kruge star trek

‘I Loved It’: Christopher Lloyd Shares Why It Was So Enjoyable Playing Star Trek III: The Search For Spock’s Main Villain

Good ol' Kruge.

Before he played Doc Brown opposite Michael J. Fox ’s Marty McFly in the Back to the Future movies ( a role first offered to Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh ), Christopher Lloyd left his stamp on the science fiction genre on an established franchise. The Taxi star was cast to play Kruge, the main villain in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , which you can stream with a Paramount+ subscription . 40 years after its release in theaters, Lloyd reflected on why he enjoyed playing the Klingon baddie so much.

In an interview with Variety tied to him being nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his guest performance in Hacks (which those with a Max subscription can stream), Lloyd discussed other major milestones in his career, including taking part in the third Star Trek movie. Here’s what the actor had to say about his time on The Search for Spock , which was directed by Leonard Nimoy :

I’d come to the Paramount Studio at four in the morning to get that makeup put on — the way it built up my forehead — and then the costume. How can you not feel like you’re the character when you do all that? I loved it. I tried to find what is it about this guy that I could relate to an audience whereby they will feel something about themselves in this guy — even if it’s somebody you don’t want at your dinner table, you know? It doesn’t change his undesirable traits, but I want the audience to feel they’re not engaged with somebody off a different planet. They’re engaged with somebody they can talk to.

So in addition to feeling that Kruge was a compelling villain, Christopher Lloyd also had a blast getting to wear the makeup and prosthetics that transformed him into Kruge. Although Klingons with ridged foreheads were previously seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture , The Search for Spock made that aspect of their appearance less pronounced. Star Trek III is one of just two movies in this film series where a Klingon character is the chief antagonist, the other being Christopher Plummer’s Chang in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .

Of course, Kruge has gone down in Star Trek history as being responsible for the death of David Marcus, James Kirk’s son, and instigating the events that led to the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) being destroyed when its self-destruct sequence was activated. This all happened as a result of the Klingon looking to obtain Genesis, which was used at the end of The Wrath of Khan, and utilize the terraforming device as a weapon for the Klingon empire. Fortunately, he wasn’t successful in achieving this goal, and Kirk brought Kruge’s reign of terror to an end when he kicked him off a cliff while they were fighting.

Be sure to see where we placed The Search for Spock in our ranking of the Star Trek movies . Looking ahead, the Paramount+-exclusive movie Section 31 will arrive on the streaming platform in early 2025, and there’s also a Star Trek origins movie that’s expected to hit theaters later on the 2025 release schedule .

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Kruge sutai-Vastal was a Klingon officer and the main antagonist of the 1984 film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

He was portrayed by Christopher Lloyd, who also played Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit , Switchblade Sam in Dennis the Menace , Merlock in DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp , Rasputin in Anastasia , The Hacker in Cyberchase , Lord Imaru in The Secret Treasure of Machu Picchu , Professor Plum in Clue , Helgait in the The Mandalorian , and Stan Cruge in Santa Buddies .

• 1.2 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
• 2 Personality
• 5 External links
• 6 Navigation

Biography [ ]

Kruge was born in to the House of Kruge, one of the Great Houses of the Empire, with a number of highly placed political connections.

A protegee of Kamarag , Kruge served for many years in the Klingon Defense Force. His career began in the 2240s under Commander Kor on the IKS Kut'luch. In 2245 Kruge questioned the decision of Kor to withdraw from battle against the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). Kruge backed down but Kor believed some day that Kruge would challenge him for command.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock [ ]

By the 2280s Kruge was Captain of a Klingon Bird of Prey, with a dozen officers and crew under his command. He had a female friend named Valkris , who was a Klingon spy. Kruge also had a Targ hound that he brought with him, and ordered hapless crew members to feed his Targ. In 2285 Kruge obtained data on Project Genesis from Valkris. After learning that she had seen the data, he had her killed by destroying her ship in order to prevent any news about the mission from getting out or having possible witnesses later on.

Viewing the data with his most trusted officers, Kruge decided to travel to the planet that had been created after Khan Noonien Singh detonated the Genesis torpedo in the Mutara Nebula. Upon arrival he found the Federation science ship USS Grissom in orbit over Genesis. He ordered his crew to disable the ship, however the gunner's shot destroyed Grissom . Enraged, Kruge vaporized the gunner with his disruptor.

Torg pointed out that there were survivors on the surface of Genesis who might have detailed knowledge of the weapon. Kruge led a team to the planet surface to find the survivors. Taking the survivors - Saavik, David Marcus, and the regenerated body of Spock - prisoner, he threatened to torture the information out of the prisoners. However the USS Enterprise arrived at that time, and Kruge beamed up to take care of that threat. Because the Enterprise was so undermanned and running on automation, Kruge was able to disable the Federation ship with a single shot, even though ordinarily Kruge's ship would have been no match for a Constitution -class starship. Admiral Kirk attempted to bluff the Klingons into surrendering, but that failed. Kruge ordered his crew on the surface to kill a prisoner, the Klingon warrior was going to kill Saavik before David intervened, at the cost of his life.

Kruge sent a team over to the Enterprise but before abandoning ship Admiral Kirk had set the ship to self-destruct. When Kruge heard the Enterprise computer counting down Kruge realized what was about to happen, and screamed for his men to get off the ship, but it was too late for the transporter chief to beam them out. Kruge and Maltz could only watch as powerful charges on the Enterprise killed the boarding party and reduced the Federation ship to a lifeless hulk that burned up in the atmosphere of Genesis.

Realizing that Kirk and the others had made it off the Enterprise before the ship exploded, Kruge beamed down to Genesis to confront Kirk directly. The two engaged in physical combat while Genesis broke up beneath their feet. Kruge and Kirk fought to the edge of a cliff and wound up on a ledge overlooking a lake of lava. A piece of ground gave way underneath Kruge. Kruge wound up holding on to the edge of the cliff for his life. Despite everything that Kruge had done, Kirk tried to pull the man up, but Kruge was determined to take Kirk with him. Having had enough, Kirk kicked Kruge in the head until Kruge lost his grip and fell to his death in the lava below.

After Kruge's death, Kirk got Maltz - the sole Klingon remaining on Kruge's ship - to beam him and Spock's body up. The crew rushed to Vulcan, where Spock's body and katra were successfully reunited with each other.

Kirk would later on develop a bitter hatred for Klingons years because Kruge had killed his son. Kirk would even refer to this when he was on his final mission as captain of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A, that he never trusted Klingons and he never will, nor could he forgive them for the death of his son. Before his own death, Chancellor Gorkon was aware of what happened to Kirk's son and realized that Kirk's hatred of Klingons was due to Kirk still grieving David's death.

After seeing what extremes others would go to because of their hatred of the Klingon race, Kirk finally let go of his hatred and forgave the Klingon people rather than let his hatred consume him. Nearly a century later Captain K'Nera - who belonged to the same House as Kruge - made an unsuccessful attempt of his own to seize the secrets of Genesis before being stopped by the crew of the Enterprise.

Kruge's death left the House of Kruge divided. His chosen heir Korgh was unable to assert his claim to lead the House of Kruge due to the political divisions in Kruge's family. Nearly a century after Kruge's death Korgh attempted to seize political power and also tried to assassinate Emperor Kahless. Korgh's plans failed because he underestimated not only his enemies, but the loyalty of his allies as well.

Another one of Kruge's relatives was K'Nera, who had served in the KDF. In the late 2370s K'Nera went rouge and tried to obtain the secrets of the Genesis Project. He allied with a Maquis cell to obtain the data but then betrayed and murdered the members of the cell. Intent on using Genesis to make his House dominant in the Empire, he was stopped by Ro Laren and Commander William Riker.

Personality [ ]

Kruge is a very unique Klingon in that Klingons are usually depicted in pre-The Undiscovered Country Star Trek as vicious and often entirely amoral. Kruge, while violent and ruthless, maintains a strict code of honor. He demonstrates respect for his enemies, and murders one of his own men for destroying a surrendering Federation ship. Still, Kruge has genuine comraderie with his men and is rewarded with their genuine loyalty.

• Kruge is notable for being the first main antagonist in a Star Trek film to actually fight a member of the Enterprise crew. The previous two antagonists were V'Ger (who was a sentient satellite and thus incapable of combat) and Khan Noonien Singh who was unable to engage Kirk due to Richardo Montalban having to film Fantasy Island.
• Commander Kruge's name is only spoken once, by his lover Valkris . As such, Admiral Kirk never learns his adversary's name.
• Edward James Olmos was director Leonard Nimoy's original choice for the role of Kruge. However, producer Harve Bennett was concerned that Olmos was too small to be an effective villain. A first time director, Nimoy was unfamiliar with the intricacies of directing a film and working with producers and backed down out of fear he would be fired as a director. Christopher Lloyd soon came along and even though up to that point his work had mainly been comedic in nature, both Nimoy and Bennett felt Lloyd came off more operatic and physically intimidating, and cast him as Kruge.
• In a June 2009 interview, Christopher Lloyd said that the role of Commander Kruge was one of his favorites.
• When Admiral Kirk calls out to Lord Kruge, the Klingon commander has his head in his hands. According to the original storyline, Kruge is not mourning the loss of his troops, he is humiliated because Kirk was more cunning than he was. Through Kirk's apparent suicide, Kruge has been beaten and shamed.

External links [ ]

• Kruge on Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki

Navigation [ ]

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The STAR TREK Franchise’s Greatest Villains, Ranked

As a franchise, Star Trek has more “misunderstood antagonists” than outright villains. Often, the Federation just has misunderstandings with other alien species. But there is some outright villainy in the far future. And some of the most legendary antagonists in sci-fi history came from this franchise. These  Star Trek  villains hail from The Original Series,  from  The Next Generation , from Voyager , from Discovery , and everything in between. They come from the big and small screens. But one thing they all have in common is the villainous delight they brought to fans. Here are 13 of the very best (or rather, very worst) Star Trek villains over the last 55 years , ranked.

