Kirk aims a phaser while the Enterprise crew looks on in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
By
Dalton Norman
Published 3 minutes ago
Dalton is a freelance writer, novelist, and filmmaker from Orlando Florida. He currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and pursues writing full-time. He is an avid reader, film buff, and amateur historian who also publishes novels on the side. Dalton graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in Film and he often applies his industry-specific knowledge when writing about film and television. Along with his blog, Dalton's critical essays on film have been published in various places online.
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Leaving an indelible mark on a massive movie franchise like Star Trek is no easy feat, but one underappreciated actor had an outsized impact on the future of the final frontier. When Kirk and the rest of the Enterprise crew returned 10 years after the cancellation of the series, it was a glorious day in the history of science fiction.
The Star Trek movies not only built upon the themes of the show, but allowed the characters and fictional universe to grow and expand. While the original cast was certainly the glue that held the Star Trek franchise together, one supporting star influenced its future. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy might have been legendary, but another actor broke new ground.
Christopher Lloyd’s Kruge Set The Standard For All Future Klingons
Commander Kruge sits forward in the captains seat in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Klingons are undoubtedly the ultimate foe in the Star Trek franchise, but they've gone through a myriad of changes over the decades. There have been several different versions of the Klingons over the years, and their characteristics have changed just as much as their looks. They've always been a warrior species, but they were more mellow during The Original Series.
While they gained their signature ridged foreheads in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, they didn't find their personality until Christopher Lloyd appeared as Commander Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. The character actor, known for his exaggerated mannerisms, played the brash captain who would stop at nothing to secure the Genesis Device from the Federation.
The movie showed the inner workings of a Klingon ship for the first time, and established the violent hierarchy within Klingon crews. Kruge was aggressive, arrogant, and single-minded, traits that would become standard once the Klingons began making regular appearances in the movies and shows. Though the writing established Kruge's character, Lloyd gave him life.
All later Klingon characters owe a small debt of gratitude to Lloyd's portrayal of Kruge, even if they were subtly different. Kruge was clearly a rogue villain, but his behaviors and motivations came from the burgeoning Klingon philosophy that would define the species going forward. His actions (and mannerisms for that matter) would be reflected in later characters like Gowron.
Kruge Is One Of Star Trek’s Most Underrated Movie Villains
Kruge strangles Kirk in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Following Khan after the towering triumph that was Star Trek II was an impossible feat, so Lloyd's turn as Kruge is often overshadowed. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is usually seen as one of the lesser movies in the series, but it, like its villain, is highly underrated.
For a movie that is essentially one big retcon, it does an excellent job of telling a compelling story and moving characters like Kirk forward. What's more, it featured a believable villain who had pretty clear motivations. Kruge was outlandish, but his desire to secure the Genesis Device was understandable and in line with Klingon philosophy.
Instead of introducing a villain with some deeper connection to the Enterprise crew, Kruge was a rogue element that ended up causing death and destruction in his wake. He actually continued the themes established in The Wrath of Khan without having to copy the success of the previous Star Trek movie. For his influence alone, Kruge deserves more credit.
Star Trek
Created by
Gene Roddenberry
First Film
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
First TV Show
Star Trek: The Original Series
First Episode Air Date
September 8, 1966
Cast
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Wil Wheaton, Avery Brooks, Nana Visitor, Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig, Cirroc Lofton, Armin Shimerman, Colm Meaney, Terry Farrell, Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Jeri Ryan, Robert Duncan McNeill, Robert Picardo, Ethan Phillips, Garrett Wang, Jolene Blalock, Connor Trinneer, Dominic Keating, Scott Bakula, Linda Park, John Billingsley, Anthony Montgomery, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anton Yelchin, Idris Elba, Sonequa Martin-Green, Mary Wiseman, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Oyin Oladejo, Emily Coutts, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Rebecca Romijn, Michelle Yeoh
TV Show(s)
Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
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Star Trek
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