The New Klingons

[Prax]

There was a very practical reason for the change in TMP. A big budget film that is being shown to a general audience who may not be familiar with Klingons (from TOS)needs to have the aliens look alien. The change isn't really all that dramatic, but makes it unmistakable that these Klingin guys are in fact aliens without having to rely on extra exposition. On a TV show, there is plenty of time for that, but not necessarily in a movie. Especially a movie where the story has nothing to do with Klingons.

You can see that TMP succeeds here.

 

[KirkusOveractus]

There was a very practical reason for the change in TMP. A big budget film that is being shown to a general audience who may not be familiar with Klingons (from TOS)needs to have the aliens look alien. The change isn't really all that dramatic, but makes it unmistakable that these Klingin guys are in fact aliens without having to rely on extra exposition. On a TV show, there is plenty of time for that, but not necessarily in a movie. Especially a movie where the story has nothing to do with Klingons.

You can see that TMP succeeds here.

When we saw TMP in the theatre (with my parents; I was 7 at the time and my parents are Star Trek fans since 1966), the combination of the D7s at the beginning with the first glimpse of the new Klingons were both greeted with recognition and gasps of amazement at how different but neat the Klingons looked.

Even if you didn't know, the dialogue in Epsilon IX confirmed it, but it wasn't anything out of the way, just in conversational tone.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Threads like these make me corrupt great things for fun...

Charge Of The True Trekkies

Half a light year, half a light year,
Half a light year onward,
All in the nebula of Death
Charged the Trek Fandom:
'Forward, the True Trekkies!
Charge for the violation‘ he said:
Into the nebula of Death
Charged the Trek Fandom.

'Forward, the True Trekkers!'
Was there a fan dismay'd?
Not tho' the nerd knew
Someone had blunder'd:
Theirs but to make reply,
Theirs but to reason why,
Theirs but to hollar & cry,
Into the nebula of Death
Rode the Trek Fandom.

Canon to right of them,
Canon to left of them,
Canon in front of them
Volley'd & thunder'd;
Storm'd at with plot and universe unveiled,
Boldly they go and well,
Into the jaws of Fek’lhr,
Into the mouth of Gre’thor
Rode the Trek Fandom.

Flash'd all their tricorders bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
Phasering the showrunners there,
Charging a fleet while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the media-smoke
Right thro' the sanity line they broke;
Producer & Director
Reel'd from the outrag’d folk,
Shatter'd & sunder'd.
Then they drudged back, but not
Not the full Fandom.

Canon to right of them,
Canon to left of them,
Canon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with plot and reason,
While 9er & Voyager fell,
Lauding that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Fek’lhr
Back from the mouth of Gre’thor,
All that was left of them,
Left of Trek Fandom.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild assumptions they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Beggar the charge they decreed!
Beggar the True Trekkies,
Ignoble Trek fandom.

Hugo - needs a life

 

[RAMA]

Funny how little he really knew Star Trek fans.

I was 10 years old and I wasn't a Trekkie at the time, but even then I knew why they looked different.

RAMA

 

[fireproof78]

I was 10 years old and I wasn't a Trekkie at the time, but even then I knew why they looked different.

RAMA

I saw them, and thought they looked ugly.

That opinion has not changed through all the different series. I think the best looking ones have been Chang, Gorkon and the ST ID Klingon commander.

 

[Spider]

So we are getting our 6th version of Klingons, we should be used to this stuff by now. Or is it the 5th version? I don't think it's the 7th, unless I missed one. I guess you could count alternate universe Klingons, depending on which universe they are the alternate of.

 

[RAMA]

I saw them, and thought they looked ugly.

That opinion has not changed through all the different series. I think the best looking ones have been Chang, Gorkon and the ST ID Klingon commander.

The aesthetics weren't the issue, the change was.

One of the most shocking things I've seen on social media is supposed "enlightened" Tekkies calling particular aliens, whether it's the Klingons, Saru or what have you: "ugly". I think they're missing the point about being able to accept such different looks as intelligent or legitimate characters in their own right and as metaphors for other races here on Earth. The state of much of fandom is pretty sad.

RAMA

 

[{ Emilia }]

The aesthetics weren't the issue, the change was.

One of the most shocking things I've seen on social media is supposed "enlightened" Tekkies calling particular aliens, whether it's the Klingons, Saru or what have you: "ugly". I think they're missing the point about being able to accept such different looks as intelligent or legitimate characters in their own right and as metaphors for other races here on Earth. The state of much of fandom is pretty sad.

