The penultimate episode of Star Trek: Khan finally answered some major questions of the saga while delivering a shocking twist that sets up a huge finale!
Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Khan episode 8, “Original Sin”
The episode opens in 2296 with Dr. Rosalind Lear’s logs skimming five years of events on Ceti Alpha V following Marla McGivers' death. The Augments and Elboreans have been working hard on the ship, which they call the Venture, and it is almost set to fly. It’s been hard on all, with many dying of starvation as the surface continues to fall apart.
Meanwhile, thanks to her Augment genes, Khan’s five-year-old daughter, Kali, has grown faster than a human child would in regard to both her language skills and emotional maturity. She’s already quoting Shakespeare and is very rambunctious. We get some amazing scenes between Khan Noonien Singh and his daughter that show a different Khan, one who’s fun and loving, playing games and clearly adoring her.
The plan is for everyone to clear out the caves, which will be destroyed when the ship launches as the Venture travels for about six months to get help. Khan is adamant that they do not contact Starfleet, openly speculating that Captain James T. Kirk abandoned them on purpose, a hint at his future obsession.
Things seem to be going okay…until a big proclamation quickly sends events south.
Khan has a darker purpose
As Khan goes over the plan with those who are physically able to gather, he announces a change as he’ll be taking command of the Venture over Delmonda. Plus, Kali will board instead of Paolo. Paolo isn’t happy, complaining about it to Ursula, who’s become bitter as she and Madot have split. The reason was that Ursula was still mourning their lost child and was not happy that Madot had become Kali’s nanny, openly snapping, “You got what you wanted, a child to love,” when she couldn’t stand being around Khan.
Ursula also spells it out for Paolo that they don’t have enough rations for all the survivors left. Meaning Khan has secretly decreed that the Augments will get what’s left and the Elbs will be left to starve. She paints it as okay, and the Elbs will accept it, with Paolo more upset as he’s in a relationship with one of the aliens.
It’s a dark turn yet makes sense for Khan’s survival of the fittest attitude. Paolo’s loss of faith in Khan is mirrored by Joachim still worshipping the man, especially when he gets back his old blade, now reforged.
The shocking truth of Ceti Alpha VI
Khan and Delmonda have a private talk regarding Khan’s change of plans. Delmonda brings up how Khan left out the tiny detail in his backstory of trying to conquer Earth, which Kali told him about, and is not happy about Khan wanting to take his daughter off. Khan’s mistrust is still evident, suspicious after all this time about why the Elbs didn’t just force the Augments to do what they wanted with their mental powers.
As things get hot, Delmonda uses those powers to enter Khan’s mind, and the truth finally comes out: The Elboreans are the cause of this whole mess. When their ship was in distress over Ceti Alpha VI, they vented the engine’s unique energies over the planet, causing it to become unstable. If not for that, Ceti Alpha VI would have lived on for millions of years.
To say Khan doesn’t take this well would be a severe understatement. He’s absolutely livid, saying, “It was not fate. It was not eternity’s design. It was YOU who destroyed my world.” Naveen Andrews channels Ricardo Montalban in full here, with Khan turning on a dime into a savage who brushes off Delmonda’s words with, “I see only the face of my enemy.”
He nearly kills Delmonda before Kali comes in to stop him. Khan calms down while not-so-subtly letting Delmonda know his new plan is to take Kali, fly off, and never return, leaving the Augments and Elbs alike to die. Tellingly, when Khan states he would prefer to remember Delmonda as a friend, the Elborean replies with a familiar line: “I have been and always shall be yours, Khan.”
Another turn comes when Ursula checks out Marla’s cargo pod and finds her old phaser. She’s then shocked to be met by Ivan, who’s somehow survived the last five years on the ravaged surface and clearly wants some payback.
The future-set storyline has Dr. Lear giving her report to Captain Sulu that formally states there’s no way Kirk could have known Ceti Alpha VI would explode, exonerating him. Ensign Tuvok, who’s been listening in on the logs, talks to Sulu about his suspicions regarding the ship. They’re interrupted by an alert that indicates Lear has ventured to Ceti Alpha V’s surface, without authorization, and Tuvok volunteers to go after her.
So the stage is set for the finale that will explain why Khan didn’t flee Ceti Alpha V, what happened to the Elbs and just who Lear really is. It’s likely going to be an epic tale to pay off this amazing show!
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The final episode of Star Trek: Khan drops on Monday, Nov. 3.