12 Genius Decisions By Star Trek Captains
3. Kirk Decides To Use Three Dimensional Space
Khan Noonien Singh is without a doubt the greatest foe that James Kirk ever encountered. Khan is the man who finally taught Kirk the true meaning of a no-win scenario.
Sure, Kirk beat Khan, but only after losing his most trusted friend, Spock. But, how did Kirk defeat Khan? With a stroke of pure genius.
The Enterprise enters the Mutara nebula to even the odds between his own ship and Khan's - the commandeered the USS Reliant - on Spock's recommendation. Within it, the two ships engage in a prolonged space battle that leaves both badly damaged.
Khan seems set to destroy the Enterprise when Kirk, again with Spock's help, realizes that Khan has made a tactical error. Khan, who is used to battling on the surface of a planet, is only thinking in two dimensions.
Kirk drops the Enterprise vertically and positions the ship below the Reliant. It’s just the surprise that Kirk needs to trap Khan and deliver a fatal volley of torpedoes.