Meet the Klingons of Star Trek: Voyager and Enterprise

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▶Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction: A Little Skit
02:22 - Klingons of Voyager: B'Elanna Torres
05:27 - "Barge of the Dead"
14:33 - Other Voyager Klingons
16:59 - "Prophecy"
25:02 - Klingons of Enterprise: Klaang
28:11 - Other Klingons of Enterprise
29:11 - Duras: "Judgment" and "The Expanse"
36:05 - The Forehead Saga: "Affliction" and "Divergence"
46:00 - What Voyager and Enterprise Show Us About Klingons
47:38 - Conclusion: Another Little Skit
#startrek #startrekvoyager #startrekenterprise #klingon #videoessay

[@CaptainAndy]

They went to all the trouble of explaining why Klingons have flat foreheads, but not why they started cutting their hair short. Hopefully that will be explained in a season long story arc of some series in the near future.

[@dm121984]

The Great Klingon Hair Trimming.

[@listeningtomovies553]

DISCO might be renewed for season 6 with that idea!

[@DavidLee-cr4xv]

Not just the hair... their whole head shape changed

[@tonoornottono]

@@DavidLee-cr4xvyes that was the first thing they said

[@mrbojangles8133]

humans have had changes in hairstyles, so why wouldn't Klingons

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

B'Elanna is the Anti-Worf. Like, in every way. Upbringing, sense of honour... even gender identity. How did my dumbass not realise that until now?!

[@troikas3353]

Somewhat ironic considering Barge of the Dead was an old unused Worf script they just dropped her into because they needed to get an episode out.

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

@@troikas3353 WHAAAAAAAAT?! Although... I mean... it would make more sense that way

[@melissamenchaca9121]

@@troikas3353seriously?

[@Iluvlollipops]

I'm glad her transition is going well ;P

[@stevensutton4677]

The arc spanning Enterprise's seasons 7 through 10 explaining self-sealing stem bolts would have been...riveting.

[@Iluvlollipops]

I like to think it's basically nail gun clips. It's fancy nail gun ammo. Probably very effective vs borg

[@totaleNonale]

Watch as our heroes uncover a devious plot of planned obsolescence, and thwart the designs of a greedy industrial magnate, which results in an oversupply of an insignificant mechanical component. An absolute rollercoaster of emotion for every aspiring market analyst! 😂

[@st.anselmsfire3547]

You could have a descendant of Riker on Discovery and an ancestor on Strange New Worlds and, because of how genetics works in Star Trek, have them both played by Jonathan Frakes.

[@Redmage913]

Doesn’t Spiner own the role of playing every Soong in the universe at any age? :P

[@fisk0]

@@Redmage913 Dorn has also played the ancestor of Worf.

[@st.anselmsfire3547]

I'm pretty sure Neelix is the greeter in all versions of Hell.

[@Redmage913]

If Neelix comes out to greet me, I know I’m not in the Good Place.

[@rmeddy]

Steve and Riker's beard lining up always gets a giggle out of me.

[@DoctorProph3t]

Loving the large portrait of Riker in an affluent frame.

[@Redmage913]

Recently watched the North and South miniseries - it’s hilarious seeing him playing such a weenie in comparison to Will Riker.

[@qwertyuiopgarth]

My problem with inconsistencies between Star Trek stories is that so many of the inconsistencies are not necessary and pretty much exist because of laziness. I have the same reaction when they use technobabble instead of using the real science that would have worked just fine in the story at that point.

[@Purple_Lilith]

If Thomas Riker counts for DS9, he can return in Discovery.

[@ilanbachar3162]

I'll see that and raise you this - he WAS on discovery as a director. I say it counts as another serie fof Frakes. That puts him on seven series and 4bmovies, right? Is that a record?

[@itsOasus]

Lesson learned, never let Riker bully you into not paying attention to your Power Plant

[@samwill7259]

As I've often said. The fact that the FIRST Klingon to pop out killed his gods in cold blood tells you literally everything you need to know about the Klingons as a people.

[@greyhoundfivemedia812]

So true. Badass from event one. If Johnny Cash ever thought about writing a sci-fi song, it woulda been about the first Klingon.

[@pseudopod]

I have to assume Riker's appearance in this video was there to foreshadow an upcoming two part video essay explaining how he ended up trapped in a picture on your wall.

