If Khan defeated Kirk in TWOK

Setting off the torpedo in close proximity to Earth would have been catastrophic. That was a mammoth blast going on in the nebula. If Earth had been on the receiving end of that, Khan would have wiped it out, and humanity would have been an endangered species. Not to mention the UFP would have been seriously compromised. Even in death, Khan could have destroyed everything Kirk stood for and left what was left behind at the mercy of their enemies.

No matter how a Khan victory scenario could have played out, I can't see it ending well for the UFP in any case. Khan would have done them serious damage had Kirk not taken him down.

 

As many colonies as Earth has I wouldn't call them endangered even if you wiped out Earth. No longer dominant would be more appropriate.

 

Khan left Earth in disgust of normal humans. Why would he come back? I imagine he would try and conquer other worlds. Reliant would be his flagship/pirateship. (Until he ditched it when it was less useful, like he had no problem doing with the Botany Bay.)

 

We don't know if firing on it before its armed would cause a Genesis Reaction. For all we know, you could blow reliant ot of the stars and go get a cup of coffee. Neither Carol or David seemed concerned during the battle about Enterprise firing on Reliant.

 

Khan was run off of Earth because they (the supermen) lost. He had a score to settle with Earth and likely would've went out in a blaze of stupidity.

 

Wait, what?
You mean Khan is the kind of guy to hold a grudge?
Noooooooo way!

 

lol, true. But at that point everyone who has ever opposed Khan in the 1990s is long dead, what would he want with the planet itself?

Plus, Kirk really pissed him off. He never bothered to check their progress.

 

Why would Khan care if his old enemies are dead? He still wants to rule and Earth is his home and the center of the Federation.

 

Khan wasn't stupid, and he had a starship crewed by a handful of supermen, coupled with potentially the most powerful weapon/technology in known space. The truth--that it was ONLY a weapon because of the protomatter--would only help him.

I think he could have carved out an empire for himself somewhere, and with Earth wiped out because it lacked humpback whales, then of course the Klingon Empire screwed over after Praxis, he'd be in a nice position to create and hold such an empire. Details? Don't know enough of 'em.

 

It's fiction,make them up. He'd have to deal with the Romulans most likely. Though they might be busy looting the Klingons. Though the idea that any galactic society would collapse because one planet (even the capitol) is damaged/destroyed is odd.

 

Collapse, no. But if (for example) the Human and Klingon homeworlds were both destroyed within a few years of each other, then both the Federation and the Klingon Empire would suffer. For one thing, the Federation Council as well Starfleet Academy would be gone!

 

You elect a new Council and build a new Academy. IIRC, the Academy has off world facilities as well.

 

I was under the impression Praxis only exploded because of overmining to fuel the Klingon war machine. If that's the case, with Earth wiped out by the whale probe, maybe they dialed back the mining and Praxis wouldnt explode.

 

Whatever the writers may have come up with...

 

Nothing really changes, except man, who changes very little, which is why Khan and the augments are going to rule the universe?

 

I'd be surprised if the Federation doesn't have a plan for the continuation of government should something catastrophic happen to the capital and Federation council.

Especially since it seems like Earth is threatened by something that will wipe out all life on a monthly basis.

 

Yeah, but let us not pretend this doesn't HURT the Federation something fierce. Which was all I'm saying.

 

But how badly is debatable? The worst damage would likely be from a morale standpoint.

 

A big chunk of senior management of both Starfleet and the Federation were just lost. As well as the teaching staff at the Academy. Add to that the financial whack from the loss of billions of people as well as the infrastructure of an entire fully inhabited planet.

Maybe the morale would be worse, but if so then the Federation's morale just took a truly gigantic hit. This would be many times worse than Pearl Harbor or 9/11. While I don't think this would come anywhere near destroying the UFP, it would certainly damage it. Think what it would mean to a large nation here on Earth--the total loss of a capital city, which also happens to contain the nation's military academy (the equivalent of Annapolis or West Point) and is a major city in its own right. Not a death blow, but a severe wound. Not least to the economy.