The New Klingons

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

So, although I think most people have had a positive reaction to the new trailer, maybe we should address the elephant in the room. Not everyone has been too fussed about the Klingons (assuming that they aren't some offshoot, as some people believe). To give an example, I was up last night informing my friends via WhatsApp what was going on - two of them followed along, and both, one a long-time Trekkie, one more casual fan, were purturbed by the redesign - not ideal as an initial reaction - the same was true across blogs and stuff. I must admit, that, even though I am usually the first to caution people against being too literal and missing the point of the show, I don't really 'like' the new look particularly, it looks kind of generic to me - I'm forcing myself to be open minded, because I think the show has a ton of potential - but they don't look as cool as either the prime or Kelvin ones in just my personal opinion, which again, is not ideal.

Here are the Klingon cast members announced so far:

Kol - Commanding Officer, protege of T'Kuvma

T'Kuvma - Leader trying to unite Klingons

L'Rel - Battle Deck Commander, Kol's confidant

Dennas - A leader among the Klingons

Ujilli - A leader among the Klingons

It strikes me that this makeup is very concealing, which leads me to think it won't be the final makeup:

For comparison:

It raises some possibilities:

1. Different Klingon ethnic groups exist, with some looking very alien, others more human
   
2. The genetic retrovirus was not 100% endemic to all Klingon populations
   
3. The more alien looking Klingons may represent some remnant aboriginal population

 

[Roald]

I think #2 is a good possibility. I think 'Affliction' stated that the virus would not affect the entire Klingon race.

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

I don't know how much we should speculate given that not everyone may want to know potential plot points, but there has been a longstanding rumor that these may not be actual 23rd century Klingons, but some ancient relict population. I think everyone is familiar by now. This began with the leaking of some concept art from early in production that showed a gothic-Cathedral-like "Klingon sarcophagus ship".

The fact that it might be discovered around a black hole's accretion disk also raises the possibility of time dilation due to gravitational forces near the event horizon, meaning some ancient Klingons may have survived the centuries. Finally, the Klingons in the trailer may be a flashback to the launching of this ship centuries ago. But we don't really know a thing right now.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

They look more like TMP/TNG Klingons than the terrible behind the scenes photo we saw. They have ridges (and seemingly no elongated craniums) and it is more than possible for there to be an in universe explanation for the small difference between them and other ridged Klingons, plus the sarcophagus lid seems to have a traditional Klingon on it, complete with flowing hair, so I am hopeful there will be a good reason for them to fit in to the canon. Overall, that don't look nearly as different as I feared so providing the explanation is passable I'm okay.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

I don't know how much we should speculate given that not everyone may want to know potential plot points, but there has been a longstanding rumor that these may not be actual 23rd century Klingons, but some ancient relict population. I think everyone is familiar by now. This began with the leaking of some concept art from early in production that showed a gothic-Cathedral-like "Klingon sarcophagus ship".

The fact that it might be discovered around a black hole's accretion disk also raises the possibility of time dilation due to gravitational forces near the event horizon, meaning some ancient Klingons may have survived the centuries. Finally, the Klingons in the trailer may be a flashback to the launching of this ship centuries ago. But we don't really know a thing right now.

What if they are from the dawn of the Empire? The time of Kahless? Everyone seems to think the show is about an event mentioned in TOS, but maybe it is linked to one of the other shows?

 

[dahj]

What was your gut reaction?

They need to moisturize.

 

[Timo]

That was one of the things discussed early on - "takes place a decade before TOS" plus "relates to an already mentioned Trek event" doesn't necessarily mean "relates to an event preceding TOS by a decade"...

The brown Klingon looks fine to me, but the pasty-faced choir on the balcony brings out the worst in the new makeup. So I'm indeed hoping this is a "separate group" of Klingons, not the face all actors of Klingon characters will have to wear in the near future.

TImo Saloniemi

 

[{ Emilia }]

I'm not a fan of the look, I think the prosthetics are overdone.

The eye part looks dumb. Did Klingons evolve to have their nasal bridge be a visual impairment?
The whole makeup makes them look like they're eternally grumpy. The nose looks like a grotesque version of "African noses".

 

[Jarvisimo]

I'm not a fan of the look, I think the prosthetics are overdone.

The eye part looks dumb. Did Klingons evolve to have their nasal bridge be a visual impairment?
The whole makeup makes them look like they're eternally grumpy. The nose looks like a grotesque version of "African noses".

Is that T'Kuvma?

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

They're not as bad as the Blingons but they're pretty awful.

Have to admit when I read about all the Klingon casting going on I was very disappointed, had hoped they would move away from the Empire and go somewhere new.

 

[{ Emilia }]

They're not as bad as the Blingons but they're pretty awful.

Have to admit when I read about all the Klingon casting going on I was very disappointed, had hoped they would move away from the Empire and go somewhere new.

Heh, same reaction here. I'd much rather see more Romulans or Andorians if we have to go for the classic races. We've seen waaaay too much of the Klingons in previous shows and movies if you ask me.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Like.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Heh, same reaction here. I'd much rather see more Romulans or Andorians if we have to go for the classic races. We've seen waaaay too much of the Klingons in previous shows and movies if you ask me.

If they were doing the Four Years War then I'd be all for it, but otherwise why not send them off in the opposite direction where they could face off against the Tholians, or some other race?

 

[cultcross]

Heh, same reaction here. I'd much rather see more Romulans or Andorians if we have to go for the classic races. We've seen waaaay too much of the Klingons in previous shows and movies if you ask me.

That's true, I was slightly disappointed to learn we'd be Klingon centric again. But as long as that doesn't involve long conversations about honour and over the top Warrior Race BS, I'll get over it. Klingons more alike in temperament to the fascists of TOS would make an interesting antagonist, although I hope they've avoided the temptation of doing a war.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

I'm pretty sick of Klingons by this point, but as long as they don't go all RAWWWWR HONNNOOOOUUURRRRRRR on us, I'm cool with the design. The characterisation matters more, methinks. TNG / DS9 / VOY / ENT Klingons are just soooooo annoying and dull and one-note. If these Klingons actually end up getting interesting personalities, then they can look like Howard the Duck screwed a Ninja Turtle for all I care.

 

[C.E. Evans]

IMO, the Klingon Empire is made up of different kinds of Klingons. The more Human-looking Klingons may have been in power during TOS or they may have been used as cannon fodder in the Klingon Defense Forces during that time.

 

[{ Emilia }]

If they were doing the Four Years War then I'd be all for it,

Ugh, no. I want to see them explore strange new worlds. Not a war series set in space.

 

[.:: TSN ::.]

Change for a sake of change. That is my opinion on these klingons. They havent messed with vulcan desing, they dont have extra earlobes or anything. So why this constant messing with the design of the Klingons?

Like where is all the hair? Klingons have always been defined by being able to grow hair on their heads and faces like humans. There are enough bald alien species.

 

[Rahul]

I miss the beards. All prime-universe klingons had beards in some capacitiy.

Also: I generally miss the hair (that was already the case for Into the Darkness klingon). Their devil-ish eyebrows. Not necessarily the long, filthy TNG space viking hair. But the Samurai-styled warrior hair they had in the TOS-movies.

Apart from that, they're fine.

 

[cultcross]

Ugh, no. I want to see them explore strange new worlds. Not a war series set in space.

Absolutely. A show called 'Discovery' shouldn't be primarily about fighting. I enjoyed the Dominion war arc, but there's no need to rehash it, we've done 'Starfleet at war'. Let's do 'Starfleet explores space' or even, if we must, 'Starfleet works for peace'.