Your Quintessential Klingon
- Thread starter Shawnster
- Start date
Kang.
Kor, the original flavor Klingon.
Bob the Discount Klingon, of course. Forehead ridges are a retcon made for fake fans, but I'm a trufan.
I posted something similar a few weeks ago, and have done so in the past.....
Worf was raised by humans, visited Klingon worlds and may remember a few things from his early years on the Homeworld.
But his understanding, indepth knowledge of Klingon culture.... It's all from textbooks. Reading the writings of Kahless and most likely other writings that deal with the way of the warrior and what those scholars believe to be the Klingon culture. In a way, this makes him the 'quintessential' Klingon.
Thing is.... Cultures evolve. In a way, there is almost something like a religion for Klingons, their devotion to Kahless. Things like that change as well. Looking at the Netherlands, Christian religion for example is a decline. So the Klingon culture and for lack of better word, religion that Worf was so obsessed with, didn't actually exist anymore at that time.
So, I suppose the question is not who, but WHAT is a quintessential Klingon.
For the era, Kang and Kor truly were. And, once he regained his true self and overcame his fear, I would say to me Martok is THE Klingon. Very aware of what Klingons once were, what they became. FInding his own place in all that.
I think I'm leaning toward Martok as a Klingon's Klingon. Worf tries too hard. He seemed to be too much of an outsider looking in and trying to be as much the stereotypical Klingon as possible without realizing and accepting that, although stereotypes may have a kernel of truth, nobody is completely a stereotype.
Martok, on the other hand, is Klingon through and through. He's comfortable in his own skin. He doesn't have to try at being Klingon, nor feel the need to prove how Klingon he is. The stereotypes don't fit him 100%, and that's fine.
I was inspired to start this after seeing Tony Todd on an old episode of Boston Legal last night. Kurn! Fine Klingon.
Martok, on the other hand, is Klingon through and through. He's comfortable in his own skin. He doesn't have to try at being Klingon, nor feel the need to prove how Klingon he is. The stereotypes don't fit him 100%, and that's fine.
I was inspired to start this after seeing Tony Todd on an old episode of Boston Legal last night. Kurn! Fine Klingon.
Martok. It's not even a question.
Never did understand why he singled out Andorians as "filthy" when Tellarites are literal pigs who wallow in mud.
T’Kuvma does not explain himself to puny humans.
General Martok has always been my favorite Klingon.
Quintessential Good Klingon: Worf
Quintessential Evil Klingon: Kruge
Favorite 1st Wave Klingon: Kang
Favorite 2nd Wave Klingon: Martok
Favorite 3rd Wave Klingon: L'Rell
Honorable Mention: K'Eylar. I can't list her as a "Favorite Klingon" because she'd hate that. But I can call her a Favorite Character. She was Torres before there was Torres.
Quintessential Evil Klingon: Kruge
Favorite 1st Wave Klingon: Kang
Favorite 2nd Wave Klingon: Martok
Favorite 3rd Wave Klingon: L'Rell
Honorable Mention: K'Eylar. I can't list her as a "Favorite Klingon" because she'd hate that. But I can call her a Favorite Character. She was Torres before there was Torres.
She was, and I still loved B'Elanna.
I'm going to go with two characters for best Klingon, and for different reasons.
Martok and Kor.
Kor - the traditional Klingon. He is very much the soul of what a Klingon is... fully embraces life in every measure (in drink, song, battle, storytelling, etc.) and is not afraid to let his opinions be known. Noble bloodline. Honorable and loyal.
Martok - the modern Klingon. Very much the heart of what a Klingon is... a true soldier/servant of the empire. Respectful, but it must be earned (Nog standing up to him, for example). Loves with all his heart unwaveringly. Always has great wisdom to bestow. ('Martokisms' are commonly used in this household by me, much to my wife's amusement... and sometimes annoyance.
) Reasonable with non-Klingons, but not at the expense of his true self. (Reminding Worf that Dax being required to show due honor to Sirella because 'we ARE Klingons. We don't embrace other cultures, we conquer them.') Truly honorable. Very loyal. Never looked for power, only how to best serve the Empire. Working class Klingon, from the start of his career all the way to being Chancellor.