RAMA

I don't think we need to be worried about racism against Klingons. They're not real, they're a piece of production design. And people can find that ugly without you implying they're intolerant.

 

[Prax]

So we are getting our 6th version of Klingons, we should be used to this stuff by now. Or is it the 5th version? I don't think it's the 7th, unless I missed one. I guess you could count alternate universe Klingons, depending on which universe they are the alternate of.

3rd

 

[RAMA]

I don't think we need to be worried about racism against Klingons. They're not real, they're a piece of production design. And people can find that ugly without you implying they're intolerant.

Unless you consider intent, and that it is a metaphor...then it's pretty sad.

RAMA

 

[Psion]

Unless you consider intent, and that it is a metaphor...then it's pretty sad.

RAMA

It's nothing of the kind. People are objecting to the makeup as ugly, not bullying widdle warriors.

 

[RAMA]

It's nothing of the kind. People are objecting to the makeup as ugly, not bullying widdle warriors.

That's definitely not what I've been seeing. I'm not just talking about Klingons..it leaves me wondering what they've been looking at all these years.

 

[SPCTRE]

Threads like these make me corrupt great things for fun...

Charge Of The True Trekkies

Half a light year, half a light year,
Half a light year onward,
All in the nebula of Death
Charged the Trek Fandom:
'Forward, the True Trekkies!
Charge for the violation‘ he said:
Into the nebula of Death
Charged the Trek Fandom.

'Forward, the True Trekkers!'
Was there a fan dismay'd?
Not tho' the nerd knew
Someone had blunder'd:
Theirs but to make reply,
Theirs but to reason why,
Theirs but to hollar & cry,
Into the nebula of Death
Rode the Trek Fandom.

Canon to right of them,
Canon to left of them,
Canon in front of them
Volley'd & thunder'd;
Storm'd at with plot and universe unveiled,
Boldly they go and well,
Into the jaws of Fek’lhr,
Into the mouth of Gre’thor
Rode the Trek Fandom.

Flash'd all their tricorders bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
Phasering the showrunners there,
Charging a fleet while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the media-smoke
Right thro' the sanity line they broke;
Producer & Director
Reel'd from the outrag’d folk,
Shatter'd & sunder'd.
Then they drudged back, but not
Not the full Fandom.

Canon to right of them,
Canon to left of them,
Canon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with plot and reason,
While 9er & Voyager fell,
Lauding that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Fek’lhr
Back from the mouth of Gre’thor,
All that was left of them,
Left of Trek Fandom.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild assumptions they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Beggar the charge they decreed!
Beggar the True Trekkies,
Ignoble Trek fandom.

Hugo - needs a life

 

[Hugo Rune]

@SPCTRE I get two chuckles, I'm a happy Rune

Hugo - had to Google Klingon Devil... for shame

 

[luckysurfer]

from those few pics looks like the new klingons less resemble humanoids and to me at least remind me more like those green martian type aliens from other shows and movies. but that said im not against them i think its a good idea to upgrade the shows and look ....if not too much.

 

[Prax]

We need more human looking aliens in Star Trek. I think(ironically) people would take the show more seriously if this were so.

 

[Galaxy]

Threads like these make me corrupt great things for fun...

Charge Of The True Trekkies

 

[UssGlenn]

So we are getting our 6th version of Klingons, we should be used to this stuff by now. Or is it the 5th version? I don't think it's the 7th, unless I missed one. I guess you could count alternate universe Klingons, depending on which universe they are the alternate of.

3rd

1. Original Series
2. The Motion Picture
3. The Search for Spock-Nemesis
4. Kelvin Films
5. Discovery

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

We need more human looking aliens in Star Trek. I think(ironically) people would take the show more seriously if this were so.

And they might get Edward James Olmos to come aboard that way.

 

[Prax]

1. Original Series
2. The Motion Picture
3. The Search for Spock-Nemesis
4. Kelvin Films
5. Discovery

Ok I forgot about the Kelvin Klingons, but they're in an actual reboot. And they really aren't any different. They just gave them all guumba trenchcoats and shredder masks.

TMP's Klingons are the same as the rest. They have the same make-up, wear the same uniforms, and fly the same ships developed for TOS, TAS, later movies and shows.

I'd say this is the biggest reimaging so far, presenting the 3rd version.