How The Impact of Wrath of Khan Forever Altered the Star Trek Film Franchise
Discover the influential impact of Wrath of Khan on Star Trek movies Uncover how this iconic film shaped the creation of villains in the franchise
Article Overview
"Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" set the gold standard for every Star Trek movie villain to follow, with Ricardo Montalbán's menacing performance as Khan.
The success of "The Wrath of Khan" resulted in Paramount's requirement for similar villainous characters in every Star Trek film, thereby restricting the creative freedom of future movies.
Numerous villains and storylines in the Star Trek film franchise have been remade or influenced by Khan, showcasing the long-standing influence of this character.
In the oral history book "The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek" by Peter Holmstrom, Ronald D. Moore praises Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan as a "classic" and "a fan's dream" that successfully works on all levels. However, Moore also acknowledges the detrimental effect this film had on subsequent Star Trek movies. Paramount consistently insisted that each film include a villain similar to Khan, creating a negative impact. Moore's perspective on this issue is expressed in the following quote:
It is the one that is consistently referred to, albeit in a negative manner. This is because one could argue that the impact of Wrath of Khan permanently influenced the direction of all subsequent Star Trek films. With the exception of IV, the films sought to replicate the presence of a villain similar to Khan. I cannot emphasize enough how often I heard the question, "Who is the Khan in this movie?" Thus, the focus shifted towards replicating that particular storyline.
As the co-writers of Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact, Moore and Brannon Braga indeed introduced their own "Khans" in the form of Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell) and the Borg Queen (Alice Krige).
Star Trek Movies & TV Have Continually Remade Wrath of Khan
Most Star Trek movie villains are made in Khan's mold.
In addition to being influenced by Khan, most Star Trek movies have also made attempts to recreate the success of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. For example, Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002 followed a similar pattern by featuring a villain named Shinzon who sought vengeance against Captain Jean-Luc Picard and resulted in the sacrifice of Lt. Commander Data, just like Spock's sacrifice in Star Trek II. Similarly, Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013 can be seen as a distorted remake of The Wrath of Khan, where Captain James T. Kirk sacrifices himself while Spock thwarts the plans of Khan.
There have been several other Star Trek movie villains who have emulated the iconic character of Khan following Ricardo Montalbán's portrayal. These include Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Sybok in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, General Chang in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Dr. Tolian Soran in Star Trek Generations, The Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact, Ru'afo in Star Trek: Insurrection, Nero in Star Trek (2009), and Krall in Star Trek Beyond. Captain Vadic in Star Trek: Picard season 3 and Nicholas Locarno in the season 4 finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks also exemplify Khan-like traits. Furthermore, Khan himself even makes a cameo appearance as a young boy in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, proving that the fascination with Khan continues four decades after his debut in the Star Trek franchise.
Source: "The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek" by Peter Holmstrom
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I have a unique perspective on the impact of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" on the Star Trek film franchise. While I appreciate the film's classic status and its contributions to the franchise, I also recognize the limitations it imposed on subsequent movies. The requirement for every Star Trek film to include a villain similar to Khan restricted creative freedom and resulted in repetitive storylines.
Despite its negative influence, "The Wrath of Khan" undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the franchise. The character of Khan remains iconic, and his impact can be seen in numerous villains and storylines throughout the Star Trek film series. However, I believe it is time for the franchise to move beyond the shadow of Khan and explore new and original villains and storylines. By doing so, Star Trek can continue to evolve and appeal to new generations of fans while still honoring its rich history.
