John Colicos as Commander Kor
"A shame, Captain. It would have been glorious."
"Errand of Mercy" served as the introduction of Klingons to the Star Trek universe, and the episode's "inception of war" plot was just about the perfect setting to do so. Kor is arguably the most complex and well-written Klingon character in the series, and Colicos delivers a splendid performance, taking the excellent scripted dialog and elevating it immeasurably. As I've mentioned before, Michael Ansara's Kang may have been the prototype for the stoic, physically imposing, no-nonsense Klingon warrior, but Kor's character expressed his views in intellectual and philosophical terms and was so engaging and developed that he would have been fascinating as any species, thanks to Colicos' brilliant performance.
We first meet Kor as he and the rest of his invasion force arrive on Organia and begin the Klingon occupation. He enters the Organian council chambers with an air of confident authority.
KOR: This is the ruling council?
AYELBORNE: I am Ayelborne, temporary head of the council. I bid you welcome.
KOR: No doubt you do. I am Kor, military governor of Organia. Who are you?
AYELBORNE: He is Baroner, one of our leading citizens.
KOR: And he has no tongue?
KIRK: I have a tongue.
KOR: Good. You will be taught how to use it. Where is your smile?
KIRK: My what?
KOR: The stupid, idiotic smile everyone else seems to be wearing. A Vulcan. Do you also have a tongue?
SPOCK: I am Spock, a dealer in kevas and trillium.
KOS: You do not look like a storekeeper. Take this man. Vulcans are members of the Federation. He may be a spy.
KIRK: He's no spy.
KOR: Well, have we a ram among the sheep? Do you object to us taking him?
KIRK: He's done nothing. Nothing at all.
KOR: Coming from an Organian, yours is practically an act of rebellion. Very good. (to the Council) So you welcome me. Do you also welcome me?
KIRK: You're here. There's nothing I can do about it.
KOR: Good honest hatred. Very refreshing. However, it makes no difference whether you welcome me or not. I am here and will stay. You are now subjects of the Klingon Empire. You'll find there are many rules and regulations. They will be posted. Violation of the smallest of them will be punished by death.
AYELBORNE: We shall obey your regulations, Commander.
KOR: You disapprove, Baroner.
KIRK: You need my approval?
KOR: I need your obedience. Nothing more. Will I have it?
KIRK: You seem to be in command.
KOR: Yes. I am. I shall need a representative from among you. Liaison between the forces of the occupation and the civil population. Smile and smile. I don't trust men who smile too much. You, Baroner, you're the man.
KIRK: Me? I don't want the job.
KOR: Have I asked whether or not you want it? We Klingons have a reputation for ruthlessness. You will find that it is deserved. Should one Klingon soldier be killed, a thousand Organians will die. I will have order. Is that clear?
AYELBORNE: Commander, I assure you our people want nothing but peace. We shall cause you no trouble.
KOR: I'm sure you will not. Take the Vulcan to the examination room. You, come with me. I will familiarise you with your new duties.
KIRK: And Mister Spock?
KOR: You are concerned?
KIRK: He is my friend.
KOR: You have a poor choice of friends. He will be examined. If he is lying, he will die. If he is telling the truth, he will find that business has taken a turn for the worse. Take him. You do not like to be pushed. Very good. You may be a man I can deal with, Baroner. Come with me.
We see immediately that the Kirk and Kor characters have an interesting and entertaining relationship dynamic. Because Kor is a Klingon he is accustomed to dealing with opposition and hostility in the course of his duties. The Commander seems disappointed, even aggravated at the Organian passive and compliant attitudes, Kirk's alter ego exhibits a much more familiar reaction to his presence and Kor responds to it favorably by comparison.
KOR: From this day on, no public assemblages of more than three people. All publications to be cleared through this office. Neighbourhood controls will be established, hostages selected. A somewhat lengthy list of crimes against the state.
KOR: You do not like them? Well?
KLINGON: He is what he claims to be, Commander, a Vulcanian merchant named Spock. His main concern seems to be how he would carry out his business under our occupation.