13. Seska ( Voyager , 1995-1996)

Star Trek: Voyager had few great villains, outside of the Borg Queen. The other alien races they fought, like the Hirogen, didn’t have memorable leaders. But the best villain in this  Star Trek series was an actual crew member. Seska (Martha Hackett) was one of the rebel Maquis who Janeway took in, who became Voyager crew members when the ship got lost in the Delta Quadrant . But we later learn that she was a Cardassian spy, surgically altered to look Bajoran to infiltrate the Maquis. Later trapped aboard Voyager , she caused all kinds of problems for Janeway’s crew. Including siding with hostile alien races against her crewmates.

12: Harry Mudd (TOS, 1966-1967, The Animated Series 1973, Discovery 2018)

The original series had several memorable antagonists, but almost all were mostly one-offs that never returned. The grand exception to that rule was Harcourt Fenton Mudd , or just Harry Mudd. A space pirate and swindler, actor Roger C. Carmel played him like a 17th-century salty sea pirate. Only one who captains a space freighter used for smuggling and other nefarious purposes.

Harry Mudd appeared three times to plague Kirk and his crew. In the first season’s “ Mudd’s Women ,” we learn that underneath his jolly exterior is an opportunist, drug dealer, and pimp. And in the more lighthearted “ I, Mudd ,” he was still someone willing to kill. He even appeared on the animated series. A more sinister version of him played by Rainn Wilson showed up on Discovery. But the best is still the original. And he is one of the best Star Trek  villains out there.

11. Nero ( Star Trek 2009)

Because of the success of Ricardo Montalban’s Khan, many Star Trek movies attempted to follow in the “vengeance-driven madman” template for their main bad guy. And most, like Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis , failed to live up to Khan. But Star Trek 2009’s villain, Romulan Commander Nero came closest. After a supernova destroyed his homeworld , resulting in his wife’s death, he blamed Ambassador Spock for failing to prevent it as promised.

So what does Nero do? The bitter Romulan traveled back in time with one mission — to make Spock suffer as he suffered. Well, since he destroyed his entire home planet of Vulcan, we say he made good on that promise. We admit he’s a bit one-note, but Eric Bana is just great in the role and chews all the available scenery. And this raised him to truly memorable status.

10. The Duras Sisters ( The Next Generation  1991-1994, Deep Space Nine 1993, Star Trek: Generations 1994)

One highlight of TNG was a long-running Worf-centric arc, dealing with his family’s Klingon political rivals, House Duras. The first member of House Duras we met was a man, a braggart and idiot , who met his death at Worf’s blade. But his two sisters, Lursa and B’etor, played by Barbara March and Gwynyth Walsh, respectively, were much more interesting and fun on screen.

Conniving schemers, the Duras sisters sought to control the Klingon Empire by any means possible. And the fact that women couldn’t rule on the High Council didn’t stop them from trying. They also get extra points for being the ones who destroyed the Enterprise -D in the film Star Trek: Generations . Although these  Star Trek villains but a few minutes themselves after that. The Duras sister lived by the sword, and died by the sword.

9. Captain Gabriel Lorca ( Discovery 2017-2018)

In the first season of Star Trek: Discovery , the titular ship’s Captain was a rough-around-the-edges jerk named Gabriel Lorca. Jason Isaacs, who played malicious men in the Harry Potter franchise and in Star Wars: Rebels , portrayed Lorca . So really, we should have known from the get-go that Lorca wasn’t just a jerk, but an actual bad guy. We eventually discovered that he hailed from the Mirror Universe , where all the Federation’s counterparts are basically terrible people. We hated Lorca as Captain, but we kind of loved him as an outright bad guy.

8. The Borg Queen ( Star Trek: First Contact 1996, Voyager 1991-2001, Picard 2022)

In Star Trek: The Next Generation , the franchise introduced the Borg Collective as a cybernetic hive mind, with no individual personalities among them. But when it came time to do the film Star Trek: First Contact , the creative team knew the Borg needed a face. (And a torso. And sometimes, legs). So since the Borg is like a beehive, wouldn’t it have a Queen?

In First Contact , she attempted to assimilate Earth in the past, and bring both Data and Picard to the dark side (to borrow a phrase). The Borg Queen could’ve taken away the collective’s singular scariness, but because of Alice Krige’s performance and weird sensuality, she became a fan favorite . The character later antagonized Voyager , and Annie Wersching currently portrays her on Picard .

7. Q ( TNG, DS9, Voyager , 1987-2001, Picard 2022)

The omnipotent entity from the Q Continuum , played by John de Lancie, Q evolved from a Star Trek villain into more of a nuisance. But that’s not how he started. First appearing on Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s pilot episode, he forced Picard to stand trial for the crimes of humanity. Other encounters saw him creating wild fantasy scenarios for the Enterprise crew , and currently, changing Earth’s past to create a dystopian present. But he gets to keep villain status for one reason. In an act of pure pettiness, he introduced the lethal Borg to the Federation, centuries too early. And thousands died as a result. That’s pretty villainous to us.

6. Weyoun ( Deep Space Nine , 1995-1999)

The biggest threat to peace on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was the Dominion , a sort of anti-Federation from the other side of the Galaxy. Although the leaders of the Dominion were its shape-shifting Founders , the face of this empire was the alien race called the Vorta . And the conniving Vorta we saw most on DS9 was Weyoun, played by Jeffrey Combs.

Combs played the characters as if he were a used car salesman. A used car salesman with an army of genetically engineered soldiers at his disposal, mind you. As a clone (as all his species are), even when they killed off this Star Trek villain, he’d just return as an identical version. Weyoun appeared 24 times total on Deep Space Nine , as six different clone variants. He was like a rash that Captain Sisko just couldn’t get rid of. And DS9 viewers were thankful for it.

5. Kruge ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , 1984)

In the original Star Trek TV series, the Klingons were a lot of posturing and bluster. But they rarely did anything that was too bad. The true template for Klingon badassery was set by Doc Brown himself, Christopher Lloyd, in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . As a Klingon Bird of Prey commander named Kruge, he was obsessed with uncovering the secrets of the newly-created Genesis planet for his own ends, and for the glory of the Klingon Empire.

In just this one film, we saw Kruge coldly kill his lover Valkris for seeing classified information, as well as one of his own officers for screwing up on the bridge. And not just killed, but totally vaporized. He also destroyed a Federation starship and had one of his own officers murder Captain Kirk’s son just to prove a point to his adversary. Christopher Lloyd absolutely set the tone for what Klingons were in the franchise going forward with this performance. And that’s why this  Star Trek baddie sits so high on our ranked villains list.

4. Kai Winn Adami ( Deep Space Nine , 1993-1999)

As we know from the real world, religious fundamentalists are scary. And when they gain political power? They are even scarier. Such is the case with Kai Winn , played by Oscar-winner Louise Fletcher . They introduced us to her as a Bajoran Vedek (priest) in season one of Deep Space Nine . She first appeared as a religious zealot who tried to divide the Federation from the Bajorans.

But those ambitions were not enough for Winn. She soon clawed her way to the top, becoming her planet’s supreme religious figure. Winn said everything with a condescending smile, one that just makes you love to hate her. And as the series progressed, we learned that her so-called faith is just a smokescreen for her desire for power and control. Although the writers gave her layers, she was nevertheless one of Star Trek’s most ruthless villains.

3. General Chang ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , 1991)

The second-best cinematic villain in the Star Trek franchise was played by the great Christopher Plummer , in the original crew’s final outing together, The Undiscovered Country . When the Klingon and Federation have to make a peace after a tragedy befalls the Klingon homeworld, not everyone in the Empire wants to make friends with their longtime enemies.

At the front of that line was Chang , a Klingon general who loved to quote Shakespeare and who hid all his animosity behind a wry smile. An old warhorse who was not prepared for a peaceful future, he was even willing to work with his enemies to ensure a lasting peace never occurs. He may have made only one appearance in one film, but it sure was one for the ages. Not to mention, we love a villain who wears a great-looking sash.

2. Khan Noonien Singh ( Star Trek 1967, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan 1982)

Ricardo Montalban originally played the part of a 20th century genetically engineered tyrant named Khan Noonien Singh in the 1967 episode “ Space Seed .” Despite a great performance, if it was only that one episode, he would likely not be on this Star Trek  villains list, much less rank this high. No, it was his return 15 years later as a vengeance-driven madman in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan that really makes him one of the all-time greats.

When  Star Trek combined believable motivation, top-tier acting, and forever memorable lines (“Vengeance is a dish best served cold”), it made an unbeatable mix. The combination makes him the best big-screen Trek villain of all time. Everyone else in the film series pales in comparison. Especially the other Khan, Benedict Cumberbatch, who played the character (in name only) in Star Trek Into Darkness.  He does not make it onto our  Star Trek  villains rankings.

  1. Gul Dukat ( Deep Space Nine , 1993-1999)

No Star Trek villain was as complicated, layered, and outright evil as the Cardassian war criminal Gul Dukat . As the commandant of Terok Nor , the space station later called Deep Space Nine , he oversaw the occupation and subjugation of the planet Bajor. His rule saw millions of Bajorans die in labor camps, and deal with untold suffering. And when he lost the planet, he became bitterly obsessed with getting his old position back as its brutal overseer.

Although veteran actor Marc Alaimo played the part dripping with ego and evil, he also gave Dukat layers. Among those layers was his genuine caring for his half-Bajoran daughter . But DS9 never let you forget, no matter how much we might occasionally sympathize with him, this was one bad dude. As a recurring villain throughout the seven-season run of DS9 , no Trek antagonist was ever allowed more to work with, or delivered it all so well.

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Kruge-llectibles

The events in John Jackson Miller’s new Star Trek trilogy of Prey novels are set in motion due to the demise of Commander Kruge, one the original crew’s most-dangerous foes. Indeed, Kruge inflicted some permanent and emotional damage to our heroes, resulting in the destruction of two Starfleet vessels, including the beloved original U.S.S. Enterprise, and the death of Kirk’s son David Marcus. David’s death would continue to haunt Kirk, bringing him to the brink of prejudice, throughout Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .

Lord Kruge as a character was originally designed as a Romulan, according to writer and producer Harve Bennett’s original story treatment from September 1982 (this is why the Klingons have a Bird-of-Prey ship in the film, something that carried over from the original versions of the outline). When the decision was made to make the villain more ruthless and less politically motivated – in essence, the Star Trek version of a warlord – Kruge was born. Christopher Lloyd’s performance, with all its aplomb, Harve Bennet’s charming writing, Leonard Nimoy’s thoughtful direction, and the art design and makeup artists combined to create a worthy adversary for Kirk and company.

