Spoilers: The "bad guy" wasnt really who he said he was!

You know all the hubub about how Khan looks different in the new movie? Well there is one simple explanation: the character we saw in "Into Darkness" wasnt really Khan! Who was he? This guy:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Joachim

Notice the similarity of appearance between that picture and Benedict Cumberbatch?

So here is what happens: section 31 find the Botany Bay, and awakens Joachim(but has no idea what his name really is). He asks them where he is and what is going on, and they explain it is 300 years since he was frozen and that they are looking for Khan. Now remember, this guy is a devious super-intelligent bad guy. What does he say? Simple: He tells them HE is Khan!


So there you have it! Problem solved. At least, thats my theory and I'm sticking to it.

 

Here's a less convoluted solution to said 'hubbub'. . . Two words for you: Plastic. Surgery.

Any other 'hubbub' that needs a solution? I'm sure we can think of it.


~FS

 

The only way he isn't Khan is if Cumberbatch isn't available the next time they need the character.

 

One word: retcon. It's Khan. He's white now, because having an Indian or Middle-Eastern guy playing the crazy space terrorist would suck.

Note that Khan already turned white (as did all his followers, white and blond) in Wrath of Khan. Explain that!

 

Cumberbatch lacked quite a lot of the qualities Montalban imbued the character with. For me anyway.

So I'm happy to go along with this. I had a hard time imagining Khan working for anybody, however short that might've been. Whereas I can picture Admiral Marcus having a hold over one of his subordinates, at least until the backmailed character achieves his aim of awakening others... his leader, Khan, chief among them.

If it was Khan, I'd imagine no secret training or working for Section 31. He'd be revived and cause chaos immediately. Be completely uncontrollable, as he was in a pretty short space of time during "Space Seed".

 

Dont get me wrong; I understand the "real life" explanation for why he looks different. But this is my own little pet theory for an in universe explanation, and TBH I think its pretty reasonable.

 

You put a lot of thought into that but I think it was Khan and they just didn't go for TOS accuracy. Although I read for Into Darkness, Benicio Del Toro was a possible for the role.
http://screenrant.com/benicio-del-toro-star-trek-2-villain-khan-rob-142302/
That would have been pretty intense although Cumberbatch did a hand of memorable acting.

 

.

 

They can't explain it. It's just conveniently overlooked.

 

Henceforth, he shall be called "RetKhan!"

 

Here's an even simpler one: different actors.

I mean, why does Kirk look different ?

 

Possibly controversial. But no more so than your average episode of 24. I had a big problem with them keeping the name Khan Noonien Singh then really, given the casting. It is you'll note... a name which denotes Indian and/or Middle Eastern ethnicity. Why not make several other racially representative TOS characters different from what was previously established too? Despite the fact both Prime and Abramsverse converge in the past and there are certain kinds of casting changes which don't add up?

I don't think they deliberately set out to make Khan white. He was Montalban, in his natural skin tone, minus whatever makeup TOS had given him.

In-universe, it probably had to do with their exile to Ceti Alpha V and the nearby explosion of its neighbour. Radiation and other environmental changes, could have a strange effect on genetically engineered people. Certainly that might explain change in hair colour from black to white. Certainly less hoops to jump through really, than I have to do to explain Khan as things currently stand.

 

Shucks, beat me to it.

 

He's Khan. It's that simple.

 

He's...Mary Poppins!



Dah dah DAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

(yeah, that picture doesn't get old)

 

They did try to get Benicio Del Toro first, Cumberbatch wasn't their first choice.

 

I actually thought this would be revealed and happen in the movie.

I kept thinking they would wake up one of the augments to get more blood to save Kirk, then that augment would be revealed as true Khan, overpower the medical crew, and escape with the rest of the cryo gang. Which would have set up a potential sequel next movie or down the line.

 

Oh, I thought he was too clearly Khan for that to happen.

 

I was just sitting there expecting some type of switcheroo.

After all, these movies are all about the $$$ so I kind of figured they would set up something a little more direct regarding a sequel. Of course they could still do one, but it would've been more menacing had Khan and crew all escaped in this film.

 

In "Space Seed", the first hibernation chamber to activate was Khan's, and it was a per-programmed action when the ship's systems were powered up by Scotty.

In the new timeline, presumably the same sequence of events would unfold. Khan's cryotube would be the first activated when the ship was found by Section 31. What possible motive would S31 have for over-riding the pre-programmed sequence?