Star Trek: 10 Production Secrets You Never Knew About Klingons
9. Yes, Kahless Is Based On Jesus
Kahless The Unforgettable is in many ways an obvious representation of Christ in the Klingon Empire. Sometime around the 9th century, Earth reckoning, he defeated his brother Morath, united all of the great houses of Quo'nos, and founded the first Empire. On his death, he announced that he would return to rule once again.
This parallel with the story of Jesus Christ goes further. Kahless was low-born, as Christ was born to Mary and Joseph. He awaited the fallen warriors in Sto-Vo-Kor and his Second Coming was prophecized to be the beginning of a golden age for Klingons. In the original script for When It Rains, a seventh-season episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Kahless was said to have once stood in front of an army, and to have cut his hand. He then commanded them 'Do This In Memory Of Me,' though this line was probably cut for being a little too on the nose.
Although King Arthur and Viking legends also served as inspirations for the Klingon Messiah, the allusions to the story of Christ are too obvious to avoid. Star Trek: Discovery added to this, with the Crusade that T'Kuvma incites against the Federation, claiming to be Kahless reborn. This leads the Empire and the Federation into a vicious war that lasts for almost a year.