Indeed, Kruge continues to pop up in the recent extended Trek universe – from John Jackson Miller’s novels to being a featured character in Disruptor Beam’s Star Trek Timelines free-to-play mobile game. Kruge also pops up frequently in the world of Trek collectibles. These are some of our favorite “Kruge-llectibles” from the past three decades.

1) Taco Bell Glasses –for 69 cents with the purchase of a medium or large soft drink, fans visiting a local Taco Bell restaurant during the summer of 1984 could purchase a Kruge themed glass along with three others depicting scenes and spoilers from the film. One of the favorite aspects of this glass is the excellent artwork, which features Kruge on the front, and the famous “I…have had…enough…of you” Kirk-Kruge fight scene on the back.

2) ERTL Klingon Leader action figure – Star Trek III: The Search for Spock had four action figures released at the time of its premiere by ERTL: Kirk, Spock, Scotty, and the Klingon Leader. Although not specifically named as Kruge, this figure’s likeness and the inclusion of “the Klingon beast” make it undeniably the character. Playmates Toys also produced a Kruge action figure in their 4” line in 1995. (Special thanks to James Sawyer and his A Piece of the Action toy blog http://www.apieceoftheaction.net/ for these images)

3) Hamilton Collection Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Collector’s Plate – part of the Hamilton Collection’s 1995 “Star Trek Movies” plate line, TSFS offering included spectacular original art by Morgan Weistling. The dynamic many-faces-of-Spock and the villainous scowl of Kruge make this a favorite item featuring the Klingon Lord.

4) Bif Bang Pow! Kruge Bobble Head – January 2015 saw the release of the Kruge Bobble Head as a welcome addition to the Bif Bang Pow! line of Trek bobbles. What’s more fun than tapping Kruge’s head to get a bobbling “yes” gesture of agreement at whatever you say?!

5) Diamond Select Toys Klingon Bird of Prey – offered in many versions, including a regular edition, partially cloaked, and cloaked, these impressive Birds of Prey join the expansive line of DST starships. Our favorite of the group is the partially cloaked version, featuring the voice of Kruge and a cool paint scheme and design. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaLmHW-gPgc

All of these Kruge-llectibles point to the popularity of the character and Kruge’s ability to capture the imagination. It appears, despite Kirk’s protestation, that “we…haven’t had…enough of…Kruge!”

Maria Jose and John Tenuto are both sociology professors at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois, specializing in popular culture and subculture studies. The Tenutos have conducted extensive research on the history of Star Trek , and have presented at venues such as Creation Conventions and the St. Louis Science Center. They have written for the official Star Trek Magazine and their extensive collection of Star Trek items has been featured in SFX Magazine . Their theory about the “20-Year Nostalgia Cycle” and research on Star Trek fans has been featured on WGN News, BBC Radio, and in the documentary The Force Among Us. They recently researched all known paperwork from the making of the classic episode " Space Seed " and are excited to be sharing some previously unreported information about Khan's first adventure with fellow fans. Contact the Tenutos at [email protected] or [email protected].

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• Edit source

Kruge is a Klingon Defense Force officer who tried to take the secrets of Project Genesis for the Empire. During a fight with Admiral James T. Kirk on the rapidly-disintegrating Genesis Planet, Kruge was knocked over the side of a cliff and appeared to fall into a pool of molten lava. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock )

Fan continuities [ ]

Harry potter and the fountain of possibilities [ ].

However, before he hits the pool, he crosses through the intervening 96 years of time via a spatial anomaly formed by Genesis' collapse (the so-called "Fountain of Possibilities") and reappears in the Main Engineering compartment of the USS Jacqueline Dorsey .( Harry Potter and the Fountain of Possibilities : "Investigation")

Arrangements between the Federation and the Klingon Empire are soon made for Kruge to be transported to Qo'noS by the IKS Gorkon , accompanied by the Jacqueline Dorsey and the USS Enterprise -A . ( Harry Potter and the Fountain of Possibilities : "The Fire Inside")

After reading an information packet on the major events in galactic history following the Genesis Incident, Kruge expressed to Captain Kirk that he regretted his actions 96 years before and looked forward to working to earn Kirk's trust. ( Harry Potter and the Fountain of Possibilities : "All Hell Breaks Loose")

As promised, Kruge would proceed to do just that: at a dinner party held at Klingon Chancellor Martok 's estate, Kruge overheard Ron Weasley and sister Ginny Potter discussing their worries that Ambassador Harry Potter and head of security Lieutenant Commander Hermione Granger would still fall in love.

Kruge informed the Federation Embassy on Qo'noS of what he had discovered, leading Harry and Hermione to meet up with Kruge to learn about the situation in person. Subsequently, Kruge joined Harry in supporting Hermione's blood oath to find the culprits responsible. ( Harry Potter and the Fountain of Possibilities : "Wrong Place, Wrong Time," "Right from Wrong")

To that end, Kruge joined Harry and Hermione in traveling back in time to Harry and Hermione's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . ( Harry Potter and the Fountain of Possibilities : "Honor's Blood," "The Truth Comes Out")

External links [ ]

• Kruge article at Memory Alpha , the canon Star Trek wiki.
• Kruge article at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
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Was Kruge and the Klingons right to be worried during the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock?

By chad porto | jul 7, 2022.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock featured Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon named Kruge.

Star Trek III: The Wrath of Khan was a change for the franchise, existing mainly as a way to unwrite the death of Spock in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Leonard Nimoy originally wanted to be done with the franchise after the second film but enjoyed the experience so much that he requested to come back for the third film.

When it came time to do the third film, the script had to find a way to bring back Spock, and the way the writing staff came up with was to bring him back through Project Genesis. Genesis was a device that could create a new platform that could sustain life. The crew of the Enterprise shot Spock’s body onto the planet as a final send-off at the end of the second film, and in doing so restored Spock’s body.

There’s more to the plot but the basic gist is that the Klingons found out about the device and its restorative power and they grew concerned about its use as a weapon. A well-founded fear considering the fact it destroyed Khan Noonien Singh and his followers upon its destination,

Fearing its power, Christopher Lloyd’s character, Kruge, attempts to capture information on the device in order to protect the Klingon Empire from the device he believes is truly a Federation weapon.

Was Kruge right to be worried during the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock?

Kruge was right to fear the power of Genesis, as everyone in Star Trek truly feared it. Its entire existence was the catalyst for a lot of what would happen in Trek II and III. Yet, when we speak about his right to be worried, we have to also ask if he was right in how he reacted?

It’s normal and understandable to fear a new weapon, but Kruge killed his lover, one of his best officers, and then had given the order that lead to the death of David Marcus (James Kirk’s son). So his behavior was probably not something you could argue was conducive to his fear.

So yes, Kruge was right to fear the device but he wasn’t right about why. One article from GameRant claimed that because Kruge was rightfully fearful of the device, that he was “right all along”.

Yet, he wasn’t. As David Marcus even remarked, Genesis was a failure. Kruge was worried over the potential of such a device, but not the actual implementation of it. Genesis was no more a threat to him than anything else by the time he arrived on the planet.

His murder spree was pointless and needless and is actually a heck of an example of how distrust breeds issues. Had Kruge just trusted someone who wasn’t a Klingon, people wouldn’t have needed to die. Sure, it would’ve made for a boring and short movie but if we’re looking at this as less entertainment and more of a learning experience, one can see why Kruge’s behavior is in fact wrong. He led with his fear and caused a bigger mess than he could’ve imagined.

Kruge was justified in his fear, but he was far from right.

Next. The Top 100 episodes in Star Trek franchise history according to metrics. dark

Christopher Lloyd

Christopher Lloyd ( born 22 October 1938 ; age 85) is an American veteran actor, voice actor, and comedian who played the role of Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . However, he is perhaps best recognized for his roles on the television series Taxi and the Back to the Future film series.

Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Lloyd attended the prestigious Fessenden School in Massachusetts and later Staples High School in Connecticut, graduating from the latter in 1957. Since embarking on a career in acting, he has appeared in over a hundred film and television projects as well as over two hundred stage productions, and has become a highly recognized figure in show business.

• 1 Famous roles
• 2 Stage productions
• 3 Early film work
• 4 Later films
• 5 Television
• 6 Vincent Schiavelli
• 7.2 TV guest appearances
• 7.3 TV movies
• 7.4 Miscellaneous
• 8 External links

Famous roles [ ]

Lloyd first rose to fame as Reverend Jim Ignatowski on the ABC (and later NBC) television comedy Taxi also starring Carol Kane . Lloyd won two Emmy Awards for his role as the lovable, burnt-out Ignatowski, one in 1982 and another in 1983. Coincidentally (as revealed in the episode "Jim Joins the Network"), Lloyd's character was a huge fan of Star Trek: The Original Series and resented NBC's decision to cancel the show. However, one of his qualms about the series was the Romulan Commander (in TOS : " Balance of Terror "), whom he believed "did things no Romulan would ever do."

On film, Lloyd is probably best recognized for his portrayal of the eccentric inventor, Dr. Emmett L. "Doc" Brown, in the popular Back to the Future movie trilogy (1985-1990) ['BTTF']. This role not only earned him a Saturn Award nomination from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, but also granted him worldwide recognition and status as a cinematic icon. The BTTF film series co-starred Michael J Fox, Lea Thompson , Ivy Bethune , Jeff O'Haco , and Sachi Parker . He continued portraying Doc Brown in Back to the Future: The Ride and the live action segments of Back to the Future: The Animated Series . Several other actors involved:

• Thomas F. Wilson as Biff Tannen in The film trilogy, the animated series and The Ride .
• Neil Ross as the Biff Tannen Museum narrator in Back to the Future, Part II .

Lloyd reprised the role in 2010 for Telltale Games Back to the Future: The Game . The game includes voice work from Roger L. Jackson , who voices several characters including the father of Emmett Brown.

Outside of the BTTF franchise, Lloyd also played Emmett Brown in The Earth Day Special , which included Kelsey Grammer in the role of Dr. Fraiser Crane and Robin Williams as Everyman.

