“Star Trek: Picard” and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” tell the origin story of the mega-villain Khan. And all without an appearance from the legendary villain!
- We learn more about the background of “Star Trek” villain Khan without him appearing.
- In the finale of Star Trek: Picard Season 2, it is revealed that Dr. Adam Soong worked on Project Khan.
- In “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” Khan’s descendant La’An is introduced.
With the finale of ” Star Trek: Picard ” Season 2, the first episode of ” Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ” also started on the US streaming service Paramount+ . Even if both series do not play parallel in the “Star Trek” chronology , they share something, or rather someone: Khan Noonien Singh!
Khan is arguably the most famous Star Trek villain of all time. No wonder he’s the only “Star Trek” villain to be named in the title of a movie, “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” Since his first appearance in 1966 by Ricardo Montalbán, many “Star Trek” villains have followed in Khan’s footsteps.
Now the super villain is brought back – at least his story! At the end of Star Trek: Picard Season 2 , the defeated Dr. Adam Soong (Brent Spiner) to a file and we realize it’s Project Khan.
Khan was genetically experimented with to become superhuman. When he became too power-hungry, Khan was forced to leave Earth frozen before being thawed out again hundreds of years later by Captain Kirk (William Shatner) in ” Starship Enterprise “.
“Star Trek: Picard” now hints that Adam Soong was among the scientists experimenting on Khan. However, this was before the events of 2024 in “Picard” Season 2, by which time Khan was long gone. We’ll likely learn more about Khan’s genesis in Star Trek: Picard Season 3.
This is very fitting because Adam Soong was introduced as a mad scientist conducting genetic experiments. And of course Khan Noonien Singh falls under this category of experiments.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds introduced La’An Noonien Singh (Christina Chong) in the same breath. She is the chief of security under Captain Pike (Anson Mount) aboard the Enterprise and has survived a long captivity among the Gorn. Does she have superhuman powers?
This is far from confirmed and not necessarily likely, but showrunner Akiva Goldsman confirmed before the start of the series that La’An Noonien Singh is a descendant of Khan Noonien Singh.
So the two “Star Trek” series tell us the origin story of Khan and his impact on his descendants without letting the character appear himself. A nifty way to cash in on a Star Trek legend. Or will a new actor slip into the role of Khan?
Benedict Cumberbatch (“Doctor Strange 2”) played the role of Khan in “Star Trek Into Darkness” . The film and its performance received mixed reviews, but in the series in particular, the recasts from Anson Mount’s Pike to Ethan Peck’s Spock were very well received.
Are the “Star Trek” makers once again showing the right touch with a new cast and bringing back Khan? We’ll find out at the latest in “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3 on Amazon Prime Video . Until then, you can while away the waiting time with numerous other “Star Trek” releases!
