Star Trek 2 The Wrath of Khan - Why did Kirk yell "KHAAAAAN!"?

[Denny Crane] I've got an errection. That is a good sign. [/Denny Crane]

 

Why did Kirk yell "KHAAAAAN!"?

It was so he could have a Shatner Moment.

 

Remember that just then Khan managed to beam up the Genesis Device. This was officially Not a Good Thing.

Kirk is desperate to get it back so he then does the "you're going to have to come down here" line (which doesn't make any sense as Khan could beam Kirk up too). And Khan doesn't play along. So yeah, Kirk is not happy.

But he's also playing along at the same time. I think.

 

Exactly. With the Enterprise needing two hours for very basic repairs, Khan could have gone anywhere with Genesis. He could have even used it against the Enterprise.

No, Kirk is not faking it.

 

If you want to add even more motivation... there's also the background guilt and anger Kirk's probably feeling that because of him (however well-intentioned he was when he marooned Khan), people have died. I even briefly get the idea Terrell and Kirk are at least, acquaintances. Kirk feels responsibility for all of this.

 

I think he both peed off and sad that his friends just died.

 

Just an aside, here:

Am I the only one who noticed Kirstie Alley mouthing The Shat's lines on the bridge, before she stands up and delivers her "General Order 12" remark?

 

No you're not. I've noticed that, too.

 

Agreed-I think that Kirk was pissed off at seeing his friends (and family) be hurt badly, and the exasperation and anger had built up in him to an explosion, which we witnessed.

 

Kirk was pissed because Khan forced him into plan B. Plan A was Fizzbin.

 

I thought that was interesting as I read it...until I remembered Terrell saying to Khan, "I've never even met Admiral Kirk."

 

I like to say Kirk is faking it because Kirk wouldn't necessarily be a very good actor. Thus the line delivery is less hilarious. However, if that is righteous anger, it's kind of comes off as way over the top. I'm a huge Shatner fan, but felt more like a TJ Hooker moment than a Kirk bit.

I give her credit for knowing her cue lines, but if you gotta do that, you're just not in the moment, ya know?

 

The moment of "surprise and delight" when Kirk gets out his communicator and says to Spock "It's two hours - are you ready?" would surely have been ruined if in the earlier scene, Kirk had followed his "KHAAAN" outburst by turning to the others and saying "That should hold him for a while." So as a result we never get to find out whether this was part of Kirk's plan or not; to me it's a worthwhile tradeoff.

 

I suddenly have a vision of Kirk doing this without switching off the comm channel, a la Galaxy Quest.

Khan: "Perhaps it will not hold me for as long as you think?!"

 

I still think the anger was real in the movie regardless of what he had up his sleeve - he'd just had his ship attacked with loss of life - he'd found people hanging from the ceiling with their throats cut, seen two of his officers driven insane through torture with one of them committing suicide in front of him, his son attack him because of this whole sorry episode, then to to it off the perpetrator taunts him about it.

I'd say Jim had plenty reason to be pissed off at that point.

He had no idea even if the Reliant had hunted the Enterprise down and destroyed it in the 2 hours either his plan hadn't worked at that stage. He looked pretty down to me i the scenes that followed don't you think?

 

The reason William Shatner yelled "Khannnnnnnnn" is that it's part of the Shatner repertroire of acting skills.
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12tMVK42yQg[/yt]

If you're really brave, listen to his musical skills. I dare ya.

 

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-yy2URAYqU[/yt]
An unusual genre of singing unique to William Shatner. Note the bizarre shouting that's not that different from yelling "Khannnnnn!"

 

Kirk yelled Khaan possibly because he was trying to fool Khan into thinking that he was frustrated, and didn't know what to do, so that Khan wouldn't suspect anything.

 

^Look at my avatar - he meant it alright regardless of what he had up his sleeve, you could see the anger build in his face - who's benefit was that 'act' for?

 

You are right, Smellmet and by the way I love your avatar!!!!