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

"I've done far worse than kill you...I've hurt you. And I wish to go on hurting you. I shall leave you as you left me – as you left her – marooned for all eternity at the center of a dead planet. Buried alive...buried alive!"

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

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

Personality

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

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

Characteristics

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

Skills and Abilities

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

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

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

Alternate Versions

Children of khan.

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

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

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

Into Darkness

"You think your world is safe? It is an illusion, a comforting lie told to protect you. Enjoy these final moments of peace, for I have returned, to have my vengeance."

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

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

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

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

Weaponry and Equipment

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

Other Media

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

Khan is portaged by actor Ricardo Montalbán .

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Khan is portaged by actor Benedict Cumberbatch .

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

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

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Why Khan Noonien Singh Casts A Shadow Over The Entire Star Trek Universe

According to its own mythology, the utopia of "Star Trek" had to be earned. Sometime between the present day and the franchise's idyllic future, several destructive wars will break out, causing humankind to experience a reckoning. Recall that Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was born in 1921, so he had very sharp memories of World War II and all of the horrors it produced. Roddenberry came to feel that humanity ought to learn from such horrors, and began to depict war — at least in "Star Trek" — as humanity's "low point." Once faced with self-destruction, Roddenberry felt, humans would eventually set themselves on the path to healing and recovery. 

It was antithetical, then, for Roddenberry to depict the character of Khan Noonien Singh ( Ricardo Montalbán ) the way he did. In the "Star Trek" episode "Space Seed" (February 16, 1967), the Enterprise rescues Khan from a cargo ship called the Botany Bay. Khan and several of his compatriots were in cryogenic sleep, having fled Earth about 200 years previous, fleeing extradition. Khan, you see, was one of Earth's most famous dictators during the Eugenics Wars. He had conquered most of the planet with the aid of his genetically enhanced retinue. Khan was confident, forthright, and convinced of his innate superiority, qualities that — bafflingly — Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and the ship's historian Lieutenant McGivers (Madlyn Rhue) greatly admired. 

"Star Trek" may have been a pacifist show at its heart, but too often the characters stood in unironic awe of violent military commanders. McGivers especially folded to his charms. It was a little gross.

Although Khan left the show after "Space Seed," he would return in cinematic form. From 1982 onward, Khan would alter "Star Trek" forever, both for better and for worse.

The impact of Khan

In "Space Seed," Khan, seeing an opportunity to begin his old nation-conquering habits again, tried to take over the Enterprise. Kirk and Spock outwit him, knock out his genetically enhanced retinue, and wrest back control of the ship. Rather than punish Khan for his malfeasance, however, Kirk gives the villain an ultimatum: can he create the ideal society he's always dreamed of on an uninhabited planet somewhere? Khan accepts the challenge, and he is left on a planet called Ceti Alpha V to build his masterpiece society. Khan was out of sight and out of mind. 

Until the release of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" in 1982. In the film, it was revealed that shortly after Khan arrived, Ceti Alpha V experienced a massive natural cataclysm that transformed it into an inhospitable desert world. For decades, Khan and his retinue lived huddled in a ship, barely surviving, growing increasingly preoccupied with getting revenge on Kirk. Over the course of "Star Trek II," Khan commandeers a Starfleet vessel called the U.S.S. Reliant and goes hunting for Kirk, now an admiral. Kirk, meanwhile, is going through a midlife crisis wherein he finally faces the consequences of several forgotten transgressions. Khan is the personification of Kirk's absent-mindedness; he never bothered to check in on Khan. 

Popular opinion typically dictates that "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is the best of the 13 extant "Star Trek" movies. Montalbán brings a glorious, melodramatic oomph to his performance that thrills audiences and handily balances Shatner's occasional tendency to play Kirk as larger-than-life. He is a great "Star Trek" villain. 

But then, that's a problem. Since when was "Star Trek" about "heroes" and "villains"? Since 1982, it seems. Ordinarily, Trek is more morally nuanced than that.

Moral absolutism

Throughout its history — and throughout the 1990s in particular — "Star Trek" writers have often bent over backward to present dramas with a palpable element of moral ambiguity. It's rare that a character will be presented as wholly heroic or villainous, as that's not true to life; heroes and villains don't exist. Only people. People of all walks may commit acts of heroism, or even acts of villainy, all the while convinced that what they're doing is right and correct. "Star Trek" analyzes human values and philosophies, and attempts to find a careful middle ground within a matrix of diplomacy and pragmatism. Justice and morality are more nuanced than "good" vs. "evil." In Trek, conflicts are rarely solved by a hero besting a villain in violent combat. That's "Star Wars" stuff. 

But, it cannot be denied that such conflicts are exciting, easy to consume, and imminently cinematic. On TV, Trek could afford a slower pace and episodes that centered on conversation and philosophy. On the big screen, however, everything needs to wrap up more dramatically and tidily. As such, most of the "Star Trek" movies are a lot more action-forward than anything on TV. And when the franchise discovered the effectiveness of Khan as a "Star Trek" supervillain, they hit a groove. A charismatic villain who wants personal revenge on a Starfleet captain? Bully! Let's do that as often as we can get away with. Also, more shooting and yelling and space battles and explosions.

By the early 1990s, a fan consensus began to form around the first six Trek movies, and many agreed that "Wrath of Khan" was the best. The franchise soon began to imitate it, looking for their next Khan.

The revenge quartet

It's telling that four Trek films in a row — "Star Trek: Nemesis," the 2009 film, "Star Trek Into Darkness," and "Star Trek Beyond" — all centered on vengeance-obsessed villains. The third season of "Star Trek: Picard" also retreaded the concept. In "Nemesis," Shinzon (Tom Hardy) wanted to kill Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) because he was cloned from Picard's DNA. Shinzon's ship and the Enterprise-E ended the film facing off in a nebula, just like in "Wrath of Khan." In the 2009 film, a Romulan named Nero (Eric Bana) sought revenge on Spock. In "Darkness," Khan was resurrected in a parallel universe form, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. He still wanted revenge. "Beyond" was about Kroll (Idris Elba) a man who came to hate being abandoned by the Federation — just like in "Wrath of Khan." 

And "Picard," made 41 years after "Wrath of Khan," still followed a lot of the same beats. Vadic (Amanda Plummer) was a dark, vengeful villain with an overpowered ship. "Picard" even went so far as to borrow music cues directly from "Khan" to invite comparison. 

Again: a supervillain is a dramatically satisfying archetype, especially in your typical Hollywood melodrama. Their villainy is easy to understand, and the means to stop them clear (usually violence). Seeing a bad guy get murdered is cathartic. But seeing Khan as a "villain" was the wrong lesson to have taken from "Star Trek II." In a more sane Trek plot, Kirk would find a way to give Khan what he wanted and talk his way out of the problem. The villains in all the above movies have legitimate grievances, and TV "Star Trek" would spend more time addressing and repairing said issues. 

Khan's shadow is long, and his legacy is simultaneously fun and very, very unfortunate.