Khan RETURNS and Kirk Faces His Past | The Wrath of Khan Pt. 1
Summary
Mary and Bob discuss *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan*, analyzing Kirk’s vulnerability, Khan’s hubris, and the political parallels between Project Genesis and the Manhattan Project. They critique the body horror of the mind-control worms and debate Starfleet’s military nature, while noting production quirks like Shatner and Montalbán never filming together. The episode also covers behind-the-scenes trivia, including the original title and Kirstie Alley’s performance, before teasing the film’s emotional conclusion.
Topics discussed
Plot summary: Part 1 of The Wrath of Khan
Discussion on the film's tone and Kirk's vulnerability
Analysis of new characters and plot twists
The parasitic worm scene and body horror elements
Crew ranks and Chekhov's promotion logic
Kirk's frustration with the cadet crew and Savic
Kirk and Spock's friendship and command transition
Themes of aging, mortality, and set design
The Genesis device and Starfleet's military nature
Debate on Starfleet as a military organization
McCoy's bigotry and the Manhattan Project parallel
Kirk's faults and General Order 12 violation
Critique of Space Seed and Khan's introduction
Khan's hubris, vengeance, and tactical errors
Observations: V'jer count correction and trivia
Savic's makeup, Kirstie Alley, and Robin Curtis
Screenwriting symmetry and Scotty's shore leave mystery
Nitpicks: David's sweater, Klingon prisoners, Scotty's choice
Behind the scenes: Nicholas Meyer, titles, and filming
Final trivia: B.B. Bash in The Day After
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