Klingons - the final perception ?

[C57D]

Warning - this is a canon free zone. I know that my speculation is totally at odds with current canon. But, hey, let's use some imagination and put canon where the sun don't shine?!!

For a long while I have been a fan of the Final Reflection/ FASA Klingons and pretty much been saddened by and mocked the TNG+ variety.

However, I am currently planning a FASA Klingon campaign and once more looking for a fresh take on this sapient species and the following occured to me.

What if the TOS Klingons are a jannissery allied species which are vastly biologically distant from the ridge headed true Klingon species, but culturally quite close. Also driven to victory and conflict, and never happy to rest on their laurels. Initially fighting the Klingons invasion of their world, subdued but respected as a strong species and so drafted in the KDF. For them it is a jump from internicine prewarp conflicts to the glory of fighting across rhe stars ! Obviously closely watched by the real Klingons ( as Kor's statement and as Imperial Security/ Imperial Intelligence in TFR/ FASA) to ensure loyalty, but otherwise trusted. And the reason that we no longer see them post TMP is that they are too busy expanding the Empire in the far borders furthest from the Feds.
So what of the TNG+ Klingons? They talk a lot about honour and seem obsessed with protecting it, but don't seem to really do much, other than squabble amongst themselves. And the three Klingons in the Heart of Glory protest that the Empire has grown weak and need to return to how it used to be. All they do now is patrol the safe Fed border and the occasionally exciting border with the Roms. A rare skirmish but no real threat.
"All sizzle and no steak" would be my assessment.
So what if the true Klingons HAVE grown weak and now only talk of honour and glory without anymore achieving any. What if their conquered and assimilated races now run the Empire for them, with true Klingons just overseeing at the highest level.
How the mighty has fallen!!!

 

[Mattadd]

Their culture would necessarily adapt. Tbh it's kind of stupid that decades after the Khitomer accords the Klingons haven't already started adapting to a less warrior-like attitude in canon. It's possible that they are maintaining their warrior culture by partaking in a bunch of minor wars off-screen, much like the USA has maintained its warrior culture in the decades since WWII despite the rest of the world adapting to the new relative peace.

In all likelihood either they are continuing to find minor wars or they would adapt their values so honour is earned in other ways than just combat.

 

[Kor]

The point of "Heart of Glory" was supposed to be that the Klingons had moved beyond the primitive, war-like ways. But the rest of TNG took those very ways and ran with them!

Kor

 

[Vger23]

The point of "Heart of Glory" was supposed to be that the Klingons had moved beyond the primitive, war-like ways. But the rest of TNG took those very ways and ran with them!

Kor

Heart of Glory was a great Klingon episode in many ways.

 

[Shawnster]

Warning - this is a canon free zone. I know that my speculation is totally at odds with current canon. But, hey, let's use some imagination and put canon where the sun don't shine?!!


What if the TOS Klingons are a jannissery allied species which are vastly biologically distant from the ridge headed true Klingon species, but culturally quite close. Also driven to victory and conflict, and never happy to rest on their laurels. Initially fighting the Klingons invasion of their world, subdued but respected as a strong species and so drafted in the KDF.

Or it's the other way around, since we saw the smooth headed Klingons first and THEN the ridged ones.

Klingon - name of the entire culture or civilization. Like Federation. Or how Rome was the entire empire.
Smooth heads - They are the original Klingons and the turtle heads are the subjugated species. They were not trusted in TOS but, by the time of the movies and beyond they had finally gained trust.

OR

Smooth heads (or the turtle heads) initially met the Klingons in peace and united in an empire. Over time the cultural influence of one group over the other moved the Klingons toward a more militant or warlike course. The warrior culture wasn't always there but developed over time.

 

[velour]

So what if the true Klingons HAVE grown weak and now only talk of honour and glory without anymore achieving any. What if their conquered and assimilated races now run the Empire for them, with true Klingons just overseeing at the highest level.
How the mighty has fallen!!!

I thought the smooth heads, according to fasa, were a hybrid fusion race of Klingons, and not a completely different species.

In any case, it would be highly unlikely that the smooth heads (whether they are hybrids or a different species) would be satisfied and happy with their status as second class citizens to the Imperial (ridged) Klingons, especially if they were doing the dirty work for the weak Imperials.

If the smoothies thought they were actually superior to the Imperials, it would seem logical that they would rebel and breakaway from the Imperial Klingon empire, or they would take over the Klingon empire and subsequently subjugate and/or wipe out their weak Imperial masters.

Besides, neither the smoothies nor the Imperials seem to have an inclusive mindset. Neither one gave the impression they would embrace a multispecies or multiracial society of equals.