ABSTRACT
This chapter contends that Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) occupies a somewhat singular position in that it serves as pars pro toto for Star Trek in its entirety. The creative team that brought the movie to fruition made accessible and translated to the silver screen Star Trek’s allegorical intentions—i.e., tackling human hubris derived from scientific prowess, age/aging, and death—set in a thinly veiled maritime world in outer space that was inspired by Napoleonic sea fiction. By doing so, they crafted a Star Trek movie which not only became a fan favorite, but also validated the serial potential of the franchise on the big screen.