[@WildfireKitsune]

The painting is the best effect you've done

[@madeleinew9730]

It's the only reason he has a beard

[@troikas3353]

"introducing us to characters that expand our notion of who Klingons are" Treating world building and lore as things worth investing genuine thought into leads to organically developing opportunities to flesh out the peoples and societies of that world in interesting ways. Something that in turn can lead to scenarios and story ideas you otherwise never would have thought to explore as deepening the world can lead you to make connections you'd not have done otherwise. The more internally consistent you make your world, the more you force yourself to abide by the continuity and rules of the world you have established and resist the impulse to be lazy and disregard them, the more creative you force yourself to become because you can't just hand-of-the-author anything into existence at any time. The ultimate result is it ends with your world feeling far richer and more alive than it otherwise would. Incidentally, The Expanse show was a perfect example of this. If that adaptation had decided to treat the technology, political dynamics, societal structures, histories and faction power levels as unimportantly as Trek treats them in its universe, the show would have failed utterly. By contrast, Voyager was basically the culmination of the Trek approach of "none of this matters, do whatever" every week and the result was a tepid, unambitious space filler 90% of the time that rarely ever had anything to say about.. anything really.

[@erf3176]

I kept expecting Corey Feldman to stick his tongue out of the Riker portrait and say "Hey Mickey. Get over her and give me a nice lickety kiss!"

[@deaks25]

As a Voyager-fan shaped fly in Steve's Star Trek fandom soup, I quite enjoyed Steve saying some not-mean things about Voyager for a few minutes. I actually think Prophecy is a good episode; it exists perfectly well within the isolated story format that Voyager's writers were stuck with, it's well acted, the attempt to take the ship is put down without too much fuss once the crew reacts to the surprise attack (Which is what would probably happen in reality) and to me is a really interesting story that resolves neatly and naturally. Of course we never come back to it, but there's no opportunity to, although it might have been nice to get even a little call back in Endgame. The Neelix sub-plot is a bit of levity and fun to offset the serious, and the main plot shows some actual character development; B'Elanna isn't so angrily resentful of her Klingon heritage in the same way she is in Barge of The Dead; her biggest issue is not having a cult worshiping her unborn baby, and then said cult infecting said unborn child with a disease, both understandable things to be annoyed about! She's reluctant initially, but once she agrees to help Kolar, she buys into the Klingon religious aspects and shows a lot of respect, the prayer scene with Kolar is a nice touch I thought. Yes I know it's a tiny detail but is proof Voyager isn't a totally Character-Development-free zone dammit! I'm sure it was physically painful for Steve to have to talk about Voyager episodes without ripping it to pieces every 5 words and I am grateful for that sacrifice he make for his art (I should add, I don't get angry about it, Voyager has it big problems, but I still love it and so I prefer to poke fun back for levity, we're all Trek fans at the end of the day)

[@vijay-c]

It gets a lot of hate, but I've always had a soft spot for that Enterprise episode because of the Klingon doctor. The forehead stuff is nonsense, but all the crap they pull because Klingons don't have ethics committees to oversee medical research in the Empire must be amazing.

[@thesenate5770]

Honestly I do think affliction and divergence are pretty good episodes, there's more to them than simply retconning the head ridges

[@chazblank2717]

And Uncle Phil as a hard-ass Klingon is just delightful… the realm of possibilities it opens up in the age of AI generated bullshit can’t be understated either 😁

[@kevinward246]

Steve, that ending was gold.

[@robertdavis5693]

"Imagining it's Jazz." I'm more thinking that he's imagining it's Michaelangelo. Those blasted Turtles!

[@TightPantsJack]

Riker's need to be in everything even landed him an appearance in Star Trek: Resurgence.

[@ArgonTheAware]

Riker also needs an appearance in Star Trek: Prodigy at least as a hologram if not in person

[@pjlusk7774]

Sure did!

[@DaneFalco]

lol the argument between Steve and Riker just made my morning

[@GrantCelley]

ok in deep space 9 I wished that Worf would be without ridges. He gets on the transporter. "I am ready to go," Worf huffs. Sisko gives him the stink eye while Jadzia chuckles silently. Also I liked that two parter. I think season 4 of enterprise was the best season of star trek. It was a really good mixture of serialized story telling while still being vary episodic.

[@nightdragon8364]

Let us not forget the equally magnificent John Schuck who was also in Affliction and Divergence.

[@matthewryan8463]

Wasn't he also the Klingon Ambassador to the Federation in Star Trek IV?

