Whatever metaphors and allegories
Star Trek might involve, technologically advanced warp-capable factions should look
futuristic. Otherwise,
Star Trek is a failure as science fiction.
Let's look at the depiction of Klingons throughout
Star Trek:
- TOS: Chainmail vests for males and chainmail dresses for females (i.e. medieval).
- TNG/DS9/VOY and pre-Kelvin universe: Fur (in environmentally controlled starships?), leather, metal, spiked knuckle gloves and spiked boots. Bad teeth. Bad smell.
- ENT: A variation on TNG/DS9/VOY and pre-Kelvin universe.
- Kelvin Universe: Medieval-looking helmets. Reckless attack with ridiculously exaggerated melee weapons against ranged opponents.
Memory Alpha: Depicting Klingons
Richard Arnold remembered, "
Gene was really bothered by the Klingons in VI
[....] [They] were, in his words, 'too civilized, too decent, too much of the good guys in the story.' [....]" (
Star Trek Movie Memories, hardback ed., p. 289)
From
Star Trek Writers/Directors Guide (The Original Series):
Is the starship U.S.S. Enterprise a military vessel?
Yes, but only semi-military in practice -- omitting features which are heavily authoritarian. [. . .] We avoid [. . .] annoying medieval leftovers. . . .
Once again, TOS Klingons were portrayed as wearing fine chainmail-like vests for males. Mara, a Klingon female, wore a chainmail-like dress.
Memory Alpha: Kurak
Kurak was played by Tricia O'Neil, who applied a pre-existing knowledge of Klingons while playing the role. She said about the character, "I knew the difficulty this particular Klingon was involved in because she was advancing. She had the great weight on her shoulders of being intelligent, of being a scientist, and she was crossing barriers. But she was still a Klingon, so she was very… not
savage, but physical, where a lot of muscle was still involved, even though she was crossing over into being a scientist
. . . ."
That's from an interview conducted by CBS on the official
Star Trek website.
Memory Alpha: Bat'leth
Looking at the actors' voiced thought processes, can you guess what
"pre-existing knowledge of Klingons" was given to them as a background?
Major-role actors are usually given detailed descriptions of characters and alien species they play along with dialogue lines, especially because they are not expected to be familiar with the franchise.
There's even an episode titled "
The Savage Curtain", written by Gene Roddenberry himself. The episode introduces Kahless, a major historical Klingon figure, for the first time, as one of the representatives of "evil". Strangely, Roddenberry did not include Hitler as part of the side of evil, even though he started World War II, with his ideology being based on the hatred of humanity.
ENT: "Bounty"
SKALAAR: [. . .] I've learned never to cross a Klingon.
ARCHER: It must be difficult working for people like them.
SKALAAR: I don't answer to those savages. I work for myself.
ARCHER: That's not how it looks from in here.
DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations"
WADDLE: [. . .] After six months, I was hoping the Klingons would invade. At least they know how to make coffee, even if they are foul-smelling barbarians. Sorry [meant for Worf].
Memory Alpha: Depicting Klingons
Rick Stratton [. . .] admitted, "
I wanted to get an extra day's pay, so I said, 'How about if we make some messed-up teeth for these guys?' It would save time staining their teeth and make them look like they had been chewing on bones or something, but it was all because I wanted another day's pay!" (
Star Trek Magazine issue 172, p. 60)
[. . .]
Williams explained about herself and Bryant, "
We even discussed, I think, 'What do Klingons brush their teeth with?' And I think Todd said, 'They don't brush their teeth.' That was brilliant!" ("That Klingon Couple",
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Special Edition) DVD &
Blu-ray)
This is why
Star Trek reeks of
manifest destiny.