Khan Noonien Singh

Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically-engineered superman in the fictional Star Trek universe, was one of the unfortunate consequences of late-twentieth century eugenics. After the devastating Eugenics Wars of the late 1990s, Khan (he is known by his first name) was exiled along with his followers on the advanced (for the time) space ship S.S. Botany Bay.

In the 2260s, the Botany Bay was discovered adrift by the starship U.S.S. Enterprise under the command of James T. Kirk. The ship's crew was rescued by the Enterprise, but upon reviving from cryogenic freeze, Khan plotted a mutiny to allow him to seize the powerful ship and begin anew his dreams of conquest. Aided by the ship's historian, Lieutenant Marla McGivers, Khan nearly succeeded in his goal, but was thwarted by the Enterprise's crew. As punishment, the Botany Bay's crew and McGivers are left stranded on Ceti Alpha Five, a habitable planet where they can start a new life.

Seventeen years later, the starship U.S.S. Reliant, testing various worlds to serve as proving grounds for the Genesis project, was hijacked by Khan and his surviving crew. The Reliant had beamed its captain, Clark Terrell, and first officer, Pavel Chekov, to the planet's surface. Unfortunately for Terrell and Chekov, the planet was not Ceti Alpha Six, as they had supposed, but rather Ceti Alpha Five. Ceti Alpha Six had exploded six months after the Botany Bay's crew's arrival on Ceti Alpha Five, throwing off the Reliant's charts and rendering C.A.5. nearly uninhabitable, as well as killing most of the Botany Bay's complement and McGivers, by then Khan's wife. Khan blamed Kirk for "marooning" him on the planet, and vowed to exact his revenge from his foe.

After seizing control of the Reliant and its crew, Khan attempted to steal the Genesis device, capable of creating a new world from any suitable mass--the ultimate terrorist weapon. He was temporarily blocked by now-Admiral Kirk's arrival near Space Station Regula One (site of the Genesis project). Kirk's foolish disregard for Starfleet regulations requiring a defensive posture when faced with a noncommunicative sister ship nearly destroyed the Enterprise in its encounter with the Reliant. However, his intervention bought the scientists aboard the space station (including Kirk's former lover Carol Marcus and son David Marcus) time to hide the Genesis device.

Khan eventually succeeded in obtaining the Genesis device, but was defeated by the Enterprise in space combat in the Mutara Nebula. As a last resort, Khan attempted to use the Genesis device to destroy both the Reliant and Enterprise. Even in this last act, though, he was denied the vengeance he craved, as the sacrifice of Mr. Spock allowed the Enterprise to escape.

Khan was played in both the TV episode Space Seed and the movie Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan by Ricardo Montalban.