KOR: Nothing else?
KLINGON: The usual. A certain amount of apprehension regarding us. The mind is remarkably disciplined.
KOR: You are sure?
KLINGON: I used force four, which is sufficient to break down any pretence.
KOR: Very well, Lieutenant. Would you like to try our little truth finder?
KIRK: I don't understand.
KOR: It's a mind-sifter or mind-ripper, depending on how much force is used. We can record every thought, every bit of knowledge in a man's mind. Of course, when that much force is used, the mind is emptied. Permanently, I'm afraid. What's left is more vegetable than human.
KIRK: And you're proud of it.
KOR: It is a tool, a weapon. Somewhat drastic, but very efficient.
KIRK: Are you sure you're all right?
SPOCK: Perfectly, Baroner. But it was an interesting experience.
KOR: All right, Vulcan, you may go. But you are an enemy alien. You will be under our scrutiny at all times. If I have to warn you
SPOCK: Not necessary, Commander. I understand you very well.
KOR: Return to your council, Baroner. You will receive our official notifications as soon as they are published. In the meantime keep the people in order. It is your responsibility.
KIRK: Or I will be killed.
KOR: That is exactly right. You will be killed.
The scenes featuring Shatner and Colicos are some of the best found in Star Trek and each actor plays their part brilliantly to create an iconic character rivalry.
Kirk decides to take action in the form of guerilla tactics in order to inspire the Organians to resist the Klingon occupation. With Spock's help Kirk destroys a Klingon ammunition dump. Once back in the Organian council chambers Kirk explains to Ayelborne the reasons for his actions, which Kor overhears through a listening device and arrives with his men to arrest the admitted saboteurs.
KOR: You speak of courage. Obviously you do not know the difference between courage and foolhardiness. Always it is the brave ones who die. The soldiers. I hope you will continue to savour the sweetness of your life. You disgust me.
AYELBORNE: What are you going to do with him, Commander?
KOR: What is always done with spies and saboteurs. He will be killed, after he has had first-hand experience of our mind scanner.
AYELBORNE: There's no need to use your machine on him, commander. I can tell you his name. It is Captain James T. Kirk.
KIRK: Ayelborne!
KOR: What? Captain of the USS Enterprise. A starship commander. And his first officer? I had hoped to meet you in battle, but...
AYELBORNE: For some reason, he feels that he must destroy you, Commander, just as you feel you must destroy him.
KOR: That's going to be rather difficult now. Isn't it, Captain? What an admirable people. Do you always betray your friends?
AYELBORNE: I didn't want you to harm him. I'm sorry, Captain. It was for the best. No harm would come of it.
KIRK: I'm used to the idea of dying, but I have no desire to die for the likes of you.
KOR: I don't blame you, Captain. Lock up the Vulcan. Take the Captain to my office. We'll have a talk before I do what must be done.
Colicos plays Kor's reactions in this scene brilliantly. The revelation that he is in the presence of a Starfleet captain and his first officer is clearly thrilling to Kor and Colicos is masterful at portraying the Klingon's joyful surprise. Later, in Kor's office, the two adversaries finally have a chance to verbally spar on equal terms for the first time in the episode.
KOR: You'll have a drink with me, Captain?
KIRK: No, thank you.
KOR: I assure you it isn't drugged. With our mind-scanner, we have no need for such crude methods.
KIRK: What do you want from me?
KOR: Oh, a very great deal, but first I want to talk. Just talk.
KIRK: You think I'm going to sit here and just talk with the enemy?
KOR: You'll talk. Either here, now, voluntarily, or under our mind-scanner. The fact is, Captain, I have a great admiration for your Starfleet. A remarkable instrument. and I must confess to a certain admiration for you. I know, of course, that it was you who destroyed our supplies last night.
KIRK: Something was destroyed? Nothing inconsequential, I hope.
KOR: Hardly. They were quite important to us, but they can be replaced. You of the Federation, you are much like us.
