Pre-silver screen Klingons had no forehead ridges: Discuss!

[dlbpharmd]

Matrixman gave me the idea for this thread - TOS Klingons look very human, albeit always dirty. Then suddenly, in ST:TMP, we see Klingons with these funky head ridges, which have steadily become more and more pronounced throughout the evolution of the multiple series.

So, who has the best theory as to why pre-movie Klingons had no head ridges? Whoever has the best theory wins a weekend with Darth Revan in sunny England!

[aTOMiC]

I think the answer to the question is pretty obvious. The Kilngons in the TOS era had adopted an appearance deception for all of their off world personnel. (Oddly enough the idea came from the Romulans who had originally initiated the tactic unbeknownst to the Federation.) In an attempt to deceive competing races about the Klingon's true nature the Council instituted an ambitious plan to physically alter those Klingons serving in the defense forces and the diplomatic corps. This strategy was extremely effective against the Federation in regard to hiding true Klingon strength and gave any Klingon soldier the ability to clandestinely infiltrate the Federation population as a whole. Once the ruse was discovered both the Klingons and the Romulans abandoned the practice. As time went by the Klingons began to realize how dishonorable their policy was, and gradually phased awareness of its existence out of Klingon knowledge.

[dlbpharmd]

Interesting....we may already have a winner...

So, according to your theory, was the Klingon's encounter with V'ger in TMP the first time that Federation officials had a look at a real Klingon?

[The Leper Fairy]

The ridges make them more streamline, of course. Everyone knows that

[aTOMiC]

Interesting....we may already have a winner...

So, according to your theory, was the Klingon's encounter with V'ger in TMP the first time that Federation officials had a look at a real Klingon?

Then or sometime just before. The film didn't seem to make a big deal about their appearance so I'm guessing it happened in the years between the end of TOS and ST1.

[Loredoctor]

I think the answer to the question is pretty obvious. The Kilngons in the TOS era had adopted an appearance deception for all of their off world personnel. (Oddly enough the idea came from the Romulans who had originally initiated the tactic unbeknownst to the Federation.) In an attempt to deceive competing races about the Klingon's true nature the Council instituted an ambitious plan to physically alter those Klingons serving in the defense forces and the diplomatic corps. This strategy was extremely effective against the Federation in regard to hiding true Klingon strength and gave any Klingon soldier the ability to clandestinely infiltrate the Federation population as a whole. Once the ruse was discovered both the Klingons and the Romulans abandoned the practice. As time went by the Klingons began to realize how dishonorable their policy was, and gradually phased awareness of its existence out of Klingon knowledge.

Nice theory, but Enterprise says otherwise

[dlbpharmd]

Oh? What did Enterprise say?

[Loredoctor]

Klingons had ridges in the series.

[matrixman]

From what I've read here at the Watch and at other Trek sites, many Trekkers disagree with Enterprise's version of history anyway--vehemently disagree.

[dlbpharmd]

From what I've read here at the Watch and at other Trek sites, many Trekkers disagree with Enterprise's version of history anyway--vehemently disagree.

Well, I'm one of them....I don't watch Enterprise enough to realize that the Klingons have head ridges....just another reason to complain about the lack of continuity in the mythos.

[Seafoam Understone]

I think the answer to the question is pretty obvious. The Kilngons in the TOS era had adopted an appearance deception for all of their off world personnel. (Oddly enough the idea came from the Romulans who had originally initiated the tactic unbeknownst to the Federation.) In an attempt to deceive competing races about the Klingon's true nature the Council instituted an ambitious plan to physically alter those Klingons serving in the defense forces and the diplomatic corps. This strategy was extremely effective against the Federation in regard to hiding true Klingon strength and gave any Klingon soldier the ability to clandestinely infiltrate the Federation population as a whole. Once the ruse was discovered both the Klingons and the Romulans abandoned the practice. As time went by the Klingons began to realize how dishonorable their policy was, and gradually phased awareness of its existence out of Klingon knowledge.

Great theory... I think they were embarrassed when the Federation got live coverage of the Ridges during V'ger's attack on three of their battlecruisers (ST:TMP) and thus the cat or Klarrg was out of the bag.

But if the alteration was in effect then they must've found all SHORT members of their race to do this to because the average Klingon is around 6-3 or something... mebbe it's those (COOL Gene Simmons KISS boots) they wear but they're not a small race.

[aTOMiC]

Klingons had ridges in the series.

All good Trek fans already know that Enterprise is full of crap. Nuff Said.

[Roland of Gilead]

There is a plausible theory for the Klingon "head-change" in Chris Claremont's excellent graphic Trek novel, Debt of Honor . . . but for the life of me, I can't recall details.

Something about related sub-species and the ridged species begins to dominate the government and culture (?) But I may be mixing that up with something the Reeves-Stevens mentioned in one of their collaborative novels with Shatner.

And I admit it - I'm too lazy to try to look it up.

[aTOMiC]

There is a plausible theory for the Klingon "head-change" in Chris Claremont's excellent graphic Trek novel, Debt of Honor . . . but for the life of me, I can't recall details.

Something about related sub-species and the ridged species begins to dominate the government and culture (?) But I may be mixing that up with something the Reeves-Stevens mentioned in one of their collaborative novels with Shatner.

And I admit it - I'm too lazy to try to look it up.

IMHO Chris Claremont's theory doesn't address one critical point that my theory does. There is a DS9 episode where Dax is supposedly old friends with three TOS era Kingon Commanders and joins the old fellas in one last adventure. These old Klingons are clearly shown with ridges when they obviously did not have them in the original series. My theory takes this bit of Trek fact into account. All Kingon personnel, at the conclusion of the "deception", were physically restored to their original appearance. I know. I've got too much time on my hands. Sure doesn't feel that way. Oh well.

[Roland of Gilead]

Tom, you win the contest.

The "Geek of the Week" contest, anyway.