Another role for which he is well-remembered – and for which he received a second Saturn Award nomination – is that of the sinister Judge Doom in 1988's Who Framed Roger Rabbit , co-starring Joanna Cassidy and David L. Lander . He also had a memorable turn as Uncle Fester in the 1991 film The Addams Family and its 1993 sequel Addams Family Values , also starring Carol Kane. Both of these films co-starred Carel Struycken as the Addams family's butler Lurch.

Stage productions [ ]

Lloyd's first stage performance as a member of the Actors' Equity Association was a production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1961, co-starring Ellen Geer . He made his Broadway debut in the play Red, White and Maddox , which ran for forty-one performances in 1969.

In 1973, Lloyd played the title role in Peter Handke's play Kaspar , for which he won an Obie Award and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance. His subsequent stage credits include a production of MacBeth , Yale University productions of The Possessed and A Midsummer Night's Dream , and an off-Broadway production of In the Boom Boom Room .

From October 1974 through May 1975, Lloyd performed as Bill Cracker in the play Happy End at the Yale Repertory Theatre. [1] (X) When the play was brought to Broadway in 1977 (with Frank Kopyc working as a performer and understudy), Lloyd was unable to perform on opening night due to a leg injury sustained in a stage fall, and Bob Gunton went on in his place. Lloyd soon resumed his role, but had to do so on crutches. [2] [3] (X)

Lloyd's later stage credits include productions of Waiting for Godot , Oliver! , and the two-person play The Unexpected Man . His most recent Broadway production was Morning's at Seven in 2002. More recently, Lloyd played Pellinore in the New York Philharmonic's production of the musical play Camelot at Avery Fisher Hall from 7 May to 10 May 2008. The May 8th performance was broadcast nationwide on PBS as part of the Live from Lincoln Center series. [4] [5] (X)

Early film work [ ]

Lloyd made his feature film debut in 1975's Best Picture Academy Award-winner One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , playing Max Taber, one of the inmates at the mental institute which is the film's primary setting. Fellow Trek alumni Louise Fletcher , Brad Dourif , Michael Berryman , Peter Brocco , and Vincent Schiavelli also starred in this film. Three years later, Lloyd had a supporting role in the comic western Goin' South , directed by and starring his Cuckoo's Nest co-star Jack Nicholson and co-starring the likes of Ed Begley, Jr. , Georgia Schmidt , and Tracey Walter .

The year 1979 proved to be a busy one for Lloyd. Not only did he join the cast of Taxi , but he also appeared with his Cuckoo's Nest co-star Louise Fletcher, as well as Dick Miller and Phillip Richard Allen , in the gangster drama The Lady in Red . That same year, Lloyd co-starred with Jeff Corey , Peter Weller , Noble Willingham , John Schuck , and Cuckoo's Nest co-stars Peter Brocco and Vincent Schiavelli in Butch and Sundance: The Early Days . Also in 1979, Lloyd joined John Savage , Ronny Cox , Richard Herd , K Callan , Michael Pataki , Phillip Richard Allen, and John de Lancie as part of the cast of the acclaimed drama The Onion Field .

Lloyd's notable film work while Taxi was still in production included the 1980 thriller Schizoid , co-starring fellow Star Trek alumni Richard Herd , Marianna Hill , and Craig Wasson ; the 1981 remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice , starring John Colicos and Albert Henderson ; and the 1983 comedy Mr. Mom , with Terri Garr , Graham Jarvis , Carolyn Seymour , Bruce French , Michael Ensign , and Derek McGrath .

After Taxi was canceled in 1983, Lloyd played the Red Lectroid John Bigboote (that's "Bigboo-tay" ) in the comic science fiction film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension in 1984, co-starring with Butch and Sundance co-stars Peter Weller (in the title role) and Vincent Schiavelli, as well as Clancy Brown and Robert Ito . Since its release, Buckaroo Banzai has achieved a cult following and has even influenced other science fiction works: numerous in-joke references to this film have been made in Star Trek productions. The following year, Lloyd himself was part of a Star Trek production when Leonard Nimoy cast him as the villainous Kruge in Star Trek III . Nimoy initially wanted Edward James Olmos to play the part, but the role went to Lloyd instead.

Later films [ ]

Although he has been most inclined to perform in comedic roles, such as those of Buckaroo Banzai , 1985's Clue (co-starring Michael McKean ) and 1989's The Dream Team , Lloyd has often proven his versatility with dramatic turns in such projects as the 1995 crime drama Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (which also featured Bill Cobbs , Don Stark , Tommy "Tiny" Lister, Jr. , Bill Bolender , and Bill Erwin ) and the 1993 drama Twenty Bucks . He won an Independent Spirit Award for his role as a bank robber in Twenty Bucks , which also starred Matt Frewer and Concetta Tomei .

Lloyd appeared opposite Paul Winfield in the 1993 adaptation of the comic strip Dennis the Menace (co-starring Bill Erwin). In 1994, he starred in Camp Nowhere , which featured TNG's Jonathan Frakes , Kate Mulgrew , and fellow Trek actors John Putch and Ron Fassler . Later that year, Lloyd appeared in and lent his voice to the fantasy film The Pagemaster , which also featured the voices of Patrick Stewart and Whoopi Goldberg , Robert Picardo , and Leonard Nimoy.

In the 1999 film My Favorite Martian , Lloyd starred as Uncle Martin the Martian, a role which TNG actor Ray Walston originated in the classic TV sitcom on which it is based. Walston himself also had a supporting role in the film, as did Wallace Shawn and Beau Billingslea . Other notable films in which Lloyd starred include Eight Men Out (1988, with Gordon Clapp , Kevin Tighe , and John Anderson ) and Angels in the Outfield (1994, with Neal McDonough ). In the latter, Lloyd played Al, the boss angel, a role which he reprised in a 1997 TV sequel called Angels in the Endzone , with Paul Dooley .

Lloyd lent his voice to several animated films, including Disney's DuckTales: The Movie – Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990, with Richard Libertini ), Anastasia (1997, with Kelsey Grammer , Kirsten Dunst , Glenn Harris , and Andrea Martin ), and Hey Arnold! The Movie (2002, with Paul Sorvino and Vincent Schiavelli). In 2008, his voice was heard in the CG-animated movies Fly Me to the Moon (with Adrienne Barbeau and Ed Begley, Jr.) and The Tale of Despereaux (with Frank Langella ). He also did voice work for the animated features Foodfight! (with Greg Ellis ) and Delhi Safari (with Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams ).

Lloyd appeared in a 2010 film adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk co-starring his My Favorite Martian co-star (and DS9 alum) Wallace Shawn. That same year, Lloyd and Star Trek Nemesis actress Dina Meyer appeared in the horror remake Piranha 3-D , work they received through casting director and producer Alyssa Weisberg . Lloyd reprised his role from this film in the 2012 sequel, Piranha 3DD .

Lloyd worked with Jeffrey Combs on the fantasy film Dorothy and the Witches of Oz , a spin-off of The Wizard of Oz set in New York in which Lloyd played the Wizard. His recent films have also included Magic (with Greg Grunberg ), InSight (with Daniel Roebuck ), Last Call (with Diora Baird , Clint Howard , and Richard Riehle ), Adventures of Serial Buddies (with Christopher McDonald ), Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure (with Lee Arenberg ) and Super Athlete (with Faran Tahir and Tony Todd ).

Television [ ]

Besides his role on Taxi , Lloyd's television credits include guest appearances on several popular series, from Barney Miller (starring Ron Glass and James Gregory ) and Cheers (along with Christopher Carroll and Kelsey Grammer) to Malcolm in the Middle and The West Wing . In 1978, Lloyd appeared in the mini-series The Word , as did Diana Muldaur , Nehemiah Persoff , Allan Miller , Jonathan Banks , and VOY star Kate Mulgrew.

Lloyd won an Emmy Award for his guest appearance on Road to Avonlea in 1992; among those who starred in this series were Star Trek guest stars Claire Rankin and Marc Worden . Lloyd and his Pagemaster co-star (and TNG star) Patrick Stewart appeared in the TV movie In Search of Dr. Seuss in 1994, along with Matt Frewer, Graham Jarvis, and Andrea Martin. In 1995, Lloyd was the lead villain of the short-lived series Deadly Games , of which Leonard Nimoy directed the pilot episode and was a creative consultant. TNG actors Brent Spiner and LeVar Burton appeared with Lloyd in two episodes of the series (Nimoy's son, Adam , also directed an episode).

Lloyd co-starred with Emma Thompson in the acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning 2001 HBO film adaptation of Margaret Edson's play, Wit . He has also lent his voice to such animated shows as The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy and King of the Hill (with Pamela Segall ). More recently, he was a regular on the FOX TV sitcom Stacked .

In 2007, Lloyd appeared in an episode of the CBS Paramount Television ' Numbers with Next Generation star Wil Wheaton . Their episode revolves around a science fiction/comic book convention, the set of which was adorned with Star Trek posters and memorabilia. [6] (X) In the episode, entitled "Graphic," Lloyd plays the artist of a rare comic owned by (and stolen from) Wil Wheaton's character.

In 2009, Lloyd had a role in the NBC mini-series Meteor , as did Jason Alexander and William O. Campbell . Lloyd was also seen in the short-lived Sci-Fi Channel series Knights of Bloodsteel , along with Gwynyth Walsh .

In 2010, Lloyd made a guest appearance on the NBC series Chuck , on which VOY star Robert Duncan McNeill was a producer and Bonita Friedericy was a regular. In the show, Lloyd played a therapist whom the protagonist, Chuck Bartowski, visits when the pressures of the spy business becomes too much to bear. [7] (X)

In 2011, Lloyd guest-starred on the sci-fi series Fringe , which was co-created by J.J. Abrams , Alex Kurtzman , and Roberto Orci . In 2013, Lloyd appeared in an episode of the comedy Raising Hope (with Ric Sarabia ) and in an episode of the series Psych , which stars Corbin Bernsen .

On April 5, 2023, Lloyd appeared as Helgait in an episode of the third season of the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian , which previously included appearances by Eugene Cordero , Clancy Brown , and Titus Welliver . [8]

Vincent Schiavelli [ ]

Lloyd has co-starred with the late Vincent Schiavelli at least eight times since the two of them first appeared together in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest . In addition to the aforementioned Butch and Sundance , Buckaroo Banzai , and Hey Arnold! , they shared the screen in the film Another Man, Another Chance (1977, also starring Michael Berryman) and three episodes of Taxi (1982-83). They later made brief appearances in 1999's Man on the Moon , a film depicting the life of their Taxi co-star Andy Kaufman .