[@willmfrank]

@@matthewryan8463 Yes! 😁

[@fisk0]

I mean, the point of the Expanse/Xindi stuff was that Florida was like the canary in the Coal mine and the Enterprise had to stop the Xindi from doing damage! Also, I'm still baffled that Discovery's Control story line actually set up a sensible reason for avoiding overly automated/computer controlled systems in their ships for a while ... but they never went for it.

[@travisboyle285]

My head canon for Control was that it was based on Daystrom's M4 computer system. And after the nightmare it became Richard Daystrom came up with M5 computer based on his human brain engrams thinking it would give it morality unlike Control.

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

Damnit Steve, I'm busy! I don't have time to watch KZbin right now! ... I mean, I'm still gonna, obviously.

[@EclecticFruit]

Learn from Steve. Fix the power grid, THEN watch the video. Erm, but how would you learn from Steve before watching the video to learn from Steve? I know! Convert to Klingon religion!

[@Andrew-pr9xv]

@@EclecticFruit I like the way you think, Fruit.

[@dachannien]

28:21 "Are you okay?" "Dude, I am totally tripping balls right now" "Yeeeeaahhhhh.... me tooooo, maaaan"

[@kaitlyn__L]

I love Klingon Uncle Phil so much. If Affliction was about any other deadly virus it would be great. I try to just ignore the ending (and aspects about their raid on the Enterprise). Reed’s S31 connections are even kinda interesting, because they don’t elaborate on it with too much exposition (cough Discovery). I didn’t realise that early episode about Klingons raiding a deuterium refinery was a movie homage, but that helps explain why it’s one of the better ones! I also honestly never had an issue with the Klingon afterlife names, it just reminded me of Greek or Norse afterlife names. Marvellous intro by the way, I knew it had to be some kind of game but SC2k is a great choice

[@retando8653]

In a similar style to these Klingon videos, a video each on the Cardassians of TNG and DS9 would easily be possible too. I have always found them to be varied and interesting characters and even the one-offs were really memorable most of the time

[@pjlusk7774]

And Voyager too! Seska is worth talking about, and the AI cruise missile guy is pretty interesting.

[@DoctorProph3t]

I must’ve watched through voyager like 9 times and I /still/ don’t remember this episode. Like a fever dream.

[@Redmage913]

By this point in the show, you may be having an impulse of “let’s finally get through this show” that’s stronger than “let’s focus on this one” :P

[@pjlusk7774]

I’ve heard a lot of people say they vaguely remember the episode, but as a TNG Worf episode. Where it might have made more sense, honestly.

[@Fender178]

Also James Avery is also the voice of Shredder in the 1987 TMNT cartoon. That's so cool that Avery was a Klingon because he would be perfect as one.

[@RadSalacan]

"Nice vest!" Excellent.

[@ilanbachar3162]

Awesome skit!! Well done!

[@jbz4788]

Affliction and Divergence’s entire plot line does make sense as happening based off what already happened in the series They see what augments could do and obviously they can’t let puny humans be better warriors than them so try to make their own, But since the warrior culture neglects it’s medical stuff it results in a deadly virus. If they dropped the appearance thing it’d be a perfectly good two parter.

[@coreylyles4490]

When I first realized it was James Avery in the episode I got a good laugh thinking somewhere in a semi-secure backyard shed owned by Paramount lies a cutting of Divergence where Avery throws someone out a door in character as a Klingon.

[@DonkeyMom]

Your summaries crack me up. Voyager is amazing!!!

[@berthulf]

"mostly earth tones, but a rainbow none the less!" What a sentence.

[@Seal0626]

General Korok was bad. ass. Dude straight up commandeered an entire Borg Sphere singlehanded. I wish we could somehow get some sort of followup on the former denizens of Unimatrix Zero...

[@manoffewtalents9992]

Your video made me realize that B'Elanna is my favorite character on VOY. (With 'Give me coffee or I will wipe your species from existence. Or maybe not, who knows?'- Janeway a close second.)

[@ajlong404]

You're awesome, Steve---just amazing.

[@getnohappy]

I do enjoy "Judgement" just because it makes tangential attempt to highlight that, no, a society based on murder and fighting probably wouldn't get to space travel, by pointing out (to paraphrase) "there used to be honour in many things, now the young just want to be warriors". It's still silly, i.e., "you filed that secondary procurement form 2a with great honour", but I appreciate the attempt

[@getnohappy]

Actually Steve, I would love a 5 part arc explaining the relationship between Starfleet and the various government and non-governmental agencies in the Federation thankyouverymuch

[@jamalsawab326]

Love these as someone less familiar with these shows!

