Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About General Chang
9. Fiercely Patriotic
A joke that occurred in the props department actually details a little extra piece of Chang's character. Although they couldn't truly be seen in the film, each of the rivets on his eyepatch has the Klingon symbol painted on them. This was never intended to be picked up by the camera, yet it is a small detail that helps his character.
Chang's part in the assassination of Gorkon comes from a fear that peace with the Federation will spell the end of Klingon autonomy in the Galaxy. Cutting a deal with the Devil and working alongside Starfleet officers to kill his own Chancellor, Gorkon is acting to save the Empire, rather than destroy it.
Much like Lt. Valeris and Admiral Cartwright, Chang is a product of the times he has lived and fought in. Having been a general for close to thirty years by the events of the film, he engaged in several high-profile battles with Starfleet, developing a hatred for them along the way. Had it not been for the explosion of Praxis and the devastation that wrought on the Empire, Chang would have continued to serve his Chancellor proudly.
After everything, peace was the one thing he was unable to engage in for his people.