The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was the second Star Trek movie, released in 1982. The movie was novelized by Vonda N. McIntyre in the year of its release. It was adapted into a comic in 2009, written by Andy Schmidt with art by Chee Yang Ong. The Wrath of Khan tells the tale of Khan Noonien Singh's revenge on James T. Kirk years after being marooned on Ceti Alpha V. The story introduced Saavik to the crew of the Enterprise and saw the death of Spock. The story also featured the Genesis device; a technology created by Carol and David Marcus (the latter Kirk's son), culminating in the creation of the Genesis Planet and beginning a three-film story arc showing the aftermath of Genesis and the resurrection of Spock.

Publisher's description

 * From the back cover of the novelization
 * ''Prepare yourself for warp-10 excitement!


 * The Galaxy's ultimate future is in the hands of James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock and the indomitable crew of the Enterprise''...


 * ''The Galaxy's ultimate weapon is in the hands of the evil Khan and his followers...


 * ''A battle that will shake the universe cannot be avoided...And the ultimate adventure is about to begin!

Prologue
IN THE 23RD CENTURY...

The story begins aboard what appears to be the bridge of the starship Enterprise. The whole original crew, save for Kirk and Chekov, is aboard under the command of what appears to be a Vulcan woman named Saavik. They are on a mission to rescue a trading freighter known as the Kobayashi Maru. The ship is found to be adrift in the Klingon Neutral Zone. Saavik orders the ship to save the freighter, which is about to fall apart. Then, a fleet of Klingon warships attack and seemingly kill the entire crew.

Chapter 1
Two large doors open, and Admiral James T. Kirk enters. It is found that this is a training simulator for a cadet test. Saavik finds it hard to understand the reasoning behind the scenario, which is that sometimes Starfleet commanders must face a no-win-scenario. Kirk is celebrating his birthday.

Chapter 2
The Federation starship Reliant is on a mission to find a suitable world for the Genesis Device, a new terraforming tool that is in development. Chekov, who is an officer aboard the vessel, along with his crew, comes upon the planet Ceti Alpha VI. They find only what appear to be traces of life, which cannot be present. On Earth, Kirk shows that he is in a mid-life crisis of sorts, wondering what his place now is in Starfleet, believing that his days aboard starships are done. Captain Terrell and Chekov beam down from the Reliant to the barren planet. They discover a wrecked ship, which has been converted into what appears to be a safe haven from the planet. Chekov finds a tag that reads "Botany Bay". He then remembers this as the flagship of the mad Khan Noonien Singh, a power-crazed dictator from Earth's past. As Chekov attempts to hurry Terrell out, they are captured.

Chapter 3
Khan and his followers reveal to Terrell and Chekov that this is Ceti Alpha V, and that Ceti Alpha VI exploded, causing many deaths and the shift of the planet's rotation. Khan now has a vendetta against Kirk. Khan wants to know why Terrell and Chekov were looking for a lifeless planet. He uses a creature called a ceti eel to force them into revealing the knowledge. Kirk is due to inspect the starship Enterprise, which is on a cadet training voyage under the command of Captain Spock. The ship sets out into space under the command of Spock. The whole crew, save for Chekov, is aboard.

Chapter 4
At a Federation outpost called Regula One, a group of scientists led by Dr. Carol Marcus discovers that the Federation are accelerating their plans for the Genesis Device, and that the Reliant is on its way to pick it up. The scientists are alarmed by this, and refuse to go along with it. Kirk and his crew recieve a message from Dr. Marcus, who is worried about the Genesis Device.

Chapter 5
When Kirk, Spock, and McCoy learn what Genesis is, Kirk assumes command and sets a course for the outpost.

Chapter 6
The Enterprise encounters the Reliant, which is under Khan's command. Kirk and Khan do battle, and seriously damage each other. Scotty's nephew Peter Preston is killed.

Chapter 7
Kirk and crew arrive at Regula One which is deserted. Kirk, McCoy, and Saavik beam over to the station and find most of the scientists have been murdered. They then check the transporter logs and find that the beam coordinates were to the center of the dead planetoid that Regula One was orbiting. They find the Genesis Cave, the Genesis Device, and Doctors Carol and David Marcus. It is revealed that Kirk and Carol were once involved and that David is their son. Khan is able to retrieve the device, and believes he has stranded Kirk and company in the planetoid.

