Warning! The Following Contains Minor SPOILERS from Star Trek: Khan’s First 3 Episodes
Kirsten Beyer is part of the incredible one-two punch writing the page-turning scripts for the enthralling podcast, Star Trek: Khan. Along with David Mack, who is also a mainstay in the realm of Trek storytelling himself, the duo has created a sequel to the Star Trek: The Original Series season 1 episode “Space Seed,” which follows Khan Noonien Singh, his people, and Marla McGivers after they are exiled to Ceti Alpha V by Captain James T. Kirk. However, while the audio drama is clearly set in the world of creator Gene Roddenberry, the question of whether the podcast is canon or not was addressed by the project’s co-writer. Beyer said in an interview via (TrekMovie.com):
“I don’t know the answer to that, yet. There are conversations I need to have with people because I could see arguments for both. But I don’t know where that’s going to fall. And I hope, ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Come to the story. Enjoy the story or don’t. It’s not going to contradict anything that we already know, that was previously established. But it is going to make it deeper and richer in ways I don’t think you can quite imagine yet.”
For those who haven’t listened to the podcast yet, Star Trek: Khan begins with Khan (Naveen Andrews), his fellow Augments, and future wife, Marla McGivers (Wrenn Schmidt), acclimating themselves to life on their new home world — the doomed planet Ceti Alpha V. One of the most intriguing twists within the series’ first three episodes, which take place between the aforementioned “Space Seed” and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), is the fact that they have used their superior intellect to upgrade one of their Dynoscanners. In doing, the Augments discover that the neighboring planet, Ceti Alpha VI, is unstable.
Thus, the calamitous tone is set, but Marla tries to console the others by telling them that it will take millions of years for Ceti Alpha VI to change in any way that might do them harm. Unfortunately, Trekkies know all too well that the Augments’ neighboring planet explodes six months after they were dropped off by the USS Enterprise. And as if Khan and his people didn’t have enough problems, the Ceti eels have already impacted the group in the most heartbreaking and unforgettable ways. If you thought Captain Terrell (Paul Winfield) and First Officer Chekov (Walter Koenig) had problems when Khan put the Ceti eels inside their ears, that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Have you listened to the Star Trek: Khan podcast? Well, not only should it be canon, but writers Kirsten Beyer and David Mack are to be congratulated for composing what is the best Trek content since the third season of Star Trek: Picard. What are your thoughts on the matter? Share your opinions and comments on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages. New episodes of Khan drop every Monday through Nov. 3.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!