The Klingons are a fictional race in Star Trek, originally portrayed as enemies of humans and the Federation. Their appearance and culture were later developed, with Lt. Worf becoming a prominent character. Klingons value honor through battle and behavior, with women being notoriously tough. They love opera and poetry, and are disliked by other races. They are a beloved addition to the Star Trek universe.
If you’ve ever watched an episode of Star Trek, you’ve probably come across the made-up race known as the Klingon. In the original Star Trek series, a Klingon was a member of a humanoid race, roughly resembling a person of Mongolian descent. They were often subtly intelligent, but scheming, and were portrayed as bitter enemies of humans and the Federation. They specifically referenced the Cold War relationship between the US and the USSR that existed when the first series was made.
Like Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek developed the series into feature films, and later in Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), he significantly changed the appearance of the Klingons, giving them a bumpy forehead and dark complexion. What excited fans the most was the complexity of the Klingon world, its culture and people that Roddenberry built into the subsequent Star Trek films and series. Today there are avid fans who can even speak Klingon and love to dress up as their favorite characters for Star Trek conventions.
While the Klingon was still seen as a nemesis in the early Star Trek films, Roddenberry moved significantly away from seeing the race as “the bad guys,” developing the character of Lt. Worf, a Klingon raised by humans who serves the Federation under the command of Captain Jean Luc Picard, in the TNG series. Much of what we know about the Klingons now comes from this outgoing and wonderful character, who presents the conflict of serving a Federation at odds with the views of his own people.
From later films and from TNG, we learn that the Klingons tend to rule by violence and the way their warriors could be roughly compared to that of the Samurai. Honor through battle and right behavior is extremely important. If you are treacherous or dishonored, it affects your entire family, who are then judged as inferior. Indeed, for years, Lieutenant Worf has suffered from the disgrace his father has caused his family, and is treated like a second-class citizen.
Klingon women are notoriously tough, quite willing to fight with their husbands or suitors if necessary. In fact, they choose their own mates. Some have held political office and many gain control of their families, which are often structured in homes. In matters of marriage, Klingon women are considered much tougher than men, and according to Lieutenant Worf, men quickly learn to dodge thrown objects. Men are portrayed as the gentler sex, but that by no means makes them gentle creatures.
It’s clear that Roddenberry and other Star Trek writers had a lot of fun imagining the Klingon world. The gruff and rough exterior of the Klingons, with their emphasis on battle and weapon prowess, is at odds with their love of opera and poetry. They are disliked by all other races, and only Klingons can drink blood wine without serious intoxication. Yet they are certainly inventive and make a wonderful addition to the pantheon of races created for the Star Trek universe.
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