10 Biggest Star Trek Plot Holes

8. I Never Forget A Face

Star Trek Chekov And Khan
CBS

This is one of the more fun plot holes in Star Trek's history. In fact, this was something that several people caught during filming - and didn't flag it, because they were having too much fun!

On Ceti Alpha V, Captain Terrell and Commander Chekov beam down to investigate some anomolous readings during their survey, as part of the Genesis Project. What they discover is the remains of the SS Botany Bay and her crew, led by Khan Noonian Singh. Chekov recognises the name of the ship and Khan himself, for Khan had once attempted to seize control of the USS Enterprise, being marooned on the planet as punishment.

Now, while that is all true, there is a slight issue with this.

Chekov wasn't there.

So, when Khan looks him in the eye and hisses 'I never forget a face', that's interesting - as he hadn't encountered that particular face before!

Allegedly, Walter Koenig knew full-well about this discrepancy while filming and kept his mouth shut, as flagging this with Nicholas Meyer would probably have led to his character being swapped out for one of the others. In keeping quiet, he both gave the audience some great scenes as Chekov, and was complicit in one of the most fun plot holes to date!

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"