10 Huge Revelations From Star Trek: Khan
Do we now agree that his is the superior intellect in all of Star Trek?
Star Trek: Khan was an experiment. Though not the first audio drama in the Trek universe, this was a swing, fully endorsed and supported by Secret Hideout and CBS. The cast was strong, the production was excellent, and the response has largely been positive.
The project was first announced by Nicholas Meyer, who of course directed Star Trek II, Star Trek VI, and co-wrote Star Trek IV. As he heralded The Wrath Of Khan, he seemed best positioned to further explore the madman's journey and life. However, that version of the story was announced as a short television arc, no more than three episodes. It went through several changes after this.
By the time it was given its first full trailer in February 2025, it had morphed to become the 9-episode audio drama that we finally received, with episodes airing weekly from the 8th of September, Star Trek day. The cast included some newcomers to the franchise, like Naveen Andrews as Khan, Wrenn Schmidt as Lt. Marla McGivers, and Sonya Cassidy as Dr. Rosalind Lear. Returning to Trek were actors like Maury Sterling as Ivan, Tim Russ as Ensign Tuvok, and George Takei as Captain Hikaru Sulu.
Audiences have been crying out for stories set within the so-called Lost Era for quite some time, so discovering this prequel would also serve as a sequel to Star Trek: Generations increased excitement exponentially. What then did we learn from this tale? And was it a worthwhile endeavour overall?
10. The True Nature Of Marla McGivers' Death
Lt. Marla McGivers was introduced in Space Seed, serving aboard the Enterprise as an historian. She was assigned to join the away mission to the SS Botany Bay, though the audience is quickly shown that Captain Kirk does not know who she is.
By the events of The Wrath Of Khan, McGivers had been given an off-screen death. Actress Madeline Rhue was unable to return, as she suffered from multiple sclerosis. Khan's 'tragedy' was then fuelled by his grief - he hated Kirk, blaming him for the death of his 'beloved wife.'
Khan adds a greater depth to this death. Yes, she did fall victim to the Ceti Eels, becoming infected with their larvae while relaxing in a natural hot spring. The series demonstrates that infection is always fatal (more on this later), though McGivers was pregnant at the time. Rather than lose both mother and child, Khan agrees to sacrifice Marla so that their baby can be delivered. This occurs years before the Reliant arrives in orbit over the planet, during which time Khan helps raise their daughter, Kali.
McGivers' death is one of the thousand paper cuts that erodes Khan's sanity over the years. While Kirk bore no direct responsibility for her fate, Khan's rage and grief causes him to group all of his ills together, giving them the form of James Tiberius Kirk.
McGivers' death was a tragedy, though the fallout from her death was a mixture of misplaced blame and unfortunate coincidences.