The New Klingons

[Roald]

You have no idea how a Television production works do you?

Changes like what was done to the Klingons have to go through a stupidly large number of people before they get the okay.

Need to get personal?

 

[fireproof78]

That leads to the conclusion -> klingons are now totally ret-conned to not have or ever had hair (because of the evolutionary idea behind the baldness). Which is pretty much indescribably stupid, in a universe where Worf and pretty much any other klingon existed, with various different looks, hairstyles and ridges.

With due respect, that isn't the only conclusion. It could simply be the ruling class of these current houses (see my ideas on inbreeding) and they will eventually be killed, either by the underlings, or by Augmented Klingons-"the warrior caste." Again, context.

Secondly, the "evolutionary" idea of the baldness but be more of a redundant system, consistent with other Klingon anatomical features before.

Finally, since we are only seeing the leaders doesn't mean every single Klingon is retroactively bald, any more than every single Klingon retroactively had ridges just because of TMP.

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

They're the exiled Kronos chapter of the Hair Club for Klingons. They failed their mission, obviously.

 

[Timofnine]

Don't get annoyed by the Klingon redesign(s). The Klingon Empire in Discovery has already been stated as representing multicultural modern USA by the series creators. So this means that the Klingon Empire is a diverse, gender fluid society full of people of different ethnic backgrounds and appearances - Klingon's have just as much diversity as us and more uncommon then we think despite their alien/different looks, and when we watch the series we will see that they are a parallel to ourselves. If the Klingons can get over racial differences and unite, then so can we as humans... that is the message.

 

[Fateor]

Don't get annoyed by the Klingon redesign(s). The Klingon Empire in Discovery has already been stated as representing multicultural modern USA by the series creators. So this means that the Klingon Empire is a diverse, gender fluid society full of people of different ethnic backgrounds and appearances - Klingon's have just as much diversity as us and more uncommon then we think despite their alien/different looks, and when we watch the series we will see that they are a parallel to ourselves. If the Klingons can get over racial differences and unite, then so can we as humans... that is the message.

I rather doubt they will go that far into the crazy...

 

[Rahul]

Look, for all we know, these bald Klingons are just another result of the Augment virus we never saw. And still, so are the smoothies from TOS.

The baldies are in power at the moment and maybe the smoothies were dishonored for some reason and are relegated to cleaning latrines somewhere and we don't see them anytime soon (or even in DSC at all).

Then, the baldies we're seeing now lose the war, bringing dishonor on themselves and in another 5-10 years, the smoothies are back in power.

By TNG, the Augment virus has run it's course and we're back to the original Klingons we saw on ENT.

With due respect, that isn't the only conclusion. It could simply be the ruling class of these current houses (see my ideas on inbreeding) and they will eventually be killed, either by the underlings, or by Augmented Klingons-"the warrior caste." Again, context.

Secondly, the "evolutionary" idea of the baldness but be more of a redundant system, consistent with other Klingon anatomical features before.

Finally, since we are only seeing the leaders doesn't mean every single Klingon is retroactively bald, any more than every single Klingon retroactively had ridges just because of TMP.

Those are nice fanon theories - to which I would actually subscribe, should the case come true that all klingons on DIS are bald. That doesn't change the fact that official canon is altered by TPTB, in a pretty unnecessary and not well thought-out ret-con, and I rather hope they fix that stuff in-series, instead of us fans needing to come up with some plausible theories that unite these clearly unfitting parts of new-canon.

I understand that some people don't care about this Klingon hair issue, and some care about it very much. I have to admit, that I care about it quite a bit, as the Klingons are my favourite Star Trek aliens. I've seen this come up on many different forums, and my observation is that the number of people who do not like the bald Klingons is not insignificant.

And I have to wonder, is it really worth it? Is this really such an amazing design, that is worth the displeasure of many existing fans (regardless of whether their displeasure is reasonable) and confusion among casual viewers? Would it have ruined their bold vision had they given these Klingons eyebrows, and at least given some background extras some beards and hair? Would anyone in such a situation been unhappy that not all the Klingons were bald?

Like it or not, when creating a series in existing franchise, especially when stating it is set in the prime universe in the existing continuity, it creates certain expectations, and drastic changes will cause backlash. When redesigning stuff in such a situation, it might be wise to try to maintain at least some semblance of visual continuity, even if the minutiae wouldn't exactly match. The prop team seemed to perfectly understand this, and I really have not seen complaints about the redesigns of phasers, communicators and tricorders. They are upgraded to modern standards while keeping as much of the style and feel of the original as possible. What happened with the Klingons is pretty much the opposite.

Very well stated! I couldn't have said it better (or even as good)!

 

[Michael]

Works for me:

 

[Nerys Myk]

WORF: Stop laughing. This look is making a comeback!

 

[Rahul]

Works for me:

JEEZZUS!
That is nightmare inducing!
(Btw, he still has eye-brow in this picture!)

 

[Krandor]

I really don't think every klingon is going to be bald but the current ruling houses are. I think we'll also have an in-universe explanation for it all as well. I believe right now there is a lot of jumping to conclusions.

 

[Nerys Myk]

JEEZZUS!
That is nightmare inducing!
(Btw, he still has eye-brow in this picture!)

It's a bit Sir Alexander Dane

 

[fireproof78]

I really don't think every klingon is going to be bald but the current ruling houses are. I think we'll also have an in-universe explanation for it all as well. I believe right now there is a lot of jumping to conclusions.

I believe you are correct.

 

[UssGlenn]

It's a bit Sir Alexander Dane

By Kahless' bat'leth, what a savings.

 

[Longinus]

I really don't think every klingon is going to be bald but the current ruling houses are. I think we'll also have an in-universe explanation for it all as well. I believe right now there is a lot of jumping to conclusions.

What leads you to believe this? Wouldn't it be extraordinarily weird if every member of every ruling house had decided to shave themselves bald, eyebrows and all, and even weirder if they had some plot point or exposition detailing why this was done?

 

[Nerys Myk]

So far all we've seen are variations on the Elizagyptian Klingons. I think they'll stick to that.

 

[Krandor]

What leads you to believe this? Wouldn't it be extraordinarily weird if every member of every ruling house had decided to shave themselves bald, eyebrows and all, and even weirder if they had some plot point or exposition detailing why this was done?

No. Their being a reason the ruling houses wanted to be bald would not be weird. Even in our wirld many people choose things like that.

 

[fireproof78]

What leads you to believe this? Wouldn't it be extraordinarily weird if every member of every ruling house had decided to shave themselves bald, eyebrows and all, and even weirder if they had some plot point or exposition detailing why this was done?

Um, no, actually.

 

[Prax]

You could really top that picture off with a bearded Geordi. Anyone remember bearded Geordi?

 

[F. King Daniel]

The new Klingons continue to be unbelievably fresh and cool for the Trek franchise

Vulcan neck pinch proof!

 

[.:: TSN ::.]

The new Klingons continue to be unbelievably fresh and cool for the Trek franchise