Unveiling Star Trek's Mysterious Super Soldier Serum: The Shocking Truth Behind Klingon Killers

Summary

Protocol 12 grants temporary enhancements in strength, stamina, and pain endurance, equipping users with the ability to overpower even the fiercest Klingon warriors.

Despite Starfleet ceasing its utilization, Dr. M'Benga persistently concocted Protocol 12, employing it with the intention of exacting revenge upon the Klingon high command located on J'Gal.

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 8 titled "Under the Cloak of War," Dr. Joseph M'Benga, Nurse Christine Chapel, and Lt. Erica Ortegas find themselves confronting past traumas as Klingon Ambassador Dak'Rah boards the USS Enterprise. As Klingon War veterans, they are deeply disturbed by Dak'Rah's newfound status as a diplomat despite his notorious reputation as the "Butcher of J'Gal." However, Dr. M'Benga holds a crucial secret – Dak'Rah is not who he claims to be. Utilizing his knowledge of Starfleet's super soldier serum, Protocol 12, M'Benga's own involvement in J'Gal comes to light.

Strange New Worlds’ Klingon Killing Super Soldier Serum Explained

Protocol 12, the super soldier serum in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, enhances the body with a surge of adrenaline and pain inhibitors. Dr. M'Benga, with firsthand knowledge, firmly stated that Protocol 12 is detrimental to one's health. Temporarily bolstering strength and endurance, Protocol 12 enables humans to withstand pain and overpower Klingon warriors. Before assuming the alias of "the Ghost" during the Klingon War, Dr. M'Benga earned the reputation of having the highest number of confirmed kills among Starfleet Officers. In episode 8 of season 2, flashbacks on the moon of J'Gal revealed that Protocol 12 had already been discontinued by Starfleet.

Despite Starfleet's abandonment of Protocol 12, Dr. M'Benga possesses the knowledge to produce the serum and continues to do so. During the evacuation on J'Gal, M'Benga had Protocol 12 and even provided some to Nurse Christine Chapel to aid her escape. The season 2 premiere of Strange New Worlds disclosed that M'Benga still creates Protocol 12 aboard the USS Enterprise, ensuring its presence during the Cajitar IV mission where confrontation with Klingons was anticipated. Fortunately, Protocol 12 does not appear to be addictive, but its usage by Chapel and M'Benga consistently had the intention of engaging with Klingon adversaries.

How Dr. M’Benga Used Protocol 12 To Become The Butcher of J’Gal

Dr. M'Benga initially refused to resume his violent and deadly actions on J'Gal, fearful that he had become a monster due to the war and his use of Protocol 12. He wanted to be seen solely as a doctor, hoping his family would still recognize him. However, the escalating Klingon violence and the slaughter of non-Klingons on J'Gal pushed M'Benga to his breaking point. In order to retaliate against the Klingon high command led by General Dak'Rah, M'Benga utilized Protocol 12 and eliminated Dak'Rah's inner circle, although the General managed to escape.

Surprisingly, Dak'Rah deceitfully claimed responsibility for the killings, adopting the title of the "Butcher of J'Gal." This false narrative allowed Dak'Rah to present himself to the Federation as a reformed Klingon seeking peace. Little did he know that he would later encounter the true "Butcher of J'Gal," Dr. M'Benga, and meet his demise at M'Benga's hands aboard the USS Enterprise years later. By discontinuing Protocol 12 prior to the events on J'Gal, Starfleet ensures that Star Trek canon remains consistent, as the super soldier serum is never mentioned during the Klingon War in Star Trek: Discovery. The creation and significance of Protocol 12 are intertwined with the history of Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.