[@Xandras25]

I screamed in terror when i saw the riker portrait talk 😅

[@curator_z]

Hmm. Forgot how ...weird Belanna's episodes were

[@arrow1414]

Yes, I am a nerd who LOVES the on screen forehead ridge explanation! 😜 And we did get an on screen explaintion of why does some Romulans has forehead ridges and some don't in the first season of ST:Picard. You can have both great humanistic stories and explanations of plot and visual inconsistencies! Yes, let's have an explanations as to why the Trills from one show than another (head canon: they are different races. The same for the visual differences between the Andorians on the various shows). Star Trek is a fake history we treat like real history (yes we know the difference. It is called suspension of disbelief) and just like with real history, we hate illegitimate revisionism, inconsistencies, especially visual ones. Besides it is good to Bitch about such things. Otherwise reimagined Worf would look like those repulsive ST:Discovery Klingons

[@robertlackey5845]

We could have had Northern Klingons!

[@Ineedtimetothinkaboutthis]

In one hand I’m like, “Steve, I’m worried about you bud” In the other, “Bravo!”

[@Lynxdoc]

Love the Clutch Cargo style Riker! 😁

[@dataportdoll]

I must have had a fever when it aired because if it wasn't for the screenshots I would have swore you were making Prophecy up.

[@acerumble4991]

Glad you didn't puss out on this one, Steve.

[@IanZainea1990]

6:50 I don't remember belannas hair ever looking this good lol

[@OpinionsNoOneCaresAbout]

Well, you can't just replace a fancy probe like that. It's not the Delta Flyer.

[@mausmalone]

Regarding Affliction - I'm all for any episodes that show us members of other species NOT just flying around in starships. Like, the notion of a Klingon legal system, or how any Klingon science works in a culture so obsessed with combat and honor ... that can be really fascinating.

[@jahipalmer8782]

If I'm not mistaken, Picard season one explained that the forehead ridges on Romulans signify Northern Romulans, and smooth foreheads are the Southern Romulans. I know it's not really important, but little stuff like that is cool to know (assuming that the shows in which you find the information aren't garbage...)

[@ZoeMalDoran]

Love your take on these episodes and characters, Steve :) Oh, did you know that the Voyager Relaunch novels explained Miral being on the Barge of the Dead as her conveniently having a near-death-experience during a religious retreat at the same time as B'Elanna having her NDE?

[@Redmage913]

I like that - the novels add so much to the Trek universe, and since no one has read them, analyses of the novels don’t show up much :/

[@SeriesOfYouTubes]

How about, “Meet the Denobulans” next for a well-deserved break.🙃 But you’d probably still find a way to create a thoughtfully crafted half hour long video on the subject matter anyway, so…

[@cripplious]

He was condemned by his own sense of honor. He murdered those who created him ie: his parents that brought dishonor upon him and his whole house.

[@Zurpanik]

I knew it was Riker immediately! And I miss Sim Life! That was basically my first big PC game, loved it!

[@Redmage913]

9:00 yes, but it gives us the Star Trek Armada quote: Gre’Thor will be PAVED with their ASHES!

[@Howlrunner82]

One 👍 for the klingon content and another 999 for Sim City ❤

[@DaveonGrave]

B"Ellana's daughter was one of the most interesting Klingons on Voyager.

[@fallgirl07]

The years of Voyager slander I withstand to be your subscriber 😩😂

[@dm121984]

Voyager is hell? Yeah, checks out. Side note, Tim Russ (Tuvok's actor) has played a Klingon on DS9 before, though ironically he didn't get to use a bat'leth in that role.

[@chrecon2039]

I always find very funny that the scene [on this video at 43:25] is somewhere in the Klingon empire, however in the background is the Greek islands of Lesvos and Chios ..... hahahaha obviously they did it to save money on the CGI, but I still find it so funny :)

[@SkylerLinux]

The worst part of "Affliction" and "Divergence" is that they could have been. The potential of maybe being about something, something in the Real World.

[@barrywhite8747]

I would love it if they did a Star Trek show that only involves the Klingons that takes place somewhere in their history that's similar to GOT.

[@nicholassmith7984]

Is it just me, or in all of these 'Meet the Klingons' episodes, have the Duras Sisters not been discussed at all?

[@texasyojimbo]

Riker also on Lower Deck! Come on talking portrait, give some love for RITOS!

[@Redmage913]

I love how batshit Riker is on Lower Decks.

[@stepheng1523]

Omg my nerd heart loves these videos. Writing is especially on point here

[@jeremievigliaturo1317]

Classic Riker on the wall. What a guy, cant wait for him to show up a Trombone his BS next time!

