Khan Noonien Singh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Khan Noonien Singh |
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|---|---|
| Star Trek character | |
Ricardo Montalbán as Khan Noonien Singh in
"Space Seed", 1967 |
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| Portrayed by | Ricardo Montalbán (1967, 1982) Benedict Cumberbatch (2013) |
| Information | |
| Species | Augmented human |
Khan Noonien Singh, often called Khan, is a famous character from the Star Trek science fiction stories. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series TV episode "Space Seed" in 1967. In that episode, and later in the 1982 movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Khan was played by Ricardo Montalbán. In the 2013 movie Star Trek Into Darkness, Benedict Cumberbatch played the role.
Khan was once a powerful leader who controlled a large part of Earth during the Eugenics Wars in the 1990s. He was put into a special sleep called suspended animation. In the year 2267, the crew of the Starship Enterprise found him. Khan tried to take over their spaceship, but Captain James T. Kirk stopped him. Khan and his followers were then sent to live on a planet called Ceti Alpha V.
Fifteen years later, in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Khan escapes from Ceti Alpha V. He wants to get revenge on Captain Kirk for exiling him.
In Star Trek Into Darkness, which is set in a different Star Trek timeline, Khan wakes up much earlier. He is forced by Admiral Marcus to build weapons for Starfleet. Marcus holds Khan's crew hostage. Khan eventually fights back against Starfleet and the Enterprise crew.
Khan has also appeared in many Star Trek books and comic books.
Contents
Who is Khan Noonien Singh?
Khan first appeared in the "Space Seed" episode, which aired on February 16, 1967. The story explains that Khan is one of many genetically engineered super-humans. These people were made to be stronger and smarter than regular humans. They were very powerful during the Eugenics Wars in the 1990s.
Khan was known as the most successful and fair ruler among these super-humans. He ruled over a quarter of Earth, from Asia to the Middle East, between 1992 and 1996. He ruled with a strong but mostly peaceful hand.
Most of the other super-humans were killed or put in jail. But Khan and 84 others escaped Earth on a special ship called the SS Botany Bay. This was a sleeper ship, meaning they were in a deep sleep for a long journey.
Discovery of the Botany Bay
In the year 2267, the Enterprise starship found the Botany Bay. Khan and 72 of his crew were still alive, frozen in suspended animation.
When Khan's sleep chamber stopped working, he was brought to the Enterprise. He woke up and learned he was in the 23rd century. The Enterprise crew gave him nice living quarters while they towed his ship. Khan used this time to learn about the Enterprise from its technical manuals. He also charmed the ship's historian, Marla McGivers (Madlyn Rhue).
McGivers agreed to help Khan wake up his other super-human crew members. Khan then tried to take over the Enterprise. He put Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in a decompression chamber. Khan threatened to kill Kirk if the crew did not obey him.
However, McGivers could not let her Captain die. She freed Kirk, who then used a special gas to stop Khan's men. Khan went to the engine room and tried to make the ship explode. Kirk stopped him again. After a hearing, Captain Kirk decided to send Khan and his followers to live on an empty planet called Ceti Alpha V.
Khan's Return in Star Trek II
Khan comes back in the 1982 movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In the movie, Captain Clark Terrell (Paul Winfield) and First Officer Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) from the USS Reliant are looking for a planet to test a powerful tool called the Genesis device. This device can change a dead planet into one that can support life. They land on what they think is Ceti Alpha VI.
Khan's followers capture Terrell and Chekov. Khan explains that they are actually on Ceti Alpha V. He tells them that the sixth planet in the system exploded shortly after he and his people were left there. Only twenty of Khan's followers survived. Khan blames Kirk for all his suffering and wants revenge.
Khan puts small creatures called Ceti eels into Terrell and Chekov's brains. These eels make them easy to control. Khan then takes over the Reliant and plans to steal the Genesis device.
The Enterprise fights the Reliant. Khan is badly hurt. Refusing to give up, Khan activates the Genesis device. He wants to kill Kirk and himself along with the Enterprise. But the Enterprise manages to escape just in time.
Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness
Khan also appears in the 2013 movie Star Trek Into Darkness. In this movie, Khan's past is similar. However, he is woken up by Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus, not the Enterprise crew. Admiral Marcus thinks a war with the Klingons is coming. He forces Khan to develop new warships and weapons for Starfleet. Khan has to pretend to be "Commander John Harrison" while Marcus holds Khan's shipmates hostage. Khan creates advanced torpedoes and a powerful warship called the USS Vengeance.
Playing the Villain: Khan's Character
Ricardo Montalbán, the actor who played Khan, once said that a good villain doesn't see themselves as evil. They might do bad things, but they believe they are doing them for good reasons. Montalbán tried to find a flaw in Khan, showing that no one is completely good or completely bad. Khan had a twisted view of reality, leading him to do evil acts. But he felt his revenge was right because his wife had died. Khan often quotes Captain Ahab from the book Moby-Dick in the movie. This shows how much he wants Kirk to pay for what he believes Kirk did to him.
Images for kids
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Khan (Ricardo Montalbán) and his followers in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
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Benedict Cumberbatch plays Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness.
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See also
In Spanish: Khan Noonien Singh para niños