Other Trek connections [ ]

Additional projects in which Lloyd worked with other Star Trek alumni are listed below:

• The Black Marble (1980, with Robert Foxworth , Barbara Babcock , John Hancock , Jorge Cervera, Jr. , and Herta Ware )
• National Lampoon Goes to the Movies (1982, with Elisha Cook and Dick Miller)
• Joy of Sex (1984, with Jeanne Mori )
• Back to the Future (1985, with Lea Thompson )
• Miracles (1986, with Teri Garr and Charles Rocket )
• Walk Like a Man (1987, with Megan Parlen , Earl Boen , John McLiam , and Ellen Albertini Dow )
• Track 29 (1988, with Seymour Cassel and Leon Rippy )
• Back to the Future II (1989)
• Back to the Future III (1990)
• Why Me? (1990, with Michael J. Pollard , Tony Plana , Jack Kehler , and Lawrence Tierney )
• Suburban Commando (1991, with Tom Morga )
• Radioland Murders (1994, with Corbin Bernsen, Ellen Albertini Dow, and Michael McKean)
• Mr. Payback: An Interactive Movie (1995, with Frank Gorshin and Bruce McGill )
• Cadillac Ranch (1996, with Jim Metzler and Kenneth Tigar )
• Changing Habits (1997, with Teri Garr and Bob Gunton)
• Baby Geniuses (1999, with Kim Cattrall )
• Wish You Were Dead (2002, with Clayton Landey )
• R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse (2003, with Michael McKean)
• Santa Buddies (2009, with Paul Rae )
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas (2009, with David Huddleston )

TV guest appearances [ ]

• Street Hawk pilot episode (1985, with James Avery , Lawrence Pressman , and Biff Yeager )
• Spin City episode "Back to the Future IV" (1999, with Alan Ruck )
• Masters of Horror episode "Valerie on the Stairs" (2006, with Tony Todd )

TV movies [ ]

• Money on the Side (1982, with Gary Graham )
• September Gun (1983, with Sally Kellerman and Clayton Landey)
• Old Friends (1984, with Stanley Kamel )
• The Cowboy and the Bellerina (1984, with Antoinette Bower and Michael Pataki)
• Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Pat Hobby Teamed with Genius (1987, with Molly Hagan and Wendy Schaal )
• T Bone N Weasel (1992, with Graham Jarvis)
• Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1992, with Bruce Gray and Bob Gunton)
• Rent-a-Kid (1995, with Matt McCoy )
• The Right to Remain Silent (1996, with Jack Shearer and Dey Young )
• Quicksilver Highway (1997, with Matt Frewer, Raphael Sbarge , and Bill Bolender )
• The Ransom of Red Chief (1998, with Alan Ruck, Richard Riehle , and Brad Greenquist )
• Alice in Wonderland (1999, with Whoopi Goldberg)
• The Big Time (2002, with John de Lancie, Pat Healy , and Dakin Matthews )
• Admissions (2004, with John Savage)
• Detective (2005, with Richard Riehle and Michael Shamus Wiles )
• A Perfect Day (2006, with Jude Ciccolella )

Miscellaneous [ ]

Mark Stark is an impressionist whose repertoire includes Christopher Lloyd.

External links [ ]

• Christopher Lloyd at the Internet Movie Database
• Christopher Lloyd at the Internet Broadway Database
• Christopher Lloyd at Wikipedia
• 1 Bell Riots
• 2 Christopher Russell

Star Trek: What Kruge Looks Like In Real Life

When Star Trek movies are ranked from worst to best , 1984's "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" likely ends up somewhere near the middle of the list. Its reputation may or may not have suffered because it faced the unenviable task of following a stone-cold classic, "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." However, the movie received positive critical reviews and has arguably  Star Trek's best Klingon villain : Commander Kruge. An imposing and deadly antagonist, Kruge sets his sights on the Genesis Device, kills James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) son David Markus (Merritt Butrick), and quite understandably makes a mortal enemy of Kirk himself. As a result, the final showdown between the two is one for the ages as lumbering old-school Star Trek fights go, and Kruge's fall to fiery doom is as classic as a villain death scene gets.

As it happens, there's a very famous face behind Kruge's extensive makeup. If you're even a casual fan of genre movies and shows, there's roughly a 120% chance that you've seen him before. The actor behind the Klingon villain is none other than Christopher Lloyd. 

Lloyd's best-known sci-fi role is Doc Brown in the Back to the Future movies. On the fantasy side of things, you may have seen him as Uncle Fester in "Addams Family" and "Addams Family Values," and the chilling Judge Doom in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" Lloyd is also one of the rare actors who are in Star Wars and Star Trek.  You can see how the Kruge actor fares in the galaxy far, far away on "The Mandalorian" Season 3, where he plays Commissioner Helgait — a character with some well-hidden depths. 

Christopher Lloyd loved playing Kruge

Though Christopher Lloyd has a long history in genre roles and comedy (his first significant role was Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the legendary sitcom "Taxi" opposite folks like Andy Kaufman and Danny Devito), he's also a very serious and seasoned theater actor with several dramatic roles on stage and screen under his belt. Perhaps because the role of Kruge provided a chance to combine his stage gravitas with genre work, he continues to hold an affinity for the character and has attended conventions to meet fans.

"It's a role that I thoroughly enjoyed," Lloyd said in a 2022 interview with StarTrek.com . "It was fun to play an evil character that has no remorse about anything he does. The conventions are very interesting. They're a lot of fun. It means a lot to the fans to come and meet the people from the shows and the films that they appreciate. It's a chance to say hello and to have something signed."

Commander Kruge (Christopher Lloyd)

Character analysis.

Kruge is played by Christopher Lloyd, everyone's favorite bug-eyed purveyor of odd yet likeable characters. But this Klingon commander is no Dr. Emmett Brown . There's not a Delorean in sight.

And while he may share Uncle Fester's affinity for weapons, that's where the similarities stop. Kruge's most redeeming quality is that you love to hate him…because he's bad to his core.

A Moustache Well Twisted

Kruge's 100% the antagonist of The Search for Spock . But let's make something clear: being an antagonist doesn't necessarily make you a bad guy. To be an antagonist, you simply have to be in conflict with the protagonist—which means that plenty of antagonists can, in fact, be good guys (see Sam Gerard from The Fugitive and Jack Valentine from Lord of War for examples).

But Kruge ain't this type of antagonist. Not even close. For starters, he dresses like a militant Dethklok groupie and clearly bought his dog-jackel-thing from Mordor Pets and Supplies.

But villainy is more than skin deep, and his actions clue us in to his murderous brand of evil.

We're introduced to this characterization in his first scene. After Valkris uploads the Genesis data to Kruge's Bird-of-Prey, she accidentally lets it slip that she's seen the data:

VALKRIS [in Klingon]: Transmission complete. You will find it useful. KRUGE [in Klingon]: Then you have seen it. VALKRIS [in Klingon]: I have, my lord. KRUGE [in Klingon]: Unfortunate. VALKRIS [in Klingon]: Understood. 

Kruge then destroys the ship she's on . (Excessive.) And her last words?

VALKRIS: Success, my lord, and my love.

Yeah, the guy blew up his own sweetie-pie just because she took a peek at his evil plan. Later, he'll kill his gunner for accidentally blowing up the Grissom …despite the gunner following orders and hitting the engines as Kruge specified. Kruge is real big on explosions.

But Kruge's most villainous moment comes after the Enterprise and the Bird-of-Prey battle each other to a stalemate. Kirk tries to strong-arm Kruge into surrendering, but Kruge sees through Kirk's bluff. He orders Kirk to surrender…or he'll kill one of three prisoners he has below, David, Saavik, or Spock:

KURGE: I meant what I said. And now to show that my intentions are sincere, I shall kill one of the prisoners. KIRK: Wait a minute! Give me a chance to talk— KURGE [in Klingon]: Kill one of them. I don't care which.

Ultimately, David's killed in a scuffle with his Klingon captors. What is really heinous about this scene is that Kruge didn't even need to kill one. He had the upper hand (and knew it), and Kirk had no choice but to surrender. But to demonstrate his power, Kruge got all murder-y.

What a dude.

Even with his deep, abiding love for dynamiting things and getting his murder on, Kruge still wouldn't be a true antagonist unless he had a quality that was fundamentally opposing to our protagonist, one James T. Kirk. Lucky for us—and un lucky for any character crossing his path—he does.

Kirk's mission isn't for the betterment of himself or his own position in the world. He goes on this mission because, as he says to Morrow, any chance to save Spock and McCoy is a chance worth taking. In his pursuit, he sacrifices his career, his ship, and his son to do what he sees as right.

Kruge, on the other hand, quests for Genesis because it will be the ultimate weapon. (Try saying "ultimate weapon" without following it with a "mwahaha." It's impossible. )

Genesis will give him the power to destroy his opponents and achieve his goals. And it's this conflict between selfless actions and selfish ones where the true conflict between the two lies.

A Word about Klingons

Klingons in the Original Series were your typical bad-guy-of-the-week villains. Think your Decepticons, your Puddies, your Cobra Command. Adam Roberts describes them as "brutish, devious, dangerous, and murderous, the very embodiment of a racist demonization of the oriental other." ( Source )

But Roberts also notes that Klingons evolved as Trek continued, and by The Next Generation , the alien race was "treated in a more sympathetic light."

Kruge exists between the Klingons of the Original Series and The Next Generation . He's brutish, dangerous, and murderous …but the movie makes it clear that he doesn't represent all Klingons. As Kruge points out:

KRUGE: Even as our emissaries negotiate for peace with the Federation, we will act for the preservation of our race. We will seize the secret of this weapon, the secret of ultimate power.

The line demonstrates the change taking place within Klingon society, and how the series is planning to handle the aliens in the future. That Klingon emissaries are negotiating for peace with the Federation suggests a large population of peace-seeking Klingons exist in the universe. They just don't appear in the film.

This new treatment of the Klingons is in keeping with Star Trek 's overarching theme of peace and cooperation between different peoples and culture. The line also deeps our understanding of Kruge as the antagonist…because he's very much not about peace and cooperation between peoples and cultures.

