"Admiral! Admiral... Admiral..."

[Captain Clark Terrell]

The dialogue in the subject line refers, of course, to Khan's apparent surprise at learning that Kirk had been promoted during his exile on Ceti Alpha V; my question is: why was it such a big deal to him? Did he expect the rest of the universe to stop moving because he was out of the picture? Or was he merely angry at the fact that Kirk had (supposedly) benefited from his people's suffering?

--Sran

 

[Hartzilla2007]

The dialogue in the subject line refers, of course, to Khan's apparent surprise at learning that Kirk had been promoted during his exile on Ceti Alpha V; my question is: why was it such a big deal to him? Did he expect the rest of the universe to stop moving because he was out of the picture? Or was he merely angry at the fact that Kirk had (supposedly) benefited from his people's suffering?

--Sran

Probably more of a "I suffer for almost two decades in a hellhole while the guy I hate and whom I blame for said suffering gets a promotion!" thing.

 

[2takesfrakes]

This is why "they" say that "Success Is the Best Revenge."

 

[Lance]

Yeah, there's a touch of sarcasm to Khan's recitation of the rank... it isn't that he's "surprised" by Kirk's promotion, but more that he's mocking it. Consider also the way he also very pointedly pronounces the word 'Admiral' whenever refering to Kirk after he first learns of it.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Yeah, there's a touch of sarcasm to Khan's recitation of the rank... it isn't that he's "surprised" by Kirk's promotion, but more that he's mocking it. Consider also the way he also very pointedly pronounces the word 'Admiral' whenever refering to Kirk after he first learns of it.

That's true. He also insists on using it at every opportunity when he addressed Kirk later in the film. Unless I'm mistaken, he uses it every line during the prefix code sequence, save for his request for the Genesis information.

--Sran

 

[FormerLurker]

Based on how Ricardo Montalban stressed it I always took the line to read "Admiral? ADMIRAL!?...Admiral."

 

[EnriqueH]

I also always took it as Khan being surprised that a man that could do such a horrible thing be promoted.

Montalban ruled.

He spoke beautifully.

 

[f14peter]

Simple, Khan's reaction is due to him learning that Kirk has continued on a successful career, which makes him a greater adversary.



Knocking an Admiral's block off is more satisfying than just a Captain. It's human nature, and of course Khan has superior human nature.

 

[Memory Alpha]

And let's also remember that Khan of course believed himself to be Kirk's superior, and the rank of admiral allows Khan in his own mind, I think, to assign even more blame to Kirk for failing to check up on him.

Based on how Ricardo Montalban stressed it I always took the line to read "Admiral? ADMIRAL!?...Admiral."

It does go question, exclamation, statement. It's really well delivered.

 

[Ithekro]

Or perhaps Khan knows Kirk's personality type a little too well and knows that being Admiral is now what he wants to do. He want to be a starship captain. So throwing his rank at him as a teasing insult would fit as well.

 

[Cyke101]

Disclosure: whenever I read the word "Admiral", I picture Khan saying it sarcastically.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Disclosure: whenever I read the word "Admiral", I picture Khan saying it sarcastically.

One could take Cumberbatch's delivery of "Captain!" in STiD as an homage to this "rank sarcasm" (after nuKirk has tired himself out trying to pummel Khan).

 

[Marsden]

Plus, Admiral is shorter than swaggering, overbearing, tin-plated dictator.