Why Star Trek Sucks

As far as I know, this is completely apocryphal and non-canon.

I remember hearing stories in fan circles about Klingon technology being stolen, as far back as the 1970's. At the moment, I can't find any reference to that notion in canon or in licensed TrekLit; it's not referenced in Memory Alpha or Memory Beta.

I wouldn't rule out fanzine published fan-fiction as the ultimate source of the notion of Klingon tech being stolen, but I'm not the expert on that and I don't really know.

The Hur'q are mentioned in only two episodes:

DS9: The Sword of Kahless
ENT: Affliction

I can't find any support in the episode transcripts for the notion.

 

I agree that we do see a pretty wide variety of Klingons out there, but it's the loud and jerky ones that stand out. Most of the ones we see are the most aggressive and violent among them, the best by the standards are probably the ones that get into space.
I do like the idea of the Klingons stealing most of their tech. Considering how little respect their scientists would get, it is likely that they'd lag behind the Federation worlds in their tech.

 

Also, so far as the audience sees, the only Klingon in the galaxy who really puts honor before all else is Worf. Otherwise we see a bunch of politicians and hypocrites, scheming and plotting to build up their house's power.

 

As far as Worf is concerned, I like to think it's because he grew up outside the empire. He holds himself up to the 'ideal' of Klingon honor, because he grew up in an enviroment entirely seperated from the homeworld. A lot of what he believes is true Klingon behaviour he probably learnt "second hand" rather than being exposed to it in his youth. So as an adult he holds himself up to some mythological profile that no other 'actual' Klingon we see ever meets.

The way I see it, other Klingons talk big about honor, but they don't practice what they preach. Worf does practice the 'PR version' of Klingon honor, because he doesn't know any better.

 

As far as I know, it comes from the novel Ishmael (although I guess the idea may pre-date that), but they used the name Karsid Empire and not Hur'Q. It instantly clicked with me, and explained why Klingon ships are always so rusty and ancient looking, and why they use the same ones in DS9 as they do in ENT, 225 years earlier.

 

In their defense, the Klingons did design a ship that could cloak and fire at the same time.

And the massive battleship they designed in DS9.

Still, the Klingons stereotyped themselves big time.

It was just one statement from Beverly in that episode that suggested scientists aren't respected in Klingon society, but it was enough to capture people's notice.

It's interesting how everyone remembers that small statement from that episode years later.

It was overkill-- any society needs people like that to advance.

You'd think a warrior society like the Klingons would actually praise scientists, since their discoveries either keep them on par with their enemies, or give them an advantage.

 

I find it problematic to say that Worf is the only honorable Klingon, only because, like what Worf tends to do, it requires using a definition from outside Klingon culture. Indeed, honor is a lot like chivalry. The conduct of knights during the Middle Ages could often be described as being unchivalrous. However, the word referenced a code of conduct in which behavior, speech, rituals, and responses are formalized. The literature of the era, moreover, wraps in an air of romance. Similarly, Klingon honor requires following the rituals and attitudes and meet the expectations of one's place in the hierarchy. Worf may believe that Gorwon is not honorable for attacking Cardassia without provocation, but that's a human definition. On the other hand, Gowron believing Worf is dishonorable for ignoring his oath of loyalty is perfectly Klingon--perfectly consistent with the code of honor. By the end of the series, Worf finds someone--Martok--whose notion of honor is more in line with his, and who would want Klingon society to be more equitable rather than loyalty driven.

 

Thanks for that.

Ishmael dates from 1985, which is still pre-TNG, so it's quite possible that I might have gotten a little fuzzy on the dates. I read Ishmael when it first came out (and not since), so that is probably where I first heard it. My memory probably just played tricks on me.

 

The Ewok films are still sealed in plastic for me... I'm not sure if there will ever be a day rainy enough to find out how bad they are...

 

There used to be a description of Mister Spock (which may date to seventies fanzines) that because he was only half Vulcan, he over did being Vulcan and as a result he was "More Vulcan Than Vulcan."

Just as Spock constantly mentioned Logic and tried to be a perfect Vulcan (with no Human traits), Worf constantly mentioned Honor and tried to be a perfect Klingon (with no signs of his Human upbringing).

We've seen plenty of indications through the years that Vulcans (like Klingons) don't live up to their own ideals.

Worf sometimes reminds me of the young males I grew up with (especially between mid teens to mid twenties) who seemingly couldn't get through a sentence with out invoking the word "respect."

 

Meh, I prefer the John M. Ford Klingons as well as the Diane Duane Romulans.

 

My understanding is that Starfleet IS primarily Earth's defense force, but is pledged to protect other Federation members, many of which also have their own fleets, albeit much smaller. So if Starfleet is Earth-based, it makes sense that most of their ships would be named after people and places from Earth. Other Trek cultures do this also. There are many examples of Vulcan, Andorian and Klingon ships that are named in the same fashion - after people and places from their home planets.

On the same note, it also makes complete sense that Starfleet would be made up of mostly humans, just as the fleets of the above examples consist primarily of members of those species. Comparably, Starfleet is the most racially diverse fleet in the quadrant, with the possible exception of the Breen.

 

Starfleet is the defense arm of the Federation, not of Earth.

 

You're very probably right, but does that mean Earth is the only major Federation power that doesn't have a fleet dedicated to the defense of it's planet?

Starfleet pre-dates the Federation.

 

Earth Starfleet existed before the Federation. But it ceased to exist when the Federation was born.

 

I think the conception of this evolved during the original show. The Enterprise crew are frequently referred to as Earth's representatives and seem to talk and think of themselves this way. I think what eventually evolved was a kind of analogy to NATO, where Earth is first-among-equals and in a practical sense is responsible for the bulk of the Federation's defense for the simple reason that it has by far the largest space service of any of the allied worlds. This basically seems to be the case in TNG Trek, where there are still hints that other member planets (esp Vulcan) have their own space services that are far smaller. (The episode with Ensign Menden in TNG comes to mind, where he seems to be on some kind of visit or exchange program from his planet's space service.)

 

Back in TOS, the idea was that the Federation was the "Earth Federation". As in, it was a benign Terran Empire who allowed other aliens in as weak partners instead of conquering them like the Klingons or Romulans would.

By TNG, they changed it so they were an equal alliance of worlds.