And in case you wanted to put yet another check mark on the "Kruge Is A Monster" column? Dude's motivation to preserve his race isn't only evil and dangerous because it poses a threat to the Enterprise and its crew; it also poses a threat to the wishes and desires of these peace-seeking Klingons.

Think Kruge won't turn the Genesis device against his fellow Klingons if they disagree with his politics? Do we have to remind you what he did to his girlfriend ? (RIP, Valkris.)

Thankfully, Admiral Kirk puts a stop to that threat when he kicks the Klingon commander into a lava pit—the preferred method to dispatch final bosses in movies and video games from time immemorial.

Game over, man. Game. over.

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• Star Trek Movies
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Kruge (his role in Klingon affairs)

• Thread starter Mr Silver
• Start date Jul 8, 2011

• Jul 8, 2011

Its always slightly perplexed me how a renegade Klingon warlord would be able to acquire a military vessel. Now obviously that might sound like I'm answering my own question, but here[[s why not. The Klingons believe in "honor" first and foremost right? Being a renegade would surely count as "dishonorable" in Kruge's case. IIRC in one of the first drafts of TSFS, Kruge was supposed to be shown stealing a Romulan BOP. If a scene where he was shown stealing a Klingon BOP was filmed, it would have made more sense. Kruge wasn't part of the Klingon military (at least not in TSFS), that much is obvious from the way in which his crew address him as "My Lord" and not as "Captain". What confuses me is in TVH Sarek is heard telling the Klingon ambassador "Your men did kill Kirk's son". To me this statement translates as "Citizens of your homeworld" and not the ambassador's actual men. Kruge mentions during TSFS that "our emissaries are negotiating for peace", suggesting that he was aware of internal Klingon politics, or maybe this was common knowledge. But if it was common knowledge, a renegade act such as stealing classified information and breaking the netural zone territory with a plan to acquire something believed by Kruge to be a weapon of mass destruction would surely be considered "dishonorable". Although the concept of Klingon honour wasn't really developed this far back, it stands to reason that the Klingon government wouldn't put the chance to create peace (or at least come to a beneficial agreement) in jeopardy. Does anyone have any theories on what Kruge's affiliations actually were? Although he's clearly a patriotic extremist, he doesn't appear in the movie to be affilitated with any particular organisation. For example, taking a lone ship into enemy territory with no back, buying information from civilians and not having any real tactical experience ("They outgun us 10 to 1, why haven't they destroyed us? Which suggests that he couldn't hope to defeat the Enterprise and didn't really think through his tactics when returning fire). Thoughts?  

Mr. Laser Beam

Fleet admiral.

Kruge was not particularly honorable. Whatever his qualifications as a military commander, he seemed just to be a sadistic jackass who cared little - if anything - for Klingon honor codes. He's little more than a pirate.  

The King of Kings

Kruge's mission had to be backed by the Klingon government at some level. The "Genesis" files had to have been highly classified and there had to be a deep spy inside Starfleet to access them. I don't see anywhere that the Klingons deny or try to distance themselves from Kruge. Going so far as to threaten war if Kirk isn't made to pay for the death of the Klingon crew. As far as being surprised by the appearance of a "Federation battle-cruiser", the deep cover intelligence probably indicated that there were no real defenses at Genesis. Why would he think he'd have a chance of beating a starship? A "Bird-of-Prey" seems to be nothing more than a scout with a cloaking device manned by only a dozen officers. And it wouldn't have stood a chance if the Enterprise automation system doesn't fail. You also have to remember that he makes his assessment after already absorbing one strike from the Enterprise .  

Mr. Laser Beam said: Kruge was not particularly honorable. Whatever his qualifications as a military commander, he seemed just to be a sadistic jackass who cared little - if anything - for Klingon honor codes. He's little more than a pirate. Click to expand...

inflatabledalek

Fleet captain.

I don't think there's really anything to say in the finished film Kruge isn't a fully signed up Klingon Captain despite the unusual form of his officers calling him "My Lord". One thing that's worth noting is that even though he takes matters into his own hands, there's no indication Kirk or Star Fleet ever find out he was acting on his own. Based on the opening of the fourth film the Klingons seem to be putting some serious spin on it making the whole thing sound like an official mission just so they can claim maximum outrage.  

Ensign_Redshirt

JTK1 said: How much honor did Klingons have before Next Gen. ?? Click to expand...

One thing that seems to fit both TOS and TNG Klingon society is that it's not a monobloc empire, but rather a haphazard feudal collection of more or less powerful noble Houses and more or less servile commoners. The seat of the Emperor (no matter whether supporting an Emperor's bottom, or empty) would send out military expeditions and spymasters, but only through the Houses under its indirect control. And Kruge would answer to the master of his House first and to the Empire second. I see no problem in a "renegade" securing control of a military vessel. After all, most Klingon military vessels are probably owned and operated by independent players whose status can go from "loyal" to "renegade" in a heartbeat (or the termination thereof). And good old Martok might have directly controlled the BoP Rotarran that belonged to his House, but he would have been been given command of an Imperially owned battle cruiser for certain military operations commanded, sanctioned or even purchased by the Empire. Timo Saloniemi  

Ar-Pharazon

Ensign_Redshirt said: JTK1 said: How much honor did Klingons have before Next Gen. ?? Click to expand...

Brutal Strudel

Rear admiral.

"Honor" is a word with many different meanings. Kruge tells Valkris that she'll be remembered with honor. Kruge definitely had a concept of honor and he lived and died by it, right down to not accepting clemency from an enemy. More than any other 23rd Century Klingon, Kruge set the mold for what we saw in the 24th--at least, once Ron Moore took over as pretty much the Terry Nation of Klingons. In "Reunion," Worf parrots Kruge's "Then that's the way it shall be!"  

Therin of Andor

• Jul 9, 2011

Ensign_Redshirt said: How many Klingons actually have honor... except for Worf and his extended "family" (Martok etc.)? Click to expand...

Brutal Strudel said: Kruge tells Valeris that she'll be remembered with honor. Click to expand...

Ar-Pharazon said: It was TNG when they started delving into the whole Klingon honor concept. Click to expand...

Therin of Andor said: Brutal Strudel said: Kruge tells Valeris that she'll be remembered with honor. Click to expand...

Like most behavioural theories, "honour" is a moving target: it can mean pretty much whatever the person wants it to mean, and they can use it to justify whatever behaviour they want. If Kruge were to decide that the Klingon Defence Force (whether or not he was an officer in this) were behaving dishonourably, and the use they made of it were dishonourable, then honour would demand that he commandeer a vessel and use it "more honourably." Being refered to as "My Lord" does not preclude Kruge from being a Commander, Captain, Admiral or any other rank. Even in English calling someone "my lord" does not mean they are a titled "lord," merely that they are superior in rank to the addressee. It could simply be that "My Lord" is the traditional way to address one's captain in the Klingon Forces, much as "Sir" is in our forces. In diplomacy, especially when situations are tense, the distinction between the official forces and citizens of a country is often not made. My personal theory is that Kruge was probably a privateer: essentially a pirate in the employ of the Klingon government. As for Kruge operating alone, I think in most cases Klingon ships are shown as "lone wolves" so we can't necessarily read too much into Kruge's ship being on her own. In a similar vein StarFleet ships are generally shown as in the same solo capacity. There are many cases when the Enterprise could be painted, from a Klingon POV, in much the same way as you're painting Kruge. dJE dJE  

I thought he was a renegade due to his actions in the movie, after he was already in command of a ship. I think that there was an idea that he would steal a Romulan Bird-of-Prey, but since they didn't go that route and already showed him in command, it seemed to me like he was just an adventurous Klingon commander, seeking power and glory. Similar to Klaa in V. I used to like that idea of these Klingons attempting to earn their bat'leth's by testing themselves against Kirk or the Federation. Does anyone know why they switched from Romulans to Klingons in Star Trek III? Not having the Romulans as adversaries in at least one of the movies (beyond Nanclus) was a missed opportunity.  

DarKush said: Does anyone know why they switched from Romulans to Klingons in Star Trek III? Not having the Romulans as adversaries in at least one of the movies (beyond Nanclus) was a missed opportunity. Click to expand...

I seem to recall the motive being more basic: they were afraid casual audiences would be confused if the bad guys had identical racial characteristics as the guy the good guys were searching for, his dad and the high priestess lady. Besides, Kilingons are well known beyond fandom (including casual fans) whereas Romulans not so much, especially back in 1982, when the movie was being developed.  

Perhaps there was a House of Kruge. Influential Klingons of nobility did undertake actions on their own authority. This would explain why he was referred to as lord. The Duras sisters still had great power when they bought the farm in a very non-capital class bird of prey. Also Kruge had a cape. Reference every other Klingon in similar costume and you might come to the conclusion they he was more than a minor officer in the Imperial navy.  

danellis said: My personal theory is that Kruge was probably a privateer: essentially a pirate in the employ of the Klingon government. Click to expand...

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A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

The IKS Kruge (also known as the IKS Mok'tal ) was a B'rel -class Klingon starship in service in the 24th century . In 2360s , the Kruge was commanded by Captain K'Vada .

In 2368 , the Kruge was assigned (with compliments from Chancellor Gowron ) to transport Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Lieutenant Commander Data to Romulus and back to Federation space as part of a mission to learn the truth about Ambassador Spock 's supposed defection. ( TNG novelization : Unification )

External link [ ]

• IKC Kruge article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Admiral Kirk and his bridge crew risk their careers stealing the decommissioned U.S.S. Enterprise to return to the restricted Genesis Planet to recover Spock's body. Admiral Kirk and his bridge crew risk their careers stealing the decommissioned U.S.S. Enterprise to return to the restricted Genesis Planet to recover Spock's body. Admiral Kirk and his bridge crew risk their careers stealing the decommissioned U.S.S. Enterprise to return to the restricted Genesis Planet to recover Spock's body.

• Leonard Nimoy
• Gene Roddenberry
• Harve Bennett
• William Shatner
• DeForest Kelley
• 265 User reviews
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• 58 Metascore
• 1 win & 7 nominations

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• Spock...Age 13

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• Trivia In the opening credits, there is a six-second-long pause between William Shatner and DeForest Kelley 's names, where Leonard Nimoy 's name would normally be. It's only one second between each of the other names.
• Goofs [27:49]When Kirk checks the video logs to find the keeper of Spock's katra, the timestamp reveals that Spock melded with McCoy on stardate 8128.78. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) begins on stardate 8130.3.

