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

[Ben]

So Khan strands him in the asteroid and taunts him about it. Enraged, Kirk screams his name!

But didn't Kirk already set up their escape plan with Spock ("hours are like days" and all that)? Why was he so mad? Was he faking it to trick Khan?

Sorry if this is a dumb question or if it's been asked/answered before. A search of the word "khan" obviously produces a ton of results.

 

[JarodRussell]

Kirk might have had a plan, but a) he couldn't be sure that it worked, and b) Khan was seriously annoying him. Khan just killed Carol's entire crew, he just realized he had a son, Captain Terrell and maybe even Chekov just died, Khan stole Genesis, and then taunted Kirk, all in 5 minutes. Seriously, how can anyone NOT get that Kirk was extremely pissed at that moment, no matter what plans and strategies he had.

 

[Ben]

Kirk might have had a plan, but a) he couldn't be sure that it worked, and b) Khan was seriously annoying him.

a) Kirk seems too confident for that, though.
b) I guess he did just butcher a bunch of people, so that makes sense to me.

Thanks!

 

[Lance]

It was a strategy on his part. He was playing to Khan's ego, trying to make him think he'd won when Kirk really had everything already in hand. Hoping Khan would fall for it.

Hard to say whether it worked or not.

 

[OpenMaw]

Kirk is known for his bluffing skills. I always figured that, although some genuine emotion was there to be sure given everything going on, he was playing the part Khan was expecting.

It does fit when you consider Kirk taunting Khan just a while later.

 

[Lance]

It's really an extension of Kirk cheating on the Kobyashi Maru. He's made a career out of cheating and bluffing his way through situations (cf. "corbomite" et al) which is exactly what makes him such a dynamic starship commander.

He's definitely playing up the role of being enraged over the communicator, but in reality it's all for Khan's benefit. He's counting on feathering Khan's ego to make him think he has won so that a little further down the track he might still be able to take him by surprise. He knows that Khan can out-think him in a lot of ways, so he deliberately plays to his ego to try and get under Khan's defences. Psychological warfare.

Compare with Kirk's ploy when the Romulan Commander questions him and Spock in the TOS episode 'The Enterprise Incident'. He goes waaaay over the top there too with his 'rage' at Spock 'betraying' him, but it's all part of a bluff on the Romulans. Same reaction, same ploy on Kirk's part.

 

[Belz...]

Meh... I think Kirk was genuinely pissed, despite the plan.

 

[Metryq]

I thought it was cool the way Kirk's yell carried through the vacuum of space. Now that is pissed!

 

[Marsden]

I think even though he had a plan he was genuinely pissed at Khan. Compared to the Romulan Commander, Khan is a giant genetically enhanced prick, so I don't think that's a straight comparison. The Romulan Commander didn't hole Kirk's ship or kill a bunch of people including Kirk's crew.

But, then again, maybe Kirk is a great actor as well as anything else?

 

[Richard Baker]

I think it was written into the script that way to give the audience the feeling that Khan had triumphed. If Shatner had just said "Okey Dokey" then everyone would know some special plan was in the cards. I still remember the feeling of surprise and joy when he popped out his communicator and Spock was online and ready to beam them up.
I know this is out of the movie context, but the entire movie was well crafted to manipulate the viewer on several levels- that is what makes it so much fun to watch...

 

[Belz...]

I think even though he had a plan he was genuinely pissed at Khan.

I think so as well. He was twitching while no one was looking at his face except the camera.

 

[jimbotron]

Better question - how come Khan didn't pick up such an obvious code "If were to go by the book, like Lt. Saavik, hours might seem like days."?

 

[Belz...]

Yeah, that was poorly written.

 

[Kronos]

I've always thought he picked up on the code to a point, he was still hanging around.

 

[xvicente]

I still remember the feeling of surprise and joy when he popped out his communicator and Spock was online and ready to beam them up.

Hey, I remember that too!

 

[Timo]

I've always thought he picked up on the code to a point, he was still hanging around.

...But OTOH he would want to believe in Kirk being defeated; a big point in the movie was that while Khan was supersmart, he was also a complete idiot, chiefly because he believed so hard in his own superiority.

Also, it's flattering that the audience picks the cue where the supervillain doesn't, now isn't it?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[trekkie52]

I think Kirk was genuinely pissed at Khan, and he was also trying to lead Khan into a false since of victory.

 

[Phantassm]

Meh... I think Kirk was genuinely pissed, despite the plan.

Agreed. Kirk was employing any kind of bluff in this scene. he was pissed.

 

[Lance]

Having just rewatched TWOK Director's Edition last night, it seems clear to me that it's a mixture of both motivations. I still think he had a plan (he was trying to convince Khan to go away because Enterprise already had orders to bluff Khan into thinking they needed longer to repair themselves, and playing to Khan's ego was a way of making Khan think he'd won), but the heat of the moment and the following scene where he discusses with Dr. Marcus about how Khan "wants me dead" indicates that the pressures of the situation are getting to him. It isn't until he's in the Genesis cave that he reaches a state of perfect calm again.

 

[Yoda]

Just got back from seeing it in the theater. Kirk was motherfucking PISSED OFF! Sure he didn't want to tip his hand, but the rage is real. Emanated from deep with in his testicles. As well all know, testicular rage is the purest rage.