KIRK: We're nothing like you. We're a democratic body.
KOR: Come now. I'm not referring to minor ideological differences. I mean that we are similar as a species. Here we are on a planet of sheep. Two tigers, predators, hunters, killers, and it is precisely that which makes us great. And there is a universe to be taken.
KIRK: It's a very large universe, Commander, full of people who don't like the Klingons.
KOR: Excellent. Then it shall be a matter of testing each other's wills. Of power. Survival must be earned, Captain. Tell me about the dispersal of your Starfleet.
KIRK: Go climb a tree.
KOR: I can get what I want through our mind-scanner, but there would be very little of your mind left, Captain. I have no desire to see you become a vegetable. This friend of yours, the Vulcan. He seems to have the ability to block our scanner. I think perhaps I will find out why. I will have him dissected. Your friend killed. You, a mental vegetable. Not a pleasant prospect, Captain, but it lies ahead for you unless you tell me everything I want to know. Twelve hours, Captain.
KIRK: It will take a lot longer than that, Commander.
KOR: Longer than that I will not wait. I respect you, Captain, but this is war, a game we Klingons play to win. Take him to the cell with his friend. And watch him closely.
Kirk and Spock are imprisoned but a short time later, to their surprise, Ayelborne arrives alone and effortlessly frees them with no Klingon guards in evidence anywhere. Once back in the council chamber Kor announces over a loudspeaker that two hundred Organians have been killed and he threatens that more will die unless the Federation prisoners are returned. In the hope of preventing more deaths Kirk devises a plan to sneak into Kor's headquarters. In spite of the Organian protesting against it Kirk and Spock are able to surprise Kor and take him prisoner.
KIRK: Just stay where you are, Commander.
KOR: You have done well to get this far through my guards.
SPOCK: I believe you'll find that several of them are no longer in perfect operating condition.
KOR: So, you are here. You will be interested in knowing that a Federation fleet is on its way here at the moment. Our fleet is preparing to meet them.
KIRK: Checkmate, Commander.
KOR: Shall we wait and see the results before you kill me?
KIRK: I don't intend to kill you unless I have to.
KOR: Sentimentality, mercy. The emotions of peace. Your weakness, Captain Kirk. The Klingon Empire shall win. Think of it, as we sit here, in space above us the destiny of the galaxy will be decided for the next ten thousand years. Can I offer you a drink? We can toast the victory of the Klingon fleet.
SPOCK: You may be premature. There are many possibilities.
KOR: Today we conquer. If some day we are defeated, well, war has its fortunes good and bad. Do you know why we are so strong? Because we are a unit. Each of us is part of the greater whole, always under surveillance. Even a commander like myself, always under surveillance, Captain. If you will note.
KIRK: Cover, Spock! Back!
The Klingons burst it, then suddenly everyone drops their weapons.
KOR: Shoot! Shoot!
AYELBORNE: We are terribly sorry to be forced to interfere, gentlemen, but we cannot permit you to harm yourselves.
KOR: What are you talking about?
CLAYMARE: We have put a stop to your violence.
KIRK: You are stopping this? You?
CLAYMARE: All instruments of violence on this planet now radiate a temperature of three hundred and fifty degrees. They are inoperative.
KOR: My fleet!
AYELBORNE: The same conditions exist on both the star-fleets. There will be no battle.
Along with Shatner and Nimoy, Colicos is again brilliant. Admittedly the script by Gene Coon is the core reason Kor is a standout character but it is Colicos himself that makes the Klingon Commander memorable. His last line in the episode is one of my favorites of TOS.
KIRK: Well, Commander, I guess that takes care of the war. Obviously, the Organians aren't going to let us fight.
KOR: A shame, Captain. It would have been glorious.
I confess Commander Kor is my favorite TOS Klingon and it is largely due to John Colicos' performance. It is a shame Colicos' Kor did not return in any of the remaining episodes of the series, though the character appeared in an episode of TAS voiced by Doohan and another instance with Colicos returning but in another series.