[Witnessing the destruction of the Enterprise]

Kirk : [1:15:58] My God, Bones... what have I done?

McCoy : What you had to do, what you always do. Turn death into a fighting chance to live.

• Crazy credits Leonard Nimoy is credited as director in the opening credits, but is not included in the cast list. There is a long gap between the names of William Shatner and DeForest Kelley , which lasts for the length of time Nimoy's name would have been displayed.
• Alternate versions Some network broadcasts are noticeably truncated. In particular, the scene where Kruge destroys the female mercenary for looking at the Genesis information is deleted. The scene ends instead with the two characters expressing love for each other. The scene where McCoy refers to "that green-blooded son-of-a-bitch" is also censored.
• Connections Edited from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
• Soundtracks Theme From Star Trek (TV Series) by Alexander Courage

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• June 1, 1984 (United States)
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• Jun 3, 1984
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A Dreadful Star Trek III Scene Filled Saavik's Actress With Anxiety

The character of Saavik was first introduced in Nicholas Meyer's "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" as a protégé of the soon-to-retire Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Saavik, being a young cadet, was still baffled and annoyed by working with humans, an issue she was able to discuss with Spock on a few occasions. In "Khan," Saavik was played by Kirstie Alley , but was replaced by Robin Curtis for "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." Both actors were perfectly capable in the role and provided the appropriate level of cold, Vulcan logic.

Saavik, despite being a Vulcan, had to face multiple dramatic events throughout the three movies. Most notably, in "Star Trek III," Saavik had to be present when a twisted Klingon warrior assassinated David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), the son of Admiral Kirk (William Shatner). She was the one who had to, via a communicator, inform Kirk that his son was dead right in the middle of a hostage situation.

Back in May 2024, Curtis spoke with StarTrek.com about playing Saavik and the challenges it presented. Not only did she have to take over the role from another actor, but all of a sudden, she had to face some of the most intense, deathly moments ever seen in a "Star Trek" movie. She famously received some helpful advice from Leonard Nimoy — he told her that Vulcans all have millennia worth of experience behind their eyes — but was still unsure as to how a Vulcan would react to having a phaser held to her head, or how she would face the death of a colleague.

The death of David

For those unfamiliar with the story of "The Search for Spock," it deals directly with the consequences of the Genesis Device — a widget introduced in "The Wrath of Khan." Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch) invented a special type of radiation that, when fired at the surface of a planet, could terraform it almost instantly. At the end of "Khan," the device was detonated, and a planet was created out of the dust in a nebula.

In "Star Trek III," Saavik and David Marcus investigate this new planet and find that it is unstable. Its weather patterns do not hold and evolution seems to be moving far too quickly; new life forms manifest within a matter of minutes. Spock's corpse was left on the planet and Saavik witnesses it coming back to life as a baby, and then growing from an infant to an adult within a matter of hours.

Knowing the potential weapon power of the Genesis Device, an evil Klingon named Kruge (Christopher Lloyd) invades the Genesis world and holds Saavik and David hostage, hoping to get information. He's not above killing either one of them to get what he wants, either, and ends up shooting and killing David. Kirk is in orbit aboard the Enterprise at the time, so all the terrible news had to be relayed to him by Saavik.

Curtis admitted that the moment she told Kirk about the death of his son was a fraught acting moment. Could she stay emotionless during such an emotional scene? "That [moment] filled me with anxiety and dread," she admitted. "How could I possibly say that with the Vulcan demeanor?"

Curtis did an exemplary job, however, and kept her Vulcan demeanor. Indeed, she was pretty excellent in the movie overall.

Screen Rant

Spock's star trek resurrection wouldn't have lasted without saavik.

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Star Trek 3: The Search For Spock Cast Guide & Where Are They Now?

Kirstie alley’s star trek replacement says leonard nimoy is why lt. saavik became less emotional, this star trek: voyager episode subtly confirmed captain kirk broke a tos promise.

• Saavik's role in Star Trek III was crucial in saving Spock's life from pon farr and the Genesis Planet's effects.
• The teamwork of Kirk, McCoy, and Saavik was essential in fully restoring Spock in The Search for Spock.
• Without Saavik, Spock wouldn't have survived pon farr or made it off the Genesis Planet in Star Trek III.

Spock (Leonard Nimoy) was resurrected by the Genesis Planet in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , but the Vulcan's miraculous comeback would have been short-lived were it not for Lieutenant Saavik (Robin Curtis). Star Trek III was the directorial debut of Leonard Nimoy, which reversed the heroic death of Spock in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Star Trek III is also the debut of Robin Curtis as Saavik aftrer Kirstie Alley did not return to play Spock's Vulcan protégé.

After Spock sacrificed himself to save the USS Enterprise in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , his body was placed in a photon torpedo tube and launched toward the emerging Genesis Planet, which was being formed by Khan Noonien Singh's (Ricardo Montalban) destruction of the Genesis Device. Spock's makeshift casket landed safely on the Genesis Planet, and the Vulcan was resurrected from infancy by Genesis' life-giving energies. Lt. Saavik and David Marcus (Merritt Butrick) discovered Spock was alive when they surveyed the Genesis Planet, and they all faced calamity from the self-destructing world and from Klingons led by Kruge (Christopher Lloyd).

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock resurrected Spock, but what did it do for William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and the cast's career prospects?

Spock Would Have Died In Star Trek III Without Lt. Saavik

Pon farr would have been the death of spock... again..

Spock may have been reborn thanks to Genesis, but had Lt. Saavik not arrived and found him, the Vulcan wouldn't have survived for very long. The strange energies of the Genesis Planet forced Spock to age in a matter of hours, eventually restoring him from birth to his physical state when Spock died in Star Trek II . But this meant that upon reaching young adulthood, Spock underwent pon farr , the Vulcan time of mating that happens every seven years, and is lethal to Vulcans if they don't consummate.

Pon farr is a neurochemical imbalance that leads to madness and is lethal to Vulcans if they don't mate within 8 days.

Lt. Saavik found the teenage Spock suffering from pon farr , and she immediately understood what it meant. Star Trek III depicted it tastefully, but Saavik did mate with Spock to help him survive pon farr. Considering pon farr occurs every seven years, and Spock was aging rapidly, it's possible that Saavik aided Spock through his pon farr more than once. It's safe to say that Spock owes his life to Saavik, and it was fortunate for him that it was his Vulcan protégé who found him on the Genesis Planet.

Star Trek III Needed Kirk, McCoy & Saavik To Bring Back Spock

Spock came back with a lot of help from his friends..

Lt. Saavik may have been intimately responsible for saving Spock's life, but it was the work of many that fully restored the beloved Vulcan in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) risked his Starfleet career, as did the crew of the USS Enterprise, to bring Spock back to Vulcan from the Genesis Planet. Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) also put his life on the line, first by harboring Spock's katra , or Vulcan soul, in his mind, and then undergoing the ritual to merge Spock with his katra.

Without Saavik, Spock wouldn't have made it off of Genesis.

Kirk, McCoy, Saavik, and the entire crew of the Starship Enterprise worked together to bring Spock back, although he didn't fully become his Vulcan self until Star Trek IV: The Voyage Hom e. Meanwhile, David Marcus was killed by Kruge , but Kirk's son also deserves credit for heroically keeping Spock safe. However, before Spock's friends could retrieve him from the Genesis Planet, it was Lt. Saavik who gently and crucially cared for the suffering Spock and helped him survive pon farr in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Without Saavik, Spock wouldn't have made it off of Genesis.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Christopher Lloyd Nixed Sitcoms Nearly Five Decades Ago — Then ‘Taxi’ Happened

By Rosemary Rossi

Rosemary Rossi

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One clear thing emerges from Christopher Lloyd ’s huge, eclectic body of work: All the characters he embodies become larger than life when he pulls them off the printed page and inhabits them. His latest role, playing silent film legend Fatty Arbuckle’s grandson Larry on “ Hacks ,” continues that trend and has earned him his first Primetime Emmy nomination (for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series) in 32 years.

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The great character and smart, funny dialogue he got on “Hacks” is old hat for Lloyd, who made his mark on “ Taxi ” back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. On “Taxi,” his Reverend Jim Ignatowski was a spaced-out cabbie with a gigantic heart and uncomplicated mind, who liked drugs a little more than casually. Although he won two Emmys for the role, sitcoms in general were not a path he originally wanted to follow. 

“I dug the role just reading it,” he remembers. Before he was offered the part in its second season, he went to the set to watch the actors working together. “I thought, these guys are great. In New York, you’re always hearing about the ideal theater [which] is to create an ensemble. And I thought, ‘It’s before my eyes right here. It’s ideal. And I’ve never changed my feelings about that. I just thought it was an incredible company. I was delighted to be a part of it. I thought, ‘This isn’t going sideways. This is a good thing. So I got over my reservations about sitcoms quickly,” he adds with grin. “I mean, I don’t have much to complain about.”

Reverend Jim was without a doubt a unique character. Always disheveled, stoned and clueless because of it. The minute he opened his mouth and said something — anything — you couldn’t help laugh. (You got some free time on your hands? Find clips of Jim scenes on YouTube with his “Taxi” co-stars Danny DeVito, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, Andy Kaufman and Jeff Conaway. You won’t be sorry you did.)

“I just kind of felt like I knew the guy,” says Lloyd. “I understood what he was about. At that time, there were people like him out on the street. So I just observed them and my feelings about it, and it worked. … A lot of that performance came out of the freedom I felt working with that cast and the great writing team. They made it easy.”

Jim was just the beginning of a stream of character types Lloyd played that share something very unique in common: to this day, they make great Halloween costumes. Think about: Reverend Jim on “Taxi,” Doc Brown in the “ Back to the Future ” trilogy, Judge Doom in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” Uncle Fester in “ The Addams Family ” movies and Klingon Commander Kruge in “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.”