Chapter 8
Spock, using a coded transmission, is able to evade Khan and get the crew aboard. After Kirk enters the Mutara Nebula and heavily damages Khan's ship, Khan is prepared to detonate the Genesis Device to destroy them both. The Enterprise does not have enough power to escape, but Captain Spock sacrifices his life to save them all.

Chapter 9
The Genesis Wave from Khan's destroyed ship ends up terraforming a planet. As Scotty plays "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes, Spock's body is launched into space above the planet on a course selected by Saavik.

Epilogue
Kirk and crew set course for Earth, awaiting adventures unknown.

Characters

 * Max Arrunja • "Stoney" Beach • Pavel Chekov • Christine Chapel • Croy • Mandala Flynn • Peter Grenni • Jedda • Joachim • James T. Kirk • John Kyle • Madison • March • Carol Marcus • David Marcus • Leonard McCoy • Peter Preston • Saavik • Montgomery Scott • Khan Noonien Singh • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Clark Terrell • Nyota Uhura

Starships and vehicles

 * USS Andromeda ("Galaxy"-class) • SS • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)  • USS Excelsior (NCC-2000)  •  • USS M-31 • USS Magellanic Clouds • USS Reliant (NCC-1864)

Locations

 * Ceti Alpha V • Ceti Alpha system • Gamma Hydra • Gamma Hydra sector • Genesis Planet • Mutara Nebula • Mutara sector • Regula • Regula I

Races and cultures

 * Human • Vulcan

States and organizations

 * Fleet General Staff • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets

Other references

 * Kobayashi Maru scenario • Rentax five

Comic adaptation

 * The comic adaptation of this film was released as a three part biweekly series in June and July of 2009.

Related stories

 * "Space Seed" - (TOS episode) - The Wrath of Khan was a direct sequel to this orignal series episode which set up the situation which would lead Khan to have such a strong hatred of Captain Kirk.
 * To Reign in Hell: The Exile of Khan Noonien Singh - (TOS novel) - The prequel to The Wrath of Khan telling the story of Khan's exile on Ceti Alpha V.
 * "The Wormhole Connection" - (TOS comic) - Set after The Wrath of Khan this comic sees Kirk personally request Grand Admiral Stephen Turner allow him to remain in command of the Enterprise, which Turner approves. The story then deals with Kirk's reaction to Saavik (who takes Spock's former role as science officer) while he grieves for Spock.
 * The Search for Spock (TOS movie) - Spock transfers his katra to Doctor McCoy before his death in The Wrath of Khan, allowing his resurrected in The Search for Spock when his katra is transplanted back into his body which regenerated on the Genesis Planet.
 * The Chimes at Midnight (TOS/Myriad Universes novel) - Set in an alternate timeline where Thelin is aboard the Enterprise instead of Spock and the Genesis Planet is still created, although in this case Thelin uses a shield modification to allow the Enterprise to survive the Genesis effect rather than sacrificing himself to repair the ship's engines.
 * "🇰🇲" (EV comic) - The conflict between the Enterprise and the Reliant is mirrored in this comic. The Enterprise faces another Miranda-class starship, the USS Cortez (NCC-1834), and once again the ship has been commandeered by fanatics. Like the film Number One uses the Cortez's command codes to take down the shields to make it vulnerable after its initial brutal attack. And finally like the Reliant the Cortez is destroyed by a powerful technology, though in this case a planet is destroyed in the process rather than created.

Publication history

 * 1982'
 * 4 June - Movie released.
 * July - Vonda N. McIntyre's novelization of the film published by Pocket Books as the seventh book in their line of numbered TOS novels.
 * October - Photostory adaptation by Richard J. Anobile published by Pocket Books.
 * 2004, October - Novelization reprinted in the Signature Edition omnibus Duty, Honor, Redemption, along with Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
 * 2009
 * June-July - Three-part comic adaptation by Andy Schmidt with art by Chee Yang Ong published by IDW Publishing.
 * November - IDW reprint the comic adaptation in the Movie Omnibus with other TOS comic adaptation.