[@yeenmachine206]

Interesting bit of Trek info: the 5th season of Ent was gonna have the Kzinti

[@ComradePhoenix]

9:15 Steve, you're channeling Shat in Star Trek V here. But, good point regardless.

[@indianastones6032]

Uncle phil/shredder was already scary and intimidating without becoming a klingon!!

[@LHGII]

That talking riker picture is funny and creepy..More please 🎉

[@troacctid]

There were also two holographic Klingon teenagers in that episode where the Doctor creates a fake family for himself!

[@jittisoolt5927]

Gold.

[@andrewbesso4257]

I like the Voyager episode in which "Headstrong Belanna Torres" finds herself a prisoner of a playwright who makes plays from log entries.

[@christopherhastings134]

No, Terry! That's not a pitch! Lol😅

[@RainbowMuse2]

As for the question about the Klingon gods and who could’ve punished Kortar: I submit that they could’ve had a theological, layout similar to that within the lord of the rings, where the gods had their own God: Eru Illuvatar. Over-gods must be a thing in the Klingon pantheon.

[@ShikiKiryu]

The Our Flag reference made me so happy, I bloody love that show. Torres would deffo do an Izzy. "Stupid bloody Stede Bonnett" and not be into that xD

[@rebeccawilson5465]

Riker was also on “The Lower Decks too”. Why did the Klingons look so different on “Star Trek Beyond”?

[@lukecloud8085]

Would Klingon Hell be a peaceful utopia where everything was plentiful and there was no violence whatsoever?

[@qlue7881]

Logical inconsistencies in a fictional religion is kinda meta given the logical inconsistencies in irl religions

[@Dunstan9]

The whole romulan forehead ridges thing was actually explained. Don't know if it was established at some earlier point or not, but it gets referenced in Picard that the ones with the more pronounced ridges are northerners. Making it basically just a ethnic/racial thing.🤷‍♂

[@alissapyrich1891]

Riker also made his way into Lower Decks.

[@jonathanstewart4999]

So TOS Klingons have human DNA/Genes. No wonder they hated Kirk and crew so much, reminding them they were lesser Klingons that had to be saved by a human. (Thanks Archer) Also, "Is Star Trek Actually any good at Love Stories/Romance" I'm not financially able to request a commission, but figured this would be a good episode somewhere in the future. And yes, we know Kirk and The Enterprise are the #1 Love story in the franchise (although, he did sacrifice The Enterprise to save Spock....hmmm)😂

[@SentinelBayReviews]

"It is if you watch the show" 😂😂😂

[@BelRigh]

Im watching this while grinding on ST:Fleet Command...

[@beepboop204]

me: who has the time to watch a 49 minute video also me: im sure happy i have the time to watch a 49 minute video also also me: i wish i had more content to watch

[@francoislacombe9071]

Frakes forgot his cameos on Lower Decks. 🤭

[@breengreg]

Weirdly, I rather like Affliction and Divergence. I agree 200% with Steve on the ridiculous reason for the episode. But the characters and story are pretty interesting. Love that James Avery is a Klingon. I love the Section 31 stuff, and the meeting with the Columbia.

[@doinitwell67]

That's right, shoot that Klingon. Ask questions later. With the Farmer on this one.

[@OpinionsNoOneCaresAbout]

Now, if Kolos had succeeded...that would be a show to see. Law & Order: Klingon Justice. (*chung chung replaced by the "clang clang" of bat'leths*)

[@bozhijak]

I died laughing with your analysis, thank you!!!

[@SideshowCris]

Not for nothing, but they did hint on Picard that the Romulans with pronounced forehead bumps are from the North.

[@maltoNitho]

18:04 Those are the most uncomfortable, unsavory words I think I’ve ever heard. Thank you, I suppose? 😂

[@cartoonkelly7924]

It’s nice that Phlox actually care about saving a species.

[@The_Real_Kyrros]

😆

[@Alixir_of_Life999]

Affliction and Divergence were always more of an intro to Columbia to me. As a fan of the space shuttles I had always hoped to see the Challenger, Discovery and Atlantis NX ships kick some Romulan ass

[@williamsledge3151]

Appreciate your Expanse reference. What is your opinion on the show? I personally really like it but I would like to hear your thoughts on the shows writing and themes

[@mlgerab]

“…in the Riker show!” 🤭🤭🤭

[@CrystalHickerson]

You make me want to watch Enterprise which is almost ridiculously impossible!!!