Martok and Kor.
Kor - the traditional Klingon. He is very much the soul of what a Klingon is... fully embraces life in every measure (in drink, song, battle, storytelling, etc.) and is not afraid to let his opinions be known. Noble bloodline. Honorable and loyal.
Martok - the modern Klingon. Very much the heart of what a Klingon is... a true soldier/servant of the empire. Respectful, but it must be earned (Nog standing up to him, for example). Loves with all his heart unwaveringly. Always has great wisdom to bestow. ('Martokisms' are commonly used in this household by me, much to my wife's amusement... and sometimes annoyance.
) Reasonable with non-Klingons, but not at the expense of his true self. (Reminding Worf that Dax being required to show due honor to Sirella because 'we ARE Klingons. We don't embrace other cultures, we conquer them.') Truly honorable. Very loyal. Never looked for power, only how to best serve the Empire. Working class Klingon, from the start of his career all the way to being Chancellor.I would make the argument that it’s Kruge (“Search For Spock”).
The reason being that, for the most part, the Klingons we meet are modeled closer to what Kruge was than they are Worf or Martok, or even Kang and Kor.
This gets into something that Ezri calls Worf out on in season 7 of DS9, but the fundamental flaw of Klingon society is they’re a people who claim to be adhering to a warrior’s code, but in reality it has nothing to do with honor or some bullshit Kahless might have once said. It’s all a rationalization that allows them to murder people, take their stuff, and feel like what they did was ok and honorable. Or that the appearance of honor matters more than being honorable, which is why they tolerate corruption at the highest levels.
Kruge is basically the best example of that mentality, if you take away the idealistic shine and rose-colored glasses that Worf looks at his culture through. He has the title of “lord” and makes people acknowledge his power and nobility. Kruge starts out “Search For Spock” murdering his spy, and gives her some cold comfort about how she will be remembered in greatness for what she’s done before blasting her ship with disruptors. He’s a supremacist who’s dismissive of finding only a Vulcan boy, a “weakling human” and “woman” once he gets to Genesis. And in the end he orders David’s murder for no reason other than to make a point. There’s nothing honorable about it. Its only purpose is to terrorize and pursue more power and a better position.
The reason being that, for the most part, the Klingons we meet are modeled closer to what Kruge was than they are Worf or Martok, or even Kang and Kor.
This gets into something that Ezri calls Worf out on in season 7 of DS9, but the fundamental flaw of Klingon society is they’re a people who claim to be adhering to a warrior’s code, but in reality it has nothing to do with honor or some bullshit Kahless might have once said. It’s all a rationalization that allows them to murder people, take their stuff, and feel like what they did was ok and honorable. Or that the appearance of honor matters more than being honorable, which is why they tolerate corruption at the highest levels.
Kruge is basically the best example of that mentality, if you take away the idealistic shine and rose-colored glasses that Worf looks at his culture through. He has the title of “lord” and makes people acknowledge his power and nobility. Kruge starts out “Search For Spock” murdering his spy, and gives her some cold comfort about how she will be remembered in greatness for what she’s done before blasting her ship with disruptors. He’s a supremacist who’s dismissive of finding only a Vulcan boy, a “weakling human” and “woman” once he gets to Genesis. And in the end he orders David’s murder for no reason other than to make a point. There’s nothing honorable about it. Its only purpose is to terrorize and pursue more power and a better position.
From an in universe perspective, all of the above, since defining a quinetessential Klingon makes as much sense as defining a quintessential Human. Considering there will be good and bad in every Trek race, Kruge represents the worse of the race and Martok represents the good, only because he is raised in an era where Klingons and the UFP are allies. If Kruge lived in the 24th century he would probably be just as ruthless on behalf of the alliance and not against it.
From a TV production perspective I would say Kor, Martok, and Kurn. They represented the reality of their culture, Worf represented an ideal that did not exist, his version of his culture is tinted with prune coloured glasses, until Ezri Dax called out the bullshit.
From a TV production perspective I would say Kor, Martok, and Kurn. They represented the reality of their culture, Worf represented an ideal that did not exist, his version of his culture is tinted with prune coloured glasses, until Ezri Dax called out the bullshit.
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