‘Star Trek’ Retro Recap: ‘Space Seed’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

Over the course of its illustrious run, the Star Trek franchise as a whole has offered up some wonderful contributions to the creative world for certain. For this series truly took science fiction out of the dark ages that it was stuck in, back in the 50s and early 60s, and offered up a relatable story that anyone can enjoy. But while I could go on and on about every last creative endeavor this show pioneered back in the day, there’s only one on my mind today, and that would be the colorful and rich villains that this franchise continues to create on the small and silver screen.
 
Because it’s very easy for television shows to bring forth one dimensional baddies that come and go week in and week out, and that happens often in just about every genre, anymore. But this series, it made sure that everyone who did nefarious deeds in the galaxy, had depth and a backstory and reasons as to why they did what they did. It’s why the Klingons and Romulans and every villain in-between are so celebrated when it comes to this saga since they offer the audience so much. But of the many villains that made a guest spot on this series, only one truly stands out as the definitive nemesis for Captain James Tiberius Kirk and that man would be… Khan Noonien Singh.
 
For everyone knows of the havoc that Khan wreaked upon the crew of the Enterprise and our hearts in 1982’s The Wrath of Khan. But his origin story and first encounter with Kirk and company is something that’s long buried in our memories since I think it is safe to say we revisit that movie more than we revisit the old show. In fact, my first encounter with the character was the movie first and the show far later. Which means that it’s been years since I settled in to watch ‘Space Seed’ and thanks to this delightful re-watch, the time has come to finally re-visit this all important first counter between Captain Kirk and the toughest enemy he’s ever faced and honestly, this is still a great episode through and through, one that has held up well over the years. 

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​That’s due in large part to the fact that Khan is just a delight to see on screen, courtesy of the late Ricardo Montalban’s electric performance, and what he brings to the role and the character makes him a frightening villain indeed. After all, we are able to bear witness to his cunning intellect at a point where he is still not blinded by the prospect of revenge, and to see him work and scheme with a clearer mind is frightening to the say the least. Since he’s willing to hurt and harm in order to get his way and well, seeing the entire picture now after all these years, almost makes this story darker than I remember it. Because now we know this is the opening chapter to a grand tragedy, one that sees Khan lose his life to revenge, and one that breaks that audience’s heart as well.
 
After all, the final moments in this episode, wherein Spock discusses his curiosity as to what the captain’s decision will look like in a hundred years is heartbreaking and ominous. And it’s equally as harrowing in this tale to see a Starfleet officer turn her back on her ship and the delta by assisting Khan, regardless of whether or not she snaps out of it by the end of the episode. But what matters most, are the more metaphorical messages present in this tale. For this is really the classic struggle between tyranny and good men, and I won’t lie, this is another story that oddly has relevance to present day since Khan stands in for so many relevant pieces in our current culture and that alone made this episode brilliant in its own right.
 
But all analysis aside, the hardcore geek in me could not help but smile with wonder over the fact that this was it, the grand setup to one of Trek’s most powerful stories, and seeing this one again, adds gravity and depth to the powerful sequel since the somberness of TWOK suddenly makes sense. Plus, kudos William Shatner for also turning in a powerhouse performance in this tale, and DeForest Kelley gets the honorable mention with his sublime handling of Khan’s savagery and well, this one really is a true classic for the series. One that truly gifted us with a great story when all is said and done and honestly, I think I’m ready to take a quick break to watch Star Trek II before resuming this journey, just to see the story as a whole while this one is still fresh in my mind. Until next time. 

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