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One of the most iconic alien races in sci-fi, the Klingons are as synonymous with Star Trek as the Enterprise or Spock’s famous quote, “live long and prosper”. They have been the Federation’s worst nightmare since The Original Series and have continued to appear in most Star Trek media since their debut in the 1967 episode, “Errand of Mercy.”
Always ruthless and bound by honor, the Klingons have evolved over the franchise’s sixty-year history from the unreasonable humanoids of the early years into the lethal warriors that never miss an opportunity to declare war on whoever dares stand in their way.
10 The Klingon Empire Was Founded By Kahless The Unforgettable
The Klingon Empire was officially established sometime during the Terran ninth century by Kahless the Unforgettable, a supremely important character in Klingon history. After killing Molor, the tyrant ruler of Qo’nos, Kahless was able to unify all Klingon tribes for centuries to come.
During his time as Emperor, Kahless reformed Klingon society with his philosophy based on honor and strength, principles that would continue to influence the modern generations long after his death. He was considered a near-deity, and stories of his feats were revered and treated like exemplary Klingon behavior.
9 The Official Klingon-Human First Contact Happened In 2151… With Atrocious Consequences
In 2151, a Klingon vessel piloted by a courier named Klaang crashed in the middle of a cornfield in rural Oklahoma while escaping from a group of hostile aliens. Seeing an intruder on his land, the human owner, Moore, shot Klaang and later claimed self-defense despite not being attacked by the Klingon.
After attending to Klaang’s injuries, Starfleet decided the new Enterprise NX-01 should take the Klingon back to Qo’nos, as shown in the first episode of Enterprise. This event would later be known as the Broken Bow Incident in reference to its location, and would severely affect Klingon-Human relations from then on.
8 Klingon Society Is Based On Great Houses & Honor
Klingon society was based on honor, tradition, and land ownership. Individuals would belong to one of the multiple Great Houses that controlled a sector of Qo’nos and held important positions within the government and military. During the twenty-third century, the twenty-four largest Houses were granted a seat in the Klingon High Council, the ruling body of the Empire.
Commander Worf of the Enterprise belonged to the highly respected House of Martok on his father’s side and was one of the most influential Klingons of his time. T’Kuvma, the main antagonist in the first season of Discovery, was the leader of the House of T’Kuvma, which he renamed after himself.
7 Children Went Through The Rite Of Ascension To Be Considered Adults
When Klingon children reached a certain age, they had to go through the Rite of Ascension, a coming-of-age ceremony that officially presented them as would-be warriors. It consisted of lighting a special candle that symbolized the heart of a warrior burning with passion and purpose.
Ten years later after their first Rite of Ascension, all Klingons went through a second ritual that fully turned them into warriors. This ceremony was far more intricate and painful, and involved repeatedly hurting the warrior with a Klingon weapon to test their strength.
6 They Share Common Ancestry With Humans
Despite their many differences and everpresent feud, Klingons and humans shared a common ancestry that went back billions of years. The Next Generation episode “The Chase” introduced the Ancient Humanoids, an archaic species of sentient beings who became one of the first races to populate the Milky Way Galaxy.
Varying conditions led them to evolve into multiple known species like the Vulcans—and later to the Romulans—Humans, Cardassians, and Klingons, which later became important leaders in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Given their similarities, Klingon-Human hybrids are highly viable.
5 Klingon Hybridization Was Much More Successful Than Other Races
Unlike alien races like the Vulcans, who struggled to procreate with non-Vulcanoids, Klingons had a much higher success rate when mating with other species. Klingon hybrids were born with an equal amount of DNA from each parent, but would retain mostly Klingon physical characteristics.
Star Trek has introduced multiple Human-Klingon characters over the years, most of whom have served as Starfleet officers in the series. Aside from Worf and his son Alexander, there’s also Alexander’s mother, Ambassador K’Ehleyr, and Voyager‘s B’Elanna Torres and her daughter Miral Paris.
4 Their Scientific Endeavors Weren’t As Developed As Their Warfare
The Klingons became known as a warrior race in the early twenty-second century, as their military had gained immense power and taken control of their homeworld. Soon after, they began sending exploratory vessels in search of other planets to seize populate through battle, a method that would put them up against the Federation.
Before then, the Klingons hadn’t really prioritized scientific development beyond what was needed for warfare, which could be seen in their warships. Their frequent and hostile meetings with other alien races, however, kickstarted a new wave of medical and scientific research that put them on par with the Federation by the twenty-fourth century.
3 Two Male Klingon Warriors Could Become ‘Brothers’ Through The Rite Of R’uustai
The Next Generation episode, “The Bonding,” introduced the Klingon ritual of R’uustai, a bonding ceremony that joined two Klingon warriors as brothers. The ceremony requires both warriors to light candles and wear sashes to represent joining the other’s Klingon House.
Jeremy Aster, the son of the Enterprise-D’s archeologist, Marla Aster, becomes an orphan after his mother is killed in an accidental explosion. Feeling a kinship with Jeremy, Worf proposes performing the R’uustai and officially joining each other’s Houses to become family.
2 They Were Somewhat Religious & Mostly Worship Historical Figures
Given their immense admiration for strong and honorable warriors, the Klingons worshipped historical figures like Kahless the Unforgettable as if they were deities. The Paq’batlh, a large compilation of Kahless’ adventures and philosophies, was considered a sacred text and a rulebook for Klingon society.
In the twenty-third century, T’Kuvma’s strong leadership, and his subsequent death at Michael Burnham’s hands, led many Klingons to consider him a near-deity. Around the same time, a group of Klingons also worshipped the Kuvah’magh, a messiah of sorts who would lead the Empire to victory.
1 They’re The Alien Race That Has Changed The Most Over The Years
Despite being one of Star Trek’s most recognizable aliens, the Klingons have gone through many dramatic transformations over the years. When they first appeared in The Original Series, they were mostly human-like, with bronze skin, unswept eyebrows, and thin beards to separate them from other species, but soon after they would receive a radical makeover.
Perhaps their most well-known and distinctive feature, the multiple ridges on their foreheads, wouldn’t appear until 1979 with the premiere of The Motion Picture. Since then, the Klingons have gained more alien-like characteristics, including pointy heads, wide, flat noses, sharp teeth, even talons on their fingers.
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