Lloyd is humbled by the longevity of the love for Doc Brown, the brilliant, benevolent, oddball inventor of the flux capacitor (“great Scott!”). “I’ve done my share of work, and nothing compares to the way ‘Back to the Future’ is ingrained in people’s minds,” he says. “It’s phenomenal. Every day practically — and certainly I go to Comic-Cons — people come up and say, ‘You made my childhood.’ And another reference equal to that, where ‘Back to the Future’ fills the gap in a lot of lives of young people, who have gone on to become doctors, scientists and what have you. So a lot of gratitude and I feel real good about that. I feel very fortunate to be part of that.”

“I loved that,” says Lloyd. “It was mischief about Uncle Fester and not evil. He just could play around a little bit. And then, that period of my life passed and decades later, I get a call, would I like to be Uncle Fester in a film? What are the odds? It was very exciting to be able to play the character that I loved when I was a kid.”

Back then, that kid would also probably never have believed that someday he’d be an action figure, but Lloyd is that too. Trekkies out there know what I’m talking about — the foot-tall Klingon Commander Kruge doll is a spittin’ image of Lloyd. From the moment “The Search for Spock” director Leonard Nimoy asked him to don the character’s prosthetic forehead, evil brows and goatee, a supervillain was instantly born.

“I’d come to the Paramount Studio at four in the morning to get that makeup put on — the way it built up my forehead — and then the costume. How can you not feel like you’re the character when you do all that?” he asks. “I loved it. I tried to find what is it about this guy that I could relate to an audience whereby they will feel something about themselves in this guy — even if it’s somebody you don’t want at your dinner table, you know? It doesn’t change his undesirable traits, but I want the audience to feel they’re not engaged with somebody off a different planet. They’re engaged with somebody they can talk to.”

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Bruce Greenwood has a "deep, deep wish" to come back to Star Trek

B ruce Greenwood has the distinction of playing the role of a Christopher Pike, who, in the Prime Timeline, is involved in a horrible accident and ends up spending the rest of his life on Talos IV. The Kelvin Timeline changed Pike's future, but Star Trek Into Darkness [2013] was a painful film for fans of Admiral Pike as his character was killed in a terrorist attack. Of course, Pike didn't return in the last Star Trek film to date, Star Trek Beyond, but there is a Star Trek 4 movie supposedly in the works. And in the 2015 edition of Star Trek Magazine, Greenwood expressed his desire to return to the character.

How would that be possible? Well, it's Star Trek. How many characters have returned after "dying?" There's even the possibility that Captain Kirk [Willilam Shatner] is still alive or will be able to be brought back. So Trek characters are ever really officially dead, especially if a storyline needs them.

Could Pike return to Star Trek 4? There's no doubt Greenwood would put on the uniform again, especially since he felt his character hadn't said everything that needed to be said to Chris Pine's Captain Kirk. He wanted to be able to tell Kirk that he was ready for whatever lay ahead of him.

No, I think there’s room for more conversation, but that’s just my deep, deep wish to come back. On any level, I’m not willing to suggest the relationship is finished. It isn’t. There’s so much that drives the story as there’s so much left to be said between the two. You understand how much they care about each other, and you want to see that develop. You want to see Pike actually say, “Go well. You are ready,” but we never get there. Bruce Greenwood

Sometimes, though, it's best if the character is forced to learn on their own, without a mentor, and Kirk had to grow as a captain. He continued to learn in Star Trek Beyond, and maybe, if Star Trek 4 actually does get made, he will have reached the point where he doesn't need a mentor. But it would still be great to see Admiral Pike, if even in a flashback scene, telling him he'd done a good job and was proud of him.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as Bruce Greenwood has a "deep, deep wish" to come back to Star Trek .

Marvel and 'Star Wars' take note. 'Star Trek' is now Hollywood's ultimate shared universe

From 'Discovery' to "Strange New Worlds' via 'Lower Decks' and 'Prodigy', 'Star Trek' is leading the way.

Shared universes go back way further than Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and co sitting down for some post-Chitauri shawarma. Superheroes have been moonlighting in each other's comic books for decades, while Cheers regulars frequently paid Frasier a visit in Seattle. It wasn't until Marvel Studios launched the MCU ( Marvel Cinematic Universe ), however, that the concept started to gain serious mainstream traction. 

By incorporating the contrasting adventures of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and Black Widow into one gigantic, overarching narrative, Marvel successfully blended cinematic spectacle with the "must-watch-every-episode" ethos of serialised TV. The MCU's famous end-credits stings also had the unexpected side-effect of convincing us all to stick around until the end of the closing titles of every movie, y'know, just in case. 

From a business point of view it's one of the shrewdest creative decisions ever made in Hollywood, a move that helped turn the MCU into the most lucrative franchise in history, while spawning an army of imitators. Some fell quickly by the wayside — Universal's planned Dark Universe didn't survive beyond its first release, "The Mummy" — while others (most notably DC's original answer to the MCU) simply felt tired in comparison. But with apologies to box-office behemoths Marvel, Star Wars and the Monsterverse home of Godzilla and King Kong, the most exciting shared universe of them all is currently located somewhere on the final frontier.

It's not quite "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations" (sorry, Mr Spock), but " Star Trek "'s guiding principle since "Discovery" brought the franchise back to TV in 2017 has been variety. "Discovery" started out as an "Original Series" prequel, before warping off to the even-more-distant future of the 32nd century. That left a gap in the timeline for the less serialized voyages of a pre-Kirk Enterprise in " Strange New Worlds ". "Picard" picked up the story of the ageing Jean-Luc Picard two decades after "The Next Generation" crew's final voyage, while a pair of animated series — kids' show " Prodigy " and all-out comedy "Lower Decks" — were given freedom to take the most daring swings in "Trek" history. 

Throw upcoming spy adventure " Section 31 " and cadet-themed "Disco" spin-off " Starfleet Academy " into the mix, and it's clear that — beyond the obligatory warp drives, phasers and frequent violations of the Prime Directive — the main element unifying these very different series is their shared universe. Even their settings are far enough apart — geographically and chronologically — that there's little danger of storylines colliding in Spacedock. 

The contrast between the Alpha Quadrant and a certain galaxy far, far away is stark. Until " The Acolyte ", every canonical "Star Wars" movie and TV show had been set within a few generations of the Skywalker family tree. But even ignoring the limitations of that brief timeline, there's a creeping homogeneity to much of the saga's storytelling and dialogue. 

Scenes from "The Acolyte" (set around a century before "The Phantom Menace") feel interchangeable with moments in " Ahsoka " (several years after "Return of the Jedi"), while the powers-that-be at Skywalker Ranch seem more preoccupied with plugging holes in existing lore than telling stories for their own sake. What was the final episode of "The Acolyte" season one if not a prequel to the prequel trilogy?

"Star Wars" should be an exhilarating interstellar playground capable of supporting any story you can imagine, but it's increasingly constrained by strict rules that must, it seems, never be broken. "Star Wars" is calling out for its own "Lower Decks"-style comedy" , while the upcoming "'Goonies' in space" " Skeleton Crew " could be the kid-oriented launchpad that Prodigy has been for "Trek". "Star Wars" arguably needs both because right now, all that canon could easily feel daunting to anyone eager to take those precious first steps into a larger world.

Not that the current iterations of "Star Trek" deny the franchise's rich past. The glorious final season of "Picard" was a nostalgia-fest from start to finish, bringing back familiar friends and foes to give the "TNG" crew the send-off they deserved — if it's possible to replicate your cake and eat it, that season showed the way. "Prodigy" also goes big on the deep cuts, but crucially, it doesn't matter if you have no idea that the name of the USS Voyager-A's resident whale (Gillian) is a reference to "Star Trek IV". Or that a mention of the "dysfunctional" crew of the Cerritos is a callback to "Lower Decks". All of the in-jokes are simply window dressing holding the universe together, without excluding newcomers. 

That's the genius of the modern "Star Trek" universe, whose guiding lights clearly understand that expecting every viewer to be up-to-speed with the more than 900 episodes and 13 “Star Trek” movies in the back catalogue would be a surefire route to failure. The MCU and "Star Wars" lived charmed lives when they were built around a relatively small number of movies, but both franchises are now too vast and unwieldy to demand that even casual viewers become completists. 

Nobody should have to watch everything , so surely it's better for everyone if we accept that some people will set their targeting computers on "The Mandalorian" but avoid " Andor ", just as some "Discovery" fans can skip "Picard" without feeling they're missing out. 

Besides, we probably shouldn't be surprised that it's "Trek" leading the way, because this isn't Starfleet's first away mission to a shared universe. Back in the ’90s "The Next Generation", "Deep Space Nine", "Voyager", four movies and even prequel series "Enterprise" shared characters and plotlines, to the extent that after hundreds of hours of TV, planet Earth was losing interest in shows that were becoming increasingly formulaic. Sound familiar? The franchise's latest overseers have boldly taken note — now "Star Wars", the MCU and the rest should follow in their warp trails.

"Discovery", "Picard", "Strange New Worlds" and "Lower Decks" are all available to stream on Paramount Plus, along with "The Original Series", "The Next Generation", "Deep Space Nine", "Voyager" and "Enterprise". "Prodigy" is available on Netflix.

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Richard's love affair with outer space started when he saw the original "Star Wars" on TV aged four, and he spent much of the ’90s watching "Star Trek”, "Babylon 5” and “The X-Files" with his mum. After studying physics at university, he became a journalist, swapped science fact for science fiction, and hit the jackpot when he joined the team at SFX, the UK's biggest sci-fi and fantasy magazine. He liked it so much he stayed there for 12 years, four of them as editor. 

He's since gone freelance and passes his time writing about "Star Wars", "Star Trek" and superheroes for the likes of SFX, Total Film, TechRadar and GamesRadar+. He has met five Doctors, two Starfleet captains and one Luke Skywalker, and once sat in the cockpit of "Red Dwarf"'s Starbug.  

This Week In Space podcast: Episode 124 — Space For Everyone

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• Mars Tafts I have been a Star Trek fan since 1966 and even I don't believe this article. Reply
• Amin Abakery Is this some kind of Joke? Paramount did worse to Star Trek than they did to Halo, than Disney ever did to Star Wars, its an insult not just to science but to morality and human decency. I used to grow up watching star trek, proud that it was written by scientists and good people like her. Now it seems to be written by your average twitter user. With an adulterer Spock and mushroom drive spinning ships. Reply
• View All 2 Comments

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